February 13, 2015 by Stephanie

When Love Gets Comfortable

This is not going to be your typical sappy lovey dovey post which are abundant with Valentine’s Day this weekend.

This is going to talk about those personal boundaries that are crossed once you fall in love and get comfortable.

Maybe too comfortable.

Remember when you first start dating someone, you try to look perfect around them all the time. You are almost frantic about having the perfect hair, fresh breath, and making sure you never mention bodily functions. And you glistened, no sweating here.

Over time I think it is natural for you to become more comfortable with that person and not feel like you have to go to bed with all your make-up on.

We have been together for almost 8 years and have lived together for 4 years. Eventually you start peeling back layers and your perfect facade isn’t so important anymore. Obviously this is Tom and I, and we will admit that maybe we have gotten too comfortable over the years.

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So here are 5 lines we have crossed in our boundaries as a couple.

1. We eat off of each others plates.This happened really early on. While some call it stealing of food, I just call it mutual property. I feel like there is an unwritten rule that whatever Tom has ordered, essentially I have ordered it too.

2. We have used each others toothbrushes. We each have our own, but sometimes it just happens that we use the other. Like when we are traveling, and one has forgotten it. We also keep our toothbrushes in different locations (his in the shower and mine in the vanity drawer), so there is a convenience/laziness to get our own factor. I mean seriously, why is this gross? We make out, so we are already swapping saliva.

3. We fart in front of each other. With my lack of smell, this kind of has gotten out of control we admit. We believe gas is natural so we let it out. You really shouldn’t be trying to suppress them. Tom does sometimes get upset with me because I really have no gates up about this one, and he can smell. Sucks for all y’all who have working nostrils.

4. Speaking of noses, we pick ours in front of each other. (We don’t pick each other’s…FYI. That would be gross.) I know it is inappropriate to go digging around your nose in public, but you are lying if you say you don’t occasionally have to pick your nose in private. And if you don’t, then you must not have the booger problems that the Whiteners do. (and well this has just gotten embarrassing.) It’s just something that happens for us. I have some pretty bad allergies, and for the record, Tom has the worst boogers on the planet so this was something I had to get over quick. Seriously he has boogers that he has to go in with tweezers and practically do surgery to get them out…quarter size boogers I tell you. It’s as gross as it sounds.

5. We leave the door open when we go to the bathroom. I would say that we only recently crossed this line. I haven’t really cared for awhile, but Tom was pretty adamant about keeping that part of our anatomy in secret. But when you have a bad case of food poisoning and are pretty much helpless in all functioning, Tom had to realize that I do indeed poop. Also when you watch your wife give birth and help her shower/walk/sit on a toilet for a few days after, pretty much any boundary that wasn’t crossed is now non-existent. I think his stint in the Army also made it more acceptable in our house to leave doors open.

For the record, one line I hate that we have crossed is putting sunblock on each other. I think it is disgusting to lotion someone else up. This may seem backwards considering what I have witnessed from Tom and other boundaries we have crossed, but there is something about putting lotion on someone else that gives me the heebeejeebees.

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Anyway, there is very little mystery in our relationship. Open books. There are some times where we think why are we letting the other see this? We also want to talk to high schoolers and say love is when you are able to talk about your poop to each other.

They love you at your best, and also stick with that love at your worst (and stinkiest).

Are we alone in our over-sharing? What do you still keep as a mystery with your significant other?

February 11, 2015 by Stephanie

Fit for Me 6/52

What I did last week:

Wednesday-15 minute ab workout

Thursday-30 minutes on the treadmill

Saturday-1 hour of BodyPump. I know you all are really excited about hearing about my BodyPump experience. I did alright this week. I know I didn’t make it through all the tracks, but I cannot remember which ones they were.

Sunday-We walked the dogs for about 20 minutes. It was such a beautiful weekend!

