A Wife's Tale

32 Weeks

2011-08-25T20:46:00.000-07:00

Man, time flies when you're pregnant and are chasing after an-almost two-year-old. I am so bad about blogging, I need to get better and quick.

32 weeks I've gained 13 pounds - still lighter than I started my last pregnancy, so I'm doing pretty good I think. At my dr. appt today he saw that our baby boy (yes, it's a boy! Another post I should've written) has moved from lying sideways to lying on his back facing the world, butt down. I actually felt him turn a few days ago but I wasn't sure if he was head up or head down. So basically he is sitting on my bladder. He's actually pretty nice to me compared to Bailee, she used to just hang out with a foot in my ribs constantly.

I'm looking forward to my baby shower in a week, but at the same time I'm not. We're only having two kids so it's the last shower of any kind I'll ever have. Pretty much how I feel about this pregnancy too, last time it was exciting because everything was the first time for everything, first kicks, first Baby Sightings, first pregnant belly, now everything is the last everything. Even though this pregnancy has been kind of a pain in the butt with everything hurting more and earlier, I'm going to miss a lot of the fun parts about it. I like feeling him kick (when he's not hurting me!) and my belly is finally to the point where I feel like I'm cute pregnant, not giant, and not just chubby looking.

Oh, I got pictures taken this time too and I'm happy with the way they turned out. :)

Round Two

2011-05-06T14:34:00.000-07:00

Well, I haven't updated in forever, I keep trying to. I'll start a post and then something happens and I have to save it and then I forget to come back. A lot has happened since my last published post, obviously, but since I doubt anyone reads this I'm not too worried about disappointing anyone. I guess this is more for my own entertainment than anyone elses.

As of today I am 16 weeks, one day pregnant with our second child. I found out at the beginning of February that I was unexpectedly pregnant. We were surprised, but happy. I really wasn't wanting to be pregnant in the summer again, but what can you do? So as of today, when I had my latest dr. appt., I am due Oct. 20th.

Baby is growing and looks good so far, but my dr. was worried because the placenta is very low, not where it should be. This leads to a condition called, "Placenta Previa." Since it's so early, it can still move up to where it should be and there won't be any further complications. Most people who show this happening before 20 weeks have no problems but for some, the placenta stays where it is and can lead to major complications for the baby and me. So let's pray that it moves up and everything goes back to normal.

This pregnancy has been way different than my first. I had morning sickness, which was really all-day sickness, but I never threw up. Everything I ate made me feel bloated and nauseous so I didn't eat much at all, and actually lost weight my first trimester. The smell of meat cooking, any kind of meat, made my stomach turn. The worst was jerky that Lee's dad brought from Colorado. I felt bad because I LOVE the jerky he makes, and I could eat it, but if I smelled it it would make me want to puke. So I kept it tightly sealed in a plastic baggie.

Cravings have been similar - scrambled eggs have been the biggest one. I guess I need protein.

My hips and back have already been super achy and I've already had lots of heartburn. I didn't have either of those problems until the end last time. So who knows what the other 23 weeks will have in store???

I have another ultrasound appt. next week, to see the placenta in better detail. I'll update after my appt. and find out more about what's going on.

Yay for a new post!

First Night in the Crib!

2009-11-19T12:25:00.000-08:00

Last night Bailee slept all night in her actual crib, in her room! Since she was born she's been sleeping in the bassinet side of her Pack N Play, first in the living room and then in our room. She's been pretty comfy in there but lately we've noticed she's getting too long for the bassinet. In the mornings when she stretches we can see her little feet peeking out from the end of it. Plus, she's been sleeping through the night regularly for weeks now, so there's no need to get up in the middle of the night to change and feed her.

It wasn't too easy of a task to get her in there. I think she's going through a growth spurt, she wanted to eat non stop all day yesterday and until midnight. I pretty much ran out of milk a few times and had to stop her while it replenished. Even when I finally put her down I think she would've eaten more had I given it to her, but she had already eaten enough that she was starting to spit up a little. So, I laid her in her crib, gave her a pacifier, and hoped for the best.

She didn't go to sleep very quickly, but thankfully, she didn't start screaming or crying either. I started with the monitor on, but she is such a loud sleeper it was picking up every little squeak and grunt, so I turned it off. I would hear her if she cried, but she didn't - she slept the whole night through and I even got to go to the gym, get Starbucks, and take a shower before she wanted to eat at 7:30. Yay for small milestones!

Good Morning!

2009-11-19T08:58:00.000-08:00

Just another lazy morning in bed with my baby girl!

Sleeping good.

She's really happy in the morning when she wakes up!

Biiiig yawn!

Somewhere some baby regulator is going to see these pictures and send me a nasty email. Babies are supposed to sleep on a flat surface, no pillows, blankets or loose bedding. Normally she does, but some mornings after I feed her, she comes back to bed and we sleep for a couple more hours. I was just a few inches from her so if she rolled anywhere (which she doesn't) I would catch her, and I wake up if she makes any unusual noises. She's a great little snuggle partner!

My Two Month Old!

2009-11-12T14:13:00.000-08:00

Bailee is two months old! I can't believe she is getting so big - over 10 pounds at her last appt. and 23 inches long. She has grown out of her newborn clothes, fitting better into 0-3 months and getting such a personality! She giggles and laughs and smiles and charms everyone who meets her! I love her little smiles! :)

Finish the Sentence...

2009-11-02T19:33:00.000-08:00

Outside My Window...it's dark

I am Thinking... my teeth/jaw hurt from the stupid dentist!

I am Thankful For... a wonderful God, a beautiful baby, great husband and awesome friends!

I am Wearing... jeans and a tank top :)

I am Reading... what to expect the first year

I am Hoping... to find a job i can do at home or to get some new photography business

On my Mind... updating this blog from Bailee's birth til now!

From the Kitchen... need to make my Amish friendship bread!

Around the House... really wanting to keep it as clean as it is right now...

One of my Favorite Things...my new baby and her new smiles and laughs!

