12 in 2012: Month in Review

I'm sitting here at school, studying for my last {ever} law school exam. Tonight, after the test, I need to finish packing up my car and put together a cooler of drinks and snacks for the road. I'm lucky enough to have a girlfriend join me for the trip, so early (really early) tomorrow morning we're hitting the road. Stay tuned for some fun posts this week as I travel and get settled in. In the meantime, let's recap my April goals:

1. Speak up.

Still doing well on this, no change.

2. Spend less.

I have done an okay job on this one. I have not spent over my max budget ($100), but I did quite a bit of shopping. You see, my graduation present from my grandparents was a new professional wardrobe. After two different weekends at Macy's scouring the clearance racks, I walked away with the following: ($340.00)
     1 Tahari skirt suit                   1 Michael Kors shift dress
 1 LeSuit skirt suit                  1 Anne Klein shift dress
1 pair dress slacks                   3 other shift dresses
1 Sunny Leigh pencil skirt          1 Vince Camuto sweater
1 Calvin Klein blouse                      2 Alfani blouses
1 cinched-waist rain coat

3. Spread the Love.

Once again, this month got away from me because I was so insanely busy with school and moving. But, both my little sisters had birthdays this month, so my sister and I created big "teenage" baskets for them.

4. Snap it.

I'm doing fine on this as well. I'm not at the number I should be, but I will have some bigger events to make up for it later! Check out my album on Facebook. 

5. Spice it Up.

Waiting for Colorado...

6. Sweat.

Not happening...right now.

7. Stamp It.

Waiting for Graduation...

8. See the Sights.

I am really excited to take time to explore Colorado with Al!

9. Style it.

Follow my fashion blog, to see that journey. Find my fashion inspiration here.

10. Save space.

Oh, the plans I have to organize all the closets and spaces in our apartment. I have stuffed my car to the brim with baskets and bins so my closet and other areas can be organized spectacularly. I have been pinning lots of ideas and pulling articles and other things that inspire me.

11. Slow down. & 12. Sleep more.

Yeah...nothing slow over here. Maybe I'll take a week or two off before my Bar class starts...

Winners!

Have you been on the edge of your seats waiting to hear who won the Courage Cakes giveaway?

Well, I am going to get right to it and announce all three winners, selected at random using the Rafflecopter.


You should all be contacted personally by CourageCakes and they will let you know how to claim your prize!
If you did not win, I really encourage you to go check out their +One program and buy a great cake for someone you love: deployed, a spouse in need of a pick me up or just a family member you're missing! When you purchase a cake, they donate another one!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Saturday Share

I would tell you how excited I am to leave in 2 days, but I am pretty sure y'all are sick of hearing about it. Instead, I will just share some great links with you!


MAKE: These beaded coasters via SwagbucksTV
(If you can handle watching Martha Stewart for 6 minutes, it's worth it. These coasters are adorable!)

LEARN: How to answer the most common interview questions via LifeHacker


READ: This blog, written by an MD (and JD, show-off!) who specializes in veterans with PTSD, drug addictions and other traumas. He is an amazing writer and has a lot of amazing insight into issues that are very real and very important. 
(Thank you, Kristle for the recommendation!)


And finally, LIVE this way:

Source: citizenship-aei.org via Mel on Pinterest

I think I can, I think I can

It's almost over. I just emailed a quiz and I plan on writing all day tomorrow to hand in my paper, which means I have one exam on Friday and another on Monday and I am done.  

It's like I've been climbing a mountain, foot-hole after hand-hold and trying to keep my grip and not fall off. Ok, so maybe that's not a very good analogy, but my brain is fried and that's all I have. The end is in sight, however. I can see the top of the law school mountain. The peak is just beyond reach and even though my arms are like jelly and my legs are ready to give out, the adrenaline coursing through my entire body is keeping me reaching. Pulling myself to the top. 


And you bet your behind I've got a big ol' flag to put there at the top of this law school mountain. Just a little symbol to say: Melissa was here. She came. She saw. She conquered. 


And then she drank some wine and got the hell out. 

