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Humans love surprises. Well, not the “thank you for your 30 years of service, but we have to let you go” or “Luke, I am your father” kinds of surprises, but the fun, magical kinds that make your soul smile.
The cracker jack prizes of life. Continue Reading →
A few months ago, I wrote about the idea of making a list of things you want to do this summer. A summer bucket list, if you will. This is mine.
Time flies, whether you’re having fun or not.
Creating a great life story requires living with intention. As the old saying goes, if you don’t know where you’re going, any road will get you there. But if you want to create a life filled with great scenes and happy memories, you need to do your part.
You need to invite those scenes and memories into your story.
One way to do that is with a bucket list. Write it out. Draw it, like I did. Or make a collage with pictures from the internet or magazines. Fill it with big things and little things. Maybe team up with your spouse or family to create one together. Then — and this is the important part — keep it somewhere you’ll see it often. This bad boy is going on my fridge.
Summers get busy and are gone before you know it. Let this become your ever-present reminder to fill it with adventure.
P.S. I’d LOVE to see your lists. Feel free to post them to our Facebook page or email me at jason@kimandjason.com
We’re often told that the secret to happiness is to take the road less traveled. Oftentimes, it certainly seems like there must be a better way to do things than our current approach. But the problem is that the “beaten” path is so well-paved, well-marked and well-lit, that frankly, it can be hard to imagine that there could even be another way, let alone a better one.
One small example is the arena of organized sports. My kids are too young to be involved in things like baseball or soccer, but I hear stories of peers who are looking down the barrel of a summer in which the majority of weeknights and weekends will be spent at the ball field. For some families, this is a cause for joy, but for most, it brings a feeling of dread. Apparently, it’s a necessary evil required to make sure our children are well-adjusted, socially competent and attractive to institutions of higher learning.
And besides, everyone’s doing it. Continue Reading →
What happens when kids are allowed to be bored, without any organized extracurricular activities and without access to iPods, iPhones or video games?
What happens when parents encourage their kids’ creativity, even if it makes a mess?
What happens when one person is unafraid to let his inner child to come out and play when everyone else is too busy, inhibited, or just too “adult?”
What happens when hundreds of people do something simple to make the day of a child?
Magic, that’s what.
This video is the story of a 9-year-old boy who built an elaborate cardboard arcade inside his dad’s used auto part store and is about to have the best day of his life. It’s eleven minutes of pure magic.
Imagine the look of surprise you’ll see when someone in your home or office, on a mission to secure a cup of coffee, walks into a room entrenched with dozens — hundreds! — of Peeps, poised for an ambush!
The idea of staging a Peep De Resistance, shared with us by K&J Nation member Brit Neyrinck, was not in our 20 Unconventional Things You Can Make with Peeps post, but it should have been.
And if this is not already part of your Easter tradition, it should be.
This article gives you all the tips you need, including these great gems: Continue Reading →
I finally got Lucy to let me paint her toenails. (She was convinced for the longest time that it was going to hurt.) It definitely goes down in the books as one of my favorite “firsts.” Picture the two of us on her bedroom floor with red toes, waiting for them to dry, chatting it up like school girls — a mother’s dream! Of course she thinks it makes her look more like a princess. Maybe that’s secretly why I like to have mine painted, too.
Parenting is chock full of “firsts.”
The cool thing is that you don’t have to be a parent to have a “first” with someone you care about.
What “first” can you have today?
My word for 2012 has been “magic.” No, I have not been learning any card tricks, but rather the goal has been to infuse more magic into the lives of people I touch. One thing that has struck me time and again is that it doesn’t have to cost a lot of effort or money. Like many things, whether it’s creating more magic, making more scenes with your family, or spicing up a marriage, all you really need is the desire and a tiny bit of imagination. Continue Reading →
As casual as our culture sometimes seems, we are still quite uptight in many areas. Much of it comes from caring about what other people think of us. Continue Reading →
Hey guys! I’m trying to mix things up and try my hand at video blogging.
This one is about a question I’ve been pondering: Can I get rid of half of my possessions? Continue Reading →
The school year is winding down and the weather is getting nicer. ’Tis the season for…
…a Pajama Run! Continue Reading →
We’ve spent the last two years working on it. We’ve spent the last month talking about it, here, here, here, and here.
And now, quite possibly the most important thing Kim and I have ever done is finally ready.
It’s called The Kim & Jason Guide to Cheap Family Fun, and it’s a video a week for a whole year with a fun and easy idea for turning good intentions into family memories.
We invite you to watch our short trailer video above. (I still get goosebumps when I watch it!) Then click here to learn more about how to add more fun to your family’s story.
