Living a Dream

One whole day...of Happy Birthday!

Today I turned 38 years old.  Wow.  38?  Really?  

Man did I have a great day.   From the time I woke up to this very moment, I celebrated.   I have a whole lot to be grateful for.  So much.

And as I close my eyes tonight...I will hold it all close to my heart.   I thank my Father in heaven for loving me so much that He saw fit to give me yet another birthday....another year of goodness and of hard lessons learned.  I will thank Him for my sweet boys...all three, individually wonderful in their own way.   I will tell Him how grateful I am for the greatest love of my life in my precious husband and best friend, Mr. G.    And I will thank Him for the friends and sweet family that took the time today to make me feel like a princess.

I am truly honored.  Truly blessed.   And so glad to say I lived my birthday "out loud"!

(feeling totally full...in spirit)

Why Smittens kinda freak me out!

I am still laughing my butt off (only figuratively I can assure you!).   I bumped into this blog post last night.   Here's what Kelly, the writer had found:

 

There is such a thing as too much love

Want to thoroughly creep out your loved one this Christmas? Get him or her a set of Smittens!

I would seriously barf all over anyone who ever tried to give this to me. Did you notice that there are even two different sized loner mittens for the lady's tiny hands and the man's big hands? Somehow that makes it even more "eww" to me.

And then our dialogue began like this:

Juicy Jenn October 26, 2008 11:41 PM  

Oh I am dying of laughter here! TOOOOO FUNNY! And perfectly written up. Well done!

Kelly October 27, 2008 11:24 AM  

juicy jenn - glad you thought it was funny! Some people I showed this to thought I was crazy for thinking it was creepy!

Juicy Jenn October 27, 2008 11:39 AM  

Kelly, well actually...you're not crazy for being creeped out. I imagined holding my husbands hand in the gloves and then something comes toward us...at a high rate of speed. I can't get my freakin hand out of the glove in time to seperate from him, so we both get clobbered!

See? You're not wacky.

(Had to share!  I just HAD TO! Tell me you're bustin up too!)

Oh that name is so....sophistated!

As a writer, sometimes I dream up things that might only make sense to another writer or at least another dreamer.   Tonight I was cruising through Twitter, looking at the names of people on my follow list.   Suddenly I saw a name that struck a cord in my imagination.   Like a burst of fireworks, my mind began to twist in various patterns around characters, associated with names that I see as both beautiful and worthy of being given to precious new babies that enter this world.  

And so this is how a nonsense blog post began.

My always evolving list of beautiful girl's names....

Claire -  She most definitely is gently sophisticated.  She probably wears pretty cotton dresses in pale pastel colors...with itty bitty flowers in patterns swirling throughout the fabric.  She may even own a ribbon or two that eventually are swept up into her hair.   I'll bet she dances...and doesn't truly mind who's watching.

Mara - She's smart...and unpretentious.   I think she has made her own unique style and doesn't need our approval to wear it.  Mara is stronger than many girls and I imagine that she's got a smidge of a tempter tucked beneath her mischievious smile.   She'll dance...but only with the man of her dreams...for which she has saved it all.

Kate - (the name that makes my heart flutter at the mere thought...because had baby Jack been a girl, that would have been her name most definitely!)  She's bubbly and giggly...with a sense of timing that outwits most people.  She is a clever dresser with style that makes people look twice and ponder.   I just assume she has beautiful curls that bounce when she walks.  And for some reason, she has the attitude of Kathryn Hepburn...and the grace of Audrey Hepburn.  She dances alot and fully understands that her dancing is contagious...others will join her.

Maggie - She's quiet and beautiful...loves to read books like "Little Women" by Louise May Alcott.   I imagine that she has long eyelashes and dark hair.   And she probably looks stunning in colbalt blue.  If Ms. Maggie dances...it is perhaps in the quiet of a room filled with firelight and soft violin music.   Sometimes in her mind, she dances like a ballerina...and glides on her toes like an angel with wings.

Well, juicy girlfriends...do you have a name that thrills you?   Inspires you?  Sends you spinning toward a visual picture of that person...without ever having had the pleasure of meeting her?

Share...babycakes...do share.   It's a bit like being a kid all over again...imagining the possibilities, without someone telling you not too! 

(feeling happy to be in my own imagination for a while...and not being told to stop it!)

Ok cupcake, where is your Diva?

My inner Darling Diva was chattin with Ms. Julie's Darling Diva, the other day and it came to us.   

If you keep hushing the inner Darling Diva inside of you...she'll stop showing up and will leave your butt in that stuffy, dead-pan, annoyingly straight-laced little world you've gotten yourself into.  

Did ya know that little bit of Juicy information? 

