Update Since Christmas

Sorry that I haven't been writing anything lately. With final preparations for Christmas, Christmas activities, and a nasty bug that I have had since the day after Christmas, I really haven't felt like doing anything besides laying in bed for the last few days.

We had a very nice Christmas both at home and at my Grandparent's house. We went to Christmas Eve Communion at our church and for the first time in several years, I sat with my family in the congregation rather than singing in the choir. For some reason, I just wanted to sit with my family this year and it was a nice change.

After church, we had Almond family Christmas. It was just my parents, my Uncle, and me, so it sounds a little silly to call it "Almond family Christmas", but that's what it was. I received many wonderful gifts including quite a few surprises I was not expecting. Everything was wonderful, but I would have to say the highlights are my new professional-like digital camera, a flat screen TV for my bedroom, and the Martha Stewart Cooking School cookbook. I can say for sure that I am quite spoiled. I also got some wonderful kitchen gadgets like a sandwich press that I'm sure will be used for so much more as well as some Pyrex that I really needed as well as wanted. My Mom sure does a good job in listening to my wants and needs and remembering them. And she claims to not have a good memory!!

Christmas morning, we went to my Grandparents and opened our gifts there and our stockings. I got some very nice clothes for work and I'm quite excited to get all the alterations completed so I can start wearing all my pretty new things. We also had a huge lunch where I ate way too much. I guess my body knew I was starting to get sick and made me eat up while I was still feeling like eating! : )

One of my best friends was in town Christmas afternoon, so we got to visit before she and her Mom had to head home to Tennessee. It's so sad that I have seen her more in the past month than in the year preceding that. We'll only be living 45 minutes away for much of the Spring semester, so I'm hoping we can continue our trend of seeing each other more often. We have been friends since middle school, it seems like forever really, and have somehow been able to maintain our friendship through phone calls all through college. She's done and planning her wedding, and I'll admit I'm a bit jealous, but I'm happy that I'm able to offer advice and be a part of her special day!

Since then, I haven't done anything interesting at all. My family went to Haleyville for our family Christmas there, but I stayed behind in bed with Emma. That's pretty much all I did yesterday too. Today, I migrated to my parents bedroom where we have On Demand movies, so I'm keeping myself occupied with that. The House marathons are over, so On Demand is all I have, I guess.

Both of my parents have had to leave the house today, but will both be home by late afternoon. I don't really need anything since I have Miss Emma to be my nurse-maid. She's so very content to simply lay in bed with me and sleep. That's the only way she can get her 23 hours of sleep per day, I'm afraid!

I'll try to post some of the pictures I took of Christmas with my new camera soon. I think Emma is going to become the most photographed puppy in history if I keep up like this. I'm just making up for the nearly four months of her life I didn't have a camera that could capture any of her features! : )

If I don't write again before Thursday, I hope everyone has a Happy New Year!

Home for the Holidays

I've been home for a week now, but it seems like just yesterday. We've been quite busy with Christmas shopping and other Holiday activities.

Emma went to the groomer on Wednesday and the V.E.T. (you have to spell it) for her little operation on Thursday, so she had a rough couple of days, but got plenty of pampering to make up for any inconvenience. She got her very own Christmas stocking today that my Grandmother and my Mom made for her. It's pink satin with lace and ruffles along the top. Very Emma-like!!

Yesterday was my Grandparent's 63 Wedding Anniversary, so I made dinner to celebrate the occasion. I made lasagna for the first time and besides taking longer than planned to cook, I think it turned out well! I guess we'll have a second chance to pass judgement tonight since that's what we're having for dinner.

Oh, I got my grades in for the semester...I got a 4.0! I'm really glad to have made Dean's List for the third semester in a row! Just two more to go to finish undergrad out with a bang!

I'm really excited about starting my j0b in Birmingham, but I have to go back to Auburn for a little less than a month for classes first. It will be good to get the majority of my Advanced Accounting Topics and Taxation II classes out of the way before I leave. I'm hoping I will have some time to see old friends in Birmingham since we all seem to be migrating there! It'll be so nice to reconnect and get to see good friends much more frequently!

Well, I need to go wrap some gifts. No, we haven't got them all safely nestled under the tree yet. They probably won't even be finished tonight, but they always get done.

Merry Christmas, Everyone!

Almost Done!

It's almost Christmas break for me! I get to go home Tuesday afternoon. Unfortunately, I still have three exams to get through before then.

There's so much to do before leaving Auburn. I have to study for and take my exams, of course. I also need to pack. I think packing is the worst, but I have to get it done tonight and tomorrow night so I can leave as early as possible after I finish on Tuesday. In order to be able to pack anything, I must first wash the clothes I wish to take to Florence. That in itself will be a task. Emma finds sorted laundry waiting to be washed quite interesting and for some reason, the clothes never stay sorted for long!

I'm just not feeling like studying anymore. I have Managerial Accounting tomorrow, but I only need a 75 to get an A in the class, so I guess that's hurting my motivation. Making a 75 would be 15 points below my lowest score so far in the class which is my lowest by 7.5 points. My point being, I think it would be pretty hard to not score a 75 or higher. I hope so at least.

I've really got to get studying for Audit. I need to really hunker down since we didn't have our last class meeting and I have to teach myself some material without it ever being covered in class.

I guess I'm just getting a little bummed that all of the other schools I have friends at are out--we always get out before Alabama, for instance, what's going on here? I know there is some homesickness involved too. Even after three and a half years here, I still get quite homesick. I miss my family and our holiday traditions that I'm missing out on. I guess that I look forward to these short breaks from school because I know they are soon to end forever once I enter the real world. Sorry to be so whiny...

So, I'm going to snap out of it, start a load of clothes, study for Managerial, and make a list of things I want to take home with me (yes, I have to have a list!).

Stupidity, Thy Name is Katie

So, today is off to a great start! Haha, not really.

Since classes ended on Monday, I have been studying with the mindset that my Principles of Marketing and Principles of Finance exams were today. Can you see the problem yet...I thought it was confirmed, but in actuality was really only a mindset with only 50% basis in fact. Are you seeing the problem yet?

So this morning, I walk into what I think is my Principles of Marketing exam. I realize that I don't know anybody, but since it's a big class and attendance isn't so great, I'm not too worried. Then, I notice that nobody around me has a calculator on their desk. Since 30% of the test is math-based, this is worrisome. Then, a professor I don't recognize walks in. Not good. Finally, I call a friend from my Marketing class and she says the dreaded words..."I thought Marketing was Tuesday."

Dun, dun, dun...

So I quickly leave the classroom. The only other exam it could possibly be is Managerial Accounting. This is not good. I haven't even begun to study for that exam since I was so sure it was Tuesday. I walk in...yep, I'm in the right place now. I see my teacher and very politely explain the situation to him. He know's I'm a Senior in Accounting, come to class, and am usually not such a huge idiot. Very graciously, he offers to let me take my exam on Monday so I have time to prepare. I practically run out of the classroom, sit down, call my Mom, and nearly have a panic attack after the fact. Then I go home to write all this down!

