April 9, 2014 by Stephanie

A New List: 35 Before 35

So I updated my list to accommodate my need to extend my deadline. I did adjust some things, but many stayed the same.

So here is how I did this last month.

1. Crochet something else besides blankets or scarves at least once a year

I have a few blankets I need to whip out right now, but I do have something planned for little man.

2. Do a photography challenge

I have it all planned out, but I won’t be doing it until the fall.

3. Visit 5 cities I have never been to before (1/5)

I went to Johnson City, TN. It was for a conference, but I was able to see a university there and parts of the city while in town. And the hotel we stayed in was GORGEOUS!

4. Tour at least one of the distilleries in the KY/TN area

Maybe this summer?

5. Send at least 5 snail mail a month

This has been a fun one to finish each month.

6. Become a “professional” photographer

Sill a work in progress, but slowly some day I will get there. I am having fun along the way.

7. Complete at least 10 races (any distance) (0/10)

I have the half marathon planned in a couple weeks with my sister-in-law. I am still going back and forth on how it will go now…

8. Go camping with Tom

Nothing yet.

9. Pay for the car behind me in a drive through

Nothing.

10. See Tyrone Wells live as many times as possible

I get to see him in a little less than a month!

11. Tour Fort Defiance here in Clarksville

People, I just found out that Ft. Defiance sometimes does Civil War re-enactments! I need this in my life! I am scoping their calendar/website to see if one is coming up for our schedule!

12. Water ski with my dad

Another summer to plan.

13. Do a 5K with my mom

Nothing.

14. Take a swing dance class with Tom

I need to do some research.

15. Read at least one fun book a month and one professional development book every three months

This month I epically failed. I still am struggling through one book. I have a hard time giving a book up too, so hopefully I can get through it this month.

16. Take a pottery or stained glass class

None of the classes here on base fit into our schedule lately.

17. Do one new recipe each month

This is new.

18. See both a Clemson and UCM football game live

I don’t think this will happen in the fall seeing as Little Guy will just have been born.

19. Find a place to volunteer on a regular basis

I volunteered to be the POC (Point of Contact) for Tom’s platoon. This is a position within the Family Readiness Group. How I have understood it the position is just part of a phone tree within the unit and helps disseminate information. I have the training for it next week, so I am sure I will find out more there.

20. Go hiking

Someday…

21. Ride in a hot air balloon

Girl’s Day some time in the future.

22. Go to at least 20 “new to me” restaurants. (8/20)

I actually did quite a bit on this one. My dad was in town a couple weeks ago. We went to O’Charley’s where I chowed down on some steak. We also checked out a mexican restaurant that I cannot for the life of me remember the name of. It wasn’t my favorite one in town so there’s that. I also went to a place called Cootie Brown’s in Johnson City. I was having some serious morning sickness, so I did not enjoy this meal at all. The pizza’s however looked amazing and large! Tom and I also found a little cafe INSIDE one of the thrift stores we went to this past weekend. Totally a random and unplanned stop, but Miss Lucille’s Cafe was adorable. And their chocolate covered cheesecake was pretty amazing.

23. Stay at a bed and breakfast

Nothing.

24. Spend a day without electronics (phone, t.v. and computer)

Hoping to do this summer.

25. Have a Kentucky Derby themed 3oth birthday party.

I have started pinning things like crazy on my party board on Pinterest.

26. Explore Nashville while we live here

I have been driving to Nashville every couple weeks for the past 2 months, but seeing as it is for doctor’s appointments, it doesn’t count. We will need to work on this one.

27. Watch at least 10 movies that I have not seen before that won Best Picture at the Oscars and at least 20 documentaries (not necessarily Oscar winning) Movies (0/10); Documentaries (4/10)

Nothing.

28. Sew an item of clothing from scratch

Maybe I will make myself a maternity jersey knit skirt…

29. Do a personal devotional/bible study

I really want to do better at reading my bible. I have an app on my phone that sends me a verse daily. I have added this to my prayer journal reflection every day. I want to find a good devotional too. This is basically focusing on my personal spiritual walk a little more.

30. Be a mascot for an event

I have no idea where this came from, but I have wanted to be a mascot for so long! I just think it would be so much fun.

This is the closest I have ever gotten. On my last day at Worlds of Fun, my partner and I “found” the character closet. Since they wouldn’t allow me to be one since I am too tall, I just tried on the head for size.

31. Go on our honeymoon (preferably somewhere tropical)

Due to life circumstances, Tom and I have never went on a honeymoon. We have tentatively planned to do it around our 5 year anniversary.

