Can a lawyer pass an ethics exam???

I sure hope so because tomorrow, I am sitting for the WA Ethics Exam!

(technically, the final day of the Bar Exam). 

I've been practicing law nearly 7 years and passed both the MA Bar Exam and the MPRE

 (multi-state professional responsibility exam),

but WA currently doesn't use the MPRE. 

I did, however, learn this morning that as of July 2013,

WA will do away with the essay exam and will use the MPRE ~ grrrr! 

Oh well, I feel like I know the material,

let's just hope I can write small enough to get everything into the 29 lines I get to answer each essay.

Wish me luck!

Here I am in the MA Supreme Judicial Court the day I sworn in back in 2004.

A few years later (2008), G & I at the US Supreme Court immediately following my swearing in.

No pictures from my swearing in at the MA federal courts (G was in Iraq then so no pics)

but hoping to soon add a picture from my swearing in ceremony at the WA courts ;-)

If not, let the lawyer jokes begin . . .

My AWESOME shopping trip!

$14.54 + $3 coupon off my next trip!!!

For that, I bought:

7 cans of Campbells Chunky Soup

7 boxes of Cheerios (which are a huge hit with both A & E!)

6 boxes of Honey Nut Chex (a Mommy fave)

2 Yoplait Yogurt

1 can of Mandarin Oranges (only item not on sale and no coupon)

Okay, so I know there are some folks who think I'm a little nutty with my coupons

and love to tease me but I LOVE saving a buck ;-)

I saved 81% today!

I'm so proud of myself!

Happy 4th Birthday Alli!!!

Alli's birthday was a smashing success!

She decided to truly enjoy being a princess and decided to sleep in  ~ I had to wake her at 8:30!

Of course, I enjoyed that as I got to wake her by singing Happy Birthday,

which she thought was pretty cool!

Eli slept in too so the girls went downstairs to make a special, birthday breakfast

4 pink pancakes, pink yogurt and pink lemonade.

The new 4 year old was quite impressed!!!

Once Eli was up, breakfast was done and everyone was dressed,

it was on to dance class where Alli had a fabulous time as the birthday girl.

She got to use a special ribbon, lead the tap line and have everyone sing to her ~ fun stuff!

After dance, she had her BFF (A is her "very best friend" as she tells us!) over to play.

Once her buddy left, she got ready for her special date with Daddy.

G decided to start a new tradition where he will take her out for lunch on her birthday.

She had the best time at the Tea Room on her date and loved looking at all the baby dolls.

She was even a trooper about not getting a doll (they are expensive ~ well over $100!)

I think she was just having a blast holding all of the dolls

though I must say my heart skipped a beat seeing those pictures ;-)

After lunch, she and Daddy went to the candy shop for some pink candy to get ready for her party.

She was way too excited to nap so she watched Cinderella and "rested" before her family party.

Doesn't exactly look like she was tired does it???

Alli's last day as a three year old . . .

Our little gal had a wonderful last day as a three year old :)

The above picture was her enjoying a yummy, pink cake pop after swim lessons.

Sadly, we could not locate our Happy Birthday to You book that G has read her on every birthday

so we had to improvise by reading a princess story she picked.

She is soooooo excited to turn 4 in the morning!

Alli's skills . . .

This evening, we were hard at work getting ready for Alli's birthday by making the red velvet cake for the cake pops.  Alli was a big help and LOVED licking the batter off the mixer once the cake was in the oven.  It was quite entertaining as she looked a bit bloody ~ Eli wouldn't touch the stuff, can't say I blame him!

 Later, while I was making dinner, both kids were sitting at the table coloring (scribbling)
and this was Alli's masterpiece

I was so impressed!

She did this 100% by herself.

Notice that Flora, Fauna & Merriweather are the correct colors!!!

She also wrote all of our names because she said it was for the whole family ~ so sweet!

This masterpiece is proudly hanging on our fridge ;-)