Over the next few weeks, we will be giving you the opportunity to get to know your instructors just a little bit better. Each instructor will be compiling a list of facts about themselves. You might just be surprised with how much you'll learn. Here's my list, updated from the original which some of you may have seen. Yes, it's long. But I'm complex. Hope you enjoy!
1. My name is Tonia (Toe-Knee-Ahh).
2. I have always had a bit of disdain for my name, as I have rarely met a person who could pronounce it correctly without hearing it first.
3. Because my name is unique, I wanted somewhat unique names for my children. My plan kind of backfired. My older daughter's name, while unique for a girl was the fifth most popular name for a boy the year she was born and my youngest daughter's name was the 22nd most popular in the year I bestowed it on her. When we found out we were having our third girl, I gave up on names all together and let Jeremy have control.
4. It's probably the first and last time that that will ever happen.
5. My sisters do not have unique names. My parents chose Angela and Gina for them. So not fair!
6. I always wanted two children, preferably a boy and a girl, even more preferably born in a bubble. Neither of those things happened.
7. I am thankful that they didn’t.
8. When I met my husband, I thought he had a huge gap between his front teeth. He doesn’t.
9. All three of my children do.
10. I got married in the Bahamas.
11. It was one of the best days of my life.
12. One of the most memorable things that happened that day had nothing to do with me. My little sister fainted during the photos. Scary then. Funny now.
13. I don’t like waiting … for anything.
14. I am a quick decision maker. I bought a house, got married and was pregnant with my first child in a matter of four months.
15. I had my first child young … I was 23. The second came along when I was 25 and the third, one week before my 27th birthday. This means that I have been pregnant or breastfeeding for over five years straight.
16. Having children at a young age was the best decision I ever made.
17. Two of my biggest accomplishments are graduating from an Ivy League university and finishing a marathon.
18. I've run two marathons. I will never do another one.
19. I am striving to run a sub two hour half marathon in 2010.
20. My other three biggest accomplishments are my daughters.
21. Proof of the first two is hanging on my wall. I would hang my children on the wall too, but I think that is frowned upon.
22. I finished college in three years.
23. I did it because I was sick and tired of both school and accruing student loans.
24. I have never had a real job (i.e. one I could support myself with).
25. However, being a stay-at-home mom is more job than I could have ever wanted.
26. I am the bad cop in our house.
27. I often think I should show more compassion toward my children. I often expect more from them than I probably should.
28. In addition to watching my kids 24/7, I currently work part-time as a fitness director, handle the bookkeeping for Mr. Honey-Do, serve of the board of Kaden's preschool and have my own business.
29. I do a lot of things, but running is my passion.
30. Strangely, I used to hate running and would avoid it at all costs.
31. I still hate running, but I run at least four days a week and am mildly addicted.
32. I ran throughout my pregnancy and completed two sprint triathlons, 3 10Ks, an 8K, 2 5Ks and a half-marathon. Four days before I delivered, I ran seven miles.
33. I used to be overweight.
34. That is no longer the case and on more than one occasion have been told that I need to eat something.
35. When I was 12 I broke my pelvis and dislocated my hip.
36. I was on bed-rest for two and a half months.
37. Although my doctors were sure that I would never return to sports I did, and I competed through college.
38. The only lasting effect of the injury is that my right leg is an inch and a half longer than my left.
39. I am a two-time NJ State Champion in the shot put.
40. I still hold numerous county and school records in both the shot put and the discus.
41. I have two tattoos, one is a discus thrower.
42. The other is Chinese symbols. My sisters have the same tattoo.
43. I want a third – a shamrock and my children’s initials.
44. At one point in my life, I had 12 ear piercings, in addition to a belly ring, an eyebrow ring, and a tongue ring.
45. I started dating my husband while on a trip to England.
46. We dated for 10 months before becoming engaged.
47. We didn’t live in the same state until a month before our wedding.
48. If given three wishes, I would wish for wealth for my family, health for my family, and for my father to be able to meet my husband and children.