32. Host an annual NCAA Basketball Tournament Championship game party

My parents have thrown a party for the tournament championship game for as long as I can remember. It was something my brother and I looked forward to every year growing up. We got to stay up late, eat junk food and low country boil all night long, and be in charge of the betting pools. My brother still goes over every year, and I have made it back home for a couple since I have moved away. I don’t think we will end up in KC, so I would like to carry on this Glinn tradition wherever we go to. I love me some basketball, and Tom loves hosting, so it should mix well once we have a place!

33. Go on a mission trip

I went on these through middle school and high school, and it was very enlightening. I would love to get involved with a youth group and be a leader this time around. This one is very dependent on a lot of timing and money, but I want to make it happen.

34. Be on a recreation volleyball team

I was on a team while I was in Iowa, and I loved it. I really want this back in my life for so many reasons. Unfortunately, the Ft. Campbell/Clarksville area does not agree with me and has none to offer.

35. Become a mom

Little bean is doing so well. He was jumping and dancing around at this week’s appointment. Hard to believe I am already 4 months pregnant!

April 2, 2014 by Stephanie

My Introvert Confessions

I went to a conference last week for work (yay for finding some money for the part-timer). Conferences always bring out the introvert in me FULL force. It takes a lot out of me to be around people all.the.time. I stayed at home most of the weekend indulging in my current Netlix addiction and crocheting to deal with 3 days worth of people.

I have seen these elsewhere, but I figured I would put my own spin on introvert confessions. Some are similar but with my own thoughts. Please note that these may not apply to all introverts, but you may seem a theme.

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She pretty much is me any another life right? At least, I would like to think so.

First before I go into my confessions, let me briefly explain introverts and extroverts. It is from the Myers-Briggs personality test. The two indicators of extrovert and introvert refer to how/where a person draws their energy. In simple terms, extroverts draw energy from people or outer stimulation. Introverts draw energy from within, so lots of reflection and private time is a must to recharge. If you still don’t understand the difference just Google it; there are tons of sites to explain it.

Here are my Introvert Confessions:

1. Just because I am a hermit some days does not make me anti-social. It just means that I have been TOO social lately. I have seen it explained as selectively social. I also feel that our society has put an emphasis on the perception of extroverts as being a sought after personality, which makes us introverts seem awkward and loners. I am here to say we have so much to contribute if you just let us have our time.

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2. I can be spontaneous, as long as I have advanced notice to prepare. Tom and I have issues with this all the time with our social calendar. If you were not aware, my husband is an extrovert. It makes our life interesting. It is sometimes hard for him to understand that I have to prep myself for most social situations. And then I feel bad for holding him back…it’s a vicious cycle we lead.

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3. And that is because small talk is not my thing. I want to know your life story and go for coffee in a quiet space. If there are large groups of people, I have no idea how to contribute, and I think too much of what my contribution will be. I don’t like to focus on a large group because I want to connect with each person individually and that is hard to do in groups and with small talk. So unless it is a more intimate situation, I will more like stay quiet. Sometimes my profession takes a lot out of me with programs and many group settings.

4. Dear Hairdresser, dentist, and person sitting next to me on the airplane: just because I can’t go anywhere doesn’t mean I want to talk to you. I like having an escape route, and you leave me no option when you talk to me. And really why is the dentist trying to have a conversation with me anyway?

5. I embrace my introvertness, but I don’t like being made to feel awkward or feel like an outcast because I am asking for space. There are people who have made me embarrassed and ashamed of needing to stay home or throw it in my face that I missed out on something. Trust me, you missed out on crazy-drained-angry Stephanie. So just get over that I may not approach you in a crowded room or that I may want to stay in more than I want to stay out. These are the things I wish everyone knew about introverts, or me really.

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6. My ideal “social” night is with one to four friends. More than that makes me feel uneasy. UNLESS, I know each of you really well. I like to be able to give all my attention and be intentional about the conversations we have. I want to let you into my inner circle, but I feel that we can only do that one on one or in a small groups, not at the club.

7. I am always thinking: thinking of what I said (5 minutes and 5 days ago), what I would have said, and how to prepare myself with what to say. I also try to anticipate and analyze what other people are saying. This is the plight of most introverts. I think we get lost in our thoughts and expend our energy on this instead of being spontaneous with the masses. I feel like this picture depicts how I am taking everything in…

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8. Just because I am not talking, doesn’t mean I am in a bad mood or that I don’t like you. I am in observation mode. Again, I am probably trying to think of something clever to say…or I have been around people too long and am beginning to shut down.

