It's Fall Y'all!

Hey everyone, its been a while  LONG time since I have been on!  Life has been crazy, good, but crazy busy!  It is finally my all time favorite time of the year, FALL and luckily, the weather is finally starting to feel like it here!!!   I thought it would be fun to talk about my favorite fall things!

FAVORITE FALL SWEET TREAT

I love pumpkin pie, pecan pie, pumpkin bread

RED, YELLOW, OR GREEN APPLES

I'm not a big apple person, but if I had to choose I would say Red, for sure.

FAVORITE FALL SPORT TO PLAY

I don't play it, but my favorite fall sport to watch is definitely football!

BEST DRINKS FOR FALL

Is that even a question?! Pumpkin Spice Late, of course!

FAVORITE FALL ACTIVITY

Growing up, me and my grandad carved pumpkins every year, he is no longer with us, but carving pumpkins is still the top at the top of my list!  Those were some of THE best memories!

MUST HAVE FALL PURCHASE

hmmm... this is a tough one! I would say a good pair of jeans and some booties!

PUMPKINS: PICK YOUR OWN OR STORE BOUGHT

I have honestly only been to a pumpkin patch one time, we usually just buy our pumpkins in the store, however, I hope to start going to the pumpkin patches more often 

REAL OR FAKE PUMPKINS

I like real outside, and I have some fake inside.  I also have some tiny real ones inside for decoration! 

FAVORITE HALLOWEEN COSTUME

I dressed up as Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz when I was little, and it was for sure one of my cutest halloween costumes! 

COLLEGE FOOTBALL OR NFL

College football all day!  Although I am watching more NFL this year,  the Texans to be exact! (Gooo Tigers and Gooo Deshaun!!!)

FALL OR HALLOWEEN DECOR

I like a mix of both!  I like a lot of pumpkins, mixed with a little Halloween!

RAKING LEAVES OR NO LEAVES TO RAKE

We have tons of leaves! 

FAVORITE SOUP

I love a good chili in the fall, but homemade baked potato and homemade vegetable soup with corn bread are my favs!

FAVORITE FALL SCENT 

Spiced Pumpkin- Yankee Candle

LOVE OR HATE PUMPKIN SPICE

LOVE all things pumpkin spiced!

HAYRIDE OR CORN MAZE

Hay Ride! 

FAVORITE FALL TV SHOW

hmmm... Gilmore girls

Thanks for stopping by and Happy Fall Y'all!!!

xo Steph

Friday Favorites

YAY! It's Friday!!!

Today I'm doing my first "link-up" with three of my favorite bloggers, Erika, Andrea, and Narci, and sharing some of my favorite things from this week! 

ONE

Today is Friday May 5th, which mean SUMMER break for me! Schools out and I can't wait to spend the Summer with my friends and family, relaxing!

Two

I had my first iced-coffee from Chick Fil A in over 3 months, and y'all I don't know why I ever stopped! Their ice-coffee is seriously the best. If you haven't tried it, go NOW!!

THREE 

I've been reading Shay's blog for a while now, and she posts a lot about her quiet time, and what she reads. When she did a post recently that included her love for The One Year Bible, I thought I have to get one myself, so I did. It came in over the weekend and I started it this week, and it's definitely a favorite! Thanks, Shay! 

FOUR

Since I will be home for the next 3.5 months, that means I am going to be getting lots of sweet snuggles from my 3 favorite boys! That's for sure a favorite!

That's all for today! Happy Friday, y'all!

A little bit about me

Hey y'all! Today I am going to answer a fun survey.. all about me! Hope you enjoy!

favorite color...  Coral or any shade of teal/ turquoise. 

where do you shop... Pretty N Bliss, Belk, and any cute boutiques! 

favorite drink... Diet Coke or sweet tea. 

favorite snack... BBQ Pringles. 

middle name... Rebecca. 

birthday... January 26th. 

favorite season... Fall. Give me all things Fall!

favorite TV show... I watch HGTV, Food Network, and Bravo. 

favorite sports team... Clemson Tigers and I guess now the Texans! (Go Deshaun!!!!) 

morning person or night person... Definitely NOT a morning person. 

favorite food... Italian. 

favorite type of music... Country. 

siblings or only child... I have one sister, Anna.  

favorite movie... Sweet Home Alabama. 

favorite time of the day... The evenings. 

