Law School Outings

A fab shot of the boys at the Super Bowl game

I swear that those kids never actually do any studying.

But I know that’s not true. Because during exam times, I hardly get to see my husband except when I bring him food so he can actually sustain all those studying hours.

In just the month of February, we have been to:

1. A Blues game
2. On-campus arena for a basketball game
3. Old on-campus arena for a rousing game of floor hockey
4. Engaged couples’ apartment for a Super Bowl party
5. Karaoke at a local dive bar
6. The Rep to see the Scottish Play

Plus a ton of coffee shops so me and the hubs could study together.

I just wish I had their energy!

Speaking of floor hockey, this is husband’s shirt for the law school softball team. He wore it to play floor hockey this weekend. We’ve been talking about what to call him on the blog and he suggested this nickname. I vetoed it because the abbreviation would be BS. Am I right on that one? We still haven’t agreed on a blog-appropriate nickname.

What I’m Loving Wednesday

1. Good news – but I hate not being able to talk about it! I guess that’s the downside of a semi-anonymous blog. Who knows who’s reading this thing, so therefore, I can’t put certain things out on this forum. In any case, I’m excited for some small good news, that will hopefully turn into more and bigger news that I can talk about!
2. The CVS pharmacist - they really do know what they’re talking about – the sinus and allergy med he suggested has made today much more bearable than yesterday.
3. Life - A friend of mine who deals with kids has to deal with a child’s death today. It’s so tough – I have no idea what to say to her. I’m just glad I get to hug her at the end of the day and remind her that God is with her too at this time of grief.
4. Wednesday means it’s halfway through the week! Yay for Hump Day!

Five Question Friday

1. Have you worn the same outfit more than one day in a row?

The only time I have done this is when I’ve been hanging out around the house and put on the same pair of pajamas  two days in a row. I don’t think I’ve ever done it when I’ve actually left the house.

2. If you had to choose any LARGE city to live in, which would it be?

We live in a relatively big city, I think, but I’m hoping Husband gets a job in Dallas (where Mom lives) or maybe Chicago. Those would both be fun places to live!

3. Fly or drive with the kids on vacation?

Seeing as I don’t have kids yet, that’s a hard question. ;) I do love road trips [I fell in love with my husband on one!] but flying is just SO much easier.

4. What is your idea of "spring cleaning"?

I wish that I could do more of this – it’s basically doing a regular clean and wishing I had time to do a deeper clean.

5. What is the best book you have ever read?

My mother suggested that I read “The Clan of the Cave Bear” – and I fell in love with this series. If you’ve never read it, Jean Auel creates a world where a young girl is separated from her family in the prehistoric past when saber-tooth tigers still roamed. Oh my goodness, it’s just amazing, how she lives on her own, manages to sustain herself and then finds her kin throughout the book. I think she’s about to release the 6th book in the series and I can’t wait!

See how others answered the same question at My Little Life.

I’m Just Feeding the Addiction

Did you know that I’m a Disney freak? I’m not sure how you could have missed it. See my picture in the header with my Minnie ears? :) Yeah, Walt Disney World has pretty much been my favorite place to vacation since my husband took me there after we got engaged in 2006. I fell instantly in love.

Over the past few years and five trips, I’ve “drank the koolaid” more and more. Some would say I’m a bigger Disney fan than my dear husband!

But the other day, he found something that beat me in the fan category. He found the WDW Countdown app for the iPhone.

It costs a whole $0.99. But it’s so much fun! It tells you how many days left until your next trip and you can customize the pictures and the decorations around the picture.

During an especially early work event today, I had my phone with me and I must say, I checked out how many days are left a few times – it made me smile. :)

It was silly to spend the dollar, but it was Husband’s fault! He had one, so I had to get it too.

But it does make me happy – and that’s what it’s all about right?

*I did not receive any compensation for this review. I just really like the app!*

Happy Valentine's Day

My valentine took me to lunch and brought me these flowers today to make up for having class until 9 pm. Isn't he a sweetie?

A Sad, not Sappy, Valentine’s Day Post

On Saturday night, we had another outing with the law school kids – to the Blues game, in one of those fancy boxes up on the fourth floor of the Scottrade Center. We couldn’t believe it until we walked in! There were a total of three boxes taken up by our dear group – 120 law students and their friends!

But the picture taken above was our view – pretty awesome, right?

Husband and I don’t really go to a lot of Blues games as the tickets are kind of expensive.

But my Dad and I used to go to games all the time. Hockey was one of his favorite sports, and the Blues were his team thru and thru. Number 16, Brett Hull, had his jersey hanging near our box. That was our favorite player when we went to games back in the day.

And that’s when I started crying.

I wish I could have picked up the phone and let Dad listen to the singing of the national anthem from our vantage point. It was amazing. He would have been ready for the puck drop, knowing all the players and their favorite moves. He would have been ready to explain to me what the power play meant or what icing was again.

They say that when you lose someone close to you, the sadness comes and goes. After a few months, I had settled into a routine of not having my dad around. I have gotten used to not being able to pick up the phone and talk to him. I knew that he was gone.

But on Friday night, all those feelings of overwhelming sadness came crashing back and the tears started. Simply because I was in a huge arena watching grown men skate around the ice after a little black thing. Does that make sense? I guess it does if you knew my dad. Because sports were such a huge part of his life.