I don't have any other exams scheduled for Monday, so I guess this works out well in the end because I was mentally prepared for two exams back to back today. And since I've already studied for Marketing, I won't have to do much to re-prepare for it on Tuesday.

I'm so thankful that I made a point to regularly attend this class and answer my teacher's questions when nobody else would. It was quite a pain sometimes being the only person who ever talked, but my teacher knowing me really paid off this time! Whew...

So, my real, verified, set in stone schedule for the rest of finals week is:

Thursday (as in this afternoon): Principles of Finance--12 PM
Friday: Individual Income Tax--8AM
Monday: Principles of Managerial Accounting--8AM
Tuesday: Audit and Assurance Services--8AM
Principles of Marketing-12PM

Finals, Finals...

Today is the last day of classes here at Auburn. Tomorrow is our Dead Day. Wednesday finals begin University-wide. However, my first exam, or first two rather, is Thursday. I have Managerial Accounting and Principles of Finance first, then on Friday I have my Individual Taxation exam. I then have a break until the last day of finals, next Tuesday, when I have Audit & Assurance Services and Principles of Marketing.

It'll be a busy few days! I've only once before had multiple exams on the same day. At least, my more important exams (i.e.--the ones that are major classes) are the first ones on those days with two exams.

I really don't like exams at all. The whole cumulative aspect makes me quite nervous! Plus, I have quite a bit of test anxiety surrounding any test, not just finals. At least that is getting better over time though! One thing I wish the public schools in Florence would do better is prepare students to take cumulative exams. In retrospect, I think those of us who always exempted Spring Semester exams were actually being done a disservice in the long run. I know I could have benefited from the additional practice. I know this isn't the answer I would have given a few hours ago though! There's nothing that I wanted more back in high school but to exempt final exams.

If anyone who knows my class schedule is wondering why I'm writing this now instead of attending lecture, don't worry. I got here this morning to find that my first class was canceled. My teacher sent an email this morning, but apparently it didn't show up in my inbox until after I left for class. I'm not so happy about this because we hadn't finished all the material for our final yet and now it's pretty much up to us. I'm really sorry that my teacher is sick and I know that she wouldn't miss class for just any reason, but studying is going to be more difficult now. At least her exam is one of the ones on the last day! I guess that's the silver lining in having to stay for the entire final exam period!

So, there's really not a point in going back home until my next class since I would practically have to turn around and return as soon as I got home. I guess I can figure out something to do with the next hour and fifteen minutes of my life. I wish I had brought something, anything really, to study, but I didn't. Oh, well...

Clean Up, Clean Up

I'm thinking about that old song from Kindergarten: "Clean up, clean up, everybody, everywhere!"

I've decided to do a major cleaning of my condo before I start buckling down to study for finals. I want to leave for Christmas break with things as orderly and clean as possible. I haven't really been doing the best with the nitty gritty lately with the end of the semester looming, so I decided today and tomorrow would be the perfect time to really get down to it.

I've got quite a list of things to accomplish and so far have only checked off two items, but I plan to get at least four more before I go to bed. I know it will be a lot to accomplish in a short time, but it will be so nice to come back in January to a completely clean house. Also, I'll be pretty busy for the 23 days (including weekends) that I will be here in January with my two mini-mester classes. I'm sure that I won't have the free time for deep cleaning then.

Speaking of January and next semester in general, I'm so ready to move up to Birmingham, if even for a 10 week period. I know it will be hard work with long hours, but I'm really looking forward to a change of pace and getting my feet wet in the real world.

Oh, I thought I would share this: the new Blackberry Storm that I am anxiously awaiting purchasing. I have to wait a bit longer though so they can work out some of the bugs before I get my own. They've been out for 2 weeks, so maybe I can get one after Christmas but before I come back down for classes. I've wished for quite a while that Verizon would get the iPhone since it seems like everyone here has one, but I think I will be very happy with this phone once they resolve a few issues people are having with them now.

New Pictures of Emma

Here are some more professional shots of Emma my Uncle took on Thanksgiving. We never seem to get it perfect with the lighting, but I think these are pretty good! I'm so lucky to have a photographer with the best equipment in the family and at my disposal! : )

Emma loves to play with sticks! She runs and runs like crazy and I'm a little afraid she'll hurt herself...maybe a little like running with scissors?

I was twirling a leaf above her head and she was jumping up trying to get it. This is how she looked on the way back down!

Another running with a stick picture. I promise this is one of her favorite activities!

She's so proud of her stick and won't share with anyone, even her Mommie.

She loves having lots of land to run around. I don't let her off her least very often in Auburn unless we go to a park or something, so she takes advantage of any opportunity to run free. She's a wild woman!

This is the picture I really wanted. I have another of her taken in front of this same light in the middle of September, so I wanted to compare her growth. She isn't in the exact same spot in each picture, but you can tell she's bigger...especially those long legs!

This is one of the few pictures we got of her with more than one foot on the ground. She was having so much fun running back and forth.

This was taken during the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. It was just too cute since the Beethoven float was in the picture too!

Emmie was sitting in my Dad's lap during the parade and was actually still, so my Uncle jumped on the chance for a calm picture. She's not like this very often, trust me!

I couldn't resist posting a picture of Emma's cousin, Heidi, my Uncle's sweet dog. Heidi used to live in Muscle Shoals with my Aunt and was "my" dog too until Winnie came to live with us. She's my first puppy baby even though she's a sweet old lady now!

My Version of Black Friday

I did NOT go shopping today...well, I didn't make any purchases of my own today.

This afternoon, I finally got to see an old friend from middle and high school. She, her mom, and her cousin came into town to try on her wedding dress. I'm going to be a bridesmaid in the wedding, but I wasn't able to be with her to pick out the dress, so today was my first chance to see it! It is really pretty and I think the dress of her dreams. We were also able to pick out a headpiece and veil for her that complement the dress very nicely.

After we left the dress store, we went to one of our favorite restaurants, Ricatoni's in downtown Florence. It was just as good as I remembered it!

On the way to the AT&T store, we went by so she could see little Miss Emma. Then at the AT&T store we had to fight the system as they didn't want to make the process of upgrading her mom's phone easy for any parties involved. They did walk out with matching iPhones though.

Sadly, we had to part after the phone acquisition. They had to get back to Tennessee tonight and I needed to head over to my Grandparent's house. It's a shame we don't see each other more often, but with only about 7 months for wedding planning, we will definitely be seeing each other more frequently in the future. I hope we never go as long between seeing each other again.

I have new pictures of Emma too from Thanksgiving Day, but I haven't put them on my computer yet. I'll try to do that in the next couple of days!

We're Home

Emma and I made it home around 5:30 today! Yay!!

