Letter to Teen Mom 2- Girls...

This is my letter to the Teen Mom 2 girls. 

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Preface: I would like to start by saying that I am not a teen Mom. I do not know your struggles, your hardships or your life-besides what is aired on T.V.  I do not wish to "slam" any of you, I believe that you are all doing the best with what you have been dealt.  This being said, I am a Mom, I do understand what it is like to raise children. I was almost a teen mother and although I have not walked in those shoes, I can imagine the things that must weight on each of your shoulders everyday. 
I would then like to say that I have watched not only Teen Mom 2, but all of you in 16 & Pregnant. I almost feel like I have been on walked along side each of you on your journey. I do not agree with *everyone's' choices, but feel that the show has brought to life the consequences of getting pregnant before you are ready. Each of your stories are inspiring and I hope will help me be a better parent when it comes to discussing sex and babies with my own girls. 

OK, on with it already Kel!

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My Letter to Chelsea
I have watched you grow up girl! I mean, thinking back to you in your episode of 16 & Pregnant, I remember scratching my head, thinking to myself that this poor girl has no idea what kind of ways her life is about to be turned upside down.  Adam was a jerk then, he is a jerk now, and unfortunately for him, he will probably always be a jerk.  OK, not to totally bash Adam. I love watching you grow, you are a Great Mom! Do not ever let anyone tell you different!  I am glad, (you are NOT going to want to hear this) that Adam is finally trying to be a part of Aubrey's Life. Unfortunately, this journey has been recorded and she will see that it is only when he is expecting a new baby that he steps up for Aubs. But, I think that being a Daddy's girl myself, it is important for a girl to have her Dad. Even if he is a hot mess.  The best decisions you made were moving on from the toxicity that is Adam. You are a devoted Mom and it has been a joy to watch you blossom into the person you have become. Keep striving for those stars and don't give up.  The kicker is when you were going to change Aubrey's name on the Birth Certificate because Adam was such a nasty person, kind of wish you had. I can totally feel your insecurities when it comes to not being with her and I think it is sad that Adam doesn't get that. I think that he can't relate because he has always been a piece of her life, not a part. Hang in there. You will be a better parent for sharing custody, even when you want to be selfish (I would too) but for Aubrey, and for her growth. I think that if anything, when he is with her he does love her and she will make HIM a better person. (Ironic, isn't it!)

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My Letter to Kail
You have been busy girl!  I think that you are a wonderful Mom. You are NOT your Mother, not even close. All I ask of you is to cut Javi some slack. He is a good one and deserves all your love and attention. I totally understand that editing happens, but you always seem so cold towards him. He is a stand up guy and you are so lucky to have found him.
You were a beautiful bride. Your ceremony brought tears to my eyes and I thought that it was a new start for you both and so romantic. I love that you are also having a civil relationship with Joe. Just remember, Joe is a GREAT Dad, you are so lucky! Don't discredit him. He has been the best Teen Dad ever and deserves that credit because a lot of the Teen Dad's kind of distances themselves and he has fought for Isaac as much as you have. You are both great Parents and I love that Javi and Him are also trying to build a civil relationship. It says a lot about you guys and your Co-Parenting. Now, onto Vi, give her a chance. She is great with Isaac and you found happiness, let Joe find it too! It will be better for Isaac in the long run.
My last words are, keep doing what your doing. You have grown so much and have turned into a good person, Kail. I just wish you would let your guard down a little and warm up a smidge! ;)

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My Letter to Jenelle
Oh girl..I do not want to bash you, you get it enough from Barbara and your fans, but I just wish you loved yourself! You need to start with YOU, work your way to Jace and then, maybe, just maybe, you can find love elsewhere.
Bi-Polar disorder is tough and I am proud of you for putting yourself out there, letting the world see how the disease affects you. I do not personally suffer, but I do have a Mother and Brother who battle the disorder and I see the struggles both internal and external that they afflict. Stay strong, find the right medication and look at yourself in the mirror. You are a beautiful person with a huge heart. Give yourself some of that love from that heart and start there. You need to love you before you can let anyone else love you and the love you are getting is not the right kind.
As for Nathan, hopefully you have moved on. Although with a baby, I am sure there will always be a back and forth that will happen for now on. He is bad news. I saw right through his pretty boy face from the get. He might have his own money and all the flash, he inflicts anger in you and twists stuff to set you off. Any relationship like this is best to avoid.
As for Jace, don't leave him behind. Fight for him. I really haven't ever seen you fight for him and he is suffering. Stop being selfish and love you and love him. He is the only guy you need in your life. Parenting is tough and keeps you grounded at the same time. It is kind of amazing in that aspect and if you could worry about him more and being the best Mom your could be, you would improve your disorder and rid yourself of the depression.
Hang in there girl and next time I see you, I hope that you have Jace, new baby and are smiling and all about your babies. They deserve it!

