This blog is still on??!!

I guess "hello" is a weak way to reintroduce myself to this circuit, but that's all I got right now.
It's been quite a while since I've blogged, but it has been for a good reason.
I've purposely stayed away from my blog because my husband Kevin has been stationed over in Afghanistan since September of '06. I knew that anything I would have to say would only be a direct result of my uncouth circumstances and the last thing I needed was a bunch of wannabe politicians calling me unpatriotic.

I'm resuming my position in the blogosphere because it's what I feel the need to do right now. No, Kevin is not home yet, but there has been enough talk of his whereabouts on other blogs (hell, he even did a podcast from his sandy shanty) so I'm thinking it's ok for me to release some tension and inspiration through the written word.

I am still in the process of changing over my format, so there may be a few kinks here and there.
I must say, it is good to be able to write again, even if I have nothing of value to say....who really does out here anyway?

So look out fellow bloggers....Addys back and you never know what you'll see over here!

Las Vegas Update

I needed a week to recover from my Vegas trip before I began retelling this story. The story that is sure to carry on throughout the great history of Vegas.

It was a really great time! Of course, every great story has a dramatic curve, and this story is no different.




I'm still working on the posts, so I'll give ya' little photo tidbits to tide you over until I'm finished writing.

Feel free to come to your own conclusions until I connect the dots for you.





















Well, now that you have an idea, a mere glimpse of the kind of Vegas trip I'm talking about...I hope you'll be back to relive every exciting moment with me! This is Walter Cronkite shit people-you don't wanna miss it!

VEGAS.... Here We Come!

Today is the day! The momentous day has arrived, and we will begin our journey to the land of Sin and Broken Dreams, Las Vegas. Did I mention that we are in fact driving...to Las Vegas...from Wisconsin.

The minivan is ready and waxed (and so is Kevin's back) and our crew is anxiously assembling.
26 hours, driving across America during the hottest part of the year in our final destination.

I will try my best to update everyone throughout our travels and our Vegas Vacation.

Wish us luck, and just in case....I'm B positive, allergic to penicillin, and I'm an organ donor, but not to anyone who smokes, drinks, or plays bingo.

Summerfest Photoshoot Update

The last time I had a spare minute to share my pathetic life with the blogosphere, I told you about the photoshoot I was doing at Summerfest for Wisconsin Trails Magazine (scroll down to the previous post for that story...I'm too lazy to link it!)

The shoot was awesome! We all had a great time, the four of us got along SO well, and the cameraman was so laid back, it was easy to follow his direction and still be natural. My gal pal Kelly tailed on the shoot with me, and I asked her to snap some pictures while the photographer snapped pictures of the models. How artsie man.

Martell and Dwayne looked great together, and George and I have the same kind of weirdo gene that made us mesh wonderfully.

Almost too well at times.

If you squint really hard, you can almost mistake stinky Lake Michigan for an exotic location!

I'm really excited to see the actual layout in the magazine, as they usually only choose 3 or 4 photos out of all of the shots that were taken.

Of course after a hard day of work...yeah work, my overzealous co-worker/model friend George, still felt the need to pose for some additional pictures. I realized that it was almost necessary for me to participate in the picture since it was going to be on the Air Force's website, and here I was donning my airforce tee in loving honor of my husband. No, Not George...he was only my pretend husband for the shoot, though we harrassed each other like we were really married!

Summerfest 2006 rocked! I'm sure I'll make 1 or 2 more trips back there before the end of the festivities. And I'll be on the lookout for the magazines that our layout will be in!

I'll keep you posted!

My Big Gig at the Big Gig

IT'S FINALLY HERE! Today is opening day at SUMMERFEST, the World's Largest Music Festival, and it's held nowhere else, but right here in humble ass Milwaukee, WI.



Thousands of people come every year to listen to live music by headlining bands, they also come for the abundance of food, beer and of course, for the opportunity to dance drunk on a picnic table.

Summerfest has something for everyone...I usually just suggest leaving the kids at home after
5 pm. There's nothing that makes me more crazy than watching some pathetic excuse for a parent, drag their children through a sea of drunks rockin' out to Steely Dan, while they spill beer and ash on anyone who has the great misfortune to bump into them. For Christs Sake...if ya' can't find a sitter, sit yer' ass home! Summerfest will be back next year!

That was exactly the case for me last year. The timing just didn't work out for me and Kevin, and when we did think about going to the "Big Gig", we couldn't find a sitter for the kids, so we haven't been to Summerfest in 2 years.

Such is not the case for me this year though.

I have my own Big Gig at the Big Gig on Friday. I guess you could say I have to work, but not really. I'm going to be modeling in an editorial shoot for a magazine, and Summerfest is the location!

Wisconsin Trails Magazine is doing a spread on Summerfest and I will be playing the role of fest-goer with my "husband", George, who is a fellow model and really great guy. I guess the only down side (if you can call it that) is that the magazine is pretty conservative, and they were looking for more of that, 30-ish married couple. I was selected because of my look and compatibility with George, and I was told to look "more momish and 30's". I was like, "WHAT?!!! Thats what I'm always trying NOT to look like!" Oh well, it's good exposure. I just can't wear short shorts or fitted tops...it's probably better for the public if I didn't anyway!

