Behind the Scenes of Jodie’s Touch of Style-Our Relationship
I’ve had a suggestion to give some background of my blog and how we put together our photos. You know, a behind-the-scenes kind of post. Well, since I tend to drone on and on about any topic, I thought I’d split up this idea and start with our relationship.
Quote of the day: “The art of being wise is the art of knowing what to overlook.” William James
Many of you comment about what a special bond that Charlotte, Nancy, and I have with each other. And we really are blessed with such a loving closeness. We truly are each other’s family and spend many holidays as well as normal days together.
So let me give you some history of my family, and how our relationship came about. And I apologize that not all of the photos are of fabulous quality. Some are old and damaged, and don’t scan well.
Charlotte (the 80+ model)
It all started when my mom married my father in 1960. I’m sure you can tell by the photos that they were oh, so young and right out of college. (And hey look at my mom here….that’s where I get my big smile). The story goes that I came along in 1965, and then they got divorced 4 years later. (I know I was a colicky baby but really, it wasn’t my fault).
It was at this time, that both of my parents were wonderful at keeping the peace. It’s not like they remained fast friends, but they made sure that there was no drama when they had to be together. I consider that a huge bonus not just for me, but for them. I realize it’s not always easy to be this way, but the negativity of the other version can weigh so heavily on all parties.
It was during the next 20+ years that life moved on, and there would be times we were all together like my high school, college, and dental school graduations. I distinctly remember one time that my mom and I drove across the country from Ohio for a summer vacation. One of our stops was Denver which is where my dad was living, and both my mom and I spent a night at his place. Granted, I stayed there all the time when I visited; however, not all people would let their ex stay with them.
Nancy (the 60+ model)
My dad started dating Nancy in 1989 when I was living with him during dental school. We always reminisce over the times we first met each other, and some of the things we all did together during that time. It was very refreshing that Nancy and I always got along while they were dating, and enjoyed each other’s company.
This photo below also includes my dad’s mother who ended up living with dad and Nancy for the last couple of years of his life.
While my dad and Nancy were married, there were times that my mom would come out to Denver, and even stay with us. I can’t tell you how wonderful it made my life events easier to not have to stress about who was invited to which event and if they would behave. I only say this because I had friends where this stress was a regular occurrence.
My First Marriage
The good relationships continued as I was married in 1996. We all flew to Disney World and enjoyed ourselves for the occasion. You can see Nancy on the very right and my mom is next to me with my dad’s mom between the two.
The fun continued while we touted around Disney world with the in-laws for this specific vacation.
Does anyone else love looking at these old photos and seeing what we were wearing at the time? I would bet you $100 that my mom still has that floral polo shirt, haha! And I’ve heard that fanny packs are coming back in style.
After my dad passed away from pancreatic cancer in 1999, the 3 of us would still do fun activities together. This photo was at one of the houses in the Parade of Homes in Denver. It was one of those activities that started out with my dad and I attended, and then branched out to include whoever else was around at the time.
Jodie (the 50+ model)
This leads up to the present time. I met my husband, Rob and we got married on Valentine’s Day in 2004. I’d like to point out my mom on the very right in a red and fur outfit that she made. And Nancy is on the left side in a lilac dress. Besides my best friend and maid of honor behind me, the rest of the crew is Rob’s family.
Let me also direct your attention to my wedding dress. It’s Nancy’s dress that she married my dad in (with a couple of alterations done by my mother).
And over these last 14 years with Rob, my mom, Nancy and I spend quite a bit of time together. Our relationship has evolved to being part of each other’s lives.
Of course, it’s always at holidays that we take the group photos like below which include my cousins who live in Boulder. My cousin is the daughter of my Aunt Nancy and we showcased her jewelry earlier this year. (FYI, I’m wearing a wig in the photo below. I always loved this wig, but Rob’s not as hip on it.)
We consider each other “family” for many reasons. One is because Rob’s family is 2000 miles away in New York, and Nancy’s brother and his family are in Florida. Not that we never see them, but we certainly don’t hang around Denver with them. But secondly, we do love and respect each other. Sometimes more than other times….haha!
Present Day
We often talk about what key point made our relationship be like this. How is it that the family continued their love and support even when there was dissidence? Surely, each person is a piece in the puzzle, and by showing grace and love instead of animosity has led to a better union for us all. Trust me when I say, it’s made for a blessed life.
So when I was considering the concept of starting a blog, Rob and I came up with the idea to showcase the different generations, since my moms were basically at my fingertips. I’m sure they will tell you it’s been mostly fun. I only hope you think so too!
Thanks to one and all of you for your support. It means more than you know!
Keeping in Touch
Are you registered for my email reminders to let you know when a post goes live? I’d certainly love it if you take the time to sign up and make sure all your friends sign up too!!
Do you ever wonder why you should connect with me on other social media sites? Well, let me explain what I’ve been doing lately.
Sure you can find my posts on Facebook but I also love to share other people’s posts that I think you may like. Or my Pinterest page has all of our outfits in a nutshell along with fun inspiration from other women!
Right now, most of my time is spent on Instagram. Here’s where you’ll find many other of my outfits and plenty of musings about life and such. Sure, you may not feel like you want to add another social media site to your list. But I spend lots of time and effort to make sure there is something for everyone!
And if you’re new to the party, you can always see our outfits organized by categories, here. Don’t forget to check out the deals & discounts too, on this page.
