tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26536747985648223872011-12-28T21:45:54.891-05:00kevnjackshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05683642181031236718noreply@blogger.comBlogger821100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2653674798564822387.post-71478306547300623702011-06-13T22:24:00.000-05:002011-06-13T22:24:03.960-05:00

I had been getting Braxton-Hicks contractions for about a week or so - with some of them so intense that I thought 'tonight's the night'...until I wake up still preggers. ;) So when I started getting some contractions around 10pm on 4/28/11, I didn't even bother timing them and went on with my night, staying up til midnight, as usual. However, this time, I couldn't fall asleep and the

kevnjackshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05683642181031236718noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2653674798564822387.post-87748506910970330092010-10-21T22:01:00.000-05:002010-10-21T22:01:30.436-05:00

This is a question that I've been pondering on and off in my life, especially when someone really visible in the Christian community made the news headlines for something not so fun. Plus, it's so easy to spot hypocrisy in so many people who call themselves Christians, including myself. So yeah, it's been bothering me for a while. Then recently, I heard some sermons that helped to clear up this

kevnjackshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05683642181031236718noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2653674798564822387.post-85181372422613302242010-10-11T22:43:00.000-05:002010-10-11T22:43:41.679-05:00

Yay, I'm back and I have 3 more stories to tell. And they're both good stories, I tell ya. ;) Anyhow, here we go. Kev has had some good intolerance issues since med school. It started with milk intolerance, which we chalked up to being Asian. I mean, really, I think I know more yellow people that can't drink milk than can drink milk. :) Anyhow, then it was certain green veggies.....and other

kevnjackshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05683642181031236718noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2653674798564822387.post-2146803432632598882010-10-10T22:37:00.000-05:002010-10-10T22:37:05.324-05:00

Wow, it's been a LONG while but I'm still here. Just been losing my blogging oomph a bit. Thought about posting a bunch of times but wanted something worth saying on here. :) Anyhow, our family has been learning so much about God lately and it's been sooo good! I hope to share most, if not all, that we've learned but wanted to start with some of the miracles that we've experienced here and give

kevnjackshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05683642181031236718noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2653674798564822387.post-19476935441155473392009-12-09T00:37:00.000-05:002009-12-09T00:37:19.374-05:00

We've been doing this excellent, excellent series at our life group these past 12+ weeks and it's been life-changing! It's called "A Heart Ablaze" by John Bevere. I had no idea who he is before I started the series but have since heard he's quite the popular preacher. And I now know why: he really has the words for our generation, in my opinion. He doesn't mince words but cuts to the chase and,

kevnjackshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05683642181031236718noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2653674798564822387.post-86636759630169760822009-10-04T14:28:00.008-05:002009-10-04T22:17:37.933-05:00

Sandpaper Letters/NumbersAfter lots of prayer and asking around for advice, we've decided on homeschooling for this year. There are many reasons why we chose this: 1) We're most likely in a transition year, meaning we might move again soon. If this job turns out to be a good fit, we will probably start looking for a home to buy. It's definitely time for us to be more permanent as the kiddies are

kevnjackshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05683642181031236718noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2653674798564822387.post-28374951217370688452009-08-17T22:26:00.007-05:002009-10-01T14:50:15.521-05:00

Hi all: I've been tweaking some of these recipes for myself, so here they are - to my family's taste. :)Homemade Vanilla Almond MilkBased off of Renee Loux Underkoffler's Cookbook: Living Cuisine: The Art and Spirit of Raw FoodsMakes 4 cups1 cup soaked raw almonds (soaked 8 hours)4 cups filtered waterPinch of salt1 T non-alcohol vanilla extract (very important if you don't want that alcohol

kevnjackshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05683642181031236718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2653674798564822387.post-59010607227195108002009-08-17T20:34:00.006-05:002009-10-01T14:48:55.825-05:00

It's been so great ever since we discovered these green smoothies - not only are they healthy for ya, they're easy and they help you use up your fruits and veggies! Anyhow, we've only been doing green smoothies for about a month and a half but I've learned a lot, so here's a bit of how WE do smoothies. :)What's in our smoothies?The simple answer is: whatever we have on hand. Really. :) So the

kevnjackshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05683642181031236718noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2653674798564822387.post-83680342454257033942009-08-10T14:53:00.037-05:002009-08-12T21:44:27.495-05:00

We took a mini-vacation to NYC last Wednesday to Friday and it was such a blast! Even though we were unsure how it would go with all 5 of us sleeping in the same space, how to 'do' subways with 3 little ones in tow, how to find parking in the city, etc - it worked out well. :) Thanks to Auntie Celine for allowing us to stay in her gorgeous apartment in Gramercy Park! Anyhow, here's what we did:

kevnjackshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05683642181031236718noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2653674798564822387.post-12803901888696404722009-08-03T21:31:00.021-05:002010-04-02T21:50:03.778-05:00

