JENS LIST

I am gonna do it this time….

2012-01-10T11:01:00.000-08:00

Just like all the other times I said I was gonna do it. But this time it seems different. But then again, I have said that before. What can I do so this time is not like all the others? Can it be that I want it more? Can it be that I need it more? Not sure, but I really want to believe that this time is gonna be the last time I ever have to lose weight.

I try to always have a smile on my face. People comment to me all the time that I am always smiling and while I joke back “If I wasn’t smiling, I would be crying”, sometimes it’s true. I mean, come on, one person can’t possibly be happy ALL THE TIME…right?

I do love my life. I am so blessed with everything I have. That said, I just wish, more than anything that I didn’t think about food, what I weighed, and my body image 24/7. That is not an exaggeration. There have been plenty of nights that I have laid up thinking how I could be thin. How are thin people thin? When it is morning, so I could have breakfast? Am I the only person that feels this way?

Reality is, that I know I can't possibly be the only person that feels this way, BUT, I could be, maybe, one of the only people that talks about it. It is shameful. I think. Drug addicts don’t talk about their drug addiction and alcoholics don’t talk about their addiction, so why would a food addict talk about theirs? Same difference.

I read a blog this morning, which prompted me to do what I have been meaning to do for a while now. Blog. It talked about that ever so faithful BMI chart.

BMI Categories:
• Underweight = <18.5
• Normal weight = 18.5–24.9
• Overweight = 25–29.9
• Obesity = BMI of 30 or greater

It’s like the big bad wolf. I will never forget – I had just had my 1st set of twins, about 6+ years ago. It was about 3 months after I gave birth and had to go to the doc for something. He did his exam and I needed a second opinion, so I asked for the records for the first visit to take with me. I read them. The doc called me OBESE. To say I wanted to crawl in a hole and bury myself and never come out was an understatement. I am 5’7” and at that time, weighed 195. He clearly didn’t take into account I just had 2 babies – but just even hearing (reading) those words sent me into a tizzy. Me? Obese? No way. I know what obese looks like and I was not it.

I have been extremely successful on WW before. After my 1st pregnancy, I lost 80 lbs in 9 months (gained 70 with him) and after the 1st set of twins, lost 50 lbs in 5 months. Now, with the 5 kids, a full time business and countless other obligations, finding the time to lose the last 20-30 lbs has proved it extremely difficult for me and in the interim, mentally debilitating. I can’t tell you how many times I have heard “You don’t look like you need to lose that much”. Either they were being nice or need glasses. I also hear “You carry it very well” – as if that is supposed to make me feel better.

So, for the 100th time, I started Weight Watchers on Jan., 2nd. Studies show that logging what you eat daily is a great way to be held accountable. I agree. It’s also a great way to obsess about what you eat everyday – LOL! Fact remains, that for me to be a healthy person, mom, wife and friend, I need to do this. In the end, it’s not even really about the scale. Its how I feel. How my clothes fit. I have clothes in my closet ranging from size 8-12. I would love to get rid of the big ones and choose daily from the small ones. I have to know that it will happen. I have to believe that I will succeed. After all, “The best way to gain self-confidence is to do what you are afraid to do”. ~Author Unknown

And away we go…..

Yes....there is such thing as Sleep Apnea in Kids!

2011-11-27T18:33:00.000-08:00

Having 5 kids in a little over 5 years, one would expect that sleep would be the last thing a parent would get for a while. That said, having 5 kids, by the last 2, Sleep Training 101 should have been a mastered art. Everything was going great until Matthew and Joey were about 2 years old. All of the sudden, they started waking up a few times during the night and asking for something to drink. Just so that Mike and I didn’t get too sleep deprived, we complied with their request and thought that it was a temporary blip in the sleep process.

Well…we found ourselves a year and half later, what went from a few times a night being woken up by the “babies”, to 5-7 times a night. Increasing, them waking up was less and less of a request for something to drink and more of being woken from a nightmare. They were not night terrors. I did a lot of research and know the difference. The kids were awake, yet inconsolable. They were scared of something. It actually got so bad for Joey over a span of a few weeks, my mind took me to some horrible place and I told the pediatrician that I thought someone hurt him, because I could not imagine what else would make him wake up from a dead sleep so frightened. He gave me the name of a therapist to talk to.

It took me a few days to get the courage to call the therapist, as I wasn’t sure how I was going to be bring my 3 year old there. That night, after the kids went to bed, coming from Joey’s room, it sounded like the Amtrak was rolling thru. I opened his door, and if I didn’t know better, you would have thought there was a 300lb. drunk sleeping his bed. Nothing could prepare me for the sounds that were coming from this 34 lb peanut!

I knew he was not sick and could not, for the life of me, think what would be the reason he was snoring the way he was. I adore my friends and trust the mommy opinions of those around me, so I posted a simple question on Facebook asking if anyone knew why this was happening. Within an hour, I rec’d about 50 responses telling me that I need to have him examined for Sleep Apnea and have an ENT look at his adenoids and tonsils.

I goggled Sleep Apnea in children and was truly amazed at what I read.
In addition to continuous loud snoring, other symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea in children include:
• failure to thrive (weight loss or poor weight gain)
• mouth breathing
• enlarged tonsils and adenoids
• problems sleeping and restless sleep
• excessive daytime sleepiness

Oh my gosh. All of the sudden a light bulb went off in my head. Joey is an identical twin. His twin, in the last 6-9 months has gained about 5 lbs and Joey had not. I shrugged it off as they are each their own person and he will catch up. But, there was really a reason, perhaps now why he was not thriving! He was breathing thru his mouth and would nap during the day whenever he could.

I immediately called my pediatrician and told him that I wanted a referral to an ENT. He wrote a script for an x-ray and off we went. Had the test done and went to see the ENT. CONFIRMED. Not only were his adenoids and tonsils large, his airway was almost 100% constricted. Poor boy. And to think, I had NO idea. Nobody talks about Sleep Apnea in kids.

The surgery to remove his tonsils and adenoids was set for the following week. I talked to as many people as I could about their experience with recovery, just so that I was as prepared as possible. I know that every child is different, but you can never be too prepared.

The surgery went great. The surgeon and anesthesiologist were terrific. The doctor told us that Joey’s tonsils were one of, if not the largest she had ever seen in a child his age. He woke up peacefully, drank an apple juice and we were sent home. He slept most of the day, I kept up with the pain meds and I was thinking that the next week was going to be a breeze.

Wrong! Recovery has been difficult and it’s been very hard to see how much pain Joey has been dealing with. While it’s still considered routine and the procedure is completed in about an hour, it is major surgery. In an adult, it takes a month for full recovery. In a child, it's a little over 2 weeks.

Toddlers are all-or-nothing when it comes to pain management. While they're on painkillers, your child will act completely comfortable and care free. Don't be fooled. As soon as it's time to give them the next dose, do it, or you'll be dealing with 3o minutes of sobbing and clinging while you wait for the next dose to kick in. If your prescription says to give the painkillers every 4 hours, but you need to give it to them every 3 hours to adequately control the pain, check with the doctor, but ultimately, do whatever you need to do to keep your child comfortable.

Hydration is so important. Their throats dry out. I've heard a dry throat when waking described by an adult as feeling like you have a bunch of glass in your throat. And then the medication stings going down. It is hard to rationalize with a 3 year old. I tried to explain to him that if he didn’t drink that we would have to go to the hospital. He didn’t understand. He just knew that it hurt to swallow and he wasn’t going to do it. Sure enough, day 7, he was so dehydrated that we were hospitalized for 36 hours while they “pumped him back up” with fluids. No fun for either of us! We were told that day 7-10 is the most painful period post-op because of the scabbing. Joey was at a consistent high level of pain until day 10 and that seemed to finally be the turning point, where he could eat and drink a little more easily with less pain meds.

The past week and a half, Joey slept in our bed and Mike slept in his, just so that I was close enough to him to watch him during the night and give him his meds. It's a long haul, you will be sleep-deprived & your child will be miserable. Definitely not a good time to be trying to accomplish anything else major in your life!

Do anything you can to keep them occupied. Watching TV or playing on a laptop is a good way to distract them from their discomfort and keep them still.

I also was begging Joey eat. I would let him eat whatever he wanted – even if it was soft cookies for a week! After the surgery, kids tend to lose a ton of weight while they're recovering. He was already small to begin with, so anything he was willing to put down, I was willing to give him!

I do know that every child is different and everyone heals and recovers at a different pace. I thought it was important to bring to light the importance of not minimizing all of the issues that Joey was experiencing, because in the end, it was something serious and Sleep Apnea was something that I had no idea about. Those that I have spoken to, say that the surgery has been life changing for their kids. Matthew is next up….

Every so often, I get introduced to a photographer that just knows how to work with kids…

2011-11-01T17:28:00.000-07:00

And with me having 5 boys, that is S U P E R important. That, AND, that they take great photos! I was SO excited to finally have the chance to do a photo shoot with Sara Pine last week. Totally impromptu…I grabbed the kids after school one day and headed to an awesome location in Agoura Hills. They had the best time and Sara and her crew were just awesome with them. The shots she was able to get captured their true personality and I was thrilled to see the outcome of our time together. Sara has been behind the camera since the age 11 and it shows! She is truly terrific and I HIGHLY recommend her. For more about Sara, visit www.sarapine.com. I wanted to share her work with all of the Jens List members and offer the chance to have her photograph your family, as well. Perfect for this coming Holiday Season! $250 includes a photoshoot at the location of your choice on a weekday and all pix downloaded online for you to do whatever you would like with them! Click http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0IcNmzdoyaNHHA, then photo book, then full screen and you will get an idea of how amazing our photo shoot really was! Enjoy!

Best Karate Studio Ever!

