Janes-List.com » Jane

Where I’ve been

Kirsty — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 13:42:12 +0000

Since launching Janes-List.com with Kelly in March, my life has been a veritable whirlwind of activity. Between learning so much, working so hard and getting so many kudos on the site, I also made a great professional change and have spent the last five months transitioning in a new job. Both activities have brought me so much pride and for the first time in a while, I’m beginning to find a lot of joy in my work and in my personal life.

The same unfortunately cannot be said for my home life. I’m blogging about this because, while these days I don’t feel overly qualified to write about making a marriage in the military work, I do know a little something about surviving the hardships.

I feel compelled to note that I don’t blame my marital problems on the military lifestyle. Sure it’s stressful to spend time apart and move frequently, the issues in our marriage have been present since before we said “I do.”

So now I’m looking at a future where I may not be married in the Marine Corps. And that’s OK. I think I may be able to share some of my experiences in seeing a relationship end in the military – hoping and praying all along the way that none of our wonderful readers will ever have to endure it. But perhaps there is a girl somewhere out there, going through exactly what I’m going through, who can find a sliver of hope from the telling of my experiences. After all, that was the original inspiration for creating this resource for military wives.

So after a long absence and serious deliberation, I’ve decided to finish what I set out to do in the first place and that’s to create a resource for women in military markets to find professional opportunities. I will write when I feel like it and Kelly will pick up a lot of my slack. I will spend most of the time working behind the scenes to figure out how to make our vision a digital reality and create a better, more beneficial community for you.

Thank you for reading!

Since launching Janes-List.com with Kelly in March, my life has been a veritable whirlwind of activity. Between learning so much, working so hard and getting so many kudos on the site, I also made a great professional change and have spent the last six months transitioning in a new job. Both activities have brought me so much pride and for the first time in a while, I’m beginning to find a lot of joy in my work and in my personal life.

I feel compelled to note that I don’t blame the dissolution of my marriage on the military lifestyle. Sure it’s stressful to spend time apart and move frequently, the issues in our marriage have been present since before we said “I do.”

So now I’m looking at a future where I won’t be married in the Marine Corps. And that’s OK. I think I may be able to share some of my experiences in seeing a relationship end in the military – hoping and praying all along the way that none of our wonderful readers will ever have to endure it. But perhaps there is a girl somewhere out there, going through exactly what I’m going through, who can find a sliver of hope from the telling of my experiences. After all, that was the original inspiration for creating this resource for military wives.

So after a long absence and serious deliberation, I’ve decided to finish what I set out to do in the first place and that’s to create a resource for women in military markets to find professional opportunities. I will write when I feel like it and Kelly will pick up a lot of my slack with her wonderful articles on professional development, organization and of course, Recipe Wednesdays! I will spend most of the time working behind the scenes to figure out how to make our vision a digital reality and create a better, more beneficial community for you.

Thank you for reading!

Photo by: emilygrace.

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Improve communication with your spouse

Recipe Wednesday: Italian skirt steak with balsamic onions

Kelly — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 22:04:11 +0000

Men’s Health is not just for men anymore. At least not for me. Every month when I find a new issue in the mail for my husband I can hardly wait to get back inside to rip open the packaging and flip to the recipes section. I have made almost every one since my husband’s been a subscriber and I have not been disappointed once.

Today’s recipe is a staple in our house. If you want to make your hubby’s mouth water, this is the meal to make!

1 flank or skirt steak

1 can canellini (or navy) beans, rinsed and drained

1 large red onion, sliced

2 TBS balsamic vinegar

1 clove garlic, minced

Cook onion in extra virgin olive oil until soft and brown, about ten minutes. Add balsamic vinegar and cook another five minutes.

Heat pot with extra virgin olive oil and add garlic, beans and pinch of rosemary. Cook five minutes on low heat (just enough to warm) and mash with a fork. Add lemon juice and salt and pepper.

Season steak with salt and pepper and grill 3-4 minutes each side. Slice and serve over beans with onions on top.

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Coming soon to Jane’s List…”Good work, sister!”

Kelly — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 00:56:28 +0000

We are about to take Jane’s List to new heights!

