Day 30-a picture

"Huh? What is that thing that keeps flashing at me?"

"She may be the reason I'm alive, the why and wherefore I survive...Me, I'll take her laughter and her tears and make them all my souvenirs, for where she goes I've got to be. The meaning of my life is she."


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Day 29-3 Wishes

1) I wish that I could be a Stay at Home Mom, so that I don't/won't miss anything that Kali does. I want to be there for all of her firsts and I want to be the mom that attends all the soccer games, and the ballet recitals, and the music recitals, and makes her lunch everyday, and kisses her goodbye when she gets on the bus for school, and basically always there for her (which will eventually annoy the crap out of her as she gets older, and isn't that supposed to be a mom's goal in life?).

2) I wish that TJ would find a job that he loves! He has a great job, and loves what he does, but doesn't love going to work everyday because of the people he has to deal with.  I want him to be happy and love what he does.

3) I wish that we could take a family vacation (when Kali is around 10ish) to Italy.  That is m dream vacation and I can't wait to be able to go and see all there is to see over there. 



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Day 28-Something that stresses you out

There are a lot of things in this world that stress me out! My family stresses me out, my job stresses me out, money stresses me out, grocery shopping (UGH!!) stresses me out, Birthdays stress me out, a busy day stresses me out...can you tell that this list can/will go on forever?!?!

The one thing that doesn't stress me out:

The perfect end to every.single.day.

This is the most relaxing, rewarding, blissful thing in the whole entire world! :)

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Day 27-Pets

We have Junior who is a Pittador (pittbull/Labrador mix).  We got him December 2006 (right after we got married) and he was our first kid.  He taught us a lot about having to take care of something/someone else.  And we definitely treat him like a child. He snuggles in bed with us, has his own cushion on the couch, his own bed by the sliding glass door (where he loves to watch the squirrels), and is so well behaved that we consider ourselves lucky! And now that we have Kali, we have 2 wonderful kids that are well behaved =)

Here are pictures of our first baby Junior:

He looks so pitiful, huh?! Adorable

See...he snuggles in the bed :)

Keeps your feet nice and toasty too 

His own cushion on the couch.....

and he sleeps with a pillow.

Spoiled??

Junior's first trip on the boat

He loves it!

Our family picture 

Protecting his 'sister' on the bed.

My children snoozin'

<3 The whole family!!! <3

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Day 26-Picture of your family

I have lots of pictures of my family!!!!  I love them all!  So here are some of just us, my whole family, and TJ's whole family!!! :)

2008 My whole family!

Fern, Matt, Katrin, Don, Me, TJ, Brittney, Michael, and Devin

My family

October 2010

TJ's Family.

Thanksgiving 2010

Betty, Wayne, Me, TJ, Jeremy, Ashley, Debbie, Jonathan, Christopher, Alec, Kali, and Addison

My Family! :)

December 2010

Us Again

January 2010 (New Years Day)

My FAVORITE Picture.

Sun glass Family

February 2011

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Day 25-Put your iPod on shuffle, first 10 songs

I was going to say "Lucky for you I actually have my iPod with me today"...but then when I took it out of my purse to do this wonderful challenge (WOO HOO only 5 more days of this!!), my iPod is dead. :(
So I'll put my Music player on my computer on Random and see what happens...

Reckless Abandon - Blink 182
Roller Coaster - Blink 182
Mine - Taylor Swift
Long Hot Summer -  Keith Urban
Come On, Come On - Billy Idol
Hanging on the Telephone - Blondie
Small Ya'll - Kenny Chesney
Back to December - Taylor Swift
Blues at Sunrise - BB King
Got Me Wrong - Alice in Chains


Yes, yes...I'm diverse ;)
But my iPod has WAYYY better tunes. Oh well



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Day 24-Something you've learned

The main thing I've learned lately is patience.  With TJ, I would go from 0-60 really easily.  If he didn't do something, or if he did something he wasn't supposed to, etc.  But after having Kali, I have definitely learned to pick my battles carefully and not jump at the first 'wrong' thing he does (or doesn't do).  That has been a huge learning process for me.  It started when I was in my last trimester.  I didn't want to be "that" woman that was all hormonal and stuff.  So I just learned to let things roll off my back.