A few plans for the Rest of the Week... hanging out with the baby, finish editing photos, a birthday party, wedding and possibly a hockey game this weekend

Messages to Bailee

2009-09-07T14:21:00.000-07:00

"Baby Bailee, please hurry up and come out tonight, your mommy needs some sleep, and would like to stop going tot he bathroom 20 times per night. But Bailee, when you come, be nice so mommy is not in too much pain because, well, that just wouldn't be very nice! :) (fingers are crossed). - Andrea Gebhardt

"Dear Bailee....I think you should be born sometime soon because there are a lot of people waiting to see you...I understand that you are probably comfy where you are but I think it's a little selfish to keep yourself, well, all to yourself...thanks a bunch!" - Aunt Keeley :-)

My Growing Belly

2009-08-13T11:35:00.000-07:00

35 Weeks

34 Weeks

32 Weeks

24 weeks

16 weeks

14 weeks

12 weeks

8 weeks or so

1st Mother's Day

2009-05-11T23:00:00.000-07:00

Today was my first (sort of) Mother's Day! I didn't really think it counted since my baby isn't even a member of society yet, but other people said it does count so I took their word for it. Though today is the same day I flew home from Omaha, I figured Mother's Day needed a special (short!) post of it's own.

On my way to Omaha, I had to take a bus to the airport from where I parked. The bus driver was a larger black woman probably in her mid-forties. She was super friendly and said she'd been driving busses for 20 years. She discovered I was pregnant and told me all sorts of stories about her (8!) kids on the way to the terminal. When I flew home, she also picked me up to take me back to my car and was the first person to wish me a happy mother's day. I was surprised she remembered me but it was kind of nice that she did.

Anyway, when I got home, Lee had a few gifts waiting for me. I was surprised to receive anything, it was really thoughtful of him. He got me a Boppy body pillow, to help me sleep, and a few things for Bailee. He had had lunch with his mom and we went to my mom's for dinner. Next year will be even more special, when Bailee is actually here.

Couldn't find a pic of just the pillow but here's what it's for:

Two onesies and sandals for Bailee so "we can both be beach bums" :)

Omaha Trip and First Baby Shower

2009-05-10T15:07:00.000-07:00

A few months back I planned a trip to Omaha, NE to visit my aunt Mary Ann and my cousin Shonda. Mary Ann I'd seen last year when she was out here for their annual sisters trip but I couldn't remember the last time I'd seen Shonda. The plane tickets were cheap - only $200 round trip from LA - so I booked my trip and was all set to go.

That was back in February and the trip was booked from Wed. 5/6 to Sunday 5/10, which ended up being a couple days after I got laid off. It seemed to be great timing, I really needed to get away for a few days and not think about the fact that I was unemployed.

When flying somewhere, it's always a gamble on whether or not things are going to go smoothly. Luckily for me, I couldn't have had a smoother trip - start to finish. I even got to use my pregnancy as an excuse to pre-board and get the front seat with extra leg room.

I arrived Wednesday night around 10 PM and was met at the airport by a super excited Mary Ann, who told me she had a great weekend planned out. She was right! I learned how to knit, took a tennis lesson, went to Pilates, watched No Doubt on American Idol, enjoyed an Omaha steak, went to see "Wicked the Musical" and even got to attend my first baby shower with a surprise guest - my other cousin Brendon.

On Sunday it was time to fly home - I was pretty wiped from the weekend but so glad I got a chance to spend time with everyone. Of course I took pictures:

Laid Off

2009-05-04T22:00:00.000-07:00

Today was a sad day for me....and frustrating and confusing and humiliating all rolled into one. I was laid off from my job at Processes Unlimited due to "budget cuts." I was told I made more money than a lot of people so it made sense to let me go first. I had been there 13 days short of a year and it was a total shock to me. I had been working super hard, in fact, last week I had to take an extra almost full day off because I had so much overtime from working on special projects. Marketing was a busy dept. still, even with the economic slow down, since we bring in the business. I didn't specifically make sales, I did writing, photography and graphic design, but our dept. had been told we were safe from layoffs. Apparently not.

I was told at 3pm that I was being let go, got my severance pay, and was told to clean out my things and go home. My supervisor had to watch as I collected my belongings, sent out a few last emails, and tried to keep my composure. The suckiest part of it all was that they shut off my computer before I even had time to get any of my work to have for my portfolio. I'd been printing out a lot of it, but the most recent projects I worked on, which happened to be the biggest, I had no copies of and wasn't allowed to print them.

Supposedly I can say this is for the best, I was having a hard time choosing work or full-time mom or part-time work after Bailee gets here, I guess my decision was made for me. I just wish it had been closer to my due date so that I could still be getting my benefits and keep earning a paycheck until then, but I guess no one really has a choice about any part of being laid off.

I at least kept my tears to myself until I had gotten in my car and was driving out of the parking lot - I called Lee to tell him and that's when I fell apart. He was nice about the whole thing, I know, it's not my fault but I still feel like a loser for getting laid off. He met me at Lengthwise and tried to make me feel better with some fish and chips. It helped just a little bit but man, what a sucky day.

20 Weeks - Halfway

2009-04-22T13:49:00.000-07:00

Halfway there today! I'm still feeling pretty good, never did have any morning sickness and the baby is moving pretty good. It is a strange feeling, fluttery, flippity and sometimes a rolling motion. It doesn't really feel like kicking yet, just moving around. Lee was able to feel her finally a few days ago and he was amazed and a little freaked out. It made my pregnancy finally seem more real to him, even though I don't have much of a "baby bump" (though I dislike that term!) yet, just an out of shape bump that was there before I got pregnant. :) I can't believe we're at halfway already! A little over a week ago was Easter and I know I've gained a little weight, though I'm trying hard to keep eating healthy and exercise. I know I have to get bigger for the baby. Here's a few pictures from Easter:

Ryan's Cradle is now Bailee's Cradle

Name that Baby

2009-04-17T21:00:00.000-07:00

Well, for a long time I have been hoping that this first baby would be a girl. I picked out a bunch of girl names I liked and Lee told me some he liked. I tried to think of boy names I liked but so many of our friends had boys over the last year, it seemed all the good ones were taken. So it really is a good thing we are having a girl. Our top picks were:

Keira (my fav), Kylie (Lee's fav), Bailee, Jordyn, Claire, Callie, or Kendall. We also both liked Lauren and I liked Hailey or Hannah, but didn't really put the last three on the list. www.babycenter.com has a fun feature where you can make a baby names poll and send it out to whomever you like. I put all our favorite names on a list and emailed it out - Bailee and Jordyn were the top two names that everyone liked. Lee didn't really like Keira and after I heard what some of our friends were naming their girls, it was a year of K and C names so either Bailee or Jordyn sounded like good choices.