Monday-15 minute ab workout

Tuesday-30 minutes on the bike

Impressed by:

Being active everyday despite schedule hiccups. Seriously the people running Tom’s academy need to learn about a calendar and effective communication. They will tell him the morning of that he has to stay until 11 that night. How hard is it to pre-plan so the students know how to plan their outside lives? Apparently really difficult, or they assume they have no outside lives and responsibilities.

Struggled with:

I am having some image issues with the remnants of my baby bump. Sometimes it is hard to remember to give myself grace and know that my “imperfect” body is actually perfect. There are some pants in my closet that I think I just need to accept that my hips wont ever go back into and get rid of them, instead of letting them taunt me every time I go in there contemplating what to wear. I think it is hard too because my weight is back down to my pre-pregnancy weight, so the fact that things shifted and my pre-pregnancy clothes aren’t comfortable is discouraging. I keep thinking, “Well I lost the weight, this should be fitting! Trying to squeeze my widening hips into these pants is a definite confidence slasher. It’s a frustrating process that I just need to let go and stop focusing on so harshly.

Did I meet my goal from last week?

I did my workouts both Wednesday and Monday! Pats on the back.

What is my goal for next week?

I want to up my mileage on the bike to 6 miles. It has been a while since I have gotten on a bike, so yesterday my legs and tush weren’t so happy.

Fitness Thoughts:

Why are gym radios so loud? The radios at the two gyms I frequent are on so loud that I can’t hear my own music through headphones. Is it just me? I am all for having music for those that don’t have headphones, but seriously it should not be so overwhelming. Does the loud music help others workout, and I am just missing that motivational memo? I guess I just like to choose my own loud pump up jams.

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Just a reminder that my hips don’t lie. My size is awesome.

Do you have insecurities about your image? How do you overcome those? What is you favorite workout song?

February 10, 2015 by Stephanie

Vicks CoolMist Humidifier

I did receive this humidifier complimentary for the review from Influenster, and these thoughts are my own.

Tom and I have been talking about getting a humidifier for a long time. We were registered for one, but it was not one of the gifts we received. Nor did we think it was a priority in the summer when we did the big discounted trip to round out our registry.

Now that we have a moved to MO, where the winters are as dry as they come, we desperately needed one.

We got this humidifier thanks to Influenster right in time to sway off more sickness.

Tom and I both got sick, and we prayed that George would not get our crud. George is now at the stage where he can start catching bugs. (Although I am fairly certain mine was mastitis so I am not sure he can catch that.)

So we wanted to heed it off if we could. We have had this in his room for the last week. So far it has been great. He has had a runny noise, but nothing too major. And really we aren’t always sure it isn’t just a whole bunch of slobber that has pooled behind his pacy.

Anyway back to the humidifier.

This thing is super easy to use folks. And as a mom whose time is precious, that is a must. My only complaint about the use is that I haven’t figured out how to take the top off without some water spilling out. But compared to the one we had growing up, this one is much easier to put water in. I might just need to let it completely go through a whole tank before filling it up again, but we don’t always go through one before the next bedtime. Or I need to just flip it over and untwist the top…Bottom line, I am clumsy so I would probably spill water no matter what.

Since I leave it on the floor the switch is really easy to click on and off with my foot. You can either have it on low or vary the level as high as you need.

It is easy to carry and will fit pretty much anywhere. It also is a pretty sleek design that happens to match George’s room, so that was a bonus.

The other thing that is really important is that the mist that comes out is not hot. So if George or the dogs get to close, it wont affect them. All three like to explore without understanding the consequences all the time, so I am really happy it won’t hurt them.

I really recommend this if you live in a dry area like us. We have only been using it a week but I can tell a difference!

If you are interested in getting an Influenster box (you don’t have to be a blogger), just let me know, and I can send you an invite. They are a fun surprise! The community is also really easy to navigate. The more you interact, the more they will be able to find boxes that fit your style and needs. It is really versatile, and you can use it a lot or hardly at all. I have really enjoyed it so far!

