Author Archives: Jaclynn Loibl

My mind is a whirlwind of details and logistics right now. Tomorrow is Christmas with the compound, Christmas Eve will be via Zoom with my family, and Christmas Day at our house with Dave’s family. Three different celebrations, three times the planning. Cue my neuroses. I spy a toy ball, a duster, and stocking-shaped cookieContinue reading “Xmas Eve Squared”

On our drive to find Dave two new pairs of jeans, Evelyn’s soft voice traveled to my ear from the backseat. “I love you, Mama.” I turned to her, smiling. “You do?” Without missing a beat, she continued, “Do you know why I say ‘I love you’ so much?” My mind immediately went to theContinue reading “Aunt Flo’s Visit”

Have you ever told yourself you were done for the day—done eating, done scrolling, done with anything—and then went back on it? That was me today. I had committed to finishing my eating window, proud of the progress I’ve made with intermittent fasting, only to find myself eating a smoothie and fish sticks hours later.Continue reading “Progress Not Perfection”

I’m tempted to give myself the night off from writing. I’ve been doing so well, right? Showing up here, sharing fun stories, painting vivid pictures, and getting a little vulnerable too. My goal isn’t to be a taskmaster to myself, but I also don’t want to hand out exemption cards like they’re Skittles. Mmm, Skittles.Continue reading “The Bare Minimum”

“Did you forget something?” Evelyn’s cocked head tilted at me like a dog hearing the word walk. It made me think—did I? But before I could answer, she chimed in with that irresistible, kid-perfect voice, the kind you wish you could bottle, put in a locket, and wear around your neck for whenever you needContinue reading “Did You Forget Something?”

I had a fun evening with four other women for dinner and soap-making get-together. Truly, it was lovely. After enjoying an amazing chicken and orzo soup—a Pioneer Woman recipe—I’m inspired to make it myself. And soap, too! Though gloves and eyewear were necessary (mixing the powdery lye into lukewarm water bumped the temperature up toContinue reading “Scrub a Dub Dub”

I bought a bag of MSG from Amazon after watching a social media video that reminded me of this secret ingredient. In Japan, it’s known to trigger our “fifth sense,” aka umami, and is referred to as the “essence of deliciousness.” The video showed a man adding it to a jar of chopped cucumber rounds,Continue reading “That’s a Wrap”

The past few nights, I’ve been aghast at the state of Dave’s bathroom-side drawer toothpaste. Having left mine in Evelyn’s room, I’ve been sneakily stealing a dollop from his. The problem? He’s out—or at least I thought he was. With a toothpaste squeezer pushed to the end, the tube seemed like a Mary Poppins bag,Continue reading “Hard Headed House”

After a cross-room flight, I handed Evelyn the airplane back. “Flies alright for me. Give it one more try.” With the underside pinched between her pointer and thumb, she cocked back the folded paper, then extended it forward, releasing it into forever. At seeing the sharp nose dive no more than a foot past theContinue reading “The Awkward Art of Not Buying at Holiday Markets”