Graduation

All I have left between me and Graduation is one test on Monday that might take me fifteen minutes. I wanted to take the test yesterday or today so I could go home for the weekend, but my teacher said no. Oh, well. I did plenty of shopping yesterday and today to make up for being here another weekend. I plan to go back and get one more thing tomorrow too, so maybe that will make tomorrow fun too.

My parents have asked how I feel about being finished with undergrad. I don't really feel different. I know I still have another year of school ahead of me in the same building with many of the same teachers. I know I will be more excited when I actually get my cap and gown. The real excitement/anticipation is for next year though. This time next year, I will really be done with school and ready for work. I have to say I'm excited for work. I really enjoyed my internship and would like to be back at work already. As my Mom said earlier, this marks the end of being required to go to school. I could work and become a CPA with just my Bachelor's degree, but I know it will be so much easier with my MAc.

I guess that's all for now. I'll try to post some graduation pictures sometime after the 10th!

Sunburned

Today, in between classes, I went to the pool and laid out. Fast forward about an hour and I'm quite sunburned. I didn't think I was that burnt until I went to class and saw myself under the classroom lights. Hopefully it will feel better tomorrow and will turn into a little bit of a tan instead of just peeling off. I really want to have a little color for Tiffany's wedding.

On another note, I only have this week and next before the worst of summer school is over. I can't wait!

The Week(s) Ahead

I made it through my test today and turning in my project. I think I could have done better on the test, but I'm satisfied with how I think I did based on the amount of time I had to study and everything else I had going on.

The Week(s) Ahead:

1. Cost Accounting test Thursday 6/
2. Strategic Management test Tuesday 6/16
   
3. AIS test Tuesday 6/16
4. AIS Excel Project Wednesday 6/17
5. Strategic Management test Tuesday 6/23
   
6. Cost Accounting test part 1 Tuesday 6/23
   
7. Cost Accounting test part 2 Wednesday 6/24
8. AIS Final Friday 6/26
   
9. Tiffany and Will's Wedding Weekend Friday & Saturday 6/26 & 27
   

Plus various projects and groupwork worked in between all of this.

I'm so ready for July when I only have 1.5 hours of class a day, four days a week. I'm hoping those five weeks will be a breeze!

I have got to go so I can start getting ready to conquer that list!

One Word

Waren. As in Waren Sports Supply. They are a fictional company in my Accounting Information Systems class where we have to manually take about twenty transactions completely through the Accounting cycle. It's not that bad, but it's quite a pain! It's due Monday in class (3PM) and I still have quite a bit to go. I've been working on it almost all afternoon without much of a break (dinner only, really). I've gotten a lot done, but not as much as I wanted to since my goal was to finish everything tonight.

I'm going to get back to it, but I really am trying to take time out to update!

P.S.--Emma's 1st birthday was yesterday. I took pictures, but haven't downloaded them yet!

Home For A While

Emma and I went on a little "vacation" this weekend. We went home to Florence for the long weekend. It was quite strange because Mom and Dad were out of town and Emma and I were home alone. I knew that before going home though and intended to spend my time with Gram and Grandaddy before school became too overwhelming.

We came back to Auburn this afternoon after dropping Emma's cousin Heidi (a dachshund) off with my Uncle. We drove through periods of rain especially after Birmingham, but nothing too bad.

This week should be like normal classes and not really too much of the "getting-into-the-swing-of-things" days in class. I still have a little bit of work to do before bedtime.

Mom might also be coming this week to check into some new flooring for my condo. I personally want some kind of hardwood, but anything would be better than the weird carpet that was newly-installed in the condo when we bought it. None of us have ever been wild about it. We (well, really my parents) will have to discuss it after getting some pricing information. I would love to have Mom come down to entertain Emma during my long days at school. I really do usually love spending time with my parents and look forward to visiting with them either here or at home. I'm really sorry that Daddy probably can't come this weekend. Maybe next weekend?

I need to unpack some, clean up a little, and finish my schoolwork for tomorrow. I will try to be more consistent with my blogging in the future!

I'll close with a couple of cute pictures of Emma from a while back!

The End of Summer

Today marks the end of my summer, my next-to-last one before joining the adult world. As my Mom said, "I just get used to [her] being home when it's time to leave again." I didn't want to leave today, but I had to collect myself and just get moving. There was neither time nor energy for long extended goodbyes for my parents or I. We were all going in our separate directions--even though my Dad and I drove to the airport together--we just had to be quick and then move on.

