You've Got Mail ...

I LOVE getting mail.  Checking the mailbox is seriously one of the highlights of my day.  Usually it's just a few bills or a new catalog, but today I got a nice little surprise ... 

A belated birthday present from Katie and Joe!!  Here's what was in it: 

A Marc Jacobs Laptop Sleeve!  Love Love Love M.J.  

Funny Gum:  

They say (in order) "World's Best Beyotch ... References Available Upon Request."  "Don't Have Ugly Children ... As used by the world's most perfect families!"  and "Miracle Birth Control Gum."  Ummm, I LOVE them.  Hilarious.  Especially the one about having ugly children.  Hello Katie and Joe, have you seen me?!  I will not be having ugly children :)  Just kiddddddding, I'm not THAT conceited.  But wouldn't it be great if there was special gum you could eat that ensured your children would be cute?!  

Last but not least, these fun shot glasses were in the package!  I can't wait to use them.  You fill the molds with water, put them in the freezer for a few hours, pop them out of the mold and you've got shot glasses made of ice!!!  How cool is that?  

If you come to my house in the near future, be prepared to take shots, lots of them.  Okay, maybe not lots, but at least one.  

Thanks Katie and Joe for the awesome birthday presents.  Your package made my day and honestly, could not have come at a better time.  Love you both bunches!   

Tonight, J. took me out to dinner at an Italian place we've been meaning to try.  Yumm.  Between him, Katie, Joe and my mom I've been ridiculously spoiled the last two days :)  Keep it up!!!!    

Mother of the Year

If I would have known that my mom would be sending me such great care packages, I would have moved across the country years ago!!  She's great.  For my birthday, she sent me these:

18 cookies from the world's best cookie store, i.e. The Cookie Cottage.  If you don't live in Fort Wayne (and I hope you don't ... sorry Mags) go online and order yourself some.  The iced sugar cookie is the BEST.  

Then ... this little package showed up on my doorstep this morning!

She sure knows the way to my heart :)  CHOCOLATE.  Anyways, my package was FULL of goodies: Chex Mix "Turtle" flavor, Ginger Snap cookies, 7 Layer Bars, Energy Bars, Trail Mix, Cinnamon Bread and Pretzel M&M's!

I LOVE M&M's ... like REALLY REALLY love them.  And they keep coming out with such great flavors.  I am currently hooked on these:  

(Photo courtesy of www.mms.com)

Dark Chocolate Peanut M&M's ... Delicious.  But I hadn't seen these:

(Photo courtesy of www.mms.com)

Yum.  Salty, sweet and crunchy.  I might have a new favorite.  Looks like I will be starting that whole "watch what I'm eating thing" AFTER the bar exam. 

Thanks Mom!!!! 

Frugality at its finest ...

I've been really really really good lately.  I expected not to work this summer since I would be studying for the bar, however I did not expect to have the ridiculous expense of a root canal in mid-June.  So I have been on a MAJOR budget and I am really proud of myself for sticking to it.  I have NOT been spending money.  I know you don't believe me, but really my biggest purchase last week was $2.69 at McDonald's.  And I got a large Coke AND a snack size M&M McFlurry.  Pretty good deal.

Obviously I have to spend money on groceries and other necessities every now and then, but besides that I'm doing really well.  And I'm REALLY proud of myself.  And I'm even more proud of my post-bar celebration plan that I came up with.  I don't get to celebrate with all my friends at home and everyone I know here works, so there's not going to be a lot going on at 10:15 a.m. on Thursday, July 29th.  But, I happen to be taking the bar at the Meydenbauer Center in Bellevue, which just so happens to be next to Bellevue Square, which just so happens to be a REALLY nice mall.  So I'm treating myself.  And it's all going to be funded by gift cards!

And to make things even better, I got a surprise in the mail today.  I had a contact rebate (from my contact purchase in MARCH) and they sent me a postcard about a month ago saying that I didn't qualify for the rebate.  And then guess what showed up in the mail this afternoon?  My rebate ... which came in the form of a $40.00 Visa card.  Perfect for my shopping spree.

So next Thursday, I will be treating myself to:

And something great courtesy of my contact rebate.  So, if you've given me a gift card to one of these places in the past year or so, THANK YOU! 

And then on Friday, I desperately need to find a job because I have a growing wish list of things that I do NOT have gift cards for ... but they really deserve their own post.  

S.E.J.