I think I've become more mellow too, which is nice. Considering I was pretty high-strung before.  Someone asked me recently what I do to relax. And for the life of me I couldn't think of anything that I do simply to relax.  I read (on my Nook which is fabulous), but if something has to be done I put it down and do it.  I shop, but dang sometimes that's more stressful than relaxing.  I hang out with friends, but with Kali now-a-days that's not as relaxing either.  I've had to see a chiropractor because I'm even tense when I sleep. HAHA

So I've learned to be more patient and relax.


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Day 23-Favorite vacation

My favorite vacation would have to be when I went to visit my sister in VA in 2009.  Before I headed up there, she sent my nephews down here to spend some time with us.  We went to Lake Eufala in Alabama, and went to Shell Island (here in Panama City) and a bunch of other stuff.
Then when I went up to VA, we took a trip to Washington DC and got to see all the museums and statues, etc.  It was awesome and I can't wait to go back there.  I also got to see the Virginia Beach (which of course is no where near as pretty as the white sandy beaches of Panama City, FL...but they were still nice).  I had such a great time going up to visit and getting away from home!
Now my sister is getting stationed in California and I can't wait to go visit there.  When I was little we lived in Southern California and I remember going to the Wild Animal Park, and Disney World, and Notts Berry Farms.  I am really looking forward to taking Kali to all of those places as well.


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Day 22-Favorite city

So far I think my favorite city would be Cozumel, Mexico.  TJ and I went on a cruise to Mexico for our Honeymoon.  The water is Beautiful and crystal clear, and the shopping is so much fun (I'm sure it's just for the tourists) and they have Carlos & Charlies (where I got a Birthday shot!!)  The best part was that TJ and I were there with our closest friends! There is no stress in Mexico!!!  There is no WORK in Mexico!!! There is no other FAMILY in Mexico!!! There is just peace, and quiet, and do what you want kinda of atmosphere.  Plus, going a cruise is awesome in and of itself. So what's not to like?

Here is TJ and I on the ship.  I can't find the pictures from the cruise for some reason. But I have a gorgeous picture of the water from the boat in Cozumel.  The prettiest blue you could ever think of! :)

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Day 21-Picture of yourself

How appropriate that this is today's challenge when I CAN'T POST ANY PICTURES CAUSE THE STUPID BLOGGER IS BROKEN!!! :(
I guess I will just have to edit this when it is eventually working and post a picture of me! I have lots from this weekend (see post below) that I would love to share.........UGH

YAY!! Finally able to upload pictures! Not sure what happened, but so glad it's fixed! :)
Here is a picture of me from our Babymoon to Disney World in May, 2010.

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Day 20-Nicknames

Since my name is Stephanie, I don't get many nicknames with it.  But different people have given me nicknames that have NOTHING to do with my name :)

My dad calls my Munchkin.  And I've actually started calling Kali this on occasion.  I love it!

My sister calls me Kid.  I think it's cause I'm 9 1/2 years younger than she is, and I AM a kid to her....still.

My mom calls me Steph (I know...original, right?!)

TJ calls me Honey (again...original?!?!)

One of my coworkers (who I love to death!!!!) called me Stephy.

Now, since my name is Stephanie, it is hard for little kids to say.  In my group of close friends we have Lauren (LoLo), Theresa (Tee Tee), Jennifer (Jener), and Holly (Wolly)......and then there's me.  Since a kid can't say Stephanie it's not like they're going to say Steph.  So we had a running joke that Jennifer's oldest son Travis was going to say Calculator before saying Stephanie.  So the joke began that my nickname was Aunt Calculator to him.  Thankfully, he calls me Aunt Steph.  Phew :)


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Day 19-Something you miss

I miss my grandparents. 
My dad's mom (Baba) lived with us for 5+ years.  I was in 9th grade when she passed away.  Other than my uncle (James Earl) she was the first person close to me that passed away. 
We had a love/hate relationship.  She taught piano lessons, and so my parents thought it would be a good idea for me to start playing the piano........I hated it!  I hated to practice, I hated all the other kids coming over to the house and playing with all my stuff (one of her students broke my Nintendo- I was NOT happy), I hated that I was "forced" to do it.  But then one of her students talked to me and said that she also played the flute.  So one day she brought her flute over to the house and showed me how to play.  I was immediately in love!  So in 5th grade, I started to play the flute. 

