So over the past few weeks I've noticed that I have multiple pet peeves. Okay, so maybe multiple is a bit of an understatement...I have a TON. I decided that since this is my blog and my way of sharing my opinions with the world (haha right) I'd give my readers (all 5 of them) a little insight to these wonderful things we call pet peeves. You'll probably notice that a LOT of these have to do with stupid stuff that girls do. Do not be alarmed, this is not a typo. I'm not your "normal" girl. I don't really get along with a lot of girls, and 9 times out of 10 it has to do with multiple things that I'm going to talk about. So, put on your seat belts because it's going to be a bumpy ride!
1. Girls that wear dresses/skirts to sporting events. Now, this does not include cheerleaders, pom, or dancers. I'm not an idiot. I was a cheerleader for years and on the dance team my senior year, so yes, I know it's their uniform. I'm referring to the girls that wear actual dresses to sporting events. Don't get me wrong, I completely understand looking nice when you go out. But let's be honest people, wearing a dress to a football game is a little extreme. You can look just as cute and sexy in a cute top (in your teams colors of course) and a cute pair of jeans. And I promise you that you're going to get more heads turned, in your favor, wear a cute pair of jeans and a jersey. Trust me.
2. Wearing a regular bra under a sports bra. I'm not talking about young girls who are just getting used to their bodies and are self-conscious about their boobs. We've all been there in one way or another. I'm referring to grown women who do this. I understand that there are some women who have a teeny tiny frame and ridiculously large boobs and have to do whatever they can not to topple over. One of my really good friends is the perfect example of this. I actually posted about this on my Facebook last night. I was really surprised about the people that were genuinely angry at me for saying that. I had so many back handed comments and honestly it just made me laugh. One person told me last night that it was because the wanted better cleavage. Really? REALLY?! That's one of the most ridiculous things I've ever heard. If you want some good looking cleavage, then just wear a regular bra. A sports bra is made to strap those bad boys in so they don't go anywhere. Right? Right.
3. Gum/Food smackers. I've been dealing with this pet peeve for years and years and years. Hearing people smack their gum and smack their food while they eat literally makes me skin crawl. It seriously makes me anxious. A little over-dramatic? Maybe. But I'm being completely serious. I cannot stand it. I can maybe let it go if you have a horrible cold and can't breathe out of your nose because how else are you going to eat. But if you can breathe perfectly fine, there is NO reason why you can't keep your trap closed while your eating. It's common courtesy people.
4. Peeeoooopppllleee ttthhhaaatttt feeeellll tthhheeee nnnneeedddd ttttoooo wwwwwrrrriiiittteee lllliiiikkkkeeee tttthhhhiiissss. Honestly...is that at all necessary?! No, I don't think so. I see this most is younger girls, but I've actually noticed it in college-aged girls as well. Really? Somebody please explain to me what good that does! Is it because you think it's cute? Because it's not. Is it because you think that you're being funny and clever? You're not. You're being annoying and ignorant. And if nothing else, look at how much space it wastes!
5. People that do nothing but complain and try and pull the "poor me" card. I have one Facebook friend that comes to mind when I say this, and time after time I have wanted to either delete said person or go off on them. I understand that everybody has bad days, and 9 times out of 10 people are going to mention it on their Facebook. But with this person, I'm talking EVERY SINGLE DAY something is wrong with them. They sit and complain about a headache, how their lives are just completely falling apart around them, and how they just wish they could crawl in a hole. (WARNING: This is probably going to sound harsh, but it's my blog and I'm going to say how I feel. :-) ) Honestly, sometimes I wish that you would crawl in a hole, just so I don't have to read about every single thing that could possibly go wrong in your life. Most of you are probably sitting there thinking, "Well, if the person annoys you so much, why don't you just delete them." Point taken. Done. But it's not just people on Facebook, it's people in our everyday lives that feel the need to be negative 24/7, and most of the time, those people are just being dramatic.
I've got some housework to do, but I can promise you...there is more to come!
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Friday, October 22, 2010
The ABC's of Me!
I'm filling in for a friend at a law office this week answering phones since her fiance' just got back from an almost 9-month deployment. Needless to say, I have a LOT of time on my hands. So I decided to do the ABC's me, so those of you who don't really know me can get a better insight on who I am and what I'm like! Here goes nothing!
A: Arkansas Razorbacks. I spent most of my life in Arkansas. That's where I graduated high school...in my whopping graduating class of 85! I always have and always will have a passionate love for the Razorbacks. Whether it's a winning season or a losing one, I'm always cheering them on! My favorite thing to do (especially during a football game) is call the Hogs...WOO PIG SOOIE!!! Do I get made fun of...definitely...especially by my husband, but do I care...not so much!
B: Baseball. My love of baseball actually started while I was in high school and dating a baseball player. Starting out, I just went to the game so I could cheer on my boyfriend (the tight baseball pants didn't hurt either). But as I continued to go to the games and really understand them, I fell in love. I ended up learning how to keep the book and traveled with the team to all of their games. Now here I am, almost 7 years later, still completely in love with the game and keeping book for my husbands squadron and base softball teams!
C: Chris. This is going to be cutesy and cheesy, so just prepare yourself. Chris is my amazing husband. We met each other through a mutual friend about 2 1/2 years ago when I moved from Oklahoma to North Carolina. We started dating in March of 2009, and the time since then has been the most wonderful time of my life. We got married on May 28, 2010 in a little courthouse ceremony (actual wedding will be July 2011). Chris is literally everything I could of dreamed of and more. Chris doesn't usually let me get away with my "princess attitude" that I can have sometimes, but he treats me like a queen. We both have extremely competitive personalities and will make a competition out of just about anything. We both have the same wants and values in life and everyday he continues to help me be a better person. He is my hero and the love of my life!
D: Donuts. I. love. donuts! Especially Krispy Kreme original glazed. Nothing beats a warms KK donut and a cup of milk. Seriously...mouth watering just thinking about it. I might just have to go get a dozen on my way home today...yup...it's been decided!
E: Easton Michael. My unborn son is already the light of my life. Right now, I'm 27 weeks and 5 days along and I can't wait to see my little boy for the first time and finally hold him in my arms. He moves around constantly now, and even when he's up in my ribs and it doesn't feel all that great, it still brings a smile to my face. If I could have an ultrasound everyday and not have to pay for it, I would...just so I could see him. The cutest thing EVER is when he gets the hiccups. Bless his little heart, I'm sure he's not the biggest fan, by this Mommy get a kick out of them.
F: Fall, Football & Facebook. I couldn't just pick one...you'll get over it. First...football. This might be a little dramatic, but football completes me. I seriously don't know what I would do if I didn't have football in my life. And it's ANY football...high school, college, professional, personally I don't care. Now...fall. Fall is hands-down my favorite season. The leaves changing, being able to swear sweatshirts, fall candles, fall febreze (umm...yes please!), fall decorations. I LOVE FALL!!! And finally...Facebook. Some people might say that I have a bit of a problem, and those people are 150% correct. I am literally always logged onto Facebook, 24/7. It's sad really. I know that this will change once Chris gets back (maybe) and Easton gets here (definitely). But for now, my life is Facebook. What can I say, I'm a stay-at-home-professional-baby-grower and I refuse to watch soaps! :-)
G: Goldsboro, NC. Now this one is not on here because it's my favorite anything...it's because I'm forced to live here (thank you Air Force). Don't get me wrong, North Carolina is beautiful, but Goldsboro is not. And people in this town don't know/understand the meaning of southern hospitality. Some say they do, but they don't. I will cry tears of joy (and probably pee myself if I'm still pregnant) when we find out we're going to get out of here. FINGERS CROSSED!
H: Housewife. This is my current job title and I love every minute of it. Am I the best housewife in the world? That would be a negative. I'm really bad at budgeting (if anybody has any tips or advice...I need it), I have to be in the mood to clean, I hate actually putting up laundry (folding it doesn't bother me), and I would rather go grab something than cook (that's just because I'm not the greatest cook in the world). But I love being able to stay home...it puts a smile on my face!
I: Ice Cream. Even though I midly lactose-intolerant, I still indulge myself in my favorite treat from time to time. Half Baked, Phish Food, Cookies & Cream, and Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough are among my favorites.
