J & J Sip & Say

This week we are discussing how social media is helping people  stay in touch during the Covid-19 shutdown. We also dive into the pro's and con's of social media, our approach to limiting screen time and the challenge teens face with it. We touch on somethings we are doing to help those in need during this difficult time.

This week Jake is going solo and shining a light on some positive actions of people during the cornoavirus pandemic. He dives into how professional athletes are helping their arena workers, how people can help their local communities and how togetherness will get us through this unusual situation. He also dives into the benefits of technology and how it can keep us in touch with each other.

This week we dive into the world of student loans. We discuss our experiences with student loans, how students and parents need to do their homework on them as well as alternatives to four year colleges. It is important to further your education and skills, but it does not always require tens of thousands of dollars of debt.

This week we're discussing our Midwestern roots and what we are known for here in middle America. We talk about how unpredictable our weather can be, what we do for entertainment in this "boring" part of the country and what we love about it here in the Midwest. We also dive into the sayings, especially "Ope" and terms we are known for and our friendly dispositions. If you are from the Midwest, have drove through or used to live here, you will appreciate this episode.

This week is all about food!! Jill and I both love food but have very different tastes. We discuss our what we would want our also meal to be, debate food we love and despise as well as some of my quirks while I eat. This is a fun debate and really shows they variety of tastes people have when it comes to food. 

This week Jill was out of town so our good friend Dan Kauffman is my guest. He is the associate pastor at our church, avid outdoors man, navy vet and father two twin boys. We discussed his military background, raising twins and his calling to the ministry. We also talked about being a role model for our sons as well as others in the community and how it's important for men to support each other and not be afraid to ask for help. Great conversation and I really enjoyed speaking with Dan.

This week we have no topic but have a great conversation covering everything from Jill's recent food poisoning, travel, reality TV and my "scary" life jacket incident during our honeymoon. We also breakdown the Hope Diamond and I learn it was not from the Titanic. Random topics and good laughs on this week's podcast.

We are talking about our experience with adopting our dog Louie from a local shelter. We discuss the research Jill did to find the right dog for our family, the Prison Program he was trained at and helping him settle in as easily as possible. We also talk about what we did when we brought home our son to help Louie adjust to the new baby. There is nothing better than a family dog, but do some research and your experience will be much better.

We're talking the ins and outs of being a stay at home mom this week. We discuss the day to day routine as well as the pros and cons of being a stay at home mom. We also talk about what Jill does to maintain her social life and the importance of time to herself. I get to see first hand all the work a mom does and it is truly admirable. 

How are those 2020 Resolutions going? This week we are talking about some data about how many resolutions are broken within a month, tips on keeping your resolutions and goals Jill and I have for this year. We all want to improve ourselves, check out this episode to help you on your path to being better.

We start 2020 discussing how 2019 ended for us. In September I unexpectedly lost my job due to cutbacks at a company I had given nine years of excellent service too. Jill and I talk about the how crazy the dismissal was, some crazy interviews I went on and how we worked together and made the best of it. Through the dismissal, job searching and stress of unemployment I really found myself and things could not have turned out better. I now have a new job that is even better. During my time off I got to spend a lot of time with Jill and Blair, began a relationship with God and developed a love for running. One thing I take from this experience is when bad things happen, keep working, keep grinding. Good things will come.

Tis the season for Christmas movies and we are discussing our favorites this week. Jill and I talk about one we must watch every year, some that are overrated and a few that everyone should see. This is a fun holiday episode to get you in the Christmas spirit.

Whether it is tying a tie or changing a tire, there are certain skills that should be known. This week we are listing skills that are important, but not always learned. We also discuss the importance of these being taught to kids and teens, the lack of these common sense practices being taught in school and why each one can be crucial to success. 

This week we are talking about my favorite holiday, Thanksgiving. It is a holiday I love because it its about family and giving thanks, not commercialized like Christmas. We also discuss the National Dog Show, how black Friday shopping can bring out the worse in people and my disdain for 99% of Christmas music.

