A Few Things About Me…

Thanks for stopping by!  Just in case you were curious about me…

1. I’m Rochelle, your modern day bombshell. Just your average hot mess trying to get by with a bit of sparkle.
2. My “about me” has to include a number of key people in my life, like my husband, Don. We’ve been married for 21 years. No, wait…is that right?  1999, 2020…borrow from the one…*sigh* math?. Yes 21! Wow that’s a long time! Anyway, I’m truly blessed to have him but, we are hardly on the same brain wave lol. So I’ve learned to compromise and to pick my battles.
3. We have 4 kids: Bella, 19, Anthony, 17, Lila, 13, and Ari is 8. There are ten years between the oldest and youngest. They all have activities. It gets loud in our house. Having learned to pick my battles with Don prepared me for motherhood too.
   

   Coffee and wine are necessary weapons for survival here.

4. I grew up in Michigan, in the suburbs of Detroit. I still love everything about that metropolis! From the art scene, to the music, to the sports. Oh and the landscape! If you’re looking for quiet beauty, head towards the top of the mitten!
5. Not surprisingly, my alma mater is the University of Michigan. I do not socialize with people who went to Ohio State or Notre Dame or Michigan State or other Big Ten schools. Just Kidding. Sort of. The rivalries are fierce! Good thing I’m a decent person and can play nice with everyone! Go Blue!
6. I’m an the oldest of 3 kids who are all a year a part. My sister is the baby, and she still lives in Michigan with my nieces. My brother now lives in St. Louis. Our parents passed away in 2014 & 2015 within 9 months of each other. Even with their health issues, neither me nor my siblings were prepared for their deaths. Those losses are still painful, but it’s taught me to focus on what is truly important in life. It’s made me focus on living healthier too.
   

   I probably should stop drinking so much wine and layoff the bacon and ice cream a bit.

7. I was a ballerina once upon a time. Not a professional, but I had some talent. My summers were spent at the Houston Ballet, Chicago Ballet, and Joffrey Ballet. I was one of those girls that practically lived at her studio. Some of the best years of my life were spent dancing on stage. In fact, getting back into a dance class is on my “Midlife Crisis Bucket List.”   *update:  I started taking a ballet class regularly! And I only needed to nap off the soreness one time!
8. Here are the states, in order, where I’ve lived:  Michigan->California->Missouri->California. The rural lifestyle we had in Missouri was completely different from the fast-paced lifestyle that we moved back to in Los Angeles.
   

   I still secretly long for that Little House on the Prairie.

9. I’m a stay at home mom mostly. I say mostly because I still identify that as my “career” though I have dabbled in direct sales businesses in the past. However, I am excited to say that I recently launched my own online apparel store, called Rise and Balance!
10. In the event I become cranky I need either 1) a nap, 2) coffee or food, 3) a massage, or 4) a glass of wine, preferably a Cabernet, but I’m not picky in an emergency.

11. I love to laugh!

    Finding the humor in the most frustrating situations has helped me tackle them head on. Give me a funny meme or video on Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest, and I am happy for the rest of the day. Laughter really is good medicine, and I hope to give out a few doses too! A warning though: As I’ve gotten older, my humor tends to drip with a little sarcasm. Hope you’re ok with that!