J: Jewelry. I don't wear a lot of jewelry all the time, but I have my jewelry I never take off (engagement ring, eternity cross ring from my mom, a ring that was my Momma Lou's, a ring that was my Great-Grandmother Dimery's, and my necklace with the pendant that my mom had made of my Great-Granny's watch that she wore for over 65 years). Then I have my everyday jewelry...some bracelets and earrings, but then I have my "sassy" jewelry. You all know exactly what I'm talking about too. That jewelry that you by knowing right then that you might only wear it once or twice, but by golly you're gonna look HOT those one or two times you do. I have A LOT of sassy jewelry...and a lot of it, I have yet to wear. Oops.
K: Kansas City. I love Kansas City and everything about it. The life, the night life, but most of all the Kansas City Chiefs and the Kansas City Royals. I have always been a Chiefs fan, and yes, I know what most of you are thinking...why the hell would you choose the Chiefs? Yes, I also know that they haven't been the greatest over the past few years, but I'm still proud of them and will still cheer them on no matter what!
L: Life-Long Friends. These are the people that keep me sane. All through high school, and even now, I've always gotten along better with guys. Most girls absolutely drive me crazy. The drama, the fighting, the talking behind your back, wearing dresses to sporting events (one of my BIGGEST pet peeves...it's sports for crying out loud...not need to get dolled up to go to a football game, especially if you don't even know the game). Mindy, Jessica, Brittany, Brittany, and Lauren...I don't know what I would do without each and every one of you. You seriously keep me sane and help me get through my day to day!
M: Mommy & Mother-In-Law. These two woman are seriously two of the biggest influences and inspirations in my life. They have both been through so much, and they still constantly have the best attitudes and outlooks on life. I love them both dearly and I seriously don't know what I would do without them both!
N: Nana. My darling little Nana! This is my mom's mom and she is freaking amazing! My favorite thing in the entire world is to sit on her lap or sit on the floor in front of her while she plays with my hair (yes, I'm almost 23 and I still sit in my Nana's lap...problem? Didn't think so).
O: Ollie. My little Ollie Wollie! Ollie is our 3-year-old pomeranian that Chris and I adopted last spring. Chris did not, and I repe at, DID NOT, want a small dog. He absolutely hates small dogs...he believes they're more like cats than dogs. A girl I used to work with was trying to find him a good home so he didn't have to go to the pound. Of course, as soon as I found out that he was going to go to the pound I knew that it was my destiny to save little Ollie. So even though I knew I had my work cut out for me with Chris, I was determined! For about a week I begged and pleaded, and of course, he said, not only not, but hell no. I was devastated...until I decided to pull out the big guns. Now, before I tell you exactly what the "big guns" were, I need to put in a little disclaimer...I am not proud of this and I felt bad afterwards, but it ended up being a blessing. The "big guns" are as follow: One day I came home from work and Chris was already home laying down on the couch and watching tv. I walked up to him, lay down beside him, and start to sniffle a little. At first the sniffles, were fake, and then they definitely were real. Chris asked what was wrong and I told him that I was said that he was going to be deploying in July and I was going to be all by myself. I continued to tell him that I wanted a dog to keep me company, but I didn't want to get a puppy, because let's be honest, I don't see myself being able to potty train one by myself. This conversation continued for about 30 minutes and by the end of it I was full-out sobbing. About 2 weeks later we got Ollie, and Chris immediately fell in love. That is his baby...HIS dog. :-)
P: Princess. I know that every father call his daughter a princess, but I lived up to my name through and through. I was a bit of a brat during my adolescence. To this day, my dad doesn't have me in his phone as Stevie or Pooh Bear (my other childhood nickname from him), but Princess...and it makes me smile and want to wear a giant crown! :-)
Q: Quesadillas. O.M.G. I freaking love quesadillas. My favorite is the chicken quesadilla from Cookout. We don't have Cookout back in Arkansas or Oklahoma...this is a North Carolina thing, and it is life changing. From the way they crisp up the tortilla, to the grilled chicked, and the amazing sauce, it's by far one of my favorite foods in the entire world! I might just have to have that for lunch today!
R: Root Beer. This has been the one consistent craving throughout my pregnancy. I prefer Barq's root beer and I prefer it be a fountain drink with nugget ice. Before I moved back to Oklahoma for a few weeks, it was just my drink of choice whenever Chris and I would grab something to eat from a fast-food place or go out to eat. But in lovely Duncan, Oklahoma they have this place called Dave's Cave. Dave's Cave is a drive-thru convenient store that has the most amazing fountain drinks. They have just about every pop out there AND you can put just about any flavor imaginable in it. Needless to say, I was usually up there twice a day...once to get a 64 oz lime water (with fresh limes) and the second time to get a 64 oz root beer. Oh how I miss those days! Now, it's back to normal. It's just my drink of choice when I go out to eat because I'm too lazy to waddle myself into a gas station to get one.
S: Sports, Sweats & Sassy. Again, I couldn't just pick one. First and foremost, sports. I always have and always will be a sports girl through and through! And it's not just your basic football and baseball, it's just about any and all sports. I played basketball for about 10 years before my doctor told me I could no longer play because of my knees (thanks again Dad). That didn't stop me from playing for about a year and then I hurt it pretty bad, so my parents pulled the plug on it. I will always prefer college sports to professional sports for the simple fact that for the most part, I believe that once you're getting paid to play sports, you're just playing the game for the money, not for the love and passion you have for the game. Now, sweats. I am in sweatpants year-round, at the house, not outside. Since I've been pregnant, if I don't have to go somewhere where I need to look decent and presentable, I'm rocking the sweats. Oh, and we're not talking those little sweatsuits that a lot of girls wear. Nope, I'm talking big baggy XL mens sweatpants. Ah, the freedom! Last, but not least, Sassy. I have a 2009 Pontiac G6 V6 and her name is Sassy. My future nieces and nephews will call me Aunt Sassy (against my sisters will), and I am described as sassy...a lot, and I love it!
T: Taylor Elizabeth. Taylor is my little sister who is about 4 years younger than me, and she is pretty much my everything. She is one of the most talented, funny, and outgoing person I've ever met. We definitely still argue like we're sisters, but she's also my best friend, and I would KILL for her...so don't mess with her!
U: United States Air Force. Oh the military. Thank goodness it's the Air Force and not another branch of the military (no offense), for the simple fact that I don't think I could handle the long deployments. I have tons of respect for spouses that go without seeing each other for 12, 14, and 16 months. You are much stronger than I am.
I have a love/hate relationship with the Air Force. I love the benefits and the places that (maybe) we will be able to travel and see, but I hate the deployments, 12-hour work days, and having to deal with Tri-Care...ugh!
V: Vacations. Growing up we went on a vacation to Red River, New Mexico every year, and to this day those trips are some of my fondest memories. I haven't been able to go for the past 2 years because of work and Chris' deployment, but I adore vacations. Even if it's a mini-vacation, I try and make the best out of any time away with my family!
W: Wedding Planning. I LOVE LOVE LOVE planning weddings! I plan on working on getting my certification and making it a career. I love every single thing about it, the food, the decorations...all of it!
X: X-pensive Gifts. Give me a break, how many things really start with x?! Now, when I say expensive, I really don't mean expensive in price. I believe that for something to be expensive, the thought behind it has to be thoughtful.
Y: Yougurt...the Frozen Kind. Unfortunately, we don't have Braum's in North Carolina, and nobody out here knows what they are, but if you do, you know that these things are epic! The twist frozen yogurt in a waffle cone will always put me in a better mood. Hands down. Without a doubt.
Z: Zig-Zags. Let me explain...this is the way I walk. Haha. Seriously, I think it is physically impossible for me to walk a straight line, at any time. I just can't do it. Chris is constantly making fun of me because of my inability to walk in a straight line. I've always said that I would be the person to fail a sobrity test stone cold sober, and I truely belive that!
This ended up being a lot longer than I thought, but I hope you battled through it and enjoyed! Don't forget to stay Sassy and Classy!
Stevie Nicole
A: Arkansas Razorbacks. I spent most of my life in Arkansas. That's where I graduated high school...in my whopping graduating class of 85! I always have and always will have a passionate love for the Razorbacks. Whether it's a winning season or a losing one, I'm always cheering them on! My favorite thing to do (especially during a football game) is call the Hogs...WOO PIG SOOIE!!! Do I get made fun of...definitely...especially by my husband, but do I care...not so much!