2011-10-21T08:13:00.000-07:00

For 26 years, Team Karate Centers has been coaching people, of all ages, in the process of learning and practicing the martial arts as a tool for learning and practicing the art of being a more complete, proactive, and empowered human being. They consider ourselves an integral "part of the village" that helps parents instill valuable character traits, beliefs, and habits in children. They teach a brand of self-defense that transcends the block, kick, punch, and throw - and includes the self-defense skills of kindness, empathy, community, and compassion. If you are looking for something fun and extraordinarily engaging, interesting, and life-enhancing, they are masters of making it easy to get started. We have been a part of this studio for over 6 years and absolutely love it there!!!

www.teamkaratecenters.com

Personalized Pumpkins

2011-10-09T16:56:00.000-07:00

They come in 3 different sizes and range in different prices depending upon whether you supply the pumpkin or they supply the pumpkin. Pumpkins can have a name, a spooky picture, spray paint, and glitter to make them goolish and stand out. Pricing: for name only Small pumpkins $10; Medium pumpkins $15; and Large pumpkins $20. For the additional bling such as a picture $5 and another $10 for glitter and spray paint. They are great. For more info contact Lindsay at Lindsssay820@yahoo.com. Here are the ones that I got for the kids!

Mission Accomplished: Girls Night In is a Success

2011-09-26T16:24:00.000-07:00

Yes, it's been over a week since my Girl's Night In: Bridesmaids Style. But it was just THAT fantastic that I was too exhausted to recap. But I'm here now to tell you, in great detail, just how marvelous it was.

13 of us gathered in a girlfriend's "screening" room to escape our typical Family Friday Nights. Not that we don't love the end of the week with our family's, but coming off of the beginning of school, it's been nothing short of exhausting. We popped open some wine, and in my case a few cans of Diet Coke, oooohhh'd and aawwwww'd over the treats from LINDSAYCakes and began to relax. I would have loved to chitchat with all the girls all night long (and I think I foresee my own Girl's Night In coming soon), there was a movie to watch.

Movie candy was passed around, cell phones were put on vibrate, the lights were lowered. For the next two hours, every one laughed uncontrollably. We couldn't stop. No one moved, we were glued to our seats. It's the most quiet I've ever seen this group of women in my life.

After the movie, we did our stretching - hey we're pushing 40, things get tight - and made our way to the desserts. LINDSAYCakes did an incredible job with the cupcakes. Her attention to detail - she did bridesmaids dresses on some, and little faux engagement rings on others. Nearly everyone took one home - in addition to their real party favor: a mini-bouquet from Calabasas Flowers.

The evening was priceless, the company was bar none.

Bridesmaids is a must see, and it's officially out on DVD now, so get your own copy and have a Girl's Night In ASAP!

To place cupcake or cake orders from LINDSAYCakes, email Lindsay @ lindsaycakesxo@gmail.com.

To order flowers from Calabasas Flowers, call Denice at (818) 222-5576

Lights, Camera, Girls Night In: Bridesmaids is Coming Soon to a DVD Near You

2011-09-12T13:06:00.000-07:00

Jen's List is honored to be receiving an advanced copy of the hilariously funny hit Bridesmaids. I loved it when it was in the theater, and now I'm equally excited to gather a few of my inner circle and sneak out and watch it from the comfort of a friend's home. We've got big plans for our Girls Night In, Bridesmaids style.

To keep everything organized, I've created this magnificent pinboard (see above) through one of my favorite new sites, Polyvore. It's amazing and helps me put so many things together.

Let's start with the movie theme, because who doesn't need popcorn? Thank G-d for microwave popcorn and those adorable little single serve plastic buckets (as seen above) at Target. I've been eyeing them for quite some time and finally have an opportunity to use them! And movie candy, I've got these multi-purpose mason jars from Michael's that I use for absolutely everything. The night of Girls Night In, we'll take a cute ribbon, tie it around the top and fill them with some of our favorite movie candy: Red Vines, M&Ms, Skittles, etc. (My mouth is watering!)

This isn't just any old movie night so we'll need some centerpieces which will double as our party favors, because party favors aren't just for kids anymore. We're doing a pink theme, because we're still girls at heart. But we'll make these itty bitty bouquets out of stock and mini-mums, wrap them in paper and ribbon and have them set in smaller vases with pink ribbon wrapped around the bottom during the party. I'm all about dual functionality.

It's Friday night, and many of the girls will be glad to have put the kids to bed and sneak out of the house for some much needed alone time, so we'll have some yummy Moscato and Rose Champagne (think pink!) on hand. Anyone that knows anything about me knows that Diet Coke is my personal drink of choice.

Also on hand, will be a fruit assortment, I'm thinking fruit skewers, but those are time consuming, and with 5 boys, that might be fairly ambitious this week!

And let's not forget the cupcakes! We've teamed up with local specialist LindsayCAKES who has agreed to make us a special Bridesmaids themed treat. Who doesn't love that?

Friday cannot come soon enough!

And don't forget you can get your copy of Bridesmaids on Tuesday, so start planning your own Girls Night In.

Play and Grow Smart-er Tips

2011-08-19T20:07:00.000-07:00

Play and Grow Smart-er Tips

2011-08-10T18:44:00.001-07:00

Nancy Pyne-Hapke, author of "Play and Grow Smart, A Guide Supporting Brain Development, Birth through Five," has been giving tips to aid your child's optimum skill development through proactive neuroscience-based activities. These ideas come from scholarly sources to personal interviews, from the internet to periodicals to books.
“CREATIVITY” involves imagination, ingenuity, invention/originality, creative thinking, dramatic/visual/musical arts.
THE CRITICAL WINDOWS during which the circuits of the brain are being most heavily wired for Creativity is 1 – 4 years with lifelong expression. The more opportunity children have to experience healthy, positive and nurturing Creativity experiences during this critical period, the more efficiently their brains will work over the long run.
A FEW DEVELOPMENTAL LEARNING TOOLS (toys and other objects) for CREATIVITY: • blocks • dolls and stuffed animals • books • sandbox • water • costumes and props • play figures • child-sized dishes and tools • art materials • construction sets • music and instruments
Forms of creativity: ART (visual), LANGUAGE (written or spoken), MUSIC/MOVEMENT (bodily movement), FANTASY (pretending).
Some general “Creativity: FANTASY” tidbits:
•• FROM 3, talk, pretend and discuss feelings a lot – feelings Toddler has and feelings others have. Being able to pretend you are someone else is the first step in understanding others, getting along and sharing.
•• ENCOURAGE HIM to “doctor” his baby doll or stuffed animal before going to the doctor’s office.
•• USE HAND PUPPETS with different voices.
•• TELL “WHAT IF” stories to her, and ask, “What would a happy kitty act like?” “If it started to rain while you’re playing outside, what would you do?” (Do not use scary scenarios.)
•• KEEP A SPECIAL BOX with costume materials – scarves, grown-up shoes (low heels!), bracelet beads on elastic, hats, clothing contributions from grandma/grandpa, etc.
Next week – “Creativity: Fantasy, Pt. 4”
?’s – email msmarm@roadrunner.com

Play and Grow Smart-er Tips

2011-08-06T20:35:00.001-07:00

Play and Grow Smart-er Tips

2011-07-30T14:31:00.000-07:00

Nancy Pyne-Hapke, author of "Play and Grow Smart, A Guide Supporting Brain Development, Birth through Five," has been giving tips to aid your child's optimum skill development through proactive neuroscience-based activities. These ideas come from scholarly sources to personal interviews, from the internet to periodicals to books.
“CREATIVITY” involves imagination, ingenuity, invention/originality, creative thinking, dramatic/visual/musical arts.THE CRITICAL WINDOWS during which the circuits of the brain are being most heavily wired for Creativity is 1 – 4 years with lifelong expression. The more opportunity children have to experience healthy, positive and nurturing Creativity experiences during this critical period, the more efficiently their brains will work over the long run.
A FEW DEVELOPMENTAL LEARNING TOOLS (toys and other objects) for CREATIVITY: • blocks • dolls and stuffed animals • books • sandbox • water • costumes and props • play figures • child-sized dishes and tools • art materials • construction sets • music and instruments
Forms of creativity: ART (visual), LANGUAGE (written or spoken), MUSIC/MOVEMENT (bodily movement), FANTASY (pretending).Some general “Creativity: FANTASY” tidbits:
•• FANTASY is expressing ideas and feelings through pretending. It can include playing “make-believe,” day-dreaming, talking with imaginary companions and reading fantasy books. Fantasy play comes naturally, allowing Toddler and Preschooler to feel powerful and in control, doing the ordering instead of being ordered.
•• CREATIVE/IMAGINATIVE play often stimulates physical growth (playing “cops and robbers” or music video stars) and social growth (imaginary play pretending to be a teacher, parent or doctor).
•• EARLY, FROM 18 months, Toddler enjoys simple pretend play like wearing hats. Using a bottle/spoon, he’ll pretend to feed a doll/stuffed toy.
Next week – “Creativity: Fantasy, Pt. 2”
?’s – email msmarm@roadrunner.com

Play and Grow Smart-er Tips

2011-07-23T21:40:00.000-07:00

Nancy Pyne-Hapke, author of "Play and Grow Smart, A Guide Supporting Brain Development, Birth through Five," has been giving tips to aid your child's optimum skill development through proactive neuroscience-based activities. These ideas come from scholarly sources to personal interviews, from the internet to periodicals to books. “CREATIVITY” involves imagination, ingenuity, invention/originality, creative thinking, dramatic/visual/musical arts.
THE CRITICAL WINDOWS during which the circuits of the brain are being most heavily wired for Creativity is 1 – 4 years with lifelong expression. The more opportunity children have to experience healthy, positive and nurturing Creativity experiences during this critical period, the more efficiently their brains will work over the long run.
A FEW DEVELOPMENTAL LEARNING TOOLS (toys and other objects) for CREATIVITY: • blocks • dolls and stuffed animals • books • sandbox • water • costumes and props • play figures • child-sized dishes and tools • art materials • construction sets • music and instruments
Forms of creativity: ART (visual), LANGUAGE (written or spoken), MUSIC/MOVEMENT (bodily movement), FANTASY (pretending).
Some general “Creativity: MUSIC/MOVEMENT” tidbits:
•• FROM ABOUT 3, what counts are activities using muscles and discovering how things feel. He has growing hand control/coordination and is interested in perfecting movement skills, so he may spend the entire morning going down the slide or riding a favorite tricycle.
•• FROM ABOUT 4 and having increasing agility, Preschooler runs, jumps, hops and skips around obstacles with ease. She likes to gallop, turn somersaults, climb ladders and trees, and hop on one foot. She jumps forward with her feet together over objects 5-6” high.
•• FROM ABOUT 5, encourage Kindergartener to jump, hop, skip, dance, tiptoe and march RHYTHMICALLY TO MUSIC. Teach him how to move his body to dramatize the opening of a flower, falling snow/leaves/rain, wiggly worms/snakes. Dance to music on a bad-weather day to transform rainy-day wiggles/squirms to welcome bursts of free-form movement.
Next week – “Creativity: Fantasy, Pt. 1”
?’s – email msmarm@roadrunner.com

