Exciting and life changing news for the Leopards!

So I have not posted on my blog in a long time.  But for the past few weeks, the only thing that I have really wanted to talk about, I could not or would not.  I am so excited to share that Ryan and I are blessed to be pregnant with our first child.  I am 10 weeks pregnant and due January 22, 2012!  We have no idea what we are having yet and won't know until we are about 20 weeks along.  But we were able to have an ultrasound 3 weeks ago, and we were able to see our little peanut.  Peanut had a heart beat of 148pm.  

Ryan and I are so excited to be starting our "human" family, as we already have "furry" babies.  Ryan has most certainly become a protective husband, and worries about everything.  This pregnancy is not without worries though.  I am a type 2 diabetic, and I was put on insulin at 4 weeks pregnant.  I had to take myself off a medication when I knew I was pregnant.  So I just pray that we have a healthy baby and it does not have any problems because of me.  

So, here my new journey in life begins.  Life is forever changed and I am so looking forward to everything it has to offer!  

Love, 

Stephanie

Day 26.... A childhood memory

So I am skipping day 25 and I will do it tomorrow.  I do not want to walk downstairs (yes I am being lazy) and I need to, to do Day 25.  So day 26 here we go.

I have a VERY good memory, always have and I hope I always will.  Ask my mom, I remember things, and she has said that she is amazed that I know this or that.  I can tell her where and when we have done something, bought this or that, etc, etc. 

My first memory was probably 1982, when I was 2 years old.  Yes, you read that right, 2.  (Like I said I have a good memory).  We were living in our town house in Woodbury, MN.  We were in the kitchen eating dinner, when my brother and our father left.  I finished my dinner (spaghetti), my mom washed my face and we hopped in the car.   I think/remember we got into a neighbors car, and we drove to the end of our neighborhood.  At the end of our neighborhood a bunch of people were rolling up a hot air balloon.  It was one of those balloons that was multi colored stripped balloon.  So this just goes to show that even at 2 years old, we humans retain things.

What is your first memory?

~Stephanie~

Day 21, Day 22 and Day 24...catching up

 Day 21...  Something you know you do differently than most people.
Interesting post.  Something that I do differently than most people.  Gosh the first thing that popped into my head was...being honest.  I try to always be honest and open with people (those that I know!).  With this open and honesty I try to be considerate of everyone and try to think of their feelings.  But if you ask my opinion you are going to get it.  If you ask me my thoughts on a subject, you are going to get them. 

I am not one to sugar coat things.  Because of this, you know that I will be upfront and again honest.  I agree with the phrase...honesty is the best policy.

Day 22... A website
There are a lot of websites that I love or visit frequently.

Facebook I am a facebook junky.  I am always on there.  But it is a great way to stay updated on family and friends lives.  I have had the pleasure of "meeting" family on facebook who I might not ever gotten to.  I have family all over the country and facebook has given me the opportunity to get to know them.

Sigma Sigma Sigma Sorority This is the sorority that I joined in college at Minnesota State University-Mankato. I put this down as a website that I love because I love my sorority and I have been very involved lately as I have been an advisor to a chapter here at University of Wisconsin-River Falls.  Working with the ladies here at the local chapter has given me the opportunity to be involved with the sorority that I love and to be honest gives me something to do outside of the home. 

Day 24.....A movie nobody would expect you to love
There are some boy movies that I really really enjoy.

Transformers, what a great movie.  There is love, there is action, there is something for everyone.

X-Men series.  All I can say is I have loved all four of the movies, and I am looking forward to the next one coming out!









So the weather has finally turned in MN/WI.  We have some sun, we have some warmth.  This evening we are grilling out on our new grill!  I expect that we will grill out a couple of times a week (if I can talk Ryan into it, he has to do the grilling!)  Yesterday we got our new patio furniture.  I am excited to have that.   I love eating out in the summer time (Ryan not so much oh well) so I expect for myself to spend some time out on my patio, enjoying our new furniture and our grill!

Tomorrow is Mother's Day.  Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers out there and especially my mom!  You are a great mother, always thinking of others before yourself.  So thank you for being a great mother!

Have a great weekend everyone!

~Stephanie~

Walmart in China...

So I found this website from another blog that I read.  I do not think I will be going to Walmart in China anytime soon.  (Not that I am going to China anytime soon!).  LOL.  But what a difference our two countries are, what can be sold, what is sold.  Standards. Etc. 

