So you want to know the truth? Not just the lovely bits, hmmm? Well, I don’t blame you. Here at JessConnell.com, I try to share from both my weaknesses and strengths… however, there’s always that niggling sense that other people are better than us, isn’t there? It shows up often in our online interactions, because these… […]
skills – Jess Connell
“[SHE] MAKES HER ARMS STRONG. SHE PUTS HER HANDS TO THE DISTAFF, AND HER HANDS HOLD THE SPINDLE. SHE OPENS HER HAND TO THE POOR . . . SHE IS NOT AFRAID OF SNOW FOR HER HOUSEHOLD, FOR ALL HER HOUSEHOLD ARE CLOTHED IN SCARLET. SHE MAKES BED COVERINGS FOR HERSELF; HER CLOTHING IS FINE LINEN…
Are You Letting Your Kids Walk All Over You? – Jess Connell
I sometimes hear moms almost bragging about it… “it’s been ages since I’ve used the restroom alone.” “She’s persnickety & suddenly won’t eat anything I make!!” As if being a Mommy Martyr makes you a good mommy. There is a HUGE difference between what the average mom puts up with today, and what would have been allowed […]
Insomnia – Jess Connell
At a counseling conference my husband and I attended in October, one of the trainers made an interesting statement: “If one of my counselees comes in with general depression-like symptoms, one of my first questions is how much sleep they’re getting.” He shared that his personal policy is to tell them to get a minimum of 8 hours of sleep… […]
tiredness – Jess Connell
Have you ever felt this? After a morning filled with: kids squabbling some semblance of chores and house cleaning schooling done (even if imperfectly!) toddler meltdowns bottoms wiped bellies filled it is easy to get to mid-afternoon and to SIMPLY. FEEL. DONE. I have most definitely felt like this before, and yes, sometimes daily, especially when all my… […]
feed your family – Jess Connell
Are you facing food battles in your home? You’re not alone. Read on to find out how we deal with it in our home. Q: I’m a mum of two (3 and 16m) and was wondering if you had any specific advice about encouraging 3 year olds with regards to eating new things. We try and… […]
redecorating ideas – Jess Connell
Well, if you know anything about our family, you know we have a lot of kids (6, going on 7, to be exact). Spills have become part-and-parcel of Connell family mealtimes. And now, 12 years into this parenting gig, I’m nearly… getting better about… almost… past freaking out about spills at the table. One thing…
50 Things I Love About Newborns – Jess Connell
Last week, I had baby #7, and 7 babies in, I can say this: newborns are AMAZING. Each and every one. Here are some of the things I love, in no particular order: How they smell. The way they punch themselves in the face with both fists when they sneeze. Their little noises— coos, sighs, satisfied […]
intentionality – Jess Connell
As of today, that’s how many days have passed since the day I was born. I used this nifty calculator to figure it out. We could do that with all sorts of dates. How long have I been a believer? How old is my son/daughter? How long do we have left with them until they turn… […]
brain space – Jess Connell
Some time last year, I did a week-long purposeful fast from everything online (except for e-mail), and as I went through the week, I wrote down the things I was noticing. Recently I found that list and thought I’d share it with you. Here’s what I noticed: Almost instantaneously: I’m alone with my thoughts again. I’m able…
oneness – Jess Connell
Q: How do you share with your husband what you are learning about teaching and parenting? I spend so much time learning how to be a better teacher and mom but I feel like his mindset about parenting is not growing like mine. I analyze my childhood and why I feel and do things that I don’t… […]
Has Your Marriage Lost Its Affection? – Jess Connell
The morning began like any other: snuggles, breakfast, coffee, schoolwork, chores. Mid-morning, my son was reviewing his list of words for the day, which focused on the short “i” sound. After reading each word, I asked him to use it in a sentence to make sure he was connecting the sounded-out letters with real-world meanings. He got to the […]
holiday traditions – Jess Connell
This is a sponsored post. One of our family traditions is to use the Christmas season as an opportunity to GIVE. Beyond our personal giving (Christmas gifts to one another), each holiday season brings an opportunity to reevaluate the charities and ministries we give to. Over the years, one ministry we have consistently participated in is Operation Christmas…
large families – Jess Connell
It’s probably the most common thing I hear in the grocery store: “I couldn’t handle any more children. I haven’t even got patience for these TWO!” The funny thing is that I don’t ask people why they don’t have more children. Especially when I’m going through the checkout line… I can assure you my mind… […]