Ugh.

Yeah.  it's not looking good here.  17"???  Hmm. 2 1/2 years ago-my new hubby asked me to move to Philly-I was like 'is it warmer than Chicago' ?  He was like 'yea-definitely' I was like 'ok-let's go!' He was like 'awesome'!!

Fast forward...

17" of snow out my front door.  Well.. that's actually out my back door.  But still.  What I wouldn't do for a nice sunny day-flip flops and fun grilling on the back DECK! AHHHHH 

And I'm on a diet. 

HELLLLLPPPPPPPP!

Looks like a Jersey Shore kind of day. 

Check this-it's too funny.

I feel like I've been neglected this little blog lately.

Not really stopping my mind and business lately to really share 'me'. 

Or maybe I have and I'm just annoyingly emotional like my husband says! ha.

Thankfully I can do that.  I'm a girl damnit.  We all are.. some more than others, k?

Anyway.

Last week my best friend was in town.

She is a glorious woman. 

She, I can say proudly is the STRONGEST WOMAN I have ever met.

4 years ago, today... she was dealth with the hardest blow of her life.

Her husband died.  He had a stroke....and God asked him to come home.

God must have needed him more than she did.

Or.. God knew that if there was any woman in the world - that he had the most faith in - knowing she was strong enough to conquer and prevail... Mandee Coursey was that woman.

Once again.. God was right.

She was left with a 7 week old..and a 16 month old.

((This is what they looked like at that age))

As I'm sure you know, as a parent.  Being left with that is unthinkable.

A divorce is one thing.. but to be more in love than any other couple.. and losing your spouse...

And they were. 

I myself was this rediculously wild Chicago Radio Morning Show Host that partied my nights at Gala's - chased around with a hot little body (that at the time thought I was fat-DUMMY) hob knobbing with celebrities and a life that any 27 year old would love to have.

I remember the call.... it was the Friday before the Super Bowl.  My boyfriend (now hubby) was at the Super Bowl for work... I was on the radio at 9fm - in the studio by myself... when my cell rang.

I thought- what on earth is she calling me so early for??

And as I said hello - having no idea that Jim had a stroke 2 days earlier-and was on life support - I could hear it in her voice. 

She said with a quiver in her voice and tears in her eyes "Joey, Jim's dead."

I was dumbfounded.

"What do you mean?  I didn't even know he was sick?"

And.. well.. not to relive that conversation-that I hear so plainly in my ears right now-and tears in my eyes...

I jumped on a plane-rented a car-and was there by the end of the day.

She was surrounded with so much love... so many people that I had no idea she had known.. were everywhere.

You see.... Mandee and I have been best friends since college.  We lived together in Kentucky for the 9 months I was on the radio there - then I moved to Virginia... and she stayed.. she wouldn't admit it... but she met a guy.. (I didn't like that dude cause he was TOO OLD for her.. ha.)  Little did I know. She wasn't messing around.. She was in love with that 'too old' guy.

She later married him.  Now..mind you, when I say too old - that doesn't mean that in a few years-it would be his time to go.  He was 39 (I think) and she was 26 (I think-give or take a year).

I went on chasing my career being wild-jetsetting all over the country.. meeting stars-partying with my boyfriend-on the radio in a major market-all in my 20s.

She however, was doing the exact opposite.

She was becoming a housewife-living life with her 'real' best friend-and a mom. 

Tears run down my cheeks as I think about how selfish I was... I kinda shunned her thinking we were just 'too different' now... but that is always what she dreamed of.

Fast forward... to today.

It took her some time to move on... how she did it.. God only knows.

She has a 5 year old and a 4 yr old and they are cuties.  She's done one heck of a job so far.  She's been threw a few losers men.  But those are just experiences for her to find her new 'Jim'. 

She will never be able to replace Jim...but I know she will find someone who will grasp her beautiful children..and give them the father they never had.

So this I leave with you.

I am the biggest culprit to forget.. but when I see her smiling face-I'm always and greatfully reminded.

Love your family.  Love every. Single. Day. of. Your. Life.

No.  Live, Love, Thank, For every Single. MOMENT. of. Your. Life.

A good friend of mine-sent this to me this morning... loved every second of it.

Surely puts life into perspective, doesn't it?

Last Chrismas I made abou 10 different 'books'... this year-I got NADA. 

Anyway... I was dead set on making something special for my girlfriend, Jenny.

She's been great to me... cracks me UP (maybe cause she's from the country like me haha)

Anyway-she had an adorable baby boy.  She calls him Jack.

BUT she's whooped by her husband and they named him after Michael Jack the crazed baseball player.  No Jenny-you didn't give into the sports obsession..

Cute kid...

So, this is what I Made!

i just LOVE LOVE LOVE this.  You can click on all the pics to see them bigger...

This little guy is REALLY adorable!  i put cute little see thru buttons on there...

i bought those cute pieces at the Scrapbook convention in Valley Forge last spring...and I have been DYING to use them!  =)

I made this AWESOME texture.  I took a class in Chicago after we got engaged and love doing it... it's on a canvas, and you put gel medium on it-then put Yellow Pages down!!  (Yeah-finally a USE for yellow pages!!!)  Then you 'rip the pages by putting tape on top.. then paint, emboss the edges, etc. 

Hey.  I know. I can be crafty when I need to be!  Have you seen Boston's room?  Whoa...

Words from Will.I.Am  "I got it from My Mamma!"

Ok.. that's a scrappin' rap.

"You're hubby called and said buy ANYTHING you want!"

By they way-I LOVE LOVE LOVE Personal Creations- Be sure to put in AF1003 in your code to get 20% off by Feb 14th!! 

Ok... so I have to tell you.

I'm sad today.

For a number of reasons...

One in particular... I lost a friend.

His name was Art.

He was the camera guy at Better Philly.

He had so much life in him.  He was FULL of it.  ha

I laugh... cause he was so funny. Sweet. Adorable.

And yet... he was sick.

On numerous occasions.....we talked about his health.  He mentioned how he wasn't feeling very well...

Yet...

I hadn't seen him in forever.  I'm VERY disappointed in MYSELF for not reaching out to him. 

He was married for 44 years.

44 YEARS??!!!??!!  That is so awesome.

He use to talk about his daughter often....

When guests would come into the studio-they weren't sure about Artie....The One Man Party.

He'd say such funny things-that I got it.  So did the producers..... but guests would be taken aback.

i really didn't know him that long.... but long enough to know I admired him.

He'd get so annoyed by me though.. hahah.  Who is this kid who has NO IDEA about television???

I know, Artie-you wished I would have gotten it on the first take.......

But I annoyed you with 32 takes on purpose, ya know.

Hugs to you..... sweet little man... that always made me feel welcome .... and that I was worth something.

May your family's sadness and hurt quickly fade to a gorgeous memory of you......

Joey

Here's Art-'AND HERE WE GO-IN 5-4-3-2-1!!!!'

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this place... Gotta take Boston when I'm NOT working..

My friend Kelly is on here!  Woohoo!  =)

Check her out HERE !!!  =)

We could all use little reminders once in a while.