So, another update for y'all...:) Our boxes corner1. We are finally NJ resident once again. We just can't stay away...haha! Anyhow, the move went well (used Wade Odeall Wade again!) and we are nearly all unpacked. There are still pictures yet to be hung but I'm actually not sure if I'll hang them all up. Because most of the walls are painted, it actually looks pretty good already (no white,

kevnjackshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05683642181031236718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2653674798564822387.post-75315475659598785422009-07-13T21:50:00.003-05:002009-07-13T22:00:37.698-05:00

Here are some of my meandering thoughts on healthcare reform. Ta-da! ;)Healthcare reform is a big topic and I’m by no means an expert in the subject. But, having worked as a healthcare provider and then also having the experience of being a user of healthcare insurance, I feel that I have a lot to say. :) First off, just a little background. Prior to kids, I worked as a dietitian for a few years.

kevnjackshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05683642181031236718noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2653674798564822387.post-56991870657627625602009-07-12T22:18:00.003-05:002009-07-12T23:05:17.588-05:00

So many ppl have been asking me if I'm going to send Aidan to kindergarten because he will turn 5 on 8/3. And each time they ask, I reply that I'm not sure b/c I'm really not sure. I'm been wondering about this for a while now and there are so many thoughts swimming in my head about this. But the more I think about it, the more confused I am - and here's why:I've been waffling between sending the

kevnjackshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05683642181031236718noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2653674798564822387.post-36052807894227986412009-07-10T21:44:00.004-05:002009-07-10T21:57:26.324-05:00

...this has been my mantra, as of late. With sooo many changes going on with the move and with having three kids, I really have to keep that in mind. Lately, the two older kids started sharing a room b/c we're moving to another 3 bedroom townhome and we would like Cara to have her own room. So, that leaves the older two to share a room, esp since they can really understand rules...or so I thought

kevnjackshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05683642181031236718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2653674798564822387.post-18162132272230999262009-06-09T15:43:00.007-05:002009-06-09T22:42:06.538-05:00

...or that's what it seems like, anyhow. Things have gotten really busy around here - and here's why...::Family Stuff::1. We're moving again! Yes, you read that right. Kev got a great opportunity with a friend of his and so we're relocating to the Jackson, NJ area. Does anyone know of a great town to live in down around there?2. With all this rain we've been getting, it was hard for us to go out

kevnjackshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05683642181031236718noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2653674798564822387.post-39122139944757617892009-03-26T14:52:00.006-05:002009-03-26T15:19:43.428-05:00

Remember my post (last paragraph) from way back about some goals I made for myself to foster my interest? Welp, I finally made some fun stuff using the sewing machine that I borrowed from my sister MONTHS ago! :) Yes, it also took me weeks to figure out that I didn't borrow the power chord and that I didn't have the manual. Hehe. But, nevertheless, I got it all sorted out and made some fun things

kevnjackshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05683642181031236718noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2653674798564822387.post-28275003863572336042009-02-19T21:41:00.010-05:002009-03-05T23:01:06.812-05:00

It's been a while since I've written, so here's a 'quick' family update on the Hsu's in Nazareth. :):::Aidan:::My 4.5 y.o. has really grown up! He's been enjoying Montessori Preschool a lot and getting better at coloring and listening to the teachers. :) I really love the Montessori method and I'm so glad that he's thriving in it! Aidan's also been getting more and more independent. If I can brag

kevnjackshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05683642181031236718noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2653674798564822387.post-68806481269522667762009-01-08T22:41:00.004-05:002009-01-12T22:12:31.159-05:00

I've been told many times that life with 3 kids is much busier than 2. I would always nod and wonder to myself, how busy is busy? Life had gotten a lot easier since Aidan and Jana were pottytrained, esp since they are both pretty independent and can play by themselves for a while, no problem. So, pre-Cara, I had imagined this busyness would mean all that came with taking care of a newborn (lack

kevnjackshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05683642181031236718noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2653674798564822387.post-15718958506412513952009-01-08T22:23:00.005-05:002009-01-08T22:40:38.988-05:00

I mean, I've always known the above to be true, but lately, my 'walkie-talkie' kids have really cracked me up! Here's a sampling:Scene - Aidan is busying making pretend chocolates for all of us.Aidan: Mommy, I finished making some chocolates for you!Me: Aw, thanks, Aidan - what kind are they?Aidan: They're the yummy kind with fiber - I know you like fiber!Me: Er, you're so thoughtful!! :) Hehe![

kevnjackshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05683642181031236718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2653674798564822387.post-77342597009019999562008-12-16T22:22:00.004-05:002008-12-16T23:02:25.551-05:00

I couldn't really think of a clever title for yet another mish-mosh post, sorry! :) Anyhow, onto the good stuff (hehe)....Cara had a bit of a tongue-tied issue (or an ankyloglossia issue) when she was born. She was latched on ok with her mouth take in most of areola but doing it kinda funny, she took in a lot of air when she fed (she burped so loud in the beginning she would wake Kev up!) and she

kevnjackshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05683642181031236718noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2653674798564822387.post-49420210795879982982008-12-04T22:40:00.002-05:002008-12-04T23:19:44.808-05:00