I'm really ready to go to bed, but I have to wait until after Grey's Anatomy is over--it's a new episode, so I don't want to miss it. Also, my Dad is on his way back home from a business trip and I'd like to welcome him home before I go to bed.

My Grandmother and I are going shopping for my Christmas gifts tomorrow morning after her weekly hair appointment, so I won't really get to sleep too late, but it's for the best since I'll get to pick out my things before everything is picked over in the post-Thanksgiving sales.

I've got to go so I can keep my eye on Miss Emma...she doesn't know what to do with all the extra space she is given in our house!

Grad School Stuff

I've set some goals for myself both before I leave tomorrow and before the semester ends for Christmas break related to my MAc application.

By tomorrow, I will:

1. Finish the draft for my Statement of Purpose
2. Email the draft to a few people for review
3. Update my resume
4. Try to meet with professors to ask for recommendations--I need three and I know two of them will be having office hours tomorrow. I might just have wait until we get back to talk to the third.

By Christmas break, I will:

1. Submit my application, resume, Statement of Purpose, scholarship applications, and assistantship application
2. Ensure that all recommendations have been submitted

Then, all I will have to do is wait for acceptance. The deadline is February 1, so I might have to wait a while.

Four Days

Just four more days until I get to go home! Luckily, my Friday class is canceled for this week, so I can leave Thursday afternoon! I really have only been home three times this semester and that's really just not enough in my opinion! I'm so looking forward to seeing family and friends and just having a break from Auburn and college life for a little while! Don't get me wrong, Auburn is great, but it's nothing like home!

I don't have too much going on this week. No tests or projects due, but I need to be as prepared as possible for finals before I leave. I know I won't get anything done while I'm home. I really need to start working on my graduate school application. The application itself is not too long or hard, but I also have to refine my resume with new grades, etc. for the semester, prepare a purpose statement, fill out the general business and School of Accountancy scholarship applications, and apply for a Graduate Research Assistantship. It won't be too bad, but I need to get going on all of it. The hardest part will be the essays that go with the scholarship and assistantship applications and the purpose statement. Maybe I can knock the purpose statement out this week! I also need to ask professors for letters of recommendation. I need three and I know two people I want to ask for sure, but still need to decide between a few other professors for the last recommendation.

Also, on Tuesday I will be initiated into Beta Alpha Psi, a professional honorary accounting organization. We have initiation and then a meet and greet with an accounting firm followed by our final meeting of the semester. All of this will take a few hours, so my Tuesday will be pretty busy with classes from 8 to 2 and then having to be back on campus around 4:30. I have a feeling I won't accomplish anything after I get home that night besides falling into bed!

I've also got to start thinking about Christmas gifts! I won't be home until about 10 days before Christmas, so I need to get also accomplished over Thanksgiving week. Maybe I'll brave some Black Friday sales...or not!

Well, I'm going to go and get my things ready for classes tomorrow. I'm definitely going to take advantage of being able to go to bed early tonight! : )

Old Fashioned Fudge Pie

I've made this pie the past two weekends and several people have asked for the recipe, so I though I would share it with all you readers out there, too!

It's a Paula Deen recipe, so of course it has butter in it, but it's oh.so.good.

Makes 2 pies:

2 sticks butter
4 squares semi-sweet chocolate
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 regular frozen pie shells

Melt butter and chocolate in a heavy saucepan over low
Remove from heat and whisk in sugar then eggs
Pour into docked pie shells
Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 25 minutes (It usually takes longer in my oven to set)

I also like to add a little vanilla to the pie mixture. Some orange extract might be good also since orange pairs so well with chocolate! :)

Serve warm or cold, with a meringue, whipped cream or ice cream. Basically any way you want to! :)

What I'm thinking about today...

As you can see, my mind is on sitting in front of a roaring fire either at my house or my Grandparent's house in Florence. My parents went and got a load of wood for our house yesterday, so now we can have a fire whenever we want one. I just wish I was there to enjoy it, but I will be before I know it.

Sitting in front of a burning fire really signals the beginning of the Holiday season to me. There's just something about that crackling sound and the slight smoky sound to the air that tells me it's fall and Thanksgiving and Christmas are right around the corner.

My Grandmother always keeps a good fire going during the winter. Her sewing room is off of the downstairs den where the wood-burning fireplace is (they have a gas one upstairs that's really just for looks), so she's always walking by the fireplace to go anywhere else in the house. Much to my Grandaddy's dismay, she's always throwing random trash or sewing scraps into the fire as kindling instead of using the fire starter or real kindling he provides. I guess she thinks she's creating less trash for landfills if she burns it! : )

Our fireplace at my house is good, but not near as much fun to sit in front of. Ours is a traditional-type fireplace and I just don't think it produces as much heat as my Grandparent's cast iron (I think) fireplace insert. It will do though! I like to turn one of the wing backs in front of the fireplace where I will be able to feel the heat or just simply sit on the hearth in front of it.

Instead of "I'm dreaming of a white Christmas", it's "I'm dreaming of a warm fireplace". haha

Almost There

I realized this week that, after the rest of this week and Monday-Thursday next week, I will only have a week and a day of class left. Then we will have dead day and start finals. Christmas is right around the corner!

With everything that has happened this semester--Winnie, Emma, job interviews, office visits and of course, classes--it really seems like time has flown by. My life has changed so much since I came back down here in August--mainly because I lost my first dogter and gained a new one.

There have been good things too that have happened this semester, but I can't say I'll be sorry to see it go. Saying goodbye to Fall 2008 is one step closer to August 2009 and Graduation!

Curiosity

Ok, so now I'm really curious. My Stat Counter tells me that I have had visitors to this site from: Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Florida, Texas, Louisiana, North Carolina, California, and Maine. I can figure out who many of the people are from Alabama and Georgia, but I'm really curious who's reading this from California and Maine along with some of the other states. I can't imagine who's reading from some of these places. Please, if you are a reader that I don't already know about, let me know who you are by leaving a short comment. Since this isn't a public blog, I know I have to know you somehow, probably through Facebook. As I've said before, I don't care who's reading, but I would like to know who my audience is! : )

Have a great night all you mystery readers out there!

Counting Down the Mondays

One more Monday until Thanksgiving break! Four more Mondays of school before Christmas break! This semester has gone by quickly, but I'm so ready to see it be over! Next semester has two mini-term classes and my Internship. One more semester after that and undergrad is over!!

But, then I have three more semesters of the Masters program. I think it'll be different than undergrad though. My classes will be quite small and since I will hopefully have an Assistantship, I'll have a different kind of relationship with my assigned professor. Hopefully, I will get assigned to a tax professor so I can learn some more about tax and estate planning, my current area of interest in the profession. We'll have to see about that though. I have to get my application completed first...February 1 deadline, so maybe I'll know something about the time I come back to finish up after my Internship.

I've got a test tomorrow (Managerial Accounting) and it's my last one before break, so things will be smooth sailing until after Thanksgiving. Unfortunately, we only have about a week of classes after we come back before finals start. I just have to make sure I am caught up before I leave so it won't be so hard to refresh my memory for last tests (I think I only have one) and then finals (in each class, cumulative in all but one).

