Quick Update

We're here and still alive. Two days of the Bar down and one to go. Yesterday was not as bad as I thought. Today wasn't bad, but I don't feel as confident as I did yesterday. Of course Charles always thinks he does well.

So we also have something exciting going on while we're trying to concentrate on the test. We finished up testing yesterday, got back to our room (we're staying at the hotel where the test is administered), and had an email with an offer contract for our house. Turns out the low-ball offerers from a couple of weeks ago came up on their offer. That was good and all, but then our realtor calls and tell us that we have ANOTHER offer.

What are the odds of that? Our house has been on the market for six months and now we have two offers on the same day. I'll spare you the details of numbers and contingencies - but the short version is that we currently have two pretty good offers, neither are contingent, both want to close April 1. So basically our realtor has just been going between them and letting them know when they have been outbid, and they raise their offer. We haven't had to do anything yet. We're just waiting to see if the bidders who are losing at the moment want to raise their offer. I guess eventually one of them will drop out of the race and we'll sign a contract with the winner.

I told my mom that I think there were so many people praying for us this week with the Bar, that it was more than we needed and it spilled over onto our house. I know not to get my hopes too high - both buyers could bolt simultaneously. But it looks good right now - so no one stop praying or crossing fingers or anything.

So that's our news. We're headed to eat dinner with Charles' parent and the girls, then back to our room to cram in some last minute studying before tomorrow. Tomorrow is 40% of the test, so wish us luck!

Fitting

Well I had a very "fitting" 30th birthday yesterday. Instead of going out to dinner with friends as planned, I spent the evening with a stomach bug. I was mildly nauseas most of the day but managed to convince myself I was fine until late afternoon. I even made it through a pedicure and facial before finally admitting I was sick. Although after several complaints to Charles about how I didn't feel well, he finally informed me that this is just what being 30 feels like, and he just didn't have the heart to tell me before now.

I'm feeling much better today. My mother-in-law is trying to make me stay in bed, but I really must study. The Bar starts in 10 days!!! And I still have a LOT more to learn.

So speaking of the bar, and my in-laws, I suppose a general update is overdue. First of all, I apologize to everyone who has not received return phone calls, or emails, and to friends and family who check the blog faithfully to find no new pictures or anecdotes. I'm also sorry to my children who haven't seen me in two weeks, and to my mother-in-law who has probably seen way too much of my children the last two weeks. This is just the nature of the beast, a.k.a. The Bar. I do not know how it is possible to study so much, yet still feel like you know nothing. The amount of information you're responsible for knowing is mind blowing. We will get through it though, and hopefully pass the first time!

We are still living with Charles' parents. We planned on moving into a nice rental house at the beginning of January. The house was actually for sale but had been on the market several months, so the owners had decided they would lease it to us since they had already purchased a new house. The catch was that they were doing some remodeling at their new house to accommodate their FIVE children, and didn't know exactly when they could move out. Long story short, the move date kept getting pushed back and back, and finally it was February, and we just couldn't take the time off from studying to move - although I'm not even sure they have moved out yet. Doesn't matter though because turns out they got an offer on the house last week - so the lease is off.

I'm trying not to worry about it too much until after the Bar, but we have got to find somewhere to go as soon as we finish. My in-laws have been very gracious to let us stay this long, and we are getting quite spoiled to the laundry being done and meals prepared, but in the best interest of everyone involved we will be moving out. Our house in Oxford still has not sold. We have had two low-ball offers since we put it on the market in September. Traffic had really picked up in the last month, but seems to have slowed down again. Nothing we can really do except wait it out. We've looked at probably 50 houses in Jackson, and haven't really found "the" house. This is a good thing I think, since I'm not dying to buy a particular house yet, it takes some of the pressure off not having sold ours. But since we have no idea how long it may take to sell ours, and we don't want to be stuck with two mortgages for an extended amount of time, we will be looking for another rental house. To those of you who have not had to think about rental houses in many years, be glad. The majority of prospects for rentals are quite grim.

Anyway, time to wrap it up. Below are some pictures from Carlisle's Valentine party at school yesterday. And I promise that in March there will be many more updates and pictures.

When not studying for the Bar...

When not studying for the Bar...
Originally uploaded by sscopela

Make it stop

Time, that is. I just got home from one of my good friend's 30th birthday party (and of course my 30th is less than a month away - Feb 14th for those needing to mark your calendars), to find this thing pictured above. A 10 inch long gray hair. Aghhhhh!!!!

I'm wondering how it got to be so long without being spotted. Sneaky stuff that gray hair. I'm sure it's not the only one, I'm off to look for more. My hairdresser told me it isn't true that if you pluck a gray hair three more grow in its place. I'm going to trust him on this.

Life in the Fast Lane

I think in the Eagle's song the next words are "surely make you lose your mind..."

Well, I may not be about to lose my mind, but I am tired. I guess I could lose my mind, check back in a few weeks, closer to bar exam time.

Haven't blogged in a while, and this one isn't going to be long. Just wanted to write a few lines, show you a few pics of what we've been up to.