B: Baseball. My love of baseball actually started while I was in high school and dating a baseball player. Starting out, I just went to the game so I could cheer on my boyfriend (the tight baseball pants didn't hurt either). But as I continued to go to the games and really understand them, I fell in love. I ended up learning how to keep the book and traveled with the team to all of their games. Now here I am, almost 7 years later, still completely in love with the game and keeping book for my husbands squadron and base softball teams!
C: Chris. This is going to be cutesy and cheesy, so just prepare yourself. Chris is my amazing husband. We met each other through a mutual friend about 2 1/2 years ago when I moved from Oklahoma to North Carolina. We started dating in March of 2009, and the time since then has been the most wonderful time of my life. We got married on May 28, 2010 in a little courthouse ceremony (actual wedding will be July 2011). Chris is literally everything I could of dreamed of and more. Chris doesn't usually let me get away with my "princess attitude" that I can have sometimes, but he treats me like a queen. We both have extremely competitive personalities and will make a competition out of just about anything. We both have the same wants and values in life and everyday he continues to help me be a better person. He is my hero and the love of my life!
D: Donuts. I. love. donuts! Especially Krispy Kreme original glazed. Nothing beats a warms KK donut and a cup of milk. Seriously...mouth watering just thinking about it. I might just have to go get a dozen on my way home today...yup...it's been decided!
E: Easton Michael. My unborn son is already the light of my life. Right now, I'm 27 weeks and 5 days along and I can't wait to see my little boy for the first time and finally hold him in my arms. He moves around constantly now, and even when he's up in my ribs and it doesn't feel all that great, it still brings a smile to my face. If I could have an ultrasound everyday and not have to pay for it, I would...just so I could see him. The cutest thing EVER is when he gets the hiccups. Bless his little heart, I'm sure he's not the biggest fan, by this Mommy get a kick out of them.
F: Fall, Football & Facebook. I couldn't just pick one...you'll get over it. First...football. This might be a little dramatic, but football completes me. I seriously don't know what I would do if I didn't have football in my life. And it's ANY football...high school, college, professional, personally I don't care. Now...fall. Fall is hands-down my favorite season. The leaves changing, being able to swear sweatshirts, fall candles, fall febreze (umm...yes please!), fall decorations. I LOVE FALL!!! And finally...Facebook. Some people might say that I have a bit of a problem, and those people are 150% correct. I am literally always logged onto Facebook, 24/7. It's sad really. I know that this will change once Chris gets back (maybe) and Easton gets here (definitely). But for now, my life is Facebook. What can I say, I'm a stay-at-home-professional-baby-grower and I refuse to watch soaps! :-)
G: Goldsboro, NC. Now this one is not on here because it's my favorite anything...it's because I'm forced to live here (thank you Air Force). Don't get me wrong, North Carolina is beautiful, but Goldsboro is not. And people in this town don't know/understand the meaning of southern hospitality. Some say they do, but they don't. I will cry tears of joy (and probably pee myself if I'm still pregnant) when we find out we're going to get out of here. FINGERS CROSSED!
H: Housewife. This is my current job title and I love every minute of it. Am I the best housewife in the world? That would be a negative. I'm really bad at budgeting (if anybody has any tips or advice...I need it), I have to be in the mood to clean, I hate actually putting up laundry (folding it doesn't bother me), and I would rather go grab something than cook (that's just because I'm not the greatest cook in the world). But I love being able to stay home...it puts a smile on my face!
I: Ice Cream. Even though I midly lactose-intolerant, I still indulge myself in my favorite treat from time to time. Half Baked, Phish Food, Cookies & Cream, and Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough are among my favorites.
J: Jewelry. I don't wear a lot of jewelry all the time, but I have my jewelry I never take off (engagement ring, eternity cross ring from my mom, a ring that was my Momma Lou's, a ring that was my Great-Grandmother Dimery's, and my necklace with the pendant that my mom had made of my Great-Granny's watch that she wore for over 65 years). Then I have my everyday jewelry...some bracelets and earrings, but then I have my "sassy" jewelry. You all know exactly what I'm talking about too. That jewelry that you by knowing right then that you might only wear it once or twice, but by golly you're gonna look HOT those one or two times you do. I have A LOT of sassy jewelry...and a lot of it, I have yet to wear. Oops.
K: Kansas City. I love Kansas City and everything about it. The life, the night life, but most of all the Kansas City Chiefs and the Kansas City Royals. I have always been a Chiefs fan, and yes, I know what most of you are thinking...why the hell would you choose the Chiefs? Yes, I also know that they haven't been the greatest over the past few years, but I'm still proud of them and will still cheer them on no matter what!
L: Life-Long Friends. These are the people that keep me sane. All through high school, and even now, I've always gotten along better with guys. Most girls absolutely drive me crazy. The drama, the fighting, the talking behind your back, wearing dresses to sporting events (one of my BIGGEST pet peeves...it's sports for crying out loud...not need to get dolled up to go to a football game, especially if you don't even know the game). Mindy, Jessica, Brittany, Brittany, and Lauren...I don't know what I would do without each and every one of you. You seriously keep me sane and help me get through my day to day!
M: Mommy & Mother-In-Law. These two woman are seriously two of the biggest influences and inspirations in my life. They have both been through so much, and they still constantly have the best attitudes and outlooks on life. I love them both dearly and I seriously don't know what I would do without them both!
N: Nana. My darling little Nana! This is my mom's mom and she is freaking amazing! My favorite thing in the entire world is to sit on her lap or sit on the floor in front of her while she plays with my hair (yes, I'm almost 23 and I still sit in my Nana's lap...problem? Didn't think so).
O: Ollie. My little Ollie Wollie! Ollie is our 3-year-old pomeranian that Chris and I adopted last spring. Chris did not, and I repe at, DID NOT, want a small dog. He absolutely hates small dogs...he believes they're more like cats than dogs. A girl I used to work with was trying to find him a good home so he didn't have to go to the pound. Of course, as soon as I found out that he was going to go to the pound I knew that it was my destiny to save little Ollie. So even though I knew I had my work cut out for me with Chris, I was determined! For about a week I begged and pleaded, and of course, he said, not only not, but hell no. I was devastated...until I decided to pull out the big guns. Now, before I tell you exactly what the "big guns" were, I need to put in a little disclaimer...I am not proud of this and I felt bad afterwards, but it ended up being a blessing. The "big guns" are as follow: One day I came home from work and Chris was already home laying down on the couch and watching tv. I walked up to him, lay down beside him, and start to sniffle a little. At first the sniffles, were fake, and then they definitely were real. Chris asked what was wrong and I told him that I was said that he was going to be deploying in July and I was going to be all by myself. I continued to tell him that I wanted a dog to keep me company, but I didn't want to get a puppy, because let's be honest, I don't see myself being able to potty train one by myself. This conversation continued for about 30 minutes and by the end of it I was full-out sobbing. About 2 weeks later we got Ollie, and Chris immediately fell in love. That is his baby...HIS dog. :-)
P: Princess. I know that every father call his daughter a princess, but I lived up to my name through and through. I was a bit of a brat during my adolescence. To this day, my dad doesn't have me in his phone as Stevie or Pooh Bear (my other childhood nickname from him), but Princess...and it makes me smile and want to wear a giant crown! :-)
Q: Quesadillas. O.M.G. I freaking love quesadillas. My favorite is the chicken quesadilla from Cookout. We don't have Cookout back in Arkansas or Oklahoma...this is a North Carolina thing, and it is life changing. From the way they crisp up the tortilla, to the grilled chicked, and the amazing sauce, it's by far one of my favorite foods in the entire world! I might just have to have that for lunch today!
R: Root Beer. This has been the one consistent craving throughout my pregnancy. I prefer Barq's root beer and I prefer it be a fountain drink with nugget ice. Before I moved back to Oklahoma for a few weeks, it was just my drink of choice whenever Chris and I would grab something to eat from a fast-food place or go out to eat. But in lovely Duncan, Oklahoma they have this place called Dave's Cave. Dave's Cave is a drive-thru convenient store that has the most amazing fountain drinks. They have just about every pop out there AND you can put just about any flavor imaginable in it. Needless to say, I was usually up there twice a day...once to get a 64 oz lime water (with fresh limes) and the second time to get a 64 oz root beer. Oh how I miss those days! Now, it's back to normal. It's just my drink of choice when I go out to eat because I'm too lazy to waddle myself into a gas station to get one.
