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GIVEAWAY of a Clever Fox Planner

Happy Monday!!

I am kicking the week off with something very exciting for my followers. I recently began using a Clever Fox Planner to organize my life and I am LOVING it. Over on my Instagram account, I am running a GIVEAWAY of a Clever Fox Planner. Thank you to Clever Fox for partnering with me on this awesome giveaway.

Check out the giveaway HERE:

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Friday Five 2/1/19

Happy Friday and happy February!!

This was basically the best week ever because I had TWO snow days. Though the weather was frigid, it was amazing. I slept in, cuddled my pups, caught up on housework, watched lots of Netflix, baked stuff... it was amazing. Unfortunately, today means back to reality. Here are a few snapshots:



  


Here are my Friday five!

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How to Choose a Bar Prep Company

THE BAR EXAM

Words that strike a small sense of terror into every law student. The test that determines whether or not you will be allowed to practice law. The test that quite literally determines your future. If you want to be a lawyer and you are not thinking about the bar exam, you should start now.

My law school starting prepping us for the bar exam right in orientation. Bar exam passage has been low universally among all law schools the last few years so they wanted us to start off strong and do everything we could to prepare over our three years in law school for the bar exam. The strategies they implemented included requiring all students to complete classes in bar tested subjects, multiple choice questions on all exams, semester check in's on where we should be in our bar prep process and a professor dedicated to helping us with bar exam questions.



One of the most important parts of the bar examination process is choosing a company for your bar exam preparation course. Basically, if you graduate in May and take the bar exam in July, you spend those 3 months studying basically nonstop for the exam. The most effective way to do this is with an intensive commercial bar preparation course. Some of the most popular companies are Themis, Barbri, and Kaplan. These intensive bar preparation courses provide you will condensed instruction on the relevant black letter law, practice multiple choice questions, practice essay questions, essay grading, support staff and test-taking strategies to excel on the exam.

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Sunday Six 1/27/19

Happy Sunday all!!



Last week was a 4 day week (Hallelujah!) and though busy, it was pretty good. I was very busy with school and research and work but I managed to get plenty of quality time in with my hubby and fur children.

We held our first "Book Club Day" for the online book club I started with a friend on Friday (more on that here).

On Saturday, I attended an Advanced Leadership Conference for representative graduate students at my college from all programs (Law, Med School, Pharmacy, etc). In order to attend you had to be nominated by a professor based upon exceptional leadership skills. I was honored to have been nominated and it was a very educational day full of networking and growing leadership skills.

Today, I am relaxing a bit and prepping for another busy week. Since I didn't do my Friday Five this week, I opted for a Sunday Six instead.
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Book Review: Beneath a Scarlet Sky by Mark Sullivan

Good Morning! Happy Friday!

Now that I am co-hosting an online book club with Danielle of the Love Danielle Blog, I decided to start doing book reviews of the books we read each month. Today is book club day (we open up our discussion for comments on the book) and I am sharing my full review of Beneath a Scarlet Sky by Mark Sullivan instead of doing my traditional Friday Five post.


This book has excellent reviews and has been a #1 Amazon bestseller. It is being adapted as a movie that will star Tom Holland as the stories hero, Pino Lella, an Italian teenager who unexpectantly becomes a part of the resistance against the Axis powers and a spy in the German military.

I was so excited to read this book because I LOVE WW2 history. It is by far my favorite period to learn about and read about. However, I know the least about the Italian theater of the war so this book was very educational for me on that front.

Overall, I loved the book. It was a little slow to start but once it hooked me I couldn't put it down. There were three distinct sections in the book- the beginning where Pino was not involved in the war, his time in the Mountains accompanying Jews over to Spain on Ski's (which I enjoyed reading about because I am an avid skier) and his time as a Nazi soldier and spy for the Allies.