Kirsty and I have heard countless stories of military wives across the globe who have worked their way up the corporate ladder despite changing duty stations and living in areas with little to no industry. In honor of these determined, motivated women, this month we are proud to unveil “Good work, sister!”, a monthly post highlighting a working military wife, her professional achievements and story of success!

We will also welcome nominations from you, our readers, for yourself or friends, sisters and moms who have paved their own path of success.

We are excited to share the stories of these incredible women and hope you will find their tales as inspiring as we did!

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Seven things to do before you sell your house.

Kelly — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 11:08:13 +0000

As military families many of us move around quite a bit. Some of my fellow military wives have bought and sold homes with such aplomb they can give professional realtors a real run for their money.

While buying or building a home is one thing, selling your home in a down economy and a poor housing market is quite another. My husband and I can definitely attest to this. We had no say in his change of duty station, as most of you didn’t. And while I’m excited to build our new home and live together again like a “normal” couple, I must admit I’m anxious about selling our current home.

Many homes in our neighborhood have been on the market for more than a year, mostly due to overpricing. While this gives us a bit of an advantage over our competitors (we can offer a lower price and still make a pretty penny) I still wanted our house to be perfect. Thanks to a few tips from my realtor and a lot of elbow grease, I’m confident our home will show well and (knock on wood) sell quickly once we put it on the market. Below are a few steps I took with guidance from my realtor to put our home at the top of buyers’ lists. Happy selling!

1. Clean from top to bottom. Before you considering selling your house, give your home a good cleaning. Wipe down cabinets, clean windows, sills, ceiling fans, shelves, baseboards and mouldings, your oven and the inside of your microwave; vacuum furniture, rugs and draperies, scrub baths and eliminate pet hair. You wouldn’t welcome family and friends to a dirty home and you definitely shouldn’t welcome potential buyers that way, either.

2. De-clutter. This is just as important as showing a clean house. Go through piles on counters, tables and desks; shred what you don’t need and file important documents out of buyer’s sight. Recycle old newspapers and magazines and organize shelves, closets and cabinets. Buyers will open closet doors so don’t try to stow it all in there.

3. Put away toys. Walking into a home where toys are strewn about or stacked in corners is a total turnoff for buyers. Narrow your child’s stash to a few favorites and store the rest. The same goes for pet toys. I bought a small basket for my lab’s toys which I plan to put in the closet during showings.

4. Double-check your carpeting. There are plenty of inexpensive alternatives to replacing your carpeting. We had ours stretched to get rid of rolls and then rented a steam cleaner from Ace Hardware to shampoo it, saving us thousands of dollars. If you have tough, dark stains, holes or ripping, you may, in fact have to replace, but make sure you check all other options first.

5. Paint. It’s amazing what a coat of paint can do. It gives new life to shutters, front doors, baseboards, shoe moulding and spackled spots. If you’re going to paint a room be sure to use a neutral color.

6. Add some curb appeal. The front of your house is the first thing buyers see so be sure to make a good first impression. Trim hedges, mulch flower beds, paint shutters, clean patio furniture and add some color with potted plants or flowers. You only get one chance to make a good first impression, so do it right.

7. Put away personal items. The verdict is still out on this one. Some realtors say it’s hard for buyers to imagine themselves in your home if your pictures are all over, while others believe it helps make the home feel more complete. I put most of my pictures away just to be safe but use your judgment.

Always be thinking of what potential buyers would think. Sure, you can’t control whether or not they’ll like your decor or paint colors, but those are easy for buyers to change. Put your house on display and buyers will want to make an offer!

Photo by thinkpanama

Recipe Wednesday: Pork tenderloin with cheesey scalloped potatoes

Kelly — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 16:26:41 +0000

This is another meal that you can throw in the oven and forget about until it’s done. It takes virtually no time to prepare and the cheesey potatoes are a great compliment to the flavorful and tender pork. Buen provecho!

Pork tenderloin

Garlic powder

Worcestershire sauce

1/2 cup Coca Cola

1/2 cup BBQ sauce

Season tenderloin with garlic powder and worcestershire. In a small bowl, combine Coke and BBQ sauce; pour over tenderloin. Cover with foil and bake for one hour at 325 degrees. Uncover and bake additional 45 minutes at 325 degrees.

