Friday, January 8, 2010

I’m not scared…

Inspired by great posts here and here.

I like to think I’m pretty darn honest.  I’ve never been one to cover up my faults or failings.  I don’t want people to know a Fake Jessica.  I really want people to know the Real Jessica.  I think it comes from a belief (hopefully not arrogant, hopefully just healthy) that when you know all my good stuff and all my bad stuff, you’ll like me anyway. 

I go to the grocery store or to clean the church without makeup.

I write posts like this: http://everydayromneys.blogspot.com/2008/01/im-sorry-so-sorry.html

I (over?)share in most conversations I’m involved in.

I really hope I don’t appear all shiny and perfect.  That you, and my kids/grandkids when they read this years from now, will know I do a lot fun/right stuff and a lot of lame/wrong stuff.

So when Christie (one of the links above) asked people to be real on their blogs, I thought there wasn’t too much I needed to come clean about.   However, as I thought, I realized there were a few things that I wouldn’t love sharing.  And I thought maybe I should anyway.  Just to challenge myself.

The first part of the assignment is to show a picture of yourself au natural.  I took it to the next level by showing you one of the clutteriest parts of my house.  Just cause I’m that brave:

Picture 050

Now, here’s some real things you should know:

1.  I really, truly do yell at my kids too much.  When I say I yell, I really yell in a way that I would be humiliated to have you hear.  It’s the very worst thing I do as a parent.

2.  I’m kind of self-centered.  I really have to try to NOT arrange my whole life in the way that best suits my needs.  No “Your the Mom who never thought about herself” around here.

3.  When Emma says.”You are always on the computer,” my defense is a little too defensive, if you know what I mean.

4.  I have a pretty hygenic house (except the kids bathroom, ew)  and it looks straightened a lot of the time, but my cupboards, basement, drawers only get cleaned when Ryan gets too fed up with the COMPLETE disorganization and does it himself.

Those are the main things that came to mind over the past few days.  Let me know if you can think of anything else.  Or don’t.

(Man, I’m kind of scared to push the publish button.)

32 comments:

the wrath of khandrea said...

somehow i knew this already. and see, you're right, because i still just love you. i guess that's when you know someone is your friend... when you could detail their faults AND their greatness with equal amounts of love.

Hollyween said...

After Stie's post and yours too, I think I may be inspired. Maybe.
Quite honestly, your faults seem so mild to me and mine so much worse. But I bet we all feel that way about ourselves to a certain extent.

You look fantastic without makeup. Thanks for yelling at your kids because so do I. And sometimes I actually 'lose it' if you know what I mean.

Jeanelle said...

Oh you're still beautiful - jeez. Well, I'm going to do this too - maybe this weekend. I'm more scared to confess all of my major imperfections than I am to be makeup-less. That doesn't bother me too much at all (although I don't really leave the house much without being "ready.")

Lauren in GA said...

Uh...I must tell you that you are so beautiful. Look at those blue eyes.

Thank you for your honesty...and to be honest I have always appreciated your honesty and openness. I think you do a perfect job of giving us what is real.

Annemarie said...

I hear you on the yelling bit. I dread open window season for fear I'll be found out. I'm awesome.
I love your honesty and it just makes me love you more.

Elizabeth said...

Hi. I am a lurker who has delurked before...but I'm still a complete stranger :-)
I was inspired by Christies post to "keep it real" on my blog... and it was actually pretty cathartic!
I love reading your blog because you are so down to earth and you inspire me to be a better Mum (you amaze me with all your children).
Thanks for sharing... you shouldn't be scared ... you are a great example to follow.

Ilene said...

Dan washed out the utensil organizer tray thing last week.

I'm so with you.

And I LOVE that you overshare. I do it too... as you know.

Anonymous said...

Bookmarked this. Sometimes non-standard due to you looking for sharing. Definitely benefit my time.

Abbie said...

You know that's one of my favorite things about you and your blog - it's real. I never feel like you are fake. And it actually inspires me to be more real on my blog. Sometimes I get in the mode of just blogging about good, fun, cool things and forget to add some real stuff. I don't ever feel like I'm fake on my blog. I just feel like I forget to write the crappy stuff cos I'm not like "oh, this sucks, I should do a post about it." Ya know.

Lindsey said...

Love it. :) Who took your awesome pix!? (the header family shot... LOVE IT!)

Jill said...

You're awesome. You go girl. I love real people...yet aren't we all real. Why are we all scared to show it, we're all in the same boat! I need to show my real side too but I don't know if the world could handle it. I kinda like having friends! tee hee.

diane said...

