Confessional Friday

Hey everyone! School has started back up and I'm just over here trying to get back into the swing of things. Let me tell you...the motivation factor for your last semester in law school is non-existent!

Time for my confessions for this crazy week!

1) I confess that my closet is undergoing a major transformation. 

After a few weeks months of not being able to close my closet doors completely, I decided it was time for a closet overhaul. I saw a segment on the Today show about cleaning out your closet and decided to give it a try. See the video here! Basically you take everything out of your closet and make keep, donate, and maybe piles. The maybe items should all be tried on in front of someone so they can help you make the choice about whether to keep them or donate them. I also got new, slim hangers that take up wayyyyy less space than my old plastic ones! It's looking much better, but not quite there yet. Stay tuned for a post on this process!

2) I confess that I won a contest!

Right before Christmas, I entered a contest with the Lincoln Journal Star for $2015 toward the downpayment of a car. AND I WON! I couldn't believe it. Justin and I have been talking about getting a new one for sometime, so this gave us the perfect opportunity to start shopping!

3) I confess that we're doing some "sleep re-training" with Archie...and it's hard!

We've had Archie sleeping in our room with us for quite awhile now, but he was starting a habit of getting up at 3:00, 4:00, and 5:00am. I love my sleep and that was getting real old, real fast. It would be different if I knew he actually needed something but I know he's just doing it for attention. We feed him and let him out before we go to bed around 11 so I know he should be able to hold it until at least 6:00am. Anyway, in an attempt to retrain him to sleep through the night, we've been putting him in his crate during bed time. If we hear him wake up we are supposed to just let him cry it out until we are ready to wake up and he is quiet. So far so good! He's been sleeping until at least 6:30 every day when my alarm goes off and I can deal with that!

4) I confess that my schedule is kicking my butt!

Between classes, work, and my workload in the Civil Clinic right now I barely have a second to breath. Just finding time to write this post was a challenge. Typically, I'm getting to school around 7:30 or so and not getting to leave until 4:00 or later. I'm sure it'll get easier once I'm used to it, but after not doing much over Christmas break, the sudden change to a super busy schedule is really wreaking havoc on me.

That's all I have!

I'm linking up with these fabulous ladies:

Continue Reading...

Currently...

I was inspired to do a post like this one after seeing it on another blog called Running from the Law. I really relate to her as she is an attorney, but still enjoys tons of things outside of work, which I hope I'm able to do as well. I'm always looking for new post ideas and this one seemed great!

Here's what's happening currently in my life...

Making: Myself miserable trying to get a grasp of my spring semester schedule..but I also made tacos for dinner (WIN!)

Reading: Business Structures (My Business Associations textbook. Luckily, it's only pages 1-11 tonight!)

Drinking: Mountain Dew. I told myself I would give up pop for 2015, but life got in the way. There's always tomorrow right? 

Planning: Short term...my life for the next couple weeks trying to balance work, civil clinic, and school. Long term...our May Las Vegas trip! :)

Wanting: The weekend to last forever...and a nap!

Looking: Forward to test driving some more cars! Details on that in another post! :)

Playing: Mind games with myself in order to get all my schoolwork accomplished. 

Wishing: Archie figures out how to behave in the house sooner rather than later!

Enjoying: The new cases I am getting to work on in the Civil Clinic at my school. It's a humbling and intimidating feeling to know that someone's legal fate rests in my hands. 

Missing: My sister...she went back to school in Oklahoma after staying with us for a month over Christmas break. 

Waiting: For Justin to get off work so we can go grab a drink! Not too many however since I have a meeting at 10am to prepare for my trial in two weeks! 

Wasting: Time writing this post when I should be cleaning or studying. 

Wondering: If I'm doing everything I'm supposed to in order to get a job after law school. I've got some major financial goals I want to meet in 2015 and landing a position is crucial to meeting those. I guess only time will tell!

Marveling: At how even though my dogs can't talk...somehow they always know how to tell me exactly what they want. Right now, Archie is begging for food. 

Loving: Life! I've got some super exciting things going on right now!! 