Mom and Dad are coming back this weekend, so I have to try to figure out what I want to take home for Thanksgiving so they can help me out and take the bulk of it with them. I will probably let them take some extra things as well in preparation for Christmas break. Something to think about...

Well, I'm going to knock out studying for this test so I can go to bed early tonight. Mom put my duvet on my bed this past weekend, so it's all warm and snuggly now. Mom can't stand it, but I love all the blankets and the duvet that make the covers so heavy. There's something comforting about really heavy and thick blankets on a bed.

I managed to get a few new pictures of Emma uploaded to the site today! Please take note of my AMATEUR status as a photographer. These pictures are nothing compared to the ones my Uncle took a couple of months ago. Unfortunately, I got to his house after dark on Thursday, so we weren't able to get any new ones.

Emma decided sleeping on my foot was a really good idea!

"Mom, can you turn off that flashy thing? I'm getting tired of this!"-Emma

"I'm so sleepy I can barely sit up!"

"I told you I was tired of this!"
Her eyes look pretty scary in this one, but I promise you she is sweet!

So there you have it! Some new, more grown up pictures of Emma. She was about 15 weeks old in the others you have seen and now she's over five months old. She's still little, but I can certainly tell she has grown. She's still just one handful though! She's going to the groomer's this week, so there might be some new pictures of her with a little less fur!

New Pictures of Emma Coming

Oh, P.S.--I tried taking some pictures of Emma the other night when she fell asleep on my sofa with her head on my tv remote. I haven't uploaded them onto the computer yet, but hopefully some of them turned out. I'm certainly not as good at taking pictures as my Uncle, the professional photographer, so they definitely won't be as good as any of the other ones you have seen before. He took all of them when I was at his house in September in his front yard. I wish I was that talented at photography...I guess it comes with experience and taking pictures constantly since age 12! : )

Driving, GMAT, Driving

Sorry for not updating yesterday. I think this will be long enough to suffice for both days!

I went to class all day and then drove up to Birmingham to spend the night at my Uncle's house. I got there and we talked for a while (we always do this--even on the phone--minimum hour and a half conversation) until we realized it was almost 8 and we hadn't had dinner. We ran into Springville (the actual teeny tiny town he lives in) and picked some fast food up to bring back to the house. After we ate, I planned on writing something, but the internet wasn't working properly. Anyway, I studied for the GMAT for a little while and then tried to go to sleep. I'm certainly going to have to make some adjustments to the upstairs before I move there in February to make my room feel less like a guest room. There's plenty of time for that though...

My alarm went off way too early (5:15) so I could get ready to drive to Hoover for my test. I left right at 6 and arrived by 6:45 for my 8 o'clock test. I really didn't know how long it would take, especially with rush-hour traffic, but I managed to avoid the worst of it. The testing center was very close to the Galleria, so I drove down to McDonald's and got some breakfast--I know, I know, not a very good meal, but it was the best I could do. I had planned on bringing a Slim Fast granola bar with me, but I've got a bit of a sore throat and anything crunchy = not good. So, I go back to the testing center which is in a really big office complex and decide to go in since I'm going to Suite 20, but I see a sign for Suite 400. I had no idea how long it would take me to find the actual office, but it was actually right off of the foyer I entered the building through.

They were ready for me to go on and take the test even though it was about 7:30 and my appointment was at 8, so I went on and got started. First you have to write two essays in thirty minutes each. After you finish that, you go on to the quantitative (math) section and then the verbal (English) section. There are optional breaks between the writing and math and the math and English sections, but I chose to skip them since I felt like I was on a roll!

Once I finished, I had to again present my right index finger to prove that I hadn't changed my identity since I entered the fishbowl room where I was subject to audio and video surveillance at all times. Did I forget to tell you that they digitally recorded my fingerprint four times and took my picture to make sure I was really who I said I was. Once that was over, I received my unofficial score report and collected my belongings from the locker I was assigned.

I scored well enough to get admitted to the MAc program, but I guess I'm a little personally disappointed because I didn't get in the 700s (the highest score is 800). I did score better than I had in practice tests though, so I guess I should be happy. This is random, but I did pretty poorly in the quantitative section and extremely well in the verbal section...to the extent that the verbal section is what saved me. The GMAT quantitative section has questions called Data Sufficiency where you are given a problem and two pieces of information and you have to decide if one, the other, both, both together, or neither are sufficient to solve the problem. That can get quite confusing, so I'm guessing I didn't do too well in that section. Also, I seemed to have a lot of Geometry on my test and I didn't like Geometry in high school, so why should I like it now. I'm not sure if I have ever been as happy as the day we finished proofs Freshman year at Bradshaw.

Anyway, I'm just going to be happy that I did well enough to not have to take it again. I'm going to talk with the program coordinator on Monday and verify this and a few other things, but I guess my focus now is on my application (due February1) and getting ready to move to Birmingham. I got a little excited when I was going down the mountain from my Uncle's and then getting on the interstate because today was my first morning commute...something that I will be doing daily starting in February. It's exciting to be "growing up" and doing "big people" things like going to work.

I'm so excited for my internship. Every day, I enjoy classes more and more (such a difference from my first 2.5 years of college) and learn practical aspects of my new career. I actually don't even dread doing tax returns any more (don't tell my Dad)! It's fun to take people's financial transactions for the year and try to find all possible credits and deductions. When we do returns in class using software, it's like a game plugging in information and answering prompts from the computer. I know this sounds really sick to most of you, but I am finding out daily just how much my personality fits into that of the traditional accountant. I don't know why it took me so long to figure out that I would love accounting!

I'm going to go to bed now. It's been a long time since I woke up today before the sun came up! My parents (I hope both of them) and my Grandparents are coming down tomorrow night for a short visit and I need to do some more cleaning before they get here. I've been needing to do a good cleaning for a while, but with all my tests lately, I just haven't had time to do any more than pick up. I also have to run to Sam's since I'm out of laundry detergent and need a few other things too.

I have a test on Tuesday too, so I better start studying. I also have Audit homework for Monday that I'm going to print out now so I don't forget until Sunday night, or even worse, Monday morning!

Emma and Katie signing out! Have a good night and a pleasant tomorrow! (haha, Mom)

Comments

I have this Statistics Counter thingy on my blog and there have been some new people from interesting places reading. Since this is not a public blog, I know people aren't just randomly finding me through a Google search. I'd love to see comments from people reading--particularly some of the new readers over the past few days! Don't worry that I'm mad about how you found me or whatever--I like knowing people are reading what I'm writing and that I'm not talking (writing) to myself!

