Too Much Trash Talking

Hi everyone,

First and foremost my heart goes out to all the people that have been affected by the natural disasters lately, and most recently all the families and communities that have been affected by the devastating tornadoes here in our homeland. It has just broken my heart to turn on the TV lately and see people lose everything, and it makes me truly realize was it important in life. 

With that said, this is a great episode to talk about what it important in life. Seeing how silly, catty, and ridiculous the night was made me sad. It's not how much money you have, what you own, or who can say the meanest thing, it really is about family, having good and true friends, and deep and meaningful relationships. After watching this episode I am beyond grateful that I have all of those things in my life. 

Unfortunately, every week Tamra makes it apparent that her mission in life is to trash talk Slade and me, tear others down, and find joy in someone else's misery. She talks about things in our lives she knows nothing about, so I will address them here in my blog again for the ninth week! 

We start with the scene of Tamra and Eddie going to Vicki and Donn's house apparently to have a smack talking fest about Slade. According to Tamra I am always the one that is talking about her, but this scene just proves my point again that Tamra is the one always talking trash first. She immediately starts talking to Vicki about something she once again read on the internet about us (which seems to be her truth). As much as Slade and I were discussed in this episode it makes me wonder how some of these people could have ever gotten along before without having us to talk about. I mean we seem to be the topic of conversation for them more often than not. My mom always said I should be flattered when other people have nothing better to do than talk about you, but I must say it is a little creepy to me now. Almost "Single White Female." Tamra seems to know every last thing that is written about Slade and I on the internet. I don't even know about half the stuff she says she reads on the internet. I swear this girl has a google alert on our names, because every time I turn around she is talking about something she read about us on the internet. If that isn't a little creepy in and of itself, I don't know what is. Personally, I don't just believe something I read about someone, especially on the internet. I go off of facts and experience, not just hearsay or internet blogs. Tamra only hears what she wants to hear, not the truth. Case in point, at this dinner party when my friend Jack say to her, "How much are you paying him?" referring to Eddie (because Jack was convinced Eddie looked like a guy you get from an Escort service). Of course Tamra turns it around and looks at Vicki and says Gretchen just said, "Did you get Eddie from 999-Salsa." I didn't even say that for goodness sakes! She just makes it up and runs with it! It's crazy! It was kind of like when she said I called her an evil bitch at her party. I never called her that, she is the one that said that. I swear sometimes I think she must have voices talking to her in her head or something.  

I do find it funny though how much Tamra has to say about Slade not being a good parent. Isn't her son the one that is always getting into trouble? Slade's oldest son Gavin has never been in trouble, he is a straight A college student, he doesn't drink, doesn't do drugs, and has a great job at 19 years of age. Grayson is an amazing kid as well that is dealing with a life threatening disease. We also haven't seen Tamra once this season with her own children and then the week she did have her kids she flew off to Spain to be with her new boyfriend and left the kids with her mom. Maybe she should focus on her own life and her own kids for once and think about her actions like doing soft porn on TV and how it might be affecting her young kids who know mommy isn't even divorced yet from daddy! 

Peggy and Micah threw a beautiful dinner party and thought of every last detail, I was impressed. However, from past dinner party experiences with this group, I had a feeling it might not turn out as perfect as they had hoped for. I had already communicated to Peggy that if Slade had the opportunity to be with his son that weekend he would choose that over the party. I asked if it would be OK to bring another guest in his place, which turned out to be my friend (not assistant) Jack, and she was ok with it. Tension started immediately when Alexis arrived without Jim and then Donn started in about why Slade wasn't present. I found it ironic that Vicki was so adamant last season during the reunion show that Donn would never be disrespectful to another woman. However Donn started the trash talking at the table that night, starting with my lip color. Red Lips at the time were the latest beauty trend, and because I have a beauty community on my site (www.gretchenchristine.com) where I am constantly posting the latest beauty trends and tips of week, I thought this would be a fun post about how I wore red lips, red nails, and carried a red bag with my black and white dress to a dinner party! Last time I checked people aren't looking to Donn for fashion or beauty tips, but maybe after this he might start to get some calls. Then for Donn to laugh at the fact that Slade had his boys that night and that he would rather spend time with them than go to this party was beyond me. 

Slade wants to spend every second he can with his very ill son, and he most certainly will choose that over anything else. Since there are so many rumors out there including the ones the women on the show continue to perpetuate, I am going to set the record straight on this once and for all. Slade and Grayson's mom agreed through their child support order that she would have first right of refusal to have Grayson if he is sick, which unfortunately for Slade is a lot of the time right now. Slade requests to be with his son every single weekend, and if he is feeling well enough, then Slade makes it a priority to be with him. Gavin (his 19 year old son) was down from Ventura that weekend of Peggy's party, and it was a perfect opportunity for the boys to all hang out together, so they did. As many of you know, Grayson just had his 8th brain surgery and Slade has been an important part of his recovery. Grayson is getting better every day, but still has a long way to go. Slade recently painted a special picture for Grayson to surprise him with on Easter Sunday, and it has been so cute to hear Grayson call every single day to say how much he loves his painting. Slade is a wonderful father, and you can hear it in Grayson's voice how much he adores his father. Slade was just with him again yesterday; check out this adorable picture of the two of them. 