I guess it also doesn’t help that Valentine’s Day is coming up. Husband and I don’t plan on doing anything big, because he has class, and honestly, it’s a Hallmark holiday. But I’m still hoping for some sweet kisses and a dinner together. I also know that this is Mom’s first one without my dad. So she’s going to get a little surprise – I wish I could tell you what it is, but she reads this blog! I have probably said too much. ;)

In addition to Valentine’s Day, tomorrow marks eight months since Dad passed. So it’s gonna be a tough day. But even with all of these things, I know that Dad is with us. He is with me as I deal with a tough issue at work or when I’m letting someone go in front of me at the grocery store – because he taught me to be a strong woman with a good heart. And that means I carry him whenever I go. No matter what happens.

So hug and kiss your loved ones, because you never know how many more of these days you have with them. Treasure every one of them.

Happy Valentine’s Day, all.

Our Impromptu Spanish Christmas Vacation – Day Ten in Mijas and Madrid

Unfortunately, there aren’t really any pictures from the last two days in Spain. We had already been to Madrid, so no need to take pictures there, and I might get arrested if I take pictures in the airport.

Our last day at the condo, we got to sleep in and then figure out how to get all of our stuff in the bags again. It it truly amazing how much we bought over the past week! We are so thankful for an extra packed bag that we had been able to bring!

After managing to stuff everything into our bags and checking out of the condo, we drove to Malaga to catch the train to Madrid. Once in Madrid, we ended up needing two taxis for us and our stuff to the hotel.

This hotel was so random – since it was New Year’s Eve, all the places wanted to charge us double rack rate. Um, no, thanks! We went down the list in the Rick Steves books, calling everyone suggested hotel. The last one in the last section was this awesome little hostel (not like you’re thinking) that’s run by a Spanish grandma. I made the reservation completely in Spainsh, because she doesn’t speak a lick of English! I was quite proud of myself for doing all of that.

Ok, so it was totally lame, but after dinner, but we were cold and tired and I wasn't feeling well, so we rang in the New Year in our hotel room watching the Spanish Dick Clark. Brother was so annoyed with the three of us, because you could literally hear the revelers at the big plaza two blocks away.

But that’s ok. Because 2011 was going to be hundreds of times better than 2010.

It’s the only way he got me to play a video game

This little lovely came in the mail today. A few days ago, I saw it was on sale at Newegg and decided that for $30, I might as well take the plunge. It’s a video game and it has Mickey Mouse in it? I might actually like to play it.

And after all, I do have this goal of playing five video games with my husband. So yeah, it was a perfect fit.

When I got home, Husband had it set out and ready to go. The Wii was already plugged in and I had the Wii remote and nunchuck in hand within minutes of walking into the house.

There were a few scenes that set up the whole story and showed you where to go and what to do. Then there’s Gus, some kind of Gremlin or something, that helps you figure out what you’re supposed to do – spin move here, use thinner here to remove rocks, paint this area so you can walk across a crevice, that kind of thing.

My husband was remarkably patient in teaching me the simple things about a video game – how to jump from one rock to another, when there is a little gap. That sounds relatively easy, no? Apparently I don’t have the video game playing gene that my dear brother got.

I finally got that move down and was doing well with the painting and the thinning, trying to move up the levels. I think it will be fun to play again, but I’m not sure I’ll give up scrapbooking to take up playing video games.

But spending time with my husband as he teaches me about something I don’t know anything about? That was a pretty awesome way to spend a Tuesday evening at home.

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Read more about my 101 in 1001 list here.

Our Impromptu Spanish Christmas Vacation – Day Nine in Morocco

This was the last real day of touring on our Spanish trip, the Thursday before New Year’s. We knew it was going to be a long day but we were ready to get up early. We drove to the port town of Tarifa to catch the ferry to our third continent of the trip.

Mohammad, our guide for the day, met us when the ferry docked in Tangier.

He took us to the mini bus and then took us for a tour through the new town and beautiful scenery around the city.

People have been living there for thousands of years - the Phoenicians made it here before Christ. The Berbers are the original Moroccans. They set up shop and were then taken over by many different people, including Carthage, Rome, the Moors, Spanish, French, English and now, themselves.

 

Tangier was also an international city after the French because it was so important to trade - French, Italians, Americans and the Brits ran the city for a bit.

 

Up in the hills, we stopped at a tourist trap – the camel ride! Yes, we rode one.

 

 

After the new city, we stopped at the Cave of Hercules. Legend has it that the mythical hero washed up here back in the day. Walking down the wet steps in the dank cave and turning the corner to see that site - wow.

 

Next was the Cap Spartel, a lighthouse looking over where the Atlantic and Mediterranean Seas meet.

The mini bus dropped us off and we had a walking tour of the old city - saw the Kasbah (fortress)…

…and medina (old city)…

  

   

 

 

So many tiny streets that not even petit taxis can get through. The religions live here all mixed up, al peoples in one area, no matter who they worshipped. It was neat to see. They are modernizing on their own terms. There were many ladies out with headcoverings but some without. Either way seemed to be ok.

 

 

 

  

 

Mohammed dropped us at our lunch place where we had soup, chicken pastille, and chicken couscous followed by baklava and traditional mint tea. Yum!

After lunch, more walking in the old town. Saw the petit socco (picture below) aka the market. Got an introduction to an herbalist and bought some mint tea.

 

Next was the traditional rug shop. Saw lots of gorgeous hand made rugs that probably cost more than M's tuition. But mom fell in love with a few and M didn't stop her, so she bought two! That was fun to bring home. Should have got a picture of how they can wrap up a 6x9 rug to the size of a suitcase. I also got a wall covering for being awesome.

All over the old city, we saw amazing doorways…

 

And beautiful mosques…

Then it was back to the mini bus and the ferry home. It seems like everything should be closer together, but it was still an hour back to the condo. But totally worth the long day.