Name: Julie Petry
Instagram Handle: @the_dailyjules
How many children do you have and what are their names and ages?
I have 3 boys; Boyd (5), Barrett (3), and Bowen (1)
How did you decide to raise your family here?
I am originally from Houston, Texas and came up to Michigan to play field hockey at MSU, where I met my husband Jeff. He played hockey for state, and they kind of herd the athletes into the same pre-rec classes, so we met our first day of freshman year in anthropology 101. Long story short of the dating story of college, we got married the year after graduation and moved to Edmonton, Alberta where my husband was playing for the Edmonton Oilers at the time. That year we also decided we would make home base here in Michigan, as it made most sense for his off season training & summers are amazing here. He is also from Farmington Hills, so it is nice having family nearby too. However, never would I have ever thought I would have ended up splitting time between Canada and Michigan (the coldest places ever, lol). But, I have grown to love it here and we are really starting to dig in roots since having children.
What are the fun parts, and challenges to your husband playing in the NHL?
The challenges would include the constant and public scrutiny your partner and best friend is under. The criticism and flat out ruthless comments directed at your family (mostly how they play, etc.) can be hard to take after time…I have had to bite my tongue many a times to not rip into them. *I’m always reminded, it’s not worth it! Haha! Another challenge would be their schedule and how much they are not around from September-April/June (in a normal season), hockey season can get kind of lonely especially if you are living in a city where you don’t have family or close friends near by. But, that being said having them around during summers is really great and we soak every second up of it! With all the challenges, there so many fun parts of our life as part of the NHL…every year brings such excitement and adventure which I look forward to. We also get to create some pretty amazing memories with our kids…seeing them watch there dad on the ice during a game and watching their face light up is pretty special. With the hockey life, we are part of a “hockey family” that has a bond like no other and have made some of the greatest friends across the league that is pretty great.
Do you want your boys to play hockey?
Sure! Haha! However, I really can’t wrap my head around the fact that there might be a point and time when all 3 of them might be playing at the same time. But, right now only our oldest is playing and he is into it, but not obsessed like you would think. So we will see. We are not ones to push it on them, sure we are going to introduce them to it; but it will be for them to decide if they are REALLY into it.
Tell us something about you that we don’t know!
Just recently, I was able to share some exciting news that my girlfriend (who’s husband plays hockey with Jeff in Montreal) and I just launched our very own clothing line called Line Change. It is a fashion forward clothing brand that brings stylish fan wear to the sports market. For too long, female fan wear has been ill-fitting, too much pink, and just overall not appealing, so we created this line to bring classic pieces to those who want to represent their teams in style! So, be on the look out for it in the sports market near you…and definitely say your prayers that the Red Wings pick it up so all your local readers can be rocking @linechangeco very soon!
Is there anyone you would like to thank for giving you support during motherhood?
Oh gosh- yes! My mom! My mother-in-law. My gfs who are going through the same things with me at the same time. But for real, I couldn’t do everything I do if it weren’t for my mom and my mother-in-law’s help. They come in big and are always willing to help! My mom flies up from Texas all the time when Jeff is on long road trips to help me with the boys and keep me company. Couldn’t do it without her!
What’s your favorite activity in the area (pre COVID and post COVID)?
Pre- Covid…gosh, what’s that?! Can’t even remember life pre-covid which is sad. Oddly that is a tough question for me because we are usually only here in the summers, so we just spend most of our time swimming, trying new restaurants, going to Tiger’s games and Jeff & I love going to concerts. Going to concerts is probably Jeff & my favorite pre-post thing to do in the area! Gosh I miss a good summer concert!
You are a busy mom with three boys. Do you have any tips or suggestions about keeping yourself sane, keeping a schedule, or keeping organized?
I keep a calendar and have everything on there for the month, but every week I make more specific notes for the week of what needs to happen etc. I also keep A LOT of sticky notes…I am a big list person! For sanity, I feel so much better when I prioritize my workout so I really try to do that because I know it will help me stay even keeled. It doesn’t always happen, but when I make a better effort at prioritizing it or even scheduling it in, I feel much better and the days tend to run smoother. My last tip would be, if there is anything you can prep before, whether it be lay out the boys’ clothes while you’re tucking them in, asking what they want for breakfast the next day, or just anything else you can prep the night before or before they wake up. ANY little bit helps! Heck, even just putting their bags in the car so you don’t forget something helps. Oh and if all else fails, just blare music really loud and dance it out!
Do you have any hobbies?
I dabble in a little of everything. I used to love cooking;)…I mean I still do but I don’t have time so I just find it annoying now. One day I hope to get back into it like I once was! In the summer, Jeff and I love cooking together. I actually got really into gardening this past summer, so it was fun to be able to cook food we grew from seed!
I do love interior design and the process of decorating our new home! In my next life I would love to study it and become official, but for now I just love playing around with it on my own & dream up what I want to do in the rooms in our house. I also have a weird obsession with going on Zillow and looking at RANDOM houses for sale all over the country in areas I think I would love to live and dream up what could be done to them to fit our style! I just love how it gets my creative juices flowing, even if I know I will never move there.
Lastly I love playing tennis (would love to commit more time to it, but now is not the time). I just love how it brings me back to my old athletic self and is something only for me that I can work on and practice getting better at.
Is there a charity that you are passionate about?
We have done work with SayPlayDetroit and a couple of the local food banks here which are all very wonderful. In Montreal, we love getting involved when we can with the Montreal Canadiens Children’s foundation which is associated with the team. They are all about bringing awareness and resources to encourage healthy active lifestyles in underprivileged children. Jeff and I are firm believers in promoting healthy active lifestyles for our own kids, not just for physical benefits, but mental as well! So naturally we love working with them in Montreal. @CHCFondation
Julie! You are such a power mom! Between life with three boys, managing the hockey season, and taking time to launch your own clothing line- you are amazing! Thank you for sharing your #momlife with us!!
