What's new.

Well it's been quite some time since I've updated my blog. A lot has happened, but I've been too busy to tend to my blog. I woke up early this morning though, and since I have time I'll take a few minutes to write.

The biggest news of course is that we finally have a home. We began moving in on Thursday, and spent out first night in the house that same day. It was a lot of work purchasing the house. We put our offer in on the house around May sometime, and it was a difficult process purchasing the house since it was a short sale house. Don't believe them when they call them a short sale, it is anything but short. It has been even more work moving in and repairing the home. I sanded all the hardwood floors myself with the help of my brother-in-law. I had a professional come in and put the finish on for me since it was toxic. We also had all new carpets put in since whoever lived here before let wet dogs run all over the house.

I guess the new house isn't the "biggest" news, even though it is quite big, the biggest news of course is that Katy is pregnant with child number #3. We're contemplating whether this will be the last, but there is plenty of time to think about that. Soren thinks the baby is going to be a boy because he saw the ultrasound and noticed it had "short hair", so it must be a boy. How can you argue with that kind of reasoning?

As if that wasn't enough, Lindsey, my sister, has revealed that she is also pregnant. But not just any kind of pregnant, she's having twins! Katy has wanted twins for a while. Lindsey was afraid Katy would be frustrated when she heard Lindsey was having twins, so Derek (Lindsey's husband) sent Katy a text message on her phone with a picture of triplets before they told us they were having twins. Derek hoped that Katy would think that meant they were having triplets, and then the news twins wouldn't be so bad. Didn't work though, Katy's phone wasn't working, and she ended up getting all the news at the same time.

And if THAT isn't enough. My sister-in-law, Karen, is having a baby as well, and she didn't think she was going to be having anymore children. She is in her forty's, and is a grandma herself. So the only sister/sister-in-law in the Atkinson family who isn't having a baby is Lara, my brother Chad's wife. She said she is going straight down to the hospital and getting a hysterectomy.

Well, I need to get to work now, so I better wrap it up. I find it difficult to update my blog with my latest thoughts/news because many of them contain privileged information. I mean I can tell vague stories about different cases I'm working on, as long as I keep my client's identify confidential, but I rather play it safe and say nothing. Consequently that leaves me with little to talk about since that takes up the bulk of my life. At least that's the excuse I'm going to use for my laziness. If you are following my blog, and tire of not seeing any updates, just go check out my wife's blog, she updates a little more often than I do.

Update

Well it has been a while since I've updated my blog.  I figured I better or else everyone will give up on me and quit visiting it.  

So the most exciting news to post since I last updated is that I am a full fledged attorney now.  There are no more hoops to jump through, no more whipping posts to be strapped to.  I paid my dues, and was sworn in at the Idaho Supreme Court.  I can now appear in court without any caveats or explanations.  It feels good.

In other news, Katy and I are looking for a house.  We really don't NEED one at the moment.  We have a place to live, my parents have been really good about not making us pay rent while we are trying to get our feet under us.  We're right here by my parents, so if we need someone to watch the kids on a moments notice, my mom usually saves the day.  So we are in a good position to low ball a bunch of people on their homes and hope we get lucky.  If we don't, then we just move on.

We're working on getting a short sale home right now that needs a little TLC.  It's a beautiful home in Meridian, Idaho, just outside of Boise.  Its a little closer to work than I am now.  Probably about 30 minutes closer.  If you want to see a picture of it, click over the link to Katy's blog, she has posted a picture of the outside.  We don't post pictures of the inside yet, it isn't quite as fabulous.   We'll post pictures after we fix it, if we end up getting it.

Soren is doing pretty well at going to the bathroom on his own.  Of course he is still having accidents, but he gets better every day.  

Kaydence is trying to be good, but sometimes she forgets (I got that line from some kids book I read to the kids).  I have to get on to her about hitting Soren.  She likes to do that.  I told her that Soren is a boy, and he is going to grow up, and he is going to get back at you and really hurt you.  You better be nice to him.  She doesn't seem to get it.  She keeps whacking him.

Katy is getting into the whole house hunting thing.  The last house she took pictures of all the things wrong with it, and wrote a summary up to send the bank justifying we shot them such a low offer.  Maybe she should be real estate agent or something.  She might need to get a second job to pay for all the repairs we are going to have to make to this home (IF we get it of course).  Anyways, thats my shot gun approach of updating you all.  Hopefully as I become more comfortable with my job I'll have more time to write on my blog.  For now, shotgun posts may be the norm.