Walmarts in Chinda

Day 19 and Day 20

Day 19.... Talent of mine
I do not have any so called talents.  There are some people that can really cook, play the piano, they can quilt.  I enjoy doing some of those things, cooking, baking, knitting but it would not be a talent of mine.  So after sitting here thinking, I have thought of this.....the ability to follow a recipe  to cook a meal.  That is unfortunately all that I could think of.  :(  But cooking is something that I do enjoy, I love my new kitchen, it is better then any apartment kitchen that I have had.  I have lots of counter top space, a center island.  Prep area is not a problem, or hasn't been yet.

Day 20....Hobby of mine
Hobby, many things.  I love reading.  I am not a certain type of book person, I like them all.  I love true crime stories, autobiographies, romance, mystery, everything and all.  My favorite book of all times would have to be To Kill a Mockingbird.  I remember reading this book in high school and really enjoying it.  I think that all adults need to read the book, A child called IT.  This is by far one of the saddest stories I have ever read.  It is about this child who is so abused, and he over comes it and becomes this productive member of society.  He is an adult with kids of his own.  Very good! 

Movies, I love watching movies.  Going to the movies, buying movies.  Again, any kind of movie.  I like them all, comedy, scary, romance, mystery, sci-fi.  It just has to interest me.  I own a lot of movies.  I reading a book before the movie comes out.  Most of the time, the book is way better.  But a lot of the time, if I have LOVED the book, I LOVE  the movie.  Perfect examples, Harry Potters', Twilight.  I loved loved loved those series, and I love the movies. 

Another hobby, I enjoy knitting.  I am not very good at it, it takes me forever to do it, but I enjoy it. 

~Stephanie~

Day 17 and Day 18

Day 17...An art piece.  

I had the pleasure of taking a trip with my mom last year.  Last January (yes we are a little bit nutty) we went to Chicago.  One of the things that we both loved and enjoyed doing was the Art Institute of Chicago.  It was amazing to me to be in one place with things that have so much history.  One of my favorite pieces was

It is amazing to think that this painting is made up of dots.  I highly reccommend that if you can, take a trip to Chicago and spend the whole day at the Art Institute.  Was amazing!!!

Day 18... A time when you felt passionate and alive.  

Wow this one is hard.  There are many days that I felt passionate and alive.  Not to be cliche but my wedding day would be one off those days.  But even before that, the day that Ryan and I decided that we would get married.  Being the take charge kind of person I am, I took my proposal into my own hands.  Ryan is very quiet (if you don't know him personally).  Ryan and I were hanging out one night, and I basically asked him to marry me.  Yes, I asked him!  Knowing that I took charge, because I loved him, wanted to be with him, start a family with him, it was a great day!  

Another great day, my college graduation.  College was an adventure for me.  I started my freshman year at University of Wisconsin-Superior.  UWS is a very small school for a college.  Undergrads is probably under 2,000 students.  UWS was a great started school, but half way through the school year, I knew that this was not for me, I wanted and needed something a little bit bigger.  I applied to Mankato State University-now Minnesota State University-Mankato.  At 15,000 undergrads,  this was the school I was looking for.  My Junior year I joined my sorority and this was such a great decision for me.  I was given and still am given many great opportunities.  I worked my butt off the last few years of school, and was able to make the Deans List my last semester on campus.  Other people that may not seem like a big deal, but it was to me.  I was always below the GPA needed, but that semester I made it.  But not only did I make the Deans List, when I graduated my cumulative GPA was above 3.0.  So my graduation from college I felt passionate about life and alive!  That was just such a great weekend and something that won't be forgotten!  I am the first person on both sides of my family (mother and father's side) to graduate from a 4 year university with a BS degree!  This is most certainly something that I am proud of!

~Stephanie~

The day that I felt passionate and alive...our wedding day.  

~Ryan~

On another note, it is May 2nd today, and it is freezing here in the Midwest.  I am wondering when Spring is going to be here.  I have never been one to beg for Spring/Summer, but this year I feel like I am.  After the winter we had (2 blizzards with over 17 inches of snow each), lots and lots of snow for the season and a very cold winter over all.  Wonders if it has ever snowed on my birthday before (May 5th)?  I don't remember it, but it might have. 

Day 15... A person you admire

So the obvious answer to this question would be my mom.  She is a great mom and a fantastic person.  I do admire her, but I also admire this person.  

Anne Frank.  She is very much an inspiration of human spirit.  I remember reading a play in 7th grade based on Anne Franks life, living in the attic, trying to be a normal teenager yet not being able to.  

Honestly, I don't think much needs to be said about this remarkable person!

~Stephanie~