Hi! I'm Jami Willander, just your average super Mom (but aren't we all?) I'm a CPA (Certified Public Accountant) and work full time in finance at the University of Minnesota Physicians. I have a husband of almost 14 years and two daughters, ages 9 and 11. I'm a native Texan who took the scenic route with a military parent and ended up in Minnesota about half my life ago. I’ve long settled into being Minnesotan as I love tater tot hotdish and rarely say Ya’ll anymore! My family likes to camp at MN state parks and make the most of our state’s beautiful summers and lakes. I like music, travelling, kickboxing, dark chocolate, sunsets, and watermelon in no particular order. I try to keep up the balance of work, life, occasional adventures, and sanity while mostly surviving and sometimes thriving. In my free time you can find me at my kids’ sports and school activities, watching Netflix, trying a new recipe, or reading historical fiction.
We have been camping since the kids were about 4 and 6 years old. Our criteria for campgrounds involve the following: Swimming – The kids love swimming so we look...
There comes a point where your kids are way past Paw Patrol, just barely beyond Lego Friends, approaching Gossip Girl, and not ready for Tiger King. Whew! What to watch...
Prior to this spring, I’d only ever been able to raise a small indoor cactus because it really raises itself. Remember or forget to give it water every once in...
I texted my mom the other day and told her the inevitable was happening: I was turning into her. She seemed pleased. We had a good laugh. I’m 40 now...
If you asked my kids one thing they absolutely positively hate to do each day, they could easily come up with many things. Wake up early for school. Clean their...
One of my kids loves to bake. For Christmas one year, she asked for a stand mixer. She especially loves to create her own recipes from scratch or replicate...
I will be the first to admit that this period of social distancing affords many new kinds of hard. I am fortunate to not understand personally the higher levels of...
One of my daughters is very much like me, both the good and my (perceived) not so good characteristics. She’s apprehensive about change, a worrier, a little too serious sometimes,...
As I approached a week past my due date with my first daughter, the doctor spoke of inducement. The baby’s due date was February 22nd of 2008, and 2008 happened...
Every time I meet a mom with high school aged children, and hear her talking about her kids’ SAT scores, college visits, prom, getting a car, and dating, I think...
Visiting my elementary aged kids at school for lunch is like being on safari watching a bunch of wild animals in their natural habitat. I could narrate my observations...
There comes a time in each child’s life when they learn the hard facts about Santa, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy and the myriad of other white lies and...
I scheduled my first mammogram for two days after my 40th birthday. I figured the sooner I got it on the calendar the less I would have to worry about...
Dear Kids, I know you love getting new school supplies each year. It’s the highlight of late summer. After we hit Target to pick up the folders (no brads, with...