That's all for today!

Currently

Today I am thinking up with my sister, Anna, and some of her blogger friends to tell y'all what I am currently doing! 

Currently I am...

Baking - If I am being honest, I haven't been baking or cooking much of anything the past few weeks. 

Listening to - Pandora "Country Love Songs" station. haha. I am a sucker for a country love song! 

Loving - The fact that SUMMER is just around the corner. I don't know about y'all, but I am SO excited for sleeping in and beach days! 

Planting - Nothing. However, my roommate and I did pick up a beautiful plant for our front porch! That counts right?! ;) 

Eating - Chick Fil A, religiously! Seriously. It's bad. 

That's all for today! 

Xo

Steph

Life Lately

So it's been a while. Life has been a little crazy, so today is going to a picture overload of what's been going on!

My Dad (Rodney,) Caleb, my Mama (Becki,) my sister, Anna,  my brother-in-law, Kevin on Easter Sunday
*Not pictured K.C. and Kaden*

Me and Caleb enjoying Easter Sunday

My Sister and brother-in-law and sweet baby Caleb 

My Sister is a rock star, y'all! She ran in, and won her first race since Caleb! 

This weekend one of my favorite people got married! We had so much fun celebrating she and her husband. 

Wedding fun with my friend, Katherine.

Patience

"Patience"- noun- the capacity to accept or tolerate delay, trouble, or suffering without getting angry or upset.

Patience- a definition so simple, but yet so hard to grasps. Patience is something a lot of us struggle with, or at least I know I do. For me,  in the past, patience has meant that I would miss out on something I wanted. So I have rushed things- which personally, I think "rushing" is the opposite of "patience." I have tried to rush engagement, rush marriage, rush weight loss, rush my future, instead of simply enjoying the journey, trusting Gods plan, and being patient.  

Patience to me now goes hand-in-hand with faith- and trust me on this- in order to have patience you gotta have a whole lotta FAITH. There's been times over the past 6 months where I have wanted to throw in the towel and give up! I have thought time and time again- I will never find the right guy, I will never get married, I will never lose this stubborn weight. I have been everything but patient, I have been very impatient, but lately my mind-set has been different.

Now don't get me wrong, I have definitely not perfected patience, but it is something I am working on every. single. day. Instead of me getting mad at all the things I want to happen soon  right now and aren't, I am trusting that God has a plan and I'm being patient. Trust me on this y'all- God's plan for you and me is perfect, 100% perfect, we just all have to be patient and let God do the rest!

Week 1 Update

Okay, so after week one of Weight Watchers I lost 3.9 pounds total! I am so excited! I know for 4 pounds isn't a lot, but it's a start! I'm excited to see what week two's weight loss will be! I thought y'all might be interested in what I have been eating, here is a sample of one of my days!

Breakfast:
1 piece of Natures Own White-wheat whole grain bread-  1 point
1 Egg- 2 points
1/2 Cup Papetti 100% Egg White - 0 points
1 pack of Quaker Original Instant Grits- 3 points


Snack #1:
28 Baked Cheetos- 3 points
1 apple or banana-  0 points

Lunch:
Subway-6" Italian Bread with Ham, lettuce, spicy mustard- 7 points

Snack #2:
25 slices of Hormel Turkey Pepperoni -  2 points

Dinner:
4 ounces boneless skinless chicken breast-  3 points
1 1/2 ounces of cooked sweet potato        -  1 point
1 1/2 cups of cooked squash and zucchini  -   0 points
1 piece of Natures Own white-wheat whole grain bread (toasted)- 1 point
1/2 TBSP Grape Jam - 1 point

After Dinner Snack:
1 Small Lofthouse Iced Sugar Cookie - 3 points

That is 27 total points for the day (I can have 30), so if I were to get hungry later in the night, I could snack on baked Cheetos, or popcorn!

