I'm a Lucky girl.

Finals tally: 2 papers done, 3 tests taken, 1 test to go.

Yesterday I had my last scheduled final. It was in my favorite class--immigration law. It was three hours of non-stop crazy typing and I loved it. All I have to say is I better get a good grade in that class. After the final I came home and fell asleep for 3 hours. It was an afternoon final, which  means I feel asleep around 6pm. I was so tired. After 4 nights of 4 hours of sleep each, my body just crashed. I don't know how new moms do it! Anyways, I woke up at 9pm, completely confused, watched a couple of episodes of Criminal Minds, then went back to sleep and didn't wake up until 9:30am this morning. It was amazing! I had forgotten what it was like to get more than 6 hours of sleep at a time. I'm seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. I just have to finish this take home final and I'll be free!

Oh, and want to know why I am such a lucky girl? Because my husband knows how to make me happy when I am "a train wreck," as he calls it. He brought home this lovely box of my favorite Lucky Charms and said I didn't have to share. What a sweetheart. I love that man.

Monday April 18, 2011 12:54 a.m.

See that beauty? It's my final research paper for my negotiation class that I had absolutely no time to write. Friday night I had no idea what my thesis would be. My research was hardly started. I hadn't written one single word. Furthermore, I didn't have all weekend to work on it as I have two other finals to study for. So, the fact that it is complete, that I feel that it is an actually decent paper, and  that it's ready to turn in hours before its 5:00pm deadline later this evening is nothing short of a miracle. In fact, Friday night I prayed that Heavenly Father would give me the strength and ability to get everything done I needed to this weekend. I must say, he has answered my prayer.

Last night I studied by candle light. . .

. . . not because I am terribly romantic like that, but because our power went ka-putz AFTER the electric company visited our apartment complex. True, there were 60mph winds and I did hear a huge explosion, so there was probably good reason they turned off our power. I just wished it had happened on a night where my husband wasn't in class and I didn't have a crazy amount of studying to do. It would've been nice to snuggle with my love by candle light. 

Alas, I studied professional ethics and now my eyes hurt from reading in dim light. Also, I learned that when you burn multiple (read 8) scented candles of differing varieties at the same time, you should be prepared for a fragrance overload headache.  

Yellow

Val and I getting ready to run the Rex Lee a few weeks ago Yes, we did sport those fantastic yellow headbands the whole time. How cool are we? 

Val kicked some sweet buns of love (as my mother would say) with an awesome time. My biggest accomplishment is that my knee didn't kill me afterward. You know what that means. More running is in my future! Hooray!

Ok, back to studying. As you can tell, my iPhone is a big distraction. Guess I need to lock it in the other room  for the next week or so.  

Finals Must Haves

Alright! It's that time of year again--the time of year where I study my brains out, get no sleep, blog too much, and consume way too much Diet Coke. 

FINALS!

Just thought I'd share some "must haves" for all of you who might wonder what a law student needs to get through these awfully stressful weeks.

Exhibit #1: Laptop with side monitor. All your notes will not fit into one screen, thus the need for two. 

Exhibit #2: An awesome study chair. Your rear end will be in that chair for hours on end, so make sure it's comfy! (Thanks to my hunky husband who let me splurge on this beauty!)

Exhibit #3: Slippers. Let's be honest, these are a must have no matter what time of year it is.

Exhibit #4: Diet Coke with Lime to get you through. Really, any caffeinated soda will do. Some prefer Red Bull, but it makes my heart race and that scares me. Be prepared to consume your beverage of choice  from 9am until you finally pass out at night. If you start showing the signs of overdose (jitters, racing heart, etc.) you might want to hold off for a few hours until you start lagging again. 

Well, I'm all set. Notice I didn't mention motivation, although that probably is an essential too. I better go look for some. 

Nerts

I have to admit, I have an addiction. It's called NERTS on my iPhone. I just can't help it. I was first introduced to this game 2 years ago at a family reunion. As you probably guessed, I really stank at it, like I do most card games. So, when I saw this FREE app, I thought I'd give it a try, hoping that maybe next time I play with the family I wouldn't lose so badly if  practiced a little. That was the start of the addiction. Pretty soon, Joe was threatening to delete it off my phone because he said he was worried about me. I won't tell you how many hours I think I've played. It's so sad. 

Last night we played games with our good friends the Hulmes and the Steeles. Guess what we played. Guess who won!! 

Yeah, it was sweet. 