S: Sports, Sweats & Sassy. Again, I couldn't just pick one. First and foremost, sports. I always have and always will be a sports girl through and through! And it's not just your basic football and baseball, it's just about any and all sports. I played basketball for about 10 years before my doctor told me I could no longer play because of my knees (thanks again Dad). That didn't stop me from playing for about a year and then I hurt it pretty bad, so my parents pulled the plug on it. I will always prefer college sports to professional sports for the simple fact that for the most part, I believe that once you're getting paid to play sports, you're just playing the game for the money, not for the love and passion you have for the game. Now, sweats. I am in sweatpants year-round, at the house, not outside. Since I've been pregnant, if I don't have to go somewhere where I need to look decent and presentable, I'm rocking the sweats. Oh, and we're not talking those little sweatsuits that a lot of girls wear. Nope, I'm talking big baggy XL mens sweatpants. Ah, the freedom! Last, but not least, Sassy. I have a 2009 Pontiac G6 V6 and her name is Sassy. My future nieces and nephews will call me Aunt Sassy (against my sisters will), and I am described as sassy...a lot, and I love it!
T: Taylor Elizabeth. Taylor is my little sister who is about 4 years younger than me, and she is pretty much my everything. She is one of the most talented, funny, and outgoing person I've ever met. We definitely still argue like we're sisters, but she's also my best friend, and I would KILL for her...so don't mess with her!
U: United States Air Force. Oh the military. Thank goodness it's the Air Force and not another branch of the military (no offense), for the simple fact that I don't think I could handle the long deployments. I have tons of respect for spouses that go without seeing each other for 12, 14, and 16 months. You are much stronger than I am.
I have a love/hate relationship with the Air Force. I love the benefits and the places that (maybe) we will be able to travel and see, but I hate the deployments, 12-hour work days, and having to deal with Tri-Care...ugh!
V: Vacations. Growing up we went on a vacation to Red River, New Mexico every year, and to this day those trips are some of my fondest memories. I haven't been able to go for the past 2 years because of work and Chris' deployment, but I adore vacations. Even if it's a mini-vacation, I try and make the best out of any time away with my family!
W: Wedding Planning. I LOVE LOVE LOVE planning weddings! I plan on working on getting my certification and making it a career. I love every single thing about it, the food, the decorations...all of it!
X: X-pensive Gifts. Give me a break, how many things really start with x?! Now, when I say expensive, I really don't mean expensive in price. I believe that for something to be expensive, the thought behind it has to be thoughtful.
Y: Yougurt...the Frozen Kind. Unfortunately, we don't have Braum's in North Carolina, and nobody out here knows what they are, but if you do, you know that these things are epic! The twist frozen yogurt in a waffle cone will always put me in a better mood. Hands down. Without a doubt.
Z: Zig-Zags. Let me explain...this is the way I walk. Haha. Seriously, I think it is physically impossible for me to walk a straight line, at any time. I just can't do it. Chris is constantly making fun of me because of my inability to walk in a straight line. I've always said that I would be the person to fail a sobrity test stone cold sober, and I truely belive that!
This ended up being a lot longer than I thought, but I hope you battled through it and enjoyed! Don't forget to stay Sassy and Classy!
Stevie Nicole
Monday, October 11, 2010
Good News, Fall, and Labor Scares!
Hi there! I haven't been on here in a couple of weeks because of the complete chaos that has been going on here lately. So, allow me to catch you up!
I FINALLY got someone to help me get our couch out of storage for me since 1) I'm not supposed to be lifting anything remotely heavy since I'm in my 6th month now, 2) we have a sectional couch and I don't have a truck so I'm not just going to strap the sucker on top of my pretty car (her name is Sassy) and just go for it, and 3) I honestly shouldn't HAVE to move it by myself, pregnant or not. So anyways, I finally got someone that would move it out of storage and into my house for me. All it cost me was a case of beer and since I'm not really throwing them back right now, I was more than happy to oblige. :-) The dogs and I are much happier now that we don't have to sit on the floor to catch up on our DVR'd shows. Speaking of DVR (and the ADD kicks in) how many shows is too many shows? My list, beginning on Sunday goes a little like this:
I FINALLY got someone to help me get our couch out of storage for me since 1) I'm not supposed to be lifting anything remotely heavy since I'm in my 6th month now, 2) we have a sectional couch and I don't have a truck so I'm not just going to strap the sucker on top of my pretty car (her name is Sassy) and just go for it, and 3) I honestly shouldn't HAVE to move it by myself, pregnant or not. So anyways, I finally got someone that would move it out of storage and into my house for me. All it cost me was a case of beer and since I'm not really throwing them back right now, I was more than happy to oblige. :-) The dogs and I are much happier now that we don't have to sit on the floor to catch up on our DVR'd shows. Speaking of DVR (and the ADD kicks in) how many shows is too many shows? My list, beginning on Sunday goes a little like this:
Sunday
Keeping Up With the Kardashians
The Amazing Race
The Next Iron Chef
Undercover Boss
Monday
Ellen
Dancing With the Stars
How I Met Your Mother
Rules of Engagement
Tuesday
Ellen
Biggest Loser
Teen Mom
Glee
Wednesday
Ellen
Hell's Kitchen
Survivor
Better With You
Modern Family
Cougar Town
Challenge:Cutthroat
Thursday
Ellen
The Big Bang Theory
Grey's Anatomy
The Office
Jersey Shore
Friday
Ellen
Sure, it may be a little much, but I don't work so I have to keep myself busy.
We got some good news...Chris is coming home earlier than expected! I can't say when, but I can say that he'll be home before too long and we're both SO excited!
Last Wednesday Easton gave us a bit of a scare. Wednesday morning I woke up and did a few chores around the house. Nothing too intense, just some dishes, laundry and vacuumed a bit. Around 2pm I started to get tired and having some pains in my lower abdomen so I laid down on the couch. About 5pm the pains were getting worse and worse so I decided to call my doctor just to be on the safe side because the pains were now coming with intense pressure. Of course, my doctor's office was already closed so I called up to Labor and Delivery at the hospital to see what they thought it might be. I told them what I was feeling and they told me to take some Tylenol, drink 2-3 big glasses of water of lay down for an hour and then call back. I did what they told me to do and the pain and pressure was the same, so when I called them to tell them if anything had changed they told me that they wanted me to come up so I could be monitored. I automatically start to freak out because all I can think about is that I'm going into pre-term labor, they're not going to be able to stop it for some reason, Easton is going to come extremely premature, none of my family is here, and Chris isn't here. Thankfully, my friend Brittany was already on her way over with Little Ceasar's and Beauty and the Beast for a girls night. So she took me right up to the hospital where they took me directly up to Labor and Delivery, got me strapped on to the fetal heart monitor and the wait began. They monitored me for about an hour. Thankfully I wasn't having any contractions and I wasn't dilated at all so they sent me home on temporary bed rest and told me to see my doctor the next day for a follow up.
The next morning I went to my doctor and everything was still looking good, but she did advise me to take it easy for the rest of my pregnancy and she told me that she didn't want me to fly or drive long distances for the rest of my pregnancy. Yay for everything being okay with Easton and I, but a big giant BOO for not being able to travel because I was supposed to go back to Arkansas for my baby shower and my best friends wedding. Everybody was more than understanding, but it still broke my heart that I had to miss out on those things. The most important thing is my health and the health of Easton, so that's my main focus. The sacrifices of parenthood have already begun.
We are officially in my favorite time of year...FALL!!! Fall is hands-down my favorite season for multiple reasons...the smells, the changing of the leaves, the cooler weather, the yummy food, MLB post-season, and most of all...FOOTBALL!!! On any given Saturday and Sunday, I am sitting in front of a tv (usually yelling) and enjoying the greatest sport ever! Last year Chris and I got involved in the college and pro pick-em, so of course I wanted to do that again this year, because let's be honest...I rocked it last year! I also wanted to join a fantasy football league this year. Now most of you know that I'm not your normal "girl." Yes, I love to get dressed up, look pretty, do my hair, gossip, and oogle over some hot celebs, but I'm also a huge sports fan, and to me that doesn't just mean having a favorite team and occasionally watch a game. Nope, that means watching games religiously and actually know and understand the game.
