Welcome to Happy Hooligans! Let me introduce you to the gang. I’m Jackie, and this is my handsome and handy hubby Mike.
Here are two of the biggest loves of my life: our sons Matthew (14) and Andrew (11).
And these little people, you’ll find scattered through-out the pages of my blog. They’re the children in my home daycare, lovingly referred to as The Hooligans. 
Before starting our family, I had a career in bank management, but Mike and I always knew that my dream was to stay at home with our babies once they came along.
Because of a my life-long love for children, I was pretty certain that a home daycare would be right up my alley. I opened my doors in 1998 when Matthew was 11 months old, and I’ve never looked back.
I often say I have one of the best jobs on the planet. It allowed me to be at home with my boys during their formative years, and running a home daycare meant that while I was/am technically a WAHM, my focus was and always has been on the children. I love that as well as having me at home with them, my boys had the added bonus of growing up surrounded by the children who’ve come through our daycare. And I can say without a doubt that my daycare has filled me with more joy, passion and satisfaction than my career in the corporate world ever could have.
The Hooligans and I spend our days crafting, baking, creating, exploring and adventuring. We’re all about old-fashioned fun here: getting messy, imaginative play, outdoor fun, and realizing the value of free and unstructured play.
I hope you like what you find when you browse through the posts here.
I am grateful to so many amazing bloggers out there who inspire me daily to make the Hooligans’ world more exciting, engaging and adventurous. You have all helped me take my own creativity to a new level.
I hope that Happy Hooligans might also serve as a the kind of place that inspires others in the same way.
Thanks for stopping in!
Yours in Play,
Jackie & The Hooligans. 
Hey Jackie…you have got some great followers. Hooligans doesn’t bring up anything negative to me. Makes me think of crazy silly and full of energy little people.
Thanks Brenda! Glad to know you feel the same too. Looks like the majority of people think happy thoughts when they hear the name. Hooray!!
Hi, Jackie, I love the layout of your blog, mmmm, might have to try wordpress……hope all goes well next week for everyone, Kierna
Thanks Kierna! I’m terribly sad to see summer come to an end, but I’m so looking forward to the Hooligans’ return!
Hola Jackie!!! Mi historia es parecida, trabajé 5 años en el banco de la Nación Argentina, y hoy soy una feliz maestra de pre escolares. Dios te bendiga!! Gracias por compartir tu experiencia
So glad that you are much happier now too. It’s so rewarding working with little people! And they’re so much easier to please than “grown ups”. lol
When I read your profile. I love it. I am in the same path with the difference that I am starting. I have two boys (Mateo 9 moths, Lucas 25 moths) and I watch one kid and I am in the process to open my family child care. Inspired and really good ideas.
Thanks
Jany
Hi Janire! I started it out the same way; one child in addition to my own, and it gradually grew bigger. I didn’t have this wonderful network of bloggers to inspire and motivate me back then. It is so nice today to have all these resources at our fingertips! Best of luck with your family child care! It really is such a rewarding life path to be on.
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HI JACKIE,
JUST WANT TO SAY THANKS FOR THE GREAT CRAFT IDEAS. I AM ALSO A DAYCARE PROVIDER IN R.I. WITH AN EARLY ED BACK ROUND. I AM ALWAYS LOOKING FOR NEW AND FRESH IDEAS. I AM SO EXCITED AND CAN’T WAIT TO EXPERIMENT WITH THE POPCORN TREE WITH MY LITTLE ONES ON MONDAY. THANKS A BUNCH, RITA
Hey jackie, great profile, i have to get round to doing that. I totally agree with your philosophy and am blown away by all the activities and new ideas I am getting from your site.
Thanks, Lesley. Glad you’re picking up some new ideas here! Gotta love this great big blog-world of sharing!! How did we ever survive without it! lol
hey there ! just happened upon your blog and thought i would say hi to a fellow dayhome provider — and another Canadian no less — what an inspired space you have created here ….. much light and peace to you
Hi Jackie…ah ha….so all those little ones aren’t your very “own” kids…but, of course, are “your” kids throughout the day! What wonderfully, creative activities you have for them…isn’t it a wonderful thing to get to spend time with little ones?…so much laughter and joy…and of course tears and hurts too… : ) I love the mud photos along the sides of your blog….isn’t mud just sooooo much fun??? My daughter used to take great joy in mud…one of her favorites was to add every findable leaf/stick/rock/clump of dirt etc to a big bucket of water and to call it “yucky stew”…she took great pleasure in her concoctions and so did we. And your boys are 11 and 14….my time does fly by, doesn’t it? I love the expressions on their faces…what a special family you have. : ) Kathy
Thanks for your lovely note, Kathy. Yes, time does fly. I can’t believe my boys are as old as they are already, and that those little boys that they once were are gone. Well, not “GONE”, but you know…morphed into young men. I really miss the little boys that they were. I’m blessed though to have the Hooligans with me every day, to keep me in that little kid world, because to me, it is absolutely the best place on earth to be!
I consider myself blessed as well to have found all of these wonderful “friends” with the same passion for little people in this wonderful blogosphere. I’m so happy that I’ve discovered your blog. I’ve shared it will my readers, and with my friends and family. Thank you for your beautifully inspiring messages!
Keep in touch!