Now this is what I call March Madness

Before I became Mrs. Flager, I didn't know that much about sports. However, being married to the biggest sports nut I know has quickly changed that. This is the first time I have EVER filled out a March Madness bracket. Heck, last year I didn't even know what March Madness was. (It's the college basketball playoffs for those of you like me.) 

Anyway, the law school has a bracket pool and I thought it would be fun for Joe and I to fill out some brackets and see how we did against each other and the school. I am Flager1 and he is Flager2. Will you look at that! I'm beating him! Now, that may not seem like a big deal to many of you, but believe me, it is. Joe is so good at everything, I feel like I can hardly keep up. So when a moment like this occurs, I have to glory in in it!

By the way, can you believe that I am third out of everyone in the law school? Neither can I.

P.S. I am SO proud of my BYU cougars making it to the Sweet 16! Go Cougars!

Happy March everyone!

(Disclaimer: Joe may have helped me a bit in putting the bracket together. But, I assure you, it is my own picks that are putting me in the lead. )

I Wish . . .

. . . I had time. Time to read all my homework assignments, do all my legal research, finish all my class outlines, do all my practice questions, and write my research paper. Time to get a full 8 to 9 hours of sleep every night. Time to blog, write letters to old friends, craft, bake, cook new things, decorate my house, have all my laundry actually clean, folded, and put away. Time to have a long chat on the phone with my mother, sister, grandma, aunt, mission companion, mother-in-law, or friend. Time to clean out my coat closet, linen closet, under my kitchen sink, and our extra bedroom/office. Time to write meaningful letters to my missionary brothers and my other sweet siblings. Time to practice playing guitar, to paint, to do yoga, and hike. Time to go to the gym, shop for fun, and dance in my kitchen. Time to really enjoy a good novel. Time to travel to Moab, Zions, California, Oregon, and New York City. Time to lay in bed and cuddle with my husband until I was ready to get up (which probably wouldn't be until at least 2 p.m.). Time to play Ticket to Ride, Settlers, or Dominion. Time to watch all the March Madness games and see that my bracket is actually beating my husband's. Time to have a picnic, see a play, or go to the hot springs nearby.

Time, time, time.

Sometimes I wish we had a 36 hour day, but then I think, even that wouldn't be enough.

Goodbye to an Old Friend.

In a few short hours, I will be saying goodbye to this Old Friend

OK, just one of them. But this pic is when I got a replacement a few years ago.

And saying hello to this NEW Friend

Old Friend has been very good to me these last 4 (count them, FOUR) years. But lately he has gotten tired and broken and is ready to retire. Thus, New Friend is taking his place and I am SO EXCITED to have a phone that actually works!

Today.

6:00am--Wake up
6:15am--Get out of bed, shower, get ready
7:05am--Kiss Husband as we both run out the door, realize it snowed again
7:20am--Arrive at school, it is still dark outside
7:25am--At desk at school, check email, Facebook, and news
7:30am--Study Business Associations, finish outline, go over class slides, listen to lectures
9:50am--Realize that I am wearing black jeans and a brown coat. Lock coat in desk
10:00am--Class (Professional Responsibility), shiver through class
11:00am--Girl talk with Rachel and Lauren
11:15am--Study group, go over Business Associations
12:50am--Bathroom break and grab an orange and a granola bar from my desk for lunch
1:00pm--Class (Immigration Law), eat orange and granola bar
1:20pm--Go back to desk and study more Business Associations
3:00pm--Take Business Associations MIDTERM, be surprised that it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be
4:00pm--Start source verification for the legal journal edit
7:00pm--Still doing edit and realize that I am hungry. The sugar from the granola bar and orange has run out.
7:45pm--Pack up and drive home, car is FREEZING, it is still dark outside, realize I never saw the sun today
8:05pm--Arrive home to empty cold house, turn on heater so it is warm when husband gets home from class
8:10pm--Microwave Smart Ones dinner, celery stalks, and Chuck
8:45pm--Get back to editing assignment
9:40pm--Husband gets home! Kiss husband.
10:15pm--Husband goes to bed. Kiss him goodnight. Keep working on edit.
11:05pm--Finish edit
11:06pm--Check Facebook
11:10pm--Update resume and fill out application for ILMR Journal Board Member position
11: 39pm--Submit application (20 mins before the deadline!)
11:40pm--Read news, wonder what will happen in Egypt
11:55pm--Start this blog post, feel like it has been a productive day
12:05pm--BED TIME!!