Clik here to view.
Thoughts from Christmas 2013
Christmas 2013 marked my first return to Illinois since we left for Memphis back in February and it went by so fast that it all seems like a blur now. Fortunately, I was able to recall bits and pieces...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Why Don’t You…
By the time our 2013 Christmas in Illinois was over both Tammy and I had come down with The Sick. I could feel mine setting in as we made our way from the 70º weather into the freezing temperatures...
View ArticleClik here to view.
My Time in the Terrible Twos
Recently a co-worker was telling me about her struggles with her two-year old and it reminded me about a time when I was battling through the Terrible Twos. Tammy and I were still living in Illinois...
View ArticleClik here to view.
For the First Time in a Very Long Time
Today I did something that I hadn’t done in well over two years and even though I know some of you will think it’s stupid, I felt myself getting emotional about it. I took off my Alzheimer’s Awareness...
View ArticleClik here to view.
What We’ve Been Up To
I’ve been a horrible blogger for the past 2-3 weeks and I wish it was because nothing exciting has happened, but unfortunately that’s not the case. Not only have we been extremely busy, more on that...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Our New, Home Sweet Home
The past few months have been incredibly hectic, but I’m hoping that over the next few weeks things will begin to settle down to the point where I can fall back into a routine and actually get to enjoy...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The First Time I Shot The Bird
When we moved into our new home, one of the things the previous owner left me was his BB gun collection that he used to keep squirrels out of his yard. It’s been 30+ years since I’ve had a BB …...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Turning Into A Wildman
I’ve done something twice in the past month that I would have never done had we not bought a house that backs up to a pond, and Animal Planet’s Ernie Brown, Jr. would be proud. Ernie Brown, Jr., is...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Scary Moment in the Workplace
Most days at my work are filled with the normal, run-of-the-mill, type of workplace conversations about projects, events and other coworker bonding topics. But recently it seems things have gotten a...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Travel Log 2014: Day 2
For those of you who are new to The Life of JWo, I write “Travel Logs” each day when we go on vacation. Since we didn’t go anywhere, I didn’t write any for 2013. This is Day 2 of our … Continue reading →
View ArticleClik here to view.
Prepping for a Packed House
My wife and I knew the house we purchased back in May was bigger than we needed for our day-to-day lives. But we knew it would be perfect in the future for when the kids came to visit for the …...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Our White Trash Christmas Tree
Tammy and I decided to do something this Christmas that we hadn’t done in at least three or four years, put up a tree. Even more shocking was that it was MY idea. Last year we were in an apartment …...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Not All Ornaments are the Same
The struggles with our “main” Christmas tree this year have been documented, but it’s the story of our little tree that needs to be told. Our main tree may have net lights and random ornaments all over...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Homemade Doesn’t Always Mean Better
Usually when something is “homemade” it makes me think it’s a better — usually more tasty — version than the “original.” Adding “homemade” to biscuits, chicken pot pie, lasagna, cobbler, or banana...
View ArticleClik here to view.
What Are We Gonna Do When We Get There?
It’s rare when something that’s getting a lot of hype lives up to the billing. Remember New Coke and Crystal Pepsi? What about the McDLT: Keeps the hot side hot and the cool side cool? Anyone remember...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Ten Years Ago Today
On this day back in 2005, I was standing by a small pond at Emricson Park in Woodstock, Illinois, wearing a white button-down shirt, a purple tie, slacks, and sunglasses. My stepson, Jake, was standing...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Full Disclosure: 6 Months Later
Six months ago I wrote about my latest doctor visit and how I was going to get my cholesterol numbers down for my follow-up checkup in April. Well, that time has come. Unfortunately I don’t have any...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Mother Goose: Heart Broken
When we moved into our house nearly a year ago, the previous owners warned us about the goose population that liked to hang out in our pond. At one point it was so bad for the previous owner that he …...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Fins Up!
I’ve been working at a performance car parts company for the past two years and while I’ve come a long way since I started, I’ve still got a lot to learn. I now know what a camshaft is, and where …...
View ArticleClik here to view.
I showed my twang in Illinois
This coming February marks three years since my wife and I made the move from Chicagoland to Memphis. It’s hard to believe that much time has passed, and even harder to believe how much being back in...
View Article