Gotta tell ya babycakes, it seems I have stuffed my inner Darling Diva, over the winter and holy moly...she nearly left me!  Thank the good Lord above that another Darling Diva gave me some heads up and a solid kick in the tush! (Thank you Darling Diva T!)

"Just who is this inner Diva?!"  I hear you ask.   Oh and you know I love it when you ask.  Your inner Darling Diva is that Juicy Gal that makes just about everything you do, feel Free and Fun!   

She's the luscious part deep inside of you that breaks out laughing with bursts of belly giggles!   

Your Diva, is the girl that knows exactly what color dress to wear that will absolutely KNOCK HIS SOCKS OFF when you enter the room.   Or she knows Darling Divas who will tell her which dress is THAT good!

She's the part of you that loves glitter and tiaras...flashy pink boas and fabulously sexy shoes  (aka: strappy...open-toed, higher than high-heeled...thrill him in a minute, with your sexy-mile-long-legs...kinda shoe!  Yeah baby, we're talking DIVA!).

Would you want to go to bed with someone wearing THAT?

So we got your attention yesterday, yes?   Oh now, don't feel so bad about your fugly pajamas and schlumpy sweat pants wearing days.   They're a thing of the past now - we hope!   But I warn ya, get ready girlfriends, because there is more.   Indeed. 

Let's take a quick peek at what you wore to bed last night with your adorable husband!  Did you think you could really spend the rest of your life in that??   For the record, I am not talking to the gals who wore something sexy and frilly to bed last night.   I am not even talking to the girl that put on the matching jammies with the pink flowers on them.   I'm talking to the girl that forgot she is can be oh so adorable in bed too!   

Ok, ok...I hear you.   You have a arms length of excuses for this behavior.  And I've had them too!

So let's get honest here.   Want to know WHY I am on a rant over this today?   Well, last night...prior to hoping into bed...I did wear something slinky and silky...just for Mr. G.   But after he was done with that little number,  (oh hush now...I am so into this boy it astounds even me sometimes!)  I was freezing and opted for a little something that I'd be ashamed to show you!    But I'll tell you about it.   

Picture this, a baby blue "Long Johns" top and a pair of bright pink Pajama pants with little bunnies and words that read, "Deal with it!"  Yes...yes...(bowing my head in humble shame). [Sigh]  I know, very, very tacky.

I'm not saying that you have to be a fashion plate in the bedroom.  But I got to thinkin about it this morning and I remember being married early on...come on girlfriend, you remember that too.   I rarely showed up in bed with anything that didn't make me feel like a girlie-girl or a juiced up diva!   So what happened?

Well, to be perfectly candid, I'd say...time, pregnancy, exhaustion, weight gain, weight loss, and frankly...a slacker attitude.   It gets the best of us babycakes.  Really.   In fact, lets see if we can debunk some of your excuses, shall we?

1)  "I'm a mother to 700 kids and there isn't enough time to shop for anything cute!"
Rubbish, did you just sit here for 5 minutes surfing the net?  Well, there are deals ON THE INTERNET that will blow your mind.   You can find something cute and have it mailed right to your doorstep.   How about www.ebay.com?

2) "I'm too fat to wear anything slinky or sexy."    Oh come on, who are you kiddin?  Your man doesn't care about that!  He wants his vivacious, voluptuous woman to bust out and wear something sexy anyway!  He married you...he wants a piece of you.   Quit making him responsible for that.   He is INTO you baby.   And if he doesn't sound like it...try checkin what you're doing.   It might actually be you.  And for the record, there are thousands of plus sizes on eBay too! 

3) "I can't afford to toss out the pj's and buy new ones."   Honey, frankly, you can't afford NOT to!  Do you have $20?   Could you get $20 together?  Goodness knows you could even find a cutie outfit on clearance at Macy's or Target for that amount of dough.  Or take a peek at www.cutepajamas.com ...A-d-o-r-a-b-l-e!  Don't let a few bucks stand in your way.   You deserve to feel beautiful and you deserve to show your hunky hubby that he is the luckiest boy in town!    Oh believe me, he'll thank you.

4) "Oh Juicy Jenn, its just too darn cold in the house now!  Winter is here."   Well let me tell you a little story.  A good friend of mine once sat with a gaggle of our gal pals talkin about how winter affects our selection of bedroom wear.   After each girl spoke of being entirely colder than cold in silk...and determined to stay very warm through the winter...a little voice chirped the following.   "I wore a flannel pajama set to bed last night...but I unbuttoned the top buttons...."   The group spun around, stared at our little vixen and cracked up laughing.    Yes, she's got the idea!    If you MUST wear flannel...at least give the man a little something to work with under it all.   Maybe even something silky under there?