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My Letter to Leah
This one is the one that I needed to save for last. Leah, my heart aches for you in so many ways. You are a hands down Ah-Mazing Mother! I give you nothing but tons of credit for the life you have created. You are strong and caring and active and just amazing. So, let's talk Jeremy. OK, I am married and I have learned the meaning of being a "Godly Wife" and seriously, look into this (it is on my blog) - you need to pick you battles and stop nagging. My life is similar, minus the day travel. I do not see my Hubby a heck of a lot because of his crazy work schedule. How do I get through it? Texting. Whether he responds or not, I text. I also remember why he is working. It isn't for him, it isn't for stuff he wants to buy..nope it is for me and my girls. I do not lose sight of that because at the end of the day I ask myself, Does he want to be away from us, does he want to be working 10 hours days, six days a week? You need to stay rationale, no matter how hard it is.
You have your hands full. I totally get that! You just have to take the time you do have with Jeremy and love him. Put the fighting away. One thing that does bother me, and again.editing might be obscuring my vision, but he is very cold. You say that you love him and get a blank stare, no words back. I think that counseling would help break that, but only if he is willing and right now he seems very adamant that he is not interested. Maybe it is just lack of communication, or maybe it is just the nagging but you might need to push with more affection. I think that saying, Kill em' with kindness, would work in the affection department.
You are under a lot of stress, but you still deserve to be treated like a great wife. Do not lose sight of why you were married and do not throw in the towel at the first fight. If you meant your vows, do not give up. This is something I wish someone would have told you with your marriage to Cory. If you would have bought that stupid old pick up...you never let me drive... there would have been compromise and a home might have followed. If is water under the bridge and you can not go back, just move forward. You found Jeremy, now it is all about showing him your love and getting him to show you his!

As for you absolutely beautiful girls...Alleah is a normal 4 almost 5 year old. Her behavior is hands down, normal!  I speak from experience, as my 5 yo exhibits the same rowdiness. My children are 2 years apart and completely different! Ali is so stinking adorable! You stay so strong for her and I swear it is keeping her thriving! I am still in shock about the results and just want to give you a huge hug. You and Cory handled the news better than I knew Hubby and I would have. It is a huge hurdle, but if anyone is going to get through it, it will be you.

I love the co-parenting that Cory and you are managing and although I personally, would love to have seen a happy ending between the two of you, I am happy with your life partner decisions and love the fact that you both talk regularly and work together. You have to  for those girls and I love the Mom you are for always keeping that as your primary focus! I love your Momma too! She did/does good with you and you are so lucky to have her always by your side. She is open and honest and listens and that is something you truly need.  I would never sit here and try to act like i know what your going through. I don't and I am so sorry you are going through this, but know that you and your girls have touch my heart. I know that you and Jeremy can gt through all these hurdles. Please just remember that marriage is work. It is not meant to be easy and understand where he is coming form. That being said, I hope that he can somehow understand where you are coming from and the things you deal with  and hold up on your shoulders daily. Men don't ever seen to though.

Please hang in there, live for you girls, your family and never give up! Keep pushing Ali, she was put on this earth as an inspiration. She is truly a kind soul and when you put Alleah and her together, they were meant to do something big in this world!

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You girls are all amazing. I hope that we see you again, that you keep inspiring us all, young and old. Keep your message loud and preach it to your own little ones. Having kids is not easy and it will not keep a man. Thank you for hopefully helping me instill some kind of protection and the importance of such for my own girls in the future. It can happen, it will happen unless you are careful and yes, to you!

Take care ladies and keep on being Great Moms. 

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#teenmom2  #strugglespayoff  #kidsarehard

~KEL~

Monday Madness..I work at HOME!!!

What does WAHM mean?

WAHM to me is a Life Changer! I am so excited/proud to say that I am a WAHM, or for those of you who are thinking to yourself,  a WHAT?  I am a Work At Home Mom!

 

I am over the moon excited to announce that the position that I was going for, as a Work At Home Administrative Assistant, has become a dream come true!  I landed the job and can not wait to get it all started! 

This was a huge, but easy decision for me! My Hubby was even pretty easily convinced. Of course, it was making sure it was on the up-and-up and all that good stuff, but the whole Work At Home aspect of the job was an easy sell for him. He knows how much I wanted to be able to be home and also be able to work, I have been busting my booty for the past three months with courses just to make this somewhat of a reality. I am so excited that this position just fell into my lap and that it is a dream that is becoming my reality! 

I was offered earlier last week and upon acceptance, and a few wonderfully happy phone calls from the Manager and a person on Staff (made my day!) I am officially a Sophrona Solutions Employee! 