This is just a sample of what one of my days looked like this past week! There are tons of other options as well!

I am a snacker and some of my favorite snacks thus far are:
Fruits, Veggies, Baked Cheetos, Popcorn, Veggie Straws/Chips, Turkey Pepperoni, Croutons, CoolWhip, Toast, and so much more!

Again, if you are struggling with your weight, I strongly suggest Weight Watchers, as it is working great for me so far!

Thanks for reading!

xoxo Steph

New Year, New Me

Ok, so I promise this isn't going to turn into a strictly diet/Weight Watchers blog, BUT I do want to share with y'all my recent lifestyle change!

To give y'all a little background info - in my normal state I'm a pretty petite 5'2" body frame, however my new normal the past couple years has not been very petite. In high school I was a cheerleader and I played basketball, so I was very active - all.the.time. When I came to college 4 years ago, the only activity I got throughout the day was walking across campus to and from class. Fortunately, I didn't gain the freshman 15, but worse, I gained the junior 55 pounds. Yes- you read that right FIFTY-FIVE pounds in just a year! Absolutely crazy!!! I'm currently a senior in college and I have had enough. I feel huge!! My body isn't meant to be this big, so it's time for a change.

My roommate Courtney and I decided to join Weight Watchers. We started on Tuesday, so we have just finished day 3 and I honestly already feel so much better- I don't feel bloated, I have more energy, and just all the way around- I feel better. The first day was hard, I was thinking about food all day, which made me super hungry and a little cranky, but day 2 and 3 were much easier. They say after 3 days it becomes much easier, so I'm excited to say I made it through 3 full days.

Weight Watchers works on a points scale. When you register you enter your birthday, height, current weight, goal weight, and current activity level and it decides how many points you should have in a day. Fruits and vegetable are 0 points (except corn and potatoes and a few other thing), so its always good to be able to stock up on fruits and veggies when you get hungry! I can have 30 points per day, and 40 weekly's (which are "extra" points per week). So far I haven't used any weekly's and I don't plan too.

I will weigh in on Tuesdays, so every Tuesday I will blog about my previous week! So far Weight Watchers is working well, and I am super excited for this journal to a healthier, happier me! If you anyone has any tips or good Weight Watchers recipes, please feel free to share! Also if anyone is trying to lose weight, but keeps getting frustrated, I strongly suggest Weight Watchers, because you can still eat what you want, just in proportion. Also, if anyone needs an accountability partner - I will be glad to help!


See ya tomorrow!

xoxo Stephanie

A little about my best friend

I have lots of best friends, really I do. All are so different and so special to me in such different ways, but my bestest friend, my role-model, and someone I know will ALWAYS be there for me is my Mama.

My Mama and I share a very special relationship. She is my best friend, my biggest encourager, my personal chef, my shoulder to cry to, my ear to vent to - she is the BEST! My Mama and I are very similar; the older I get, the more I become her, like really. We are the sentimental ones out of the family; we both have very tender hearts and it doesn't take anything for either of us to cry. We think just alike and our personalities are super similar, but our relationship goes much deeper than that.

Over the years my Mama and I had the typical "teenage-girl- mom drama." We fussed (because we are so much a like) and because she is my mama I typically take/took my anger/problems out on her (sorry, Mama!!), but over the past few years, she and I have gotten extremely close. I tell my Mama everything, seriously. I used to not, but as I have grown up, she is seriously become my best friend. Anything from boy trouble, school, friends, and so forth- I tell her, and no matter what it is, she listens with an open ear.

My Mama has seen me at my very best- she has been so proud of my accomplishments, but she has also seen me at my worst, I'm talking my darkest, worst days, and during those times she has encouraged me, loved me, and prayed for me- and for that I am forever grateful.

My Mama is the one that I know I can text or call anytime of the day (even 2 am) and she will answer and help me with whatever I need. She gives the best advice (even though I don't always listen,) and she gives me love like no other.

