Word Web Vocabulary

You are all dying to ask me, right? I know you are.

Actually, a few of you did. But I can't remember if I answered or not.

Remember that post I wrote a few weeks ago, I Thought That's What Bloggers Did?

Yeah, I know you do. The one where I totally opened my heart and revealed my true identity

put my foot in my mouth? And I told everyone on Blog Planet that I have been a huge phony.

Sooooo...the biggest thing most of you all commented on was the
"hug" and the "sweet friend" remarks.

I got all kinds of confessions out of you all about your "real life" verbatim vs your "blog life" verbatim. That was my intention, after all....muahahahahahahahaha!!

So, most of you know, just days after that post, I got a chance to meet IN REAL LIFE my 

first blogger friend. Christina (can I get a woot woot?) from TicoandTina came 

to Milwaukee to visit little ole me. Her family and 2 interns came to stay at our house

for 3 nights. She came to Milwaukee specifically to test my HUG theory. Right?

Here are a few brief things I will say about the visit:

1) It was NOT awkward in the least. I felt very comfortable. In fact, I felt so comfortable that I colored my hair one morning, came downstairs with hair dye all up in my mop, no make up...

and only slightly hid my face when walking past the extra dudes in the house.

2) With 11 people in the house (5 kids), it was surprisingly calm. This could possibly have 

to do with the fact that when we were sitting at home, every adult in the house but me was sitting at their computer.  And the only reason I wasn't was because my 8 yr old son was using mine. 

(It's all good, I have my phone)

3) I love them. All of them. Seriously. I mean that. They all have such kind hearts and big hearts.

And we are all very similar in the way we feel about encouraging beauty, art, & creativity in

people around us. It's a sort of passion to push people to step outside the box and see the potential
 and gifts that lie inside of you.
 Seriously, I mean it this time, if you haven't checked out their gig...
Blank Canvas Tour, this would be a good time to do it.

4) Their kids. So So cute and adorable... (ok, right there, I was tempted to use the word "adorbs" but because of the blog post I mentioned above, I will refrain. I dont wish to have stones
thrown at me today, thank you very much). My daughter Jada, nicknamed her little maverick
"The Little Guy." It was so cute. And my kids seriously miss them.
Seriously...  adorbs...
auuuughhhh. I'm running. Dont. Thrown Your. Stones.

5) Mostly, I just want to say Thank You to David & Christina...and Krista from Pieces of Life
(and I am totally about to steal a picture from her blog) and their (our) amazingly talented artist friend, Randall for trusting us, for counting us as friends and
and just chilling out with us, hanging out, playing games in which we all act mature...


ok, that wasn't the stolen pic. This is the stolen pic of downtown Milwaukee.
We went to hang out, take some pics, get out of the house.
I mean, I'm not gonna say I had to force them, but .... I had to force them ;)


Ok, not all of them.. haha. Krista was pretty excited to be in the city!

Oh...wait... I almost forgot about the ENORMOUS elephant...
You know the one where you all want to ask me if I "HUGGED" Christina after I made
the big "to do" about how I don't like hugging?
The answer is Yes,. twice. Once upon meeting, once upon saying goodbye.
The only thing that made it awkward was that I had just written that post and now
everyone is wondering if it is OK to hug me. Haha. Let me set the record straight.
Clear the air...ahem... I will hug you if I first meet you. I will hug you if it's been a long time since
I've seen you. I will hug you if I am saying goodbye for a long time.
I will even hug you if you are a hugger even though I'm not. It's not like I'm gonna smack ya.
You just can't expect me to make the first move.
You want a hug from me? Come at me, girl. Hug away.
My arms may be at my sides and I may be making
a face to whoever is standing behind you, but....
Bahahaha... I'm doing it to myself again!
Ok, those of you who I will meet at Influence! Let's just have one giant HUG PARTY
Let's all call each other sweet girl and sweet friend. That way NO ONE feels left out,
no one feels "socially awkward." That's it. It's done. No questions asked.



Ok, here is a little video from the visit!


OH, and don't forget the giveaway from Eisley Rae below. You know you wanna enter!

What IS the funny thing?

That's the question on everyone's mind.

And while I have like 30 Blog topics simmering in my brain right now,

I dont have the energy time to pour out my wisdom type it out 

at the moment.

So while I link up with  Photo A Day Mommy Moments Challenge , 

I thought I would fill you in.

Although, I share alot from my heart on my blog about MY real life,

the deep down dirty  heart to heart talks I give,

originally this blog started because of my kids.

Well, who doesnt love to talk about their kids?

But MINE drive me absolutely crazy sometimes.

