It's my party, I can cry if I want to.

Well happy birthday to me. [Insert pouty face here] I'm the big 2-4. It's dark and rainy outside, my fiance is laid up with a gimp knee so all our fun plans went out the window, and I am extremely upset over the fact that I am going to end up having to go to court over my car. This is really taking its toll on me, as you read in my previous post. I have tried really hard to turn this day around with no success. I just feel like blah and my eyes have filled up with tears a few times now. I hate feeling this way. I'm usually a pretty happy camper.



Things that have made me smile today:

*A precious, crackly voiced phone call I got at 12:01 this morning from my wonderful fiance wishing me a happy birthday
*One of my co-workers gave me a beautiful hot pink rose when I got to work this morning
*Right after that Dr. Hotze hand delivered a very sweet and sincere birthday card
*It's Friday (and not to mention, pay day)
*I have absolutely nothing to do all weekend long

Well, that's all folks. I'm off to pack my gypsy bag and head to Beau's for my weekly mini-vacay!

...by the way...sorry for the depressing post. I guess we all have days like this where we have to vent...

Over and out,

Stephanie

A Day In The Life Of A Gypsy

So I have this ongoing "joke" about me being a gypsy. I make comments all the time about never being home, always having an extra set of clothes, permanently affixing a clothes rack in my car, etc...

Well, this has now become reality. I am now going on 1 month of not having a car. (Well, I have a car. It's just sitting at the service department of the Mazda dealership waiting to be fixed but I refuse to pay to fix it since I didn't damage it.) Anyways, I have really become a gypsy. (Or a nomad, migrant, whatever you want to call it...) You see, I have to have someone take me to and from work every day, and anywhere else I need to go.

Every. Single. Day.

In saying this, Beau typically drives me to and from work Monday and Tuesday. Then my mom takes me Wednesday and Thursday, which means I have to stay with her Tuesday and Wednesday nights. And Beau usually carts me everywhere on Friday, Saturday & Sunday...which means I have to stay with him all weekend. I don't have a problem staying with him, or my mom for that matter, but the problem is that I am never at my own place these days. I work hard to pay my rent and my bills to only use them about 50% of the time. But what else can I do?

I am so thankful for both my mom and Beau taking me to and from everywhere...literally...and for them letting me borrow their cars when I need to go somewhere but I HATE being dependent on someone else. I have never been the type to depend on someone else 24/7 so this has been an adjustment...to say the least.

I have two sets of everything I use on a daily basis (leave in conditioner, razor, perfume, deodorant, etc...you name it). One set stays at my apartment (just in case I might be home) and the other set stays packed, because I never know where I am going to end up. Luckily, I wear a solid black suit to work every day so I don't ever have to worry about lugging around 8 different outfits for the chance that I might want to wear one. I simply pick out a different color shirt and jewelry and am on my merry way. I also wear the same pair of black heals everyday, which makes life a little easier. Now the weekends are a totally different story. I literally live out of a bag. On a good note, it's kind of like going on a mini-vacation every weekend. I pack my bag on Friday afternoon, head to Beau's house, and don't come home until Sunday night! (Ok, I made that sound ALOT better than what it really is...)

My point here is that I hate not being home. I know I sound like "poor, poor pitiful me" but this whole "not having a vehicle" thing is really starting to take its toll on me.

Fortunately, this time next year I will be happily married and will have a place to call "home"! I am SO happy to say that. I have moved 9 times since 2004, thanks to college and sorority life, and I am looking forward to being "Home, Sweet, Home"!

As for the next 352 days, I will remain "gypsy girl"...



Packing my bags,

Stephanie

Most Current Addictions

I go through these phases where I fall in LOVE with certain things. Who doesn't? As for now, here are a few things I am absolutely in love with...

As you know, I am "carless" at the moment so I'm sure you can understand my obsession with anything that has 4 wheels and an engine. I stumbled across this car in the parking lot the other day and it was love at first site. It's a Kia Forte Koup. Yes, I said KIA. Who would have ever thought I would want a Kia? And who would think I would want a coupe after totaling my micro machine Celica a few years back? But just look at how adorable it is?! Who wouldn't want this?! (Especially someone who doesn't even have so much as a bike to pedal at the moment...)



I am a country music kind of girl. It's all I listen to. Although I am not a HUGE Joe Nichols fan, I can't help but love his new song "Gimme That Girl". It's such a down to earth, fun song that would make any girl feel good in jeans and a t-shirt!



Yes, this next one is an apple. I have this crazy obsession with apples right now. I'm not talking any ol' apple. I'm talking the half yellow, half red, crunchy Gala apple. It's the most perfect piece of fruit I have ever put in my mouth! It's crunchy, sweet and high in fiber! Not to mention apples are really good for your hair!




