Saturday Share

Today, I am taking the first part of my bar exam: the MPRE. It is designed to test you on the rules of ethics for attorneys, but just like any standardized test, does a better job of testing your test-taking ability than it does anything else. Either way, I still have to take it (and get above a certain score) to qualify for my license in Colorado (and Minnesota - it's the same score, luckily.)

In the meantime, enjoy my favorite links of the week.

LEARN: How money management can help your career 

DO: Get past your inspiration block, by just getting started via Lifehacker

(Oh, how I needed this reminder this week!)

WATCH: Act of Valor (in theaters now) 

If you need convincing, read JG's review here.

Finally, in honor of the Day of Green, READ about the history of St. Patrick.

Happy Saturday!

Better

I'm doing a little better today. Mondays are hell on me (well, on everyone) and this past Monday was especially brutal. For no particular reason. I have a great group of people who support me - and even though I probably haven't been a very good friend lately - their efforts have not gone unnoticed. I also appreciated the comments from you guys reminding me that I'm not alone in the world - we all have our struggles and friendship, family and prayer always help.

I have a slightly renewed positive energy. Just barely, but still. 

I read this article today, which made me smile. 

Can you guess which category I fall under?

I have a bff-date/wine-night planned for after class tonight. I will likely be m.i.a. for the next few days because of the test on Saturday. I will, however, pick and post the winner of my book giveaway on Friday!

Did you enter yet?

Random Thoughts on a Monday

I am taking a break for lunch and wanted to share a few things that have been rolling through my head recently.

Actually, if I'm being honest, I'm feeling a little over-whelmed. I have a lot to do for school and not enough time to do it. I need to start packing and getting my application filed so I can actually get my license to practice law. I also need to take care of the basics, like order new contacts and get my hair cut. And maybe shower. 

This is quickly turning into a mental-health Monday and I might skip out on class to get organized and clear my head. Everyone needs one of those days, right? 

I get flashes of inspiration (usually stemming from the beautifully small number of days on my countdown to when I move to Colorado to be with my husband again) and then it dissipates. I wake up every day and write-out a TO DO LIST, usually divided into categories: HOMEWORK, PERSONAL, SCHOOL/WORK and MISC. Things like cleaning and laundry go into miscellaneous and almost never get done. 

By noon, I have sucked down two or more cups of coffee, cleared my Google Reader and sufficiently delayed progress as far as it can go. I am usually contemplating a nap or an episode of Real Housewives (the horror!) before I finally convince myself that the homework isn't going anywhere. Neither is my uncombed hair.

OK, to be fair (to myself, mostly) I do get a lot done on weekends and I never miss my deadlines. I take care of my obligations as necessary. Oh! And I've started saying No when I don't have the time or simply don't want to do it. (Yay me!) Even with all that, I still lay in bed for an hour every night, staring into the darkness, thinking about the things on my LIST that I didn't cross off. 

I am tired. Law school has completely wiped me out.

I am drained of inspiration, motivation and sheer gumption.

I am not having a break-down - I am catching this early, thankfully - but I am burnt out.

At this point, I am going through the grind, taking it day-by-day and constantly reminding myself that "it is almost over, you will survive and yes, it is all worth it." 

It is worth it. I know that.

I want this and damnit if I haven't worked my butt off for it.

I am so ready to be a real person again. To work for a living. To have a career.

The concept is so novel it feels like science-fiction.

And the (incredibly awful) student loan bill awaiting me in 7 months doesn't help.

Alas, I am here, counting days and hanging on. I am making it: one foot in front of the other and one day at a time. And most days I even have a smile on my face. 

But I will say this: I am grateful to be done and I will never, ever do this again.

(Not that I would have to, but still.)

Thank you for listening, my lovely readers and the blog-o-sphere abyss-at-large.

Saturday Share

Al left on Thursday and I am spending the day at school taking an extra class to help me with the bar exam. All day. On Saturday. And it over 50 and sunny today.
Of course, I couldn't leave you without my favorite links of the week.

DO: Get checked for cancer, FREE from TriCare (via Healthy Homefront)


WATCH: Wine 101: Tasting White Wine - Swagbucks TV
(Oh, and join Swagbucks if you haven't already!)