I can't believe it's been almost 4 weeks since Cara's debut!!! Time flies when you're busy! :) I've been so blessed as to have my parents here til last Friday to take care of me and the other 2 kiddies, so it's been not as stressful. Kev then took off this past Monday and Tuesday to help me with the transition and then my mother-in-law was here from Tuesday afternoon to Wednesday afternoon, so

kevnjackshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05683642181031236718noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2653674798564822387.post-32623052183295145962008-11-15T21:11:00.005-05:002008-11-21T22:21:03.941-05:00

It all started around 4:30am on 11/7/08. I started getting contractions that would wake me from my sleep and really grab my attention. I was so excited because this was the first time that my baby was "late" - it was already 3 days AFTER my due date. I know that due dates are only approximations but since my other 2 were early, so we were especially excited to finally meet Cara. ;) Since I didn't

kevnjackshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05683642181031236718noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2653674798564822387.post-22978956823445278782008-10-06T20:26:00.003-05:002008-10-06T21:14:23.439-05:00

Ever since we got satellite TV with a DVR included, I've been taping episodes of 'What Not To Wear' almost daily. I've always liked makeovers and things of that nature, so that's what initially got me watching the show. Plus, there are many moments in my life, esp after having kids, that I've felt so frumpy and sloppy (and hope that no one is taping secret footage of me for the show! LOL!) that I

kevnjackshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05683642181031236718noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2653674798564822387.post-33387449349084830192008-09-26T13:42:00.002-05:002008-09-26T14:43:56.332-05:00

The fact that I'm having another baby soon has made me more contemplative and self-reflective lately. I realized that being a mom has changed me in a lot of ways, some good, some bad, and some I have yet to digest. But I figure I would write down some of my thoughts of how I changed personally BEFORE baby #3 comes, so I can have a point of comparison for later on. :)Being a mom of one -1. I

kevnjackshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05683642181031236718noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2653674798564822387.post-55501670675352103702008-09-12T22:03:00.007-05:002008-09-12T22:39:16.078-05:00

Hi all: I know a lot of you like deals and I wanted to share 2 different types of shopping sites with ya. The 1st type is the A-Deal-A-Day sites. I haven't heard of these websites til this year and I think they're getting popular really fast. Now I know why! ;) The premise is that they offer one deal a day at a great price and stay 'open' until the deal is over or the item gets sold out. Pretty

kevnjackshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05683642181031236718noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2653674798564822387.post-77766657397036377022008-09-03T21:20:00.004-05:002008-09-03T21:35:40.049-05:00

I've been reading "Positive Discipline" by Jane Nelson these days and it's been a great read so far. The funny thing is that I didn't even know about it to look for it - I just happened to pass by it at our local library when the title caught my eye. Some background: I've been having discipline issues with my kiddies and my current methods have worked but seemingly only for the short-term and

kevnjackshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05683642181031236718noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2653674798564822387.post-76820855697169744922008-09-03T20:54:00.003-05:002008-09-03T21:19:09.055-05:00

....is my new handvac. :) Yes, my hubby loves me and he ordered me the Bissell Featherweight Lightweight Vacuum a few weeks ago. Hehe! Not having to bend down very much but still have a clean, crumbless floor for a few hours everyday is such a wonderful thing. Even the kids have really taken to it and are fighting for the chance to use it - and of course, I let them! :) Anyhow, just wanted to put

kevnjackshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05683642181031236718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2653674798564822387.post-91567559582292429452008-08-12T21:59:00.004-05:002008-08-12T22:37:23.782-05:00

Yuppers, we are finally here and almost all settled! Our journey began way back in the beginning of July after we had gotten back from being abroad. We had a week between being back in the States and the mover's arrival, so thank goodness we had started before we went on our vacation. We had some problems with communication (I'll spare you the details here but if you're curious, email me) with

kevnjackshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05683642181031236718noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2653674798564822387.post-27408805319159790492008-08-12T21:16:00.005-05:002008-09-01T21:11:11.582-05:00

Welp, I have a quiet night, so I thought I would do some decluttering of our online photos...NOT! My eyes are getting blurry, so I decided to procrastinate further and write a blog entry or two. :) Hehe! I will write about our move in another post but here are some updates on things I had written about previously:-I've gotten a lot of comments on the post re: Aidan's ptosis. I've come to realize

kevnjackshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05683642181031236718noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2653674798564822387.post-13107189747812144882008-08-11T20:55:00.003-05:002008-08-11T21:05:07.382-05:00

Hey guys: Sorry for not writing for a while - we are finally ALMOST settled in our PA home! More on that later...the move itself is definitely something to write about since we did a road trip up Route 95 and visited lots of friends and family!Anyhow, I have an announcement: Aidan recently contributed to a book that was actually published! It's call Dinosaur Soup (and other dubious recipes

kevnjackshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05683642181031236718noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2653674798564822387.post-282584441701329662008-07-02T21:02:00.008-05:002008-07-03T23:16:54.331-05:00