I am running and haven't even bothered to look back as of yet!  I had to resign from my current position on Thursday, which makes me feel almost bittersweet about everything. I am sad to say goodbye to all my co-workers and my position, of which I have held for the past five years, but I am so happy about my upcoming journey and the opportunities that are waiting for me in this new position. It is the mixed emotions of not knowing exactly what to expect but thrill for what is yet to come, type of feeling! 

My children are thrilled and, although they wont be present for my work-day, they are just excited that Mom gets to take them where they need to go..after all I have missed mornings for the past five years, right!

 

My Hubby was kind enough to go get a desk we had at our old neighbors house (he is awesome and we so appreciate him allowing us to "store" the desk in his garage for the past, um, three years or so..) and brought it home last night so I can get "set up".  Now, I can not wait! I have a home office now, but I am looking for a little nook that is downstairs, so that I can have windows and fresh air and kind of know what is going on in the world! So, I am setting up shop in our enclosed front porch room. (We are currently using it as a makeshift play room for the girls and a storage area!)  I have a lot of work ahead of me in the next few weeks. I have cleaning, painting, setting up the desk area, working with Hubby to find a window (we are missing 1 bank window) and adding some more drywall on exterior walls. Then, I should be good to go and I can not wait!

 

Here is to working at home and having this incredible opportunity at my feet! I seriously can not wait to get this started and embrace this new adventure by jumping with both feet first!

The power of words is amazing to me. I wrote it and work hard to make this happen and honestly, I can not even believe it IS happening! It is a dream come true that I can not wait to start!

Until tomorrow...

~KEL~ 

Fabulous Friday!!! - BIG NEWS!

It has been a week of GREATS for us!

I have posted previously about a job opportunity that I was actively following and I was offered the job on Wednesday! Of course, I excepted!  I am scared, nervous, excited and happy with my decision, kind of in that very order!

I had to resign from my current position and it is almost bittersweet. I am sad to say goodbye to all the faces that I see on a regular basis, but happy to be moving onto a new, exciting opportunity. I just feel that I have been living my life in slow motion since October, when we received the news to start looking, because our company was up in the air with ObamaCare. 

The office has been very mute this past week also. There is a lot of chatter about letting people go in different departments...so this literally fell into my lap at just the right time.  The big guy upstairs always had a plan!

I have been praying a lot to ensure the safety of my family and for God and our loved ones to watch over us. I just feel like the bottom is going to fall out from under us and I can not explain it.  It does not have anything to do with job change, but just a feeling of the calm before the storm.

I start in a few weeks and I can not wait. I am excited to see what the job really entails, as well as workign with this super awesome crew. I am very impressed with this company and their kindness and think that it will be a great match for my and my skills that I bring to the table. Plus, I get to finally be a WAHM! I am more nervous about that and still having time for my kiddos and all that. It is a dream come true. I have been talking about workign from home for years now and for that to be a reality is creating unbelieveable feelings within!

Hope everyone else s Friday is treating them well.  We are finally getting excellent weather and have been spending a lot of time outside! (Love us some great outdoors!)

Just FYI- I will be changing up my format next week.  Marriage Mondays are getting a little repetitive.  I have some things, randoms, that I would love to get off my chest and I am sorry ahead of time if you follow my blog and have to muster through my thoughts. I just need to stay true to myself while trying to make this blog fun to read and interactive.  Still a work in progress, obviously!

Until next time.. Have a wonderful weekend!

~KEL~  

Throwback Thursday...Let's think back to College Years...

Let's take a look back..to those years when you were starting college, or well into it and all the things you did, or didn't experience.

What are some of the life experiences that you were able to take under your wing and embrace? 

What were some life experiences that you avoided? Do you have any regrets?

 

It has been so long since I was in school. Seems like yesterday, but it was a really, really, (let's face it, really) long time ago. When I think back to my freshman year I am hit with the memory of crying in August, days before my College Orientation.  I did not want to go.  A lot had to do with the fact that my Best Friend was not going to school, so I was going to be all alone..

But, I went to orientation (funny thing is that my College was about ten minutes from my house!) and I ended up meeting new people, fitting in just fine and made it through the day. 

My first day was full of anxiety, worry about where my classes were located, and if I could find an open seat far away from the professor! (I am social awkward..)

My college experience was fun. I met some people, including a guy who was in a fraternity and had a little experience with college life. Let's just say that nothing went far and it was not for me! I preferred my guy friends, whom I did not lose touch with. I lived life like I was still in High School, of course I did not know it then, but looking back, it was fun, we would drink, party and find crazy things to do. I guess that was what made it a great experience. 

Do I regret not getting more involved with College life, um, no.  I hung out with my friends from high school through my college life and we did the "club" thing and parties and bar hopping and all those things that you do as a normal twenty one year old. I even met Hubby and started a relationship with him during my college experience. 

I probably would not have graduated if it were not for him and his push. He did not go to school and really pushed me through my education and I really appreciate him for that.