In the end, we decided to call her Bailee Jordyn Payne, and the spellings are they way they are for a few reasons: Lee and I both have Lee's on each side of our families, so by ending her first name in "lee" it still keeps the name in the family and Jordyn with a Y seemed girlier to me than Jordan or Jordin. I still like all the other names so we'll have to have more girls or more dogs to use them up. :)

First Girly Clothes!

2009-04-10T19:00:00.000-07:00

Today Janae and I went shopping for baby clothes! I knew I didn't want to buy too much because they grow so fast and I figured I will get clothes at my baby shower. But I did want to buy something fun since I know she's a girl and girls like clothes right? Janae took me to Baby Depot aka Burlington Coat Factory. I never knew they had baby stuff there but they have a huge section and a lot of it is really cheap! I bought a set of onesies and Janae also bought one for here. They are all super cute and not overly girly pink. Check them out:

I loved the red and blue and the cherries!

Janae picked a cute pink and brown set for her!

Baby Sightings!

2009-04-08T20:29:00.000-07:00

Today we were excited to find out the sex of the baby! We went to Baby Sightings, a place in Bakersfield that does ultrasounds on a big screen so whole families can come watch. We had 9 people attend! -

Mom
Sandy
Gary
Todd
Brandy
Andy
Ryan
Keeley
Granny
Lee

and me - of course. I got there a little early and when I pulled up, almost everyone else was already there already. I expected a lot of picture taking but I was kinda surprised when I saw the VIDEO camera going....I'm not a big fan of being on camera in still pictures and I'm really uncomfortable being filmed. But I tried to suck it up and be nice for memories sake.

Anyway, after I signed in and paid the fee, the sonographer led us back to the little room where we would see the ultrasound. there was a huge screen on the wall and all of us crammed in to find a comfy spot. I got the bed of course, which was really comfortable. I was kind of glad the lights were turned off so only the still pictures coul

d be taken after that. hehe.

Brandy and Andy were late arriving so to stall for time the sonographer went through and pointed out all the baby's body parts and heartbeat for all who were there. The baby was moving around a lot and I really only felt about half the movement. Eventually the sonographer told us she couldn't wait any longer to tell us the sex of the baby, my time was almost up. Brandy, Andy and Ryan made it JUST in time! She had just started to type the words up on the screen.....IT's A....GIRL!!!! Yay! We were so excited! Both of us wanted a girl, though Lee said his "business sense" (which is never wrong) was telling him it would be a boy. I'm happy he was incorrect.

So we all went back to our house excited and hungry - Lee and I made everyone dinner and sat around and chatted for a few hours that night. Here are some pictures from the adventure:

Getting comfy for the ultrasound.

After we found out it's a GIRL!

Our print out of pictures to take home!

Over at our house for BBQ!!

Keeley made onesies, this one said "A little Payne in the Beach"

Lee and 2 generations of grandma's on his side. :)

Yosemite

2009-04-06T14:59:00.000-07:00

People always tell me to enjoy being married and our life without kids as much as possible before Bailee gets here. Lee and I take a lot of trips together already and I think we enjoy our life pretty well, but if you give me an excuse to take a trip somewhere, I'll take it!

It had been a long time since I had been to Yosemite, I think I was 4 or 5 last time I went, and Lee had never been to Yosemite so we decided to take an overnight trip to see it. It's already getting hot here in Bakersfield so we were excited to see temperatures in the 60s in Yosemite during the day and in the high 20's at night! I get cold easily so I made sure to pack enough warm clothes and UGGs and pj pants.

Since we were just going for one night, we rented a tent that was already set up in a little tent community. It was a super thick canvas tent with a full sized bed, dresser, mirror and one light bulb. We had outside storage for any food or smelly items that might attract a curious bear. They told us we didn't really need sleeping bags since the bed was set up with wool blankets but note to self for next time - take a sleeping bag!!!

I wasn't too cold since I came prepared but Lee thought he'd be fine sleeping in shorts and no shirt. 26 degrees is too cold for even the manliest man to survive in a little tent with one blanket. He pretty much froze his toes off and spent the first few hours of the morning unthawing. Next time I think he'll listen to his wife. :)

Other than the freezing cold night though, we had a great time exploring and seeing the sights. I love taking pictures, as you know, and there were plenty of spots for photography. We even got to see some deer up close and a coyote and a bunch of ducks.

Duck Butts!!!

17 Weeks Movement

2009-03-30T09:20:00.000-07:00

Today was the first time I could really feel the baby move! This morning I was swimming before work and when I got in I felt a weird "rolling" motion. I normally dive in but the farther along I get I figure it's probably safer to just slide in. Later when I was swimming butterfly, I felt something like flips in my stomach which I know was more baby movement. Maybe the baby is going to be a swimmer too and was practicing laps! It was definitely a cool feeling and it continued throughout the day.

Still no morning sickness or any issues. A little dizziness but not too bad and I haven't gained weight yet. I have been craving fish and chips though! Around Super Bowl time in Jan. I really wanted bean dip.

Heartbeat and Ultrasound #2

2009-03-02T22:07:00.000-08:00

Today I went to my second doctor appointment and got another ultrasound. The first one was fun but all we could see was a little white blob and something moving that my doctor said was a heartbeat. Lee couldn't see anything.