The City of Taipei Welp, we did it - made it to Taiwan/CA and back with our toddler, preschooler and bun. :) Overall it was a great trip, we got to see grandparents, friends, and other relatives that we haven't seen in a long time, ate great food, and saw some awesome sights of Taiwan that people normally don't get to see. I wish I had written down the names of those places in English - but we

kevnjackshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05683642181031236718noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2653674798564822387.post-55007199347860220752008-07-02T19:57:00.004-05:002008-07-02T20:07:30.783-05:00

Hi all: We made it back from our Taiwan trip in one piece!!!! Hallelujah! We'll definitely post about that later - we learned a lot about international travel and wanted to share with you guys how it all went, what worked, what didn't, etc. :) Anyhow, we've been back home getting over jetlag, decluttering, packing furiously and enjoying our last few days here. Also, we just got back from Bonefish

kevnjackshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05683642181031236718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2653674798564822387.post-4507856536756138552008-06-09T22:33:00.006-05:002008-06-11T15:22:05.135-05:00

Ever since we've started reading to the kids, we've come across some children's books that are a feast for the eyes! We can't imagine the amount of work it took to create such great illustrations - what a feat! Anyhow, Aidan and I call them 'beautiful books' and here are some of them:Over in the Ocean: In a Coral Reef by Marianne BerkesOver in the Jungle: A Rainforest Rhyme by Marianne BerkesOne

kevnjackshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05683642181031236718noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2653674798564822387.post-13461085085781841222008-06-03T21:44:00.005-05:002008-07-03T22:33:02.266-05:00

1) If you have a little one who has a small tushie or who is pottytraining early, Fruit of the Loom makes the smallest undies (their 2-3T size) to fit that petite frame. Carter's, it seems, is cut for wider babies. [Jana update: She's doing really well at pottytraining with some accident-free days, even as we've phased out the raisinettes. Shhh...she usually forgets to ask. Ahem. But still being

kevnjackshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05683642181031236718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2653674798564822387.post-79080314118219289852008-06-02T14:59:00.006-05:002008-06-03T21:55:36.369-05:00

Thanks to all those that replied to my last post about whether there is a fuel-efficient minivan out there and what my other options are with 3 kiddies in car seats. After doing LOTs of research these past few nights (though I don't mind, I kinda like that stuff), we've decided to keep my Camry for now (though the check engine light is STILL on...sigh....don't get me started on that! ;)), and

kevnjackshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05683642181031236718noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2653674798564822387.post-77057604560013355512008-05-30T22:44:00.005-05:002008-05-30T23:12:24.395-05:00

So, with the impending arrival of #3, we need to think about a bigger car. Doh! I've been dreading this because I really disliked driving (and parking, esp) big cars. [My dream car is the Prius with a bigger rear window!] But we need a car that can accomodate a family of five and can afford us some type of trunk space. So, we're thinking the minivans are it because most of the SUVs that we've

kevnjackshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05683642181031236718noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2653674798564822387.post-30816685241536794902008-05-30T21:16:00.009-05:002008-05-30T23:12:51.512-05:00

It's funny to think that we've been in Florida over almost a year now and have just now ventured east to Orlando for a mini-vacation over the Memorial Day weekend. Alas, it was when we've just about run out of weekends here that we think of this...but oh well. :) Anyhow, we're back to report that it was a really fun, relaxing vacation!We took off Friday afternoon, right after the kids woke up

kevnjackshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05683642181031236718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2653674798564822387.post-31125049716368813662008-05-13T21:20:00.005-05:002008-05-13T21:35:03.808-05:00

Kiddies on our trip back up north - nice PJs dontcha think? :) 1) We went up to PA to find housing 2 weekends ago and we're currently working on a lease! This is a nice townhome in Nazareth, near Bath. Hehe - all these funny names over there!2)We are taking a trip to Taiwan from mid-June to the end of June with a quick stop in San Fran right before we head back to FL. Yes, and that's with our 2

kevnjackshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05683642181031236718noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2653674798564822387.post-63669344833662599542008-05-13T21:03:00.003-05:002008-05-13T21:18:59.248-05:00

So, it's been quite a few weeks that Aidan has been dry all through the night without having to wake us up to take him potty in hte middle of the night. Hallelujah! With this new milestone under his belt, Aidan has been so different. And, I mean, different. This is how it happened: So after a few nights of dry diapers, we decided that we would put him in underwear overnite as a test run. Then he

kevnjackshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05683642181031236718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2653674798564822387.post-15530476808581408002008-04-15T14:22:00.005-05:002008-04-15T14:44:47.071-05:00

Yep, it's true. We love Kumon at this house. Nah, not the classes (at least not yet) but the workbooks they've put out for little ones. I had no idea they had them but saw them when I was browsing around for gifts at Target a few months back. Then I saw them at Barnes & Noble. Then I read great reviews on Amazon. So, I thought, let's give 'em a try. And the results are great! Here's a few pics of

kevnjackshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05683642181031236718noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2653674798564822387.post-47797860718907861882008-03-31T21:32:00.003-05:002008-04-09T15:23:33.748-05:00

