Baby Bucket List.

April 25, 2012 By

As y’all know a child, while wholeheartedly wanted, isn’t really an option at the moment. Medically, financially, or relationshiplly (why yes I did make up my own word there) wise Alex and I will be waiting to have a child. One of the things I’ve been trying to do in order to find the silver lining to this cloud of infertility and more over my own personal wishes, is to make a bucket list of things I’d like to do

Before Baby.

So far this is what I have:

Personal

  1. Lose 10 lbs – I’m sure this will continue post pregnancy, but I also know that after a baby my body will never look the same. I’d like to fit into my wedding dress (not that I’ll have a reason to wear it) one last time before a baby arrives.
  2. Get the whole meal planning thing down – I love to cook, but suck at meal planning. Luckily I’m getting better at this now!
  3. Discover a new book series I LOVE – Hello Hunger Games
  4. Have more “wine nights” – :: wink wink :: hi gal pals, we need to plan this again.
  5. Meet some new gal pals – um, does anyone know of a dating service for friendships? Atlanta area bloggers? Ladies??
  6. Develop an exercise routine – plays off of #1, but I want something I can do on a regular basis that helps me mentally as well as physically. I’ve got one in mind, I just need to get more disciplined at using our treadmill.
  7. Shoot some more pool – yes this is how I met my hubby, but it’s a hobby I had before I met him and I LOVE it. Plus I used to be pretty good, not sure how I feel going out on my own so I need to find someone to do this with me so I don’t feel so odd given the whole “how I met my hubby” aspect.

House / Home

  1. Get new flooring for the house – this seriously better happen this year. I don’t think I can handle ANOTHER year of shitty linoleum.
  2. Paint our cabinets white – that should actually be done this summer. Good-bye prison gray!!

Adventures

  1. Go White Water rafting – no clue why. I just kinda want to.
  2. Go back to Disney World one more time as an “adults only” vacation. – Y’all, Disney World is 10X better as an adult. Just remember that … you think it’s a fun idea as a kid, wait until you can stay out till 1 a.m. riding rides AND DRINKING.
  3. Zip line – there are a lot of neat areas in GA I can do this, so I’m thinking sometime this year I can cross this off.
  4. Take a vacation, ANY VACATION – Yes #2 plays into this, but in all seriousness I’d be cool with a trip to the beach. I just want my hubby to join me and so far that is a big, fat no.

Financial

  1. Eliminate all CURRENT credit card debt.  -  That’s about $5000 folks. The way I see it, we’ll likely always have debt even a little. So I can’t say eliminate all debt because our house and student loans will prevent us from having kids for 30 years if we go that route. But credit card debt? That can be done in 12 months based on my current projections.
  2. Playing off of the above I’d like to pay off my car – we bought this fully intending it to be the family car, how much more family friendly would it be if I didn’t write a check for it every month???

So far that is all I have, but I may add more things as I go. Do y’all have any suggestions?

2012 signature Baby Bucket List.

Filed Under: infertility, Marriage Adventures Tagged With: , , 17 Comments

Little Pincher

April 24, 2012 By

This a brief glimpse of dinner with myself, Alex, and our house guest (here on known as HG).

 

Stephanie – Ewww y’all are going to eat crabs? {shudder} Those things freak me out.

Alex – {laughing} Yes they do. She is totally terrified of crabs and lobsters. She can’t even watch someone eat them. Its hilarious. Order it! Order it!

HG – Are you serious? They’re dead.

Stephanie – LALALALALALALAL!!!

Alex – {fingers pinched together} It’s a crab claw. I’m gonna pinch you. {repeated pinching me and tickling}

Stephanie – AHHHHH!!!!!!!!! Stop oh God oh God please oh please stop stop stop!!

HG – {staring in perplexity} But it’s just his hands?! I don’t get you.

Stephanie – Look its his fault he showed me the dumb YouTube video. They are giant spiders just waiting to eat your soul.

Alex and HG – {Laughing} You are just sad.

Stephanie – {Evil Glower} Eat. Your. Soul.!

And that ladies and gents is why romantic dinners are rare in our house. Alex thinks romance is pinching me with his evil crab claws. I think romance is candles by the beach. See the disparity? Sighs, men are just giant boys with toads.