I will be going home again Friday afternoon/evening, but it won't be the same. My parents will be vacationing in Houston and I will be home alone. Well, really I will just be sleeping at home, while spending my time at my Grandparents'. I do wish Mom and Dad would be home though. Mom may get to come visit next week though, so I'll just hope that will happen and continue to mark off days on my mental calendar.

This 5-week term, I won't be going home much or doing much of anything to be honest. I have three classes at 8AM, 11:30AM, and 3PM. There's really not enough time to go home in between, so I will have quite long days in the Business Building. Poor Emma will spend a lot of time alone too. I will just have to get my work done during my long breaks and make sure to play with her as much as possible at night and on the weekend.

The second 5-week term, which starts in July, should be much easier. I will only have one class that meets only MTWR, or four days a week! Fridays off, hooray!! I hope to go home for several weekends during July.

I've got some unpacking to do before repacking tomorrow night. I also need to get a good night's sleep since tomorrow's going to be a doozy! I might even have an extra class meeting from 5-6:30 tomorrow night. It's supposed to meet each Thursday, but I don't know about the first day yet!

Procrastination

So, I've been back in the world of Academia for three whole days. I can't say I'm liking it. I would much rather be back with my friends and coworkers at Pearce Bevill. I wonder if Chase, the guy Morgan and I shared an office with, is missing us or is relieved to have his office back to normal without girl talk and stupid questions. I bet he's happily back into his world of being productive and listening to his earbuds all day.

Emma and I are bonding more and more each day. She's going to hate me soon though because I have to put her in "EmmaCare" twice a day at the least--when I go to each class. Some days, like today, I went to dinner at Firehouse Subs with a friend who is in the Accounting program too and will be starting the MAc program this summer. I've really missed her this semester since we have only seen each other like three times and last Fall, we spent two days a week side-by-side in Audit class. She's become a really good friend who I know I can count on when the going gets tough! The best thing about her starting MAc in the summer is she'll know all about my classes a semester before I take them! haha

I'm so happy to report that my Grandaddy seems to be doing better! Apparently, he is tentatively set for discharge a week from tomorrow. I personally think that's a little premature since he has only been at the rehab for eight days. I know he is getting stronger physically, but I am worried about the quality of speech therapy he would receive as an outpatient. Frankly, I'm worried about the quality of the speech therapy he is currently receiving. I guess that just comes with the territory when you are not able to witness the rehab and can only visit during set visiting hours--the therapists and workers can do whatever they want during the non-visiting hours, I guess. I won't even get started about how I feel about ECM and some new information I learned today. All I can say is, "How frustrating..."

Emma and I have a S Corp tax return to complete, so I guess we should sign off for now and become productive for a change. It's so pretty outside and it's hard to stay inside and study. Especially since I need to get some form of color on my skin for Tiffany's wedding on June 27. This girl is not going to wear black without some semblance of color. And if you currently saw my legs and arms, you would know that I'm not very good at self tanner, even the Jergen's natural glow. I can't have fake tan lines when I'm going to be photographed with the Wedding Party for posterity!

Now on to schoolwork...

Two More Days!

So, I have two more days until I'm finished with this part of my mini-term and until I move to Birmingham! I can't say how happy I am to have a break from these classes. I know work is going to be long and tiring, but coming home and not having homework or tests to study for will be a welcome relief from studying nearly 24 hours a day. Taking multiple Accounting classes in a mini-mester would not be my recommendation, but unfortunately I have to do it again this Summer. I'll deal with that when I get there!

Well, I have got to get off the internet and get ready for my Tax II test tomorrow. I'm going to bed at a decent hour, not watching tv before going to sleep, and getting up in time to shower and get some more study time in tomorrow morning.

I hope everyone is doing well! I'll try to be better about updating once these last two tests are behind me!

What's going on...