So with that said...
WOO PIG SOOIE
GO POKES
GO CHIEFS
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Moving, Moving, and a Little More Moving
I know that it's been a while since I put a new post on here, so I decided that now was as good of a time as any!
So Chris and I got a house on base, which is why we decided that I would move back to North Carolina earlier. This will give me more than enough time to get everything settled before Chris comes home; that way when he finally gets home we will be able to just relax and spend some quality time with each other before our bouncing baby boy comes! I had planned on making my trip cross-country, from Oklahoma to North Carolina, a 3-day excursion. With me being in my 5th month of pregnancy, traveling with a car crammed with anything and everything that I could manage to squeeze in there, AND traveling with 2 dogs. The first day I ended up driving about 10 hours and stopped for the night in Jackson, TN (just east of Memphis), order some Jason's Deli, which by the way is absolutely amazing, and got some much needed shut eye. I woke up bright and early the next morning, got my bags and the dogs loaded in the car and we hit the open road. Now, if you haven't had the pleasure of driving I-40 across the entire state of Tennessee, let me tell you this, you are not missing anything. Absolutely gorgeous drive, but the same thing over and over again...trees, rest stop, city, trees, rest stop, city, and on and on again. I had planned on stopping in Asheville, NC for the night, but I ended up making wonderful time from Jackson to Asheville and ended up getting there around 3pm. Now, a hotel room had already been booked and paid for in Asheville, but I decided that I would rather spend another 5 hours on the road that day, then have to drive again the next. So that's exactly what I did; I kept on driving until I got to my final destination, Seymour Johnson Air Force Base. Now anybody that knows me knows that I'm not the biggest fan of this town...at all. I'm 24 hours from my family, 18 hours from Chris' family, there is absolutely nothing to do here, and most people here have absolutely NO idea what "southern hospitality" is. But at that moment, I was the happiest woman in the world to be able to walk into a house that I could call home. A home that was FINALLY just for me, Chris, and now our little Easton (well, and the dogs too). I walked into our new house, completely exhausted and immediately started to cry, but don't worry, they were tears of joy, with a side of exhaustion. Before I had gone to the house, I stopped by our storage unit to pick up some blankets and the air mattress, so I wouldn't have to sleep on the ground. So I take the dogs out to use the bathroom, unload most of the car, and go to blow up the air mattress. The only problem with this was that there was no air pump...anywhere. So at almost midnight, I trucked my pregnant self to Wal-Mart to get an air pump and something for breakfast in the morning. I got home, aired up the mattress and immediately fell asleep.
Here we are, a little over a week later and there are things hanging on the walls, the bed is put together and currently in use by myself, a miniature schnauzer, a pomeranian, and an amazing Boppy Full Body Pillow. (Sidenote: To all future mothers...get one of these. Once you start getting bigger, they are truely a God-send!!!) Slowly, but surely, the house is coming together. I'm trying not to just hurry and get everything done at once, because then what the hell am I going to do with the rest of my time. I have been introduced to LOST, and I'm officially addicted. I spend hours upon hours watching this stupid show, even though I have been warned that I am going to absolutely despise the series finale, but for some reason, I still watch on! I'm also making my way through all of Tori Spelling and Jenny McCarthy's book, and I must say, that are incredible!!! Read them, read them, read them!!! You will literally laugh out loud at some of the things those girls say. They are absolutely hilarious, but at the same time, incredibly eye-opening. On top of all of that, I currently have my DVR recording approximately 20 tv series. I wish I was exaggerating, but I am being 150% serious. It's too hot and I'm too lazy to do anything else.
As usual, there really is no point to this post, but you're the one reading it! :-)
Stay Sassy and Classy!
So Chris and I got a house on base, which is why we decided that I would move back to North Carolina earlier. This will give me more than enough time to get everything settled before Chris comes home; that way when he finally gets home we will be able to just relax and spend some quality time with each other before our bouncing baby boy comes! I had planned on making my trip cross-country, from Oklahoma to North Carolina, a 3-day excursion. With me being in my 5th month of pregnancy, traveling with a car crammed with anything and everything that I could manage to squeeze in there, AND traveling with 2 dogs. The first day I ended up driving about 10 hours and stopped for the night in Jackson, TN (just east of Memphis), order some Jason's Deli, which by the way is absolutely amazing, and got some much needed shut eye. I woke up bright and early the next morning, got my bags and the dogs loaded in the car and we hit the open road. Now, if you haven't had the pleasure of driving I-40 across the entire state of Tennessee, let me tell you this, you are not missing anything. Absolutely gorgeous drive, but the same thing over and over again...trees, rest stop, city, trees, rest stop, city, and on and on again. I had planned on stopping in Asheville, NC for the night, but I ended up making wonderful time from Jackson to Asheville and ended up getting there around 3pm. Now, a hotel room had already been booked and paid for in Asheville, but I decided that I would rather spend another 5 hours on the road that day, then have to drive again the next. So that's exactly what I did; I kept on driving until I got to my final destination, Seymour Johnson Air Force Base. Now anybody that knows me knows that I'm not the biggest fan of this town...at all. I'm 24 hours from my family, 18 hours from Chris' family, there is absolutely nothing to do here, and most people here have absolutely NO idea what "southern hospitality" is. But at that moment, I was the happiest woman in the world to be able to walk into a house that I could call home. A home that was FINALLY just for me, Chris, and now our little Easton (well, and the dogs too). I walked into our new house, completely exhausted and immediately started to cry, but don't worry, they were tears of joy, with a side of exhaustion. Before I had gone to the house, I stopped by our storage unit to pick up some blankets and the air mattress, so I wouldn't have to sleep on the ground. So I take the dogs out to use the bathroom, unload most of the car, and go to blow up the air mattress. The only problem with this was that there was no air pump...anywhere. So at almost midnight, I trucked my pregnant self to Wal-Mart to get an air pump and something for breakfast in the morning. I got home, aired up the mattress and immediately fell asleep.
Here we are, a little over a week later and there are things hanging on the walls, the bed is put together and currently in use by myself, a miniature schnauzer, a pomeranian, and an amazing Boppy Full Body Pillow. (Sidenote: To all future mothers...get one of these. Once you start getting bigger, they are truely a God-send!!!) Slowly, but surely, the house is coming together. I'm trying not to just hurry and get everything done at once, because then what the hell am I going to do with the rest of my time. I have been introduced to LOST, and I'm officially addicted. I spend hours upon hours watching this stupid show, even though I have been warned that I am going to absolutely despise the series finale, but for some reason, I still watch on! I'm also making my way through all of Tori Spelling and Jenny McCarthy's book, and I must say, that are incredible!!! Read them, read them, read them!!! You will literally laugh out loud at some of the things those girls say. They are absolutely hilarious, but at the same time, incredibly eye-opening. On top of all of that, I currently have my DVR recording approximately 20 tv series. I wish I was exaggerating, but I am being 150% serious. It's too hot and I'm too lazy to do anything else.
As usual, there really is no point to this post, but you're the one reading it! :-)
Stay Sassy and Classy!
Thursday, September 16, 2010
A Little Sassy Update
I know it's been a while since I updated my blog, so I figured that right now was a wonderful time! I've been a busy little bee for the past few days. So let's start from the beginning...
Monday, 13 September 2010:
I read an article in the local newspaper about a soldier from Duncan who was KIA (killed in action), while deployed in Afghanistan. Since the funeral was going to be in Duncan, the Army flew his body to Ft. Sill in Lawton. The Patriot Guard, along with police officers, escorted SSgt. Adkinson to Duncan, but they made a brief stop at the nursing home where his grandmother, who raised him, stays so she could say her last goodbyes to her grandson. The county sheriff's department got wind that a "church" from Kansas that goes to soldier's funerals and protests were planning on showing up to SSgt. Adkinson's funeral. The family requested the services of The Patriot Guard to assist the police. The police asked anybody and everybody that could, to show up before the funeral and line the road outside of the church to show their support. So my cousin Savannah and I make signs for our cars and wrote on our windows and lined the road. Thankfully the "church" never showed up. It was one of the most inspirational and humbling experiences of my life to see all of these people, most of which didn't even know the fallen soldier, there to show their respects to his service and the service of our men and women in uniform everywhere.
