I made it!

This first semester of law school for my husband has been a breeze for me. Ha! My poor hubby. I feel like these last few months have been the first time in a really long time that I have not had any big stressors in my life. Most people told us that the first year of law school would be hell (and well- it may be for my hubby but he's takin' it like a champ!) but I have an easy job and I'm not going to school. I don't have a crazy boss anymore and we are living closer to family which makes things a bit easier for me.

The only goal I have had this semester is to study and do well on my GMAT test so I could start the MBA program here at Samford. Well, I took the test on November 7th and (needing a 480) walked out with a 670. Yay!! Exactly one week later I received my acceptance letter into the program. So hello late night classes, coffee runs and cramming for tests, and goodbye stress free weekends, early bedtimes (which I oh so love!) and free time.

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Updates...

It's been awhile so I figured I should post some recent pictures. I finally made it home to hold my nephew- although he is growing so fast I feel like I'm missing it all! Slow down!

Also, we had an unexpected tragedy in our family as my Uncle Tim died suddenly on September 10, 2009. He was probably the most jovial man I ever met and will be greatly missed. Here is a pic of Tim, his wife Diane and his two boys Robert and Ryan. And pics of my family when I went home for the funeral...

Also, Noel and I have taken in a cat named Mr. Ernest Hemingway (soon to be changed if we decide to keep him!). He is a polydactyl cat- meaning he has more toes that normal. :) 22 in all. 6 on each front paw and 5 on each back paw.

Here is a little background info on Hemingway cats:

They were introduced into the U.S primarily via ships in Boston. Sailors valued polydactyls for their extraordinary climbing and hunting abilities and considered them to be extremely good luck when at sea. Polydactyly appears to improve the dexterity of the cat. The extra toes enable the cat to learn and perform feats of manual dexterity generally not observed in other cats, such as opening latches or catching objects with a single paw.

Nobel Prize-winning author Ernest Hemingway was one of the more famous lovers of polydactyl cats, after being first given a six-toed cat by a ship's captain. Upon Hemingway's death in 1961, his former home in Key West, Florida, became a museum and a home for his cats, and it currently houses approximately fifty descendants of his cats (about half of which are polydactyl). Because of his love for these animals, Hemingway cat, or simply Hemingway, is a slang term which has come to describe polydactyls.

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One day...I will hit you with a tomato!

La Tomatina is the annual festival in Spain during which over one hundred tons of tomatoes are thrown at the nearest victim. It takes place every August and is the absolute largest food fight ever. How fab-frickin-tabulous! I have to do this before I die!

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Crab Fettucine

Noel and I were at Publix the other day (for some reason I always spend more when he goes with me!) and Noel saw some snow crab that he decided he would like to cook for dinner. And by "he would cook" I of course, mean I would cook. :) Which I must admit is not really a burden- I enjoy cooking for us and he helps out with the dishes so I can't complain. But back to the crab- the dish turned out looking so good that I thought I would take a pic since I made homemade sauce and everything- turned out to be pretty tasty as well. A little sweet but of course, crab meat is really sweet to begin with. Maybe next time I will use a little more white wine and lemon juice...

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Elegant and Charming Plant

Ok, so it's been awhile since I've seen anything in the headlines even remotely interesting in the field of botany. Here is a portion of an article from the London Times of the the recently discovered giant rat-eating plant:

Nepenthes attenboroughii, a previously unknown variety of pitcher plant discovered on a remote mountain in the Philippines, is so big that small rodents could be trapped inside and slowly dissolved by flesh-eating enzymes.

It is thought that only a few hundred of the plants exist, growing only on one mountain on the island of Palawan. The species was discovered by a team of scientists who had heard reports from missionaries who got lost in the dense jungle...

Sir David told The Times that it was a great honour to have the species named after him. He said that the nepenthes family were “very dramatic plants. I’ve always thought they are remarkable things, very elegant and charming.” Click here for full article.

The best part of this article is the quote by Sir David that calls the rat-eating plant "very elegant and charming." Ha! I love it! I have to agree that it is a beautiful plant and I can even see why he would call it elegant because of its graceful lines. But charming? I suppose it has to get the rat to jump in somehow- guess that's the "charming" part?

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Just a moment to brag...

I was going through some old photos and found one of my favorites. Noel wasn't feeling too well and sacked out on the couch. Jasper decided to snuggle up with him and before I knew it they were both out cold. My two boys...

Also worthy of good brag time- Noel officially begins his first year of law school tomorrow. I don't think I have ever seen him so passionate and excited to follow a course of study and path in life. I am so very proud of him! You may not be able to read it in this pic but the name of the Cumberland School of Law building is Memory Leake Robinson Hall. How ironic!

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Noms!

My handsome husband just turned 27 this past week so I made cupcakes with homemade peanut butter frosting- nom nom nom! One of my favorites especially when paired with a fresh ice cold glass of milk. Ahhh yes- baking makes me happy. This is definately one of those "little things".

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Bryce Carter Anderson

Just call me Auntie Devon! Bryce Carter Anderson came screaming into this world at about 6:10pm on Friday August 7, 2009. A big boy weighing 8lbs 14oz and 21 inches long. Noel and I had to leave late Friday night so I haven' t been able to hold him yet- talk about torture! I watched him have his first bath but I can't wait to get back up to Clarksville so I can hold him and welcome him to this world. All my love to my brother and sister-in-law...what a precious family. I'm proud to be a part of it.

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Can't Wait!!

So the first grandchild- my nephew- is due to be born any minute now. My poor sister-in-law is overdue by just a few days but I know they are more than ready to meet their son! His name will be Bryce Carter Anderson- a very grown up name for such an itty bitty boy but he will grow to make his parents (and Aunt!) very proud. I look forward to spoiling him and sending him home to mom and dad (*evil laugh* ah hahahaha). I know Noel is looking forward to being an Uncle as well- we need a baby to oooh and aaaah over for a few years- call it a trial run. :)

Pictures will be posted soon...hope to travel to Clarksvegas to be there for the little miracle.

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So this blogging thing...

So I have decided to dive in head first, jump on the bandwagon and drink the kool-aid- I have started a blog. I'm not a very intraspective person so I figure this might be the best way to stay in touch with those I love and maybe find a little bit more of myself in the process. Be patient with me! I'll share a little of my world and I hope to hear back from you.

A little about me...I like the little things. The things that make you do the happy dance... (Everyone does it! Just watch people at a good restaurant- they do the happy dance when they eat something they love.) I'm married to the love of my life. You can check out his blog at http://www.noelbagwell.com/. He focuses many of his posts on current events, politics and a few random things. I'm starting small and just focusing on the everyday....the little things. :)

We have just moved and are starting out as students- AGAIN. Noel is in law school and I will be pursuing my MBA while working full-time. I have decided to take a semester off before I begin my masters so I am hopeful that I will have time to dedicate to writing and investing in the things I love. More to come- stay tuned!

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