Cheesey scalloped potatoes

1 medium onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

2 TBS butter

2 TBS flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 1/4 cup milk

3 medium red potatoes

3/4 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 1 1/2 quart casserole and set aside. For sauce, cook onion and garlic in butter until tender. Stir in flour, salt and pepper; add milk all at once. Cook and stir over medium heat until thick and bubbly.

Slice potatoes thin and place half in casserole dish. Cover with half the cheese sauce. Repeat with remaining potatoes and sauce.

Bake, covered, at 350 for 40 minutes. Uncover and bake additional 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

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Recipe Wednesday: Savory shrimp penne

Kelly — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 11:12:54 +0000

I‘m hooked on shrimp lately, most likely because Harris Teeter had a buy one-get-one-free sale on bags of jumbo shrimp last week. Needless to say, I was almost fresh out of shrimp recipes until I flipped through one of my hubby’s old Men’s Health magazines and found this one. I’s a tasty tweak to your pasta recipes and takes less than fifteen minutes to throw everything together. Serve it with a side salad and you’re set!

Ingredients

2 oz whole wheat penne pasta

12-14 large, deveined, peeled shrimp

2 TBS crumbled Gorgonzola cheese

2 cups chopped baby spinach

1 can diced tomato

2 TBS chopped walnuts

3 TBS ready-made pesto

Cook the pasta according to package directions; drain and put in a large bowl. Season shrimp with salt and pepper and cook in 2 TBS extra virgin olive oil until tender, about five to seven minutes.

Add the shrimp, cheese, spinach, tomato, walnuts and pesto to the pasta and mix well, helping the spinach to wilt a little. Buen provecho!

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Are you well-dressed for success?

Kelly — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 15:38:30 +0000

Kirsty and I live in a coastal resort town where the laid back beach vibe extends well beyond the beautiful homes and myriad seafood restaurants. In some places of business, it is perfectly acceptable to wear jeans and flip flops to work – and I’m not just talking about surf or gift shops.

A born and bred “Yankee”, relocated to the south thanks to the military, I will admit I was shocked the first time I walked into a bank here and was greeted by an employee in capri pants and open-toed wedge sandals. Now, I have nothing against capri pants and wedges, but it’s not exactly a look I would go for when trying to impart the professional, established atmoshpere most financial institutions are going for (especially these days.)

Regardless of what the dress code may be where you live, dressing professionally could be the difference between getting that job (or promotion) or being passed over for the next candidate in a suit and pumps. Your appearance counts more that ever these days, so below are some tips to help you dress the part, get the job and get on your way to ruling the world!

1. Dress to impress. There’s an old adage that enforces my point and it goes like this: “You only get once chance to make a good first impression.” If I have to explain why this is paramount when interviewing for a new job, you probably shouldn’t be reading this post at all. Yes, your skills and experience are what proves your ability to do the job, but let’s be honest-your appearance could be the deal breaker. And the same goes for when trying to get a promotion, a pay raise or that coveted corner office.

Treat every day as though you’re going to land the firm’s next big fish and choose tailored, classic pieces. Not only can you personalize your outfit with accessories like jewelry, shoes or a fun bag, but you won’t break the bank because classic pieces will always be in style.

2. Suit up. Always wear a suit when interviewing for a new position, regardless of the company’s laid-back dress code. Once you get the job you can wear jeans and flip flops ’til your heart’s desire, but not until then.

Banana Republic, Ann Taylor, J.Crew and the Limited all have great suiting options at reasonable prices. Having a dark suit on hand for any future job interviews, presentations or cold-calling is worth the cost of a great, tailored suit.

3. Reveal nothing. You want to be taken seriously for your knowledge and expertise, not known for your cleavage, so keep it buttoned up. Anything with plunging necklines, high hemlines, clothing that is too tight, short or reveals stomach-keep it in your closet for when you go clubbing. The last thing you want is to look like you don’t belong.

Photo by swgrlimited

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Recipe Wednesday: Whole wheat pasta with shrimp and veggies

Kelly — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 18:25:50 +0000

I was in a pinch for dinner the other night after extending an impromptu dinner invitation to a friend. I needed something healthy and tasty that I could whip up quick, fast and in a hurry. After scanning my fridge and pantry, I decided to go with pasta.