So who is the "Mama?" Well her name is Becki and she is one of the kindest people you will ever meet. I know I'm probably a tad bit biased, but really she is the best. She is the music director at our church, a high school chorus teacher, and a high school and college english teacher. She is daughter to  two of my biggest role models,  wife to my daddy, Mama to my sister and me, Bebe to her grandchildren, Mrs. Poston or Beckster to her students, and a best friend to me. She has great voice, she can play the piano & organ like no other- she is very talented. She never meets a stranger, she tries her hardest to make everyone happy, and she has a HUGE heart, and I am lucky enough to be her daughter.

Mama,

Thank you for all that you do for me. I wouldn't be the person I am if it wasn't for you. Thank you for your love, your support, and all of your prayers. Thanks for always listening to me vent, and giving me advice when needed. Thank you understanding me like no other, and supporting me always. If one day, I am only half the mother and wife you are, I will be doing great! I don't tell you nearly enough, but I love and appreciate you so much!

Love,

Stephanie


**To be continued**

Weekend Recap

This past Thursday (January 26th) was my 22nd birthday, and I spent the weekend with some of my best friends at Surfside Beach. Luckily for me my long weekend started on Thursday.

Thursday evening I headed to my sisters house to play with my new nephew Caleb and have a very small family birthday dinner. My parents picked up food from my favorite restaurant and after dinner we all spent time talking and playing with fighting over who gets to hold the baby. I stayed at my sister's house that night and got a bunch of sweet baby cuddles all night!

Friday morning- I slept wayyy too late. Got lunch, and started packing for my weekend with my friends! We made it to the beach around 3:30 and went straight to the grocery store to get groceries for the weekend. By the time we got back to the beach house, and put the groceries away, it was supper time! For dinner this night we order pizza from California Pizza! So yummy! Then everyone sang happy birthday to me and we ate a homemade caramel that my Grandma made for me! After that we all just hung around the house and played card games!





























Saturday morning we all woke up and cooked a big breakfast complete with eggs, grits, bacon, and toast. We got ready and a few of us went off to do a ocean front helicopter ride. Side note: I have ALWAYS wanted to do this, and never have, so this weekend I was able to do it with some of my closest friends! I was a little scared at first, but it was SO much fun! I will definitely be doing the longer helicopter tour this Summer when I go back to the beach with my family! After the helicopter ride, we headed off to the Market Commons, which is an upscale outdoor shopping area with shops, restaurants, bars, and Town-homes. While we were there I spotted the spa, and if you know me, you know I love a good massage, so I treated myself to a 60 min long massage and it was FABULOUS. Probably one the best I have ever had!

For dinner Saturday night we ate at Yamato's Japanese Steakhouse at Broadway at the Beach and it was fantastic. Japanese food is one of my favorites! It was pretty late when we got done eating, so we headed back to the beach house to hang out! The girls baked cookies- and we all hung around chatting and playing cards! It was a perfect night!

Sunday morning came to soon- and off we were back home! I went straight to my aunt's house to celebrate my Grandma's birthday with my family! Sunday night I headed back to Clemson (Gooo Tigers!!!!!)  to begin a new week!

I had a great birthday weekend with my friends, and I'm already looking forward to my 23rd birthday trip next year!


xoxo

Steph

trusting His time

This stage of life is hard. SO hard. Growing up is hard people - just plain hard. This stage of life is filled with many new friendships, heart breaks, new loves, chapter endings, and new beginnings, but its hard.

I'm 22 years old, so I'm young - I have my whole life ahead of me right? It doesn't always feel that way. In fact 70% of the time I feel like I'm running out of time. Trying to decide on a career in time, find a husband in time, get married in time, have children in time. But what's the rush?

We live in a Pinterest, Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook-filled world. Everything is on social media, and though social media is great, we can sometime become so obsessed with it that we forget who we want to be, and we start striving to be someone else. I know for me, Pinterest is my weakness. I could scroll through Wedding Pinterest boards for hours. Looking at the perfect engagement rings, dresses, decorations, and I find that I want that NOW. I pick out the perfect house, bedrooms, backyards, my future children's rooms, clothes, and I want that all NOW.