Again, please feel free to leave a comment so I can know who's reading! Maybe, if we're friends who've lost contact, we can get in touch again! : )

Tests, Tests, and More Tests

Two down and one to go. I had Audit Monday, Tax today, and still have the GMAT Friday. Now I have to focus all my time on getting ready for it so I'll have a good score and won't have to worry so much about acceptance to the MAc program. Last year, the acceptance rate was only around 60%, so it's definitely not guaranteed that I will get in, so I need everything going for me that I can possibly control!

I'm not really watching the Election coverage. I'm already feeling kinda sick (sore throat), so I don't need that long drawn-out process to make me sick to my stomach. I'll go to bed early tonight and wake up to a new President who's hopefully John McCain!

Five Things...

I saw this blogging prompt...You can only keep five things you have. What would they be?...and I thought it would be interesting!

1. My phone--I live far away from family and friends and would want to have the ability to reach out to them at a moment's notice.
2. Comfortable shoes--I won't be choosing to keep my car, so I need comfortable shoes to get me where I'm going!
3. My computer's MyPictures folder--I have so many memories that I want to keep and remember forever--especially of sweet baby Winnie. She was probably the most photographed baby in history.
   
4. My Grandaddy's mantle clock--I don't really have this, but I would want it to remember my childhood day's spent at my Grandparents. Getting to wind this on Saturday night was a big deal since it was hands-off the rest of the time.
5. All the little notes my Daddy wrote me for days when he was going to be out of town--I think I have every single one he wrote in a photo album at home. It was a big deal to me to read my note every day. Looking back at it, I realize just how much time he took to make each day's note different and to make sure I remembered how much he loved me even when he had to be away from home.

Wow, that was harder than I thought it would be. I guess with our society being so materialistic, it's hard to pick just a few things to symbolize a lifetime. I can't imagine what it would be like to lose everything to a fire or other natural disaster and to only have memories to represent all of your experiences.

Study Sunday

Today has been full of studying. I have an Audit test tomorrow that I still don't feel prepared for. I'm reading my last chapter now (or I was before I got on this!) and then I have some problems to work for review. I also have a Tax test on Tuesday, but I think I'm just going to have to worry about that late tonight or tomorrow after class. I will have from about noon until bedtime to study for that test. Then, Tuesday night through Thursday night, I have to study for the GMAT as well as clean up my messy house. I really want to vacuum and mop the kitchen and bathroom floors, but that will have to wait! You wouldn't believe all of the highlighter-yellow stuff on my carpet from Emma playing with her tennis balls. (No, Daddy, it's not stains on the carpet, just fuzz that's too numerous to simply pick up by hand!) She also has made a mess on the kitchen floor around her bowls with her new trick of eating her food on the floor rather than in the bowl! : )

I'm heading to Birmingham after class on Thursday so I can take the GMAT at 8 on Friday morning. That's going to be such an early day since I will need to leave around 6 to arrive with plenty of time to spare! Unfortunately, I have to pretty much cross Birmingham to get from Springville to near the Galleria in Hoover during early morning traffic. This is such an important test for my future, so I can't afford to be stressed about getting there on time. I also need to remember to print out directions and pack my GPS so I can make sure I find the testing center.

Ok, no more study break! Back to the books...

Emma Update

Miss Emmie has a new trick! She has started turning her food bowl over and spilling the food out onto the floor for her to eat. Earlier today she did this, but some food was trapped under the bowl and she ended up pushing it around the kitchen until I turned it right side up again so she could get to the food!

She and I went to a couple of grassy areas yesterday. The first one was near the parking lot for Facilities on campus and she gave me quite a scare when she wanted to chase the Tiger Transit. She really wasn't in any danger, but she was not under my control. The second place was the new elementary school here in Auburn. It's just down the highway from my house and is situated quite a ways off the main road. Basically, nobody goes down there unless they have a reason. I took her near the playground equipment where there is a big grassy area and she played a little bit. She really liked the rubber-like material that is around the playground. It's quite bouncy, so when she hops around, she really bounces. I have to say, I liked that filler material as well. It was fun for me to walk on too! It really doesn't take much to entertain us, does it?

We came home after our adventure and Miss Emmie was quite tired. She slept much of the evening until it came time for us to go to bed. I tried to let her sleep with me, but she was just too wild and she had to sleep in her bed.

She's getting so much more cuddly! She spent a good bit of today in my lap relaxing. It seems like if she isn't chewing on something or running around being "psycho dog", then she's in my lap! I can't say I have any complaints about that!

Winter Has Arrived!

It's COLD here today! I believe we had our first frost of the season last night/this morning. Emma does NOT like going out when it's cold and windy. She will just have to learn to go out and quickly do her business so we can quickly return inside. She's already sitting on the sofa more often with me and will hopefully being using blankets in the near future!

Emmie and I are going to sit in our house with the space heater plugged in and maybe the electric blanket on as well. I've got to study Marketing some more and get ready for Audit tomorrow. I can't forget about my Audit and Tax tests next week either. I want to get ready for Marketing first though so I'm not cramming on Thursday night.

The heater is still running trying to knock the chill off my living room. The thermostat read 64 degrees this morning in there since I didn't have the unit on and only had the space heater on in my bedroom and bathroom. So, for the next few minutes, I'm going to get under a blanket and try to warm my hands up!

Request

Hey all of you readers! I would love to know who all is reading what I have to say. Please leave me a quick comment so I can know who all I'm talking to through this blog. Also, if there's something you want me to blog about, let me know and I'll see what I can do!

Thanks!!

Back in Auburn

Emma and I made it back safely to Auburn around lunchtime today. I was sad to leave Florence, but just got in the car and sucked it up. Since I was leaving at the same time my parents were going to early church, there wasn't much time for extended, teary goodbyes. I guess that's best. I'll see them again in either two or three weeks depending on if I go home after the GMAT or stay in Birmingham.

I have to write another WSJ opinion-type thingy tonight. This should be my last one as long as I earn full credit. It's only 200 words, so not a big deal, and I've already picked out my article. I just have to break down and write the thing. I don't know why this one seems so much harder than the past two, but I just can't seem to get something coherent going.

I don't think I have too much going on this week. I have a test on Friday that I need to start studying for along with the usual classwork. I do intend to go to bed at a reasonable time every night as long as I am productive during the day. Hopefully, this will be enough motivation to get my work done during the daylight hours!

Time to figure out what to eat for dinner! Yum!!

All Good Things...

All good things really do come to an end. I've had a good time at home this weekend, but tomorrow morning, Emma and I have to return to the Plains. I'm glad that I was able to come home on Thursday, so we were able to make the most of this trip home. We spent time with my Grandparents on both Friday and today, which was quite nice. Mom and Grams made a couple of little dresses for Emmie--one that's green gingham with green blanket fleece on the inside and another for Halloween that's orange gingham on one side and black gingham on the other. After Halloween, she can wear the black side facing out and still look cute as a button.

I have to go back fairly early tomorrow morning to clean up the highway for Beta Alpha Psi. As pledges, we are required to pick up trash twice during our pledgeship period and one of the proctored opportunities is Sunday @ 3. Unfortunately, I have to leave around 10 to get there with enough time to drop Emma off at home, otherwise she has to go with me. I don't know how that would work...