Courage Cakes: A Giveaway

I cannot even tell you how excited I am to host this giveaway and introduce this company to you. The company is called Courage Cakes and it was started as a school entrepreneurial project at University of Washington, but quickly turned into a business and charity venture. When you take one look at the company website you will see why!

Courage Cakes provides that "taste of home" to your loved ones by sending a single-serving cake-in-a-jar. The recipient simply opens the jar, adds water, and microwaves for 30 seconds in order to enjoy warm, gooey, delicious cake! What a great way to celebrate an anniversary, birthday or holiday while your loved one is deployed! You can even personalize the jar with a photo or special message. 

The essence of the company is summed up nicely in this quote from their website: 

Courage Cakes allow you to encourage the troops with fresh, hot cake that's ready in seconds and a personalized message that lasts a lifetime. Share the taste of home with those serving our country and we'll send another on your behalf! Celebrate, encourage, and stay connected with Courage Cakes.

We all know so well how important these little gifts are for the men & women deployed or in the field (or even for their families waiting for them at home.) Some might say that cake is not a "need" - but we know that, in fact, something that warms the heart and gives them a reminder of home is so valuable. These cakes do just that!

My favorite thing about this Courage Cakes is their +One program. If you purchase a Courage Cake for someone, the company will donate an additional cake to Operation Gratitude to send to someone else in need. I strongly encourage you to become part of that program.

Today, I am teaming up with Courage Cakes to give away...

1 Courage Cake with 3-pack refill and customizable lid
To three lucky winners!

Enter using the Rafflecopter below. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

***I received no compensation for hosting this giveaway, nor was I instructed on what to say. These views are my own and I choose only companies & products I truly believe in when hosting 3rd party giveaways on my blog!

Saturday Share

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Another week has come and gone and I am NINE DAYS from taking my last law school final and driving across the country to start my life with my husband. I am sick with excitement over the whole thing!

In the meantime, I'm sharing another set of links from around the web. 

MAKE: Coconut Mango Mojitos - Seriously!

LEARN: Why Women's Initiatives are hindering (and not helping) women in the workplace

by Vivia Chen at The Careerist

SHOP: My Smashion store. I'm overhauling my closet and getting rid of a bunch of great items. Here's your chance to grab a piece or two right out of my closet!
{If you don't put in your order by Thursday, all of this is going to the thrift store!}

DECORATE: Your home based on your personal style via Sproost.com

Have a great Saturday!

A Long Trip Alone

{Warning: this is a long post. It is also a late-night stream-of-consciousness, so bear with me. I needed to get this out.}


My husband is a beautifully strong man. Sometimes, he is strong to a fault. He struggles to see the value in sympathy and compassion. He doesn't naturally recognize the need for encouragement and the recognition of others. And he does not, ever, find it necessary to worry, wallow or pity oneself.

In many ways, I envy these traits. His ability to stand clearly for who he is an not waiver to others is admirable. His constant get-up-and-get-the-job-done attitude is one of the things I love and respect about him. Sometimes, though, I feel as though his toughness is a defense mechanism - to keep him from "going soft" on emotions and losing track of what needs to get done. Sometimes, I want him to feel more.


Because I feel. A lot. 


 I am fiercly independent and wholly passionate. 
And I am strong, confident and meticulous.

I don't need validation from my husband. I don't need him to make me whole or strong or capable. That is a fact. It is a fact upon which he fell in love with me. That unyielding desire to follow my dreams and the strength that carries me through it is one of the things that I draw from within myself. Not from anywhere or anyone else.

At the same time, it is human nature to seek approval from others, to seek companionship, to desire a sense of belonging. God intended for people to pair, to mate and to go in life together. While I don't need Al, I do want him. I want him to be proud of me. I want him to lift me up when I need a boost and to remind me why I desire the things I do. I want him to want those things from me.


After all, life is about the journey, right? It's not about the end. We all die sometime and I'd rather look back on my life and know that I was surrounded by love and family and good people rather than plaques and awards and accomplishments. Ultimately, successes are empty if you can't share them with someone. 