Needing: More hours in a day. Recently, I've been getting to school around 7:45am and usually not leaving until 6pm or so, but I still can't seem to get everything done in a day that I need to. 

Noticing: Myself looking forward to go to school in the mornings. I don't know if that's because it's my last semester and I'm just looking forward to being done, or if it's because I'm actually beginning to enjoy myself. If that's the case I'm glad it took me almost 3 years to figure it out!

Feeling: Tired, tired, tired from lack of sleep, but excited for the end result!

Well...that's all I have! What's happening in your lives? Be on the lookout for details about my car test drives and my first experience in the courtroom!

Thanks for reading and a big shoutout to everyone stopping over from the link ups below!!

Continue Reading...

Travel Adventures: Punta Cana, Dominican Republic

Whenever it gets cold, I start day dreaming about warm places. (Um....it's a forecasted high temperature of 2 degrees here in Nebraska people!!! NO THANKS!)  Couple that with wanting to do a little travel section on the blog and you have this post! I'm doing a little review of our honeymoon destination, Punta Cana, Dominican Republic! Sorry this post is a little long, but I want to make sure all my memories are here!

Background

If you know me, you know I HAVE to be organized and prepared. I started looking for honeymoon destinations about a year before our wedding. I knew I didn't want to go to Mexico (nothing against Mexico...I just felt like that's a Spring Break destination and I wanted a little something different), so eventually I narrowed it down to Jamaica or the Dominican Republic. In the end, we chose the DR based on price and variety of resorts. Fast forward another eight months and endless hours spent on tripadvisor.com and oyster.com and we officially decided on...Barcelo Bavaro Palace Deluxe All-Inclusive Resort. 

Getting There

We were set to fly out of Lincoln the Sunday after our wedding at 6 PM, but mother nature had other ideas. It stormed sooo bad that evening that the plane coming from Chicago was behind schedule so we were delayed. Then once the plane did arrive, there was a malfunction of some electronic portion of the plane so the flight was cancelled. That was NOT what a newlywed on her way to her honeymoon wants to hear! We ended up booking a flight out of Omaha the next morning at 10:00am that would still get us there on Monday, just 9 hours behind what we would have been. 

On our way part II

After what seemed like forever, we finally made it to Punta Cana. Maybe all tropical airports are like this, but Punta Cana's airport was sketchhhhhhy. First, you deplane on the tarmac and are shuttled-bused to the arrival terminal. Although, I don't even know if you can call it a terminal because it's all open air. There are no glass windows anywhere in sight it's so strange! So you get there and there and you walk to the customs line where they charge you $10 to get into the county. (Luckily almost everywhere in this country accepts US currency.) Then, you head to the baggage claim area where there are a host of locals trying to take your bags for you...like seriously they swarm you! After that, they rush you down to the transportation area so you can figure out what bus to get on to take you to the resort. Our guy was really fast so we ended up being the first ones on the bus and having to wait another 30 minutes for everyone else to get there. 

Finally, we got going and two things happened. 1) Our resort was closest to the airport so we got to get off the van first. YAY! 2) We were the first ones on the van so our luggage was at the bottom. So they had to dig it out. When we got it we discovered a wheel had broken. BOO! 

That whole experience was just a whirlwind even though I knew what to expect based on TripAdvisor reviews. I guess I just wasn't expecting it to be THAT fast and crazy. 

Resort

First impressions are a big part of any vacation in my opinion. That being said, Barcelo Bavaro NAILED it! The resort is set back away from the main road quite a way in order to be beachfront. From the main road to the resort entrance is a pristine, palm tree lined road. This road leads up to a two story entrance. Check in is on the top-level of the open air lobby that you can see right through from the front to the ocean on the backside. It was breathtaking and a welcome site after traveling for 12 hours!

This is from the ground floor looking up to the check-in lobby (sorry it's blurry!)

Hospitality

I cannot say enough good things about the hospitality. Not just at the resort, but everywhere we went we were greeted with smiles, "good morning", "hola", "como esta" and the like. It seemed that people were generally enjoying their jobs and seeing guests everyday. As I stated above, the locals were eager to grab your bags and help you with them (for a tip of course), but it was so nice to be treated so warmly that a tip was earned for sure!