February 9, 2015 by Stephanie

35 Before 35

I did ok this last month. I have some things I definitely need to stick to more, but hey I am not getting graded. And the point is to enjoy life, and I am doing that!

1. Crochet something else besides blankets or scarves at least once a year (~~2013~~, ~~2014~~, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020)

2. Do a photography challenge

Getting this done. I am really excited about some of the pictures I have planned in the upcoming months for George. Here are some we did this last month.

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

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

I really need to change this to winery, brewery or distillery.

5. Send at least 5 snail mail a month

6. Become a “professional” photographer

7. Run at least 10 races (any distance) (1/10)

I have a site bookmarked with Missouri races. Right now there are not any close by that fit into my schedule for the upcoming month. Hopefully in April I will be able to find something.

8. Go camping with Tom

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

10. See Tyrone Wells live as many times as possible

He just released his tour dates, and unfortunately he is going to be no where near me. He is playing in Minneapolis and Iowa City on my birthday weekend, which would make for an awesome 30th birthday. I just don’t know about the drive commitment.

11. ~~Tour Fort Defiance here in Clarksville~~

12. Water ski with my dad

13. Do a 5K with my mom

14. Take a swing dance class with Tom

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

I am doing good with the professional books but not so much my own personal books. I wrote about my rut recently. When I started this I never thought I would be doing better at reading professional books. I am hoping to make a turn around.

16. Take a pottery or stained glass class

I think I may take one at the college I work at since I can take classes for free. I just have to see when it fits into my schedule and how that would go with work.

17. Do one new recipe each month

Meal planning really keeps me up with this one. We try to do a big meal on either Saturday or Sunday so we can use as left overs for lunch the first of the week.
Crockpot Chicken Ranch Tacos. These were pretty delicious.
Baked Parmesan Zucchini. These were more work than it was worth. Good, but not anything special. Plus, it is now after almost 8 years that Tom tells me he doesn’t like zucchini…
Crescent Chicken. This takes a lot of prep time, but it was totally worth it. These are really filling so we had enough for several more meals for the both of us.
Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Wings. We made these for the Super Bowl. They did not come out like the picture on the website but they were still pretty tasty.
Stuffed Pepper Casserole. This was good and made leftovers for dayssss. The only thing about this that I would note is that I suck at making rice so it was actually better as a leftover because the rice got more cooked. I have no idea why, but I cannot for the life of me make rice the way you are supposed to.

18. See both a Clemson and UCM football game live

19. Find a place to volunteer on a regular basis

20. Go hiking

The weather was so nice this weekend, and it made me really excited about outdoor opportunities.

21. Ride in a hot air balloon

22. Go to at least 20 “new to me” restaurants. (19/20)

We went to Freddy’s Steakburger. This is a chain that is just like Steak and Shake. It was good, but we don’t eat a lot of grease so we didn’t feel so good afterwards because that is pretty much all we ate.
I also went to Pickleman’s, which is a local deli. It was really good! We will be going back!

23. Stay at a bed and breakfast

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

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

Tom is taking charge of this, so I honestly don’t care about the theme. (not because he is planning it but because all I really care about is having fun with friends and family.)

26. ~~Explore Nashville while we live here~~

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 (2/10); Documentaries (7/20)

28. Sew an item of clothing from scratch

29. Do a personal devotional/bible study on my own

Keeping up with it via apps.

30. Be a mascot for an event

31. Go on our honeymoon (preferably somewhere tropical)

32. Host an annual NCAA Basketball Tournament Championship game party

33. Go on a mission trip

34. Be on a recreation volleyball team

35. ~~Become a mom~~

February 5, 2015 by Stephanie

Bible Study Apps

One of my goals is to be more active with my personal bible study. I go to church, and I meet with some friends of mine on a regular basis to discuss a book we are reading together on the Word. However, I have not always been the best at being intentional with my own time with God.