49. If I was only given one wish, I would wish for my father to meet my husband and children.
50. My father passed away when I was 20.
51. It was the worst moment of my life.
52. It was also one of the best moments of my life. It completely changed my perspective on life and how I approach things. It made me into the person that I have become and that is a person that I am 100 percent happy with, both inside and out.
53. I miss him everyday.
54. I have known my best friend for almost 25 years.
55. I am about to turn 28.
56. I was the first of my friends to get married and have children.
57. This makes me feel much older than I am.
58. But it will also make for an early empty nest.
59. I watch too much TV.
60. My favorites are teenage dramas and reality shows.
61. I could live off hamburgers and cupcakes, but I would have to workout far more than I do now.
62. I write lists for everything, including other lists.
63. I pack two weeks in advance to avoid forgetting something.
64. I usually still forget something.
65. Three years ago, I vowed to cook dinner Monday-Friday for my family for the entire year.
66. I did, and I still do.
67. My favorite sandwich is peanut butter and banana.
68. I eat it everyday. Sometimes twice.
69. I will finish paying off my college education two months before my oldest daughter enters college.
70. I missed 72 days of school in my junior year of high school. I still got straight A’s.
71. I missed finishing in the top 10 of my high school class by .001 of a point.
72. I only keep in touch with two people from high school.
73. They both served as maids-of-honor in my wedding.
74. The last time I had an alcoholic drink was at my wedding.
75. It was an amaretto sour.
76. I don’t plan on ever having one again. For no other reason than I don’t like how it tastes.
77. The only thing I ate at my wedding was a cream puff and a bite of wedding cake.
78. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday.
79. Christmas is a close second. Only because I really love the look of joy on people’s faces when you get them a gift they truly love.
80. I hate Christmas music, without exception. Ok, maybe one exception – The Tran Siberian Orchestra.
81. I was born in February.
82. I have always been jealous that I never had a pool party for my birthday.
83. My father once called me out of work and said that I had "explosive diarrhea."
84. It wasn’t true.
85. I am cheap. So cheap that my children wore cloth diapers, and not because it is good for the environment.
86. I often put my kids to bed extremely early because at least one of two things is true. 1: I have had enough of them and/or 2: They can’t tell time and don’t know how early it is.
87. I love to travel, yet have done very little traveling, mostly because I have either been pregnant or had children for all but two months of my married life, which began less than six months after I graduated.
88. I want to travel to Australia more than anywhere else.
89. Yet, if I could live anywhere, at least for a little while, it would be the Pacific Northwest.
90. Whenever I stay at a hotel I always sleep with a hood on. I don’t like my face resting on the same pillowcase that others have used.
91. I almost never drink anything with calories. It’s always water, unsweetened iced tea and diet soda for me. I live eating too much to waste any calories on a beverage.
92. I’m not a sucker for romance. I think jewelry and flowers, while a nice gesture, are a waste of money. Give me a box of donuts and a good pair of running shoes any day.
93. I am addicted to running skirts. I owe 13 of them and if they didn't cost a fortune, I'd buy them in every color.
94. Although I am not a jewelry fan, I never take off my wedding band and engagement ring. I even play soccer with them on.
95. As a child I played the clarinet. My parents bought me one for Christmas and I quit playing the following spring.
96. I am tall for a girl, 5’8 ½"
97. Yet, I am destined to be the shortest member of my family. My husband is 6’7" and most of my family, including my mom, are over 6 feet tall.
98. It’s said that you can double a child’s height somewhere between age 2 and 2 ½ to get an idea of how tall they will be. If I do that for my oldest and it’s true, she will be between 6’ and 6’3. The same is true for Mackenzie and I am sure that Natalie will follow suit.
99. Most people’s feet grow during pregnancy. Mine shrunk a half size. Now I need all new shoes.
100. I hate wearing shoes. But, alas, no shoes, no service. So in my opinion, sandals are the best option, sneakers are close second and dead last, heels, I can barely walk in heels.
