I Went to Law School and All I've Got Was...

THE AWESOME CLARISONIC CLEANSING SYSTEM!

Clearly, I'm not excited or anything.  

In law school, the different legal research companies give "points" for rewarding students for using their free research systems (like google, but for lawyers) that you can save up for various items (so that, in turn, you are hooked on using them after graduation and will then pay to have it). 

I saw this baby in the catalog and have been saving up my Westlaw rewards points to order it. Now, hopefully in a few short processing/shipping weeks, I will be the proud and clean-skinned owner of this bad boy. 

This, by far, has been the best thing law school has given me yet. I can't wait to catch up with the times and hopefully have better skin!

I've heard their face washes aren't fabulous--anyone have any good facial cleansing lotion suggestions for it? Any reviews/tips/tricks for it? 

Spring has Sprung!

Yay! Spring is finally here. It is probably one of my favorite seasons and time of the year. Air is off and windows will be opening--gimme all the fresh crisp air!

I took the pup on a long walk around the neighborhood and the park. We enjoyed every minute of being outside and Cam and I have planned out big spring cleaning for the weekend. We put our deck/patio furniture and grill out last night, and hope to be able to start spending some time outside again.  


Here are some of my favorite pics that remind me of spring (thanks to Google): 

 Being originally from southern Maryland, I absolutely miss the D.C. cherry tree festival that began this past weekend. 

 Keeneland is the most wonderful place on earth and opens this weekend! 

Weekend Recap

 Cam, Ritz and I had a great time in TN.  Our nephew, Noah, is abso-freaking-lutely precious. 

Being around good little babies makes me want one, especially when I see how good Cam is with them and what a great father he will be one day (heck, he even laughed when he got peed on). I am positively NOT ready in my life right now to have a child (hello, law school and career!); but for some reason, there is something magnetic sometimes when you take things and make them cute and miniature. Ah, it is years away until I will even begin to entertain that notion. When I get home and away from the cuteness, I realize just how not ready I am and how our pup Ritz is the closest thing to a baby we need for a long time. Anyone else in this boat?

We also got to see our other nephew, Brady. He is 15 months and all boy! He is in that stage where he is starting to get his own personality, which is always so fun.  We are all going on vacation together this summer and Cam and I cant wait to see how he likes the beach.

Ritz played and played all weekend and wore herself out. She literally has left the bed since last night, bum.

As for me, I'm no so thrilled it's Monday and back to law school. I'm over it. Really. I am getting so tired of studying and school in general.  I am *thisclose* to finishing up my equine law paper, so I'm struggling today to bring myself to finish it up. Ugh. But, I did make progress today with journal (I only need one more acceptance to fill our journal) and have read ahead for most of the week so that is good. 

I think I am just in that mid-semester blues where the work load is piling up and my morale is sinking. I hate having all the studying and finals just looming over my head.  Just about one more LLOONNG month until I am a 3L--summer can't be here fast enough.

If you haven't already seen it, don't forget to check out my Sephora give away!

100th Post/Sephora Giveaway!

**NOW CLOSED**

Happy 100th post! 

Thanks Google!

To celebrate, I am giving back and giving away a $25 gift card to Sephora.

There are numerous, easy ways to win.  Please post a separate comment for each entry and include an email so that I can contact you if you are the lucky winner! 

• follow my blog and post a comment on this giveaway (1 entry)
• follow me on twitter and re-tweet about this giveaway (1 entry):  

Win a $25 gift card to Sephora :) : http://tinyurl.com/yfh98tc

• blog about this give away (5 entries)
• put my blog in your reading list (5 entries)

I will select the winner by random on April 11th.  Hope everyone had a good weekend--despite the awful loss!

Green Acres is the Place for Ritz

Green acres is the place for me.
Farm livin' is the life for me.
Land spreadin' out so far and wide
Keep Manhattan, just give me that countryside. 

This is Ritzy's mantra of the day.  She traded in her coach collar for sport hunting (and Tennessee) orange so she could come along on our weekend trip to TN to visit Cam's family and meet our nephew, Noah. 

She was a little hesitant of the change at first, giving us the cold shoulder and sad puppy eyes...After all, what's so ritzy about farm-life?

...but she soon warmed up to the trip and slept the whole way navigated us there. 