LEARN: Ways you are breaking copyright laws and how to change that 
via Lifehacker


MAKE: Time to organize everything in your life and home


Finally, GO ENTER MY GIVEAWAY for a copy of I Love a Man in Uniform by Lily Burana


Hope you're doing something fun (or relaxing) this Saturday!

Taking Care of Business

Al left this morning. And while goodbyes are never easy, I feel OK.

I am glad to get back to the routine I've been away from for two weeks. I have a lot to do for school and graduation, not to mention job-hunting in Colorado and preparing to move all of my things out there. Al has to check in to his new unit and figure out how things are done around there. Needless to say, we are both crazy-busy, which will make these SIX weeks fly by! Did you hear that, SIX WEEKS! I can't believe it!

Today, I have this song for you. It seemed fitting. 

Linking up with Goodnight Moon.

Oh, and don't forget to enter my giveaway if you haven't already!

Do you Love a Man in Uniform? Giveaway!

Hello ladies! 


Today, I am hosting a giveaway!
A few weeks ago, I won two books from HUN - I Love a Man in Uniform by Lily Burana and 1001 Things to Love About Military Life - so exciting!


I was thrilled to crack the binding of the 1001 Things. The other book, however, I already own and love. 

Amazon


As such, I am passing the love along to you. 
Follow the Rafflecopter below to enter. Winner will be chosen on March 16th and announced on St. Patty's Day (March 17th!)

The Road Trip: A Facebook Perspective

For those of you who follow me personally on Facebook, this will be repetitious. Although, you may still enjoy seeing this all in one spot, since I updated my FB pretty frequently while on the road. I personally think this is more exciting than for me to hash out all the mundane details of a drive through the plains of Kansas and Iowa.

Feb 29 @ 8:12am: Signing out, fueling up and heading back to Minnesota @ Ft. Carson Army Post

Feb 29 @ 10:18am: We just drove over the Republican River. It's completely dry. Is that a sign for something? Near Arriba, CO

(time change)

Feb 29 @ 12:34am: Flipping through the only 5 radio stations we can find. They're all country. Near Goodland, KS

Feb 29 @ 2:07pm: Road Trip Challenge #1: Finding the balance between staying hydrated and spacing out your bathroom breaks. Near Quinter, KS

Feb 29 @ 2:50pm: Is talking to Al about the pros and cons of wind turbine power...because that is ALL there is in Kansas. Near Russell, KS

Feb 29 @ 3:20pm: Road Trip Challenge #2: Convincing Al that for every Johnny Cash song, I should get one Katy Perry. Near Kanopolis, KS

Feb 29 @ 3:48pm: I'm waving to my Ft. Riley peeps as we drive by. Ciao! @ Ft. Riley, KS


Feb 29 @ 4:03pm: I just discovered that the Oz Museum also has a winery. Coolest thing ever? I think so.


Feb 29 @ 4:28pm: I was going to check in as we drove through Topeka, but I found this instead @ Hell, KS (obviously some Topeka residents are not fond of their lovely city.)


Feb 29 @ 4:30pm: I am such a law nerd. Check-in at Brown v. Board of Education Museum (drive-by only, unfortunately)


Feb 29 @ 4:51pm: Shoutout to my favorite KU graduate Near Lawrence, KS


Feb 29 @ 5:04pm: Road Trip Challenge #3: Forgetting about the toll on the KS Turnpike and searching the car for change. We came up with $1.93. We needed $2.50.


Feb 29 @ 7:00pm: Quick stop to see family. What a great meal! @ The Yard House, Kansas City, KS


Feb 29 @ 7:43pm: On the road again... Near Kansas City, KS


Feb 29 @ 10:30pm: Missed the transition into Iowa because Al and I were having an interesting discussion about everything from abortion to the failures of our legal system. 


March 1 @ 1:15am: In Minnesota. Hello, my love.


March 1 @ 2:16am: Imagined a deer on the road on two different occasions, followed by an actual deer family that made us slam on the breaks. Deep breaths...20 miles from home. Near Sleepy Eye, MN


March 1 @ 2:40am: Home sweet home. Well, my second home on the farm. Near Fairfax, MN


Whew! What a trip! 