So, with sooo many of my friends being preggers, I thought I'd get down in cyberspace how my experience with cloth diapering a newborn went. :)The 2 main reasons I wanted to cloth diaper (CD) Jana from birth were because I heard CDs really cut down on the number of blow-outs and that it's super cute. :) Now, with Aidan, I was a pocket diaper mama, meaning I had used pocket diapers almost

kevnjackshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05683642181031236718noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2653674798564822387.post-28072293586624278832008-03-28T14:02:00.003-05:002008-03-28T14:13:25.302-05:00

Yeppers, we did it - we took our 2 kiddies for their first movie theatre experience. We had been talking about it for a while and we know a bunch of people that even took their infants to the theatres, so we finally decided to do it. And it was really a spur-of-the-moment thing. Last Saturday we were all just lounging around, playing with Aidan's trains, when all of a sudden, Kev asked me if we

kevnjackshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05683642181031236718noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2653674798564822387.post-35957026578482913872008-03-27T20:39:00.004-05:002008-04-14T21:42:56.887-05:00

A few months ago, I had no idea what RSS feeds were and why I needed them in my life. But now that I know about them and use them, it's great! RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication. For a more formal definition, see here. But to me, it basically tells me when something that has new content frequently (blogs and such) has something new for me to read. You can read the new stuff in a reader, via

kevnjackshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05683642181031236718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2653674798564822387.post-84448547247688381882008-03-27T20:21:00.004-05:002008-03-27T20:41:50.966-05:00

Some personal updates:-We've had some more visitors come through and it's been so fun! Really, who would've thought so many people would be able to visit. We feel blessed. :) But, we're only here for another few months or so, so book your vacation now. ;) The kids are so used to visitors (they love them, really) that they sometimes ask if anyone is coming. Haha!-We are finally over our colds.

kevnjackshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05683642181031236718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2653674798564822387.post-54107966945676208822008-03-07T15:02:00.004-05:002008-03-07T15:25:37.802-05:00

If you're anything like me, you have those moments when you crave some boba drink - aahh, that delicious, chewy drink with the giant straw! [Ok, chewy drink sounded really weird - but you know what I mean. ;)] However, living in the Tampa Bay area, you come to find that places that serve boba are few and far between. So what to do? Welp, where there's a will, there's a way. With visitors from NJ

kevnjackshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05683642181031236718noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2653674798564822387.post-62355272261829960982008-03-07T14:46:00.002-05:002008-03-07T14:58:14.013-05:00

Nope, it has nothing to do with Macs, sorry! :) But we just wanted to share a new way we discovered to cut apples for the kiddies with little effort and less mess. Basically, you slice around the core, making four large pieces, leaving the core a square-ish log. Then you proceed to cut the four pieces into little strips. We prefer to leave the peel on because our kids have enough molars to chew

kevnjackshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05683642181031236718noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2653674798564822387.post-31192307165356448492008-03-04T14:59:00.006-05:002008-03-25T19:37:13.090-05:00

There are some books, DVDs and CDs that the kiddies have been loving lately, so I thought I would make a list here in case someone was looking for something new to read/listen/watch with their kiddies. And other ppl's recs are always welcome!!BOOKSAidan's list lately:-Joseph Had Little Overcoat by Simms Taback - A very cool book about a guy named Joseph and what happens to his overcoat. I used

kevnjackshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05683642181031236718noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2653674798564822387.post-18148900533784911182008-03-04T14:43:00.004-05:002008-03-07T19:15:30.984-05:00

Looking back on my posts, it's been a while since we've updated on what's happening here. So, wanted to play a bit of catch up. :)We're thoroughly enjoying our year here in Florida. We've had a bunch of visitors come through and it's even more fun to share some of our favorite spots with them! We're so thankful for the great weather lately, esp for some of the chilly days that remind me of spring

kevnjackshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05683642181031236718noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2653674798564822387.post-83853619647957421832008-02-14T23:12:00.005-05:002008-02-14T23:47:41.320-05:00

Just finished watching the movie "Nine Lives" - I didn't love it but it made me think. Made me think a lot. Made me realize that everyone has a story. Even the person that just cut you off in traffic has a story. Maybe their mom used to criticize their driving, so they drive a bit agressive. [Maybe they're really late for some super important. Thinking about it this way doesn't make it any better

kevnjackshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05683642181031236718noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2653674798564822387.post-19077390737011581872008-02-07T23:42:00.000-05:002008-02-09T21:47:25.408-05:00

...is posted right here. Sometimes Kev and I will have this one discussion over and over, usually after midnight after we have both gone to bed: (and it goes something like this) Me: "Honey, how did we end up going to bed after MIDNIGHT again?"Hubby: "I'm not even sure. Time sure flies when you're on the web."Me: "We should really cut back more on our web-surfing time, huh?"Hubby: "Yeah, we say

kevnjackshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05683642181031236718noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2653674798564822387.post-3820784381227933432008-02-07T20:46:00.004-05:002010-07-28T23:26:12.394-05:00