Because of the horrible accident on I-65, we took the backroads (literally) to get there. We actually went through Somerset, which is home to Amon's Sugar Shack. I have wanted to go there for a while now after Southern Living listed it as the best bakery/pastry shop in the country (even above Cafe du Monde).  We drove right past it; but, of course some nazi asshole my husband wouldn't stop because HE gave up sugar for lent. Let's just say he owes me big time for not killing him on the spot, and I think he knows better now than to try to get between a woman and her #1 rated pastries and donuts. 

Well, everyone made it in one piece after the long car ride and now Ritzy has run (literally) of 800+ acres. She seems to be enjoying her freedom. She has gone for a dip in the creeks, chased everything creature in sight, rolled in dead animals, eaten tons of grass, and is covered in mud and thistles. 

But, in keeping up with her name, she's still a pampered housedog at heart. She decided there is nothing like comfortably lounging on the porch to inspect and keep an eye on her vast domain.

Later today we get to meet Noah and cheer on our CATS to a (*fingers crossed*) victory for a trip to the Final Four! I'm wearing my blue proudly today! Don't worry, even Ritz has a UK tag on that lil' orange collar of hers. Hope everyone is having a good weekend. 

In honor of our fabulous cats, here's the Yiggy Yes Yallin' (John Wallin') video :)

Woke Up Swinging

First and foremost, congrats to my CATS for fighting it out last night in the Cornell's practically home arena. Let's take it all boys! In honor of them and my mood, I thought the following photo is appropriate.

Thanks google!

I literally woke up fighting mad this morning. I dreamt Ca and I took a trip and he literally forgot me and flew home himself. He told me to rent a car and drive the 20 hours home myself.  I was so angry with him that he abandoned me and didn't care. In my dream, we got in a screaming fight and decided to get divorced. I just kept thinking about how I was going to kick his butt when I saw him. 

The dream was so vivid that I literally was extremely disoriented and furious with him this morning. I was so angry I almost punched him when he woke me up and it took me a while to realize that we really were not getting divorced. 

Once I fully woke up, I knew it was silly that I was so mad at him, but I couldn't snap out of it right away because it felt so real and I had so much emotion running through me.

C and I never fight, never threaten or even talk about divorce, and I rarely have bad dreams; but, my silly stupid dream has put me in a weird mood all morning because I keep thinking certain parts are real. I just keep laughing at myself about how silly it all is now. 

Poor husband, having to deal with my craziness. Anyone else have crazy vivid dreams that seem to cross over to real life? 




In other news, we found the desk and credenza we want last night.

Amish Signature Executive office furniture

We are still negotiating out the details, but we are leaning towards cherry wood with a deep cherry stain with the black leather inlay. We will just get the desk and credenza, not the additional bookshelf and side table. I also think we are completely sold now on Amish built furniture. The quality was the better than what we saw at high-end stores and all pieces are custom made to the exact sizes, woods, and details we want. I am so excited to work out the details, save up a little bit, and get this ordered so that we can begin the re-do of our front room into an office.  

What do you all think? Anyone have any reviews on Amish furniture?

Me, Tweet?

Panic attack is beginning to pass since I found out I  may be able to get into an independent study. If I get it, my schedule won't be as spread out and awful, hopefully. I won't know anything for another week, but here's to hoping! 

 

Thanks google!

 Also, I joined twitter as Bluegrass_Love. I have a personal twitter account (basically to follow John Calipari and my Cats), but I thought it would be found to join the blogging/twitter craze.  

I don't know if it is my age, that a lot of my friends do facebook instead, that I don't have a cell-phone with the internet (*gasp*) or what, but for some reason I am Twitter-Challenged.  

So, please follow me, but I can't promise steady tweeting, especially at first.  

Hope everyone is ready to cheer on the CATS tonight over Cornell!  I'm off to meet Cam so we can go furniture shopping. We have officially decided to re-do our formal living room and turn it into an office. Wish us luck! Also, please say a little prayer for Cam, he is into running and after a run yesterday his knee really tightened, swelled up, and has yet to go down.  Hopefully it is  just something temporary and he didn't tear anything.

What's My Age Again?

Ugh, today the nerves for finals started kicking in.  We got the schedule for next semester, and of course I am alphabetically I am towards the end to register, so my schedule isn't going to be good.  I started stressing out because there are classes I cannot take that I should take for the bar, and just general panic that the semester is coming to a close.  

I think I've realized I'm ready to graduate, but not ready to do all the work that it will involve to get me there. Le Sigh.