Normally students don't start playing instruments until 6th grade, so I was ahead of the game.  I was the first in my school to perform at solo/ensemble (which is normally for 7th-8th graders) in 6th grade (and made a superior by the way!!!).  I was the first 7th grader to join the advanced band in middle school, and then all throughout high school I excelled as well.
I contribute my musical talents to my grandmother, Baba! Without her I would have been "normal"! :)

The other grandparent I miss is my grandfather.  My mom's dad.
He passed away the year after I graduated high school.  I was his "favorite" and he would tell anyone within earshot! HAHA!  My other cousins were screw ups (still are if you ask me) and I was an angel.  Never been in trouble with the law (both of the others have), never hit my mother (both of the others have), graduated high school on time, and with great grades (the others graduated, but by the skin of their teeth and summer school), I dated TJ (for more than 4 years) got married, bought a house, and then had a kid...the others did it totally backasswards. :)
Since he passed, my grandmother went off her rocker! She and I do not speak anymore (a whole other story in and of itself) and she dotes on those other two like they are the bestest kids in the world (and they are nowhere near that!).  But whatever.  So I miss my grandfather.  The peacekeeper (well between me and the others).  Well if you knew him, you might say different - but he was like that to me.  And I loved him!

There are probably lots of other things I miss - like my sister and her family living closer, sleep, being able to go out all the time, and having extra money (kids will suck you dry I tell ya!). LOL :)


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Day 18-Something you regret

I have done a lot of things that I regret over the years.  Most of them I'm not going to talk about on a blog! :)

But the thing that I will talk about is:
I regret the way I treated members of my family when I was younger.  I was a HORRIBLE teenager (and I'm hoping that Kali doesn't repay me for my behavior) and didn't treat my mom or my grandmother, who lived with us, the best.  I yelled and spat horrid things... I think I regret that the most.  I know that the things that I said probably hurt the ones that I loved the most.  And now I try to be better. 
That's one good thing about regrets, you learn to change them so you don't regret those same things again.


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Day 17-Something you're looking forward to

I'm looking forward to a lot of things now. 
Small things:
Taking Kali to the Zoo
Going on a family vacation
My Birthday (like every year!!)
Kali's 1st Birthday
Christmas (Kali will be more fun!)

Big Things:
Buying a forever House
Getting a job with a huge firm where I'm appreciated! ;)
Watching Kali grow up
Having another child (possibly)
Going to Kali's Graduation - from High school and College
Going to her Wedding (when she's 30)
Travelling to Italy
Watching all of Kali's dreams come true!! :)

The things I look forward to have drastically changed since having Kali. I used to dream small...but now there is so much up ahead! I can't wait!

~Stephanie

Day 16-Dream house

Oh, my dream house! ::sigh::
I want a huge yard for my 10 dogs to run around in.
I want a large living room and kitchen so that all of our friends can come over with their families and cook out.
I want the bedrooms to be HUGE so that each one can be our own little piece of silence away from the noise of the rest of the house.
I want my OWN bathroom - that NO ONE is allowed to use but me!
I want a garden tub to soak my worries away.
I want one of those rain water shower heads!
I want a 3 car garage, so I don't have to walk in the rain.
I want TJ to have his own shed/garage in the very back of the property so he can play with his fourwheelers without bugging me with the noise! LOL
I want a pool that I don't have to take care of, just able to enjoy!
I want it to be a happy home!!! =)









~Stephanie

Day 15-Bible verse

Yea...I'm agnostic, so I don't read the bible. 

See ya'll tomorrow! :)

~Stephanie

Day 14-A picture you love

I have so many pictures that I love now-a-days! So I can't post just 1....so enjoy! :)

TJ and I at the hospital getting ready to have a bebeh

The first time I ever saw Kalissa.

My foot (on the bottom) and my sister's foot

We got matching tattoos when I went to VA to visit in 2009! :)

Every time I look at my foot I think about her and

what an experience that was! LOL

My Mother in Law took this one

I love that laugh!

Kali asleep....

I slept like this when I was little too!

Kali...again asleep. 

She sleeps in the strangest ways!

Kali and Junior

Our first Holiday with Kali

Halloween!

Thanksgiving in Birmingham

Family picture

Again...sleeping in some funky way

This one is on Aunt Debbie's legs!

Kali and Junior

He's her big 'brother' and protects her...

now that he's used to the fact that she's not going anywhere

Love that baby's smile

My beautiful baby's face!

Makes my heart smile

Sassy pants

Family picture

My bebeh

Towel Monster!

MY.ALL.TIME.FAVORITE.PICTURE.EVER!

~Stephanie