Aidan was born with congenital ptosis, which caused us to seek medical advice, prayers and more informal information as soon as we found out it would be a problem. But as we researched, we couldn't find much information, even on the web, so we thought we would blog a bit about our experience with it - in hopes of helping someone else. :) Congenital ptosis simply means a droopy eyelid, usually

kevnjackshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05683642181031236718noreply@blogger.com63tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2653674798564822387.post-84840005481633210332008-02-06T23:07:00.000-05:002008-02-06T23:27:23.452-05:00

So, Saturday was Touch-A-Truck Day at the local park and we decided to bring the kids, though it was only 3 days after Aidan's surgery (more on that later). But since he bounced back to his normal "tiggerish" self shortly after his surgery and his eyelid looked pretty good, we thought we'd go for it. Plus, what other chance would kids have to be able to climb into all these different vehicles and

kevnjackshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05683642181031236718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2653674798564822387.post-19824730794613499292008-01-26T21:51:00.001-05:002008-01-26T22:09:44.430-05:00

Who would have thought that we would be playing German board games after the kids go to bed at night? Kev and I had been doing the ol' watch TV or watch a movie or surf the net after the kids go to sleep routine but it was getting a bit boring. Plus, we felt like we weren't interacting very much during these activities. So, to solve that problem, we thought "let's play some games together!". We

kevnjackshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05683642181031236718noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2653674798564822387.post-48395373325943847052007-12-13T22:00:00.000-05:002007-12-16T23:40:03.756-05:00

There are some things that we've tried and really liked lately, so I thought I'd share my thoughts here. :)THE SNEAKY CHEF by Missy Chase LapineI'm sure a lot of you have heard lots about this book. Its premise is to sneak healthy ingredients into comfort foods to up the nutritional value. So, you'll find spinach in brownies, beans in cookies and avocadoes in milkshakes, for example. Even though

kevnjackshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05683642181031236718noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2653674798564822387.post-10048057504300726752007-11-28T23:11:00.001-05:002007-11-28T23:43:36.248-05:00

You know what I'm talking about - the stuff that is not black and white. :) J/K! I've been thinking a lot about how difficult it is to be a Christian sometimes. There are those things that the Bible explicitly tells us to do: spread the Word, love others, get to know Christ as the number one thing, etc. There are also the things that the Bible explicitly tells us NOT to do: kill, lie, covet, be

kevnjackshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05683642181031236718noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2653674798564822387.post-22363476940691184892007-11-21T15:07:00.000-05:002007-11-21T16:15:47.810-05:00

With a title like that, you know that this post will be random, don't you? :)UpdatesKev will be finishing up his Spine Fellowship at the end of June 2008, so he's currently on a hunt for a new job. And, most likely, we'll be moving again. Yes, we are a member of the 'Frequent Movers Club'. :) But honestly, now that I look back on our almost 5 short years of marriage and having moved 4 times

kevnjackshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05683642181031236718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2653674798564822387.post-10476071741989142392007-10-15T21:10:00.000-05:002007-10-15T21:44:57.527-05:00

Having been a mom for over 3 years now, I've come to a realization about a few things that I would like to get down on "paper". So, here goes. :)Motherhood is all about change, and it never stops. From the moment you're preggers, your life is not the same. [Not that life, non-preggers, ever stands still or anything - but being pregnant is a HUGE change!] We're talking fluctuating emotions,

kevnjackshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05683642181031236718noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2653674798564822387.post-90227482272324790702007-10-09T14:40:00.000-05:002007-10-09T15:21:45.684-05:00

I'm sure a lot of you have been reading or at least heard about all these toy recalls in recent months due to excessive levels of lead in the paint for toys. Not that toy recalls are uncommon but there has just been so many of them lately, it's disheartening. And after reading about the stories behind it [and who knows who has the REAL story], it's kinda confusing. The basic schpiel [from what

kevnjackshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05683642181031236718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2653674798564822387.post-2086885715117513502007-09-29T22:03:00.000-05:002007-09-29T22:44:52.247-05:00

Just some random things to chat about...NATURAL PRODUCTSWe recently switch to an "all natural" toothpaste because we've been trying to decrease the unnecessary exposure to different chemicals. We have the Tom's of Maine anticavity in a Spearmint flavor currently and it's very yummy! We even had a bunch of our visitors give it a test drive and they all liked it. "D What Tom's of Maine lack is all

kevnjackshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05683642181031236718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2653674798564822387.post-65071444124476658512007-09-12T15:59:00.000-05:002007-10-29T22:25:40.935-05:00

Anyhow, it's been a while since I've last written and here's some stuff that's happened during the interim:COUNTRYSIDE CHRISTIAN CENTERWe're currently in the midst of a 28 day fast called by our Pastor Lloyd. This is to seek God's fact about the vision that God has given the church. Even though we've only been there for less than 2 months, we really feel, in the Spirit, that the vision he got is

kevnjackshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05683642181031236718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2653674798564822387.post-74883788917868275192007-08-14T19:42:00.000-05:002007-08-14T21:03:27.437-05:00