Today hasn't been too productive. Emma and I slept in this morning since we were so busy last week with doctor's appointments, classes, and tests. I eventually made some lunch and then got dressed to go get my eyes checked. Thank goodness I took my corporate income tax book with me since I waited for THREE hours before being seen. I had called before I left to try to schedule an appointment, but they were booked for today. However, they told me I could simply walk-in and most likely be seen in 30-45 minutes. Unfortunately for me, today was the busiest day they had ever seen at the Optical Center at Sam's Club! In the end, I was finally seen and got new contacts, so I'll be able to see a little better! I'd put off this appointment much too long, but I really hate having my eyes examined--at least it's over now! :)

I got all of my Chapter 4 reading done for Tax II, so I'm going to work my homework problems in a few minutes. After that, I have homework problems for Advanced Accounting as well, so I'll try to get that done too! I'd really like to go to sleep early though since I haven't been sleeping too well lately since I had to take a steroid pack for a sinus infection. Hopefully these homework problems won't take too long and Emma and I can get to bed before long!

Tomorrow, I need to read my Advanced Accounting text for our section on Derivatives (no, not the calculus kind!).

These mini-term classes are so intense and I'm very happy that we only have nine more class days before breaking to begin our Internships. I'm so excited to move to Birmingham, get to spend more time with my Uncle, and make money!

Test Time Already

This minimester is not going to be as simple as I'd hoped. Although I have taken Accounting classes in Summer School, I haven't taken two challenging courses at the same time. This summer I had one Accounting class and one more throw-away class each minimester. This time, I really can't get behind since I have a test in Advance Accounting Topics on Tuesday and then a test in Tax II on Thursday. I really don't completely understand Deferred Taxes, the topic for our Advanced test, yet so I know I have some work ahead of me this afternoon.

I haven't gotten much besides some Tax reading today since I have had a horrible headache. On top of all the sickness I have had since Christmas, I now have a Sinus Infection. Mom took me to Urgent Care yesterday morning and I got a steroid shot, a Z-pack, and a Steriod Dose Pack. I'm not usually one to complain about getting shots since a few years ago I realized how much faster a shot can make you feel better, but that one sure hurt. The Nurse said it would be a little sting, but it was FAR, FAR from a little sting! I can't remember the last time a shot has hurt so bad. I actually cried afterward because it didn't sting as much as it HURT! I sure wish all of the medicine would help the pressure I'm feeling in my head. My right eye is not as swollen since it's not running as much anymore. I was starting to look like Quasi-Moto since my eye was well on it's way to swelling shut!

I'm glad Mom is coming back to Auburn tomorrow. Emma and I are lonely all alone in our condo. I have another Doctor's appointment on Tuesday that Mom wanted to go with me to, so that's why she's coming back. She didn't have a car here since she drove me down last Monday, but this time she'll have her own wheels! Daddy is going out of town in the morning for a trip to Pennsylvania. I don't know how long he will be gone on this trip. I wish he could have spent more time down here with us yesterday, but he has too much going on right with TVA. I really wish he wasn't on-call this month so maybe a few of the people constantly bugging him would leave him alone. With all the stuff that has happened at Kingston and now Widow's Creek, the poor thing hasn't had a break in weeks! He is desperately in need of some R&R.

Well, I need to take Emma outside and get back to studying. It's not easy since it's so cloudy and dreary here today. The sun did not make it out all day long.

Spring Semester Begins

Today is the first day of my next-to-last semester of undergraduate work! My class schedule is quite different this time because of my upcoming internship. I have classes until January 30 every day from 11:00-12:30 and from 3:30-5:00. Then, starting February 2, I will work full-time in Birmingham. Finally, in mid-April, I will move back to Auburn and have a few more days of classes from April 20-28 (I think that's the end date). Then I will take finals in Auburn and shortly after that start my final semester as an Undergrad.

I really don't think these summer school-like classes will be so bad since I have had both professors in the past and really like both of them. I know the classes will be challenging, but I didn't mind daily classes and everything that goes with it this past summer. I think it makes it a little easier knowing that you don't have time to slack off because you'll have that class again the very next day rather than every other day like classes usually are.

I've got around an hour until I have to leave again, so I think I'll go back to my office and clean up a little. I'm trying to get rid of some of my extra "stuff"--especially old class notes from years ago that I will never look at again. I don't even know why I kept many of these things--like I'll ever actually look at old class notes again! I have plenty of storage space since I have two closets, but my closet in my room is exploding, so I'm getting rid of some things to make room. Clothes are priority one when it comes to proper storage, aren't they? haha

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...

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! : )

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!

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.

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)

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...