2012 signature Little Pincher

Filed Under: Marriage Adventures Tagged With: , 4 Comments

Its A Loving Smile

April 23, 2012 By
Courageous

The past few weeks we’ve kind of been lackadaisical in our Love Dare. In fact, we’ve considered quitting. It’s just been really hard to share the love.

Moving a 3rd person into your home is hard. Its harder when you have different view points on the matter. I’m not going to pretend the last week has been super-duper easy (it hasn’t) but we keep plugging away. The church we attend (City on a Hill) did something really awesome and hosted a free showing of the movie Courageous.

Courageous Its A Loving Smile

{SNAKE KINGS BABY!}

(That really only makes sense if you’ve watched the movie. However, if you haven’t seen the movie check out the YouTube of that scene. It’s not the best quality but omg, HILARIOUS.)

Anyway, sorry had to just relive that scene myself. After we watched the movie we were actually able to come home and do our next day dare. The focus was greeting your spouse. I think this is an area we really struggle with especially during times of stress. We are grumpy from work, life, and rather than reach out to one another as the support structure we are supposed to be we end up shoving each other away emotionally. We might as well be on opposite sides of the track.

OMA 2326 Its A Loving Smile

I come home later than Alex and I tend to use the excuse that “well he doesn’t get up” as the reason I don’t walk in the door and kiss him. He uses the excuse that “I don’t just relax and smile” as his reason for not getting up and greeting me. The thing is, I’m tired of excuses. This dare will be one of our harder ones to overcome because a lot of these movements are kind of gut reaction and habit. Translation – they take no thought and we do them anyway.

My goal this week though is to live this dare. (Save me, help me, think of me!) Which means even if my hubby reacts with a grumble or a growl I WILL be greeting him with a kiss. Even if we have a text argument (please tell me we aren’t the only people who fight via texting) I will come home and kiss him hello. Even if I walk in two hours after him, and he and our HG (house guest) are lying on their arses staring at the t.v. while the dishes lie in our sink, dinner remains un-handled, and laundry is piled up I WILL be loving in my greeting.

I may also drive myself to drink by Friday, but hey – who said love was easy! Will you join me in being active in greeting your loved one this week?

2012 signature Its A Loving Smile

Filed Under: 365 Love Dare, Marriage Adventures Tagged With: , , 7 Comments

Photo A Day {Week 2}

April 20, 2012 By
day 8 wallet

So far I’m doing pretty darn good on this Photo A Day stuff. Here is this weeks recap:

Day 8 is a look inside my wallet

day 8 wallet 500x500 Photo A Day {Week 2}

Day 9 is a younger me. Well a younger me I’m willing to share – this is my college graduation photo from 2006.

day 9 younger you 500x333 Photo A Day {Week 2}

Day 10 is something cold.

day 10 cold 500x500 Photo A Day {Week 2}

Day 11 is where I eat breakfast. And um I don’t but I drink coffee every morning. Does this count?

day 11 breakfast 500x500 Photo A Day {Week 2}

Day 12 is a photo of stairs.

day 12 stairs 500x500 Photo A Day {Week 2}

Day 13 is something I found. And this is the BEST bumper sticker – pay attention to the heart.

day 13 something found 500x500 Photo A Day {Week 2}

Lastly, Day 14 is how I feel. The night before I took this photo I finished my nice gift from the Easter Bunny.

day 14 feel 500x500 Photo A Day {Week 2}

2012 signature Photo A Day {Week 2}

Filed Under: Photography Tagged With: , , Share Something Y'all

Marriage Truths

April 18, 2012 By
OMA-

I wish I was wonderfully great at marriage as I feel a lot of the bloggers I read are. But truth be told, I’m not. I’m just trying to muddle through one very messed up life now. I even cop to wishing for a return receipt some days. Days when I would like to exchange the “model” spouse I have with an upgrade please dear God! Then 20 minutes later I’m giggling with the man I did marry and remembering why I am looking forward to our 50th anniversary. 

It’s so hard to explain what is going on, in part because I have a line of what to share. In part because I’m not all that sure myself, so HA, I can’t explain what I don’t understand. I do know I’m trying to walk the line and find my balance.