9. I hate it when people say “Introverts are shy.” This is not a given. Around certain people, I am not. This is because I have let you in my inner circle, and we have had time to get to know each other. (Or I am on the job. I can put a good woo face on if need be.) In new situations, I can be shy. It just takes me some time to open up and feel comfortable. Again, the small talk is what gets me down. Anyway, shy and introverts are not two describers that are exclusively related.

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10. I love being an introvert. I feel that it makes me very self-aware. I can read my limits fairly quickly and know when I need to take a step back. I have learned to be vocal and not ashamed of needing my me-time. A lot of interaction will leave me exhausted and drained. I don’t perform at my best when I have been around people too long, so I have to have time EACH day to just be me. I feel that this makes it much easier for me to create balance because I can acknowledge and explain my personality.

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Fun Introvert fact, there are a lot of famous introverts.

Such as: Julia Roberts, Meryl Streep, Clint Eastwood, Tom Hanks, Steve Martin, Matt Lauer, Diane Sawyer, and Barbara Walters.

Are you an introvert? Do you have any confessions to add? Are you an extrovert? Do you have thoughts on introverts?

March 31, 2014 by Stephanie

Buy Me Some Peanuts and Cracker Jacks

Well personally, I want a big hot dog and a soft pretzel when I am at a baseball game, but that’s neither here nor there.

We love baseball in our house, which I am sure you noticed with our pregnancy announcement.

Opening day was today, and we are so pumped to have our beloved Royals back!

Tom was so pumped to get a camo KC hat!

Unfortunately, being a Royals fan comes with a lot of pain. We lost our first game today to the Tigers.

But never fear, the season is long! And I am sure we will bounce back!

We are not fair weather fans in this house!

I grew up in KC, and my mom’s house was down the street from the stadium. Many weekends we spent in the parking lot riding our bikes and watching fireworks on Fridays.

My brother and I collected baseball cards like it was our job there for a time.

We ate ice cream and applesauce out of our beloved small plastic baseball caps.

You just love the men in blue when you grow up in KC. And luckily I married a man who also loves my Royals, despite where he grew up being mostly Cardinals fans. He knows where the true sportsmanship is!

Our wedding was also unintentionally in Royals colors. Tom’s favorite color is blue and mine is yellow. That is how we picked out our wedding colors, and we soon then realized that we had matched our Royals.

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I have had so much fun over the years watching games. The Royals fans and the stadium atmosphere are top notch.

We stand behind our team no matter what.

The games are fairly cheap, and they do a great job entertaining between innings and pitches. It really is a fun time. Plus they have lots of give aways, so generally you are guaranteed some swag when you go. I can’t wait to live closer to take advantage of T-shirt Tuesdays!

Some of my Iowa favorites reuniting at the game

I had one of my bachelorette parties at a game. Seriously a fan, and I won’t hold it against my sister-in-law (pictured here) that she roots for the wrong Missouri team.

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My best friend and other half with their men, my mom, and my sister-in-law. They were keeping me distracted while Tom was on one of his Army adventures.

This was at an I-Cubs game in Des Moines, but they were playing the Royals farm team. So obviously we came decked out in blue!

My best friend and other half (two different people folks)

My dad and step mom at a game.

One of the fortunate things of my undergrad was that it was close enough to make it to some games with college friends one in awhile.

Match made in heaven with our fandom!

I think this was opening day one year with my Best Friend and Slugger!

My brother and I at a game. See wedding colors?

Tom and I were both born in 1985 when the Royals won the World Series. We were born to be Royals fans. So we are hoping that little birthing luck will be passed down to our Little Guy, and this will be a good year for our boys in blue.

If you were not aware, Lorde’s song “Royals” was inspired by the MLB Royals player George Brett. She saw a picture of him in a Royals t-shirt, and the rest of her fame is history. So it is only appropriate that someone in KC made a parody.

Do you watch baseball? Who is your team? Have you ever experienced a baseball game at the K?

March 12, 2014 by Stephanie

My Fashion No

I would like to think that I have a fairly good fashion sense. I would say I am by no means a fashionista, but I like to dabble in making my wardrobe pretty classic. And with being pregnant, I have to work my closet a little more to fit the snuggness that is going on right now. So I have been eying some new items to add to my collection.

Audrey Hepburn and Jackie Kennedy are my fashion icons. Anything they wore, I pretty much think needs to be in my closet.

I love mixing colors. I often spend a lot of time in my closet pairing up different pallets that most wouldn’t do. One this expands the possibilities of my closet, but it also keeps me from buying clothes as often because I see more possibilities this way. I just really enjoy it!

What I don’t enjoy is mixing patterns.

I don’t get it.