I know I needed to do that but also needed to be aware of what medium would be the best for me to make sure the habit sticks. Also I didn’t want to do something to just do it; I wanted my devotional to mean something.

I have found two apps that I have on my phone that are really helping me see the word more often and take a more personal approach to my faith walk.

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You may have seen She Reads Truth out there. In case you haven’t, you should really check this app out! I have loved using this app for my daily devotional.

This app is set up so you can download a variety of plans that cover many topics. Each plan is split into daily lessons. The number of days varies from each plan. I have had some that are only 8, and then the one I am currently on is 20. Each lesson has three components: scripture, lesson, and comments. I like that you read the Word first. Then someone from the She Reads Truth staff has built a lesson or sermon of sorts to dig deeper into that scripture. I like this because I like the guidance and then the freedom to think about my own thoughts and application. It is nice hearing someone else’s perspective too. I also love how these women write. They are real and genuine, so I never seem pressured or judged by what they are saying. They often talk openly about their own struggles, and I enjoy the rawness they put into their posts. The comments part is also nice because it allows any reader to post their own stories and input on the lesson. You can often learn even more from these snippets. It builds a great community too when you are able to respond like this. I like that the plans have so much movement with them. Each part gives you more depth and understanding.

You can also do even more with it. There is a note section where you can keep tabs of your personal thoughts as you go through. You can set an alarm to remind you to do your study each day. This is especially helpful if you are trying to create a routine. I do it every night while I am pumping before bed, so generally I don’t forget. Once I stop pumping though, I may use the alarm more often. There is also an option to download screensavers from each lesson. They are beautiful pictures with the Word that are great pieces of art to have on your phone or even displayed on walls.

I have really enjoyed using this app every day. I love how easy it is to use and how practical their approach is on the Word. I do have a few criticisms, albeit minute. Once you are done from a plan you cannot remove it from your list. If you know how to do this please share! I also would like to have a check mark or something on the daily titles to know that I read that one already. Not that it is a big deal, but I don’t always remember the titles I have read until I open it up and remember by the story that I already covered it. It is also geared towards women, so the topics are definitely female heavy. Sorry to my male readers, but I am sure there are other options for you out there. Other than those minor things, this is a great app.

The app itself is free to download. Some plans are free and some are a minimal fee. They have done a great job developing this, and I have learned a lot so far.

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The second app is Daily Bible. I have been using this one for a couple years now, and I am still enjoying it.

I don’t use the full scope of this app, but this also has several parts.

There is a Daily Verse. This pops up in my notifications every morning. It is the first thing that I see when I wake up. I like the quick shot of the Bible as I wake up.

Another part is the Daily Plan. I don’t use this section very often. This is a more lengthy section. This includes several passages from the Bible that are connected in message. It is just Bible verses and no explanations. This would be helpful if you need more guidance on verses that may have a common thread.

My favorite part of this app is the Devotions. These are audio podcasts that you can listen to. Each lasts about 10-20 minutes. I have not listened to all the options, so some may be even longer than that. You can choose from a variety of different speakers. Most seem to be pastors or motivational speakers. There are new podcasts all the time. In opening up different speakers, some may have a new one every day; others may have a new one every week.

What I like about these podcasts is you can pick and choose. It is very flexible and moldable for your needs. You can go back in time and open podcasts from weeks ago, or you can go ahead and listen to this entire week’s worth in one sitting.

The one I listen to most often seems to be organized in having one sermon being broken into several 15 minute sections. I like to listen to this as I am getting ready every morning. It is a great daily reminder to get my day started on the right foot. It helps me focus and encourages me to grow in my faith.

I have used the podcasts while I am running too which I have found is a great time to help me center myself and focus on my innermost being. Mind, body, and soul right there.

So there you have it. These are two apps that I use on a daily basis to help with my journey of faith.

Do you use any Bible study apps? Have you used either of these?