OMA 1 334x500 Marriage Truths

The other day Alex and I had a disagreement of epic proportions. He has a friend, whom he connects with because of his own past, which I respect. I don’t personally get along with this man….just a personality difference, no big deal in the normal scheme. Things took a turn from normal though. This young man (he is younger than even my own siblings i.e. over 5 years younger than me) was put in such a situation that he is / was homeless. No car, no job, no money, no place to stay. Alex briefly asked me what I thought of him moving with us, and I’ll admit, I reacted poorly and immediately with a “HELL NO!”

I have my own personality quirks, and quite frankly living with someone is extremely hard for me. Alex is the only person outside of my own family, and one college roommate, that I can honestly say I have no problems living with. Only, Alex didn’t like my no – felt the situation was an emergency, and Voila. We had a new roommate.

I was … displeased… to say the least. The fight(s) that followed were anything but pleasant, but really what kind of fight is, but we did manage to clarify a few things. The least of which is we WILL be helping this man get a step up into his new life by providing a roof, some leadership / guidance on being “on his own”, and food.

It also led me to lean down in prayer in church two weeks ago and just ask for help. I honestly don’t know what a “good” marriage looks like. I am pretty sure marriage isn’t supposed to be as hard as ours is, but it’s the marriage I have. I do love Alex and want to be his wife, and he loves me and wants to be my husband – hence us being married and all that jazz. But we are just so darn different in so many ways.

It’s ironic that I have a marriage blog, that I started to help share with others the real story of “I-Do” when I’m here, staring at a 3 year anniversary that’s only a few months away wondering to myself if I have any real clue of what marriage is. As open as the internet is, I doubt that everyone tells the REAL story of what is going on in their marriage. So I sit here wondering “Are we normal?” “Are we so far off the deep end of marriage that maybe we should take a good hard look at ‘us’ and our marriage?”

I hate to sit here and let y’all think marriage is crap, especially my own, (its not…promise) but to ignore the truth and act like everything is fine ALL THE TIME is well…lying. The blog has to be my record first and foremost, if I help another spouse understand their own marriage than that is all the better.

I’m trying to sort out what is and isn’t normal, while trying to see if my own expectations are setting a bar too high or if I’m “ok.” This past weekend we had a crappy morning not because we fought but because sometimes communicating is hard, by that evening though we had a private dinner and it really was good. Some awkward silence due to the morning, but we’re still cuddling in bed every night.

Seriously though, where the hell is the freaking rule and guide-book for marriage that ought to come with your marriage certificate? Who do I need to appeal to, to get the copy I was so clearly not mailed?!?

The blog won’t be all dumpsy daisy, swear it, just – keeping it real.

2012 signature 200x200 Marriage Truths
Filed Under: Marriage, Marriage Adventures Tagged With: , 9 Comments

Meal and Grocery Planning

April 17, 2012 By

I like cooking a lot. I even am ok with grocery shopping, because I get to grab myself a snack (heheh) and then calculate out the rest of the week during some quiet time.

What I DON’T like – is planning the meals out in advance. Which is ironic, because normally I’m a total planner, but something about recipes and grocery lists and so forth so on make me want to cry.

However, the other day thanks to Pinterest, I found my salvation.

 

173036810653018354 VxSahExy c Meal and Grocery Planning

 

A spreadsheet – a way to organize my ingredients, my meals, AND my grocery list in one fell swoop. I’ve done this the past couple of week and let me tell y’all….its a miracle for the meal-planner-hater like me! Plus – it takes me maybe 10 minutes. AND I’m saving on average $20-$30 a week.

A WEEK PEOPLE!!

I usually do mine in Google docs because its easier, and I have access to it no matter where I am which is super important to me. However you could do this on graph paper, excel, any ol way you want. Here is a link to my most recent meal planning list that you can use as your own. I’ll get the recipes I reference up later this week.

(The extra blank spots are for the random personal staples every household has. Like Dog and Cat food in my house.)

So far my favorite part is I’m able to pull recipes based on groceries I had in my fridge and pantry, so I’m not wasting money buying things two or three times over. Well…except for spaghetti. I have LOTS of spaghetti.

How do you plan out your meals and grocery lists?

2012 signature 200x200 Meal and Grocery Planning

Filed Under: Marriage Adventures Tagged With: , , 5 Comments

New Look

April 16, 2012 By
skinny jeans

So a few weeks ago I caved in and finally got new glasses. I wear contacts and have for 15 years now, so its extremely rare for me to get new glasses. In part because I hate how I look in them.