All three parts of the story take place while Pino is 17-18 years old... he was still a child and yet he risked his life over and over to help the war effort and fight the Nazi's in every way he could. We also learn in the book about Pino after the war and how he lived his life during peace. He is still alive to this day and lives in Italy. There are several colorful characters in the book that either incited my adoration or my anger.

I don't want to give away too much but I will say that there is much more to this book than just war and heroism. There is currents of strong friendship, the love of family, the strength of faith in hard times and a dash of romance, humor, and tragedy. Overall, I fell in love with the idea of an Italian teenager who ended up in the middle of a war and instead of choosing to keep his head down and just get by, he jumped into the effort with both Ski's and did his part of the war effort. He is an inspiring figure and I am so glad that his heroic story was not lost to history. I wish I could thank Mark Sullivan personally for sharing the story of Pino Lella and making sure he gets the recognition he deserves for his heroism during one of the darkest times in our history.

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5 out of 5 stars!



If you are interested in our online book club, here is some more info:

  • There will be a book chosen at the beginning of each month
  • We have no specific genre. We are just picking books we think are interesting and are always open to suggestions or ideas. 
  • We will have a private discussion board for members of the Book Club to discuss, compare opinions and get to know each other. This will be hosted on GoodReads and the link to our group is here: A Novel Idea Online Book Club 
  • Toward the end of each month, we will have a "book club day" to discuss the book and our thoughts on it. 
  • We will also be having some guest bloggers to choose the book of the month and moderate the discussions to shake things up

If you are interested in joining the Book Club (everyone is welcome!), please follow this link to sign up for the email list: https://goo.gl/forms/159wUDKpxqXXZySD3

Have a great weekend everyone!
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Friday Five 1/18/19

Happy Friday!


My week has been a bit up and down. Classes were good, work is going well and I did some planning on some exciting things for my future. There is snow on the ground which always makes me happy. Unfortunately, there was also a lot of downs in my week and some bad news.... just asking for some prayers if anyone has a spare moment.

I am looking forward to a long weekend at home with my family and horses. It is much needed at the moment.

Now on to my Friday Five.


1. Walmart Grocery Delivery

 I tried Walmart Grocery Delivery for the first time this week and it was AMAZING! I ordered online and they were delivered at 9am by a super nice guy named Blake. It saved me so much time and was so simple and straightforward. If you are short on time, seriously consider trying this out!

2. Game of Thrones
I know I am about 10 years late to this party but my husband and I finally started Game of Thrones. So far I am confused but hopefully I will start to keep everyone straight. Everyone says it is great so here goes nothing!


3. Yeouth Face Serum 

 I have been using this for about a month and I am SO pleased with it! It is a perfect base full of good stuff for your face but I like that it goes on more like a moisturizer than a serum.

4. Space Force 

 I saw this news and I AM SO EXCITED! The Office is basically the greatest show of all time so something new from those guys is the greatest news ever.

5. The Secret Rescue by Cate Lineberry 

 I finished this book this week and it was so good! It is a very interesting story about something that history has largely forgotten. I am not very familiar with Albania nor did I realize that so many nurses ended up behind enemy lines in WW2. I would highly suggest this if you like informative, historical reads like me!
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All About the MPRE


I bet some of you 1L's out there won't even recognize the term MPRE... I know I had no idea what it was until like my 2L year. Turns out, it is something you have to take and pass in almost every state in order to sit for the Bar exam. I am posting this to help others know and understand the MPRE before it's upon you.

It has been a while since I took the MPRE but I hope this overview helps those of your out there wondering exactly what the MPRE is and how to prepare to pass it.

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Easy Slow Cooker Chili Recipe

Happy Sunday!

My Eagles are playing today so we have Chili cooking in the crockpot for the game. FLY EAGLES FLY! (I grew up outside of Philidelphia so I am a lifelong Eagles fan)

Few things go together better than Chili and football. My husband and I make this Chili recipe all the time and it is one of my FAVORITE recipes of all time. It is quick and easy and SO good. I keep the ingredients on hand at all times because it is just one of those meals that always sounds good and is easy to put together.