Play and Grow Smart-er Tips

2011-07-16T10:27:00.000-07:00

Nancy Pyne-Hapke, author of "Play and Grow Smart, A Guide Supporting Brain Development, Birth through Five," has been giving tips to aid your child's optimum skill development through proactive neuroscience-based activities. These ideas come from scholarly sources to personal interviews, from the internet to periodicals to books.
“CREATIVITY” involves imagination, ingenuity, invention/originality, creative thinking, dramatic/visual/musical arts. THE CRITICAL WINDOWS during which the circuits of the brain are being most heavily wired for Creativity is 1 – 4 years with lifelong expression. The more opportunity children have to experience healthy, positive and nurturing Creativity experiences during this critical period, the more efficiently their brains will work over the long run.
A FEW DEVELOPMENTAL LEARNING TOOLS (toys and other objects) for CREATIVITY: • blocks • dolls and stuffed animals • books • sandbox • water • costumes and props • play figures • child-sized dishes and tools • art materials • construction sets • music and instruments
FORMS of Creativity: ART (visual), LANGUAGE (written or spoken), MUSIC/MOVEMENT (bodily movement), FANTASY (pretending).Some general “Creativity: MUSIC/MOVEMENT” tidbits:
•• FROM 18 months, play music with different rhythms, and provide kitchen “instruments” – oatmeal box drum/pots/pans.
•• FROM ABOUT 2, singing spontaneously, Toddler repeats songs/nursery rhymes over and over. Expose her to different musical styles: classical, country, Gregorian chant, rock & roll, opera, rhythm & blues, etc. with solo voices and orchestras. (Pounding/noise “music” is not good for brain development.)
•• SINCE HE IS LEARNING names of body parts and enjoying activities that use these names (touching toes, eyes, elbows), he can do simple creative movements like imitating animals.
•• WHILE BALANCING on each foot for 1 - 2 seconds, she jumps by lifting both feet.
Next week – “Creativity: Music/Movement, Pt. 3”
?’s – email msmarm@roadrunner.com

Play and Grow Smart-er Tips

2011-07-08T20:06:00.000-07:00

Nancy Pyne-Hapke, author of "Play and Grow Smart, A Guide Supporting Brain Development, Birth through Five," has been giving tips to aid your child's optimum skill development through proactive neuroscience-based activities. These ideas come from scholarly sources to personal interviews, from the internet to periodicals to books.
“CREATIVITY” involves imagination, ingenuity, invention/originality, creative thinking, dramatic/visual/musical arts.
THE CRITICAL WINDOWS during which the circuits of the brain are being most heavily wired for Creativity is 1 – 4 years with lifelong expression. The more opportunity children have to experience healthy, positive and nurturing Creativity experiences during this critical period, the more efficiently their brains will work over the long run.
A FEW DEVELOPMENTAL LEARNING TOOLS (toys and other objects) for CREATIVITY: • blocks • dolls and stuffed animals • books • sandbox • water • costumes and props • play figures • child-sized dishes and tools • art materials • construction sets • music and instruments
Forms of creativity: ART (visual), LANGUAGE (written or spoken), MUSIC/MOVEMENT (bodily movement), FANTASY (pretending).Some general “Creativity: MUSIC/MOVEMENT” tidbits:
•• MUSIC/MOVEMENT is the expression of ideas and feelings using bodily movements. It includes dancing, singing, playing instruments and using the body to make movements such as leaping like a frog or exploring ways to make a circle with the body.
•• BY 12 MONTHS, Baby responds to music with body motions swaying, swooping, swinging. As she practices new mobility, give her freedom to move around, and free your environment of obstacles, preferably with a cushioned floor.
•• ABOUT 15 MONTHS, create an obstacle course of pillows/cushions to climb over/around/through. He may also be ready for rocking horses/riding toys he pushes with his feet.
Next week – “Creativity: Music/Movement, Pt. 2”
?’s – email msmarm@roadrunner.com

Play and Grow Smart-er Tips

2011-07-01T17:06:00.001-07:00

Nancy Pyne-Hapke, author of "Play and Grow Smart, A Guide Supporting Brain Development, Birth through Five," has been giving tips to aid your child's optimum skill development through proactive neuroscience-based activities. These ideas come from scholarly sources to personal interviews, from the internet to periodicals to books.
“CREATIVITY” involves imagination, ingenuity, invention/originality, creative thinking, dramatic/visual/musical arts.THE CRITICAL WINDOWS during which the circuits of the brain are being most heavily wired for Creativity is 1 – 4 years with lifelong expression. The more opportunity children have to experience healthy, positive and nurturing Creativity experiences during this critical period, the more efficiently their brains will work over the long run.
A FEW DEVELOPMENTAL LEARNING TOOLS (toys and other objects) for CREATIVITY: • blocks • dolls and stuffed animals • books • sandbox • water • costumes and props • play figures • child-sized dishes and tools • art materials • construction sets • music and instruments
Forms of creativity: ART (visual), LANGUAGE (written or spoken), MUSIC/MOVEMENT (bodily movement), FANTASY (pretending).Some general Creativity: LANGUAGE tidbits:
•• FROM ABOUT 5, Kindergartener is a good story teller, enjoying making books of his stories. He draws pictures to go along with his words, and he likes explaining the pictures he’s created. (Don’t say: “What’s that?” Do say: “Tell me about your picture.”)
•• ADD DRAMA to your daily reading sessions by using different voices for different characters. Ask her to tell the story and imitate your voice.•• ENCOURAGE INTEREST in jokes, nonsense and riddles by reading humorous stories, riddles and nonsense rhymes. Join him in jokes from school, books, TV and movies.
•• READ BOOKS which introduce beginning notions of teamwork, cooperation, communication and self-esteem to help develop empathy and understand social roles.
Next week – “Creativity: Music/Movement, Pt. 1”
?’s – email msmarm@roadrunner.com

Play and Grow Smart-er Tips

2011-06-25T14:21:00.000-07:00

Nancy Pyne-Hapke, author of "Play and Grow Smart, A Guide Supporting Brain Development, Birth through Five," has been giving tips to aid your child's optimum skill development through proactive neuroscience-based activities. These ideas come from scholarly sources to personal interviews, from the internet to periodicals to books.
“CREATIVITY” involves imagination, ingenuity, invention/originality, creative thinking, dramatic/visual/musical arts.THE CRITICAL WINDOWS during which the circuits of the brain are being most heavily wired for Creativity is 1 – 4 years with lifelong expression. The more opportunity children have to experience healthy, positive and nurturing Creativity experiences during this critical period, the more efficiently their brains will work over the long run.
A FEW DEVELOPMENTAL LEARNING TOOLS (toys and other objects) for CREATIVITY: • blocks • dolls and stuffed animals • books • sandbox • water • costumes and props • play figures • child-sized dishes and tools • art materials • construction sets • music and instruments
Forms of creativity: ART (visual), LANGUAGE (written or spoken), MUSIC/MOVEMENT (bodily movement), FANTASY (pretending).Some general Creativity: LANGUAGE tidbits:
•• FROM ABOUT 4, make homemade books and read the books often – a “numbers” book, a “words” book, a “letters” book, a “shapes” book.
•• USE THE MAGIC of make-believe – invent stories with Preschooler in them.
•• LET HER INVENT stories with herself in them and stories with you in them.
•• PLAY LISTENING and guessing games with sounds of different animals.
•• ANOTHER GUESSING GAME is to find something he can see, describe it for him, and let him tell you what you described.
Next week – “Creativity: LANGUAGE, Pt. 4”
?s – email msmarm@roadrunner.com

Play and Grow Smart-er Tips

2011-06-18T20:01:00.000-07:00

Play and Grow Smart-er Tips
Nancy Pyne-Hapke, author of "Play and Grow Smart, A Guide Supporting Brain Development, Birth through Five," has been giving tips to aid your child's optimum skill development through proactive neuroscience-based activities. These ideas come from scholarly sources to personal interviews, from the internet to periodicals to books.“CREATIVITY” involves imagination, ingenuity, invention/originality, creative thinking, dramatic/visual/musical arts.
THE CRITICAL WINDOWS during which the circuits of the brain are being most heavily wired for Creativity is 1 – 4 years with lifelong expression. The more opportunity children have to experience healthy, positive and nurturing Creativity experiences during this critical period, the more efficiently their brains will work over the long run.
A FEW DEVELOPMENTAL LEARNING TOOLS (toys and other objects) for CREATIVITY: • blocks • dolls and stuffed animals • books • sandbox • water • costumes and props • play figures • child-sized dishes and tools • art materials • construction sets • music and instruments
Forms of creativity: ART (visual), LANGUAGE (written or spoken), MUSIC/MOVEMENT (bodily movement), FANTASY (pretending).
Some general Creativity: LANGUAGE tidbits:
•• FROM ABOUT 3, Toddler can make up simple stories about the pictures or books you show him. He enjoys making others laugh and being silly.
•• BEGINNING TO REASON and try new things, she may insist some of her strange notions are right, but reasoning takes practice, so be patient with her.
•• PROVIDE PAPER, small notebooks and fat markers for use in dramatic play. •• DRAW A FACE on an old sock, and show him how to “talk” with puppets. Next week – “Creativity: Language, Pt. 3” ?s – email msmarm@roadrunner.com.

