Today I bought pants with an elastic waistband...

...and I'm not pregnant.

Check out these amazing jean leggings! They just slide right on like sweat pants. I love Nordstrom's Anniversary Sale.

In other shopping news, the Fiance and I picked up our wedding bands, but I'm not previewing those on my blog because that seems tacky. Speaking of tacky (?), I also bought a skirt inspired by one I saw on the Bachelorette. I got this little number on clearance at Saks:

I needed some retail therapy. Planning a wedding = stress.

I am so busy preparing for the wedding...

that I need four of me.

True Life: True Life!

I'm currently starring in True Life: I Live in my Parents' Condo (potential spin-offs include: True Life: I Have Two Advanced Degrees, but I'm Still Unemployed), but it could be a whole lot worse.

I caught a rerun of the heartbreaking True Life: I'm Supporting My Family today. Even though I've watched it before, I couldn't tear my eyes away. Watch it if you can. It will make you grateful for everything you have and astonished that people actually live the way these characters do. I was glad to read online that Unique, the intrepid heroine raising her siblings on her own after her mom's suicide, is soon to be married. Unique, call me. We can talk wedding planning.

The good news is, the Fiance's life just became True Life: I Have a Position with a Bankruptcy Firm, so yaaaaay(!) the Fiance! He's a genius.

Now it's time for True Life: How Many Brownies Can I Eat?

Full Engagement Photo Gallery

Click here to see the full engagement photo gallery.

True Life: Moms

My mom's interesting take on wedding presents:

Me: I got a pancake pan.
Mom: Is it a filled pancake pan?
Me: Why yes it is.
Mom: You know that's really a pass around present, the kind that you use one or two times, then pass around to someone else in your family.
Me: Mom, if you want to borrow it, just say so.
Mom: Well, I'm just saying!

Fiance's mom's interesting take on graduation photos:

Fiance's mom: So I developed the photos from your and Fiance's law school graduation.
Me: Oh yeah? Are they good?
Fiance's mom: Yes, but some are kind of funny.
Me: How so?
Fiance's mom: Well, the background didn't look familiar in some of them. And Fiance didn't have enough tassels. And his robe was a different color.
Me: Huh.
Fiance's mom: I realized that the last time we used that camera was Fiance's high school graduation.
Me: HA!
Fiance: And you know what? He really hasn't changed that much.

Pioneer Woman Light

Howdy.

It's been a long time since my last post. In that time, my life got a whole lot quirkier. I graduated from law school and moved across the country. For now, I'm living in a quaint town in Texas in my parents' condo while my parents relax by the lake in Michigan.

My parents' condo is on the market, so I live out of a suitcase that I hide in the closet every day. It's a bit like living in the model home in Arrested Development.

I'm also funemployed, so I'm looking for work anywhere I can find it. Meanwhile, I'm still a student; I'm halfway through a 40-hour course in mediation.

The Fiance is as wonderful as ever. We are getting married --back across the country -- on August 14th. There is still a lot to do between now and then, but it's (almost) all good stuff.

As for the cooking, although the Fiance and I subsisted entirely on Starbucks and frozen food in the week leading up to our big move, I've still got a few recipe reviews up my sleeve. I'm currently experimenting with using the condo's terrace as a warming oven. Plus the big move should give me some inspiration for new recipes. Just call me the Pioneer Woman Light.


(Photo of quaint Texas town street by the Fiance. Reproduced with permission).

2009 Was Mighty Fine

Dear readers,

I'm sorry it's been so long since I posted. The last month has been extremely busy for me. I'd like to give you a brief end of the year recap. You may remember that I started this blog in September of 2009 with several goals for the school year. The school year ain't over yet, but the calendar year is, so let's recap some of the high-highs of 2009:

1. I set a goal to win a local cookie baking contest. My efforts at perfecting cookie recipes were chronicled in my "Great Cookie Competition" posts. Well, readers, with a lot of help from my friends, I WON! The winning recipe was the "Chocolate Crackle Cookies" featured on this blog. I will provide a more detailed post with photos when I can.

2. The boyfriend and I dressed as Doug Funnie and Patti Mayonnaise for Halloween this year. We thought that the law school's annual costume contest might be a teensy bit rigged in our favor because 3Ls usually win -- and we did -- but rumor has it we won without any judicial bias.

3. I did not fail federal income tax. I worked very hard and got a solid, but not spectacular grade. Oh well, I'll never have to worry about tax again -- except that I signed up for international tax this semester. Because, by the end, to quote my good friend Miss A in London, "I just -- I just really love tax!!"

4. The Boyfriend became the Fiance!