5) "I just don't care.  He's such a grumpy jerk of a man..why would I wear something cute to bed for him?"  Ok I know, there really are jerks out there.   But for the sake of argument, let's just say you married the man of your dreams.   And let's just say that over the years, he's kinda turned into a jerk before your eyes.  Well, did you have anything to do with this?   Have you given your husband something to adore?  Or are you spending far too much time saying, I don't care what you think...its all about me...so "Deal with it!"   If that's the case...might I suggest a good read over at this website? 

Wake up sistas!   Bring the homespun flirty-fun back into your homes.  There are entirely too many marriages going up in smoke these days.   Do you really think your bedrooms don't matter?  Wake up.  Wake the heck up!

If these arguments don't really push you into a reality check...then how about getting it from a husband perspective.  I asked Mr. G what he thought about this particular topic and this is what he had to say.

"What you go to bed in, is a reflection of you...its a reflection of what you think of your husband and what you think is going on in your marriage or in the least, the way you feel about your marriage."   

Oh my.  Dear girlfriends, it is time for a change.   So today...I am tossing out the old jammies...they've had their time in my drawers.  And its time for something new to swing back into the house.   Join in the fun here...are ya with me?

(feeling passionate for a reason...can we save marriages!)

P.S. Don't go emailing me about your husbands ugly attire in the bedroom...just go get this book and read on babycakes!

Hey you! Girl, in the pajamas and sweats. Snap out of it!

Moments ago, I stood blow drying my hair, staring at the girl reflected back at me.   I had just finished applying my make-up, spritzing perfume and now I was placing locks of hair into a manageable position for the day.   As the hot air pushed hair across my face, a punch of a thought hit me.  "Why on earth do I go to all this trouble every day, when I am a stay at home mother with no real place to go today?"   And as quickly as the question came, my diva snapped to attention and replied, "Oh honey, are you kidding me!?   You doll up for loads of reasons!"  After which, she started to list them..out loud, in my head.   

This seemingly strange internal conversation made me think about the others out there.  You know who you are.   Maybe you're a stay at home mommy or wife.  Maybe you're simply a woman on your own.   And you're stuck in a rut.   You've got the schlumpy appearance externally and it's leading to more than you think!   Oh I hear you arguing with me...but give the girl a moment to prove my point. 

If I have to guess what you look like right now, I'd say, more than likely, you're sitting there, in a sort of schlumpy position, wearing pajamas, sweats or an outfit that was purchase in 1987, but feels so comfy, you simply can't let it go.  Maybe your hair is up in a ponytail...or maybe a strange clip, also purchased in the 80's.   Perhaps your makeup is still smudged across your face from sleep.   Or maybe you haven't worn a shred of make up in years.     If you're really in a bad way, the pj's have been on for days!   And there are holes somewhere on the sweats.   I don't even want to get started on the teeth or toenail polish. 

Now let's get honest.   Honey, you need some kind of girlfriend intervention in the biggest way!   And I'm here for ya.  (Sound the gongs please!)  Why?   Because babycakes, I've been there.   I've done that to the biggest, grossest degree imaginable!   And it all out drains the diva right out of a woman.

For years, I argued that it was comfortable and that was all that mattered.   I liked my schlumpiness.   I didn't care if my husband came home to it or not...he'd just have to understand that I was with the baby all day and between cleaning, cooking and childcare, I didn't have time for anything diva-licious.   So there were days and days of "ick".    Sadly, I can tell you that took a toll on this girl.   I became complacent.   I under-estimated myself.   I forgot what it felt like to feel young and full of life.   I gained weight.   I kept weight on.   I felt sluggish.   I felt sad inside but tried to hide it.   And that funk simply stunk!

Let's face it, when you shower, smell great and fix your hair, brush those teeth and wear something you feel at least "kinda cute" in, it changes the way you feel.    I end up feeling as if I'd not be embarassed to answer, should someone decide to knock on my front door.   I feel prepared, excited and ready for the adventure that every single days holds.   If that continues for days on end, it will change your whole life.   You'll feel better, do more, be happier, feel sexier and hold yourself a bit taller after a while...if not immediately.

Now I am not saying there aren't days when schlumping around sounds darn good to me.   Every diva needs a "down day" here and there.   But honey, don't make a career out of looking older than you are and not caring about the juicy girl inside of you.    Juicy Divas, you've gotta be willing to get your diva dressed up and feeling good...even if it's just for you.

Girlfriend, if you're sitting there right now and you KNOW this is you.   WAKE UP!   Snap yourself out of it right now!   Get off the computer and take a shower.    Go put on a dress, just for the sake of feeling beautiful...it is so incredibly succulent to be inspired all by yourself!    Perk up your face a little with a shade of lipstick or a gloss. 

And honey, don't be afraid to toss out those sweats or the old PJ's.   Come on now.   Break out!  Break free!  And don't do the years of ick that I did!   Are ya with me here?

(feeling hopeful that you'll get in the shower NOW!)

Best words ever..."You can take me home!"