As for looking back on those years I can honestly say that I do not have any regrets. I tend to live my life with the mentality that everything happens for a reason and as it should. (I think it is from a fortune cookie or something!)

I actually drank until I was twenty one and stopped. I have had a drink here and there, but it does not entice me in any way, shape or form.  I would seriously rather have a nice, cold Pepsi over an alcoholic beverage. 

Life is a journey.  Even as an adult, I am still on a journey...every other week.  I think that I will never stop learning, and I am OK with that.

Hopefully, you too do not have any regrets as to the way your have lived your College Years. Embrace your story, don't compare. It is your own and can be written in any way that makes it just that..Yours!
 

~KEL~

 

  

Wacky Wednesday..Real World Explosion RECAP!

It's Wacky Wednesday!

Let's talk Real World...Explosion! 

It has come to an end and boy was it ever engaging! I miss it already, as the last episode was on Monday where the gang all got back together for a "tell all" that proved to be full of surprises!

Did you watch the season?

 

I have no idea what happened to me this year! I mean, The Real World, really? I have not watched the Real World since I was in High School, and let me tell you, that was not recently! I tuned into the first episode, by a misguided remote, and have not been able to turn away! 

I was engrossed in the stories, the characters, the show itself! I was simply put...hooked!

The season started out, much like the Real Worlds that I remember from my past..with lots of "hooking up" among roommates. That mating dance that happens when you put men and women into a house together and they are getting acquainted...or rather picking a mate...always is pretty fascinating. Go MTV, right!

Meeting the Cast (The O.G's) ...from MTV.COM

Arielle Scott-  

A rough childhood and a short stint in foster care didn't keep Arielle from completing her degree at UC Berkeley. Originally from Vallejo, California, Arielle has had her hands in a little bit of everything from filmmaker to model to various start-up businesses. Arielle has commitment issues and can't seem to stay in a steady relationship. Intense flirting, dancing, and clubbing has held her back from committing to her ex, Ashley C., but she doesn't mind hooking up with her from time to time -- as long as it's on her terms. Sharing is not completely the issue, as Ashley C. doesn't mind inviting a third party to their sexual soirees. Will Arielle settle down with Ashley C. once she moves in, or will Arielle continue to have issues with commitment?

Cory Wharton-
On a journey to do the right thing, Cory complicated his life with multiple women and his inability to express himself. Previously a football star, he lost his athletic scholarship due to a pregnancy scare with a girl he was dating. He later discovered that the story was a complete hoax, which led him to leave school just a year before graduation. Cory has dated his ex-girlfriend back home, Lauren, on and off since seventh grade. Their stormy relationship has resulted in ongoing issues with cheating, jealousy, explosive tempers, and crazy arguments. Cory was less than thrilled to find out his ex was joining him this season on the Real World, since he'd already started a "friends with benefits" relationship with roommate Jenny. Will Cory make up with his ex and form a friendship or more with her? Or does he find himself so attracted to Jenny that he wants to let Lauren go?

Jay Gotti-

Jay is a classic womanizing heartthrob (or so he thinks), who doesn't shy away from conflict. He works as an emcee and promoter at a club where he spends most of his time omitting the truth to pick up girls and ultimately getting them to do whatever he wants. Jay has been dating his girlfriend, Jenna, for almost two years. Although the relationship is off and on, Jay doesn't seem to want to settle down and continues his "player" ways. Jay has never really left his hometown of the Bronx, and with his NY attitude hitting San Francisco, these ladies better watch out. Flirting with his 60,000 followers on Twitter and Instagram constantly leaves him in the doghouse with Jenna, yet he always knows the right things to say to avoid getting caught. Once Jenna moves into the house, will Jay stop the flirting so they can move towards making it official - AGAIN?

 

  Jenny Delich-  

This ready-to-scrap rebel is loud, brassy and not willing to hold back; Jenny is passionate and will not let anyone take advantage of her. She moved from Missouri to Los Angeles to pursue acting and singing and continues to put one foot in front of the other to make it in the big city, but has come across a lot of people trying to lie to her about taking her career to the next level. Before leaving Missouri, Jenny had a serious boyfriend of four years, Brian, who she met while working at a club in her hometown. Though in a long distance relationship, her sex drive and Brian's empty promises of moving to LA have left Jenny longing for love from guys AND girls since arriving in Tinsel Town. Jenny's flirtatious behavior, including hooking up with roommate Cory right after they met, threatens the future of her relationship with Brian. She is completely shocked to find that Brian has moved into the house, especially since she just slept with Cory for the past couple nights. Will Jenny clean up her act and make it work with Brian?