It will be good to get back early in the day so I can do some classwork before Monday. I have a little paper due for Audit that will only take a few minutes and need to start getting ready for tests on Friday, next Monday, and next Tuesday. I need to make sure next week is a productive one!

I'm going to get ready for bed now. We don't stay up late here in Florence! : )

An Unexpected Suggestion

I was talking to my Dad earlier while he was waiting for a flight home from Dulles (DC airport). I was telling him about how my Friday class was canceled and he asked me what I was going to do. I didn't really understand. He meant was I coming home this weekend. I hadn't even considered coming home and had really planned on sleeping all day Friday since it's supposed to rain. I think coming home is a much better idea. I'm leaving around noon tomorrow and will get home in time for dinner. I do have to leave early on Sunday to clean up trash on the side of the road for Beta Alpha Psi (Accounting honor society). But, since I'll be home all day Friday, it won't be too bad and I'll have all evening on Sunday to study for next week's tests and classes.

So, now I have a trip home to look forward to. I just need to get this Finance test over with tonight at 6:30, get back to my condo, pack for the trip home, and go to sleep!

Speaking of sleep, I think I'm going to go take a nap before doing my final studying for tonight's test! I might even force Emma to go nap with me since she's currently napping under my coffee table.

Stalling

I should really be studying right now. Instead, I am doing everything but studying right now. From how I have performed in class and answered the teacher's questions, I am prepared for the exam tomorrow, but I never feel completely prepared. I'd much rather be over-prepared than under-prepared!

I registered to take the GMAT today for my application for the Master's of Accountancy program here at Auburn. I was going to take it on Halloween, but will actually take it on November 7, which actually works out better around my school schedule, although I was really looking forward to going home in two weeks rather than three. Oh well, I'll go home in three weeks, Mom and Dad will come the next week for the Georgia game, and then I will go home the following week for Thanksgiving break, so I guess it won't be too bad!

Anyway, I really do need to study, if not for tomorrow's test, then for Wednesday night's test in Finance. And I want to go to bed soon...preferably to the sound of Will & Grace...haha, Mom!

Now, I'm really going to go study...maybe...

Studying on Sunday

This morning, Emma and I had some good cuddle time in the bed. Usually, I don't let her in the bed with me, due to "the incident" (ask if you don't already know), but it got quite cold in the house overnight and I felt sorry for her. She started around my feet, but ended up cuddled up around the level of my shoulder. That's pretty close for this independent little girl! It was so sweet and it was so hard to get up and moving with that little life so close to me!

I've been studying this afternoon for my Finance test. So far, I feel pretty good about what I know and what I have learned. I'm not going to slack off though. I made a 100 on the first test and would definitely like to repeat that!

I'm going to take a break from Finance now. Emma needs to go outside and I have some other classes that need my attention. We have Audit homework that is due tomorrow and our teacher told us specifically to do it neatly because she would call on several of us to come before the class and put our work on the Document Camera. I've got to make sure I do my very best on this assignment so I don't look like a fool in front of my teacher and classmates! I can't forget about my Managerial Accounting test on Tuesday either. Maybe I can study for that after the Audit homework.

I'm planning on quitting fairly early tonight so Emma and I can have some fun time together. During the week, especially test weeks, we don't get to play as much as I would like, so I try to do more with her on the weekends!

I hope everyone is having a great day!

Finally Friday

Today has been a great day to lounge around in PJs. It was cloudy all day, but this afternoon it started raining and it has continued on and off all evening. The only bad part about a rainy day is that Little Miss Emma hates to get her feet wet and especially hates to be rained on. After our last trip outside, she was soaking wet. I know I hate to get my pant legs wet, so I can't imagine getting my whole body wet every time the grass is slightly moist. I guess that's the life of a tiny little dog.

I spent some time at my Aunt's school this afternoon trying to help her out in preparing for next week's classes. I didn't really do much and wish I could have helped more.

Late this afternoon, I had a friend come over to study Finance with me. We have a test Wednesday night and it's definitely time to start studying. We're planning on getting together again tomorrow and probably Sunday, so I better make sure I'm on top of my game so I can be useful while we are studying.

I also have another test on Tuesday. I think I'm pretty prepared for that one. I actually joked with the teacher on Thursday as the class was being dismissed and asked if I could go on and take the test to get it over with!

I spoke with the partner who hired me at the accounting firm where I will intern next Spring. I confirmed that they still want me to work the Mid-April option from February to the middle of April. It will be busy, but at the end of it I can honestly claim I have completed my first Tax Season! As it gets closer, I'm getting more and more excited. We passed mid-semester last week, so this semester is on the downward turn. I'll be away most of next semester, and will finish my undergraduate work in August.

Now, I really have to decide if I want to pursue my Master's of Accountancy degree or if I just want to complete the minimum requirements to sit for my CPA Exam. In the back of my mind, I know I need to get my Master's, but it is so hard to commit to another twelve months of school. I'm just so ready to get out there and start my adult life. I know people say you don't know how good you have it in college, but I am excited to do "grown-up" things like buy a house! Maybe my internship will be a welcome break from school and make it bearable to be in school for another year.

Miss Emma is getting cuter every day. She's really starting to develop her own personality. She's also responding to her name with much more reliability. The potty training is going well...I guess I'm the one getting trained more than her though. I know how long she can go without being outside and make sure she goes out often. It seems like she really wants to do well and receive praise though. She really is a sweet and kind-hearted puppy. I just wish she liked to be held better and would let me cover her up with a blanket. In the coming months, I'm afraid she will be cold unless she allows me to cover her up!

I'm going to go and study a little more Finance in preparation for tomorrow's study marathon. I have so much to do this weekend that there isn't a moment to waste!

Have a great weekend, Everyone!

Life is so precious

One of my very best friends—in fact my oldest friend that I'm still in touch with—just barely escaped a horrible fate last night. She was going to see her fiancé and on her way a tire blew out, she crossed into incoming traffic on the interstate, and hit another car. Miraculously, she escaped with few injuries and the other lady involved in the wreck was not seriously injured either.

Since I found out about the accident from her roommate last night, I've been thinking about how fragile our lives are. I knew a girl who wrecked in a very similar situation and was killed. I'm so thankful that that was not the case in this situation and I do not have to think about burying a friend now.

Apparently, there was an issue with the Firestone tires on her SUV which looks like the cause of the wreck. That makes me angry. Tires are so expensive and they should be reliable. So many people have already been killed by Firestone tires on Ford Explorers—didn't the automakers and tire makers learn their lesson already?? I'm glad my Dad took time to research the best tires for my car—not Firestone—and he is careful to check my tire pressure every time I come home. But if the tires are faulty in the first place, can you prevent something like this from happening?