Welp, where to begin? Hmm....how about with fire ants? ;)ANTS: These unwanted house guests are no longer around - yippee!! Our rule is, if we didn't invite you and you aren't paying rent, you're outta here, esp. if you might terrorize our kids! Anyhow, despite all our efforts with setting out baits and spraying with Bac-out, we had to call the "ant people" (that's what Aidan affectionately calls

kevnjackshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05683642181031236718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2653674798564822387.post-87578446712832689522007-08-01T11:31:00.001-05:002007-08-01T11:33:37.952-05:00

Some of you have asked about pictures of our adventures here, so far. So, here are some; just click on the different albums - enjoy! :)Cheerio! ;)

kevnjackshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05683642181031236718noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2653674798564822387.post-23593278752379044462007-07-29T14:20:00.001-05:002007-07-29T21:31:47.937-05:00

I thought to mix things up a bit, we'll talk about how things are going by talking about things we currently love:1)Bi-O-Kleen Bac-Out: It's this natural enzyme spray cleaner that is good for so many things. It takes (organic) stains out of clothing, cloth diapers, carpets and such with no problem. What's even more amazing, ants hate them so we've been able to use this friendly-around-kids spray

kevnjackshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05683642181031236718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2653674798564822387.post-42181385343779295242007-07-09T16:07:00.000-05:002007-07-09T16:42:09.864-05:00

We're getting more into a groove here, now that we've been unpacked for 2 weeks or so. We're still doing lots of exploring around our area, even venturing into Tampa a few times. This humidity isn't too kind, though. We've been trying to brainstorm places to take the kids during the heat of the day, so we all don't wilt. :) So far, I've been taking them to these indoor play areas [that they have

kevnjackshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05683642181031236718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2653674798564822387.post-10719910485141834812007-06-27T21:29:00.000-05:002007-06-27T22:11:09.591-05:00

Things have been going very smoothly and we're still getting used to Florida. The humidity is pretty bad and it feels like NJ in Aug but it's still June. Oy. At least our A/C works just fine. :) Ever since we've unpacked our last boxes (and we've even freecycled our boxes!), we've been on vacation mode pretty much. We've explored different beaches and even stopped along causeways to play in the

kevnjackshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05683642181031236718noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2653674798564822387.post-14463631576552743842007-06-21T21:04:00.000-05:002007-06-21T21:49:08.611-05:00

More details and pics to come...but just wanted to show you all some pics of our trip down (didn't take much b/c we were really intent on just getting there) & where we ended up staying before our stuff arrived (an awesome house right next to the Gulf).Without further ado: please click here. :)

kevnjackshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05683642181031236718noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2653674798564822387.post-7665875328581989952007-06-19T15:39:00.001-05:002007-06-19T16:16:58.943-05:00

So, we're finally here In FL and have even rested up a whole day. Now, we can started sharing a bit about our move. :)Moving day: It went really well. The movers from Wade Odell Wade showed up right on time and had no trouble parking their humongorous van in our parking lot. Angel, our driver, and his crew did a great job! They were careful and courteous - we're very pleased at this point. It

kevnjackshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05683642181031236718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2653674798564822387.post-82392866265309331762007-06-09T21:34:00.000-05:002007-06-09T21:59:38.337-05:00

So, moving day is getting closer and closer and we're packing faster and faster these days. :) The moving van is coming on Thursday and we're driving down on Saturday. We're excited to get down there and be settled already, you know? Anyways, God has taken care of us in so many ways lately, that we are constantly reminded not to worry.Our condo: We had put it up for sale the end of February and

kevnjackshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05683642181031236718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2653674798564822387.post-12859824928342980182007-05-30T21:38:00.000-05:002007-05-30T21:43:45.617-05:00

...can be found:[First 4 albums courtesy of Kiley, last one by us.]{HERE}{HERE}{HERE}{HERE}{AND HERE}Enjoy!!

kevnjackshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05683642181031236718noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2653674798564822387.post-26512688411880528782007-05-30T21:33:00.000-05:002007-05-30T21:37:32.715-05:00

The email that I copied below is pretty hilarious, esp. if you're already a parent. And for those that are not, don't worry, think of this as the worst-case scenario - it's usually not that bad! ;)----------------------------------------------------------------------------------HOW TO KNOW WHETHER OR NOT YOU ARE READY TO HAVE CHILDRENMESS TESTSmear peanut butter on the sofa and curtains. Place a

kevnjackshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05683642181031236718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2653674798564822387.post-76558831097651135162007-05-04T22:20:00.000-05:002007-05-04T22:45:44.800-05:00

Flashback: It's early March 2007 on a typical Wednesday night (already dark out) and I was going to cell group with Jana, who is starting to cry in the backseat. She likes it when I sing, so I'm belting out all these kiddie songs that I know (and I know quite a lot now). All of a sudden, I come to a sign 'Road Closed (to Thru Traffic)'. I'm not going thru and I had no idea where the construction

kevnjackshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05683642181031236718noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2653674798564822387.post-89563180412676109122007-04-17T14:03:00.000-05:002007-04-18T21:42:06.389-05:00