 

 

  Thomas Buell-  

A troublemaker by nature, Thomas loves to create conflict by coercing his friends into doing obscene things. He is very blunt and doesn't care if speaking his mind hurts others. His extreme competitiveness can sometimes make others perceive him as a self-absorbed jock. Thomas' sex life blossomed when he lost his virginity to his high school sweetheart, Hailey. The two were supposedly first-time lovers, but there is some doubt that it was Hailey's first time -- a huge issue for Thomas because he wanted to lose his virginity to another virgin. Thomas finds new love in the house with roommate Jamie, but their relationship is extremely rocky as they are always trying to one up each other. When Hailey comes into the house, she complicates things, feeling that Thomas has downgraded himself to be with Jamie and will do anything to get him back. The couple has had a few breakups and makeups in the past, so will they be willing to rekindle their relationship and put aside all the bad and focus on the good?

 

Jamie Larson-
Jamie is originally from Pflugerville, Texas, which she describes as "a mix of country and ghetto." This tattooed hottie is a troublemaker willing to confront any issue head on, which sparks an early feud with roommate Ashley. Jamie is not shy about expressing her sexuality, and her desires are met when she starts a relationship up with roommate Thomas. As they try to keep their sexual relationship a secret from the roommates, Jamie and Thomas continue to fight about their status. Will Jamie's attitude toward life keep her from finding love? And once Hailey starts making a play for Thomas, will Jamie back down or fight back?

The Infamous- Ashley...Mitchell-
This pageant queen beauty is a force to reckoned with -- her stunning looks and tough personality are all she needs to get the attention that she craves from her numerous male friends. A San Francisco transplant originally from West Virginia, Ashley's bubbly personality and her connection to all of the late-night hot spots are initially welcomed by the roommates. But eventually she clashes with a few of them (especially Jamie) as they began to question who Ashley really is. Will the roommates give this party girl another chance or leave her floating off into the San Francisco sunset?




And the PLOT Thickens... by adding the Ex's- after Jenny and Cory started "hooking up" and Jamie and Thomas were starting a relationship!






  Ashley Ceasar  (Arielle's Ex)
Madly in love with Arielle, Ashley's main reason for moving into the Real World house is to give her relationship with Arielle another try. Arielle and Ashley broke up numerous times due to dishonesty and betrayals that Ashley could no longer deal with. Despite their rocky relationship history, this Bay Area native wants to settle down with her ex in hopes of eventually getting married. Once Ashley moves into the house will she get the commitment she been waiting for? 
 

Lauren Ondersma (Cory's Ex)

Lauren's explosive temper is the main reason that she and Cory are exes. Though Cory has given Lauren reason not to trust him with his cheating and lies, she still believes there is hope for a future together and that they can make their relationship work. Quitting her job at a hair salon in Brooklyn, Lauren couldn't be more eager to join the Real World and reunite with Cory. Her excitement is short lived because Cory has started to bond with roommate Jenny, and Lauren complicates their "friends with benefits" relationship. Will Lauren find love with her on again off again ex? 

Jenna Compono (Jay's Ex)

Jenna is an aspiring model who has applied to be in and landed a second casting interview with Playboy Plus. She trusts her man, Jay, and nothing (not even him flirting with his many followers on social media) is going to change that! Blinded by his sweet talk, Jenna wants Jay to commit and call her his girlfriend, and she moves into the house to get closer to him. But she'll be in for a rude awakening when she realizes that Jay has been less than innocent with the women of San Francisco. Will she bare it all for the love of her own playboy, Jay?

Brian Williams, Jr. (Jenny's Ex)

A personal trainer and fitness model, Brian's dedication to his ex, Jenny, is what prompted him to move into The Real World house. Though past attempts to make amends with Jenny have failed, he wants to make his relationship work despite all that they have been through. Once Brian moves into the house, he becomes close friends with fellow housemate, Cory, who shares many of the same interests, including having the hots for Jenny. How will Brian handle his twisted love triangle with his ex-girlfriend and new friend?

Hailey Chivers (Thomas's Ex)

Although Hailey does not want to be associated with Thomas' obnoxious tendencies, she has a soft spot in her heart for him and still hopes that they can be together. She is extremely close with his family and attends the same university as him, but they have not been officially dating for about two years. Hailey moves into the house to give her relationship with Thomas another try, completely unaware of his trysts with roommate Jamie. Will their teenage love prevail over his roommate fling?

Season Synopsis (as told by ~KEL~)

The season proved to be full of Explosions, from the beginning, to the middle and definitely at the end!

We start by getting acquainted with the cast, as they, too, are getting acquainted with one another. We watch as a "Friends with Benefits" relationship begins with Cory and Jenny and an innocent relationship starts to bud between Jamie and Thomas.  We watch Jay go to the club and stroke his ego night after night and Ashley turn into a blabbering, sloppy, disrespectful alcoholic. 