While we were lining the road I got a call from the Housing office at the base where Chris and I live. WE GOT A HOUSE!!!! YAY!!!! We got everything taken care of that day, the only thing was, I had to be back in North Carolina by 30 September!!! That's only 17 days!!! AHHHHH!!! Some major talking needed to be done with my Mom and my wonderful hubby...
Tuesday, 14 September 2010:
Finally got all of the details figured out and we all decided that the best choice would be for me to fit everything I could in my car and get myself and the doggies to North Carolina as soon as possible...as in Thursday! So I spent literally ALL day on the phone; setting up for cable and internet installation, stuff for insurance, stuff for the cars, stuff for my doctor...EVERYTHING. So I spent all day on the phone and all night packing my stuff and loading up the car. Needless to say, it was a LONG day!
Wednesday, 15 September 2010:
Wednesday was spent tying up any loose ends, finishing packing, and saying those bittersweet goodbyes to my amazing family. I ended up driving to my mom and future step-dad's house to spend the evening with them before leaving the next morning.
Thursday, 16 September 2010:
Today I began my 3-day road trip to North Carolina!! The dogs and I made the 9 hour trek to Jackson, TN. We got a wonderful hotel room here (thank you Mommy) and enjoyed an amazing delivery dinner from Jason's Deli. Sidenote: I have NEVER eaten Jason's Deli before...O.M.G. It was incredible!!! So here I sit, almost 1am, completely exhausted, and of course I can't sleep.
There was absolutely no point to this post what-so-ever, except to try and tire me out...I think it might be working...
Monday, 13 September 2010:
I read an article in the local newspaper about a soldier from Duncan who was KIA (killed in action), while deployed in Afghanistan. Since the funeral was going to be in Duncan, the Army flew his body to Ft. Sill in Lawton. The Patriot Guard, along with police officers, escorted SSgt. Adkinson to Duncan, but they made a brief stop at the nursing home where his grandmother, who raised him, stays so she could say her last goodbyes to her grandson. The county sheriff's department got wind that a "church" from Kansas that goes to soldier's funerals and protests were planning on showing up to SSgt. Adkinson's funeral. The family requested the services of The Patriot Guard to assist the police. The police asked anybody and everybody that could, to show up before the funeral and line the road outside of the church to show their support. So my cousin Savannah and I make signs for our cars and wrote on our windows and lined the road. Thankfully the "church" never showed up. It was one of the most inspirational and humbling experiences of my life to see all of these people, most of which didn't even know the fallen soldier, there to show their respects to his service and the service of our men and women in uniform everywhere.
While we were lining the road I got a call from the Housing office at the base where Chris and I live. WE GOT A HOUSE!!!! YAY!!!! We got everything taken care of that day, the only thing was, I had to be back in North Carolina by 30 September!!! That's only 17 days!!! AHHHHH!!! Some major talking needed to be done with my Mom and my wonderful hubby...
Tuesday, 14 September 2010:
Finally got all of the details figured out and we all decided that the best choice would be for me to fit everything I could in my car and get myself and the doggies to North Carolina as soon as possible...as in Thursday! So I spent literally ALL day on the phone; setting up for cable and internet installation, stuff for insurance, stuff for the cars, stuff for my doctor...EVERYTHING. So I spent all day on the phone and all night packing my stuff and loading up the car. Needless to say, it was a LONG day!
Wednesday, 15 September 2010:
Wednesday was spent tying up any loose ends, finishing packing, and saying those bittersweet goodbyes to my amazing family. I ended up driving to my mom and future step-dad's house to spend the evening with them before leaving the next morning.
Thursday, 16 September 2010:
Today I began my 3-day road trip to North Carolina!! The dogs and I made the 9 hour trek to Jackson, TN. We got a wonderful hotel room here (thank you Mommy) and enjoyed an amazing delivery dinner from Jason's Deli. Sidenote: I have NEVER eaten Jason's Deli before...O.M.G. It was incredible!!! So here I sit, almost 1am, completely exhausted, and of course I can't sleep.
There was absolutely no point to this post what-so-ever, except to try and tire me out...I think it might be working...
Monday, September 6, 2010
Oh TriCare...Why Must You Irritate Me So?!
Thursday night I began to get a little bit of a sore throat, which is VERY common for me this time of year. 9 times out of 10 it's either strep throat or a sinus infection. I have HUGE tonsils! I'm talking these suckers should have been taken out as soon as I was born! MASSIVE! So I get myself a mirror, stick out my tongue and say "AHHHH" and just as I thought there was a huge white spot on my left tonsil. Knowing my history, I hop onto the internet to do the online check in for UrgentMed for the next morning. As the night goes on my sore throat gradually gets worse. UrgentMed calls me at 8:15am to inform me that they are ready to see me. So I brush my teeth really quick, throw my hair up and drive to the doctor's office. I get there and they go through their usual insurance speech, so I hand them my TriCare card and my military id. The receptionist looks at the cards, looks at me and asks "Is this for active or non-active duty?" I let her know that my husband is active duty and she responds with, "Oh I'm sorry honey. We can't accept active duty TriCare." When I ask her why, she informs me that they are not allowed to since Ft. Sill is so close. She goes on to tell me that I can either go to Ft. Sill or I can go to the ER. First of all, I'm NOT going to Ft. Sill because A). I have NO idea where the clinic is there and B). Lawton scares the ever-loving crap out of me. Secondly, there is no way that I am going to the ER for A SORE THROAT!! I mean, let's be honest people...that's not only a complete waste of my time, but I would sit there for hours upon hours because we all know I'm not going to die from a sore throat. I leave UrgentMed frustrated and on the verge of tears because I'm starving but can't swallow, so I do what any pregnant woman would do, I call my Mom. My Mom is seriously my rock. I have NO idea what I would do without her! So she tells me to just call my Ob and see if they would be able to do anything for me. Why didn't I think of that in the first place?! DUH!! So I call my doctors office and leave her nurse a message. She immediately calls me back and tells me to come in so they can swab me for strep. I get to her office, get right into a room and immediately get swabbed for strep. By the way, if you live in Duncan, Oklahoma and need an Ob, Dr. Stacie Elfrink at Duncan Medical Associates is the GREATEST doctor EVER!!! Anyway, the test came back negative and we decided it was my allergies and sinuses, so I got some Z-Pack, Suddafed and Robitussin and besides the annoying cough, I'm good as new!!!
The point of the story...as grateful as I am for the benefits that the military provides for my family, they REALLY make it hard to love them!!!
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
This Sassy Classy Momma is Having a...
My 20 week ultrasound and we were told we would find out the sex of the baby. So my cousin Savannah and her 9 month-old son Talon went with me to my appointment. I had planned on recording the entire appointment with Chris' iPod I just bought him, so of course that was the first question I asked. The ultrasound tech told me that it was against policy, but she would put all of the pictures on a cd for me. Not quite what I had planned, but it still worked. Naturally the second question was if we would be able to find out the sex. The ultrasound tech asked, "Do you want to find out?" Two things ran through my mind..."Ummm DUH!!" and "Why in the world would I ask if I didn't want to know?!" I decided that neither of those responses were necessarily appropriate, so I simply replied with, "Yes please!" She goes on to tell me that she going to take some pictures and measurements of the baby and then she will take pictures for us and let us know the sex. So she puts literally about half a bottle of the gel on my stomach (which later took 2 towels to completely get off) and gets to work. She measured the kidneys, spine, brain, stomach, amniotic fluid, placenta, and then she get to the femur. She measures one leg and then goes to measure the other one. At this point Savannah says, "Oh!!! I think I know what it is!!!" The ultrasound agreed and goes back...and there plain as day is a little "turtle." I scream, "It's a boy!!!" and immediately start to tear up. I just stared at the picture for a while, and then I realized something...my son is packing! Seriously, my son practically has a third leg!
So the ultrasound tech finishes taking all of the measurements and pictures, hands me the cd with all of the pictures on it, and leads me out to the waiting room to leave. I very quickly thank Savannah and Talon for coming with me, hug and kiss them both, and dart home so I can get on Skype and tell Chris that he's going to be a Daddy to a beautiful little boy!! I luckily caught Chris right before his laptop battery died so we weren't able to talk long, but I told him that we are having a boy. The conversation went as follows:
Me - "Honey, we're having a BOY!!!"
