sparkle, sparkle, sparkle

Know what happens when you have a perfectly cut diamond on a gorgeous ring? It sparkles a lot and you can't really stop looking at it. And then you can't get much done, like preparing to give a 20-minute talk in church and baking your FIANCE'S birthday cake. But that's okay because I'm ENGAGED, and I just don't really care. :)

Here are some pics for your viewing pleasure:






PS, I did get the talk written and the birthday cake + cupcakes (yes, I did both) baked. I also got groceries bought and I visited my adorable FIANCE (sorry, still trying to get used to the word) at work because I all of a sudden want to be around him way more than I used to. Funny how that goes...

best day of my life!

I. AM. ENGAGED.

I will blog later with all the amazing details and a picture of my perfect ring. For now, this is all you get. I need to go be with my FIANCEE now!!!!!!!

Back to Public

Bear with me. I'm hoping it's been long enough that the hatefuls and the creepies are gone and I can publicly blog in peace. If not, we'll go permanently back to privacy, which I hate . I'd much rather my name be on your blog rolls.

Especially since I've got slews of fun and good news to share! I need the widest audience possible!

1) I'm going to Tulsa Oklahoma in March with the Traveling Team of Trial Advocacy! I am insanely excited about this opportunity and I can't wait to go!
2) I'm going to New Orleans, Louisiana with the ADR in February for an Arbitration Competition!
3) I'm TAing for a negotiation class which I absolutely LOVE!
4) I'm running a 1L-Only Negotiation Competition this semester, and I just can't wait! It is such a blast! In two days we already have 10 teams signed up, and that is seriously awesome!
5) I start training this week to be a Kaplan Test Prep teacher!!!
6) I am almost finished with my bar application!!!! (This gets a lot of !'s because it's been a freaking HUGE chore!) Also, I'll be signing up for my bar prep course this week - I will be so glad to have all of that out of the way!!
7) I am going to San Diego, California in February for Adam's sister's wedding! And I'm going to DISNEYLAND with his siblings!!! (Have I mentioned that I LOOOOOVE Disney?!) Also, we're going to be flying down together... our first flight together in 4.5 years of dating!
8) I'm only taking ONE class this semester and it is a total blast! I should have had this relaxed of a schedule a long time ago!

That's all for now. But such good happy news!

New Year's Reso

Yep, it's that time of year again. I love the new year, because I feel like each January 1st is an opportunity to wipe the slate clean and try for a newer, better me. Some of these reso-s might sound trite and banal because EVERYONE seems to pick the same ones, but each one is genuinely important to me. I'm posting them here so I can remember. And I'm copying from Megan Nimer Bell and I'm going to do a monthly check-up, so there's some sort of accountability.

This is going to be a really really strange 4 months for me. Every semester since I can ever remember (including back into the single-digit ages), I've always gone full speed. I've never taken a relaxed semester. I've never, EVER had Fridays off, and I've never been less than full-time student status. Some of you may recall the particularly hellish summer where I took 7 classes in 4 months (2 independent study, 1 REALLY independent study + challenge exam, and 4 higher-level math classes) so I could graduate in August before starting law school 5 days later. That's just who I am. I don't really have the ability to slow down. So this semester, where I'm only taking (1) 3-credit class, I just don't know what to do with myself. No reason to tell myself to take lunch to school, because I'll hardly ever be there. No real need for an "early to bed, early to rise" schedule because my only obligation is 1-2:15 on MW. See? This really scares me!!

However... I do have several jobs. Like, 4. I tutor math (if anyone needs a tutor, please let me know!), I am a student representative for LexisNexis, I am a TA, and I am an RA (research assistant, not resident assistant). Hopefully these will keep me solidly busy!

Anyway. Back to the point. Here are my New Year's Resolutions, divided into 3 amazing categories:

Health:
* Train for, and run, a half-marathon. Be able to run 10 miles at a 10-minute mile by April.
* Don't eat fast food more than once a week.
* Become a morning person through an "early to bed, early to rise" schedule.
* Eat a healthy, nutritious breakfast every day.
* Start COOKING again!!! (SUPER excited for this one!)

Wealth:
* Pay tithing the Sunday following payday.
* Actively search for and pursue leads on any legal job.
* Don't overbuy food.
* Have $X in savings by December 31, 2011 (I have a specific number in mind, but that's private). Don't spend out of savings, not even once, all year.

Wisdom:
* Go to all church meetings. (I'm so bad, I don't like my ward and I don't go to RS)
* Attend the temple monthly.
* Read at least one chapter from the scriptures daily.
* Read all school assignments before class; outline regularly.

I think these are pretty doable, and that's the goal. I don't want to kill myself over these, but I do want to make myself better. Don't forget to come up with at least one (totally doable) goal for yourself!

Also up in the next year: law school graduation (!!!!!), taking - and hopefully passing - the Tennessee bar, and some other very exciting things. More on that later!

Life Begins

Finals are OVER. That's right, O-V-E-R. And I couldn't be more excited. I celebrated immediately with a grilled cheese from Burgers Supreme, and now I'm going to do all the chores that have been waiting on me for a month or so. After that, I'm showering, spending time with my sweet adorable boyfriend (who was incredibly and remarkably patient during my breakdown yesterday and resisted the urge to slap me when I deserved it and instead wrapped me in his arms and held me tight), watching a Disney movie or eight, sleeping until I don't feel like sleeping anymore, delivering our Angel Tree gifts (so excited to make a baby girl's Christmas better!), and getting ready to go HOME for the holidays!!!

Adam and I already opened presents (I wanted to enjoy them before I had to deal with finals, and I leave soon so we had to open them early) and he did so great! He got me a gorgeous skirt from DownEast (except in Black instead of silver):


An adorable apron from Flirty Aprons:




And a few DVDs and candy. His parents also got me some Christmas pajamas. It was such a great Christmas! I got a few killer deals, and was able to score a Garmin GPS unit, a set of really nice moccasins, a Dremel rotary, Season 5 of the Office, and a few other little things. We were both so excited about our gifts! We enjoyed spending a little bit of time together, and of course Adam was more excited about his Dremel than anything else. He IS a guy, after all. :)

Also fantastic news - I got a job interview!! I'm interviewing with Kaplan to be an LSAT prep teacher. I've already passed the audition (the first round of interviewing) and I'm going to do a real interview next. If I pass after that, I get trained then I get a class to teach. Woohoo! (Something to do with my time next semester when I'm only taking ONE class!)

Catch you guys on the flip side. Hope you have a wonderful holiday season. Hopefully soon I will get back to cooking and get some recipes posted.