I have never once had Tamra, Vicki, or anyone else that continues to talk badly about Slade call to ask about the truth and find out what is really going on in regards to his situation with Gray. If these women had any integrity at all they would not be spouting off in regards to a parent who has a very ill child. Slade will always choose to pay medical bills first before he pays towards child support, because he wants to keep his child alive! They have never once been around Slade and his kids, they have never seen how much his boys love and adore him, and the saddest part of all is that Tamra has never asked how Grayson was doing. At least Vicki has had the decency to ask how he was doing. Tamra instead finds it fun to just sit back and make fun of a man who is losing his child to cancer. Do any of you find that a laughing matter, because I sure don't. Tamra has never met Grayson's mother, and would have no reason to ever communicate with her. Grayson's medical condition, and Slade's child support has nothing to do with her, and it just goes to show how desperate she is to try and involve herself in our life in some way or fashion. Again just creepy!  

If Tamra for one second could get her head out of her a-- long enough to actually hear the truth, she would know that Slade is the one that requested to go to court and get a reduction in child support because his income changed drastically. Although I don't think it's anyone's business what Slade's situation is, I find it important to get the truth out there because of people like Tamra that continue to spread lies once again about someone else's life on an international TV show. Let me be clear Slade pays as much child support as he can every month, but to keep up with his original order of $4,000 a month on top of medical bills would be difficult for anyone in these harder economic times. Hopefully the court will soon reduce his support order, so he can continue to focus on Grayson's medical issues and work towards getting him well. I am sure many of us across the country have felt the impact of this economy, and just because Slade and I are on TV it doesn't make us immune to these realities in life. Not being able to pay the same amount in child support has nothing to do with your ability to be a good dad. Simon wasn't able to keep their house anymore because of hard financial times. Does that make him a bad father...no! That just makes his financial situation different than before. I just find it ironic that Tamra left Simon right when he lost his job and wasn't making the same amount of money anymore. I don't operate that way. I don't leave just because the cards are down, I fight and I stick it out, just like I did with Jeff. I am not going to walk away from a person just because they are down. That is when they need you the most, and if Slade and I can make it through this rough patch, then this just helps prove to me that nothing life throws our way will come between us. It's called loyalty, something that Tamra has proven over and over again through friendships and relationships that she grossly lacks. 

At the dinner party I noticed that Alexis wasn't doing well, she seemed very upset and distracted. Of course I agree that it wasn't the best time to be upset, and I wish it didn't happen during the dinner party, but friendship to me means in good and bad times, and sometimes those bad times come at inopportune times. When she was gone for so long I went to check on her because that is what friends do. When I saw how upset she was I knew it was important to be there for her and help her through her tough moment. I knew in my heart it was the perfect opportunity for the women to talk trash about us, but my concern was to be there for a friend in need. After watching the show, I don't know if these women truly understand the meaning of friendship. I mean they even make fun of me grabbing powder for my friend who had mascara all over her face from crying. She didn't have hers with her, and I didn't want her to come back out looking like a mess. Wouldn't you guys do that for a friend? I'm not perfect and looking back I wish I would have not feed into some of the drama that was happening around me, however I stand by my decision to be there for my friend in a time of pain. Later this season you see all of us gather around Vicki during a hard time. Why is it different when it comes to Alexis or me for that matter (like when Jeff was sick, or now with Slade's situation with Grayson)? From my experience, it always seems to be one sided with this group.

At the end of the day whatever these women have to say about my relationship with Slade is almost laughable. Aren't they the ones that are in the middle of divorces and were miserable in their marriage, yet they have to balls to make fun of my man being supportive of me, my business ventures, and having my back. Isn't that what their marriages were lacking the most? Their husbands had jobs and money at the time and look how far that got them, to the road of unhappiness. Unlike them, I am actually happy for them if they are out of unsupportive and miserable marriages. I want every woman to be happy like I am in my relationship. It is the greatest thing in the world to have a man that loves you for you unconditionally and fully, is your rock and support system, and emotionally, physically, mentally, and spiritually fulfills you. Notice I didn't say financially, that is not important to me. Money will come and go and I can make my own money, but real friendships and true love is hard to find so I value it so much.  

Tamra claims she is happy, but I'm not sure I am buying it. She still gets a kick out of seeing others down and out (we continue to see this week after week) as she literally smiles at someone else's hardships or acts like she's five and comes running up to the door to listen in on someone else's pain. I find it hard to believe that someone that is truly happy finds the time to look up stuff on the internet about others and continuously talk trash about other people's hardships in such a manner that it makes you wonder if she is happy they are going through it. If I wasn't happy I too might be on the internet all day looking to find some dirt on someone else so I could feel better about myself, but I don't because I have other things going on in my life. I'm focused on building my future through my companies, building a lasting relationship with Slade, and building those relationships that mean the most to me. I spend my time with my loved ones, especially when the loved ones like Gray might only have limited time with us here. I can only hope and pray one day Tamra can find that kind of happiness and love in her own life and stop hating herself so much that she has to tear so many others down along the way. 

On another note my appearance in Addison, Texas was a blast, and I want to thank everyone that came out to say hello that night! It was such a pleasure to meet you all! I look forward to my travels to Jacksonville, Florida on Friday night May 6th, and then to Columbus, Ohio on Saturday May 7th, to continue to meet all the wonderful fans out there! Stay in touch with me through Facebook, Ttwitter, or my personal website as well! www.facebook.com/gretchenrossi,  www.twitter.com/gretchenrossi, www.gretchenchristine.com 

Till next week,

Xoxo

Gretchen Christine