This time it actually looks like a baby! We could see the head and body and the general area where the feet are. We got to hear the heartbeat and man it was going so fast! It made everything seem so much more real. Amazing to me how people can not believe in God and know the miracle that it takes to create a life and believe in abortion. Anyway, I'm really excited to watch our baby grow and can't wait to hold him or her.

Weird cravings so far:

Marshmallow Peeps

Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Fish and Chips

New Baby!

2009-02-25T19:12:00.000-08:00

So my exciting news for everyone, though most of you know already, is that in Sept. we are expecting our first baby! Yay! I don't have an official due date yet, but the doctor has said the 2nd week of Sept. for now. I am currently about 10 weeks or so, I'll find out more at my next appt. on March 2nd.

We had kinda been planning this and kinda not - everyone told me it would probably be about a year after being off birth control. Try three months. So I guess I'll know better for next time! We are still super excited, we just didn't expect it to happen so fast.

I found out officially on Jan. 8th. A few weeks before I had been having some cramps and just felt really dizzy and tired all the time. About the week of New Year's was when the cramping was the worst and somehow I suspected what was going on. Still, I gave my body a chance to think about it, I thought maybe my period was coming. Who knows, it was never regular so I figured it was possible, but I was pretty sure I was pregnant. On Jan. 6th and 7th I texted my friend Jaimee in Texas to find out if my symptoms were similar to what she had when she found out. I figured it was safer to ask a Texas friend than take the chance of someone here jumping on the gossip train before I found anything out for sure. So I finally took a test at home on the night of the 8th, and it was positive. However, I thought I did it wrong so I took a second just to be sure - it was positive! I got a blood test the next day and got the results Sat - all confirmed I was pregnant.

At this point I thought I last got my period in Nov. which put me about 9-10 weeks at that time. I made my first doctor appointment (more on that drama later!) and started reading up on the baby growing inside of me.

We told family and close friends first, and Lee made the mistake of telling a few people at church who then told everyone in existence. I was a little annoyed, having all these people come up and ask when it wasn't their business in the first place, I had looked forward to telling everyone myself, not have it come out in a rumor. Mostly I was annoyed because I wanted to tell my work before the masses knew, and the less people that knew until that day, the better. So that didn't really go according to plan, but I was the first to tell my boss and she hadn't heard anything on Facebook or anything yet, so it all worked out okay.

I'll post some pictures and stuff a little later, but I wanted to update on our news first! More to come!

Finally Back!

2009-02-19T18:16:00.000-08:00

It's been such a long time since I've updated this blog. Not that I don't have anything to say, but I've just been too busy to say it. Well after keeping up with Bethany's Blog and seeing her cute layout, I sat down at my desk tonight, determined to write something. I got my Sara Bareilles"Careful Confessions" CD (which I highly recommend!) playing on iTunes, the dogs are occupied doing something else, and Lee is at a dinner for work. Seems like the perfect time to write, right?

Since I last wrote, we've bought our first CA house and have pretty much unpacked everything with a few exceptions. The garage holds the last few boxes we have to go through to be "finished" - my office was pretty much a mess until about 2 weeks ago when I finally hunkered down and did some organizing. We still have some more painting to do but that will come the next weekend we are finally home.

We bought the house in October and were moved in for Christmas and all the fun decorating that comes with it. We also bought our first real Christmas tree since we've been married. We were living in Texas before that and always went home so it was pointless to get a tree when we were going to be gone for most of December. Christmas itself was fun but somewhat stressful trying to juggle all the family and friend gatherings, esp. since my parents are divorced, it was that much harder. We're seriously considering staying put next year and having people come to us, but we'll deal with that when the time comes.

For New Year's we headed to Pismo for a few days relaxing at the coast with friends. My dad and stepmom Cheryl had a great time with the progressive dinner they hosted at their mobile home in Pismo while we hung out with Jon, Brianna, Nick and Andrea and the rest of the Gebhardts at their campground down the road from the mobile. Andrea made us wonderful chicken tacos and we chatted by the fire under the stars until after midnight. Good times! We rode quads and shopped the rest of the weekend.

The first two months of the year have flown by - even with the economic slow down, my job in marketing has stayed busy and I've really enjoyed my company and co-workers. I'm doing a lot more graphic design and writing, which I love. My photography has slowed down a little but I hope to get back into it very soon. We still work with the high school at our church and were counselors at Hume Lake Winter Camp in mid-January. It was a lot of fun to go back to the camp I grew up going to, but I felt pretty old getting tired so early. :)

We haven't gone on any major vacations but have taken small trips around CA. Last weekend I went down to Claremont and spent the weekend with family, Sunday we went down to Hollywood to see Phantom of the Opera at the Pantages Theatre - it was amazing as usual. My favorite musical!

I think that brings you up to now. I have some other exciting news but I think that deserves a post of it's own. I encourage you to come back and read some more!

New Year's Resolution

2009-01-03T22:16:00.001-08:00

...I WILL update my blog soon! :)

Time

2008-08-10T22:48:00.000-07:00

Never in my life did I ever think I would say this, but some days I actually miss subbing. Not that I loved having different kids every day and having to think of new strategies to keep them from walking all over me and tricking them into behaving, but man I miss getting out of work at 2! Somedays it was earlier, somedays it was later, but for the most part, I had a huge chunk of time every afternoon to get things done.

I love my current job, seriously, but I work 9 hour days so that I get every other Friday off. By the time I get home at 5:30 or 6, or sometimes 7 if I go to the gym, there's only time to make dinner, do dishes and maybe watch some tv. All of my crafty hobbies require some sort of materials to do, and usually by the time I have time to do them, it's already late in the evening and I don't want to make a mess. I love to scrapbook but I have a whole closet of stuff and assorted tools that need to come out, then I need to find my pictures and set up a table....too much effort for most evenings. I also like to paint but that takes time to get out my canvas and easel and figure out what I want to paint. So I don't do that much either.

Workdays should go from 8-3 and everyone should get to go home. I know that would never work but I miss having all the extra daylight to have fun. Maybe next weekend I will find some fun scrapbooking time....

Don't forget....