Twists of events push Ashley out of the house (Thank God because Girl is off the hook) and Jenny and Cory just have nothing but fun with one another... until the casts returns from a trip on the water to a house with new roommates! Surprise!

All hell breaks loose as Thomas has a fit, like a five year old, about Hailey being at the house, to live! Jay starts to panic because Jenna is there and he has never lived with her before and has apprehensions, Cory finds Lauren and is awkward because of his "situation" with Jenny, Jenny is much in the same boat because her Ex, Brian is there and wants to rekindle their relationship..um, How frickin awkward, right! Then Arielle and her Ex, Ashley are the only ones that are actually happy to see one another and for the experience! It's really sweet.

We watch the cast of Original's struggle with their "crew" a.k.a. the "O.G.'s" and trying to fit in the new group...a.k.a the "Ex's" and lets just say that feelings get hurt!  We get a twist mid-season when Lauren has to go home because she finds out she is Pregnant and NOT by Cory.... who is disappointed in her.  There is a real chemistry between Lauren and Cory and although they do not act on or, or try not to, it is very comfortable between the two of them.  

Jenna and Jay are my fav's - and although I get so upset with Jay and his Playa ways, I like him. I think that he is just used to his ways and when Jenna is pushed by Jamie, and finally gets a voice...she kicks him into shape. I was really pulling for these two kids!

Jamie and Thomas were a frustrating pair! Add Hailey into the mix and I was usually angry. Hailey, we can see through your fake-ness! She tries to act all sweet and kind but I knew she loved Thomas and wanted him back! I was so unhappy with the way Thomas handled so much during the show but glad that in the end he was trying to stay with Jamie..She was kick ass for him and I am rooting for these two kids too!

So, towards the end we have Jenny/Brian drama! Brian is a weird character and his portrayal of being "Mr. High Almighty" was just plain annoying! I wanted to slap him (Thank's Jenny!) and I was so happy when Jenny decided that she did not want to be with him. He was so frickin' vein and annoying and strange. I love Jenny! She is so carefree, fun and bold and her personality really is awesome! Brian wanted her to tone it down all the time and it was really annoying because i felt like she could not be "Jenny" around him.

At the Season Finale we said Goodbye to the cast as they went on their separate ways. We watched Hailey leave early, which was refreshing! (She was like a third wheel in my opinion)

We saw Thomas and Jamie state that they were going to try to make Long Distance work.  We saw Brian's explosion..eh..maybe it was a Demonic Possession..happen the night before and he went on his separate way...alone!

We said Goodbye to Jay and Jenna, who did take a shared car.  We watch Arielle and Ashley walk away, since they lived so close to the house!  Then, we said Goodby to Cory and Jenny, who both said they were going to keep in touch, since they both lived in San Francisco.

Real World Explosion..tell all..

This past Monday, we were reunited with the cast, all looking a little different, some with smiles, some without.  It seemed like everyone took something away from their experience, good or bad or just plain ugly.  

Ashley and Arielle are still together. They both live apart but are rocking at their relationship..which is awesome to hear.

Cory is not with Jenny or Lauren. He is doing his thing.  He did proclaim that he met up with Jenny, but hasn't talked to her after some stuff she put on Social Media...opps!

Thomas and Jamie are still together and making it work! Thank God!

Jay and Jenna are not together and I feel so sad. He was not shy about the fact that he wants her back..bad , but little Jenna seems to have grown a back bone and flat out said that she has moved on. Poor Jay. They were really adorable together!

And last, but not least...Jenny and Brian are...................................................together? Ugh, say it ain't so! But yes, they live together...why am I so disappointed, well besides the fact that she was BLAH at the reunion show...they are bad together!

There was also a surprise visit by Drunk and Disorderly Ashley..why? I haven't yet figured out. She is still a train wreck!

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I am sad to say goodbye, but understand that all good things must come to an end. It was a great season and I don' t know that I will watch next season..as I kind of feel like this one was a fluke! It was one hell of a ride and I hope that following the people above on twitter will keep me in their life loop, obviously something about it intrigues me, right!

I do not live the Real World but love watching season's like this! Takes me back to my high school days...God I'm OLD!

Well, hope you enjoyed my synopsis, it's quick, to the point and contains all Kel in it!

Until next time.. hope this gets you over the H U M P!

~KEL~

Book Review Tuesday...The Inn BoonsBoro Trilogy - Book #1- The Next Always..by Nora Roberts

It's Tuesday..Time for a Book Review..well 1 would be great, but how about 3? 

I started this trilogy and just..couldn't...put...it...down! I will be reviewing all three books over the next 3 weeks so tune in! 

 

Book #1- The Next Always

The first book in the Trilogy is, The Next Always. I started this book and was captured, literally, from page 1.  It begins with a vivid description of a historic hotel in Boonsboro and the story that this hotel has had over the years. It was a part of the war and the peace after the war, and all the owners that have been a part of the hotel. There are even rumors of the hotel being haunted. 