Play and Grow Smart-er Tips

2011-06-11T16:15:00.000-07:00

Play and Grow Smart-er Tips

2011-06-04T14:27:00.000-07:00

Nancy Pyne-Hapke, author of "Play and Grow Smart, A Guide Supporting Brain Development, Birth through Five," has been giving tips to aid your child's optimum skill development through proactive neuroscience-based activities, now every Sunday. These ideas come from scholarly sources to personal interviews, from the internet to periodicals to books.
“CREATIVITY” involves imagination, ingenuity, invention/originality, creative thinking, dramatic/visual/musical arts.
THE CRITICAL WINDOWS during which the circuits of the brain are being most heavily wired for Creativity is 1 – 4 years with lifelong expression. The more opportunity children have to experience healthy, positive and nurturing Creativity experiences during this critical period, the more efficiently their brains will work over the long run.
A FEW DEVELOPMENTAL LEARNING TOOLS (toys and other objects) for CREATIVITY: • blocks • dolls and stuffed animals • sandbox • water • costumes and props • play figures • child-sized dishes and tools • art materials • construction sets • music and instruments
Forms of creativity: ART (visual), LANGUAGE (written or spoken), MUSIC/MOVEMENT (bodily movement), FANTASY (pretending).Some general Creativity: ART tidbits:
•• REMEMBER: avoid making models in clay or drawing pictures for him to copy. He learns more by working out his own ideas, and adult-induced items can actually hinder learning and healthy self-expression.
•• FOR OPTIMUM fine motor ease, use art tools (crayons, pencils, brushes, etc.) that are FAT. These should be used through the first grade in consideration of physical fine motor development. “Regular-sized” crayons will break with the strength and lack of refinement of little hands and fingers, get lost, be underfoot and cause frustration for everyone.
•• FROM 3, some activities include using primary (blunt) scissors, drawing (circle and face), color matching, tracing circles from objects, rocks glued together to make animals/people/bugs (add faces with markers), sorting beans into egg crating (red navy, small white, dried garbanzo, etc.), stringing large buttons/beads on a shoelace, endless construction with large snap-together components/blocks.
•• FROM 4, encourage exploration with new media (cork and wire, soda straws, string, yarn), mix colors with paints, make a collage out of differently-shaped/colored leaves, make play dough from a recipe, decorate a small box (gift for mom?) with uncooked macaroni and paint it.
Next week – “Creativity: LANGUAGE, Pt. 1”
Any ?’s – email msmarm@roadrunner.com

The most AMAZING gift to give your partner this Father’s Day

2011-05-28T14:44:00.000-07:00

I had the pleasure recently to do something that I have ALWAYS wanted to do, but never had the courage. Let me tell you…I am so glad I mustered up the nerve and scheduled an appointment with Kathy at Flash Frozen Photography (http://www.flashfrozenphotography.com/) in Woodland Hills for a special Boudoir session. After 5 kids, sometimes it is hard to feel pretty…but after hair with Erin Goldstein and Makeup with Karen Snyder (http://www.cosmeticallyorganized.com/), I was on my way. Kathy’s studio is quaint and just what anyone needs to complete this fabulous shoot. I thought that I would be timid and shy, but Kathy has a way to make you feel totally comfortable in your own skin, no matter what you are wearing, no matter what size you are.

I left with such a smile on my face, like a natural high and so excited to see the final result. I got a sneak peak at some of the shots and was truly blown away. All I could think of was “who is that in those photos?”. I am beyond giddy with anticipation to see what my hubby thinks when I give him a little black book for Father’s Day!

Now, I will tell you, the gift is not inexpensive, but I am not kidding when I tell you that I truly think that EVERY woman, in their lifetime, should do this at least once and if not for their partner, then at least for themselves!

Normally, a session is $500 without hair and makeup. However, I asked Kathy what she would be willing to do for Jens List members and she came up with the following:
45 Minute session, with a 10 page "Little Black Book" - One or two outfits & makeup by Karen - $350.
Hair by Erin is available for an additional $40-$60, additional depending on style.
Fine Print: Must pre-pay - 48 hours cancellation. The response was SO great, that Kathy ADDED some additional spots & she can accommodate gifts for Father's Day until June 13th!!!!

Call Kathy for more info at 818.888.2280 and of course, email me with any questions too at jen@jenslist.com. Do it and cross it off your bucket list!

This is a "G" rated pix from the shoot:

ROUND MEADOW ONLINE BUY IT NOW SILENT AUCTION ITEMS

2011-05-26T18:36:00.000-07:00

If you are interested in any of the items below, please email rmpfaauction@gmail.com. Thank you!

Silent 1010
Dandy Don's Sundae Bar - With a min. purchase of $500, this certificate gives you a $250 discount off the total cost. New customers only. Expires 6-30-12. www.dandydons.com
Value - $250
Price - $50

Silent 1020
Blue Jeans Bar - Private Shopping event with drinks, 15% discounts on all denim, and a personal fitting. Enjoy this new, fun and personal event with up to 30 friends.
Value - $250
Price - $25

Silent 1026
Registration for league play to be applied toward the 2011 Summer Basketball League offered through DeAnza Park. Must contact immediately. ONLY good for Girls age 9 and up or Jr Boy's age 13-16 with City of Calabasas
Value - $140
Price - $25

Silent 1063
In Home private Emergency Preparedness consultation by emergency Cafe. Expires 12/31/2011.By Cari Butler
Value - $350
Price - $40

Silent 1083
One evaluation good for an individual or couple contemplating or going through a divorce. Divorce Detox offers the most comprehensive divorce recovery program in Los Angeles
Value - $300
Price - $40

Silent 1090 & 1091
Free Valet Parking at the Americana at BRAND in GLENDALE until June 2012.
Value - $Priceless
Price - $50

Silent 1092
FREE Valet Parking at the GROVE in LOS ANGELE until June 2012
Value - Priceless!
Price - $50

Silent 1125
Evaluation of reading, spelling, fluency, comprehension, language, vocabulary, math and writing skills at the Kelter Center in Los Angeles - also opening a new center in Tarzana soon.
Value - $1000
Price - $50

Silent 1141
Pre Orthodontics, photography, radiographs and Examination with Dr Roger S Lim DDS, MS Inc. Expires December 1,2011 in Sherman Oaks
Value - $300
Price - $25

Silent 1161
One Counseling with Compassion psychotherapy session. Marilyn Glassman's practice specializes in giving clients the tools to build healthy relationships and cope with life's transitions. Located In Agoura
Value - $140
Price - $20

Silent 1167
Comprehensive Assessment and Learning Plan ($149) Registration ($50) and one week math lesson ($72) in Valencia at Mathnasium
Value - $271
Price - $30

Silent 1168
Monarchs National Gymnastics - New Customers only. $50 off gym, cheer, tumble or rhythmic 8-11 week session. Can not be combined with any other coupon, certificate etc. Annual registration fee not included. Expires January 1, 2012
Value - $50
Price - $10

Silent 1185
Got Lice? One initial comb thru at the Nit Picker. Expires December 31, 2011
Value - $200
Price - $30

Silent 1210
4 free family passes to Old Faithful Geyser of CA
Value - $120
Price - $20

Silent 1226
Online Nutritional Consultation through email and phone with Curtis Nutrition
Value - $250
Price - $25

Silent 1231
$200 off any order over $1000 of Custom Window Treatments or Custom Bedding at Jacoby Company. plus a 2 hour in home consult $300 value with Cory Jacoby.
Value - $500
Price - $50

Silent 1236
$50 for Swim Lessons for One Month with Aquatic Safety Instruction located in either Encino or Northridge. New Students Only. 2011 season
Value - $50
Price - $10

Silent 1237
$100 Gift Certificate towards 2 Month Commitment with Aquatic Safety. Must be new student and must be used during the 2011 season. Can be used in either Encino or Northridge location.
Value - $100
Price - $20

Silent 1264
2 hours with Randee Samsky Hilborn – Hebrew Tutoring
Value - $170
Price - $25

Silent 1270
$50 off any any 2011 summer camp at Releve Studios. Expires August 31, 2011. Location in Thousand Oaks
Value - $50
Price - $10

Silent 1278
July 11 - July 15 2011. Deisgned for beginner intermediate dancers ages 7 plus. In Agoura. Retter's Academy of Dance
Value - $56
Price - $10

Silent 1281
http://www.o2maxfitness.com/ – Fitness Passport for kids 10-18
Value - $100
Price - $10

Silent 1291
1 hour Tutoring sessions with Shirley Harper in West Hills. Used to teach at Sierra Canyon. Expires September 1. 2011
Value - $60
Price - $15

Silent 1312
1 black and 1 white both with gold from Tempt
Value - $85
Price - $15

Silent 1347
Senna - Makeup Application with Eyebrow Shaping
Value - $85
Price - $25

Silent 1374
Ecobaby - 5 hours of baby planning and or concierge services ie registry set up, personal shopping, shower planning, nursery organization.
Value - $375
Price - $25

Silent 1417
4 vacation certificates accommodations with Premier Cancum Vacations for 5 days 4 nights. 2 adults and 2 children under age of 12. There is a $59 reservation fee and a $110 in hotel taxes fee. Some of the hotels you can choose are The Laguna Suites Golf and Spa, The Ocean Hotel or one of our affiliated luxury resorts. Expires 18 months after purchase.
Value - $1048
Price - $100

Silent 1440
The Brander Vineyard - Tasting certificate for up to 6 Bottle of 2010 Santa Ynez Valley Sauvignon Blanc and Brander Logo Glasses.
Value - $100
Price - $20

Silent 1460
Roclord Studios - Portrait Photography Package which includes consultation, studio portrait session, (1) 11x14 custom print matted and signed. Must contact by August 1, 2011 and photography by October 1, 2011
Value - $600
Price - $75

Silent 1464
Next Exit Photography Portrait Session. Session to take place within 5 miles of West LA Studio. Expires November 30, 2011. Session last 1 hour.
Value - $350
Price - $35