Rooms

We had a fantastic room. Because we were on our honeymoon, we were upgraded from the standard room to an ocean view suite!

The view from our porch...how amazing!

The outside of our room had an amazing patio and hot tub! Since the pool was closed when we got there, we decided to hop into the hot tub to relax after a long day of traveling, but because it was dark we couldn't figure out how to drain it sooooo it had to stay filled up until housekeeping came the next day. Whoops!

The inside of our room was pretty great as well. It included a king-sized bed, a daybed, rain-type shower head, robes, slippers, mini-fridge, and stocked mini-bar and snack bar!

It was so relieving to have a super nice room to come back to after a hard day at the beach!

Justin getting in on the photo action as well! 

Also, because we were on our honeymoon, the resort left us some honeymooner's T-Shirts and coupons to be used around the resort. I honestly think I could have stayed here for a month!

Food

I wasn't really expecting much for food after reading the reviews on TripAdvisor, but I thought "we aren't going on a honeymoon to eat, right?" so it didn't really bother me much. When we got to the resort, we had no clue what was included and what was an extra fee. Shortly after arriving, we decided to explore a little bit and look for a snack and something to drink. We found the sports bar, sat down asked our waiter what was included for drinks (everything on the menu that didn't have a price by it was included) so we ordered a couple. After looking around, we saw a little buffet in the corner. Our waiter said that was included as well so we helped ourselves! It had your typical bar food: pizza, quesadillas, burgers, fries, hotdogs, and more. It actually was not too bad! We ended up eating here a lot because we would miss the window for lunch and sometimes dinner for the bigger buffet.

Tequilla Sunrise at the sports bar

After meeting with our on-site travel advisor Andy, he explained that everything was included in our all inclusive package except the French Restaurant. Basically, there was the main buffet that was open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. There was also a restaurant on the other side of the resort (the golf side) called Hoyo 19. It also had breakfast, lunch, and dinner, but was a served dinner not a buffet that didn't require reservations. Then, there were the restaurants that were included and required reservations: Italian, Mexican, Steakhouse, Seafood, Japanese, and Spanish. After talking with him, we made reservations for the Italian and Mexican restaurants, then after talking with some couples we met later in the week, we made a last minute reservation for the Japanese restaurant as well. Since we didn't make the reservations right at check in, we were stuck with either dinner times at 6 or around 9. But we figured since we were on vacation, we were flexible.

The Italian food was okay, but nothing special. I had the Five Cheese Ravioli and while it was good, I wasn't "wowed" by it. By the time we were done with our meals, we got up to leave. Our waiter ran after us and asked if we were sure we were done. When we said yes, he looked at us like we were crazy. We learned later that at all inclusive resorts everyone typically orders from each course including desert.

The Mexican restaurant was next, and it was delicious! We were sat at the grilling table which was really fun. The waiter there was really friendly as well. Justin had chicken fajitas and I had enchiladas and both were really good! We also learned our lesson this time and ordered both an appetizer (chips and queso) and deserts (tres leches cake and tiramisu) which were also realllly good. I think Justin got hooked on tiramisu just from this experience.

The Japanese restaurant was by far our favorite. It was a teppanyaki-style restaurant and we were seated at one of the grill tables. We had a California roll and some dumplings for appetizers, chicken and shrimp for our main courses fixed on the grill, and fried bananas and some type of cake for dessert. We were SO glad we made reservations for this place and if we ever go back, it will be a place we probably eat at more than once!

We also had breakfast one morning at Hoyo 19 (which I LOVED but Justin thought it was just okay).

Overall, I thought the food was better than the reviews indicated. However, I could see that if you only ate at the buffets for your meals you wouldn't be that impressed.

Beach

Can you say anything bad about a beach ever? We had both been to the beach in Florida, but never anywhere in the Caribbean. It was absolutely breathtaking. Pictures really do not do it justice at all.  It was clean, the water was warm, there were plenty of chairs, and there weren't any annoying vendors.