Without Al, I would still get up tomorrow and I would still accomplish many things. I would do it without his support, or the support of others. But that doesn't mean it's my first choice. No one wants to go it alone. I don't want to go on this journey without Al. 
Given the choice, I will always want him by my side and me by his. To celebrate the successes and to strengthen each other when the going gets tough. 


Without him, life would still go on, but it is an awfully long trip alone.

Sting like a Bee

I finally did it! I had my first boxing class! Depending on how long you've followed me, you might know that I've had this goal for over a year. I even signed up for classes two different times before and for one reason or another, didn't go. This time, I went. It was at a Crossfit gym, and to fully understand how intense this boxing/cross-training/bootcamp workout was, you need to watch this video.

"Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee." - Muhammad Ali

My bff and I went together, safety in numbers in case we felt like fools or bowed out early. I'm proud to say we stuck it out to the bitter, bitter end. Which, by the way, the instructor called the "soul-crushing" portion on the workout. And let me tell you, soul crushing it was. My muscles are shredded - every last one of them. I have pain in my calves, my butt cheeks and even the palm of my hands. I'm hunched over like a grandma and I cringe every time I move. I'm sure Mr. Ali was referring to "stinging" the other guy in a fight, but based on the level of pain I'm in two days later, I'm not so sure. 

And yet, the workout was amazing. I have never been pushed so hard and sweat so much!

On top of that, I'm learning to box. That was the whole point after all. We learned punching and kicking technique, along with sequences to get the most out of your punches. We practiced on punching bags and then we paired off and used pads. Next session, we're supposed to learn more blocks and ducks and other strategies. I'm not signing up to get in a ring any time soon, let's not get crazy, but I love that it requires the perfect blend of strength and gracefulness.

And I have cool pink boxing gloves

I might feel like crap, but you should see the other guy...Oh wait...

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Words on Separation: Then and Now

While putting together my 30 by 30 list (to be revealed on my 28th birthday in May) I scrolled through my archives for ideas and some reflection. I stumbled upon a really cool post that I wrote back when Al was deployed - Almost exactly 2 years ago. 

~~o~~o~~o~~o~~o~~

1. The heart really is a lot tougher then I'd initially thought

2. Talking on the phone over thousands of miles is a much different kind of communication

3. Absence does NOT always make the heart grow fonder

4. But absence DOES help teach you what's really important

5. Emotions are more intense and conversations more vital when you can't have them face-to-face

6. Being able to "kiss and make up" is hugely underrated

7. So is make-up sex, morning sex, and really any kind of sex we don't get to have

8. I miss fighting over the covers and explaining why I bought another pair of shoes

9. Even when he's crabby, smelly and sweaty, a soldier still looks hot in uniform

10. I wouldn't trade them for anything in the world

(from this post on April 19, 2010)
~~o~~o~~o~~o~~o~~

It's funny how I read that list and still agree with everything on it. I'm not even sure I would change it in any way. 2 years ago, we were dating, going through a deployment while I was in my first year of law school. Now we are married, I am weeks from graduating and moving in with him in Colorado. We've come so far...

But the basics...those are still the same. My heart is strong (but not fonder) and boy do I need those arms around me! That will never change. Thank God for that!

Saturday Share

Glad to be back after my Saturday Share hiatus! My ankle injury and the copious amounts of homework in front of me were hindering my ability to scour the web for fabulous links to share with you. But I'm back, and I have twice as many links for you this week!

READ: 1000 Awesome Things 

(and try not to smile at every single one of them!)


LEARN: How to live, and not merely exist by Marc


DO: Volunteer in your area via Military OneSource


COOK: Ham & Cheddar Frittata (yum!)


ORGANIZE: Your meal planning & coupons in one binder via IHeartOrganizing


MAKE: A quilt out of your old t-shirts
(Perfect way to get the hubby to finally let go!)


ADD: A floating "sharebar" to your website or blog via Mashable


WATCH: This video and try not to laugh your butt off!


WIN: A $500 gift card for Old Navy stores (incl. Banana Republic, Gap and more!)