2008-08-05T20:06:00.000-07:00

....to check out my photography blog! Click here to see it!

Texas

2008-08-04T11:52:00.001-07:00

Even though I am happy to be living in California again, there are actually a lot of things I miss about living in Texas. Here are the things I miss the most:

1. Our Friends and Game Nights
2. WCBC and our high school kids
3. Crawfish
4. New Orleans
5. Thunderstorms
6. Bright blue skies, lots of trees.
7. Wildlife
8. Cheaper gas
9. Lots of freeways to get where you're going.
10. Sweet Tea
11. Chick-fil-a
12. San Antonio
13. Blue Bell Ice Cream
14. Gas Discount for grocery shopping at Kroger
15. Lake surfing with the Finleys
16. Dr. Pepper in every restaurant
17. Buffalo Wild Wings
18. Astros Games
19. Hobby Lobby
20. The Woodlands Mall
21. Squirrels in my backyard
22. Our House in Conroe
23. Lilo
24. The cheaper cost of living
25. Pizza Shack in Willis and Guigliani's in Spring

How I Met...My New Favorite Show!

2008-07-29T16:53:00.000-07:00

Since May of 2004 there has been a void in my life; a void that has never quite been filled. Oh sure there were substitutions, but nothing quite lived up to the original. 2004 was the year the last new Friends episode ran on tv; Friends had been my favorite show for all of my college years and especially since grad school. I started watching it back in its first year, 1994, but as an 8th grader, trying to follow the adult undertones were a little much for me. So I picked it up again at the end of high school and watched until that fatefull day in May when I would have to say goodbye to my FRIENDS.

About a month ago I was over at Kevin and Brenda's house and they had me watch an episode of How I Met Your Mother. They had been talking about it for a while so I wanted to see what the big deal was. All I have to say, is that they were right! Now Lee and I are addicted, we just bought both seasons on DVD and after we watched all of Season 1 with our friends, we watched it all over again on the way back from Oregon with my brother and sister-in-law. Who, by the way, now like it too. I finally have my FRIENDS void filled with another great comedy with awesome characters that have just the right combination of saracasm and emotion and plot lines that are le-gen-DARY. :) The writers do a great job of sucking you into the story so you just can't wait to see what happens next.

So tonight, this weekend, whenever, do yourself a favor and go rent (or buy!) Season 1 of How I Met Your Mother. Then come back here and thank me for your new favorite show!

One Word

2008-07-14T10:40:00.000-07:00

Where is your cell phone? puuse
Your spouse? working
Your hair? long
Your mother? talkative
Your father? happy
Your favorite thing? photography
Your dream last night? crazy
Your favorite drink? coffee
Your dream/goal? triathalon
The room you're in? office
Your hobby? photography
Your fear? change
Where do you want to be in 6 years? colorado
Where were you last night? movies
What you're not? hyper
Muffins? cranberry
One of your wish list items? jeep
Where you grew up? california
What are you wearing? heels
Your pets? hilarious
Your computer? mac
Your life? unknown
Your mood? caffeinated
Missing someone? friends
Your car? cobalt
Something you're not wearing? earrings
Favorite store? Target
Your summer? HOT
Your favorite color? blue
When is the last time you laughed? yesterday
Last time you cried? days

Copy this and try it... using one word is harder than you think!

Photography Blog!

2008-07-11T11:00:00.000-07:00

Okay, if you know me at all you know I LOVE to take pictures! I know I've annoyed almost all my friends at one point with my picture taking. Sorry, but you know you love it later when you have pictures of everything we've done together. Since I'm trying to get a photography side business started, I started my own website, http://www.morethanamemoryphotography.com/ and now started a blog for my photo stuff! You can click on my "About Me" on the side of my page to find the blog, or just go directly to http://www.mtamphotography.blogspot.com/. Please check it out and leave some comments!!!

To see a bunch of photos and some of my art (painting, drawing, etc) please visit my other website, http://www.morethanamemory.deviantart.com/

Have a great day!!! :)

When I Grow Up...Wait I Already Did!!!

2008-06-13T16:40:00.001-07:00

A few days ago a friend sent me a piece of flair on Facebook that said, "We're Adults! When did this happen and how do I make it stop?" Seriously?! I am an adult, what happened? One minute I was a teenager, rollerblading around Wasco with Niki, Deanna and Stephanie, the next minute, I'm 27, married with a house and full time job, with my 10 year high school reunion quickly approaching. We don't have kids yet, just dogs, but as my 30th birthday creeps ever-closer I can't help but wonder how fast the next 30 years are going to fly by?!

I don't regret being an adult, I mean there are a ton of awesome things about being able to make my own decisions, drive, earn a real salary, pursue my dreams, decorate a house the way I want to, be a part of a marriage (which is a whole separate category of adulthood altogether!), and the list goes on and on.

Sometimes though, it would be nice to be able to go back and spend a couple weeks or whatever in a different age, maybe back in high school, during the summer and lifeguarding with my best friends, or preschool where we still got to color and have snack time. :)

On the other hand, it kind of stinks being 27 and feeling like you should have to be act like a grown up all the time. So what if I want to wear socks with frogs on them or have a fun custom license plate? And I'll admit that I still have three stuffed animals in my adult house that occassionally accompany me for a nap!

I know fun grown-up times are still ahead, and I will enjoy watching my kids make their own memories, but it's just not quite the same. I'll continue growing up, because I have to, because I'm supposed to, and it's inevitable. But I will probably always wear fun socks and act like the occasional ditzy teenager.

"Being grown up isn't half as fun as growing up, these are the best days of our lives....." - The Ataris

Zoey

2008-06-09T16:00:00.001-07:00

My last post in May was about my new puppy - I didn't have her yet but now she's 11 weeks old! Her name is Zoey and she's a Golden Retriever. She's so sweet and has a great temperament, but a she's little mischievous and stubborn at times. Aren't all puppies? We thought she was born potty trained because the first two days at home she was telling us when she needed to go outside by standing at the back door and barking. Well that turned out to be too good to be true. She peed whenever, wherever, the next few days until we learned to recognize her signs. Now she rarely has an accident in the house, except if we're not paying attention or occasionally a visitor will excite her so much (Kevin!) she spray-pees. Hopefully she'll grow out of that.

