PJ Jonas

Category: Parent Intentionally

  • Do The Next Thing

    Do The Next Thing

    For my family, February is all about one thing – baby goats.  That’s because February is kidding season, when the vast majority of our goats have their babies. As a result, February is our favorite time of the year.  It is also the most exhausting.  February brings: The births of baby goats. The deaths of some of…

  • Why Is It So Painful to Get Rid of Clutter?

    A few days ago, I helped Indigo and Jade to declutter their bedroom.  Usually we do this pretty regularly, but with the new building going up at the farm, I haven’t gotten to it in a while.  So it was a pretty painful experience for the girls. I gave them my “usual speech” about the…

  • Fail Forward Friday – Buying in Bulk

    Failure is a part of life.  I personally think it’s an important part because every failure can teach us something if we’re willing to learn from that failure.  I’m planning on Fridays to share with you something I’ve failed at and the lessons I have learned from those failures. Because I have such a large…

  • The Power of Small Change

    I’m forever driving my family and my employees crazy because I’m constantly changing how we do things both at Goat Milk Stuff and just for the family.  Sometimes these changes are really big – “I know, let’s build a new building and start selling goat milk food products like caramel candy and cheese.”  And sometimes…

  • Starting the Day Right

    I’ve always said that I hate getting up early, but I love being up early.  There are so many benefits to being up early – I’m more productive, I’m happier, and I get a better start to the day. But I have never been what you would call a “morning person”.  Getting up early has always…

  • 7 Reasons We Involve Our Children in the Finances

    7 Reasons We Involve Our Children in the Finances

    I recently finished reading Sam Walton’s autobiography, Made in America.*  I admit, I’m not a huge Walmart fan, but I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed the book.  It was very interesting learning about how hard Sam Walton worked to grow Walmart and how (like us) he involved his family in the business.…

  • Fail Forward Friday – Cold Fudge and Butter

    Fail Forward Friday – Cold Fudge and Butter

    I’m starting a new series on my blog – I’m calling it “Fail Forward Friday”.  I have always been a believer that there is no such thing as failure if you learn from it.  I’ve always encouraged the children (and myself) to “go for it” and to “at least try”.  After all – what’s the…

  • Smile More At The People in Your Life

    I’m currently reading the book Why We Buy – The Science of Shopping* by Paco Underhill.  As a business owner, I’m always trying to make things better for my customers.  Since I really don’t have a lot of insight into the “retail world” – except for my own personal experience as a shopper (and as…

  • Do You Take Advantage of Opportunities?

    I love the fact that because of Goat Milk Stuff, we’ve been able to take the family on many adventures to many cities.  We’ve been on television in St. Louis, Detroit, Chicago, New Orleans, Los Angeles, Milwaukee, Green Bay, and New York City.  Our latest trip brought us to Kansas City. We really enjoy the chance to be…

  • Three Reasons I Stopped Wearing a Watch

    Three Reasons I Stopped Wearing a Watch

    A couple of weeks ago, somebody asked me, “Why don’t you wear a watch?” This person seemed surprised by the fact that I (a very busy woman with lots to do all the time) did not have this “essential” piece of equipment.  That question was quickly followed by, “Oh, do you use your cell phone?”…

  • 11 Years and Holding

    11 Years and Holding

    Did you know that our sun is constantly changing?  It has varying levels of radiation, sunspots, flares, and all of the other solar activities that sooner or later have their effects on Earth’s weather, climate, and even the Northern Lights.  Not only do these levels vary, but they do so in something of a pattern,…

  • How Much Is Too Much Reality?

    How Much Is Too Much Reality?

    Don’t get me wrong, I love a good story.  A good story, whether fiction or not, takes us to new worlds.  It introduces us to characters who are interesting, either because we can relate to them, or because they are so different from us, or a combination of the two at times.  A good story…

  • Lady on the Hill

    Last summer we took the children to visit the Biltmore Estate in North Carolina.  We absolutely loved it. While shopping at their retail store, I picked up the book, Lady on the Hill* by Howard Covington.   It’s the story of how the Biltmore Estate  managed to stay in the family and become a profitable venture…

  • Local Flavor

    Local Flavor

    I feel sorry for people who regularly eat at chain restaurants. Don’t get me wrong, I understand why people (myself included at times) do; especially when traveling. If I have my history right, chains like Denny’s or Cracker Barrel, or Colter’s favorite, TGI Fridays became popular as our culture become more mobile. As more families…

  • Mean Mom Pledge

    Have you ever been accused of being a Mean Mom?  I would certainly hope so!  I know that every time I have been told I’m a Mean Mom, I respond with, “Good.  I’m supposed to be.” Afterall, It has never been my goal to please my children.  Instead, my goal has always been to raise…