Jolene
Jolene grew up in Luxemburg, WI. After going to college in Stevens Point and working for a year in the Milwaukee area, she moved to De Pere, WI to get married, start a family, and pursue her career. Both the youngest of six, Jolene and her husband always wanted a big family. After struggling to get pregnant, their family was jump-started by having identical twin girls, Eden and Ellie, who are now 5. Then came Jude, who will be 3 in August, and they just welcomed James, Baby #4, in June. Both she and her husband work, and Jolene owns her own company, www.howtoconcerts.com, planning large scale entertainment events across the country. Because she has to travel for work, Jolene has used a breast pump while flying, driving, walking and talking, and has the war stories to prove it. Her keys to success (aka survival) are the members of her support system, starting with her husband and extended family, and ending with good coffee and a sense of humor.
It’s About the Journey: Two Months Into My New Year’s Resolutions
It’s March. I am two full months into my New Year’s Resolutions. See “5 Resolutions I Might Actually Keep” for my full plan of action. I had 5 specific ways I was going to...
18 Realistic Dates That Would Ruin “The Bachelor”
We make fun of it because it’s based on very unrealistic expectations. 25 pre-screened, gorgeous (but mostly crazy) people are all competing for a potential mate that they’ve never met. The show takes place in an elegant mansion stocked with endless amounts of booze, and features outings to exotic locations no regular people can afford. The extravagant dates feature helicopter rides, hot tub soaks with champagne, and tropical beach frolics. To put this into perspective, my husband and I met in a dive bar in college and our first date was at Starbucks. Honestly, if given the opportunity to go on the dates featured in this show, I could temporarily fall in love with a scarecrow. Not only is it unrealistic, but it sets the couple up for failure.
I propose they try these 18 alternative dates. It may ruin the show, but it would be entertaining.
5 Resolutions I Might Actually Keep
Every year it seems we all aim for the same things… finally lose that baby weight, purge/simplify, be more “present,” stop judging others, and the list goes on! I don’t need a new year to tell me I need to work on those. Those are all part of our never-ending list of #momgoals. This year, I have a few new ideas.
It Won’t Always Be a Foon – Everything is Temporary
I remember watching all my friends get pregnant while waiting to conceive. I remember every negative pregnancy test. I remember how long my pregnancies felt. I counted the weeks one by one, waiting impatiently for the little wonders to arrive. But suddenly it’s over, and I miss their little kicks inside my belly. Because waiting, and pregnancy, is temporary.
Who Moved the Dang Butter?! Connecting With Your Spouse After Kids
Before kids, my husband and I did everything together. We went out to eat, saw concerts, stayed up late watching movies, and traveled. I would have characterized our marriage as “easy.” Then we had...
Octopus VS Monkey – A Pregnancy Comparison
Some women LOVE being pregnant. I am not one of those. I actually enjoyed delivering my babies (literally pushing them out of me) more than carrying them. I’ve been fortunate enough to experience both...
“Dear Lord, Please Don’t Let My Daughter Crap In Her Leotard.”
Parenting is hard and requires a sense of humor. It also doesn’t hurt to ask for a little divine intervention once in a while. Thus, we pray as a family before dinner, and the adorable prayers of my twin three-year-olds are both entertaining and impressive.
Adventures of a Traveling Breast Pump
All three of my kids lived on breastmilk for the first year of their lives. I feel fortunate that my twins were born at 37 weeks, but they were not good at latching. I exclusively pumped and bottle fed them, and had to work very hard to produce enough milk. I tried every trick in the book, but pumping consistently was the only sure way to increase my supply. My youngest was great at breast feeding so I breastfed and pumped for the first year. I had no trouble producing enough for one baby since my body had been “trained” to produce enough for two.
Why I Love My Crazy Grandma
She has mannequins decorating her front yard, rides a Gator ATV, can use a shotgun just as well as a sewing machine, and would rather go dancing than sit in a rocking chair. This...