Anyway, I've just been thinking about how we don't know who will be here with us from one day to the next. I really wish I could see my friend just to lay hands on her. We've talked, but I know I would feel better if I saw her in person. This has just been a wake-up call for me. I want to remember how this feels and make sure I don't take any of my friends for granted.

Tiffany—I'm thankful that you're safe and even more thankful that we're still friends after all these years! : - )

We're half way there - Livin' on a prayer

Happy Wednesday Everyone! Except it's more like one more day and counting for me since I only have one class on Fridays--it's really like the weekends start on Thursday!

I got up and went to class today, then came home, had lunch, and took a little nap I really shouldn't have. I'm planning on washing my car in a few minutes, but first Emma needs to go outside for some fresh air. She's getting to be such a sweet little girl. She's also really trying to be good and follow my commands. I think she really wants to do well.

I'm going to do a little more reading for Tax class tomorrow and work the homework problems that were assigned Tuesday. I also still need to wrap up my Finance homework from Tuesday that is due tomorrow. Neither are taken up, but we go over the Finance homework in class, so I need to have it finished before then.

I'm going in a couple of hours to work on my group tax return project. Hopefully, it won't take too long and I can get back and do some more work.

Of course, I want some time to play with Emma before bedtime. I really like holding her when she's getting good and sleepy too! : - )

I've got to get going if I'm going to accomplish anything on my list today!

Busy Tuesday

Today has been busy so far. Tuesday and Thursday are my busy days when I have class from 8 to 10:45 and then again from 12:30 to 1:45. I know this doesn't seem like much class, but in order to get an "approved" parking place, should I choose to drive, I need to be in the parking lot shortly after 7:15. I pretty much have to drive on these days because Emma can't go from about 6 to 2 without going outside. Then I'm home from about 11 to 12 before I have to get back to school and try to get another "approved" parking space. Today, I actually managed to get the same place from this morning back!

Now that I'm home, I need to take Emma back outside so she can spend some time outside of her "Tupperware". She's been so sweet lately and I hate to keep her locked up any more than absolutely necessary. She's asleep right now, so I don't feel so bad about leaving her in there for the moment.

I have to get ready soon for a meeting tonight about Internships and the MAc (Masters of Accountancy) program. I don't mind so much going to the meeting, but I do hate that we have to dress up. It's sometimes a hassle to quit what I'm doing to take the time to get dressed and looking appropriate for my new business casual wardrobe.

Between now and getting ready, I need to work a little on my Individual Income Tax class work. I found out today that I got another 90 on my exam from Thursday of last week. I was pretty nervous that I didn't perform as well this time, but was pleasantly surprised. The average was about a 74, so I guess I'm doing something right. We have a tax return due in a week that we are allowed to complete as a group project, but I want to work on it a little by myself to make sure I have an understanding of what we're doing and to make sure I'm not just letting the others take the lead. I also need to work some problems and read for my Audit class, but that might have to wait until after the meeting. I also have work for Finance that is due Thursday and I'm thinking about getting started on it soon, since it's still fresh on my mind. I guess I should also be preparing for my Managerial Accounting test next Tuesday. I have that test next week as well as a Finance test on Wednesday. I can't forget about my Marketing class either. We have a test on Halloween, so I have quite a while to prepare, but I don't want to be cramming at the last minute.

Whew…that's a lot of things to get done! I better get started! : - )

Monday, Monday

I haven't done too much today. I was able to wake up pretty easily, which is good (and unusual). I got ready and went to class and then came home. It's pretty overcast here today, so it's just been a blah day. Maybe the weather knows it's a National holiday, so it's determined to punish those of us not off today! *ha*

Emma has been wonderful today. Now that I have said that, I'm sure she'll be quite different for the rest of the evening. I think her vacation to Florence really wore her out since she has been sleeping much more than usual since we got back here last night. Also, I have left her out of her "Tupperware"—actually a really large clear plastic tub from Target—a lot more since we got back. Mom let her roam freely, but under supervision and she behaved, so I'm giving it a try! She really is a good little girl and melts my heart a little more each and every day!

I had planned to grill out tonight, but it's a bit icky for that. What I was going to make didn't require much prep time, so I will make a final decision when I get hungry. I might just make some pasta or something else quick like that.

I'm glad I don't have any tests this week, but I need to catch up some on reading and homework from last week that I neglected with my tests last week. I'll try to catch up on Tax and Audit reading tonight and catch up on the other classes tomorrow.

I'm going to go for now—Emma needs to be brushed out. She got wet this morning, so I want to make sure her fur doesn't get matted.

Grateful

As I was driving back to Auburn today (I made it back fine—Thanks to those of you whom I know were praying for my safe journey!), I was thinking about how grateful I am for all that I have and just how lucky I am.

I have parents and grandparents, an uncle, and an aunt that love me. I have extended family and friends who love me as well. I am a very loved person (not to sound conceited). I just love and am loved by a lot of people. I am grateful for those people in my life.

I have a home here in Auburn that more that suits my needs. I didn't even have to fight too hard with my parents to get it. *haha* I have electricity, heating and air conditioning, and hot water on demand. I have a dishwasher, washer and dryer, and just about every item needed to cook a gourmet meal at my immediate disposal. I am grateful for all of these things.

I have enough money to buy all of the things I need and most of the things I want. And if I need something that I cannot provide on my own, I know that my parents will take care of it. I am so lucky to not be like many college students who worry where their next meal is going to come from. I will graduate with no student loans or debt, and thanks to my summer jobs at TVA and my accounting internship, I should have a nice little nest egg set aside for a future down-payment on a home. I will be working in a profession that is in high demand, so I feel reasonably sure that I should always be able to find employment. There are so many financial aspects of my life to be grateful for.

I have a little puppy who loves me unconditionally. To her, I equal life. I provide her nourishment and try to see to her needs, and in return, she faithfully greets me when I arrive home and occasionally graces me with her presence beside me on the sofa. I had another little life, who I loved more than anyone in the world but my immediate family. She had to leave me because God and my family in Heaven needed her more, but she taught me how to love unconditionally and prepared me to take care of this new little life I have been charged to keep. I try to think of the passages from John 14 where Jesus says "Let not your hearts be troubled", "I go to prepare a place for you", and "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also". These passages remind me that not only Jesus left us to prepare Heaven and the place of eternal glory for us, but also our family members who went before us are preparing that place as well. We should not mourn their passing, though we do, because they sit at the feet of the Father and they are in their eternal glory. I take comfort in the fact that Jesus did die for our sins and, in his death, ensured our eternal salvation. I will be greeted one day by my precious Winnie as well as all the family that has gone before me, even the ones I never met, but long to know. I am so grateful for Emma, Winnie, and the promise of eternal salvation which will allow me to see all of the people that I love again as they greet me at the gates of Heaven. Oh, what a reunion that will be!

Enough of this—I started crying while writing the last paragraph. I was just thinking about how lucky I am and how wasteful I am. I want to live in a way where I remain grateful and also try to live in a less wasteful manner.

