MIRLfriends

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If you ever get a chance to meet the people you chum around with in the blogosphere, don’t pass it up! You can’t have too many MIRLfriends (Meet In Real Life friends). You can just learn so much more about people when visiting with them one-on-one in your home. Here's the low-down on the ladies who were brave enough to visit the House of Antique recently.

Shannon (Rocks In My Dryer)
I know. She’s sweet and she’s popular yada-yada-yada, but it is a known fact that she used her intoxicating Southern drawl to lure innocent mommy bloggers into the mall to try on prom dresses and then photographed them. Beware of her. That’s all I’m saying. You could be the next one in sequins and a bow on your….

Chilihead (Don’t Try This At Home)
Yes, she really does have a mustache, but it’s not black. And the glasses? Totally fake. And? She not-so-secretly wants to start a secular hand-bell band in her garage. Be careful. You could end up in her garage with a bell in one hand and a margarita in the other.

Shalee (Shalee’s Diner)
Oh where do I start? She has been known to sniff my shoes and was seen being very forward with a mannequin in a dress shop. That’s all I’m saying. I have adopted her as my little sister and will try to mend her mannequin-fondling, shoe-sniffing ways. Shalee is currently studying to become a River Dancer on her lunch hours.

Megan (Life In A Nutshell)
She is tall, skinny, gorgeous, has good hair, homeschools her five children and plays soccer. She confirms for me that I have time management issues. She often spends the holidays with David Beckham and that Spice Girl.

Jeanna (Days To Come)
She's even more funny in person than on her blog. Since I met her, I will never again be able to use the word “replica” without giggling. Nor will I think of Barney in the same way. Jeanna flies helicopters in her spare time. She would have landed in my backyard but she just not showy like that.

Kelsey (Holy Mama)
Drove six and half hours with a one-year-old in tow to be with strangers. I don’t know whether to be honored or afraid. She made all the name tags, yet I still like her. When Kelsey isn’t making name tags, she manages the human resources department for AT&T. I don’t know how she does it all.

Lauren (Created For His Glory) Lauren brought her daughter Chloe with her who is the sweetest most delightful child I’ve ever come across. I’m going to box up Sean and send to her so that he might have a chance. Lauren not only homeschools, but she also designs prom dresses for Donna Karan. You should see her stuff!

Katherine (Raising Five) and Rachel Annen (Home Sanctuary) Sisters! Both tall, skinny and stylish. Ugh! I would hate them except for the fact that they are both so darn genuine and nice. Did you know they used to do Dove soap commercials when they were teenagers? It’s not something they tell everyone. They make me wish I had a sister.

Faith (Faithful Mommy) She gives pink a good name. In fact, she is the one who convinced Pink (of “I’m coming up so ya’ betta’ get this party started” fame) to go with the name Pink. Prior to that she had been thinking of Dooce. Close call, eh? It’s absolutely true.

CMommy (Sing A Lullaby) Cmommy is so very nice. Did you know that before she had children she lived in Hawaii and used to surf for a living? What a treat it was when she showed us all how to hang ten on my coffee table. Go CMommy! And she looked great in that bikini too.

Minnie (Minnie Moments) My first MIRLfriend. What’s not to like about the chick who brings the guacamole? I like to stand by her hoping some of her cool will rub off on me. Many of you don’t know this but Minnie is a former figure skater and went to Nationals three times! Impressive. She used to hang with Tanya Harding and that’s where she learned those wrestling moves she was doing in the den. I didn’t care that much for that Ming vase anyway.

GiBee (Kisses of Sunshine) Smart as a whip. While I spend my days trying to figure out how to fold a fitted crib sheet, she spends hers analyzing the b’zillion dollar metals commodities market. GiBee once appeared on Letterman with Jose, her Chihuahua, on Stupid Pet Tricks.

Sarah (In the Midst of It). She is so quiet and kind, a calming presence in this band of bawdy broads. She has an adorable little baby with an amazing story. I am so thrilled to know that Sarah lives only a few miles from me. I’m thrilled, but she is probably terrified. Did you know that Sarah won the Pillsbury bake off three years in a row and she paid for her house with the prize money?

Kep (Holding the Mirror to My Soul) Kep lives not too far from me but I couldn’t convince her to tell me where. Odd. Did you know that she paid her way through college giving xylophone lessons? You should hear her bang out “Rocks Me Like A Hurricane.” She had us all rocking out and holding up our cellphones and screaming “More!”

AggieJen (Reflecting Him) I love Aggie Jen even though she is an Aggie. Here’s a little known fact about Jen that I don’t think she’d mind if I shared. Jen went to grade school with Tom Cruise and they still correspond via email. Sometimes they have lunch. Don't abuse that information ladies.

Kelly (Overhead Under Grace) Did you know that Kelly once went out with Dan Rather? But that was before she was married. It’s not something that she talks about a lot, so don’t tell her I brought it up. He bought her a racehorse named Carmen, but she had no where to put it, so she gave it back.

And now for an interesting fact about me. I once had dinner with Ralph Nader. It's absolutley true.

Comments

[Everyday Mommy]

Stop! Stop! Yer' killin' me here!

And, I feel SO cheated. You didn't write up a little ditty about me EVEN after visiting my home when you were in Kansas City.

But, it's fine, fine. Don't worry about it.

[Lauren]

I've been waiting days for your take on this... and it was well worth it. You some how managed to obtain information about each of the women they wouldn't share with anyone else.

Thank you again for your hospitality, it was such a pleasure meeting you. Next year there should be about a hundred of us - what time should we be there?