Chris (with quite possibly the biggest smile I've ever seen) - "YES!!! I knew it!!! Honey, I'm so excited!!!"
We continued to tell each other how much we love each other and how happy we are before we had to get off of Skype. For the past month or so I've had this gut feeling that it was a boy, so I guess my instincts were right!!! Below are some of the pictures from the ultrasound!!! Enjoy!!!
Confirmation that we are expecting Easton Michael
Me - "Honey, we're having a BOY!!!"
Chris (with quite possibly the biggest smile I've ever seen) - "YES!!! I knew it!!! Honey, I'm so excited!!!"
We continued to tell each other how much we love each other and how happy we are before we had to get off of Skype. For the past month or so I've had this gut feeling that it was a boy, so I guess my instincts were right!!! Below are some of the pictures from the ultrasound!!! Enjoy!!!
I think Easton was getting sick of taking pictures,
so he was ready to fight!!
Sucking his little thumb!
Monday, August 30, 2010
Can Substitute Teachers Be Sassy and Classy?
So today I worked my first substitute teaching job of the year at the middle school here in town. Let me start off by saying that I have subbed in the past for just about every age group and grade EXCEPT for middle school and there is a reason for that. Kids in middle school are at the age where they aren't considered "cute" anymore and they're no where close to being considered an adult, so they're kind of stuck in an adolescent limbo (which honestly sucks for all parties involved). I hadn't planned on taking any jobs for two age groups...Pre-K and Middle School. Now stay with me on this one...I had a very unpleasant and borderline traumatic experience the last time I subbed for a Pre-K teacher. Let's take a little trip down memory lane, shall we?
I have always been a lover of all children..little ones, big ones, tall ones, short ones, the cute and the not so blessed. So naturally I accepted a job to sub for a pre-k teacher for 3 days without hesitation (looking back I should have hesitated...BIG TIME). My first day went a little something like this...got there, took attendance, pee break for the kids, read them a story, pee break for the kids, took them to art class, pee break for the kids, took them to lunch where I got mashed potatoes thrown at me, pee break for the kids, took them out for recess, pee break for the kids, nap time, pee break for the kids, snack time, pee break for the kids, PE, pee break for the kids, colored, pee break for the kids, get backpacks together and sent them home for their parents to take them on 1 million pee breaks. Needless to say, by the end of the day I was exhausted, but I was still excited about Day 2. Day 2 went just about the same, except when a little boy decided it would be a great idea to try and take a chunk of some little girl's arm off...that didn't end so well, for either party. Day 3 rolls around and at this point I'm starting to realize that itty bitty little ones (that aren't mine, related to me, or are able to easily pass off) may not be my cup of tea. Day 3 was actually going pretty well until...the incident. My kiddos were lined up and heading inside from recess when I notice one of my little boys poking something on the sidewalk with a stick. From a distance it looked like a rock, until I got a little bit closer at which time the smell hit me like a brick wall and I realized the little boy was poking at piece of poop with a stick! I immediately tell the boy to start and of course, he starts bawling. You would have thought I had taken his favorite toy away, and it wasn't just any normal small child scream...nope, this was eardrum bursting, hurts your stomach and makes you cringe scream. HORRIBLE. I finally get the little boy calmed down, and then it hit me...I still had NO idea who the poop belonged to. Needless to say, it didn't take very long to find out...poor little fella kind of stuck out like a sore thumb.
Now I actually decided to take the sub job at the middle school for two reasons: it was only a half-day and it was for the girls p.e. teacher. Thinking it would be a piece of cake, which it was, I confirmed my sub job for the middle school. The day actually went off without a hitch, until a 8th grade girl decided to start asking questions. She had just come out of the locker room and the conversation goes a little like this:
Girl - "Can I ask you a question?"
Me - "You sure can."
Girl - "Are you pregnant?"
Me (with a big smile on my face) - "Yes I am."
Girl - "Okay I was just wanted to know if you were pregnant or just fat."
Me (smile no longer on my face) - "Not fat, just pregnant."
Girl - "Cool."
While getting dressed this morning, I made it a point to put a a shirt that was tighter around my belly so you could tell, without question, that I am in fact pregnant. Turns out, I could have been wearing a tent and somebody still would have asked me. It's not the being asked part that bothers me, actually it's just the opposite. I actually love it when people question if I'm pregnant because 9 times out of 10 they will usually oh and ah over it, ask a few more basic questions and then be on their merry little way. The part that I don't quite care for is when people insinuate and/or flat out call me fat. That kind of rubs me the wrong way, but at this point, it's kind of a "whatever" kind of situation.
Hopefully you now understand why I don't do Pre-K and had previously not planned on doing Middle School.
Even with the fat comment, subbing at the middle school wasn't too bad, but then again all I did was sit in a gym and watch kids play dodgeball all day. Let's be honest, that's not a hard task...even for The Sassy Classy Air Force Wife!
I have always been a lover of all children..little ones, big ones, tall ones, short ones, the cute and the not so blessed. So naturally I accepted a job to sub for a pre-k teacher for 3 days without hesitation (looking back I should have hesitated...BIG TIME). My first day went a little something like this...got there, took attendance, pee break for the kids, read them a story, pee break for the kids, took them to art class, pee break for the kids, took them to lunch where I got mashed potatoes thrown at me, pee break for the kids, took them out for recess, pee break for the kids, nap time, pee break for the kids, snack time, pee break for the kids, PE, pee break for the kids, colored, pee break for the kids, get backpacks together and sent them home for their parents to take them on 1 million pee breaks. Needless to say, by the end of the day I was exhausted, but I was still excited about Day 2. Day 2 went just about the same, except when a little boy decided it would be a great idea to try and take a chunk of some little girl's arm off...that didn't end so well, for either party. Day 3 rolls around and at this point I'm starting to realize that itty bitty little ones (that aren't mine, related to me, or are able to easily pass off) may not be my cup of tea. Day 3 was actually going pretty well until...the incident. My kiddos were lined up and heading inside from recess when I notice one of my little boys poking something on the sidewalk with a stick. From a distance it looked like a rock, until I got a little bit closer at which time the smell hit me like a brick wall and I realized the little boy was poking at piece of poop with a stick! I immediately tell the boy to start and of course, he starts bawling. You would have thought I had taken his favorite toy away, and it wasn't just any normal small child scream...nope, this was eardrum bursting, hurts your stomach and makes you cringe scream. HORRIBLE. I finally get the little boy calmed down, and then it hit me...I still had NO idea who the poop belonged to. Needless to say, it didn't take very long to find out...poor little fella kind of stuck out like a sore thumb.
Now I actually decided to take the sub job at the middle school for two reasons: it was only a half-day and it was for the girls p.e. teacher. Thinking it would be a piece of cake, which it was, I confirmed my sub job for the middle school. The day actually went off without a hitch, until a 8th grade girl decided to start asking questions. She had just come out of the locker room and the conversation goes a little like this:
Girl - "Can I ask you a question?"
Me - "You sure can."
Girl - "Are you pregnant?"
Me (with a big smile on my face) - "Yes I am."
Girl - "Okay I was just wanted to know if you were pregnant or just fat."
Me (smile no longer on my face) - "Not fat, just pregnant."
Girl - "Cool."
While getting dressed this morning, I made it a point to put a a shirt that was tighter around my belly so you could tell, without question, that I am in fact pregnant. Turns out, I could have been wearing a tent and somebody still would have asked me. It's not the being asked part that bothers me, actually it's just the opposite. I actually love it when people question if I'm pregnant because 9 times out of 10 they will usually oh and ah over it, ask a few more basic questions and then be on their merry little way. The part that I don't quite care for is when people insinuate and/or flat out call me fat. That kind of rubs me the wrong way, but at this point, it's kind of a "whatever" kind of situation.
Hopefully you now understand why I don't do Pre-K and had previously not planned on doing Middle School.
Even with the fat comment, subbing at the middle school wasn't too bad, but then again all I did was sit in a gym and watch kids play dodgeball all day. Let's be honest, that's not a hard task...even for The Sassy Classy Air Force Wife!