(Some people rock the glasses look, I am not one of them.)

This year pollen has been kicking my butt in terms of itchy eyes so I finally got new glasses. I still am rather adamant that I look like a total idiot, but I thought I’d show y’all what I look like with them.

The photo is crap because I, haha, had gotten up and dressed for the day so I had my contacts in. Which meant I took this picture near blind because I put on glasses over my contacts and then tried to take a photo. Oh yes I hate them that much.

OMA 4770 500x444 New Look

Then I went one step further, I did a “skinny” jeans outfit. Y’all I have hips. I have a tooshie. I am pear-shaped, which tells me I should never wear outfits that ACCENT my huge hips and toosh. However, I found some pants on clearance at TJ Maxx and a shirt that made it so I just might be able to pull this look off. Yes, its in time for spring, but trust me I still wear jeans. I’m so white its scary so I’ll keep wearing jeans until I can fake tan my legs to not be blinding.

OMA 4769 255x500 New Look

(Sorry for the crooked, I stink at taking photos of myself.)

This has definitely been a step outside of my comfort zone in terms of my “look” but man I hope it works. What is outside of your comfort zone clothing wise?

2012 signature New Look

Filed Under: Marriage Adventures Tagged With: , 10 Comments

Sunshine Blogger

April 15, 2012 By

Hi! I’m the most lackadaisical blogger ever to receive an award. Viv let me know about this, oh a few weeks ago, but I stink and have taken this long to reply. I got a blog award from Viviene of The Journey of a Woman…  Thank you, sugar!! According to her, this award is given to “bloggers who are inspirational, and who have impacted your blogging or your life.”

sunshine award Sunshine Blogger

Here are the rules of this award…

  • Include the award’s logo in a post or on your blog
  • Answer 10 questions about yourself
  • Nominate 10-12 other fabulous bloggers
  • Link your nominees to the post and comment on their blogs, letting them know they have been nominated
  • Share the love and link the person who nominated you.

Now I got to answer these 10 questions…

  1. Favourite colour – Hmm…something warm. Yellow, Orange, Red. You know – HAPPY!
  2. Favourite animal – LOL – All of the above I think is what these guys would say!
  3. Favourite number – I don’t actually have one? I guess 4 since that’s my bday.
  4. Favourite non-alcoholic drink – Coke!
  5. Facebook or twitter – Facebook but I get more interaction on Twitter. (Y’all should like my FB page…just sayin’)
  6. Passion – Marriage/Traveling/Cooking/Arts and Crafts/Photography
  7. Getting or giving presents – Giving.
  8. Favourite pattern – oh jeez. I kinda hate patterns but if I had to pick I’d say something REALLY subtle. Like a pinstripe.
  9. Favourite Day of the Week – Saturday by far
  10. Favourite flower – Carnations or wild flowers please. I’m simple!

Now the most exciting part! I nominate…

  1. Betty and her “boys” from Northwest Betty – she is just so delightfully happy.
  2. Christa  of I Know How is Babby Formed - hilarious and in the midst of a pregnancy. I do so love preggers blogs.
  3. Hatton of Fresh Mom. She’s got great parenting advice and always shares great products.
  4. Sweet Pea from Newlyweds-  I love weddings and marriage blogs because well, I can relate! From marriage, to children, to recipes SP has it all!
  5. Jessica from Freckles & Dirt is super crafty. Plus she’s from the south, and I gotta support my G.R.I.T.S.!
  6. Megan from Best of Fates. Do you like to laugh? Hard often with milk spewing out of your nose? Then read Megan’s blog. But watch those beverages.
  7. Lindsay of Designer Wife (and Momma to be) is like who I want to be if I were sophistacted and stuff. Alas I shall never be so read her blog for a touch of style instead.
  8. Ummm…I don’t have an 8th one yet. I’m still delving through my blogs I follow and seeking out new ones.

 

OK I feel less of a slacker now so Congrats fellow bloggers, hope y’all enjoy these new finds!

2012 signature 200x200 Sunshine Blogger

Filed Under: Marriage Adventures Tagged With: , 6 Comments
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