I am taking a short break from work right now to update everyone on my week so far. I spent most of the day (9-4:30) in a class on corporate tax. Ernst & Young has started a new thing called E&Y University Tax. I only signed up for one class but it seemed really long. There is a recorded instructor that lectures and then live instructors (managers) help us do problems to apply the lecture. Although it was a long day, it is ten times better than doing an 8 hour WBL (Web Based Learning pronounced Weeble). The University was developed to incorporate more live learning into our required learning. We have to do at least 40 hours a year but as a staff person you end up doing a lot more. I have already done about 100 this year. The good thing about learning week is that we get to have get togethers beginning at 5:30 yesterday and today. That means I get to leave work early without feeling guilty! I also got a computer bag (although it has the E&Y University logo) and two coozies. If anyone wants an E&Y logo bag, let me know...because I have one up for grabs.
Gilmore and Amazing Race are on tonight so I will be a couch potato after the get together. But that is okay because despite the cold (38 degrees) this morning Justin and I went on a walk. We got up and were all groggy and just took off like normal. A little bit into the walk, we woke up some and realized it was way to cold to be out walking! Oh well, it is still nicer to walk out in the neighbor than on a treadmill.
The picture on the header of my blog was taken by my talented husband while in Maui on our honeymoon. I always keep a Maui picture as my wallpaper on my laptop so that every once in a while I can pretend I am in Maui on the beach in the sun instead of in my cube freezing my butt (sorry Mommy) off because the office is so cold! I thought with this picture some of you might join me in Maui if only in our minds.Justin and I had a great weekend. We spent Saturday doing a little shopping and then went to dinner at Jake's. Jake's is a little hamburger place up the street with a very nice patio. On Sunday, we were up cleaning the house and making a grocery list so we could go to the store. Then my friend Amanda stopped by at about 10:30 and said she had extra tickets to the Cowboys game. Well, we couldn't turn those down. We rushed around to get there in time but still missed the first drive. We parked so far away it took about 20 minutes to walk to the stadium. Last week we had a parking pass so I guess we are spoiled. Now so that you don't get the wrong idea, I have only been to 4 Cowboys games in my life! We just got lucky these past few weeks. But we had a blast cheering and waving the foam finger. This time our seats were in the end zone but they were not to far up and we were in the shade the whole time. I'm afraid it is once again unseasonably warm here (90 degrees today) so the shade was important.
We went to the aforementioned concert after the game. We got there at about 6:00 and got to see two of the artists. It was fun sitting on the lawn on a Mexican blanket and listening to Clint Black. The weather in the evening was great!
Due to our busy day, none of the chores like cleaning got done. I guess that's what we'll do tonight. I wish the cleaning and cooking fairy still lived with me :)
We could actually feel the heat from the fire as it flared up when each player was announced!
Aren't we cute? 
Wow, this view is better than from the couch :) 
Daddy and ... is that Santa Claus?
Can you see the names of the newest ring of honor inductees?
Yep, that's right. It is another Ernst & Young fundraiser. This time it is for the United Way. First, you begin recieving about 1 email a day urging you to donate. Next, you recieve a personalized email link that allows you to click on it and make a donation through a payroll deduction. Then, you recieve update emails (again about 1 a day) telling you the percentage of employees that have participated so far and how close we are to the firm goal. It is about this time that you begin to feel guilty that you are not included in that percentage. So you break down and click on the personalized link to make a direct deduction out of your paycheck.
A week or so later, you begin to notice signs around the office indicating that if you donate at a certain level you can participate in causal Friday's for October. Well, by this time you are so far in that you once again click on the link and raise your direct deduction so that you too may wear the coveted jeans for 4 whole Friday's in a row!
Now repeat that for March of Dimes in the spring plus countless races to raise money for very worthy causes such as breast cancer and you can't forget Katrina. It all adds up to alot of donations and a few causal days.
Wow! They are good.
If you would like to kill two birds with one stone, click on the link below. It is a link to a United Way fund that goes to help Katrina victims! Hurry, before the third round of emails begins!
https://volunteer.united-e-way.org/cng-uwa-hurricane/donate/
(Disclaimer: Although it may appear that I am bitter as a result of the donations, that is actually untrue. I am bitter that E&Y makes it so convinent to donate! Now I have no excuse.)
Well, I am sure you guys are so tired of hearing about the shower. But I am going to post pictures anyway. Enjoy :)
Here is the table. The table cloth and levels were mommy's idea.
Here is Kara and me. Notice the clothes line with Walker's cute baby things in the background.
Kara's shower was this Saturday. It was at my apartment so there were tons of preparations to be done before hand. Everything went off without a hitch. The food was great and the company even better! Kara got a lot of cute stuff including a diaper bag from the hostesses (see right). Won't she be a stylish mom! I will post pictures as soon as I get them loaded onto the computer. Justin is in charge of this since I have never done it before.
Other than that, we had a pretty quiet weekend. I made it to the gym this morning. Monday morning at 5:45 is a very hard time to workout. However, there is a step/weights class that I love to go to. It was a really tough workout this morning. So many lunges that my legs still feel like they are going to fall off! But that is a good thing...No pain, no gain.
