Family | Our Marriage Adventure

The “Where in the Hay I’ve been” post

June 3, 2013 By Stephanie

So I’ve been a total silent bob lately. I’m not sure why, mostly because I feel like the title of this blog and what I actually talk about 99% of the time do not relate. Additionally, I’ve been spending my time reading and watching t.v. with Alex in the evenings rather than typing.

Oh and the photography thing, it’s gone down a deep dark hole. Accutane does that to you.

(Yes I’m blaming the meds…they cause major mood changes, ask my doctor and my husband. They’ll both agree.)

Anyway, happy summer! I’ve started my new job (OK I started over a month ago, please reference above silent bob note) and I adore it. I don’t want to say too much because Dooce provides the best example of why one does not blog about your job and I like this one so I want to keep it. Point is I’m really happy. I haven’t been really happy at work in a long time and this feels great.

Outside of that the last month has been hectic. You see, first this happened to Alex’s jeep.

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Thank God everyone was OK

Then he got this Jeep.

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New and SHINY Jeep – with a hard top.

Then on the Friday before Memorial Day this happened to my jeep. The poor other driver, I feel worse for him than I do for my jeep.

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Broken Jeep #2

Now I get to play in this for 10+ days while my Jeep gets fixed, but here’s the kicker…this is my SECOND rental car because the first one had mechanical issues.

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Shiny, FAST rental car #2

Anybody eager to ride in a car with me yet? No? I don’t blame you – I’m still not eager to be in a car with me!

Let’s see, what else has been happening. Oh! I have been waiting for spring to get warm, only it never did and now its summer and suddenly warm. Anyway, I was waiting because I wanted to surprise Alex with a water balloon fight when he got home from work one day. This past weekend I was finally able to do so. Lucky him walked into the garage to see a bag full of water balloons, a note stating that I was “armed and prepared to fire grenades at the first sign of enemy movement” and shortly after reading the note a barrage of water balloons launched his way. Sadly…I lost the fight.

Clearly I was never meant to play ball in any form or fashion.

And that is the story of where in the Hay I’ve been. I’ve been avoiding cars like the plague because my Karma is clearly quite bad right now.

Filed Under: Family, Random Thoughts by Stephanie Tagged With: Alex, Jeep, Stephanie Share Something Y'all

Waiting on Pins and Needles

April 4, 2013 By Stephanie

So, first let’s get the whole “oh my gosh Google Reader is leaving” out-of-the-way. Like many bloggers I’ve gone ahead and signed up with BlogLovin. You can find my profile HERE.

OK then – so the other thing that has been going on, which I’ve noted on my the blog’s Facebook Page is that Alex and I have both been going through job loss issues. Hello economy! Anyway, there is this company which I’ve wanted to work for, for quite a while, and that I’ve interviewed with twice in the past. Both instances in the past I’ve been in the “final two” but not been selected because they choose the internal candidate.

Which I think is AWESOME! Why? Well because that means they promote from within, and really who wouldn’t want to work for a company that constant strives to allow their employees to better themselves and their careers? See…awesome.

Anyway, so recently I was contacted by said company because a job I had applied for was, you guessed it - filled internally, BUT they had this other opportunity and was I interested in applying? So of course I answered yes and did a phone interview, etc. I was then called in for an “in person” interview this past Monday.

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photo:

Thomas Hawk

Y’all I prepped so hard for this interview its amusing. I made a custom designed resume in Photoshop to showcase my design skills based on what they are looking for using THEIR colors. I made a sales presentation using a previous employer of mine as the “customer” so I could show that I know how to 1. design a sales presentation 2. know a lot about the firm I am applying for and 3. can possibly bring a new client to them! Oh and on top of that I brought in samples of past Public Relations work I’ve done in the past. Y’all I busted CHOPS on this dang interview.

So now, I’m waiting and waiting to hear back. I did the whole proper follow-up email thing the day after the interview and got a response from the hiring manager (who was super sweet and liked that I have a southern accent and say y’all) saying the usual stuff but also reminding me to “stay tuned…” so of course that’s what I’m doing. But I’m going insane waiting.

I’ve clipped five magazines. Changed up the blog theme. Started three SMASH journals (more on that later). Gone “stress relief” shooting at the gun range. I’m about down to pulling out my hair. I am going to feel really dumb if I don’t get this job after all this hard work, plus I’m not sure what I’m going to do employment wise.

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photo:

vee*

I’ve tried to be smart by continuing to search and of course setting up additional interviews for next week as I’ve had them requested, but I really want this job. So I really hope I get a phone call tomorrow or I might just end up in a loony bin.