Silent 1465
Next Exit Photography Portrait Session. Session to take place within 5 miles of West LA Studio. Expires November 30, 2011. Session last 1 hour
Value - $350
Price - $35

Silent 1492
Jewelry Making Party at the Bead Lounge in Woodland Hills for up to 5 Women. This donation includes private use of the Bead Lounge for you and 4 guests, wine/ cheese/fruit & water Included. Materials are NOT included. Instruction provided and a bead lounge staffer there for you.
Value - $120
Price - $60

Silent 1495
(1) private 45 minute in home breast feeding consultation with Chrisie Rosenthal B.S., L.E.C. Lactation Educator/Counselor. Also includes one week follow up via email, text or skype. OR (1) private 90 minute in home couples breastfeeding class. Must be in Los Angeles Area. Expires December 31, 2012.
Value - $150
Price - $15

Silent 1511

One Cooking or Gardening Class Summer Class - Upcoming Summer schedule Sunday, July 17th or Sunday, July 31st from 3-6pm in Laura Taylors home Woodland Hills. Must email or register for class. New Student only

Value - $65

Price - $15

Silent 1515
http://www.zearly.com/ – 200 points - Awesome Site!
Value - $50
Price - $10

Silent 1540
Metropolitan Educational Theatre Network - Package includes One workshop training fee, Costume, One show T Shirt, 2 Tickets to "Annie" in July. Expires Spring 2012
Price – $300
Value - $50

Silent 1623
Stephen Silver – 11x17 custom drawing
Value - $50
Price - $10

Silent 1641
Amazing Deal! A half day 1A class at Jim Hall Racing School. Everything is provided. Expert instruction, freshly prepped race kart, bell racing helmet, racing jacket, neck collar and gloves. Minimum student age is 14- average student is 40 years old minimum height is 5 ft tall, maximum height is 6'8, maximum weight is 270 lbs. Youth programs are available for ages 10-14, minimum height for youth classes is 4'8.
Value - $225
Price - $95

Silent 1669
Comprehensive Eye Examination with contact lens fitting (up to a $100 value) with Sakani A Jamali OD in West Hills
Value - $195
Price - $50

Silent 1706
CPR for 5 Adults expires Sept. 2011(THINK REFRESHER COURSE!) with In His Hands CPR. (818)324-6570 or inhishandscpr@gmail.com. WWW.INHISHNDSCPR.COM

Value - $250

Price - $75

Silent 1777
LICE! Ekk! One comb Thru at Nik Picker Expires December 31, 2011
Value - $50
Price - $15

FUNDRAISER FLYER

2011-04-07T16:37:00.001-07:00

KAPLON FAMILY FUNDRAISER AT FRESH BROTHERS PIZZA

2011-04-07T15:37:00.000-07:00

A very special video:

A toddler. Twins on the way. Her husband, taken from her tragically. Please help us help Kristi Kaplon.

Come to a special fundraiser for Kristi, Chloe and the babies on the way. Fresh Brothers will donate 20% of your food and beverage purchases to the Kaplon family. Pick-up, dine-in and delivery all count. Simply present the flyer below(right click on the flyer to print or click on this link: http://levinsonfamily.blogspot.com/2011/04/fundraiser-flyer.html) to the cashier or delivery driver. If you’re ordering online, enter this code word before adding to your cart: JENSLIST.

TUESDAY, APRIL 12th

BETWEEN 11 AM to 8 PM

Calabasas, at The Commons - 818.225.7555

and

Westlake Village, at The Promenade - 805.777.8448

http://www.freshbrothers.com/

To donate directly to the Kaplon Family, please visit

https://sites.google.com/site/kristikaplon/home?pli=1

Amazing new 8 Week Group Focused on Transforming Women's Relationship with Food

2010-09-09T22:07:00.000-07:00

Is your negative body image causing feelings of isolation and helplessness?
Do you have days where your thoughts are consumed by what you ate previously and self-imposed rules about what you should and shouldn't eat at any given time?
Do you hold the belief that if only you were able to get control over what you eat and lose weight, you will finally be happy?
Dr. Michelle Gold and Andrea Mendelsohn, MFT, are licensed clinicians with extensive experience helping women to understand their preoccupation with weight, body-image and food. In this group, we will be exploring the underlying beliefs that have created and perpetuated this battle. They will be examining what drives emotional eating with the goal of transforming our relationship with food. They will be discussing the extraordinary work of Geneen Roth (author of Women, Food and God), who has developed practical principles which can free you from emotional eating.
Throughout this 8 week process, they will discuss how you can possess remarkably good reasons to turn to food when you are not hungry. Their hope is to instill the belief in you that change is possible. With compassion and patience, they will provide a confidential and safe environment for this important work to unfold.
8 Week Session – $320($40 a session)
Wednesdays, September 29-November 17, 2010 from 9:30-10:45 a.m.5023
N. Parkway Calabasas in Calabasas, CA 91302
To register or to receive more information, please contact Andrea Mendelsohn at 818.634.4967 or andreamendelsohn@aol.com

Generation Next Crib for sale - GREAT condition

2010-09-09T15:18:00.001-07:00

Capturing the classic appeal of sleigh bed styling, it has a safety-gate front that allows easy access to your baby. The crib converts into a toddler bed and then into a full-size adult bed with the addition of adult rails. Generation Next, the ideal choice for your family, is an entire collection of fine furniture that is designed to last for generations. Color - Chesnut.
5 years old. Bought from Baby Town for $456.99. Asking $225.
• W 54 1/4" x D 37" x H 43"
• Solid wood construction
• 15 year limited lifetime warranty
• Mattress and bedding not included
http://www.babysdream.com/Products/Generationnext/Default.htm
Email jen@jenslist.com for more info!

Actual photos of the crib:

Truths for Mature Humans

2010-09-04T10:42:00.000-07:00

I received this and enjoyed it so much that I wanted to share it with those of you who haven’t already seen it. I don’t know who wrote it or I would give them credit. Enjoy!

1. I think part of a best friend’s job should be to immediately clear your computer history if you die.
2. Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you realize you’re wrong.
3. I totally take back all those times I didn’t want to nap when I was younger.
4. There is great need for a sarcasm font.
5. How the hell are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet?
6. Was learning cursive really necessary?
7. Map Quest really needs to start their directions on # 5. I’m pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.
8. Obituaries would be a lot more interesting if they told you how the person died.
9. I can’t remember the last time I wasn’t at least kind of tired.
10. Bad decisions make good stories.
11. You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you know that you just aren’t going to do anything productive for the rest of the day
12. Can we all just agree to ignore whatever comes after Blue Ray? I don’t want to have to restart my collection…again.
13. I’m always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word and it asks me if I want to save any changes to my ten-page technical report that I swear I did not make any changes to.
14. “Do not machine wash or tumble dry” means I will never wash this – ever.
15. I hate when I just miss a call by the last ring (Hello? Hello? **** it!), but when I immediately call back, it rings nine times and goes to voice mail. What did you do after I didn’t answer? Drop the phone and run away?
16. I hate leaving my house confident and looking good and then not seeing anyone of importance the entire day. What a waste.
17. I keep some people’s phone numbers in my phone just so I know not to answer when they call.
18. I think the freezer deserves a light as well.
19. I disagree with Kay Jewelers. I would bet on any given Friday or Saturday night more kisses begin with Miller Lite than Kay.
20. I wish Google Maps had an “Avoid Ghetto” routing option.
21. Sometimes, I’ll watch a movie that I watched when I was younger and suddenly realize I had no idea what the heck was going on when I first saw it.
22. I would rather try to carry 10 over-loaded plastic bags in each hand than take 2 trips to bring my groceries in.
23. I have a hard time deciphering the fine line between boredom and hunger.
24. How many times is it appropriate to say “What?” before you just nod and smile because you still didn’t hear or understand a word they said?
25. I love the sense of camaraderie when an entire line of cars team up to prevent a jerk from cutting in at the front. Stay strong, brothers and sisters!
26. Is it just me or do high school kids get dumber & dumber every year?
27. There’s no worse feeling than that millisecond you’re sure you are going to die after leaning your chair back a little too far.
28. As a driver I hate pedestrians, and as a pedestrian I hate drivers, but no matter what the mode of transportation, I always hate bicyclists.
29. Sometimes I’ll look down at my watch 3 consecutive times and still not know what time it is.
30. Even under ideal conditions people have trouble locating their car keys in a pocket, finding their cell phone, and Pinning the Tail on the Donkey – but I’d bet my *** everyone can find and push the snooze button from 3 feet away, in about 1.7 seconds, eyes closed, first time, every time!