Do you really do the ugly yell?

Tom just cleaned all the kitchen cabinets and drawers over the holidays. I'm a clutter bug.

I like your bare radiance. I can tell you wear sunscreen.

Shirley said...

Love you too Jessica! Love this post (as I do all your posts)! You are the BEST!!!

Rochelleht said...

Still look great! Look at those cheekbones. And yelling at the kids? Yea, let's just say while I was on the treadmill yesterday, I was 'brushing up' on my love and logic on the ipod. Mmmm... pretty much the complete OPPOSITE of what I had done that morning.

Unknown said...

Okay, I'll post and send you the link. You'll be inspired that some random person in Salem Oregon was inspired by you :)

J'net said...

Amazing how u have men in ur life that motivate u!
Ur DAD taught u to yell...
Ur HUSBAND to organize...
N ur boys to clean the "kids" bathroom!
LOVE those males!
N u appear to be surviving it ALL.
OH yea ur mom is a good example of the "ever" serving MOM!
IF u lived in Hawaii- they don't close their windows, SO the yelling is "for the neighbors entertainment...!?!"

jessica said...

I think this post is exactly why we are such good friends...your faults are pretty much mine and yet the good outwieghs the bad.

I've been thinking about doing this post since I read Ilene's...but right now I need to be sewing and not commenting so it will have to wait another day.

Lauren in GA said...

Edwina Hugh has a lot of nerve. I cannot believe she said those things to you.

Abbie said...

Bam!

http://forrestandabbie.blogspot.com/2010/01/keepin-it-real-on-blog.html

you made me brave.

Tristan said...

I still love you!

I still need to do my post like this. By the time I think to do it I've already done my hair and make-up for the day. Oh, I'm self-centered too, obviously...I just made this comment all about me! HA!

kara jayne said...

nothing new to me here, but somehow i even love you more. we are seriously so much alike. it kills me. your awesome, and i love your blog because you are real!!

oh yeah...i also want to say ditto to what edwinahugh said.

Travelin'Oma said...

I was standing at the top of the stairs (just inside the front door) screaming like a banshee one Sunday when the doorbell rang. It was the Bishop.

Thanks for a real-ly good post! And thanks for linking to my blog.

diane said...

send me a picture wearing your jacket. I'd love to help. I wish we could go shopping...

Christie said...

Yay! I'm so happy you played along. Your non made up face is still pretty darn cute, my friend.

I used to be a yeller. Before all my kids were in school all day. I promise, your yelling days will come to an end. :-)

Anonymous said...

Your blog keeps getting better and better! Your older articles are not as good as newer ones you have a lot more creativity and originality now keep it up!

Bekah said...

Nice picture! You always look better than me without make up on and I'm your younger (14 years!) sister! What's up with that?! You're just gorgeous! I love and miss you!

Rebecca said...

Great post! I got here via Abbie's blog. And one random thing I noticed was that the comment made by the annonymous person that says your blog keeps getting better and better...I received that exact same comment last week from annonymous as well...I wonder who is going around leaving the exact same comment on blogs under annonymous.

But back to your blog, thanks for that, very refreshing and real.

Carie said...

One thing I know about you: You are never fake. You are about the most genuine person I know. And about the coolest.

No makeup? Could hardly tell.

Yelling? I am working on it. I agree with Stie. THe less the kids are in the house, the easier it is not to yell.

Valynne said...

Ah, this is why I love you, Jessica!

Anonymous said...

this is just a fabulous post. all of the above for me too except you look prettier without makeup. yours is the only blog i read regularly (besides design mom) and this post is one of the reasons why. your list of favorite books includes a few of mine (life of pi, wild swans). i would be interested in posts that include your take on various books you've read and any recommendations you have.

Tammy said...

Jessica, you are and have always been one of the most real people I know. Its refreshing, its dependable and its wonderful. I love you for being you. the thing is...you are such a conscientious person all the way around. You always think about others, so I disagree that you are self centered. And you are beautiful!

Margaret said...

Awesome post. My desk looks the same. I feel a kindred bond to you now.

1. Me too sometimes but this is the conclusion I have come to. Sometimes our kids need to know when they have reached the limit. They push and push and push to get what they want or bug and bug their siblings to no end. But at some point they have to know they have gone too far. I am trying hard to not yell. But if I do, I rock myself to sleep knowing I told them I loved them more than I yelled and if they need therapy at least it will be in my name (and not some child care worker.)

2. Good for you.

3. There are worse things.

4. We are seriously twins. LOL.