Jackie Nastri Bardenwerper
Takeout Turmoil: Our Family’s Pizza Wars
Imagine the scene. It’s 4 p.m. on Friday after a long week. Before loading up the car for the requisite sports practices, you approach your kids with a smile.
“Guess what, guys?! After practice tonight,...
Who Knew Middle School Could Be Such Fun
Middle school. When I hear those two words, I often still cringe. Memories of my own friend drama, awkward changes, and increased academic demands are still so close to the surface almost thirty years later.
When...
Reflections From My Holiday Address Book
It seems that we receive fewer holiday cards in the mail every year. A few friends have swapped paper for email, and others post pictures and well wishes on social media. Still, many have...
Another Unsolved Mystery: The Tale of Our Stolen Pumpkin
Since I was a kid, I’ve loved pumpkins. Maybe it’s because I was born in October, and my dad brought my first pumpkin to the hospital. Or because we grew them in our garden...
Kindergarten: The Third Time Looks Different
It was a beautiful afternoon. The sun was shining, the air was crisp, and my youngest’s kindergarten door had just burst open on a Friday. Onto the blacktop, she came running, wearing a smile...
No More Laundry Soup
Well, it is here. The month we’ve all been waiting for!
And no, I’m not talking about back-to-school. That big day was a few weeks ago when our oldest started middle school, and our brand-new...
We Said No To Travel Baseball
It was sunset on a heatwave Monday, and my kids were on a local diving board. The hour was close to bedtime, and their stomachs were still empty as dinner sat unmade in the...
To the Mom With the Jogging Stroller
Our paths first crossed during the first week of June. I had just dropped my kids at school and headed out on my daily run. I was childless, my headphones blaring, my mind already...
To the One Stuck in the Middle, You Had a Great Year Too
For the past month, almost every conversation in our household has centered on a graduation. What our youngest is wearing to her preschool moving on ceremony or what songs they’re singing at our oldest’s...
An Open Letter to Our Preschool Upon My Youngest’s Graduation
To Our Preschool,
Well, I guess this is it. My family has officially made it. At the end of this month, my youngest will walk out of your doors for the last time, and no...