You know those moments where where Jada is resting her head 

on Leila's shoulder in the car...

so Leila starts crying and kicks her leg and hits Wesley's leg,

SO THEN Wesley starts yelling at Jada that she is an idiot,

and Jada sticks her fingers in her mouth and  laughs AT Wesley,

(might I say, with a very evil mischievous tone)

and Daddy tells the kids to "knock it off" and then,

Leila starts crying and telling me "Mommy, Daddy's teasing"

so then I turn around and tell Wesley, "STOP calling Your sister idiot,

Jada, STOP laughing at Leila and Wesley,

and Leila, Daddy is NOT teasing!!!"

...and what is the obvious response to this all?

 Well of course it's "tweet tweet tweet tweet tweet!"

This is ONE of the many odd replies that Wesley gives when 

he is frustrated.

Yes, you read that right. 

Not only has he tweeted at me, but he has also "buzzed."

Buzz Buzz Buzz Buzz Buzz!!!

These are the things he does when he gets frustrated,

and doesnt really know how to channel the frustration,

so instead of lashing out in anger,

he... makes loud angry animal noises???

Those moments as a parent that you're like,

"what was I thinking?'

The ONLY thing I can do to choose sanity over moving far far away tears

...is to LAUGH...

and then to tell everyone on facebook 

what just happened in my car this morning,

or this conversation I had with one of my kids

or what form of revenge Wesley has to "strangers sledding on snowhills."

(read that story  HERE )

Every day, I would update my facebook world on what life sounded like in my house today.

And everyday people would feel sorry for laugh with me.

Then at night, when the world is peaceful again...

I would feel like, ahhhh, this IS the life.

These precious kids are SO sweet...

(even though they don't let us sleep in our own bed)

and I would wake up to 3 beautiful smiling faces...

(oh did I mention it took about 17 of those above pics to get THIS sweet pic?)

Within five three minutes after waking up, "reality" would set in again.

The obvious reality that "daddy's teasing."

But in all honestly, because rarely am I NOT completely blunt and honest

to the point of cringing...

about my life...

can i say that although I love being real and encouraging love amongst humanity 

and uplifting human hearts...on my blog...

THESE KIDS ARE THE REAL DEAL!

These kids are what "the funny thing of it is."

They keep me pulling my hair out laughing and smiling non-stop.

Here is Leila who decided to lotion my legs after a shower. 

I felt like when Mary washed Jesus feet with perfume. Haha.

Look at her. This is what she tells me while she was lathering me up.

"You were always a pretty one, momma."

How can ANYONE not smile at that?!!

Here are a few more instagram pics of my 3 funny things =)

People,  always told me Wesley looked like Macaulay Culkin when he was in Home alone.

What do you think? Seriously people stop in restaurants or the mall or I see them pointing and whispering that he looks just like him...

" Mom, lets make funny faces."

THIS is her funny face.

"Mom, lets try and be really artistic and take a picture in a giant sewer tube."

Oh wait, I meant: "Leila sit in that for mommy like this.."

Leila:" It's windy. There's rocks."

Me: "No, it's fine. They wont hurt you. You sit. And stop squinting."

3 1/2 months into blogging.

I now have 100 followers on Google Friend Connect.

145 "likers" on Facebook.

16 Bloglovin Followers

and several followers on Twitter and Instagram

And sometime within the next week or so,
I will have my FIRST guest on my blog.

I'm psyched.

And I am JUST NOW officially introducing my hubby of 15 1/2 years.

I actually told him the other day, "I wish you'd dress a little nicer. 

I'd like you put you in my blog, 

but you always dress so sloppy, so I can never take pictures of you."

Haha. How mean am I?!!

Well, I figured it was time, just to say a little something about him.

Jeff and I have known each other since we were very young.

I was about 6. He was about 9.

Our parents were friends and involved in ministry to some extent together.

Then we moved away to Michigan. 

So when I saw Jeff on occasion at a church camp or quick 

visit to Milwaukee for some reason,

it was generally a 2 second run in...

where he would nod at me and say "Hi Julie."

Then my family moved BACK to Milwaukee...

and one day in 1995,  

the church my dad pastored opened up a christian venue called

The Light Club.

The Light Club was a venue that brought in christian concerts, etc.

Jeffs mom became the "manager" of the Light Club.

Jeff, at this point was going to a different church.

BUUUUUTTT, he decided to help his mom out as she was preparing to 

open this venue... and I was helping my dad.

Yada, yada, yada...(thanks to my recent Seinfeld episode)

we giggled, we flirt.

the cowboy with the tight jeans (in 1995 skinny jeans were NOT COOL)-Jeff

and the alternative skater wannabe with the GINORMOUS jeans-ME...

hooked up.

I will admit, I was embarrassed that I liked him.