As far as your stereotypical Golden goes, I think we're doing a pretty good job of controlling the usual antics. Normally they're chewers and diggers, both which Zoey loves to do, but we've gotten her so many toys and bones, she's easily distracted from whatever she isn't supposed to chew. She's dug a couple holes, but I just fill them with her poo and she's discouraged. She does love to run and roll in the mud, yuck, and she has to pick up EVERYTHING on the floor with her mouth. Including hangers, dryer sheets and even my engagement ring, which spent a night in her belly and then showed up via a pile of puke on the floor the next day. At least I got it back.

In spite of her little bad habits, I love her and I think she will be a great dog. Her and Rachel get along great. Here are a few more pictures of them both:

On the first day they met. :)

Proof that even dogs take bad pictures!

Employed and getting artsy...

2008-06-09T15:31:00.000-07:00

As you may have noticed, the title of my blog has recently changed - I am no longer unemployed! Since Wednesday, May 21st I have been working as a Marketing Assistant for Processes Unlimited International - an engineering company here in Bakersfield. While engineering doesn't interest me all that much, I love the people I work with and the company seems to treat the employees extremely well. We get 4 wks paid vacation, Profit Sharing (aka quarterly bonuses), we work a 9/80 schedule so we get every other Friday off and each "Team" (I'm on the Marketing Team) gets a shirt and gets to go on fun trips outside work, like white water rafting.

In other news, I'm getting involved in the local art community here, I have participated in two group shows and have a bunch more coming up this summer. At my first show, I was one of the only three artists that sold something out of 15 participants. This is the photograph that was purchased:

My second show was this past Friday, downtown in the Arts District. We set up along the sidewalks on two blocks and there was also food and music and lots of great art. I didn't sell anything this time, but had great interest from a gallery we were in front of. My friend Nyoka set up next to me and she had a lot of people interested in commissioning portraits from her. You can check out some of her stuff at deviantART - she's pretty amazing. I also have a deviantART site, you should check it out here!

I'll keep posting about future art shows here and on my myspace website. Hopefully I'll have some paintings ready for the next show in July, I've spent so much time on photography the past few years, my painting has really taken a backseat, but I'm getting back into it!

Puppy Time!!!

2008-05-02T12:28:00.000-07:00

I'm getting a new puppy! My golden girl comes home next week on Mother's Day. I picked her out on Wednesday and can't wait to bring her home. I know puppies can be a pain, barking, whining, potty training, but it will all be worth it for puppy kisses and treats and in the end, a great dog for us and a friend for Rachel. She is a golden retriever and adorable! I don't have pictures of just her yet, but here are some of her family, she's in there somewhere, one of the lighter golden girls. Any puppy training suggestions, comments, and name ideas are welcome!

Rejected and Accepted

2008-05-02T12:22:00.000-07:00

I didn't get the Bolthouse job I wanted. I really really really wanted it but it was not meant to be I guess. I was one of the top two candidates out of 50 so I should at least feel good about that. I am going to take some graphic design classes at Bakersfield College because I seem to always miss out on jobs when it comes to the technical side of designing, ie. direct printing, etc. So I want to prevent that in the future and learn as much as I can. As much as I hate to admit this, I should have listened to my mom when she told me before college that I should be a graphic designer and get a degree in it. I'm sure it would've been a lot more helpful than just trying to do it on my own. Although, I've done pretty well considering I had no training in it.

I did get an offer to be an executive assistant at an advertising agency here in town, they called me today and offered the job. I would be the assistant, answering phones, filing, true, but I also get to learn all about advertising and the jobs that go with it, help with some designing and do some writing as well. It doesn't pay that great to start, but she decided it will be full time instead of part time, right of the bat, and there's a 90 trial and then review period. So if I don't like it, I can find something else, no hard feelings.

Anyway, I'm pretty bummed about Bolthouse but I know there's something out there for me!

Jobs Update

2008-04-22T14:58:00.000-07:00

So I am a "finalist" in the Bolthouse job. They are trying to decide between me and one other guy, and both of us have to make a design and send it in by tomorrow at 5 pm. The design is supposed to help them decide. They already told me that the other candidates they were interviewing had more experience than I do, but they liked me and where I worked, and the VP had told me I'd be perfect for the job. So the other guy will probably do better on the design than I will. This really is just up to God now and where he wants me, I guess it always has been but I just have to do my best and hope that is where he wants me.

My advertising job looks like it's going to come through as well, but the pay is pretty crappy and it's only part time until June. After that it's full time but I still will be making less than I made in Texas which just doesn't seem right considering my skills fit perfectly with this job, plus some. Subbing is done in June anyway and I could sub in the meantime and on days off but is it worth it?

In other news, my photography is going to be displayed at an art gallery here in town! I get to pick my pieces and prices and they will display/sell them. I am also joining the art association and will be in a few contests this year, painting and photography - I'll start posting some work here.

Lastly, two of my articles will be published in the May edition of Kern Business and Bakersfield Life Magazine, I worked hard on them and they turned out pretty good, in my opinion. I did some of the photos too and was already offered another assignment for June!

So even though the full-time job front is looking bleak, and my husband gets more irritated as each day goes by that we can't buy a house, I guess there are some things that are worth getting excited about!

Waiting

2008-04-21T15:06:00.000-07:00

I really hate waiting. I consider myself to be a pretty patient person and usually when it comes to jobs I am pretty patient as well. However, I still have not heard from Bolthouse about that job I really want. They said not to freak out if I don't hear back right away, that someone in the decision process was going to be out of town all last week, but to send an email on Friday letting them know i still haven't heard. Well I did that and it's Monday and I still haven't heard a thing. Tomorrow I have another interview with the advertising company and I'm pretty sure she's going to offer me the job. I can't say no because if the Bolthouse thing doesn't work out, then I need something to fall back. I can't say yes because Bolthouse may call me any day. I already emailed Bolthouse, is it too annoying for me to call too if I haven't heard anything by the end of the day??? I really want to know.