The Ellen Show-don't knock it 'til you've tried it. I know some people throw up controversy over her and her marriage to Porshe De Rossi but Ellen is a wonderful person. She is so kind and giving and is absolutely HIL-A-RIOUS! She comes on every day at noon, which I tape religiously to watch when I get home from work every night. If there is one T.V. show that I must watch, it's Ellen!

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Lastly, and most important, I am LOVING wedding planning!! Most people think of it as stressful, but so far my experience has been very pleasant! (...ask me how I feel 6 months from now...) But who wouldn't want to spend an entire day trying on wedding gowns, or get all dressed up to take engagement pictures, or play 007 in Bed Bath & Beyond registering for all the COOL stuff YOU want?!? I LOVE IT!!



Ok-that's all for now!

Enjoy,

Stephanie

Sneak Peak

This weekend Beau & I took engagement pictures. The weather was perfect and it gave me an excuse to kiss him every two seconds! Here are a select few of my favorites!

Since we met at school, I thought it was fitting to take pictures at University of Houston!

Like I said...an excuse to kiss him!

Favorite picture so far! He's so handsome!


...more to come later...I promise!

Scissor Biscuits

Don't ask.

I don't know what a "Scissor Biscuit" actually is but I do know it is the name of our co-ed softball team! (The guys named the team so us girls have nothing to do with it!) We aren't your typical softball team. We aren't very competitive when it comes to the game, and we also aren't all that great. But we are okay with this! Our main purpose is to drink and have a good time...which I must add we are VERY successful at! Rather than being pumped up for our next big game, we get "pumped up" about going to the smallest hole in the wall bar before and after each game, Hunter's Pub. It's located in a small, hidden corner off of 610 South and South Post Oak...not the best part of town. It smells like an old woman sitting on the pot, smoking a pack of cigarettes and reading the newspaper. It's almost embarrassing to say we go there but we have an absolute blast every time that I can't help but include it as a part of my life. They have free nachos every night and on special occasions they have free sloppy joes! (Classy...I know!)

So far, the Scissor Biscuits are 1-3. Not that great but not too terribly bad! As far as fun goes, we are batting 1000%! I really can't take credit for any of our success as I am simply the first base coach. I know you are all wondering why I am not playing since I played softball my entire life but in case you don't know...I paid a pretty penny for this nose of mine and I will be damned if I let some rookie ruin it with a bad throw!

Anyways, below are some of our most recent fun times had at Hunter's Pub! On this specific night, someone let us get a hold of a Sharpie...as you can tell...we are EASILY amused!


"Staches"

Jared's Antennas

Me & Margie

Team Photo

Mr. & Mrs! Can't you tell we are perfect for one another!

Me, Margie, Ash & Marion (totally unprepared for the pic!)


What other bar can you go to in a t-shirt, hair in a wadded up bun, with a moustache drawn on your finger and have THIS much fun?!

The funny thing about all this is that about 80% of the people you see in these pictures are in our wedding party. Prepare yourself. Our wedding will be just as crazy! I can promise that!

Happy Sunday!

Stephanie

Stressing to not stress...

Ok, so as you all know by now, I am getting married next year therefore, I am in the process of planning our wedding. You would think I would be stressed out over wedding plans...NO. I'm still stressed out about this stupid car situation.

The latest on my car "drama": Basically, Mazda, NTB and Gallagher Bassett (NTB's insurance company) can't get their crap together. NTB and Gallagher Bassett are the worst run companies I have ever had to deal with. No one returns phone calls, no one answers their phones, and no one has the first idea as to what to do. Come on people! It's clear as day that the oil in the car didn't just "disappear"...it was never put in! And don't even try to point fingers at me like I "siphoned" the oil out, I don't even know where the dipstick is! They are trying to convince me that they have never dealt with a problem like this before. Puh-lease! You have over 600 locations...don't tell me this has never happened before!

As you can tell...it's a touchy subject! I am trying my absolute damnedest to NOT stress out about this because as some of you may know, I had Bell's Palsy earlier this year. The number one cause of Bell's Palsy is stress. To put it in layman's terms...Bell's Palsy is basically inflammation of the 7th cranial nerve. It causes facial paralysis on one or both sides of your face. It can be permanent or temporary, lasting anywhere from a few weeks to months to even years. There is no treatment and very little is know about it by doctors. You can take steroids but only for a week. After that, you have to basically wait for it to go away on its own. As a vitamin consultant, I just knew there was some type of supplement I could take that would at least help the situation so I researched and researched and researched. By the grace of God, my first experience with BP only effected the left side of my face and it only lasted for about five weeks. I can honestly say, the supplements helped tremendously. It was one of the scariest things I have ever dealt with. My left eye didn't blink, my tongue was numb and my smile was crooked because the muscles on the left side of my face were completely numb so they couldn't pull my lips over when I smiled. I felt like a stroke victim-it was so sad.