 

 

The Montgomery Brothers purchased the Hotel and are rehabbing the place with the brains of the architect Montgomery Brother, Beckett. 

His crush from when he was 15 comes back to town, after she loses her husband, with her three boys. Clare Brewster is running the town's bookstore and frequents the Pizza shop her best friend owns, where Beckett and the Montgomery Brother's are at daily. 

Nora Roberts @ her Inns Boonsboro (google image)

BACK STORY:

Beckett has been in love with Clare since high school. He’s a self assured guy who has never had a problem with the ladies—unless that lady is Clare. He is absolutely hopeless at being smooth with her. He hid his crush and never acted on it because she never really saw him. They weren’t even close friends. They were friendly, sure, but she was friendly with all of his brothers. Unfortunately for him, Clare was in love with someone else in high school and went on to marry him and move away. Fast forward quite a few years and a widowed Clare, with three kids, has moved back to her home town and opened a business. Beckett still never acts on his crush, but he hasn’t forgotten it. He has to remind himself daily that it doesn’t matter.

Clare finds herself drawn to the Inn and wants to take a closer look at the place and Beckett is happy to oblige. There is a romantic story that is unwrapping, slowly, but these two characters are supposed to be in the Inn at the same time and the ghosts are playing a role in making the chemistry burn between them. 

I loved how Harry, Liam and Murphy, Clare's boys were a lot like Beckett, Owen and Ryder in a lot of ways and how the Montgomery Boys were drawn to Clare's boys, as if it were a foreshadow of what Clare was supposed to find in her life.  I liked that the boys weren’t perfect little kids who existed in the story only to be precocious or wise beyond their years. They didn’t conveniently exit the stage when they weren’t being cute, either. Clare was a mom through and through and they were an integral part of the story and her burgeoning relationship with Beckett.



Favorite Quote:

Ryder sent Beckett a slow smile. “So, you’re hitting on Clare the Fair.”

“I’m not hitting on her. I’m exploring the possibility of seeing her on social terms.”

“He’s hitting on her,” Owen said around a mouthful of chips. “You’ve still got that thing you had for her back in high school. Are you still writing bad song lyrics about heartbreak?”

“Suck me. And they weren’t that bad.”

“Yeah, they were,” Ryder disagreed. “But at least now we don’t have to listen to you playing your keyboard and howling them down the hall.”

 

 

Last words..

I know that Nora Robert's gets a lot of flack, a lot of grief and a lot of negative reviews. I have been reading her for years now and she is by far, hands down, my favorite author. I have said it before, I try to write like her, and it is only natural because I read all of her works. To me, she is an amazingly, real, author. 

This book, alone, intrigued me, made me want to pick up the next and the next. I don't know if it has to do with the historical part of this novel or what, but it felt so closely parallel to my life, my rehab project, the history of my house. I was hooked and I loved the book. I have already read #2 and #3- but best to save those for their own review pages! This trilogy was amazing and if you are a fan of Nora Roberts, please read! The images that she puts to paper are so real, like photographs in my mind. I could see, relate, feel the emotions from each page and it was an amazing story line as well. But, like I said, I am a huge fan!

Old pic of the Inn Boonsboro (Google Image)

Hope you all enjoy!

Until next time! (Next Tuesday I will review Book #2- The Last 

Boyfriend.) 

~KEL~

Marriage Monday...according to my Hubby....

It's Marriage Monday in a man's perspective..

I get my Hubby to dish on Marriage. It's interesting to see relationships through his eyes or hear his feelings. Men process things so very different from Woman...

It is a Sunday evening and as I sit and watch T.V. with my Hubby, after a long day and his only day off,  he asks me about my blog (imagine my surprise to even know he remembers this little blog thing!) and I tell him tomorrow is Marriage Monday. He then proceeds to tell me his perspective  on the "whole marriage" thing.  ( I asked him to write this but I got a funny face...it's to real for him, I suppose!)

So, I asked him what he had to say about Marriage and his first words were, "Make sure you know what you are getting into." I was like, "Huh?"  I obviously didn't get it!  His explanation was simple, be together 5 years, buy a house together and if everything is working, take the giant marriage leap. 

I could take offense here, I probably should, but I guess the reality is that we dated, we lived together at his Dad's for a year or so and then decided to buy a house. Five  years total into our relationship he "popped" the question with a big diamond ring and that was eight years ago. 

My Ring- handcrafted by Hubby and I

I asked him to elaborate his feelings into a relationship, that is not ours...He just said that he feels that in five years you are going to "hammer" out the big issues and find resolutions or move on. I guess for guys, it is just that easy!  I guess this answer is better than the "Just Don't Do It" joke that he frequently goes to! 