How have y’all been?

Filed Under: Family, House and Home, Random Thoughts by Stephanie Tagged With: Family, money, work 2 Comments

Playing Catch Up

January 10, 2013 By Stephanie

So um, hi y’all! How have things been since I decided to take a nose dive off the face of the planet? I have been keeping with everyone who have blogs and I’m so glad to see y’all had great Christmas’ and New Years’ celebrations!

I have so much to share that I’m almost a tad unsure where to start, but I guess I’ll try to summarize this up so y’all don’t get too bored.

Thanksgiving was a great time – I love celebrating holidays with my family. We did the standard of eating and drinking and then falling asleep because we were full on turkey and pie! I did not participate AT ALL in the holiday madness of Black Friday shopping but Cyber Monday and I were great friends.

I prefer my holiday shopping with pajamas on and wine glass in hand.

Christmas we were able to travel to Alex’s grandparents for the first time in a few years. It was a great trip but I have to tell y’all a funny story.

So we fly out of Atlanta, GA Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. You know the one that requires a tram….and several exits off the interstate? OK – so this is the airport I’m used too because it’s the one I’ve grown up with and its pretty much always been this large. In fact all this airport has done in recent years is grow larger. Anyway, so we flew into Louisville, KY.

As we are gliding in I start giggling on the plane at how small the airport is…this giggling does not stop as we walk off the plane and down the one terminal. In fact all it does is grow louder. Now normally Alex is the one making me duck my head in embarrassment, but this time I think he was ready to toss me in front of a plane because I just couldn’t stop.

It was only as we walked past security and the TWO guards (Atlanta has oh….about 25 – 50 at any time) that I lost it completely to the point that the exit guard had to ask my husband if I was ok. I think Alex was ready to throttle me because all I could get out was “so tiny. So so tiny.”

Now if any of y’all are from Louisville, please let me apologize. Your airport was lovely and the people were so very nice. I just…my brain could not compute. I blame the oxygen and little kids kicking my chair from the ride up.

Anyway, we had a lovely time in Indiana, but the day before we were to leave a blizzard hit. I am from the South. I can barely handle a dusting so inches in a matter of hours had me dang near panicking. I think Alex’s grandfather and I had a marathon of watching the weather though I’m sure we were not watching it for quite the same reasons. All in all the area we were in had 10+ inches by the time it was time to leave the next morning. (If you want a giggle picture me on that drive to the airport. Now picture my poor hubby.)

New Years was very low-key, but I did not get quite the midnight I was hoping for, planning on, etc. I can’t explain why I was so dead set on having the ultimate midnight kiss (OK I know some of the reasons but I can’t share) anyway, suffice to say I really REALLY wanted that kiss. Up until the 5 minute mark I was drinking water pretty steadily and so I ran to the little gal’s room really fast thinking no issue. Yup. Totally missed my kiss. I think I bawled for 10 minutes much to my poor hubby’s befuddlement and attempts to fix a situation he was totally over his head in given I had no logic to my feelings.

So New Years was a bit of a … well flood. New Years Day we had Christmas with my family which was also low-key before heading back to work the next day.

And there you have it – the last few months minus a few small details which are their own blog post in a few months. Hope y’all are well!

Filed Under: Family, Random Thoughts by Stephanie Tagged With: Christmas, holidays, traveling Share Something Y'all

Ornaments from Christmas Past

December 16, 2011 By Stephanie

The lights have been strung, the ribbon wound with care, and the ornaments dangle from the bottom limbs to the top.

Our tree is a work of art.

(OK so maybe its more like Picasso than Rembrandt but it’s still art!)

My favorite part of this tree is that the good majority of the ornaments are special to us in a lot of ways.

Alex has a number of ornaments he loves, but I know that this cradle ornament is super special to him because it reminds him of his Mom. She’s not around anymore for him to visit with over Christmas time so having this ornament brings her a little closer during the holidays.

I have lots of ornaments I love too. (I mean who wouldn’t love an ornament that says “Brings us your loons and holly.”) However, like Alex I have a few that are extra special to me like this pickle which reminds me of my brother. He’s also no longer with us in body, but he’s definitely here in spirit.

(Especially when we send my “baby” brother, who is six feet tall, diving under the tree for more gifts.)

Holidays are so fun, and so are ornaments. Which makes the little things like ornaments that remind us of loved ones who we’ve lost to things like cancer, which is the case for both Alex’s mother and my brother, seem all that more precious.

What about you, do you have a special ornament or two on your tree? Why is it special?

This post is sponsored by the American Cancer Society.