Sunday, August 29, 2010
An Air Force Kind of Pregnancy
Let me start off by saying, I am extremely thankful for what the Air Force provides for me and my family, especially when it comes to healthcare! Now, with that said, I did not have the best experience with TriCare (the military insurance company). As soon as Chris and I found out that we were expecting our little bundle of joy, I called the clinic on base to get an appointment to "confirm" that I was pregnant. I thought that the 3 pregnancy tests that immediately, and I mean IMMEDIATELY turned positive pretty much confirmed that I was indeed pregnant, but turns out, you have to go to the clinic, pee on another stick AND have blood work done before they will refer you to an Ob/Gyn (WHO KNEW!!!). So I call the clinic and tell them that I need to make an appointment to confirm that I am, in fact, pregnant. "You don't need an appointment honey, just come on in!" Sweet, this is going to be quick and painless...man oh man was I wrong. So I take myself into the clinic and inform them of what I was told over the phone. "Not a problem! We can get you in right now!" Too good to be true right? RIGHT! After about 15 minutes of very impatiently they inform me that since Chris and I just got married, I was not yet covered by TriCare, so therefore they couldn't do anything. So I leave, frustrated and feeling completely overwhelmed. Now keep in mind, Chris was due to leave in less than a month, at which time I traveling cross-country with our dog to Oklahoma. So this was just one of about a gazillion things we had today before we both left. Chris actually beat me home that day, asked me how the doctor went, and thanks to the wonderful pregnancy hormones that were raging through my body, I start bawling. I'm now talking about just crying about something...I mean you would have thought a family member had passed away. I'm a crier to begin with...the hormones just intensify it! Long story short, we were being told about 5 different things from about 5 different places on base...and then, the light at the end of the tunnel...we finally got a hold of our TriCare representative who tells us to call a certain women's clinic in our town and I would be able to be seen. Sigh of relief right? Wrong. I call the women's clinic to set up my appointment. I'm about to confirm my appointment when the receptionist asks if I would rather have my monthly appointments during the beginning, middle, or end of the month. At that point I tell her that I will be moving to Oklahoma at the end of the month for the duration of my pregnancy, and I just wanted to make an appointment to find out my due date and make sure the baby is doing okay. She informs me that they "don't do that." That unless I will be there for the entire pregnancy they wouldn't see me. I try and explain to her that I really wanted to get this done BEFORE my husband deployed for six months. Her exact words were "That's just too bad," and then she hangs up on me. Hormones or not, I HATE being hung up on...more than just about anything! So let's just say that she got another phone call from me and it wasn't pleasant.
At this point we were pretty much convinced
that I was pregnant!
The very first belly picture!!
About another month goes by, I've made it to Oklahoma, and to my surprise I was able to instantly get into an Ob/Gyn for my first prenatal appointment. That day was one of the most memorable days of my entire life. They do the blood work, urine analysis, and then it was time for the ultrasound. Now, miscarriages run very high in my family, and I had a nightmare the night before that when the doctor did the ultrasound I wasn't pregnant at all and she got mad at me for wasting her time...so needless to say, I was holding my breath and scared to death. She put the freezing cold gel on my tummy, places the wand thingy to my stomach and gently presses down. I had been staring at the monitor the entire time, just knowing that I wouldn't see anything...but then I did. I saw our perfect little baby wiggling around and instantly started crying and wishing Chris could have been there with me. Then I got to hear the heartbeat...single best sound I've ever heard in my entire life. Seriously, if you hear a babies heartbeat and don't smile, you probably have a black soul. My doctor, who by the way is the most wonderful doctor EVER) tells me that I am about 12.5 weeks along, tells me my due date is January 15, 2011, and prints off 5 beautiful pictures of our precious little baby and tells me that everything looks wonderful! As soon as I got done with my appointment I get on Skype and tell him every little detail about the appointment, everything the doctor said, and finally show him the ultrasound pictures. He immediately has the biggest smile I've ever seen come over his face and begins to tear up. It was a wonderful moment for my husband and I.
The first picture of our
precious little Peanut!
14 weeks along!
My cousin Savannah went with me to my next appointment, where we expected to find out the sex of the baby! Chris and I were on edge the entire week prior to my appointment. So Savannah, Talon (her precious little boy) and myself get to the doctor's office giddy as ever! The doctor comes in, puts the cold gel on my tummy, presses down, and BOOM! there's my little bundle of joy HUGE compared to the last time and literally standing on it's head! My doctors said everything looked great, and she was about 80% sure that little Peanut was a boy, but since our little one decided to do gymnastics with their legs pinned together, she wasn't sure. Talk about a let down!
16 weeks pregnant!
Now here we are, 20 weeks pregnant, and scheduled for my first 3D scan on Tuesday!!! I was told that I will 100% find out the sex then and this couldn't have come soon enough!!! Chris and I both think that we are being blessed with a little boy, but a lot of our family members are saying girl...so I guess we'll find out!!!
20 weeks pregnant!!
Welcome to The Sassy Classy Life of an Air Force Wife
Hi everybody!!! My name is Stevie Nicole and this is my very first blog post...ever!!! I'm really excited to get started on this!!!
Me in Chris' helmet thingy before heading out
to dinner one night!!!
First, let me start off by telling everybody a little about myself. So here we go...
My name is Stevie Nicole (which by this point you have more than likely already figured out) and as you also have probably figured out, I am a VERY proud Air Force wife!!! I was born in Oklahoma (Go Pokes!!!) and raised in Arkansas(Wooooo Pig Sooie!!!). I'm a very easy going, laid back, and fun-loving person. I am a HUGE sports fan...ANY sport. Football, baseball, basketball, hockey...you name it, I'll watch it, especially when it comes to football!!! On any given Saturday (and Sunday for that matter) in the fall, you will find me (and my husband) either AT a football game, or watching one. We are both incredibly competitive, but believe it or not, I'm usually the one screaming, yelling, and throwing things at the television.
Now that you know a little bit about the person behind the blog, let me tell you about the most important things in my life...my husband, the starting of our own little family, and of course the elephant in the room...the Air Force.
In the fall of 2008, I moved from Oklahoma, where I was a Reading Sufficiency Teacher's Assistant and surrounded by family, to North Carolina. Long story short on that BIG move...I was in a terrible relationship and decided that for my own safety, I desperately needed to get out. So I made the 1,350 mile journey cross-country in my 2001 Nissan Xterra that, mind you, did NOT have cruise control. Needless to say, it was a very long trip all by my lonesome. Now at this point you're probably asking yourself, "Why in the world would she leave a town with her entire family in it, to some place where she didn't know anyone?" Well, to answer that question, I knew one person...my ex-boyfriend/best friend from high school. From the outside looking in, this seems down-right stupid right? Well let's just say that the relationship I was "running away" from, was more than worth it. So I get to the small Air Force town on Goldsboro, North Carolina and begin dating my ex. Long story short, that didn't end well...for him at least. Because of that relationship, I was introduced to Chris, my now husband.
Chris and I met as soon as I got to Goldsboro and just about instantly became friends. Now, I have always had more guy friends than girl friends, because let's be honest...most girls are dramatic biotches. Chris and I continued to build our friendship until it turned into the wonderful relationship we have now. Chris and I dated for a little over a year and then on Wednesday, April 14, 2010 before he had to leave for work (stupid C-shift) he asked me to make him "the happiest man in the world" for the rest of his life and marry him. I, without hesitation, said yes and we immediately began planning our wedding. Chris had found out in March that he was going to be deploying in July to Iraq for 6 months, so we decided to go to the courthouse and get married on Friday, May 28, 2010 (we are having our actual wedding ceremony for friends and family in July 2011). We got the surprise of our lives on the morning of June 1, 2010 when we found out that we were expecting our first child. We have both ALWAYS wanted children, and even though we weren't necessarily trying to get pregnant at that time, we were beyond ecstatic. Since the hubby was going to be deploying for most of the pregnancy, we decided that it would be best for me and our child to have the support of our families, so I temporarily moved back to Oklahoma.
Chris & I a few weeks before we got
engaged.
Chris & I on our "Courthouse" wedding day!!!
The first picture of our little Peanut at 12.5 weeks!!
My husband is still deployed in Iraq, and even though we get to Skype almost everyday it's still hard. I am currently 20 weeks and 1 day into my pregnancy and everything is going wonderful!!! (I'll post another thing JUST about the pregnancy).
I hope I didn't bore everyone too badly.
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