It seems like the “spring cleaning” bug has bitten a number of my friends. Clutter can be a big culprit to Adultitis. With the busy pace of life, piles accumulate and before you know it, you are feeling overwhelmed and unenergized by all of the “stuff” in your life — whether at work, at home, or in your mind. That’s quite a winning combination for the Deadly A.
I like the idea of having things all fresh and organized, but I am still waiting for that internal motivation. Once again, one of my sister-in-laws came to the rescue. Continue Reading →
Do you have moments in which even when your family is together, they’re not really together?
Like when you’re driving somewhere, and everyone has their headphones in, watching videos, listening to music, or playing games on their miniature iDevice of choice?
Or when the whole gang is home on a weeknight but each person is working, texting, gaming or television watching from a different room in the house? Continue Reading →
I’ve never met anyone who didn’t want more memorable experiences with their family. No one ever said, “Nope, we bond so often and laugh so much and do so many fun things together as it is, I don’t think we need any more, thank you very much.”
Actually, it’s quite the opposite. Continue Reading →
[ Click the image to get your own Pokey is Missing t-shirt at the Lemonade Stand. ]
We sure spend a lot of time focusing on (and worrying about) the big stuff. You know, things like the economy. Unemployment. Health care. War. Nuclear meltdowns.
Big, important, paralyzingly scary stuff.
And yet. Continue Reading →
I met the coolest lady the other day. Jason had just finished speaking to a group of educators and this woman and her 17-year-old daughter came to our table for a visit. They both wore genuinely contagious smiles and I knew right away that I was going to enjoy this conversation. In a crowd of stressed-out professionals, they had a MUCH different vibe. They came to share stories — things they have done over the years to live this lifestyle that Jason had just spent an hour talking about.
One of the stories warmed my heart instantly. Continue Reading →
Mornings in most households are a little like attending a NASCAR event. It’s intense. Lots of noise. You’ve got people moving at varying speeds. And in the end, you’re hoping everyone gets across the finish line (out the door) without a major catastrophe.
Ever wonder what your day would be like for yourself and your kids if the morning was more like a symphony? Continue Reading →
The McDonald’s cup was in place. And although Lucy was completely oblivious to the shananigans we were enjoying, she certainly enjoyed our anticipation and laughter.
“I haven’t heard you laugh like that in a long time.”
That’s what Jason said to me at the tail end of our Sticky Cup ride. Continue Reading →
Are you a “Monet Family?”
From afar, you look picture perfect — everything in its place.
But look closer and it’s all a royal, unfocused, blobby mess — chaos most days. Continue Reading →
Kim and I love going on walks. The sub zero temperatures here in Wisconsin have temporarily put the kabosh on that exercise routine. Maybe you’re also feeling a little cooped up and are looking for an activity to make you feel sort of like you’re exercising. How about some balloon volleyball? Continue Reading →
What should you do if you’re at a social gathering with friends and the fun grinds to a halt? Or if you’re cooped up inside with your family on a rainy day and all the board games are missing their crucial pieces? This episode features an awesome idea that’s great for groups of many sizes and will leave you laughing on the living room floor. Continue Reading →
Traditions are a wonderful marriage between the routine and the uncommon, serving as special moments that are comfortingly predictable. With our schedules being so full, it’s often tempting to overlook traditions and let them slip away because of the time it takes to make them happen. But who says a tradition is only meaningful if it takes a lot of time? Here are ten holiday traditions that will actually leave you with renewed energy and sometimes even extra time at the end of your day, which is sure a blessing in December. They are memorable and meaningful, but simple just the same. Continue Reading →
photo by angelo dias
Holiday parties are among us as we celebrate with coworkers, friends, and family. This is the time of year (sometimes the onlytime all year) where we make great efforts and travel long distances amidst the busyness to gather together with those we care about, even if it’s just for one evening.
How do you spend these valuable moments together?
Are memories made?
Are relationships deepened?
Is laughter abundant?
I invite you to avoid the obligatory small talk this year and instead, be the one to add a dose of frivolity to the mix by inviting others to join you in having some good ‘ol fashioned fun together. Continue Reading →
photo by fritzon
Some of the best things to watch on TV are shows starring you and the people you love. But let’s face it, nobody likes sitting around watching boring video of cousin Jimmy’s birthday party that drags on and on and on. Fortunately, there are some pretty simple tips you can incorporate into the mix that will instantly make your home movies not only tolerable, but down right enjoyable!
1) Don’t overuse zoom. Zoom-happy movies scream amateur and make audiences sick. Take a look at your favorite TV shows; they hardly ever zoom in or out on anything. Usually, they keep the camera stationary and let the subject do the moving. If you want to get a close-up on something, zoom in BEFORE you push record. It’s ok to use this handy feature once in a while, but don’t overdo it. Continue Reading →