High Heel in a Haystack

2010-08-31T18:42:00.001-07:00

I had the best experience with Robin Wiener, from High Heel in a Haystack and I wanted to share! She came over to help me clean out my closet and purge clothing...that I have not gotten rid of, literally in about 10+ years. Because I was ALWAYS pregnant or JUST post pregnancy for about 8 of those years, my sizes varied drastically and I still had clothing in my closet that were 3 sizes too big! Needless to say, it was a disaster, I could not find anything and truly ended up wearing 2-3 things over and over. Robin made it so that not only is everything in my closest up to date with the current style, but they fit and are easily accessible. I highly recommend her - she is breathe of fresh air and welcome in my house anytime! http://www.highheelinahaystack.com/

BEFORE:

AFTER

POOL SAFETY

2010-06-06T14:26:00.000-07:00

by Dr. JJ Levenstein
The month of May has come and gone, and yet many of you may not have realized it was "National Drowning Prevention Month." As our warm spring and summer months arrive every year, I brace myself for the inevitable news that yet another child or young adult has drowned in this community. Drowning is the second cause of unintentional/accidental child death in the United States -and the number one cause in California! The State of California and www.safekids.org have published terrific public safety information about drownings, and steps we can all take to prevent this tragedy. It is so important, first of all, to dispel myths about how drownings occur. The following are 9 myths of drowning:1. Is drowning really a problem?A. Yes. Drowning is the leading cause of unintentional death among children ages 1-4 in California. A residential pool is 14 times more likely to cause a death than an automobile accident.2. Don't more children die in open water (oceans and lakes) than in pools?A. No. 50% of deaths by drowning occur in residential pools.3. Isn't it more important to have a locked gate to keepneighbors out than to have a pool fence?A. No. 65% of the children died in their own pools at home. 46% of the children were last seen safe inside the house just before the drowning. 72% had direct access to the pool once they were outside the house (i.e. no pool fence).4. Isn't it just parental neglect that causes drowning?A. No. According to the U.S. CPSC Drowning Study, conscientious parents who understand the need for supervision were almost always present on the premises.5. Won't swimming lessons protect a child from drowning?A. No. Swimming lessons do not prepare a child for a drowning or a near drowning situation. A young child may be able to learn to float, but may not be able to climb out of a pool. At any age, an unexpected panic may set in with an accidental fall or scare, and a "good swimmer" becomes vulnerable to drowning.6. Isn't constant supervision enough to prevent drowning?A. Although constant supervision is part of prevention, we recommended added "layers" of protection which include a well maintained non-climbable fence with a self-closing, self-latching gate, alarm systems, powered safety pool covers, and self-closing, self-latching doors with automatic sliding door closers (leading out to the pool area). A parent reading a magazine at poolside or peering out a kitchen window can lose up to 30 seconds of reaction time - that time necessary to drown.7. Is there any proof that fences or safety barriers work? Can't a child climb over a fence?A. In studies conducted in Australia and New Zealand, the findings suggest that adequate, four sided pool fencing (at least 5 feet high) reduced drownings by 80%. Studies in Arizona demonstrated a 50% reduction.8. Won't fences detract from the aesthetics of pools?A. There are several kinds of fences to choose from which meet safety requirements and there are also alternatives such as an approved safety cover. Families must always weigh the risk versus benefit of an aesthetic choice prevailing over a safe choice. The answer is obvious to me, and yet countless times I hear of grandparents, in particular, unwilling to give up their beautiful garden view in order to erect a safe pool fence for their grandchildren!9. Do pool owners without young children need to install protective barriers?A. 35% of residential drownings are not at the home of the victim but rather at the home of a friend or immediate family member. So the answer is, YES!Now that I have dispelled those myths for you, how can you be sure that you provide a safe pool environment for your children, family members, visitors and friends?- Never leave a child alone near water to answer the phone, the doorbell, go to the bathroom, attend to another child or attend to household chores, even for a few seconds.- Keep a constant eye on young children playing in or near any body of water, wading pool, public pool, bathtub or lake. At large gatherings, designate an adult to watch children at play, and while in pool. Ideally there should be 1 adult per 2 young children, 1 adult per 3 older kids.- Fence your pool on all four sides with a barrier that is at least 5 feet high. Move lawn chairs, tables and other potential climbing aids away from the fence to help keep children out.- Any gate or door leading to the pool area should be self-closing and self-latching, opening outward, with the latch placed on the pool side out of reach.- Install panic alarms on all house doors and windows leading to the pool area, automatic sliding door closers and automatic safety cover over the pool.- Completely remove cover before children are allowed in pool. Drain off water that accumulates on top of the pool cover. A child can drown in as little as two inches of water.- Keep reaching and throwing aids, such as poles and life preservers, on both sides of the pool.- All non-swimmers should always wear approved personal flotation devices when they are near water (no floaties, but actual jackets with a tether between the child's legs)Swimming lessons do not insure safety. About 25% of all young drowning victims have had swimming lessons. A child who falls int water unexpectedly will panic and forget his swimming skills.- It is crucial that you and all of your child's caretakers can swim and know how to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in an emergency. Immediate CPR could prevent death or massive brain damage.- ALWAYS keep a working cell phone or land line near your pool.- Cover pool and Jacuzzi drains with anti-vortex drain covers (about $5-$10 at your local pool supply store). The force of vacuum from a drain can entrap long hair, body parts, swi(from sitting on a drain). 75 children lose their lives each year by being trapped on drains and being unable to surface for air. This is a little known risk, and yet, again, entirely preventable with the use of these drain covers.

Andie Kallinger Photography

2010-03-31T21:43:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to share our recent photoshoot with Andie Kallinger. Andie is AMAZING with babies/kids/adults/pets, she gets great shots and is wonderful to work with!

I HIGHLY recommend her!

Call her at 818.679.6769 or email her at andie@photosbyandie.com

You can see more of her work at www.photosbyandie.com

Whoops - I did it again!

2010-03-21T15:09:00.000-07:00

Hello, my name is Jen Levinson and I am a pack rat. I hate to admit it, but clearly, I am since last summer I had my garage cleaned out and managed to fill it again in less than a year. Who saved me? The 1 Day Garage Makeover people! They are seriously AMAZING and worth every penny spent. It is so nice to be able to WALK in my garage...yet alone park in it! Ask yourself - Can you park your car in your garage? Do you find yourself embarrassed to have the garage door up because the garage is such a mess? Do you trip over items every time you walk in the garage? If you find yourself relating to any of the above questions, as clearly I do, I have a solution for you! The team from 1 Day Garage Makeover came over again yesterday. They arrived at 9am, and left 4 hours later. They cleared out the garage and I was outside for a ½ hr. as they were asking me - should they toss, keep or donate. Piles were made and I went back in until 1pm, there was a knock at the door and the garage was SPOTLESS. Jens List members get $25 off. The avg. garage ranges from $300-$500.Estimates are free – 818-451-8530 – I know they are booking fast, so if you are interested, I would call sooner vs. later!
http://www.1daygaragemakeover.com/
Here are the 2nd set(how embarassing)of before and after photos!

WOW...what a day!

2010-03-08T21:00:00.000-08:00

If I didn't already know that there were only 24 hours in a day, I really would have thought someone added about 10 extras hours to my Monday.
Today was a big day. I sent over 13,000 people the Jens List newsletter using a new mail server - one equipped with allowing members to follow me on Facebook and Twitter and have everything they would need to access the website at their fingertips.
The program is all new to me. It took me twice as long this morning to do what I have been doing the past 4+ years to get the information out to everyone. Then came the emails from everyone telling me how much they liked...and well...didn't like the new format.
Where on an average day, I receive 300 emails, today was double. I can normally get through them all without panicking, but 2 of the kids were off of school today so even during nap time, there was really no down time!
It's ok...I keep telling myself, as I snack on large marshmallows to cure my feeling of being overwhelmed! Change is hard for most. I am the 1st to admit it is my weakness. Practice makes perfect and practice is what it is going to take to get me used to the new system.
In the meantime, I will move along with being a mommy to the 5 boys, a wife, a friend, the room mom duties, sisterhood board responsibilities, fulfilling the Silent Auction Chair expectations, classroom volunteer, chef, driver, nurse, vet, housekeeper, accountant, therapist, etc. etc. etc.
It's no wonder I feel as if there are 34 hours in my day!

Change Stinks!

2010-03-07T21:06:00.001-08:00

I am a simpleton. Most everything I wear can be washed in the washing machine - after all, with 5 young boys, it is a miracle if I am my shirt remains clean when I walk out of the house in the morning! I don't drive a fancy car, just one that will shelp everyone to and fro. I have one pair of earrings that I never take off and a wedding ring that adorns my left hand. My idea of a night out consists of a good movie and or dinner with the kids at Islands.
Needless to say, I do not need much except family and friends to be happy. I have always thought that I would have done wonderfully living in the 1950's, where technology was not at the forefront and it was simple things in life that were truly important to the rest of the world.
I am a simpleton. So, when Jens List grew from me passing along some neat info to a few select friends, to 13,000 people in the Los Angeles area and beyond, I was convinced, by more than just a few people, that it was time to move past the antiquated email system of providing a newsletter. That said, it took a long time to implement the new format, one in which I completely and entirely am afraid of, but with perseverance will get used to and I am sure, like...somewhere down the road.
Change is hard. No matter what it is you are changing. However, being that technology and I don't seem to be the best of friends, getting acquainted to a new system has been not only time consuming and extraordinarily challenging but frustrating at the same time, as I feel the innocence of what was once built is being taken away.
Life progresses. Business expand. Things move forward. Jens List is one of those examples and while I am sure everything will become second nature as time goes on, right now, please bare with me and practice patience as I master the new art of the Jens List newsletter!
Practice does make perfect. Nobody ever told me how much practice it takes, but I am dedicated to making this transition as smooth as possible.
Thank you again to everyone who has supported me over the years. From something that was never supposed to be, Jens List has taught me so much, given me the opportunity to learn and has opened my eyes to a part of the world that I am not sure I never would have known about!

We just had a great family photoshoot and I wanted to share with everyone!

2009-11-02T12:14:00.001-08:00

A La Mode Photo/Heather Hart

The holiday season is coming up and you need pictures!
See her portfolio at: http://www.alamodephoto.com/
Schedule a pregnancy, family or baby photo shoot, buy a Gift Certificate for friends or family, or order beautiful fine art photo jewelry - Heather has everything!
*Mention Jen’s List for a Members Only discount.*

Heather is a mother of twins (and faithful Jen’s Lister) and has been a pregnancy and family photographer for 14 years. Most of her business is referrals and repeat business!

Best Landscaping Experience!

2009-09-13T10:52:00.000-07:00

Jen's List member, Stephanie Davis, is degreed in Landscape Architecture and has taught in this field at both Pierce College and CSUN and has had her own design business for the last 10 years. From my 1st meeting with Stephanie, she has been amazing to work with and I highly recommend her for your next project. Her designs can include pools/spas, water features, patios, overhead structures, planting and lighting plans. No job is too big or too small. No charge for your first appointment. Call 805-231-6117 or email stephanie@stephanieanndavis.com
Once we decided on WHAT to do, we were able to implement all of the design ideas with Danicio’s assistance. He is the person that actually completed all the re-landscaping in my front yard – including installing a new system! He is a very honest, hard working person and currently available as a landscaper or as your maintenance company. Danicio's # is (818) 438-6486. Not only did he do a truly fabulous job for me, but also recently completed another Jens List members home(mbernie76@msn.com)
Feel free to email me anytime about Stephanie or Danicio at Jlev@jenlevinson.com
Here are some before and after photos….Seeing it person TRULY does their work justice!

