Whoa, I forgot I had a blog!

It has been a long, long time since I posted and a lot has changed....most significantly, this is what I look like now:

22 weeks pregnant (5 1/2 months)

How did this happen?  Well, you know how...but the who is more interesting.  As I read back  through my posts, I could tell I was starting to talk about him more and more, or at least, think about him a lot more, and the "him" was "boy workout and running partner," who I first mentioned back in Oct. 2010.  Turns out he kept track of my whereabouts because he liked me!  We both started in the same hiring class back in June, and after hanging out within a group of friends, we quietly went on our first date for my birthday to go to dinner and rock climbing with some friends, and then we hung out afterwards by ourselves and really hit it off.  This was after I started getting frustrated because I liked him, and he liked me, but we weren't communicating that to each other in the right way. I remember when I KNEW he was the one for me.  We had been hanging out a lot and could talk about anything with each other.  Completely open, no shame, no embarrassment.  I was talking to him in the car one day and realized I had never felt this level of comfort and openness with anyone, and I knew that was it.  So after some initial misfires (he actually first asked me out sometime in October or November of 2010, I said no, I don't know why), we finally made it work by February 2011!  It is now almost May 2012 and we're starting a great adventure together in North Carolina, preparing for our very welcome, surprise little girl, Quinn Elinor.

A Month Later

EXAM UPDATE

I finished the Financial section of the CPA exam, but the scores have not been released yet.  Scores are likely to be released around mid-December...soon.  The good news is that I felt OK walking out of the exam, the bad news is that feeling OK is no guarantee.  I am currently in Denver, CO, after being in NYC for the first part of the week.  Since I am on vacation, I did not bring the code I need to access my score, as I don't want to focus energy on something I have no further power over. This is the first time I have thought about it since the exam. Studying for the next section, BEC (business) has commenced, with plans to sit in early January.

VACATION UPDATE

I was pretty excited to visit both New York and Denver when it was cold.  In the past, I've only gone when the weather was hot or mild.  Turns out it is currently pretty mild in Denver, but it was pretty cold in New York.  This is my second trip to New York and fourth trip to Denver this year.  It might be time to start branching out as far as destinations go. New York is definitely where I want to live. I already have a list of potential roommates and a list of potential neighborhoods: Brooklyn here I come!  Before the move I'd like to have been with my company for one year, and have finished the CPA exam. I will make this happen.

My new office?!

RUNNING UPDATE

My running has been slacking since I began hardcore studying for the CPA exam, but I've made it out once a week (shame on me).  I just got back from a run in Denver, and at >5,000 feet above sea level and 44 degrees, it was pretty hard on my lungs.  I only went 1.25 miles and I had to take breaks to walk. My goal is to run the 2011 Gasparilla Half Marathon.  I am currently behind where I would like to be, but with dedication I can still do it.

GOALS

I am making the following goals for myself: (1) I will stick to a 1,200 - 1,500 calorie a day diet, staying closer to the 1,200 range (2) Be physically active for at LEAST 30 minutes each day (3) Spend time on Becker at LEAST 5 days a week (4) Spend at LEAST 2 days a week on Rosetta Stone/Spain.

I have already begun my 1,200 calories a day, and I've been pretty consistent about staying on Target.  I did not count calories while I was in NY, but now that I am in Denver I have been tracking again and staying on target.  SparkPeople has been a huge help in not only tracking my calories, but it is good for inputting activities as well.  I probably should hold off on the Spanish lessons until after the CPA exam, but I'm pretty excited about them.    This seems like a lot, when you factor in working and the impending busy season, but I just need to focus myself and concentrate on meeting my goals.  Besides, the Becker goal is only through the beginning of January, and then I'm taking a break for busy season.  I plan on taking the final two exams in either April, depending on how busy we are at work, definitely May, and possibly the final exam in July, since June is a black-out month for the CPA.