This weekend was very packed with 'happenings' - it's hard to sum it up in a few sentences so here's a day-to-day recap.Thursday: (Technically not a weekend, I know, but I thought I'd include it anyways. Haha!) Jana wakes up and throws up 4x throughout the day. But after each episode, she kinda smiles and acts normal. We're now thinking she has some GI bug - fun stuff. :PThen that night we got a

kevnjackshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05683642181031236718noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2653674798564822387.post-5593083799397382802007-03-23T15:00:00.000-05:002007-03-23T16:55:03.434-05:00

On a side note: I used to have a list of things I would like to accomplish/learn before I hit 30 (ie drive stickshift, teach myself guitar, etc). I've been thinking about this a lot lately and here's my new list, which I will edit as needed:-drive a stickshift (I still stall the car WAY too much!)-go to cooking school-join an orchestra/band (need to polish up my flute skills)-have my own

kevnjackshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05683642181031236718noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2653674798564822387.post-69122457961506254272007-03-23T14:41:00.000-05:002007-03-23T15:00:33.934-05:00

It all started when Aidan was about 6 months old and I got a personal conviction from God to care more for the environment. I was just recycling as much as I can and driving a fuel-efficient car at the time but felt the need to do more. That's when I discovered cloth diapers (and environmentally-friendly cleaning products - but that's for another post, another time). My sister was using cloth

kevnjackshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05683642181031236718noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2653674798564822387.post-19561821787879048482007-03-18T15:01:00.000-05:002007-03-18T15:13:43.788-05:00

We've moved a lot these 4 short years that we've been married but everytime we move, it never ceases to amaze us that we have so much stuff. We always end up throwing things away, giving things away or freecycling (http://www.freecycle.org) like crazy. Then we ask ourselves why we bought all that stuff in the first place or why we kept it around all these years. Having kids doesn't help, either -

kevnjackshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05683642181031236718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2653674798564822387.post-12759141068307765272007-03-17T13:55:00.000-05:002007-03-17T13:57:33.495-05:00

Kev and I were laughing sooo hard!! We thought there must be someone else who could use a good laugh. Enjoy!They're Back! Church Bulletins. Thank God for church ladies with typewriters. These sentences actually appeared in church bulletins or were announced in church services: ------------------------------------------------------- The Fasting & Prayer Conference includes meals. -----------------

kevnjackshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05683642181031236718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2653674798564822387.post-92028179973080952007-03-13T22:18:00.000-05:002007-03-13T22:28:55.264-05:00

So someone pointed out that we never gave the details of WHERE and WHY we're moving in our 1st post, but just that we are moving again. To that, we say, 'Oopsies'...hehe. So without further ado - We've moving to the Clearwater, FL area mid-June of this year due to Kev's acceptance to a Rehab fellowship down there. Yuppers, there is more training to be done after residency for Kevin. :) This

kevnjackshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05683642181031236718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2653674798564822387.post-9889633980130193032007-03-13T18:06:00.001-05:002007-03-13T18:06:57.938-05:00

Aidan's laugh - i love it!

kevnjackshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05683642181031236718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2653674798564822387.post-48457580334596688992007-03-11T22:50:00.000-05:002007-03-13T12:36:23.171-05:00

I just thought this was cute, Aidan and Jana have each come a long way. Aidan used to ignore her, but now he always asks us "where's Jana?"

kevnjackshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05683642181031236718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2653674798564822387.post-60764357747348778072007-03-11T22:06:00.000-05:002007-04-06T23:31:12.113-05:00

Kev and I went to a marriage conference this weekend and it was beyond great for us. :) We had gone on one before and learned about the typical 'I" statements, love languages, how to fight fair, etc.. All those things are good to know and will help to resolve the conflicts that will inevitably come up in a marriage. But this conference took it a step further and covered forgiveness, bitterness,

kevnjackshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05683642181031236718noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2653674798564822387.post-44082820093056028102007-03-08T15:50:00.000-05:002007-03-08T15:55:03.441-05:00

Here's a picture of our family (taken Christmas '06), for those that are wondering what we look like. And it's here, as opposed to in the profile, because we haven't quite figured out Blogger yet. ;) More to come...

kevnjackshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05683642181031236718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2653674798564822387.post-60895211214770116692007-03-05T22:51:00.000-05:002007-03-08T23:18:31.188-05:00

So we thought that, just for fun, we'll post the website to our condo up for sale:http://njall.prudentialnj.leadmaxx.lantrax.com/search/index.cfm?Action=Details&DetailListingID=1387452You can even view a virutal tour of our place by clicking on '360 tour' and 'Panoramas'. :)Who knows, we might just make history by being the first family to sell their house through their blog - haha!

kevnjackshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05683642181031236718noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2653674798564822387.post-52039474097023571572007-03-05T18:15:00.000-05:002007-03-05T18:34:32.184-05:00

We had held off for the longest time, saying we'll never need a blog. But, here we are - writing our first post. :) Who would've thought. The whole reason we decided to start blogging was the fact that we're moving AGAIN - this will mark the FOURTH time that we will have moved in our 4 short years of marriage. :) So, this spot is where you'll find out where we are and what we're doing. We'll

kevnjackshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05683642181031236718noreply@blogger.com1