We had a little routine worked out each day where we would wake up, grab breakfast, go to the pool house to grab some towels, then head to the beach. We were always able to find two chairs together where we could lay out. When we'd get too hot, we'd jump in for a swim. The swimming area was nice. It was all roped off so no strange swimming creatures made it too close to shore, but you could also swim all the way to the ropes and still touch in some places. I could not get enough!

Every trip we take we are trying to take a picture of our feet...this will be fun to look back on!

Pool

When we got bored at the beach and/or needed a drink, we would head over to the main pool. We chose the pool with the swim up bar to be our "go-to" spot most of the time (go figure), but they did have another giant pool as well as an "adult's only" pool farther away. I was initially concerned that there would be too many little screaming kids for me to enjoy myself, but because there was a kid-friendly water park on the other side of the resort, there were hardly any kids at the pool with the bar, which was nice.

Lounge area with swim-up bar hut in the background

Our pool of choice

We had fun grabbing unlimited drinks and swimming over to the hot-tub type area and relaxing. It was so amazing.

Bubble pool...jets are turned off here

The bartenders at the swim-up bar were awesome as well. We went to Angel most of the time, who always hooked us up when it came to drinks. We brought our own insulated mugs (great tip from TripAdvisor) so we didn't have to continuously go to the bar for new drinks. Angel would fill up our mugs with whatever we wanted, always with a substantial amount of alcohol. But, even if you're not a big drinker, just the atmosphere at the bar was enough to warrant a trip or two.

Excursions

One of the reasons we met with Andy who I mentioned above was to book our excursions. There were a lot of options, but we are pretty adventurous so we chose two. 

The first was a party boat/snorkeling excursion. We were picked up at our resort by a "van" (the quotation marks are because the vehicle was less of a van than it was a large pick up with bench seats in the back) that then went around to all the other resorts picking up people. Once everyone was collected, the van took us to a beautiful beach where many excursions were departing from. After getting our picture taken with this island creature mascot thing, haggling with the local shop for a totebag, and signing our waiver forms, we were able to board the party boat and get on our way.

The boat was two stories, with an open space in the middle. As soon as we were on our way, there was a safety demonstration and then the dancing began! There were five dancers all dressed up in customary Carnival wear and they put on an amazing show! Before we knew it, we got to the stingray "island". This is an area where they are rehabilitating injured stingrays that cannot go back into the open ocean. We were able to get in the water with them and the handlers, pet them, and see how they swim and eat...so cool! 

We then practiced our snorkling skills in another enclosed area with our guide. We then got back on the boat and were treated to fruit and sodas at the bar. Justin and I were one of the first people back on and the bartender must have known we were drinkers because he said that even though the bar doesn't typically open until after the snorkeling portion of the trip, he would get us drinks now if we wanted...and boy were they strong!! On the way to the snorkeling location the dancers came out and did another dance. 

The snorkeling was the best part in my opinion. They said we could go in the water without life jackets if we signed a waiver. I'm a pretty good swimmer so I signed the waiver and jumped in. Justin kept his life jacket on, but I found it pretty easy to swim without it and it was super fun to be able to dive under the water and look at the fish even closer. Our guide Miguel was amazing at taking our picture! He even swam down with me so I could get a good picture underwater. What a fun experience. 

When we got back on the boat after everyone was given a sandwich and a shot of Mama Juana (delicious) for a toast. 

Overall, it was a great trip and it was fun to swim with some amazing creatures and in the ocean.

The second was the zipline excursion. This excursion was located in the mountains/rainforest, and the van ride was almost an hour long, but it was interesting to go through the villages and see some of the local culture. Our guide on the ride there was great! His name was Patrice, "PJ", or "Monkey Black" as he told us to call him. (He got this nickname because he can hang from one arm and twist all the way around!) He was very informative, telling us about the history of the Dominican Republic, the village culture (there was a funeral going on in one town we went through), and the rules of zip lining. It was great getting to know him!