Red for Ed day is a rally at the Indiana State House on Tuesday organized by the Teacher's Union for better teacher treatment. That day thousands of people will be at the State House for the Red for Ed Action Day. This week we have guest Kyle Carsey, an Indiana teacher who will be attending the rally at the capital. We discuss the number of schools closing that day, reasons for the rally as well as other issues teachers face that are rarely discussed.

We are giving a huge shout out to our Veterans this week. We discuss our family member's service, the shift in way veterans have been treated from Vietnam to now and the importance of supporting soldiers coming back from war. We also talk about restaurants giving our free/discounted meals, ways to support vets and lessons we can learn from our them. We live in the greatest country in the world and it because of the brave men and women who protect us. Thank you Veterans for all your sacrifices.  

This past week Muncie moved it's Halloween due to cold weather, while all other area towns kept it on the 31st. This led to a conversation with Jill and I how this is a reflection of our society has became soft and too sensitive. On this episode we discuss PC culture, the importance of competition and ridiculousness of participation trophies. We also talk about over protective parents and how it is important to struggle and be challenged at all ages.

This week we are discussing some of our guilty pleasures when it comes to TV shows, movies, food and more. We talk about why we like certain things, and why somethings are are considered a "guilty" pleasure. We also dive into Jill's weird obsession with the smell of Play Doh. We all have them and these are some Jill and I admit to.

We are talking Halloween this week's episode. We discuss Jill's new favorite cocktail, some of Jill's costumes as a kid and our plans for Blair this Halloween. We also talk about Jill's fear of haunted attractions, scary movies creep us out, even my fear of the Snuggle Bear. Have a Happy Halloween!!

This week Jill and are discussing our decision to start going to church and how we found a church where we are comfortable. We also discuss some of the stereotypes churches face as well as the importance of finding the right place of worship for you. 

This week we celebrate our five year anniversary and we are discussing the keys that keep our marriage rolling. We discuss how communication, not taking each other to serious and supporting each other have been important to our marriage. We also talk about how how it is important to spend time apart as well as continue to date your spouse. Marriage should be a journey with you best friend so enjoy the ride.

This week's episode is all about saving money and spending less. We discuss how losing one income forced us to be more aware of our spending, ways we save money and also ways to make extra money. We dive into ideas we utilized to cut costs for baby items, how going out to eat adds up as well as using social media to save and make money. We all want to be better with our finances and this podcast spotlights our actions to be more financially mindful.

Jill accomplished a long time goal and ran a 10K this past weekend. On this episode we discuss her previous feet issues that prevented her from running over 3 miles, the chiropractic care that took away her pain, and how the race went for her. We also talk about future races, even a half marathon and the possibility of me running with her in the next 10k. Great episode and couldn't be more proud of Jill on accomplishing her goal.

We all remember 9/11/2001, but often forget about the patriotism, unity and selflessness in the days after the attack. On this episode Jill and I reflect on 9/11 but focus on the feeling and events in America  in the weeks after. We learned how amazing people can be in the time of tragedy. We will never forget 9/11, but I hope we remember 9/12.

Before Jill became a stay at home mom she was a school counselor at a Jr/Sr High School. She was often in charge of administering the multiple tests required each school year. The department of education creates these tests, but often put unnecessary stress on student and teachers. It's important for parents to understand the root of this testing and how much pressure it adds to today's students. We discuss where to direct their concerns to help make changes to this out of control process. 

On this episode we talk about our the game plan Jill put in place for our twelve hour drive for Family vacation. We discuss the Jill's pre-trip planning, in car activities as well as tips while stopping for meals and breaks. Jill's excellent game plan allowed the three of us to have an enjoyable drive to and from the Outer Banks this summer.

On our first episode we are discussing how annoying your partner is a good thing. Jill and I talk about how it is important to have fun with each other, even when its an annoying quirk. We break down some of the things that we do to irritate the other and how it is important to keep things light hearted. This is a great episode to get to know us and how even though we are constantly bantering, its all in good fun.