3 Things About Stacey

2008-04-20T11:06:00.000-07:00

Three jobs I have had in my life:
1. lifeguard
2. holiday window painter
3. camp counselor

Three movies I would watch over and over:
1. you've got mail
2. while you were sleeping
3. music and lyrics

Three places I have lived:
1. conroe, tx
2. Newport Beach, CA
3. Preston Park, PA

Three shows that I watch:
1. American Idol
2. Friends
3. The Office

Three Places I have Been to:
1. Germany
2. Austria
3. New York

Three people who e-mail me regularly:
1. Mary Ann
2. Dad
3. ebay

Three places I’d rather be right now:
1. at the beach
2. sleeping in my bed
3. swimming in a pool

Three friends I think will respond:
1. you
2. you

3. you

Three things I am looking forward to this year:
1. swimming again

2. getting a job (it has to happen sometime!)
3. going to oregon

A Busy Life

2008-04-09T13:21:00.000-07:00

Lately I've discovered that I've become very busy. I have been applying for jobs like crazy and finally have been hearing back from some of them. First I'd applied to be an editor of special publications for The Bakersfield Californian, but I apparently didn't have enough professional experience. They did like my writing so I am now a freelance writer/photographer for the Bakersfield Life Magazine and Kern Business magazine, my first two articles come out next month. I'll be sure to post links to them.

Then I applied to do part time graphics for Saba Ad Agency in Bakersfield, but that one I didn't get either. They said I was in the top three but they went with someone else. I also applied to be an admin assistant for another agency here in town, Heise Media Group, and have basically been offered the job. I would be the admin. asst. but also learn a ton about the advertising business, with opportunity for advancement. The only catch is that it is part time to start. I don't know the pay or how part time, 3 hrs a week or 20. It will probably be full time eventually, but that's up in the air too.

I'm also waiting to hear back from Bolthouse Farms. where I applied to be a product design person (graphics) for their food products which are mainly carrots and juices, but it would be cool to have my design featured on national products and they offer great benefits. Finally, the Californian wants a full time graphic designer for a project that will end in June and I'm waiting to hear back from them as well.

In the meantime, this week I've been subbing for 7th grade math and working on my two articles, due Friday. As soon as I finish subbing today and tomorrow I have to hurry back to Bakersfield (I sub in Wasco) to visit some art museums and artists and take some pictures. I have all my notes and info for the most part, I just have to actually do the writing.

To add to my busy schedule, I am a bridesmaid/co-maid of honor in the wedding of one of my best friends. I am really excited because the only other wedding I've really been involved in was my own. But that means a few busy weeks coming up, I helped plan one shower, attended a second and I am planning the third, which is also this weekend. Then I'm helping plan and coordinate the bachelorette party for the following weekend. The wedding is two weeks after that, in Templeton, CA.

Whew. So there's all the stuff I'm doing in the next few weeks. For someone who is unemployed at the moment, I sure have a lot to keep me busy.

The Ultimate Gift

2008-04-07T13:57:00.000-07:00

My mom bought this movie for me a few months back, I guess more than a few months since she mailed it to me in Texas. I just watched it, as I've been working on the two articles I'm writing for the Bakersfield Life magazine and Kern Business Magazine, multitasking helps me think.

A brief synopsis:

"When his wealthy grandfathers dies, trust fund baby Jason Stevens inherits his grandfather's crash course on life: 12 tasks - or gifts - designed to challenge Jason in improbable ways. The "course" sends Jason on a journey of self-discovery that forces him to reevaluate his priorities and determine what he thinks the most important things in life really are."

Anyway, I popped it in, figuring I better watch it while I'm home alone because my husband doesn't really like these types of "feel good" movies because he thinks they are "predictable" and "boring." Okay it is somewhat predictable, but still if you can get past that, the acting is decent (better in some parts than in others), the cast is likable and it really does make you think about what's important. Go rent it!!

Randomness

2008-04-06T15:31:00.001-07:00

1. What is your occupation? unemployed right now but journalist/graphic artist
2. What color are your socks right now? white and pink, just got back from softball
3. What are you listening to right now? the fan clicking annoyingly
4. What was the last thing you had to eat? scrambled eggs
5. Can you drive a stick shift? yep, i do everyday
6. What color would you be if you were a color? red
7. Last person you spoke to on the phone? brenda
8. Do you like the person who sent this to you? sure do!
9. How old are you today? 27
10. Favorite drink? cherry coke zero
11. What is your favorite sport to watch? swimming, softball, beach volleyball
12. Have you ever dyed your hair? yes and i need to do it again
13. Pets? rachel the dog
14. Favorite food? anything italian
15. Last movie you watched at a movie theater? 21 - awesome movie!!!!
16. What do you do to vent anger? i keep it inside and then i usually end up yelling and kicking something eventually
17. What was your favorite toy as a child? my little ponies or anything horse related
18. Cherry or Blueberry? blueberry
19. What is your favorite fall or spring? i love fall colors!
20. Do you want your friends to email you back? or post on their blog... yes!
21. Who is most likely to respond? ha! no one since bethany already did it and no one else i know has a blog
22. Who is least likely to respond? everyone
23. When was the last time you cried? today briefly reading something sad
26. Favorite smell? the ocean
27. Plain cheese or spicy hamburgers? spicy!
28. Favorite cat breed? none i hate cats
29. Number of keys on your key ring? about 10
30. How many years at your current job? 0
31. Favorite day of the week? Friday
32. How many states have you lived in? Three - CA, TX, and PA (for 2 mths but i had an address there so I'm counting it).

Gen. Abbrv.

2008-04-03T17:34:00.000-07:00

I blame text messaging. Before text messaging people spoke in full sentences and only abbreviated things that were supposed to be shortened, like street signs. Now, everything is abbreviated or combining two words into a made up word. And I'm all for texting, don't get me wrong, but somewhere we need to draw a line. It's gotten to the point where kids in my classes are writing, "IDK" for "i don't know" on answers. How much worse can it get?