His views on marriage are his own, I totally agree with that and he is entitled to this opinion. He confides in me that he never really thought he would ever get married , or have kids.  He then follows up with, "then I met you."  I know that his mind is indifferent when it comes to the whole "Everything happens for a reason" mentality that his wife lives her life by, but I think that somewhere he knew when we started "dating" - which I use loosely... that we were supposed to be together.  He knows it was not easy. Is it supposed to be? It is about learning and figuring out life and the other person.  I just think that if you are with someone who makes you happy and makes you a better person and makes you want to stay with them, they must be worth it. These, however, are my words, not Hubby's.  His views are much simpler, he does not "over think" it, as I tend to. He just said that he really liked me, then he loved me and we were having fun and kept having fun and the love kept growing and here we are. (It's so gosh darn romantic, ain't it... hmm..I like my answer better.)

We have friends that are having a baby and I asked if/when they were going to get married, to Hubby. He said, "Um, probably not."  I don't understand this and am probably naive in this subject, but in the words of my Hubby, "You don't need to get married just because your having a kid.  I am sure they will try to make it work because of the kid but I don't know if marriage is in {his} future."  So, this makes me ask why he married me, how he knew it was all of a sudden  in his future when he had told me that he never saw himself getting married.  I get an answer I don't really expect, especially after the hum-dingers I got above.  His reply was, "I love you and knew I wanted to spend my life with you, no one else but you. I couldn't imagine my life without you in it and knew it was time to settle down.  It was like we were already married anyways, the piece of paper did not change anything between us, just put some sparkle on your finger."  Awww...He does have a romantic bone! Ha Ha.

Google Image- This is totally something my Hubby would do!

He has been talking to our friend as mentioned above and I guess there is a lot of nagging going on and they are just not getting along on all levels.  My Hubby tells him that if it is worth it to find a compromise. He also refers him to my blog. (My Promoter!)  

I am going to put my two cents in here.. There are rules ladies. I know it is hard when you are expecting and hormones are all over the place, but to be in a relationship (not a marriage) and to be expecting, I feel, not from experience, would be overwhelming. I do feel that Hubby and I had a strong marriage going into parenthood, which in turn strengthened our bond and caused a lot less headaches. I am not, nor will I ever say that we never fought or had disagreements or even that I never nag, truth be told, I have, we have, it has happened. I can say that I have grown and learned along the journey that these things will neither solve problems, not help your relationship.  This nagging thing is a big issue and I think that sometime people need to flip the script and put themselves in their partners shoes, whether you are married or not. Nagging is a pain and I would not want to be nagged and I will not be doing the nagging. It is also important to remember that you are not in a relationship by yourself. You need to maintain respect and appreciate the person who shares this life with you and do not take it for granted. 

Another big one, one that I am sure everyone goes through when they walk down parenthood, is the resentment. I harbored so much resentment for so long when our kids were babies because I felt that I was the one doing everything, including getting up all night with babies to feed them and maintaining my job, which required me to be at work by 5:30 a.m.  I felt that I was sacrificing everything, including my life and Hubby got to sleep, sleep in on weekends too, and was not weighted down with the kids all the time.  Just to write this makes me think back to those times, they were not pleasant. Those were the hardest times in our relationship for me because i did not know how to express my feelings or fix the situation and it caused a lot of stress in our lives. I have since expelled my distasteful feelings and traded them for gratefulness and appreciation for my spouse, who did not understand what I was feeling or going through, but was patient with me and remained by my side through my learning process. 

I am not sure how I came to terms with my "role" but I think it might be just that. I have read about roles, and studied them until I truly understood what my role was and where my place lies. I did not do this alone either. This was a process that Hubby and I both had to go through and it has brought the best out in both of us and taught us that this is a team and one person does not, or should not, go through anything alone. It was a tough lesson though, let me tell you. 

So, thinking back on these times, I ask Hubby, if we did not get married would we have survived. He simply replies, "NO."  There is no explanation needed. I know he is right. It would be easy to throw in the towel at that point of our relationship because without the bond of marriage and vows, what would the point be to stand by, essentially in the dark, which is where I unintentionally kept my poor Hubby.

I am proud of the things I have learned, especially over the past few years and how I have really embraces  my Wife role, as well as my Mom role. It is important to work with your Hubby and make your marriage everything you wanted it to ever be. But it all goes back to those four letter words that surround us, that we do everyday, W O R K.   I think Hubby said it best when he said, "Don't get Married unless you are willing to fight for it, cry for it, laugh at it and WORK for it!" 

We keep working and keep finding more and more happiness and that is what life is all about in my eyes!

Google Image.

 

Thanks Hubby for putting your WORD in my ear! I love you more than you will ever know and appreciate all you do for our family and for me. I am one lucky girl, I get to grow old with you, my Lover and my Best-est Friend in the whole world! GO US!

~KEL~