[Shannon @ Rocks in my Dryer]

Bwa-ha-ha-ha-ha (pronounced with a Southern accent)...

[aggiejenn]

Wow, you really summed it up. As if I wasn't popular enough already, you go and spill the beans about my connection to Tom Cruise. If so many people didn't find him detestible these days, I might be one rich lady selling tickets to my lunches with him. (But, for the record, when Tom Cruise was in grade school, so was my mom. She was a young mom, but not quite that young. ) :-)

[jeana]

That is hilarious, and I'm not bitter at all that you attributed to KEP the xylophone skillz which are, in fact, mine. You made up for it by crediting me with my mom's replica story and gracing me with an extra n in my name.

And everything else was absolutely true, right?

Too funny!

[kelli in the mirror]

The part about Jeana's mad xylophone skillz is in fact true. I'm the one egging Chili to start the margarita handbells. However, the cellphone stuff? absolutely true. :)

Did I really not tell you where I live, or did you make that up too? Because I'm glad to tell you if you wanna know. :)

[Linda]

Oooh - I'm so jealous. And I even live in Texas. Sounds like you had a great time. I am constantly amazed at the great women I have met since starting my blog a few months ago. I'm glad it all went so well.

[Rachel Anne]

Wow, "tall, skinny and stylish" aren't words usually used to describe us. Old Navy really came through on the style (we're big spenders) but the tall part? And Skinny.....now we love you forever for ignoring the pear bottoms and focusing on the waists. I only wish I could have spent some time talking Art with you...I was very impressed with the work up there in your studio. Verrry good stuff!

[Barb]

What a great photo! But seeing Sarah and Addison just made me miss them all the more. I'm pretty sure I can identify almost everyone in this photo. Thank you so much for posting this. And your take on each of them cracks me up.

[Susan J.]

Sounds like a great time.

[Katherine @ Raising Five]

Tall? Oh, I forgot I wore heels. That made me what, 5'4"? You are an absolutely phenomenal hostess - funny, nice, easy to talk to, you have a cute kid, and I like you even more now that you remember me as tall. Thanks again for a great evening! (Next time I hope to arrive on time!).

[Jennifer, Snapshot]

Now I know where to get the real story. Great descriptions. Thanks!

[Anne Glamore]

I am very jealous that I missed this get-together! Looks like fun!!

[Shalee]

Hey, the river dancing thing was supposed to be a surprise for the NEXT blogger get together. Great. Now I have to find some other talent to surprise them... other than doing the white girl's dance with Shannon.

Thanks for adopting me. I was just starting to grow out of my clothes and I could use some advice on style.

And I notice that you conveniently left yourself out of the mix. Ladies, let me give you the skinny on AM. (and that is just the right word to descibe her!)

Antique Mommy: Not only is she funny, kind and witty, she has a great collection of shoes to be sniffed, er I mean, appreciated. Although she claims to be in her 40's, she really doesn't look a day over 35. When she's not mothering Sean, she plays a look-alike role of Grace Kelly in an up and coming Lifetime movie of the week (she's already won an emmy for the graceful performance). Next she will be hosting her own interior design show on HGTV, with a nod towards a casual, yet brilliant entertaining segment.

Oh, and she loves dark chocolate. At 6 in the morning. Until time for bed. That's why I'm proud to claim her as a big sis.

[Chrissy*Mommy platts]

WOW--maybe, just maybe, I looked good in a bikini a few decades ago!!!! You had some crazy dreams after we left; did you have one of Chili's margharitas?!

Thank you for hosting us. Shalee's description of you is actually very true! Chrissy

[Chrissy]

Um, can you erase all that identifying info on my last signature? thanks.....I am so sleep-deprived, still! :-)

[HolyMama!]

ahh, tina, i love your approach. human resources. hee hee!

[Aunt Murry]

Oh I so wish I had been there...and to have met the cinimmon swirling paints wearin' cowboy to boot! I really missed out!

[Goslyn]

Love the descriptions of the ladies. And you have the MOST GORGEOUS staircase ever. Not just because of the girls, either. The archetecture! I am so jealous.

[GiBee]

I can TOTALLY see Tina with her own interior design show on HGTV ... for all of you that missed out going to her home for dinner ... well ... ya missed out big time!

Tina, thank you for opening your home to us... you were gracious, generous, and I was so pleased to get to know you a wee bit more over dinner! Blessings to you, friend!

[Sarah's in the midst of it]

Tina, I got an email from a woman today who wants to know if I really won the Pillsbury bake-off! If only she knew about my limited cooking skills . . .My husband's going to die laughing when he reads this!!

Hilarious:)

(And I'm hoping you meant the first part of what you wrote about me, since the rest is patently false!! ;)

[Pat Kirk]

I loved your descriptions. I'm just saying ... Oh WHAT were you saying?

[Shayne]

I just wanna know…is that your house in the picture? If so, what have you done with Cinderella?

[kellygirl]

Oh..you are so very mistaken! It was not Dan Rather! It was Keanu Reeves and it was not a racehorse, it was a turtle named Noah! Man, I don't know where you are getting your leads but they are so wrong! But I'll forgive the mistake beacause you are such a sweet person and so lovely to open your 'abode' to us. And also because you ate my beans...you did eat my beans didn't you?
Cause if you didn't you are close enough that I could bring you more!

[PeanutButtersMum]

It sounds like an awesome time was had by all! I'm sooo jealous! I hate hearing about a fun time that I wasn't a part of!

Seriously, I too have met a lot of IRL friends from my online groups and so many of them are amazing women!