This is one of those recipes that anyone can make regardless of cooking skill. Perfect for busy families or student life!

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Perfect Sunday Football Chili Recipe 
Ingredients
  • 1 lb. ground beef
  • 1/4 tsp. Garlic Powder
  • 1/4 tsp. Onion Powder
  • 2 tsp. Chili Powder
  • 1 tsp. Paprika
  • 1 tsp. Ground Cumin
  • 1 tsp. Sea Salt
  • 2 cans Kidney Beans 
  • 1 can Black Beans 
  • 1 can Sweet Corn
  • 2 cans Tomato Sauce
  • Optional: a few dashes of Tobasco to heat it up
Toppings/Sides 
  • Sour cream 
  • Cheese 
  • Scallions 
  • Olives 
  • Chili
  • Corn chips 
  • Cornbread
Directions
  1. Brown ground beef in a skillet
  2. Once brown, add to slow cooker
  3. Add beans, corn and tomato sauce to crockpot
  4. Add onion, garlic, & chili powder, paprika, salt, pepper & cumin to crockpot
  5. Cook in a crockpot for 3-4 hours on HIGH or 6-8 hours on LOW
  • Serve in a bowl and add any of the toppings you want. Cornbread my favorite side. 
  • Store in airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days
    • Perfect as leftovers for lunch
Right click on the recipe to print!

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Friday Five 1/11/19

Happy Friday!

This week started with my 25th birthday celebrations. My family drove up to meet us for dinner on Saturday. We had a nice dinner (complete with free desert) and I was blessed with some lovely presents through the real gift was time with my family. My birthday was on Sunday, 1/6, and I had the best day. I slept in, my hubby got me donuts for breakfast, we lounged around for a while and then my husband surprised me with a trip to the Toledo Museum of Art which is just a few minutes from our house. We are not really "art" people but it was really interesting regardless. There were some amazing pieces and two really cool temporary exhibits: one reunited a torn painting after 200 years and the other was tens of thousands of dried flowers suspended from the ceiling and it was breathtaking. We got Olive Garden on the way home and then binge watched movies until my favorite show, Outlander, came on. To top off a great birthday, the Eagles won their wild-card game #FLYEAGLESFLY!

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A Week by Week Study Schedule

Happy Thursday!

This post come s by request and I think it will be super helpful. I have alluded to my weekly study schedule in the past but I have never devoted a whole post to it so that is what's on tap for today.

Figuring out what you need to study and work on week to week in law school can be challenging. There is always a ton of stuff to do and just so many hours in which to complete it. I am sharing the study schedule which has worked well for me over my 2.5 years in law school. I have honed it to what works perfectly for me. I hope you find it helpful as well!

Here is a sample look at my week to week study schedule. This is what I do during the majority of my semester until about a month before finals. Then I integrate more study time to prepare for finals. More on that in this post: PREPARING FOR LAW SCHOOL EXAMS ONE MONTH OUT




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Tips for Getting Back into Studying After Break

Well... Christmas break is over. Sad, sad day. Today is my first day of the new semester... it is also the last time I will EVER SAY THAT! HALLELUJAH!


Because it is time to go back to school after a glorious, relaxing break, I am going to share my best tips for getting back into the study grind after a break. It is never easy to get motivated to back to classes and homework after break time. However, there are ways to make the transition easier. Here are my top tips.


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25 Lessons I have Learned in 25 Years

Happy Sunday!

Today is my 25th birthday. I woke up to donuts from our local bakery that my hubby got up early to get and he's taking me to Olive Garden later #blessed. The last semester of my law school career starts tomorrow but I am going to ignore that for a sec and focus on what's really exciting here- MY BIRTHDAY!