And when he first asked me out, I said "Yes,"...

then I changed my mind and said "Actually, no..."

OH MY GOSH!! So mean, right?!

I guess I just thought I was too cool for him.

2 days later, I got over that. and 3 months later we were engaged.

It still creeps me out to this day, that we have "known" each other for

an eternity, and ended up married. =)

BUT, I love him more than anything in the world.

Jeff has been behind me, for me, with me in everything.

I have not been an angel.

Our marriage has had it's share of struggles.

But his number one concern has always been my well being.

He has been beyond understanding in more ways that you can guess...

And it's because of this, I know HOW MUCH he loves me.

Its has been over 15 years now,

and the longer we are married.

The more I see struggles in other relationships around me,

and hear the ghastly (yes, ghastly) stories of other men and how they 

treat and disrespect the women they are supposed to be loving...

the more I realize how thankful I am to have such a good one.

He acts like a 40 year jr high boy.

He doesnt always dress the most stylish.

I'm not going to say he is the most romantic man on the planet,

or the most creative.

and I usually have to fix his hair for him and dress him,

if I want him to look "cleaned up."

Because he really has no desire to do it on his own.

He is all about wearing a hat, shorts, tshirt.

hat. hat. hat. hat. hat. for 15 years.

whatever can get him out of fixing his hair...

sometimes a shaved head.

But, he loves me. He is always behind me.

I can't stress that enough.

He loves our kids.

He makes me laugh with his jr high-ish jokes.

He massages me every single night...

EVERY NIGHT...

and sometimes morning and afternoons too.

and he doesnt complain about it.

He loves to snuggle me and spend time with me.

And his cowboy ways have even rubbed off on me quite a bit.

The struggles in our marriage have only brought us to a point

of deeper communication

 we never were big fighters.

he annoys me so much, but in a way that i have to laugh.

you will hear alot of phrases like "shut up" or "knock it off"
or "get out of here"

accompanied by a kick to his stomach

or a slap to his chest...

and lots of laughter between us..

because he is just soooo annoying.

but I love him. so much. and i dont know what i would do without him,

loving me, comforting me and supporting me...

always defending me..

and fighting for us.

i love you, jeff...

here are a few things that have been going on the past few weeks...

Tell Me.... what have you all been up to lately? I need to catch up on some blogging!!

The great thing about going sledding with my family is really something i should have known before I went, but refused to think about. As I hoped for a fun family day that you would see on the movies, perhaps in slow motion...or fast motion, with a great soundtrack. Snowballs being thrown, wrestling kids and parents in the snow, laughter and lots of hugs!!  Instead, this is what I learned, Wesley will take down any kid, anytime, anywhere with a battle of  obscenities (child sized) and vulgar language (kids version)! DO NOT, I repeat, do not get in Wesley's way when he wants to go down the hill. Mind you, there are only a couple hundred kids wanting to use the hill, but as Wesley enters, sound the trumpets children, big and small!  Royalty has presented itself! "Move away peasants, the hill has become my own!" We have taken Wesley sledding ONCE when he was 3 years old so I had no clue what was about to happen...(and the girls have NEVER been sledding at all!) Maybe it was the fact that the evening before he had gone sledding with a friend, so he now considered himself a professional of sorts, but every step back up the hill each time was a conversation of aggravations and irritations of all the people that refused to move out of the way for the King of the Hill! And while on top the hill, the wait was even worse! Wesley carried on about how people were being jerks and not making a path for him to go down. I don't get why! Out of the hundreds of people that were there, they should have seen him!  There was an obvious glow about his head. Surely they saw the shining,  shimmering crown, not to mention the halo beaming with a heavenly glow.!!! Why on earth, they didn't move out of the way, I will never figure out~  As my sweet, kind, loving son who does no wrong waited.  But as I sat and watched him go down, from the top of the hill... I saw it finally happen, all that built up tension has now become a grenade of arm flailing and dangerous words spewed out of the mouth of an 8 year old boy! As if the arm flailing wasn't enough, from where I was standing, I also saw an enormous amount of "SNOW TUBE bouncing" , meaning he was smashing the tube over and over again on the ground in his fury of rage!  As his mother, what can I do from a distance but laugh, but I did feel sorry for the 3 year old that Wesley gave it to! That toddler got a piece of his mind! ALL in ALL, it was a gloriously snowy fun filled afternoon. I probably should have made Wesley apologize to the small child that he blasted with angry words, but I opted to make fun of Wesley instead. He LOVES that ;-) That's punishment enough! (for the record: wesley wasnt actually using vulgar language. haha!)    (Now that you are done reading this, PLEASE scroll to bottom of the page, and click "join to follow" with your yahoo, google or twitter account!)