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I don’t even know…

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This is like nails on the chalkboard to me. I hate it. I truly believe that if you do a pattern, all other items should be simple and understated. And there should only be ONE type of pattern. You have too much going on with more than one varied pattern. My eyes don’t know what to do or where to look. It’s like looking at one of those crazy image things that you stare at and make you dizzy trying to find something.

Again, I am not a fashion guru, so I know there are going to be people who disagree with me.

But I just don’t understand this fashion trend. So I will stick to my simple old fashion ways this spring.

I also don’t like crop tops. Why these are coming back in style is beyond me.

Are there fashion trends that you disagree with or just can’t get on board with?

Are there fashion trends you wish would come back? (Mine would be overalls. Although, I am not sure these were ever in style even though I thought they were.)

March 9, 2014 by Stephanie

30 Before 30 Update 4

Here we are another month has past.

1. Crochet something else besides blankets or scarves-so something that isn’t straight lines.

Done.

2. Do a 30 day photography challenge

I have one picked out. I am going to do it sometime this summer.

3. Visit 3 cities I have never been to before (1/3)

I am thinking maybe we can do a babymoon trip this summer.

4. Tour at least one of the distilleries in the area

We could still do this but I can’t partake obviously. The Jack Daniels one doesn’t do samples anyway, so we may look into doing that.

5. Send at least 5 snail mail a month

Complete.

6. Become a “professional” photographer

This last month, I had a lot happen. One of my pictures was featured on one of my favorite photography websites to be critiqued. I got a lot of great feedback on my work, so that was really exciting. This last weekend I was the photographer for a charity art auction. It was a lot of fun, and I learned a lot. One of my photos was also auctioned off, so that was a feel good photography moment.

7. Run at least 5 races (any distance)

I am not doing much of running or planning really.

8. Go camping with Tom

We are still planning this for our anniversary, however I will be 6 months pregnant. So we may have to make other plans.

9. Pay for the car behind me in a drive through

Ugh I need to put a reminder in my car because I never remember until I do these updates.

10. See Tyrone Wells live again

Going in May!

11. Tour Fort Defiance here in Clarksville

Not yet.

12. Water ski with my dad

The pregnancy complicates this a little bit.

13. Do a 5K with my mom

Not yet.

14. Take a swing dance class with Tom

I will have to wait until my doctor clears me for more activity.

15. Read at least one fun book a month and one professional development book every three months

I have slacked on the fun book. The last read was a struggle for me to get through. I did finish a professional development book.

16. Take a pottery or stained glass class

I need to look this up to make a plan.

17. Learn how to make sushi

Well, the pregnancy is putting a stalemate on this too.

18. See both a Clemson and UCM football game live

The baby is due during football season, so it may not be feasible to travel with the bundle of joy to a football game.

19. Volunteer with MCFOTS and Special Olympics on a regular basis

Because I am pregnant, I can’t volunteer anymore. So I may need to find something else, or just lay low for the time being.

20. Explore Land Between the Lakes

This is our anniversary trip plan.

21. Ride in a hot air balloon

This pregnancy is making this list interesting.

22. Go to at least 10 “new to me” restaurants in Clarksville. (3/10)

My supervisor took me to Johnny’s which is a mainstay for Austin Peay. It is a local burger joint. All grease and all goodness. Surprise it was no Chinese. Tom and I didn’t go anywhere the last month thanks to morning sickness.

23. Stay at a bed and breakfast

Maybe babymoon?

24. Spend a day without electronics (phone, t.v. and computer)

Not planned yet.

25. Have a Kentucky Derby themed 30th birthday party.

Still a ways away.

26. Go to non-touristy parts of Nashville

We were going to do this when we were in Nashville on Valentine’s Day, but then we found out we were pregnant and then Tom’s car almost exploded. So we didn’t do as we planned. But we found out we were pregnant! And I ate McDonald’s in an AutoZone parking lot. I guess that was a non-touristy part of Nashville…

27. Watch at least 10 movies that I have not seen before that won Best Picture at the Oscars and at least 10 documentaries (not necessarily Oscar winning) Movies (0/10); Documentaries (4/10)

We watched a documentary on Auschwitz.

28. Sew an item of clothing from scratch

I know what I want to do, I just need to do it.

29. Find a church home here in Clarksville

Thanks to morning sickness, I haven’t been.

30. Become a mom

Ahhh YES!

So I have been thinking because of the pregnancy, there are a lot of things on this list that I am not going to be able to accomplish within this time frame. I am completely ok with that because being a mom is such a blessing. I do want to continue with this list, but I think I am going to change it to 35 before 35 to give myself more time and add 5 more things to do. I haven’t thought about what those things are, so I plan to have an updated list by April.

I am in charge of this so I can change it if I want!