As you can see, BP affected me so much. I thank God every day for getting me through it all, BUT, I DO NOT want it to EVER come back...because it can. And I heard the second time it can be a lot worse than the first. So now, you know why I am 'stressing not to stress'. Hopefully this weekend will be relaxing, stress-free and enjoyable. Although I am still "carless", I have my wonderful fiance to tote me around all weekend! I heart him!

Happy Friday!

Stephanie

Green Thumb

So I am not sure why but recently I have this insane obsession with Gerber Daisies. Not to mention, they are my wedding flower of choice! Maybe it's the fact that they come in a ton of resilient colors, or the fact that they are so simple they are just flat out beautiful or maybe it's that when I see a Gerber Daisy, it makes me "perk" up for no reason! They are just so darn cute!

In saying this, I have set myself a new goal. It's not a BIG goal by any means but it's a definitely a goal I have set for myself that I thought would never even come to mind. Drum roll please...

I am going to grow my own Gerber Daisy plant, from tiny seed to beautiful bloom!

Why, you ask, is this a big deal? Well, possibly because the last thing I ever planted on my own was a lima bean plant in a dixie cup in Kindergarten. Let's just say it's been a while...

No really, it's a big deal because to grow something it takes time, commitment, research, and dedication. It's pretty darn fascinating to see something grow from nothing to something, whether it's a flower or a baby! (And, no, I don't have "baby fever" so don't even go there...especially you, mother...it was just a phrase!)

The first thing on my list of things to do is to actually find gerber daisy seeds. Beau and I searched high and low at Lowe's last night only to be disappointed. So for future reference, Lowe's isn't the best place to go when you need seeds! I guess my next stop will be Houston Garden Center...if they don't have seeds I'm doomed!

How can anyone not appreciate the simple beauty of a gerber daisy?


Finding my green thumb,

Stephanie

Stereotyping...how. annoying?!

The most prominent and stressful thing going on in my life right now is the fact that I don't have a car. Yes, I am CARLESS (or less of a car...whichever you prefer). You would think I would have my panties in a wad over some wedding photographer or not being able to find a florist...not over my stupid Mazda CX-7. Why am I carless? Glad you asked!

Basically, to make a REALLY long story short, on Easter Sunday my check engine light came on. I don't know why they call it a "check" engine light. It should say "You're car is going to explode if you keep driving it in this condition". Anyways, so since my "check" engine light was on, I took it to Mazda first thing Monday morning only to find out that the oil that was in the car was over 8,000 miles old. WHAT?!

Go back in time a little bit...I have had this car since last March...a little over a year...and I have only put 18,000 miles in it. Last time I had the oil changed was in January (3,000 miles ago) at NTB (which I have now nicknamed Never Take it Back). It should have plenty of oil in it but no...it doesn't. Not only does it just conveniently have less than a quart of oil in it but because NTB failed to change the oil at all, I now have to have an entire engine replacement. As if that's not already going to cost an arm and a leg, I have to have the turbo and some gaskets replaced as well...totally $8,500! AWESOME! Just what I want to hear! My car is only worth $11,000 at best...no one in their RIGHT mind would ever pay $8,500 to fix a car that's only worth $11,000...unless it's a classic. It may come to a suprise to you but a Mazda CX-7 is far from a classic...therefore I absolutely refuse to pay for this.

The main reason I am absolutely refusing to pay for this ridiculous damage is because of the principle of the whole thing. I take care of my car. I took it in for a service that was never provided. I paid someone to change the oil and trusted that he did it and now I have to deal with all this. I have made a claim with some company that call themselves "claims adjusters" only to never hear from anyone at the company in almost a week. Last I heard something was last Wednesday, which still was pointless information. I'm pretty relentless when it comes to stuff like this so little Ms. Shayla at Gallagher Bassett "claims adjustors" is going to get to know me REAL well, REAL soon.

You might be wondering why I have titled this post as "Stereotyping...how annoying?!". Well, I'm sure you get the picture now. Basically, before I ever step foot in the door of a "car" place, I have these things against me:

1. I am a female
2. I am young
3. I have blonde hair (well, ok, blonde highlights)

Every time I walk into ANY car business, I am automatically stereotyped as someone who knows nothing about cars, which is somewhat true but I would never admit that to NTB. Throughout this entire process, I have felt taken advantage of, which is one of my biggest pet peeves. If I were that ignorant I wouldn't even know where to take my car in to be serviced or how often. The way I feel is that when I took my car into NTB in January, they charged me for "changing" my oil but never did it because they "thought" I would never find out. Well, well, well...of COURSE I am going to find out when my engine is ripped to shreds because you are bad at your job!

Moral of the story: Be good at your job. Someone is relying on YOU to be good at your job. Someone is trusting YOU to do what they have asked YOU to do...so DO IT!

Frustrated to the max,

Stephanie

Newest Photos

The Wedding

You can find out everything you could possibly want to know about our big day here.

The Mister

Meet my future husband, best friend and partner in crime, Beau!