Old Lady v. Young Lady illusion, thanks to google

(young lady's chin is old lady's nose for those who can't see both)

I have also been thinking about how I will be in my last year next year and that I am getting older.  I have always been a younger person in my class, and am actually the youngest person in my law class. I also have a baby face and I have always wanted to look older or at least my age. I swear, when I put on a suit, I feel like a child playing dress up in her mother's clothes. 

One would think getting married would make you feel older, but it really didn't for me. Cam and I have always been together so it wasn't that big a change besides that we are officially committed to each other. I always find myself wishing that I looked older and hence more professional, wishing that I was already done law school, wishing it was time for me to be a partner in a firm, wishing I was at the point have children, and even wishing I could be at retirement.

Recently, I was on campus and saw a girl with a Theta bag (my sorority). While I was walking up to say "Hi," I noticed that I did not know her and was struck at how young she looked.  It was a very sad moment of realization that she probably looked her age, but that I was getting older. I've also noticed that when I flip through TV, I always subconsciously think the dads are hot, never their teenage son. It dawned on me--everyone else is looking younger is clearly a sign I am getting older.


Yep, I've realized that the one thing I wanted--getting older--is actually upon me. It is bittersweet in a way to get what you finally want, but I think I've realized I need to stop and enjoy the journey more.  I don't want to look back and realize I am wishing my 20's away.  


Therefore, I am vowing to:

• enjoy wear the clothes that I can pull of now but probably won't be able to when I am older (hello, short shorts, tank tops, and bikinis!)
• enjoy the fact that make-up is I can wear make up as a way to dress myself up--I don't need it every day to cover wrinkles, blotches, and lines. 
• enjoy the time Cam and I have alone together, without children and the freedoms that brings
• enjoy more time with girl-friends before we are all bogged down with our own careers, husbands, and children
• do things that I enjoy: go to concerts, travel, eat good food, get outside for walks, and be spontaneous.

Anything else feeling this way? Is there anything you wish you slowed down to enjoy or wish you enjoyed more? 
 

Brand New Baby Boy Cuteness

The post every one loves: the baby pictures. 

Yesterday was a double birth day--not only was our nephew Noah born--but my cousin, Shannon, gave birth two weeks early to her baby boy, Parker. 

Double the fun on the same day :) 

Now for your viewing pleasure, tons of brand new baby boy cuteness: 

 

Our nephew, Noah

Our other nephew, Brady, meeting his cousin, Noah

My cousin's baby, Parker

Close up of Parker

Happy Birth Day Noah!

Image is a print I found on Etsy a while ago and saved and now can't remember the seller. If you know whose it is, please let me know so I can credit them...

 

Our newest nephew are here--with ten fingers, ten toes, and in good health. Welcome to the world Noah William! Cam's sister, Amy, and her husband, Bryan, will be such wonderful new parents. We are so thrilled for them and can't wait to meet little Noah! 

Lobster Claws and Crab Legs

Look's appetizing (to you carnivores), right? NO. IT HURTS LIKE HECK. Yesterday I forgot to put sunscreen on the tops of my hands and behind my knees and the back of my calves, so I've got a bad case of fire red lobster claws and crab legs. 

So I'm sitting at the Charlotte airport, counting down the moments until we can take off so I can get home to put more aloe on. Any good at home remedies for removing a sunburn? 

And, Cam and I *fingers crossed* will have a new member in our family tonight :)

Life's a Beach

Latest vacation pictures from our *tear* last day. It was the best weather yet, so we went down to the beach and stayed in a tiki hut.

 

We loved how the flags on our chair said "Paradise Found"--it was an omen from the post yesterday.  

We took a long walk on the beach and found these beautiful shells. We also saw a baby (one foot and one half long) hammerhead shark.  I also accidentally stepped (with both feet) on the head/body of a huge jellyfish, but somehow managed not to get stung.  Clearly, I'm a lucky girl. I do feel bad that I think I killed it, but we saw about 10 and they have stung me before as a child, so I'm not too upset. 

 

The lobby has beautiful clear columns that are filled with jellyfish. I like them a lot more behind glass than I do under my feet.

I got a little fire red and its killing me burnt, so we headed in and then went up to the smaller pool this evening and hung out in the shade until it was time to watch the CATS!

Cam, I, his mom and his stepdad all cheered on the CATS against Wake. We could not have asked for a more fabulous game. We are ready to take on the winner of Cornell/Wisconsin. My bracket is going down with Villanova and Kansas losing, but I am absolutely LOVIN' my cats!