I think the first time I started noticing it was with celebrities, starting with J. Lo and then Bennifer. Then we had Brangelina and KFed and I've actually heard Jessica Simpson referred to as J. Simp and her sister referred to as A.Simp. Seriously???

Recently, stores and companies have started doing this. Ie. Pacific Sunwear went to Pac Sun and Dairy Queen went to DQ. I noticed the other day watching a National Geographic show that they are now calling it "Nat Geo." And Tuesday on American Idol (which by the way, they should start calling it Propaganda Idol, but that's another blog entirely!) Randy Jackson said he liked how one of the contestants got into the "false". Is falsetto really that long of a word???

Alright, I'm off my soapbox. But tell me I'm not the only one that's going crazy by our generation of abbreviation???

Camping

2008-04-02T11:52:00.000-07:00

Oh how I love to camp!

Last weekend we went on our first official beach trip since coming back to California. We were going to stay in a hotel, but since our last trip the prices have jumped through the roof for a decent hotel room so we decided to check out campsites we've stayed at in the past. The Oceano Campground is right near the entrance to the dunes but out of the wind and sand, and for $20 a night, what a deal!

We arrived around 5:30 PM, just in time to set up our new awesome tent while

it was still light outside. It can sleep 8 people and is 7 feet tall inside so normal sized people can stand up too, not just me. There were more poles than I'd ever seen for a tent, you would've thought someone was trying to create a giant poking device! We actually had to read the instructions and then set it up, something Lee's not used to doing. It didn't take too long and pretty soon Chateau de Payne was open for business! We got a few strange looks from people around us setting it up, for all they knew it was just the two of us. We were expecting three more people that night.

Camp was set up right next to a pretty little river with baby duckies swimming in it. As pretty as it was, it brought mosquitoes. Everyone in Texas knows how much mosquitoes love me - at least they did in Texas. I got bit once (on my face!) but then they left me alone and went after our friend Kevin.

But camping in general is great. I love smelling all the stuff people are cooking around you, catching bits and pieces of funny conversation, being amused at the tent set-up virgins that arrive at 10PM to set up their tent with two tiny flashlights and hearing all the wildlife around you and trying to figure out what creature the glowing eyes hiding in the bush belong to.

Yeah the bugs are a little annoying and for some reason we never bring an air mattress that doesn't have a leak so we end up on the ground in the morning, but it's worth it for the fun times with friends and S'Mores around the campfire! Oh, and the gaggle of geese that came to visit in the morning were hilarious! Plus, having a 60 second walk to the ocean is always a plus!

Tagged By Bethany

2008-03-05T21:08:00.000-08:00

So I considered myself tagged when Bethany did this cause I'm new too and wanted to fill it out. Here ya go!

5 Random Things:

1. I read magazines backwards. Don't know why, but I've always done this. I read the articles front to back but I start at the end of the magazine.

2. I have an obsession with buying CDs and coffee. I'm getting better but those are my two weaknesses.

3. Sometimes I buy CDs I've never heard of based on the cover art and song titles. Most of the time I've been successful, a short list of bands I found this way: Taylor Swift, Hoobastank, John Mayer, Michelle Branch, Dashboard Confessional, A Fine Frenzy - to name a few.

4. It really bugs me when people drive convertibles with the top down and windows up. It kind of defeats the purpose for me.

5. I was almost a gymnast instead of a swimmer. When I was younger I could do flips and back hand springs and all kinds of other gymnastic feats, and I was fearless. However, I was very tall for my age as a kid and my mom thought I would be way too tall to invest all kinds of money in gymnastics when good ones are little. So I stuck to swimming. Little did she know that I would be stuck at 5'3"

5 Places To Go To/Return To

1. Australia/New Zealand - I love the accents and the beaches. Never been.

2. Hawaii or The Caribbean - I am an ocean girl, I love to see it, swim in it, and hang out on the beaches.

3. Ireland - I am Irish, and it looks like an awesome place to visit.

4. New Orleans - Aside from the pee smell from a lot of the streets, I loved this city and the history and the cool artsy vibe. Loved Jackson Square.

5. Seattle - Most of my money goes to Starbucks, I want to see the original. Plus it has a huge music history, I'd like to see it.

A Penny for God's Thoughts....

2008-03-04T08:49:00.000-08:00

Every time I move somewhere I obviously need to start looking for a job. Sometimes it has been pretty easy and others it has taken FOREVER. When Lee and I moved to Texas, I didn't get a full time job until almost a year after we moved there. American Eagle Outfitters doesn't count - it was fun but didn't exactly pay the bills.

Now that we've moved back to California, it is deja vu. While I do have more connections here, so far they haven't seemed to help me a bit. I know it says in Jeremiah 29:11, "For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future," but sometimes I would love to be able to see this future and understand his plan when job hunting is so frustrating. I come across jobs I would love to do, that would be perfect for me, and I am told otherwise. Most of them want more experience in a particular area, but how do I gain experience if no one will ever give me a chance to do that?

What is even more annoying than not getting a job, is when the employer leaves me hanging. The first job I applied for here was a producer for a local tv/news station. The interview went well, I had a ton of writing experience, which the job required, and she said she'd call me. Well a week went by, no phone call. I emailed her again to see if maybe she never got the samples I sent after the interview. No response. I called her, no response. What is wrong with people today? I know businesses are probably too busy to call all the people back who they don't want to hire, but seriously! If you say you are going to do something, at least follow through! I don't care if you don't want to hire me, just have the decency to call me back and let me know either way if that's what you say you are going to do!

For the past month I have been subbing while I wait for something else to come along. I thought it would be fun since I usually like working with kids but so far I have only had one bad class after another. Supposedly it is good money but I'll let you know when I finally get my first check. I started in the end of Jan. and still haven't gotten a paycheck! Does anyone know why teachers only get paid once a month? That's so weird to me.

I didn't mean to rant, I just wish I could better understand God's timing and thinking. I know he has some job out there for me but why does it have to take so long for him to show what it is?