The Fabulous Life of Stefanie

Can't wait to be one of those Boston Marathoners! On April 18, 2016 I will join thousands of runners to make the famous trek from Hopkinton to Boylston Street, a feat that is probably one of the harder things I have chosen to do in the past few years (aside from that whole childbirth thing, but even that is negotiable). The Boston Marathon is the marathon; whenever I tell people that I have run marathons the first question  is always "have you run Boston?", to which I always let them down by telling them I have only been a decades long spectator. This year though, I get to change that, and I get to do it by running for an organization who is dear to my heart and helped solidify my identity as a Bostonian. Let me take you back to the beginning. I moved to Boston in 2005 for two main reasons: a new adventure far away from my hometown of Reno, Nevada and to attend school at Suffolk University and pursue some sort of career where I could help people. At the time, ...

To me, summer in Boston is so wonderful because there has to be something to wipe away the memories of what February is like (aka the month when I think we need to move to an island in the tropics). New England has so much to offer in the summer, but you can really do a ton of fun things without ever leaving city limits (or having to get in a car)! I narrowed it down and these are the five things that I think everyone, tourist and local alike, need to do during the summer months in my fair city: Get a lobster roll. Bonus points for eating it outside with a local beer. We like Yankee Lobster for convenience and deliciousness, but you really can't go wrong with your choice when in New England whether you're a cold with mayo or hot with buttered bun type of person. Hit the beach. Since this is about what to do in Boston, I suggest going to Carson Beach in Southie. For a long time I thought it was probably pretty dirty with its view of a water treatment facility and prox...

I don't know why, but Maddie has been having some serious sleep issues again, which results in her waking up in the middle of the night and one of us sleepwalking to bring her into bed with us and then her keeping us up for a couple of hours until we either put her back in her room, where she eventually passes out, or us almost giving up on ever sleeping again when she eventually passes out....at which point an alarm always seems to go off. This morning, my sweet, sweet husband actually got up with her at 5am and let me have a glorious hour all to myself in which I had the deepest sleep ever.  But then it was time to get up.  I know that someday we will all joke about what a terrible sleeper little Maddie was and how it helped her study so hard to become the engineer/train conductor/macaroni and cheese chef she ends up being, but for now, it just sucks. A lot . And it makes for some pretty hard Mondays, especially with those long runs on Sunday. Oh, parenthood...

I had the day off today and the rain storm that we were promised was truly a deluge. I woke up at four o'clock to the sound of rain and wind, put on my running gear and drove to the shelter where I meet my Back on My Feet team. It would have been easy to stay in bed, but I was looking forward to seeing my team and making sure they know I care enough to get up and spend the day before Thanksgiving with them. We decided to go get coffee instead of run, which no one seemed to mind, and we spent the time talking about our upcoming races, Thanksgivings past and the future. What a site we must have been at five o'clock in the morning, head to toe running gear, ages ranging at least thirty years, just having some morning coffee.  I joined Back on my Feet in May, hopeful to get back to volunteering while also sharing my passion of running with others and having some fun. What's happened has been that and so much more. I have made connections with both res and non-res runners, becom...

What a day to be a Princess! I woke up at 4:30 (on my own) to watch the wedding of William and Catherine and I was really glad that I did. It was beautiful and the hats and fashion were off the hook. Since my Mom was pregnant with me while Di was pregnant with William I have always felt a fun little connection to him (my Mom was happy that I got Matty for my Prince when she realized Wills was not going to do it for me) and his wedding was almost as fabulous as mine! I do love that he and Catherine were cracking jokes to each other on the altar just like Matty and I did (even if we did do it first). So speaking of being a Princess; I am the birthday girl! Well, my birthday is on Sunday, but I really like to spread it out for at least a few days so that everyone can enjoy my big day and give me proper love and presents :) I love that I am about the be 29, but still spoiled rotten like a little kid by my loved ones , especially on my birthday. I knew Matty was the one for me when he accep...

I love my husband. I know that most wives love their husbands (at least I hope they do) but seriously, I L-O-V-E that man of mine. We had such a lovely, relaxed, spontaneous and full weekend together, and I just needed to say that I love him oh so very much. I feel like the luckiest girl in the world when I am around him...or thinking of him...or sound asleep dreaming of our future together. Friday I got out of work early (just because, thanks work!) and went home to relax and clean the house a little and make some curried rice with shrimp for dinner. We finally watched The Fighter (which I loved) and we snuggled on the couch and went to bed early and everything was just how I love it. In bed with Matty on one side and Louis on the other, both snoring away. It's like an ocean sound machine for me. On Saturday Matty went running (one week until race day!) and I took my Little (H) on an Easter Egg Hunt at the Parker Hill Library. H and I also played on this great playground between t...

Ah 30, that big looming number. I remember when 30 seemed really old. Like, people that were 30 were real adults that had things I could not be anywhere near attaining (careers, consistent bed times, spouses ). And then I was 25 and 30 was what a lot of my friends were or were close to being, and then another year or so passed and my friends were in their 40s and 50s. And now, at the ripe old age of 28 and three quarters, I even have people I call my friends that are in their 30s and 40s and 50s and 60s and 70s, I even have a friend in her 80s. Really, I do. And I love them. I love to listen to what their lives were like at my age, and how they view things that I love (Facebook, volunteering, children, celebrity gossip). They really, truly awe me and I find myself thinking about what I will be like when I am their age. Take, for instance, my friend Sister Mary Catherine of the Sisters of St. Joseph . The other night I got together with some of the women that I participated in a Communi...

Oof, my head. Yep, I am feeling a wee (LOT) bit hungover today. Still. At 7pm. Whoops! Last night Craig and I pulled off a pretty epic surprise for his dear girlfriend, and my dear friend Emilia's birthday. Both of her parents were there, who I love and was happy to catch up with, as well as our nearest and dearest. Amy even came up from NoHo and we had a sleepover! It was awesome. I definitely drank too much on an empty stomach and am very thankful for my husband for getting me home safe despite my insistence on wearing cowgirl boots on the ice (thanks again, babe). I think I have been taking my new motto "drinking for two" a little too serious, and I may need to start climbing up the slope to sobriety as the begin date for Operation Make Baby grows nearer. Maybe after this beer. Hey - you don't have to stop drinking for 9 months, so quit judging! I find myself handling this new goal the same way I do most everything: lots of reading, researching and talking to my fr...

I hate being sick. I know that no one likes being sick, but being sick is like the antithesis of me. So far I have missed work, a community dialogues session, a second day of work, the gym and now I am going to miss a Civic Leadership Institute reunion and a drink with Nina. I am glad that I have finally learned to stay home and focus on getting better when I am sick, which is something I have learned only in the past few years and has a lot to do with Matty making me do so and having a job where I can actually call in sick. I haven't missed two days in a long time, but it is probably not because this is the first time I have needed to but is the first time that I can do so. Aside from missing out on my responsibilities, I just hate the lack of productivity that I feel when I am laying on the couch feeling sorry for myself. My house could definitely use a mini-cleaning. There are some errands that need to be run. But here I am laying on the couch, watching the 20th hour of the Toda...