Meet a CSGer: Stephanie
A Colorado native who found “the one” in high school, Stephanie enjoys juggling all the things — from our wonderful clients at CSG to running a busy household with her wild and crazy boys!
Why Is December the most wonderful time of the year?
Because my birthday is in December! I was born on December 21st and my parents brought me home in a stocking. Which I put on my kids for Christmas photos when they were babies (photo here is of my youngest, Collin, in the stocking) and which they still comically try to fit in at Christmas. My family has always done a great job keeping my birthday and Christmas separate. Sure, as a kid the tree was up, but there was never Christmas wrapping paper on my birthday presents - a rule my husband still abides by.
So classical!
In 5th grade our teachers told us to pick an instrument. I wanted to be different and choose something unique (same reason I chose to take French in high school but haven’t used it since). I chose the viola and played throughout middle school and high school. I was first chair in the Broomfield High School Orchestra and the Chamber Orchestra during our school’s musicals. I also played soccer and softball in high school but I think I loved playing viola most. I still have the fancy viola I saved up for when I was 17, though it is very out of tune and sadly hasn’t been played in ages…some day I will have the time and energy to play again!
“Fish are friends, not food!”
I have been a vegetarian since my junior year in college at CU, go Buffs! I was a journalism major with a sociology focus and needed an upper division sociology class. I chose “Animals in Society” — thinking it looked easy. I went in with the attitude of “I’m not going to let this hippie class ruin all the things I eat,” and I hardly ever attended the class. Because of that, I needed extra credit at the end of the semester, so I went on an elective field trip to volunteer at Peaceful Prairie Sanctuary in Deer Trail, Colorado (the birthplace of the rodeo, ironically). I met a really cool cow named Sherman that had escaped from a truck heading to a slaughter house, a sassy turkey named Melvin, and several chickens that were rescued from a processing plant after Hurricane Katrina. After cleaning out their stalls and spending the day with them, I couldn't eat meat again. I’m not a judgy veggie though and the rest of my family still eats meat. I just try to limit my consumption and use of all animal products to help my animal friends!
Only 2%?!
While trying to think of things to write for this, I looked up how many high school sweethearts get married and was surprised to see that it’s only 2% of couples! If you had told me when I was 15 that I would still be with the person whose house I TP’d on the weekends and asked to be my boyfriend (”Will you go out with me?” is how we used to phrase that), I would believe you! As sappy as it is, I knew when I first met my now husband Mark that I just wanted to be with him forever. So far, that has worked out!
#BoyMom
From high school sweethearts to parents! Our boys are so much fun, and we enjoy seeing things through their eyes. Especially my oldest Macklin, who just turned 7. He is artsy and curious and I learn so much just from the things I have to Google when he asks me obscure questions. My youngest, Collin, just turned 3 and is our sour patch kid. He is so sweet and fun but also tests my patience daily, sometimes hourly. He knows more dinosaur names than I ever will and sure lets us know if we don’t say the right name for the right dino. Our first baby Max is a beagle chihuahua mix that just turned 13 (all of my babies have November birthdays!). Max is my shadow and follows me everywhere - he’s usually at my feet for most of my calls throughout the day.
Can’t get enough from the minds behind CSG? Check out the rest of our musings.