Hello!It's been a packed back-to-school season. I work for an EdTech company, so this is a busy time of year at work. Of course, I'm also helping my daughter with her transition back to school (transitions have always been among her least favorite parts of life, and she started the school year insisting she wouldn't go and needed more summer vacation...), and getting my son ready to start daycare! My mom has been very slowly settling into her new apartment, but there have been lots of bumps...
9 days ago • 2 min read
Hi! How are you? This is the last newsletter of August, so summer is officially wrapping up. This weekend I decided it would be a great idea to take my mom and both kids to IKEA on a Saturday morning, to help her pick out items for her new apartment and grab lunch in the cafeteria. What was I thinking?? Between the kids darting off in six directions and my mom needing time to really consider every option, we left with a tiring (but fun) morning behind us and exactly zero items checked off the...
16 days ago • 2 min read
Hi! How are you? We're trying to make the most of these final weeks of summer by being outside more. We went swimming this week at the pool in my mom's new apartment complex, and tonight had a picnic with friends. My kids have loved listening to the evening crickets. I want big things in life: travel, adventure, new experiences. But I also know that the pressure of helping my mom while raising two little kids and holding down a job is putting some of that on hold. Still, when I listen to the...
23 days ago • 1 min read
Hello again! Summer is a wild time. How are your to-do lists? Mine are long, and more gets added just as soon as something is checked off. I will say that simply writing things down helps, both in terms of relieving the stress of storing it all in my head, and in feeling a sense of accomplishment for how much actually gets done. Last week I shared a simple "Weekly Check-In" download. A neighbor had invited me over for a casual women's yoga night, and my "healthy life goal" was to join, both...
about 1 month ago • 2 min read
Hello, and welcome to August! For a lot of us, this is back-to-school month, and we are winding down the final weeks of summer camps and trips. It's emotional for me to see my daughter moving into third grade. She's grown up so much in just a few years, going from a nervous kindergartener to an independent kid who is giving some pre-teen vibes. My toddler and she have been playing more, and it's adorable (and sometimes terrifying) to see him try to do everything she does. It's been about a...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Hello again! This has been a very busy and challenging week for me. I'm working on an article about boundaries because mine are being tested to their limits, and I know I'm not alone! I'd love to hear stories about what is working for you. Scroll down to get the free Preventive Screening Checklist printable I mentioned last week. I hope it reminds you to take care of yourself, and makes remembering to do so just a bit easier. - Jenna In the News: I read this article about a company called...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Hello again, I hope your week has been well! If you didn't catch last week's newsletter, my Mom just moved across the country to be close to my family. My week has been packed, managing lots of appointments to help Mom find the right apartment and move into a different Airbnb, all while juggling my kid's playdates and long, fun summer days. In the middle of this, Mom mentioned she misses her friends back home, so naturally I did what any well-meaning daughter would do: I tried to set her up...
about 2 months ago • 2 min read
Hello again, Summer brings sunshine and longer days, but also more unpredictable schedules. My days are packed with work, spending time with the family, trying to get the kids to bed on time (and pretty much failing every night), and getting mom set up in her new life with us. I've been trying to take a quick evening walk after the kids are down, and it's been lifting my mood and relieving some of the days stress. I hope you're finding a similar outlet. There's a new article on the blog...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
I hope you had a lovely Fourth of July! Our tradition of visiting our friend's cabin fell through due to their family getting sick, so we made the most of it at home, with pool visits and a last minute BBQ. We're also preparing for a big life transition this week: my Mom moves close to us in just two days. We've been planning for this for a while, but the fact that it's actually happening is still sinking in. I'm looking forward to getting her settled, even though I know it's going to be a...
2 months ago • 1 min read