This is the time of life when I have friends that are getting engaged/married, having children, starting a new chapter in life, and I can't help but feel jealous sometimes. Since I can remember, I have wanted to get married young and have children. I thought my time for all of that would be soon (until a devastating break-up happened 6 months ago). I had everything worked out in my time; when I was going to graduate college, get engaged, get married, have children. I thought it was perfect in my eyes. I had MY plan, MY time-frame.

It's taken me a lot of time, finding myself, and a whole lot of praying to realize that God's timing is perfect. Way more perfect than the "perfect" time-frame I had for my life. No, I may not be married at 22, graduate college in 3 years, or have 3 children before I am 30, but no matter what, I know and trust that God's timing is always perfect!

XOXO

Stephanie

Caleb Byrnes Todd

"Every good and perfect gift is from above." James 1:7

Monday, January 16th 2017 at 6:35 p.m. the most precious baby boy was born weighing 7 lbs 9 oz and 20" long, and I am lucky enough to be his aunt! How cool is that?! Caleb, you have me wrapped around you teeny tiny finger already! 

I always knew I had an awesome big sister, but after being with her Monday through the whole labor and delivery process, she is def my biggest role model! Anna, has gone through a lot to get little Caleb here - a couple years of fertility issues, a miscarriage, and then out of the blue with no medication Anna found out she was pregnant!!!! I will never forget the day she called me to tell me she was pregnant - I was sitting in my car at our local Bojangles eating breakfast before work (nothing unusual) and she called and I could just hear it in her voice and then she told me! I was SO excited! As soon as we got off the phone I cried and cried, happy tears of course! I don't think I will ever forget that morning. It goes to show that God is good and He is faithful, always. 

Anna was sick most of her pregnancy and not just in the morning- she had ALL day sickness (no exaggeration.) After about 22 weeks (I think?- somewhere around then) she started getting better, which was a relief to us all! Throughout her pregnancy and all the sickness she endured, she never failed to give me a million reasons of why I am so proud to be her little sister!

Anna found out the gender of her baby in July- and from then on I went into full baby-shopping mode! Luckily - or should I say not so lucky for my bank account, I work at a women and children's boutique, so I was able to stock up on baby clothes right away! 

Before we knew it, January was here! Caleb's birth month! His due date was January 15th, and Caleb Byrnes made his grand arrival Monday the 16th, and it couldn't have been more perfect. I spent the whole day at the hospital anticipating his arrival - I was SO excited! When the time got closer and we all had to exit the room, my emotions went crazy! I was not only so excited that any minute I would have a brand new nephew, but I was also super proud of my sister, and thanking God for blessing Anna, and us with this precious baby! 

Our whole family was there; my parents, Kevin's (my brother-in-law) parents, K.C. and Kaden (Caleb's big brothers), and myself! We actually stood in the hallway outside of Anna's room and we were able to hear Caleb first cries. It. Was. Incredible. We were all bursting with excitement! Not too much longer we were all able to go in the room to see Caleb - and goodness he is literally PERFECT! I know I am probably biased, but really y'all - he is a beautiful baby! Both Anna and Caleb did great! 

Caleb is a blessing from God - no doubt about that! I love him so much already, and I am still so amazed at awesome God is! I can't wait to watch Caleb grow! Caleb- I will always be one of your biggest fans!

"God is Faithful." Psalm 36:5

xoxo

Stephanie 

Hey Y'all!

Hey y'all and welcome to my blog Stepping with Faith. For years now, I have wanted to start a blog, but could never think of a good name, and I finally found one that is perfect for me! I am absolutely NOT an experienced blogger, but I am super excited to see what God has in store for me and my new blog!

I decided on the name Stepping with Faith, because in my life, and well life in general, there are always steps. Whether it be stepping out of your comfort zone, stepping up to lead, stepping back when needed, and even literal steps in and out of places, I always try to step with faith. 

XOXO

Stephanie