Gratefully, those are the words I heard yesterday morning over the phone.  And so I scrambled, grabbed the baby and scurried to the hospital to bring the King back to his castle.   We are so over the moon that he's back.   Every single one of us.   Even Pete the pup was overly wiggly at the sight of Mr. G slowly scooching up the walk-way to the front door.   

We still have a long recovery ahead....but God is amazing, we're going to do great over here.   

Thank you...thank you for your prayers and outpouring of love.   I really have appreciated your emails and notes left on the blog.   So thank you.

With love,
J.J.

Meds, hubby and life in our fast lane

Ok so he's not home yet.   No..not quite.   But he's been out of bed, scooting around a bit with a walker...slow as an 80 year old ...or a tired snail...down the hallway and back again.   I keep walkin' behind him trying to catch a quick glimpse of his cute little tush when the wind catches his fashionably smart gown with the gappin' backside,  just right.    And I swear, when he finally picks up speed...I am gonna get best view of the bright side of the moon somethin' good!   But for now, the boy is a bit slow and there simply isn't any wind blowing down the corridors of the hospital at the moment.   (hint to hospital staff, please put fans in the hall - thank you, signed, hoping for a peek.. wife!)   

I am terribly proud of him.   I mean that.  He's such a trooper.   And he is still in such a great amount of pain.  But doing so well through it.

He's also be greeted by some of the sweetest friends, who've taken time to drive down and visit with him.   They've truly honored us by being there to cheer him on and love-on him.    Thank you dear friends and family!  Thank you for being sooooo kind and taking the time away from life to do that.   You really are true friends.   

The boys have been taken care of by my sassy sister and some of our dear friends...who've come in to care for them every day so far.   My word, what a blessing.  I have been able to care for my Mr. G without worry about the boys.  And that is such a relief to this girl.   I dont' know what I would have done without the help.   Thank you so much!

I am hoping soon to write that he is home...but for now, there's no date for returning the king to his castle.    Tomorrow I go again to the hospital...trying to catch that glimpse.  Man I love him.  But there is Nothing like a man on a serious amount of pain medication, talking in his sleep...falling asleep while eating lunch...and snoring only moments into a conversation.   In our house, we call that kind of medicine, "martini in a syringe!"   

Now if only the wife could get a sip of the good stuff!  :)

Thank you so much for the continued prayers.   My love to all,
J.J.

He made it through!

I am actually still at the hospital.   I've been here for over 24 hours now.  Whew.   And I am so glad to say that my Mr. G has made it through this surgery very well.   He's in a lot of pain but we're both so grateful to be on the other side of the fusion surgery and into recovery.   Praise God for such a gifted surgeon.  Honestly.

For the dear friends and family praying, thank you.   He still needs those prayers!  It's hard to watch this man that I love so much in so much pain.   I'll probably head home tonight to give my sister some relief with the boys.   But we'll see what the day puts before me. 

That's my quick update before I go get him, "real" coffee.   :)

Love to all - J.J.

It's the little things, really.

You know how everyone has a thing?   I don't mean a thing, thing.   I mean, everyone has something that they must have.   For me...its a good hair-dresser and red toe nails, to name two of my "things".   

While talking to Mr. G a few days ago, I realized that he has a "thing" too!   (oh knock if off...I know where your mind went!)  I'm talkin about chilly feet.   The boy just can't seem to keep those toes warm.   Nope.   Every single winter I can tell you exactly where he is in the house, based on the shufflin' sounds of slippers schoooshing over the wooden floor.  (yeah I made that word up...you get the point though.)

So I got to thinking about the hospital stay that's coming.   No doubt he's going to have cold feet in that bed of his.   So hmmm.   Wool socks are NOT quite the ticket.   It takes too long to get the toes to heat up and stay that way.  You know what I mean, right?  A warming blanket is too big and probably not hospital gear.   So what to do?

Google the problem, girlfriend!

I did!  And this is what I found.   Check these out divas.  HEATED SOCKS!   Yes indeed!   

" While out in the cold, keep your feet warm and dry with the Lectra Battery Heated Boot Style Socks from Nordic Gear, Inc. These heated socks feature a recessed channel built into the leg and toe area which keeps the heating unit invisible and flush with the sock."

Don't ya just love the little battery pack on the side!?  I think they made this pair look so McGyver...which will be right up Mr. G's alley don'tcha think?

So I am off to Modell's for a little heated sock present for my guy.   Oooh I can not wait to give him something a little extra for his stay. And why prey tell don't they have some of these in red and white polka dots for the girlie-girls?!  Like maybe these socks...wouldn't they be so cute with heat!?

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Even Ms. my-feet-are-usually-pretty-warm, wants in on some of this action, HEAT included.

(wondering, how would you wash electric warming sock exactly?  anyone?)