My 25 years have been pretty great. I have traveled worldwide, I have had amazing educational opportunities, I have fallen in love, I have pursued passions, I have chased my dreams... I have been blessed beyond measure to never spend a day hungry, cold, penniless or in danger. On this quarter life milestone, I am doing a little reflection over 25 lessons I have learned in my 25 trips around the sun.

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Friday Five 1/4/19

HAPPY FRIDAY!!

It's the first Friday of 2019- how exciting is that?!

My week was super chill. I hung out with my hubby, cuddled with my pups, slept in, did some projects around the house, started on my reading for the first week of Spring classes and tried my best to soak up the final days of Christmas break. I got all but one of my Fall semester grades back and I was very pleased. It was a solid semester and my GPA went up a bit. I am feeling good and ready to take on this last semester.

My 25th birthday is on Sunday and I go back to school for the final semester of my academic career on Monday. Today, I am talking about a few of my favorite things from this week.


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Introducing A Novel Idea Online Book Club


One of my resolutions for 2019 is to read more for fun. I am never at a loss for reading to do (after all I am in law school), but I really miss reading for fun. I have always been a HUGE reader... Like, finish a 900-page book in less than 12 hours type of reader. In middle school, I would get in trouble for reading my books under my desk in math class and my parents once took my bedside lamp out of my room because I stayed up reading too late.

My resolution for 2019 is to read 25 books. I wish it were a higher number but with finishing law school and studying for/taking the bar exam, I wanted to make a manageable goal. Book clubs have always intrigued me but I have never found a group of people to join one with.

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New Years Resolutions


HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!! 

I am not huge on resolutions. I tend to think that just because it is a new year does not mean that you need to start over and remake yourself. However, I do find the start of a new year to be a good time to reaccess my goals and plans for the upcoming year. I try to set some simple and possible resolutions at the start of each year.

Here are my plans for 2019!

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2018: A Year in Review

Happy New Years Eve!


2018 has been a really good year. I got to travel and explore. I learned so much. I grew as a person and as a legal professional. I made some amazing new friends, cut some toxic people out of my life and decided to focus only on the positive.

January started off with my 24th Birthday and the start of my 4th semester of law school.

In February, we had a new baby horse born- Olympia since she was born the week of the winter Olympics.
   


In March, I traveled for my first Moot Court competition and had a blast!

I also went on a fun trip with my law school friends to the cutest hotel ever to celebrate one of their birthdays.

In April, I took some outrageously hard exams and finished up my 2L year in law school.

In May, I started a summer clerkship with a local state Judge. I also found out that I got the highest grade in my Legal Ethics class which is a high point for my time in law school.


My hubby and I went on the most amazing cruise to the Carribean and had an absolute blast.




In June we attended a beautiful wedding and enjoyed the warmth and sunshine of summer. We also laid a new floor in our master bedroom and refinished our stairs.

We went to see Tim McGraw and Faith Hill in concert which was amazing.
  

I went to see Shania Twain with my law school mentor. 
   


In July, we celebrated our 2nd wedding anniversary.

Made the best of the summer heat.

Visited my grandparent's cottage on Lake Michigan.




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August brought the end of my clerkship. It was such a wonderful learning experience.


We made the best of the time before school started.





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And then my 3L year began- I truly do not know where the time went.


I got to see Taylor Swift in concert and it is one of the greatest moments of my life.




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September was full of school and studying.

We did take family pictures and spent some quality time with our precious pups.
October was busy with school and work. We made some time for walks with the pups and made the best of the Indian summer and warm Fall weather. My husband turned 25 and I surprised him with tickets to a Kieth Urban concert.


I dressed up like Elle Woods for Halloween.
November was full of exam prep and a quiet Thanksgiving.
December brought the end of my 5th semester of law school and a wonderful Christmas holiday. A blogger friend and I kicked off a new book club and we got a Roomba vacuum for Christmas.


I hope everyone has a fun and safe New Years Eve and 2019 is bound to be a great year!

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