So if you see a photographer and a group of people taking pictures all around Summerfest tomorrow between 1:30 and 5:00...chances are, thats me! If you don't make it to Summerfest this year, be sure to check out Wisconsin Trails coverage of Summerfest in their August Issue!
I'll even autograph your copy! It might actually decrease its value! ; )

SEE YA' AT SUMMERFEST!!!!

THE DOCTORS APPOINTMENT

Today, I had to go see my doctor...my "woman" doctor...my OBGYN. For all of my male readers, an OBGYN is

I wasn't really as nervous as I used to be in the past. Now, I simply see it as one more awkward thing I have to do, just like Christmas at the in-laws. I can't complain too much though, my OBGYN is a great guy. YES, HE is a GUY, and NO, my husband isn't jealous. Cause I know some of you fellas would be.
This was the first time I had been back to see him since my six week check-up after giving birth to Madison. Again, for my testosterone filled readers: After a woman has a baby, a follow-up appointment is made six weeks later so the doctor can determine that the womans body is healing properly after childbirth. It's also when the Doc usually gives the go ahead to return to a normal sexually active lifestyle.... which for most men, is an anxiously awaited day. Though most women aren't extremely thrilled about the mere idea of sex, since they're barely done bleeding by the 6th week. Yeah- I went there, whatcha' gonna do about it?

So today was my annual appointment, complete with a pap smear and a breast exam. WOO HOO! As I said earlier, this was normally something I avoided at ALL costs in the past. I never cared about the well being of my body, I just knew I wasn't going to let some strange man (or woman) delve inside of me unnecessarily, at least not without buying me dinner first. You can say I built up a wall to protect myself from such circumstances, as I didn't have the best introduction to the element of sex when I was younger. But thats an entirely different blog post!
You know you've lost that girlish attribute and have become a tried and true woman or mother, when you can comfortably carry on a conversation with your doctor or nurse as they examine you. Here I am, feet in the stir-ups, spread eagle, with a spot light illuminating me "down there", and just as Dr.Caldwell snaps on his rubber gloves, he asks me, "So, how's the modeling business going?". So I begin chatting with him and the observing nurse about the Boys and Girls Club fashion show! The nurse complimented me in all my exposure, saying I was one of the only moms she knew that could continue modeling Jr's Fashions after having 2 kids. When the Doc agreed, I thought, "Hey, he must know what he's talking about. After all, he HAS seen more panooch than Ron Jeremy!" Probably not, but anyway.
After my internal exam, I received a new tetanus shot. Last week, I was pulling weeds in my yard, around the enormous junk pile that once was our deck before we remodeled the house, and I pierced the arch of my foot with a well camouflaged, old rusty nail that was sticking out of one of the scrap boards. The profanities flowed from my lips, as I hobbled back into the house, bleeding like a stigmatic. I knew the tetanus shot was good for 10 years and I was sure I got one before I had Vinny, but I just wanted to be safe. Of course I flinched like a little girl as the needle was inserted into my arm. God, I HATE needles! I don't know how crackheads do it. Now I feel like a real sally because my arm actually hurts. It's more like that dull pain that only intensifies when you strain the muscle. The only upside to being violated and stuck like a voo-doo doll, was being able to renew my prescription for the birth control patch. As far as I'm concerned, I have no plans of entering the office of my OBGYN for any other reason until my 2007 annual exam.

God Bless the cold, clammy handed doctors of Obstetrics and Gynecology!
Boldly going where no man has gone before seeking courage from a bottle first.

Transformations 2006 Fashion Show : Continued

A week has passed since the Boys and Girls club held their annual Fashion Show to raise funds for thier facilities. The show was absolutely amazing! I was totally floored by the professionalism that went into this production. It was very "New York Chic" with martinis, elaborate table settings and white covered couches that were situated at strategic places ON the runway, for special guests of honor.
The show is now available for viewing on Time Warner Cable's Digital IN DEMAND Channels. You can find the fashion show on the "Wisconsin On Demand Channel", Channel 1111
Use your remote control to select the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee, and then select Transformations 2006 and play. You can even see my hubby Kevin, lurking at the end of one point of the runway. He looked totally thrilled to be there.(Yeah, right) I don't know why he wouldn't be, most of us models weren't able to wear bras or panties....and you could tell!


Here is some of the backstage photos that you won't get to see on cable. Though the cameramen WERE back there, maybe they figured it would be inappropriate to air an interview backstage, while there were naked models running around.
I took this first photo while the hair and make up crews were setting up. It looks like a ton of space, but when all was said and done, the models barely had enough room to get in line for showtime.




This next photo shows one of the models getting her "Do" Done, while the stylist dons a chair to secure the style. Not only was the model tall, (about 5'11) her hair was ginormously high. Let me just say, she is a beautiful girl, but she looked like the bride of Frankenstein with that bush on her noggin.













And this last photo shows the much coveted fashion designs that everyone came to see that night. It also appears to be a clever pic of coordinatingly dressed women, bending over in my shot. Strange how that works???
Ignore all the ass for a moment, and rather focus on the couture. If I pillaged that rack alone, I would have enough cash to begin building my dream home...thats not including the shoes, those would pay for my land!

I was truly honored to be able to take part in such a prestegious runway show. I'm sure the Boys and Girls Clubs rasied plenty of money for their kids. Thats really what it's all about.

I'll have more pics from the actual runway show later.