Our Colorado PCS

The last two weeks have been a complete whirlwind of moving, decorating, sight-seeing and traveling back to Minnesota. We spent the weekend at the farm with family and are now back in the cities so I can get to school. Al leaves this week to head back to Colorado and we are less than two months from me moving to CO permanently. Whew! 

Sometimes I really love this crazy, chaotic life.

Before I give you the official update and bombard you with pictures, I want to thank my guest bloggers. If you missed their posts, please look back and read them. I really enjoyed the fact that they all shared drastically different things - from crafts to going to school to personal insights. Thank you, thank you!

Now on to the photo overhaul...

(Tomorrow, I'm going to do the road trip back to Minnesota and our weekend. Today is just the Colorado portion of the trip.)

My first morning view!

Getting unpacked and settled in. I was in decorating & organizing heaven...

A drive up the mountain to our dinner destination

The sweet mountain town of Green Mountain Falls

Fancy dinner at the Mucky Duck. We shared a crab-stuffed avocado appetizer and a bottle of wine. For entrees, I had the flounder oscar and Al had the lamb. Everything was fabulously delicious!

The Pioneers Museum - Home of the original county courthouse

100-year-old elevator

No big deal, just breaking into the courthouse safe.

A not-to-scale height-chart. Apparently, I am taller than Pike's Peak.

 We found Al's heaven on earth! He's been living in El Paso with no JJ's for 3 1/2 years now. Every time he is home in Minnesota we stop for their delicious sandwiches. Now that he is in Colorado, a wonderful little JJ's is 1 mile from him!

If you're in need of a job...Rendevous night club is hiring a cocktail waitress. But, you must have a clue!

And a few more gorgeous mountain shots...

Saturday Share: Money Management

Al and I got back to Minnesota yesterday, but we are out at the farm spending the weekend with his parents. We're also working on our taxes and some other budget issues, so I thought I would focus this Saturday Share on how to manage money.  On a personal level, I often lose sight of the reason for saving money and protecting our financial future. I found that some of these articles and resources rejuvenated and re-inspired me to keep on the frugality track - I hope these links can help you too!

LEARN: More about how to be frugal:

Frugality v. Deprivation via Lifehacker

Frugality is not Deprivation by Mr. Money Mustache

USE: An online budget manager like Mint.com

MAKE: A Home Management Binder to help you stay organized 

via A Bowl Full of Lemons

{And other great financial tips and organizers from her site!}

LISTEN: To anything on Dave Ramsey's radio show or website

{I especially enjoy his tips on marriage and money}

BUY: One of these splurges, if you must splurge at all

Happy Saving, lovelies.

12 in 2012: Month in Review

Another month has come and gone and it is time to check in on my 12 in 2012 goals.

1. Speak up.

I am doing fine on this. I am sticking to the commitments I've made without over-extending myself. I am making sure to take time for myself, Al and my friends and still focus on school and work.

2. Spend less.

Check out my fashion blog for the specifics of this goal and my fashion budget tracker.

3. Spread the Love.

I did not get to focus on this as much as I wanted to during February, but I have a couple ideas up my sleeve for March. 

4. Snap it.
I have kept up on my daily photo album on Facebook. I also took some pics of my trip to Colorado this month, which I hope to post soon!

5. Spice it Up.

I made crab-stuffed mushrooms, zucchini feta bites and raspberry white chocolate whoopie pies for a party this month. All of them were seriously delicious!!

6. Sweat.

Yeah...about that...

7. Stamp It.

On hold until graduation

8. See the Sights.

I am planning a trip to the Judy Garland museum in March and want to get over to the Minnesota Zoo once the weather warms up a bit!

In Colorado this month, we walked downtown, drove through the Colorado College campus and visited the Pioneers Museum (although, to be honest it was closed...) We also drove up through the mountain to explore some of the smaller towns like Green Mountain Falls. 

9. Style it.

Check out my fashion blog to see how I've been doing on this one.

10. Save space.

Of course, we moved into our new place in Colorado, and I did a LOT of organization there. I haven't done much in Minnesota this month, but I have a few ideas...

11. Slow down. 12. Sleep more.

After coming off Spring Break, I am feeling relaxed and refreshed...just in time for school to really ramp up!