They're afraid of me...

Who? you ask....

The husbands. 

The husbands of the incredible women I have met. The women I know and love because of a common hobby, a common life experience.  It's funny, really.  You know, you THINK you know me because you read my blog every day and you THINK I am this sweet and kind mom to three little kiddos.  But you really DON'T know, do you?

LOLOLOLOL!!!!!!!!!!!

For each of the women I have met from online, I have heard that their husbands were afraid to let them go since they "met this woman on the internet."  You know, I could be this crazy stalker woman who steals pictures off the internet and acts like they are my kids.  Possible, right?

LOL!

Actually, I DO realize the potential danger of making friends off the internet.  I know people have been scammed, and even hurt.  So I don't question these husbands being concerned.  It just makes me chuckle because *I* know me and *I* know what I am like.  So to have some men be concerned for their wife's well-being just because she is with me, it just makes me laugh a bit.  For those who have met me, I'm not too scary, am I?

On Friday night I got to meet the sweet (and gorgeous) MandaKay.  I met up with her and three of her scrapping friends and we went to get pedicures.  Then we headed to downtown Holland and ate yummy pasta.  Then we were off to Coldstone Creamery for ice cream.  Afterwards, we dropped the others off and then Manda took me to my car...where we stayed for probably an hour and a half talking.  It was so good to just talk with her and get to know each other better.  Making the transition from "friend from the internet" to a friend sitting next to you is fun. 

But can you believe it?  We didn't take ANY pictures?  I had my camera along but I get really shy and self-conscience around people I don't know very well and I never felt it was a good time to stop and get a picture.  Oh well.  We had fun anyway!

************

The rest of the trip and weekend was good.  We stayed pretty busy and saw quite a few people.  I worked really hard to stay off the computer so that I could just sit back and enjoy the friendship, my family, and the down time.  It was probably fortunate that that not only did the people we stayed with not have wireless, they didn't even have internet.  Painful as it was, it was probably good for me.  In fact, I only turned on the computer a few times while I was there...once at Panera Bread because I really needed to check email, once to show my friend about scrapping, and once because I had the urge to scrap.  Other than that, it stayed put away in my pretty little laptop sleeve.

I was able to almost finish a book, too.  I finally started reading the REVOLUTIONARY PARENTING book I bought a few weeks ago.  Good stuff.  Although for me, most of the information in the book was just confirming the choices we were making, I did pick up some stuff that while not a new idea, was definitely convicting for me.  I have some weak areas in my parenting that I need to work on.  It all comes down to time and priorities and making choices.  I am NOT good at making choices, so this will be a tough one.  Some things in life need more of my time but that means so things have to go. Hmmm..

Anyway, we had lots of fun with our friends.  They have four little girls and our kids LOVED playing with them!  Alaina really clicked with the two older ones (4 and 6), Caleb followed the little two year old around ALL WEEKEND (which is very unlike him), and even Levi found a little friend in their 8 month old, who, whenever she cried would be greetedwith a sensitive little Levi patting her back.  So sweet!

I took a ton of pictures but haven't even started the process of going through them.

I also got to see my good friend Paula.  Paula and I met each other at the summer camp where I went all my life.  In 1998 (the summer Jason and I started dating) I was the counselor for the teenage workers.  Paula had just graduated from high school and was working all summer.  We got to be really close.  She was one of the bridesmaids in my wedding. A few years later she spent 8 weeks in India with us, doing her student teaching at the school where we worked.  Her husband is a surgical resident and they have an 11 month old little boy named Levi :)

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Today and tomorrow are busy again.  Today we are driving to go see Jason's grandmother who is quite sick.  She is one of the reasons we decided to come to Michigan this summer.  Once we get to Florida, we don't know when we will make it up to Michigan again.

After seeing his grandmother, we are driving to go to an Indian restaurant for lunch (yummy!)  After lunch is IKEA and then our family is going to stay at my sister's for the night.  We are staying because tomorrow we have to be back in the Detroit area AGAIN for another family get together with one of Jason's aunts and I really hate dragging the kids back and forth.  It should be a good couple of days but I have to admit, I am getting tired of being on the go.  I would LOVE a day or two to unwind, return emails, get some work done.  Oh well.

**********

Here is one LO I did over the weekend.  Hopefully I get to scrap some at my sister's tonight.  I MISS it!

Credits can be seen HERE.

Have a great Monday!

Comments

[MandaKay]

WHAT - YOU HAD YOUR CAMERA??? You stinker! I chatted my hubby's ear off that night by the way (after getting home at 10:45 - LOL) about how awesome you were and how comfortable it was to be around you! You are super in person - not scary at all!!! LOL - I had to laugh when I saw your first paragraph!!! You would think my hubby would be used to me meeting digiscrapping gals b/c I have met quite a few at the conventions! Anyway - our blog posts on that night are pretty similar!!!

Love the LO - cute journaling and the title faded back like that is awesome! Have a good rest of your week here in MI - I hope that you do get a bit of downtime though b/c I am sure once you get to FL you will be busy unpacking and getting settled too!

Might have to buy that book you talk about! Glad you put a dent in it this weekend!

[Melissa]

Love how you did the title on your "tickle" layout!

Isn't Revolutionary Parenting good! I'm about halfway through, and for us it's just confirming our parenting style as well, but it definitely has wonderful ideas and good statistics. My husband is actually using this book as a resource for a sermon he's preaching on Sunday - he's the youth pastor!

[LeeAndra]

Yeah, Manda's pretty fun, isn't she? Y'all were just a couple hours north of me! So glad you had a good night. :)

You better get your scrap ON, Miss Janet. You know I have been all weekend with your amazing templates. :)

love, me <><

[LauraKaye]

Hey sweetie! I don't think you are scary either. :) I had a great time meeting you and I loved today's post. Darn husbands anyway.

[PaulineLucille]

Oh LOL Janet! That's sooo funny that all the husbands keep saying that! Now what does YOURS say about US??! That's what I want to know-heehee!! Glad you are enjoying MI and now I am curious to read that book!!! Love the LO!
--Hollie

[Rona]

cute layout! And I love meeting internet friends for real too! Somehow, it's easier if it's scrapping friends than other internet "friends". *shrug* sounds weird, I know, but I feel safer if they're scrappers, LOL!

[Julie Marie]

Please share the name of the "REVOLUTIONARY PARENTING book" Thanks a bunch!