Jennifer Bardsley

Caption:You won’t be able to find Jennifer Bardsley’s musings in the newspaper anymore, but you can still find hers stories on bookshelves. [Photo Credit: Makenna Faulkner.]

Goodbye, dear readers. It’s been an honor to write for you

Jennifer Bardsley signs off after 11 years of writing “I Brake for Moms.” Her parting words of advice: Support local journalism.

 

They might be noisy after dark, but having both teenagers live at home is special. (Jennifer Bardsley)

The noise of a family under one roof is a fleeting symphony

The sounds of teenagers doing stuff for themselves at 11:14 p.m. prompts reflections on the past and future.

 

The two-hour walk through Bloedel Reserve on Bainbridge Island offers opportunity for inspiration and reflection. (Jennifer Bardsley)

A ‘150-acre wonderland of forest and flowers’ awaits on Bainbridge Island

The 150-acre wonderland, the former home of a timber magnate and his wife, is a beautiful place to visit in any season.

 

Scan the card, load the trays, and tell the Suvie 3.0 when you want dinner to be ready. This kitchen robot is an exciting addition to the world of small appliances. (Jennifer Bardsley)

Move over Roomba: There’s a new robot in my house

The Suvie 3.0 can broil, roast, bake, slow cook, steam, reheat, defrost, refrigerate and do French-style sous vide cooking.

Scan the card, load the trays, and tell the Suvie 3.0 when you want dinner to be ready. This kitchen robot is an exciting addition to the world of small appliances. (Jennifer Bardsley)
The two-hour walk through Bloedel Reserve on Bainbridge Island offers opportunity for inspiration and reflection. (Jennifer Bardsley)

Bloedel Reserve on Bainbridge Island showcases nature

The 150-acre wonderland, the former home of a timber magnate and his wife, is a beautiful place to visit in any season.

The two-hour walk through Bloedel Reserve on Bainbridge Island offers opportunity for inspiration and reflection. (Jennifer Bardsley)
If you stand next to Imagine Children’s Museum in Everett and look up, you might just see a three-year-old operating a pretend crane. (Jennifer Bardsley)

Imagine Children’s Museum gets better and better

From a realistic pretend crane to a life-size recreation of the Snohomish bicycle tree, the Everett museum will keep kids engaged for many hours.

If you stand next to Imagine Children’s Museum in Everett and look up, you might just see a three-year-old operating a pretend crane. (Jennifer Bardsley)
You don’t need to hop on an airplane to have an exciting Spring Break. Local activities, like the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival, offer family fun. (Jennifer Bardsley)

Even a budget-conscious spring-break staycation can be a blast

Between Snohomish, Skagit and Island counties, there’s plenty to do right in your own backyard

You don’t need to hop on an airplane to have an exciting Spring Break. Local activities, like the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival, offer family fun. (Jennifer Bardsley)
Caption: The years come and go, but some birthdays warrant extra reflection. (Jennifer Bardsley)

Milestone birthdays make parents ask: where did the time go?

From cake frosting in their hair to the car keys in their hands, it all goes by so fast.

Caption: The years come and go, but some birthdays warrant extra reflection. (Jennifer Bardsley)
Give your home some extra love with a deep clean this spring. (Jennifer Bardsley)

Roll up your sleeves and tackle these 15 spring cleaning steps

A lot of work? Sure. But it beats paying $800 for a cleaning service to do all this stuff.

Give your home some extra love with a deep clean this spring. (Jennifer Bardsley)
Caption: Three years after the pandemic began, simple items like masks, disinfecting wipes and toilet paper stir up deep memories.

Psychological impact of pandemic lingers three years later

When the words “two-item limit” in supermarkets still strike fear, it’s hard to toss pandemic relics like cloth masks.

Caption: Three years after the pandemic began, simple items like masks, disinfecting wipes and toilet paper stir up deep memories.
Caption: Pining, parenting, and Facebook posts. Jennifer Bardsley’s new book comes out April 11.

Her new book shines a spotlight on why moms groups matter

The deeper message of “Talk of the Town” by Jennifer Bardsley is: Women need the support of other women.

Caption: Pining, parenting, and Facebook posts. Jennifer Bardsley’s new book comes out April 11.
Old carpet and dogs go together like rug stains and red wine.

Old carpet is gross but has one redeeming quality

Asking “What’s the point of owning nice things?” marks a watershed moment for American consumerism.

Old carpet and dogs go together like rug stains and red wine.
Does a walking cane go on the left or the right? It’s an adventure getting back on her feet. (Jennifer Bardsley)

She’ll take two working legs and a nap, please

Water aerobics, physical therapy and grocery pick-up services have helped Jennifer Bardsley recover from an injury. Napping has been especially helpful.

Does a walking cane go on the left or the right? It’s an adventure getting back on her feet. (Jennifer Bardsley)
DONT USE THIS IN PRINT OR ONLINE EXCEPT AS TSR

Stop bugging high school seniors with questions about college

Give high school seniors who are stressed to the max a break — find something else to talk about.

DONT USE THIS IN PRINT OR ONLINE EXCEPT AS TSR
This family is no match for a German-made knife. (Jennifer Bardsley)

Any way you slice it, that bread knife is dangerous

Their old bread knife was too dull. The new one is too sharp, apparently.

This family is no match for a German-made knife. (Jennifer Bardsley)
Caption: A mom’s unpaid labor to her house each week: $300.

My house was clean three weeks ago. Sorry you missed it

Sticker-shock quotes from housecleaning businesses inform a mom just what her labor is worth.

Caption: A mom’s unpaid labor to her house each week: $300.
A snapping sound in her calf muscle sent her to urgent care. What happened next, involved a lot of sitting. (Jennifer Bardsley)

This injury changed me from a ‘human-doing’ to a ‘human-being’

A painful torn calf muscle doesn’t require surgery — just a LOT of rest. So pass the Advil and the TV remote.

A snapping sound in her calf muscle sent her to urgent care. What happened next, involved a lot of sitting. (Jennifer Bardsley)
Caption: Does your car have an OK button? Trips through the carwash aren’t usually terrifying unless you’re driving a Hyundai IONIQ-5.

Her EV is fun to drive, but a real problem at the car wash

“Never again,” she vows after a white-knuckle trip through the Brown Bear tunnel. Then she remembers she bought a year’s worth of car washes.

Caption: Does your car have an OK button? Trips through the carwash aren’t usually terrifying unless you’re driving a Hyundai IONIQ-5.
Step-by-step tips for organizing your home in the new year. (Jennifer Bardsley)

Tackling home organization one step at a time

Got 10 minutes? Spend it cleaning a corner of the kitchen. You can get a lot done in that short period.

Step-by-step tips for organizing your home in the new year. (Jennifer Bardsley)
Graduating students hands throwing graduation caps in the air.

High school seniors, get set to be linked with 2023 forever

Some day, you’ll be mocked like you make fun of people who graduated in, say, 1996.

Graduating students hands throwing graduation caps in the air.