A view of the sunset from the screened-in lanai. 

What a great end to a great vacation! Why do we have to go back to real life? Le Sigh.

Paradise Found

 

aHHHH.

Relaxation is the word of the day--poolside with some bloody marys and long island iced teas.  I think this is the first sad Friday in a long time--it is almost time to go home :(

MADNESS!

In Kentucky, we LOVE our COUSINS!

It's the most wonderful TIME of the year! 

Anyone else excited for March Madness?  I love college football and basketball, but it's even better when your team actually has a chance! I clearly had to pick KY for my bracket, although I'll be so proud of my cats if they make it to the final four.

This morning, I thought it would be super-fun to have a blogger bracket of some sort, so I just created a blogger bracket.  Go here to create your username for the bracket. Then go to "user tools" on the sidebar and click "join a public bracket." The bracket is entitled "Bloggers Brackets" (i'm clearly creative). Please join! I know its a tad bit late (you only have until 12:20 TODAY TO JOIN), so if no one joins, there is always next year to start one earlier. If enough people join, I'll do some sort of giveaway for the winner.

Who are your choices for final four, tournament game, and the champions? Anyone have any fun plans to watch the games?

Happy St. Patty's Day and Z Gallerie Lusts

Happy Saint Patrick's Day! Someone sent me this brain teaser via email so I thought I'd pass it on. Try to find the four leaf clover: 

We went shopping again today because it rained. I finally got a pair of red canvas Toms--I am so happy, they are so comfortable! Cam got this gorgeous Luchiano Visconti men's dress shirt: 

We also went to Z Gallerie and found some things we like there. We want to redo our formal living room first so everything else is not a priority to buy, but I liked these pieces a lot. It is so hard sometimes to redo anything because I prefer modern and Cam prefers traditional/antiques. It's often hard to agree on anything it seems like. Does anyone else have this problem when it comes to decorating? Here are a few we (generally) agreed on at Z Gallerie:

 

Z Gallerie Manchester Dining Room Table $1,499.00

 Barracuda $120 (they remind us of our honeymoon since we saw them on both our dives)

Riddler Wine Racks $45.95-$89.95

Kabuki Dinner Brulee set of four dinner plates: $31.80 (I would use the dinner plate as a charger) 

Big Mouth Fish Bowl $38.00

I hope everyone is having a fantastic Wednesday!

ahh CHOO!

Yesterday we went over to a family friend's (gorgeous) home and had home-smoked brisket, cole slaw, and baked beans (so I had a fafafel and baked beans). Look at my lil' Betty Crocker carrying the baked beans over.

We also watched the Hurt Locker. Talk about an intense movie. It made me appreciate our men and women who fight for this country and realize why exactly they are not always the same person when they come home.  It was a really good film, but not what I'd call the perfect vacation movie. Has anyone else seen it? What do you think?

Today has been a rather relaxing day. I had a nice glass of wine at 9 AM with my breakfast. I don't think I realized exactly what I was doing until Cam stared at me in shock--but I was just craving a good glass of wine this morning. Hey, I'm on vacation, right? We then headed down to the beach, and then this afternoon Cam's been making delicious key lime pie martinis, so I've been a spoiled girl down here. 

Cam in front of the pool area today. It is a beautiful resort--actually inside the heated pool are palm trees with fountains and the beach is right beyond the pool (if you look closely, you can see the tiki huts in the background).

Gorgeous (and huge) sandcastle inside the resort.

Last week, I decided to be part of a medical study for ragweed allergies. I received a call that my blood results came back and I officially have extremely severe allergies to Ragweed (and thus apparently I am the ideal candidate for the study). It is the other allergies that I am surprised about: I am allergic to cats, dogs, Bermuda and Johnson grasses and oak wood (not the pollen, the wood itself).

Being a huge animal lover, I was shocked at this because we own a cat and dog. I have noticed recently that if I am in smaller spaces with other people's cats my eyes water and itch, but I've never noticed anything with dogs, grass, or wood. 

But, my own animals have never set off any allergic reaction. So, I did some investigating to see why they don't bother me (despite my clear bias and preference of them). Apparently, bengal cats (the breed of our cat, Sophia) are hypoallergenic cats. Vizslas (the breed of our dog, Ritz) are apparently the original hypoallergenic dog because of their lack of an undercoat. I knew I loved them for a reason.

Is anyone else allergic to anything? Do you take allergy shots or what medicines work for you?