We are in Jackson, although still living with the in-laws. The girls have started school and they both really like it. The first few pictures below are of their first days of school at their respective schools. Carlisle has to wear a "uniform", but for this year the uniforms are these pretty cute T-shirt dresses. Next year she has to wear the "real" one.

The last two pictures are from a new game restaurant/pizza buffet/Chuckee Cheese type place where Jessica and I took the girls for lunch last week. I abhor Chuckee Cheese, but this is nicer than a Chuckee Cheese and the girls really had fun. That's Libby with Carlisle. They are pretty much attached at the hip.

We are really enjoying Jackson. We're staying really, really busy between work, studying, the kids, and all the fun things our friends here plan. Oh and Carlisle just had her first ballet lesson and is starting soccer soon. I guess things will get even busier!

Happy New Year!!!

Charles and I had quite the New Year's fun. We went the Mississippi Museum of Art with a group of friends. It was nice to get all dressed up on New Year's for a change. I think that the last several years we have usually been in bed before the ball dropped. New Year's is also the anniversary of our engagement (8 years ago), so I like to celebrate, even though Charles says that once you get married the only anniversary that counts is the wedding date. Typical man, trying to get away with only remembering one day.

Anyway, a really fun night. But it also led to New Year's Resolution number 1 - which is to never, ever drink that much again.

Christmas Morning

I know, it is several days after the New Year now, and I'm just now posting some pics. But better late that never. We've been in Jackson and Georgia, and just got home after 2 weeks of travel yesterday.

The girls had a wonderful Christmas. Spoiled rotten as usual. Santa brought Carlisle a princess scooter, and Rainey a bike with no pedals (supposed to push it with their feet, learn to balance). Of course Rainey won't go near her bike and wanted Carlisle's scooter. So by the time we returned from Georgia, Santa had visited again and left Rainey a Dora scooter. Santa and all the Grandparents also brought numerous other gifts, which I now must find a home for. Which is hard to do since I am currently packing up our house, and it is starting to seem like our new house may never become vacant. (Read between the lines: we're living with the in-laws).

So here are some pictures of the girls. Also a movie of Charles trying out his favorite gift.

Her Royal Highness Duckmaster Carlisle

I'm sure most of you have seen or at least heard of the ducks that swim in the fountain of the Peabody hotel in Memphis. They march from their home on the roof, down in the elevator, through the lobby and into the fountain each morning and return the way they came each evening.

This past weekend Carlisle and Julianna (Charles' cousin's daughter) traveled to the Peabody with Charles' mom and Aunt Nan, so that the girls could be Duckmasters. Which means they got to walk the ducks from the fountain to the roof on Saturday afternoon. They made a fabulous weekend out of it. Shirley Temples, the Rendezvous, a carriage ride. I'm a little jealous.

Envirosax

I promised to post about my gift from the Dirty Santa party with my college friends. Well Beth had already announced that the gift she brought for the game was a "statement" gift - which I think scared most players off. Katie was brave and opened the gift. Turns out it was something I had been thinking about purchasing lately, so I quickly stole it when my turn came.

It was a fabulous One Eye Toad T-shirt (although that wasn't the statement part) AND a set of five Envirosax, which are reusable shopping bags that fold up really small and hold about as much as two grocery sacks each. After spending about eight weeks total in Europe over the last year, I have become more conscious of my consumption practices. In Europe you really don't find Super Walmarts where you go and load up on gallons of milk, cases of diet coke, then fill up 42 plastic bags with your groceries. Most people carry their own reusable bags to the store. So especially since we have been home, I feel so guilty each time I return from the grocery, put away the groceries, ball up all the bags and stuff them in the trash.

I am thrilled with the bags, and encourage you to get some for yourself. Just think of all the plastic waste that would be reduced if we all used reusable shopping bags.

Catching up

Well, it's Christmas Eve. I haven't posted much the last week or so, but we've been busy with holiday bustle, as I'm sure most of you have been.

Since I last posted we have gone to Jackson to get Charles settled in his new job, returned to Oxford to pack for a couple of days, gone to Jackson again, which is where we are now. Carlisle also took a trip to Memphis this past weekend with Charles' mom (aka DeeDee). I'll make a new post with pictures from her trip.

I think we are finished with our shopping, at least all we're going to do - since it's almost 5 o'clock on Christmas Eve. Rainey is pretty sure that Charles' dad (aka PopPop), and not Santa, is coming down the chimney. I'm not really sure, but if he does, I'll be sure to take pictures.

The day after Christmas, the girls and I are headed to Georgia to visit with my family. So everyone wish me luck on the 7 or 8 hour car ride with the girls by myself. However, driving that far with them will definitely be better than the alternative - which would be going back to Oxford to continue packing our house. You would think that as many times as Charles and I have moved (this will be the 7th time in 7 1/2 years of marriage) that we would manage to not have a lot of junk. Not the case. Packing is a nightmare. Once we get settled in Jackson, I may never move again. It also doesn't help that the girls can unpack a box faster than I pack it - so I actually think we're making reverse progress - just a bigger mess.

Merry Christmas! Hope Santa is good to you all.