Once we got to the zip lining location we got geared up and got a lesson in how to ride the lines. The first couple were easy, to get you used to it. This was not an easy excursion...we were sweating by time we got to line 4 of 11! But it is SOOOOO worth it. It was one of the best parts of our honeymoon! The views were amazing and the staff was so nice. Their company helps to support a local school, which we were showed on our drive in. It made us feel good for choosing this excursion. 

Overall

I honestly can't wait to go back. Hopefully we are fortunate enough to be able to return one day. If anyone is thinking about a tropical vacation, I would HIGHLY recommend the Dominican Republic and this resort. 

Continue Reading...

The NEW Resolution: 5 Things to Stop Doing in 2015

Happy 2015 everyone!!

So as most of you can relate, every year I am faced with the challenge of trying to come up with a resolution or two for the next year. And, every year, by the time February or March rolls around, those resolutions seemed to have slipped my mind. As I was thinking about my 2015 resolutions, I stumbled across a post on Elite Daily called 15 Things to Stop Doing in 2015 and I thought BINGO! For me, it's always been easier to stop doing things than start doing something completely new. This post is inspired by Elite Daily one, but I've put my own twists on it. I think 15 things is a little ambitious...so I've come up with 5 things I'd like to STOP doing in 2015.

1) Stop judging people.

This is my biggest goal for 2015. Occasionally, I will take the time to stop and think about where the negativity in my life is coming from, and I realized that my head is filled with negative thoughts about people on a daily basis. Whether the thoughts are about what outfit someone is wearing or that I could do something better than someone,  I found that I was judging people when I had no business to do so. Now, I'm taking the time to remember that most often, when a person does something the way that he or she does, there is a good reason for it. I wouldn't want to be judged for some of the decisions I make, so how I can judge others. No one is perfect, and I'm trying to hard to only think good, positive thoughts about people in this new year. 

2) Stop looking for the "quick fix".

Whether it's school, working out, eating right, or money, I'm making it a goal to take the time to put in the hard work it takes to achieve the things I want. A quick fix may seem enticing, but it usually is not a long lasting answer to any problem. "If it was easy, everyone would do it." If I want to get something in my life, I'm going to have to put in the work most others aren't willing to. 

3)Stop being too busy to enjoy this season of life. 

I'm not saying it's a bad thing to dream big in life, because I don't think it is and I love doing it, but this season of life that I'm in has wonderful elements as well even if they are are challenging at times. Thinking about the next big trip, or a better car, or a bigger house is definitely fun, and I think it's okay to dream and plan for those times, but I think it's important not to get so caught up in wishing for the next thing in life that you miss out on what you currently have. At no time in my life again will I be where I am right now, so I just need to slow down, appreciate what I have, and live in the moment. 

4)Stop holding on to things for too long. 

This works on so many levels. Cleaning out/organizing my basement is on my to-do list in the next couple of weeks, so I really need to remember this one. I think there is something healthy and refreshing to throw things away, even if it is hard to do. Not only does this apply to the items in my basement, but also to grudges, bad memories, and negative people. There comes a point in life that you need to let go, move on, and chose to be happy. 

5)Stop sweating the small stuff/Stop blaming yourself/Stop saying "I'm sorry"

Sorry this is a combination resolution, but I think they all kind of go together. I think it's so freeing to stop worrying about things that won't matter in five years or that are out of your control. Also, stop blaming yourself for the choices you have made. You probably had a good reason for doing it at the time whether that's because it was fun, challenging, or the "right" thing to do. Along with that, don't let others' opinions of your decisions make you blame yourself. 

There was a great article I read on the problem of women saying "I'm sorry" all too often for things that are out of their control. While I don't condone being a giant B-word, I'm working on knowing the difference between "I'm sorry" as in "I did something wrong and I'm sorry for my actions" and "I feel sorry for you" as in "Wow that sucks, I empathize with you". 

I think if I can attempt to stop doing all of these things in 2015, or at least work on them, not only will it lead to great things, but also I think I will be a much happier and more positive person. What do you all have for resolutions in 2015? I'd love to hear! 

Here's to a happy and healthy 2015 for everyone!

I'm linking up with..

Continue Reading...