New Family Photos

2009-09-12T15:50:00.001-07:00

Mark has been crazy about photography since he got his first camera as a high school graduation gift. He studied photo journalism in college, worked for the yearbook and have enjoyed shooting "for the moment" ever since. After college, he fell into an advertising career that led him to producing, directing and copywriting. Through the years he continued to shoot tons of stills. Since he became a dad two years ago, taking hundreds of pictures of his daughter (yup, that’s her and him on the home page) became the norm and rekindled his love of journalistic photography. We recently had the pleasure of meeting Mark and having him shoot some photos of the family. We enjoyed working with him and thought his photographic skills were really good. He is offering Jens List 20% off a photo session. You can reach him at 310.750.5728

http://www.trippypics.biz/

Pondering Life...

2009-08-11T06:00:00.000-07:00

10 years ago, one of my very dearest friends was diagnosed with Sarcoma. They found it in her lung, which was very rare and over the years, after treatment after treatment, it spread to her brain. Emily has endured so many medical treatments, some experimental, surgeries and radiation, one would truly wonder how any cancer could survive. But it has and now she is losing the battle. This weekend, I am traveling with Mike to Dallas, to spend my last weekend with her. Even as I write this, my body is numb and I am not sure how I am going to make it through.
I think anyone that reads this will know someone in their lifetime to be effected by cancer. I am so angry at what has happened and how cancer has not only taken over Emily's body but effected some other very close people to me.
I always wonder why it seems so prevalent now. Why I know so many people battling this very ugly disease. Is it because I am older? Is it because its more common? I scares me to think...why them...and why not me?
I look at my parents and in-laws and think to myself all the time how lucky they are to be here, alive and well, to see their grandchildren. I pray, more than you would ever know, that I am that blessed and granted the ability to live another 40+ years.
Life is not fair. I have learned that. My mom always said it to me as a kid...and now I believe her. I wish she was wrong. I really, really do.

5 weeks ago....

2009-08-10T19:10:00.000-07:00

My life changed...for the better. Actually, it is hard to believe that 5 weeks have gone by already. So fast! I feel great! Relatively speaking, no pain, and I am pretty much back to normal. Between week 3 and week 5, I was exhausted. Because I felt well during the day, and the kids were out of school, it was non-stop, go, go, go and then by their bedtime...I would crash. The hours rolled into days, days rolled into a couple of weeks...and here I am.
I am so happy to have had the opportunity to blog during this experience. I think its not only helped me but helped a lot of other people who always wondered what it was like and questioning having the surgery done themselves.
I bought 3 bathing suits last week...something I have not done in years...in fact - the only one I really owned in the last few years was a maternity bathing suit...that when not pregnant, just passed off as something perhaps my grandmother would have worn!
I finally was able to get rid of a lot of clothing in my closet. I had been pregnant for pretty much 6+ years straight, so having a closet like Oprah just made sense. I had clothing ranging from size 6 to 16! The 16's were donated some time ago. Held on to some 14's and those were donated recently as well. Then the 12's left and I am holding on to the 8's and 10's. 6's....well - those were pretty much wishful thinking. BC...perhaps they fit...over my hips -I truly think at this point, no matter how much weight I lost, the hips are the hips and they are here to stay!
In about 4 1/2 months, I will take the after photos and then be able to see the full effect of everything I went through. Still pretty swollen, but the scar is healing nicely and I like the way its looking! This definitely is a summer to remember....that is FOR SURE!

3 weeks post op and what I never knew......

2009-07-28T12:35:00.000-07:00

I guess I wish I didn't feel so good in the morning, because then I would not be running around all day to leave me feeling like crap all night! It is so hard to stay put. How I ever was on bed rest for 5 months is literally beyond me, but at the time, I did what I had to do....OH...and I only had 1 child!
So....being 3 weeks post op today...for the most part I am doing extremely well. I am healing like I am supposed to and the swelling is all par for the course. Some things happened though, that I never knew was going to and it brought back to the time I delivered my 1st child. I read "What to Expect When You Are Expecting"...about 10 times cover to cover. However, never did it talk about some gruesome occurrences that can happen to your own body during delivery(girls...I am sure you know what I am talking about), never did it talk about the contortion positions the nurses expect you to get into to get the baby out and never did it talk about "tearing". That said, perhaps I was better off NOT knowing all of those things ahead of time or else Zachary would probably still be inside me to this day!
Now...back to THIS surgery. Never in my life had I been under anesthesia for 8 hours. I had no clue how tired I was going to be...3 weeks later. I used to be able to stay up until 11pm, if not later. Since my surgery, I will be lucky if I make it past 8:30pm - which puts a bit of a wrench into my computer time! So tired. Literally fatigued - like the only way my eyelids would stay up is with toothpicks.
I never thought that there would be highs THEN lows to what I went thru. Don't get me wrong, I am so blessed and feel grateful that I was able to have this procedure done...but your mind does funny things. The 1st few days, I was on a high - I guess perhaps maybe because I was high on Percocet! I was not swollen, my tummy was flat and it seemed like the surgery was a success.
Then....you start moving....then you start swelling and then you start second guessing yourself if everything you just went thru really "worked". Of course its stupid, because with most surgery's come swelling and that goes away, but you don't want it to happen. Ever! I somewhat secluded myself...didn't want to talk on the phone, was not up for visitors and was thinking I was going thru some type of post traumatic surgery disorder. It's starting to lift and from my understanding, its all normal feelings....just didn't know about this before I went in!
Just when I thought I was alone for even wanting a tummy tuck, this past weekend I had 4 parties to go to and if I had a $1 for every time I heard "I want to do that too", I would be rich right now! In a strange way, it made me feel better that my initial feelings of plastic surgery being vain were not so off and that probably 9 out 10 woman would do the same thing tomorrow if they could. Is it a Southern California thing? Who knows. Its just nice to know that I am not alone.
All in all, I am healing just as I should be. The doc is keeping a close on eye on me and checking up on me weekly. I have another 3 weeks to wear the compression garment and another 5 1/2 months before the full effect of what I did will be known. If what I see now is any preview of whats to come...I'll take it!
Thank you to everyone for your love and support, friendship and food! It has made the past 3 weeks so much easier in every sense possible.

2 words – Life Changing...

2009-07-19T18:01:00.000-07:00

The past week and half +, during recovery, its given me a lot of time to really think about what my body went thru on July 7th. I think I had short term memory, because truly the impact was made on Friday, when I asked Dr. Schwartz to send me a few photos of "before". WOW. My life has changed for the better, forever. This experience, money spent aside, was the best thing I ever could have done. I am young and have so much more life to live - without ALL of that extra skin around my midsection! Even for the 1st time, now, I did not mind looking in the mirror!

Recovery really was doing a whole bunch of nothing. My mother in law was here helping with the kids and my friends and family continued to help with keeping the boys occupied. Food kept coming, making dinner time a whole lot easier for Mike to take care of. The hard part for the few days after I first got home, was sleeping upright, on my back. After a few days, I was able to turn a little bit on my side and actually felt most comfortable sleeping on the couch, where my back could be supported. The pain pump came out 1 week after surgery, however, unfortunately, the 2 drains stayed. I had been told that that was the worst part...and....I would have to agree. I FINALLY got the drains removed last Wed. and it was an incredibly free feeling. Now, its all about not doing too much, still not lifting the kids and letting the enormous amount of swelling go down. OH...and having to show the "after" to anyone that walked thru the door!

Everyone is so curious, and to their defense, I dont blame them. When you see the "before" you want to know if the surgery "really worked"...the answer...HECK YA and then some! This surgery was never looked at as a way to lose weight. Truly, no amount of exercise was going to fix the damage done by all of the pregnancies.

Dr. Schwartz throughout this entire process has handled me with kid gloves, as I am sure he does all of his patients. Not only are his skills incredible but his bedside manner matches that and kudos to him for being such a fantastic doctor.

I am looking forward to buying a bathing suit and going to the beach before the end of summer. I am looking forward to not having to hide my body behind clothing that is too big and I am looking forward to not looking away from the mirror when getting into the shower! All these things, unless you have been there, it is hard to understand the emotional side behind everything that I am looking forward to.

My goal during this whole experience, was to be as open and honest as possible. From the onset of Jens List, my motto was to share and that is just what I wanted to do here. As the weeks pass, the swelling will subside little by little. The full outcome of the surgery will not be realized until 6 months from now and I can't wait to see it!

Clutter...BE GONE!

2009-07-17T22:50:00.000-07:00

Can you park your car in your garage?
Do you find yourself embarrassed to have the garage door up because the garage is such a mess?
Do you trip over items every time you walk in the garage?
If you find yourself relating to any of the above questions, I have a solution for you!
Last Friday, I had the team from 1 Day Garage Makeover out to my home. The arrived at 9am, and left 4 hours later and the outcome was no less than a miracle! Proof is in the pudding they say…so here are the before and after photos! I was SHOCKED. Having been recovering from my surgery, I could not lift a finger and I didn’t. They cleared out the garage and I was outside for a ½ hr. sitting on a chair all the while they were asking me, toss, keep or donate. Piles were made and I went back in until 1pm, there was a knock at the door and the garage was SPOTLESS…Unreal feat completed and I had to pass along this info to all…It will be the BEST $ you ever spent!!! I told them about Jens List and they agreed to give $25 off to anyone that mentions Jens List. The avg. garage ranges from $300-$500.Estimates are free – 818-451-8530 – I know they are booking fast, so if you are interested, I would call sooner vs. later!

Ahhh...to be 20 again...

2009-07-10T09:51:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I am not 20 again, and actually almost 40, but at least my stomach is as flat as it was(if not flatter) than BC....that would be before children!

Now...be forewarned...I am an open book - so if at any time, the info becomes TMI...stop reading!