I believe you can’t ever go wrong with pasta-any kind of pasta-especially when it’s loaded with shrimp, mozzarella and tons of veggies. This is one of my go-to recipes when I’m short on time but craving a nutritional meal full of flavor. Forget second helpings, your guests will be begging for thirds!

Ingredients

1 lb pre-cooked shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 zucchini, sliced

1 summer squash, sliced

1 (8 oz) package button mushrooms, sliced

1 onion, sliced

1 green or red bell pepper, sliced

1/2 tsp Italian herb seasoning (or herbs de Provence)

1 (8 oz) package shredded mozzarella

1 (16) oz package whole wheat rotini

1 (8 oz) can pasta sauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook pasta according to package directions, then drain and set aside.

In a medium skillet, cook mushrooms, zucchini, squash, onion and bell pepper in 1 TBS extra virgin olive oil until softened, about 8 minutes. Sprinkle with Italian herb mix while cooking.

In a large bowl, combine pasta, shrimp, veggies, half the bag of mozzarella and half the can of tomato sauce. Pour into a 9 x 13 inch baking dish and cover with remaining mozzarella. Bake for 15 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Serve with a salad and you’re set!

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New on Janes-List.com

Kirsty — Sun, 03 May 2009 16:04:36 +0000

There’s so many new things happening with Jane that we felt we needed to get it all down in one place, so you could have a good reference. First, we’ve installed the applications that make Janes-List.com a social network. Outside of our interactive commenting and article sharing functions, you can now sign up to join our site through Google Friend Connect. Look for it in the right sidebar an simply click “Join this Site,” to register with your existing Google, AIM, Yahoo or OpenID account. If you don’t have one of those accounts it will ask you to create a Google account, which takes all of two minutes. Plus, if you don’t have a Google account you’re missing out on a ton of technology lifehacks that will make your life easier. Once you’ve signed up you can easily share the site with your friends, request to connect and chat with other members and comment with our Google Friend Connect footer.

Google Friend Connect allows us to create an individual community of miliary spouses to network on our site. But, we very much want to offer you the added convenience of being in a community you’re already part of – Facebook! Jane has a new Facebook page and we want you to become a fan. This is just another way to connect to what’s going on with the site, featuring post updates and our frequent Twitter updates, which is advantageous to those of you who are not yet on Twitter. You can also let your voice be heard on our Discussion Board, where from time to time we’ll ask about your experiences to share on the webiste.

In fact, our next major update is that we’re asking our readers to be more involved in the creation of our content here on Janes-List.com. We’ll be asking you from time to time to share your feedback on subjects like, what makes your mom amazing? We want to post shout outs to Mom on the site for Mother’s Day. So post it in comment, send it in a tweet, or ping us on an email. We also want to know your favorite care package ideas. We’ll feature a Readers Choice week on Twitter starting May 11, where we’ll feature our top five favorite. Then, look for them to debut on the blog a couple of weeks later.

Finally, we have to say another thank you to all our family, friends, supporters, fans and mentors. We really appreciate you spreading the word about Jane. Another thanks goes out to the Jacksonville Daily News for the terrific story you did about Janes-List.com yesterday. Read all about it here!

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Jane in the news

Kirsty — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 18:00:22 +0000

It’s been a very exciting week at Janes-List.com! Our local paper, the Star News and ABC affiliate, WWAY-TV3 have both reported on our new site. We’re thrilled the attention may direct other military wives to our community here. Please share the stories on your favorite social networking sites and tell your friends about Janes-List.com!

“Military Wives create their own social network site”

“Websites AskPatty.com and Janes-List.com just for women”

Janes-List.com » Jane

Where I’ve been

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Recipe Wednesday: Italian skirt steak with balsamic onions

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Coming soon to Jane’s List…”Good work, sister!”

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Seven things to do before you sell your house.

Most Commented Posts

Recipe Wednesday: Pork tenderloin with cheesey scalloped potatoes

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Recipe Wednesday: Savory shrimp penne

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Are you well-dressed for success?

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Recipe Wednesday: Whole wheat pasta with shrimp and veggies

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New on Janes-List.com

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Jane in the news

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