Welcome to STUDY CENTRAL!

I've had my nose so firmly planted in a book lately that I think I have a flat tip on it now.

My life is consumed with everything that is CPA Exam. BOOOORRRRIIINNNNGGGGG... (Now do you see why I haven't updated in awhile - LOL!)

That's exactly what I've been up to - studying - watching DVD lectures, answering multiple choice practice questions, doing applications, reading the required readings. Only 9 more days until I take the first part...then I move on to the next part and so on and so forth until I take (and hopefully pass) them all.

I'm feeling confidant this time around. I keep telling myself that I CAN do this, and I DESERVE to have my certification. I've worked HARD. I WILL do it.

My health continues to wane throughout all of this. The less sleep I get...the more stress I put on myself...the more things that envelope my days...the worse I feel. It's catching up with me right now. I normally go to bed between 10-11 PM. I have been getting in bed lately between 11-12, and then the tremors and muscle twitches keep me up half of the rest of the night. It's a vicious process, but I have to try really hard to make it through this. It will pay off in the end...if it doesn't send me into a MAJOR flare up!

The girls are both very well...Maddie had her 4 year check up this past friday. I told her that she's perfectly square - she weighed 42 lbs and was 42" tall! She just looked at me like I was stupid. I'm sure that won't be the last time I get that look either...

She got 3 shots to finish out her pre-school immunizations. She tried hard not to cry...I DID cry! She tried SO hard to be strong and to be a big girl. Her little face was all squished up, and she had her fists firmly planted in her eyes, but she held it back as best as she could. Watching her try so hard to be a big girl made me cry in return. Ahhh...yet another vicious cycle.

She will begin 4 year old pre-school on September 6th. She's still excited...I'm still nervous.

Mackenzie is still Mackenzie. So full of life and energy and happiness! She has become quite the daddy's girl lately. Everything is "where Dah-dy?" "Dah-dy" this..."Dah-dy" that... She is very fond of men in general. She loves my Dad and Phil's Dad as well. Us women...eh...she can take us or leave us, but her guys are her guys!

In other news, we - OK, PHIL - just finished painting our two-story foyer! Our walls have been stark white since we moved in. We painted the foyer and all the way down the 2nd floor hallway a color called "Wheat Grass." It is a green color with an ever so slight hint of yellow and brown in it. It looks FABULOUS, but I'm hoping it doesn't end up being something where people walk in and are shocked. It's not bright at all, but in certain lights, it can take on a lime-colored look, which I don't like, but what do you do? I'll post pictures soon.

Finally, we had one last loss in our family last week. Phil's Aunt Betty died. I had written about her before...she had been on life support (feeding tube). They had previously removed the feeding tube, but then she almost miraculously recovered! She ended up taking a turn for the worse again and died on the Friday before last. She suffered with the disease, COPD, for 10 years, and she literally fought for each and every breath she took in that 10 years. She is in a MUCH better place now - and she can breathe as freely as possible now.

Thanks for reading...I'll finally end it here now. I'll update again soon!