I can't believe its over. Truly. I was so scared going in on Tuesday morning. My dad arrived at about 530am to stay with the kids while Mike took me to the surgery center. We got there, I got into a gown, same ol' thing - nothing on, opening in the back...blah blah blah. The nurse came in and started my iv. I was still feeling ok. Then Dr. Schwartz walked in. He was rearing to go - excited as could be...me on the other hand, was thinking where the closest exit was. We talked about what was about to happen...then it was time for his Rembrandt side to come out. With 3 different color sharpies, he began to draw, circle, color and highlight different parts of my body - something along the lines of what I had seen in a movie once during a sorority hazing scene. It is with that that all modesty went out the window. When he was finished, I felt like one of my 4 year olds art projects and with that, I was walked into the surgery center.

The next thing I remember is waking up and them telling me it was all over. I know the doc talked to me, but at that point had no recollection of what he said. After about an hour I was taken by car to a 2 bedroom suite at the Westlake Village Inn, where I was going to recover for the next 2 days. The surgery that was supposed to be 6 hours, was 8. Almost 10 lbs was removed from my body, something typically only seen in a gastric bypass patient. This information made me even more sure that what I had done was the right thing.

I did a lot of research before the surgery, everything from how to choose a doctor, to what to expect during recovery to final results. Most important was choosing a doctor in which I had 100% faith in, felt comfortable with and for me, knowing prior patients to personally see the outcome. During the interview phase months ago, I met with 4 different doctors that were all highly recommended. From the moment I walked in to Dr. Schwartz's office, met his staff, had the consult, toured the surgery center and talked about the procedure, I knew he was going to be the one to do it. (http://www.drschwartz.com/)

For the recovery, most of the people that I knew that had had it done, went to some type of aftercare facility. Dr. Schwartz's office is just down the street from the Westlake Village Inn and that is where most of his patients recover - In a gorgeous room, with separate quarters for the caretakers, a jacuzzi tub(which of course, I could not use), fireplace, cozy beds and a buffet breakfast every morning! I was told to hire a nurse to take care of me. After reaching out to almost every single RN that I knew, unfortunately, that was not going to happen, as the amount that each wanted for a 24 hour period was not in my budget, to say the least. The care needed consisted of emptying my catheter(yes, that is in for 48 hours, so that you don't have to get up to go to the bathroom), 2 drains, giving me my meds every 4 hours(ON THE DOT!), logging my med intake, and getting something to drink/eat as needed all with tender loving care. Nothing fancy, and I am an easy patient. So...with my thinking cap on and Jens List at my side, I thought about Shannon. She is a certified Doula (prodoulaservices@yahoo.com) who has taken care of not only my brothers babies at birth, but many other friends children as well. I called her, talked to her about what I needed and she JUMPED at the chance - for her, 48 hours in a hotel room with a drugged mom and no baby sounded like heaven to her. She was AMAZING...and I told her that I think I just helped find a new calling for her! She took care of me perfectly. Loved having her around, so gentle, soothing, calming...everything I needed to heal. After going thru it, I know now, I could do it for a friend too!

The morning after surgery, I would say was the roughest. I had heard everything from its like a c-section to being run over by a truck. I just couldn't move, could not get comfortable and just slept most of the day. The doctor came at 7am to check on me and all was well. The whole day I never turned the TV on, just listened to soft music and dosed in and out. That night, I had some additional bleeding that Shannon was concerned about, so Dr. Schwartz stopped over before heading home to make sure everything was ok. It was. I slept better that night and woke up and actually felt like having breakfast. After a half of a bagel, I was done, but that was better than a few crackers here and there the day before! At 1:30pm, we checked out and headed back to the doctors office. He removed the catheter and took off some gauze and padding around the surgery site. It looked amazing. My stomach was FLAT. So flat, it actually caved IN a little bit...like when I was 14! Unreal. Unbelievable. As my husband said, he was a bit jealous...he has been working out for the past 20 years to get what I got in a few hours. I quickly reminded him that he has 5 kids that came out of MY body!

So, I have been home now for a few days. Each day, getting stronger and stronger. My mother in law flew out from Texas to help with the kids and all of my friends have been amazing. We have had dinner brought over every night and that has been terrific. The older kids are keeping busy and its the babies that don't understand why mommy cant pick them up. Thank goodness they wont remember this. Being home, all I wanted to do was shower... but that cant happen until the pain pump comes out in a few days. So, a friend, who has a beautiful salon in her home, Kelli Acevedo, said she would wash my hair in her salon sink. Whoo hoo. I scored. Mike loaded me in the car, we drove up the street and i got my hair washed. Thank goodness for the Brazilian Blowout...i combed it and its dried straight. I feel a little better between that and a sponge bath! Nothing is gonna beat Monday though when I can actually step IN the shower for the 1st time in a week!

Slowly but surely, i will heal. The after photos are taken in 6 months. Being 4 days post op if you asked me if i would do it again, i would say HECK YA. I think because i was SO prepared for the worst, that it really was not that bad and the outcome is worth it! If only there was something on TV to watch other than MJ news....the experience would have been flawless!

Back to bed I go....more later.

Parting With Roo....

2009-07-03T12:28:00.000-07:00

I never was secretive about wanting a tummy tuck, but I also didn’t want people thinking it’s an issue of vanity. Before 8 pregnancies, 3 live births including 2 sets of identical twins, I would have told you that people who get plastic surgery were vain. I think it’s a fact of life that things will sag and get wrinkly as you get older, have children and time progresses. There’s a lot to be said for growing old with grace. So all that being said, I kind of felt like a traitor knowing that next Tuesday in Westlake Village, I will be going under the knife. I didn’t like how it got in the way when I was buying clothes, I didn’t like the way it bulged in weird areas, I didn’t like the way it looked in the mirror, and I didn’t like how when I laid down, it laid down next to me. The more I thought about it, the more surgery didn’t seem so out of line. Getting older is natural, hanging skin from giving birth to 5 beautiful boys is not.
Last night for the first time the reality of the surgery hit me. I was laying on the couch and I was thinking about my tummy and how it was flopping over. I thought “well it won’t do that for much longer!” I got really excited thinking about it, but as quickly as that feeling came, so did some new feelings regarding reality of the surgery.
I really will be cut hip to hip with a scalpel.I really will be laid up for a while in bed.
I really will not be able to pick up my kids for 6 weeks.I really will be in a lot of pain.I really will need several months to fully recover.I really will have a large scar.I really will be spending a lot of money.
I have looked at before and after photos on every site known to man on the internet. I dream about what it’s going to look like after surgery and soon enough, that dream, will become a reality with the help of Dr. Schwartz.

Next Blog update…post op J

Just Do It!

2009-07-02T12:25:00.000-07:00

After watching “Howie Do It”,
I laughed to myself, thinking how often I hear “How Do You Do It”?
The answer is…You just do! I don’t have a choice. This is my life!
I am so fortunate to have a helpful husband, one that is very hands on. I am also lucky to be able to have help 4 days a week. All together, we make a great team and it all works.
Not sure that its actually dawned on me that I have 5 kids. Serioulsy. If I ran into someone from high school and they told me they were married and had 5 children, I think I would look at her in utter shock and think that she was nuts! Who has 5 kids? Oh ya…I do!
Maybe it does not dawn on me because there are 2 sets of twins. Maybe it does not dawn on me because I only gave birth 3 times? Not sure, but the answer probably is it does not dawn on me because I am so busy from sunrise to sundown, that there is no time to really think about it! I just do it.

Happy New Year

2009-07-01T12:20:00.000-07:00

…7 months late. I told my husband last night, that I could not believe that I let 10 months go by without updating the blog. Things need to slow down. They are moving way too fast. The babies are already 13 months old. When I really stop to think about it – it blows me away. I was just getting ready for Thanksgiving. I was just making my holiday card list and buying holiday gifts. Where did November go? What about December? How about the 1st half of 2009!
I encourage everyone to lighten up, to live each day to the fullest and not harbor negative energy. It’s easier said than done, I realize, however, the old saying “life is too short”, is very true and it’s not worth it to waste one second of it unhappy.
As I get older, the quote from Dr. Suess begins to make more and more sense to me.
“Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.”
Life is good. I have 5 beautiful children, a loving employed husband, a wonderful extended family, amazing friends and roof over my head. We are all healthy and have nothing to complain about.
I wish nothing but health and happiness to everyone around me. The longer I live, the more people I meet and that exposes me to situations in which I otherwise would not have experienced. Jens List has allowed me to come in contact with so many different people and 4 years ago, I never world have imagined that this would be what I would be doing! Each day brings a new adventure. One that I look forward to with excitement (even though it had more hours in it), so thank you for letting me share my life with you!

GAME TRUCK PARTY

2009-05-23T18:00:00.001-07:00

The Game Truck - A mobile video arcade
I must tell you that my boys are really into video games and when I heard about the Game Truck it was a dream come true. The truck pulled up to our driveway last Saturday and it was like Santa Claus came to town! My oldest had a few friends (16 to be exact) over to play in it. Not only is this good for boys, but they have a ton of games and things for the girls to play too! The vehicle has four 50 inch plasma TV’s, a leather couch that holds at least 16 kids at a time, and every video game under the sun (Wii and X Box). It is VERY reasonably priced and completely self contained. It was parked in front of our home for two hours and we did not see the boys the entire time, It is fantastic for your next birthday party, charitable, school or community event or just an excuse to get some of your kids friends together to have a good time! Email me with any questions about it. So if you have a son or daughter from age 5 to 18, the Game Truck is something that every video gamer needs to experience. Call 310 890 GAME OR 888 602 GAME for more info. http://www.gametruckparty.com/

Photography

2009-04-29T15:02:00.000-07:00

Sharon Suh Photography I recently had the pleasure of meeting Sharon when she came to our home for a photo shoot. Sharon came HIGHLY prepared and really worked amazingly with all 5 of my kids. She is patient and good natured and the photos turned out wonderful. http://www.sharonsuhphotography.com/ You can reach her at 646 244-1024

Old Blog Posts

2009-04-25T18:21:00.000-07:00