I've got to go unpack the car and try to get Emma to eat a little more food tonight.

Have a wonderful night!

Going Home

I'm so ready to go home tomorrow! It just won't come soon enough! I haven't been home since the end of August and I can't wait to sleep in my comfy bed. My bed here is good, but nothing is like your bed at home. My bedroom in Florence is always dark and quiet, unlike my very sunny bedroom here in Auburn.

I miss my family and Emma. I have seen my parents several times since I was last home, but I haven't seen my Grandparents at all. I talk to them frequently, but that's just not the same. I'm looking forward to some of my Grandmother's good home cooking and, of course, some of my Granddaddy's sweet tea! There's nothing like the food you grew up with and the world's best sweet tea!

I'm going to go get ready for bed. I have to pack in the morning as well as do some last-minute studying for my computer competency test.

I'm going to put my head on the pillow and think, in the words of Dorothy, "There's no place like home…"

Still Studying

I'm still studying. I finished my reading and am in the process of creating my completely legal "cheat sheet". I decided to type it since I figured that I could fit more on a page that way. So far, I have more than half of the material on it while only taking less than half a page. I haven't adjusted the margins yet either, so I should be able to fit the rest of this new material along with some from the previous exam that is really cumulative for this exam. I'm such an OCD person too because I'm making the first part of each new topic bold so I'll be able to spot it quickly during the exam. I'm quite pleased with how it's coming along if I do say so myself. *ha*

I hope I can get this done soon and get some random homework problems done so I can go to bed before midnight. I plan to get up early and study and my daily routine will be shorter in the morning since Emma is at home and I don't have to allot time for taking her outside and feeding her. I usually don't sleep well the night before a big test, so it'll probably be easy to get up in the morning as long as I get about 5 hours of sleep tonight. I have that other test on Friday, but that's all I have to do on Friday besides go home, so I can devote all afternoon tomorrow to preparing for that one! I really hope it's not any worse than the practice test or I might have problems. I don't have the luxury of taking the class in a future semester, so I better make the most of this chance.

I'm going to go wrap this up and hopefully get to bed within about two hours.

Wish me luck tomorrow!

Study Days and Rainy Days

It's been raining here off and on (more on) since last night. We really need this rain since it's only rained twice since I came back in August.

I really don't mind the rain unless I have to get out and go to class. At least today, it slacked off before I had to go into class and was just sprinkling when I got out. I was able to get back into the house and nice and cozy before it started to rain again. Right now, it's thundering and lightning, but it's actually kinda nice! I really don't mind a good, but safe, storm if I can stay inside all day.

Luckily (ha), I get to stay in for the rest of today because of my Tax test tomorrow. I've still got some reading to do, problems to work, and my "cheat sheet" (totally legal with the teacher) before I go to bed tonight. I have enough trouble studying already, but the nice tap, tap, tap on my roof and the dark clouds outside are making me sleepy too. I just have to try to remember that I want to get an A in this class and I'll be working in Tax for my internship, so it would look really bad if I didn't get a good grade. Hopefully, that will be enough motivation.

I'm going to go start a "quiet time" session with no tv or anything else distracting so I can try to be really productive until it's time to eat dinner.

So Not Studying Tonight

So today I went to classes. All three of them…I know, I know, poor me…three whole classes!

I went to my Aunt's house to help her out and let the furniture people in this afternoon. I tried to study Tax while she was sleeping and I read about a chapter of the five on my test Thursday. So, that makes two that I have read completely and I have only skimmed the other three. Luckily, my teacher tells us exactly what to read in the book and gives us a really good outline for our notes as well. And we can have one page of any notes we want for the test, so I can have a nice little "cheat sheet".

I went home for a little bit and studied my notes a little until I went to dinner with some friends from my Accounting classes. They decided they wanted some ice cream from Bruster's after that, so I rode along. We then came back to my house and tried to study, but watched some of the debate instead. They all decided to leave and try to study individually, since we all still need to read and have other midterms this week as well.

I watched the rest of the debate and then decided to write this post instead of reading some more.

I think I'm going to go on to bed and get up early to study before my 9:30 class. It'll be raining in the morning, so I don't need to worry too much about appearances—all I need is my North Face raincoat and rain boots, and I'll fit right in with 99% of the rest of the female student population. J

I want to get this week over…I hate test weeks. I just never seem to be caught up and then have to cram in the last few nights. Doesn't everyone do that though?

And I really want to go home…over a month is way too long to not see Florence. I never thought I would miss it so much!

Emma is Leaving Me

My sweet little bear is going on her first vacation without her Mommie. She doesn't seem to care yet, but I know I don't like it one bit!

She's going home with my Mom today to get the last of her puppy shots that she should have gotten last weekend, had we been able to go home. I will be going home this weekend, but I would rather her get it as few days late as possible. I can't wait to hear how much weight she has gained since her first visit on August 30. She was one pound nine ounces then and I'm betting she's around three pounds now!

She's sitting beside me on the sofa now, not realizing that she's about to get in the car and go as far as she has ever been away from me. I know I'll see her Friday night, but this little girl has helped heal my heart in so many ways and I am finally starting to accept her for who she is and not who I want her to be. She's not Winnie, but she's a pretty special girl and I love her. I know we'll talk on the phone (yes, I am one of those crazy dog people), but she hasn't learned to talk back, so I guess I won't be hearing her sweet little voice until Friday. I know she'll be in good hands with my Mom and I'll be able to get more studying done, but part (most) of me really doesn't want her to leave.

I've got plenty of studying to do over the next few days though, so maybe our time apart won't seem so bad.

Off to get some last minute cuddles in with my little bear!

Let’s Give This a Try!

So, it seems like everybody is blogging now, so I thought I would try this out!

My Mom has been here since last Thursday taking care of my Aunt who broke her leg. Mom is going home tomorrow afternoon and she's taking Emma with her. I'm going to miss Emma like crazy—she hasn't been away from me since I got her Labor Day weekend—but she needs to get some shots at home and I'll see her again on Friday when I get to Florence. I haven't been back since Labor Day weekend, so I'm quite anxious to get home. I had planned to go this past weekend, since Auburn was playing away (we'll not mention the game's outcome), but with my Aunt's injury, Mom was here which defeated the purpose of spending the weekend at home.

I have two tests this week—one in my Individual Income Tax class and the other in my Computer Competency class. I need to do a lot of reading for Tax and work some homework problems. We have class tomorrow, so hopefully our professor will give us an idea of what will be on this exam. The computer test is a pass/fail test where I'm trying to get out of taking the busywork computer class that the College of Business requires. I already took a computer class, but it wasn't the one the Business School wants. I hope I get the greater than 70% that is required to pass. I've done that on all of the practice tests I have taken, so hopefully this will be the case. One more hurdle towards Graduation in August! Woo Hoo!!

I guess I'm going to try to go to sleep. The alarm will come way too early in the morning so I can get ready for my 8AM class.

Goodnight! J