Christmas in NJ 2005

We left Thursday right after finals to go home. I spent Friday lazing around with my parents and we went to Rick and Yohanna's for Christmas Eve. Not doing too well with the pictures this year, and I didn't get any pictures there but I took a few before we left the house. Christmas itself was low key as usual.

Me, Dad, Mom

Tree all lit up without my camera flash

Dad and Mom

Snuggles!

First Snow 2005

Yesterday was the first snow here! It is so pretty here! And not really that cold.

Front of the law school

Inside Spies Garden

I've been studying for finals and applying for summer jobs. My entire grade is based on one exam in each class! 

 

Frosted trees outside my balcony

Thanksgiving 2005

I stayed in Charlottesville for Thanksgiving. I'm becoming more and more overwhelmed as we get closer to finals. That's why I decided not to make the trip up for Thanksgiving. For most of the weekend, I was buried in a Torts outline. I should currently be buried in a Criminal Law outline but I can't make heads or tails of the subject so I'm procrastinating instead.

I invited my parents to come down here, but they weren't too sure because I had to study and because they were already trying to avoid traveling to the Cape, so an even longer drive to Charlottesville didn't beckon them.

I didn't miss out on Thanksgiving dinner though- in fact, we had two! Sunday, the 20th, we had a section Thanksgiving Potluck Dinner at 6:30 at Jane's apartment. The section dues provided the turkey and everyone else brought sides and desserts. Brian actually cooked the turkey which is brave.

I didn't take any pictures- so here's a good one of Lauren, Jane, and Brian from before

Then on the actual day of Thanksgiving, Joe got the Harris Teeter Thanksgiving meal package and fed the few people from my section who stayed here: Aaron, Audra, Jerry, Josh G, Justin, Aaron, and Nathan. Jerry brought pie and the rest of us brought alcohol.

Again- no pictures from the actual day but here's Joe and Nathan

Cathy and Mike's Wedding 2005

Cathy and Mike got married at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Saint Clair, Pennsylvania. People say that Catholic wedding ceremonies are dull.  Well, Mike's childhood priest certainly livened up the day with stories about other married couples, questions about Mike and Cathy's travel history and plans, and observations about the wedding guests. I continue to ask Cathy for a copy of the wedding ceremony tape recording but she continues to politely decline.

Mike and Cathy during the ceremony

The Catholic church where they got married

The reception at the Pottsville Club in Pottsville, Pennsylvania was really fun, and one particularly fun thing was that the Cathy and Mike both danced one-on-one with a lot of the wedding guests.  It was a fun and personal way to spend more time with the bride and groom.  I took a turn dancing with Mike, but I think due to the presence of some beverage shots at the wedding, I might have accidentally cut a long line of female guests. Well, you snooze, you loose.

The wedding party dancing during the reception

I first met Cathy through my sorority sister Becky.  The two of them had gone on Semester at Sea together during college, and Cathy moved to DC after college in 2001. Cathy didn't know many people in DC, and Becky was living in Las Vegas at the time, so she asked if we could get to know Cathy. I'm so glad I did because Cathy became one of my closest friends.  I first met Mike a little while later at a party in January of 2002. Before they were even married, they'd been at my side for birthday parties, a graduation, and even break-ups. I was so pleased to be able to attend their wedding in Pennsylvania. Congratulations!

Mike, Cathy, me, and our friend Anna at Mike and Cathy's wedding

Becky and me (Becky moved to Charlottesville the next year!)

Secret reception sneakers!

Rolling Stones Concert 2005

I went to the Rolling Stones concert in Scott Stadium tonight. It was open to the general public and it seemed like all of Charlottesville was there. It was crazy. The Rolling Stones were my first concert in 1997, so I knew that their concerts are amazing. And this reminded me a lot of my first one with crazy engineering feats so that different parts of the audience could get a close up view. The Rolling Stones are always awesome.

Concert! My view was a little blocked but I could see more than this picture shows.

But also, there was a bomb threat! We cleared out the stadium, they established it was a fake threat (but did they really?) and then we went back in for the rest of the concert.

Bomb threat stadium emptying

And we're back!

Ticket

Fall Foxfield 2005

Me, Akure, Andrea, and Tiffany

Audra and Jane looking extra beautiful!

Joe, Kathy, Brian, Jane, me, Adam- kneeling: Lauren, Elizabeth, Selina

Matt and Jon

Horses! There must really be a race somewhere!

Some Section I buddies: Jason, Kyle, Ramona, me, Conor, Dawn, Connie

Julie and Selina

Things are getting fun now!

Love this girl!

Girls' Weekend 2005

Last year, my college girlfriends and I went to the beach for our first annual "Girls Weekend." This year, the summer got away from us, so the girls decided to come visit me at my new place. Since I was up in Arlington for Michelle and John's wedding on Friday, Friday night we all slept over Janice's apartment near Pentagon City. Saturday, we bought a bunch of orange shirts, drove to Charlottesville and went to the UVA football game against W. Michigan. GW didn't have a football team so it was a novelty for all of us.

Me, Janice, Laurie, Megan, and Christina

Trying to figure out how to get to the game... (Where does this bus take me?)

Megan and Laurie chilling

W. Michigan v. UVA Football Game!! UVA wins!

Sunday, we had brunch on the Mall, followed it up with some gelato at Splendora's, and then caught a movie. We ate so much for dinner that we had a strange hodge-podge for dinner that included Megan's spinach dip bread bowl, Christina's crab dip, and ice cream cake... because that's how we roll.

Christina and Megan

Laurie and Janice missing Soraya.

Me, Megan, Christina, Janice, Laurie

Movie snacks

Hurray!

Thanks for an awesome weekend girls! And thanks for being some of my first visitors!

First Day of Law School 2005

Yesterday was the first day of law school! We all take the same classes first semester: Contacts, Civil Procedure, Criminal Law, Torts, and "Legal Research & Writing."

Feeling very "Legally Blond"

The entire class is divided into "sections" A-L. I'm in Section B, and we have all 5 classes together. For Contracts (with Professor Leslie) and Legal Research & Writing (with Professor Moran) our small section is alone. Civil Procedure (with Professor Ortiz) we take with Section I, so we're getting to know them better than most. Criminal Law (with Dean Jeffries) and Torts (with Professor Abraham) we take in large lecture halls with multiple sections.

The law school

The law school is beautiful, but my favorite place by far is the library.

How can you not love this?


Little walled garden that's surrounded by law school.

Charlottesville Apartment 2005

Welcome!

My living room- hall on right leads to bedroom and bathroom

Entrance through kitchen to dining table

Dining table behind living area

Living area with view to balcony

Back to front door hallway. Opposite that closet is the office.

Office, in progress.

Thanks Dad for helping me move and getting me all set up!

Dad bringing in some of my clothing.

Goodbye Party 2005

Last week was my last week of work in DC! I've been at the same place for the last three years so it's a big change to leave and I was a little sad. Luckily my DC friends and a few people from work met me for a last-day happy hour and goodbye party.

College buddies

With my (now former) boss Drew

hi

New law school friends

Justin, me, Ben, Laurie

Megan and Ed- First time I met Ed!

Dan, me, Johnny

Brooke, Davis, Tim, Laurie and me (original happy hour crew)