New Job

Well I guess I should formally announce on my blog that I got a new job.  I've been looking for a while, but most places are either not hiring, hiring but not me, or not willing to hire someone who hasn't received their results from the bar exam yet.  Out of a stroke of luck, I found a job working with a small firm in Boise as their criminal defense attorney.  

Initially the plan was to rent office space from them and go out on my own, but they decided to extend an offer to me to work for them as an associate attorney.  Last week was my first week working for them, and I can tell already that I'm going to really enjoy it.  There are only two other attorneys in the firm.  I'm the only associate.  And the plan is that once I get trained, I am pretty much responsible for all of the criminal defense work.

The office is right down in downtown Boise, and not too far from the Courthouse, although it's still a driving distance.

In other news, Kaydence has began learning how to ride her bicycle without training wheels.  She's pretty much got down how to ride without me holding on to the bike, but she's still working on turning around, and getting started on her own.  She wears a helmet and pads so that she doesn't skin herself up, but yesterday after I took the pads off she took off on a full run, fell, and skinned her knees up anyway.  

No other news at the moment, but I'll try harder to keep you all updated.

Post Bar Blues

Well, I've taken the bar, and now I'm waiting for the results.  I was under the impression that as soon as I got my results back I could get licensed and begin practicing.  I found out last night though that I have to wait another month after the results before I can be sworn in.  This really sucks.  They never cease screwing with us.

I've been looking for a job in Criminal law, but the job prospects are not good right now.  I've been speaking with an attorney in Boise who would like me to come and rent office space from him and begin working on my own in Criminal defense and also do some subcontracting for him.  I'm not sure if this is a good idea or not yet, but I'm seriously considering it.  Especially if I don't find a job elsewhere.  Problem is, I thought I would be able to begin working on my own as soon as I got the results.  

I hope I pass the bar, and I hope this is all over soon.  

Its all over.

Well, its all over.  I'm finally finished with the bar exam.  It took me three full days, but I'm done.  Today I went snowboarding to celebrate.  I pretty much get to go once a year for special occasions.

I really don't know how to feel about how I did.  Some things I knew well, other things I didn't know at all.  I'm really strong on the multiple choice, I really suck at essays because I'm no writer.  So I don't know what the result will be.  The results will be coming in six weeks.  So we'll see.  I just really really hope and pray that I will not have to do it all over again.  I may just go back to farming if that's the case.

Kaydence's birthday party at Chuck E Cheese. 5 years old!

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Wife's New Website

Well my wife finally got her photography website back up and running.  Go check it out!  Its a pretty cool website.  We've had this website on and off again, and we've owned the domain name for like 5 years now.  So hopefully this will get some jobs rolling in for her.  Send the address to all your friends, especially the friends you have that are getting married.

http://www.atkinsonphotography.com/

This is just an experiment to see if I can post pictures to my blog directly from my cell phone. It would be cool if this actually works. *crossing my fingers*

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Lindsey's Store

Not too much is going on with me.  I've avoided posting anything on my blog because I have no life right now.  Seriously, all I would be able to say is that I was in my pajamas all day studying for the bar.  Nothing worth mentioning at all.  However, my sister has a new store online where she sells bows, and trinkets, you know girl stuff.  So, I'm just encouraging all of you to check it out, and if you like the stuff, buy it.  She makes quality stuff.  You won't be disappointed.  Here it is, and for future reference I'll put a link off to the side as well.  

http://trinzy.mybisi.com/

Update: Bar Studying Status

Its been a while since I've written, at least it feels like it has been a while.  I guess its only been 3 weeks since I finished law school, but it feels like its been 3 months.  I've been studying for the bar for the past 2 weeks.  It isn't as bad as I thought it would be.  I'd much rather study for the bar than study for law school.  But it still isn't what I would call fun.  Not to mention it is very time consuming.  I spend an average of 8 hours a day studying.  And I don't mean 8 hours as in 9-5.  I mean 8 hours of actual time in front of a book or listening to lectures.  I'm not including breaks.  So most of my day is taken up with studying.  Its nice though to be able to go and hang out with the family when I do take breaks.  

Well, just thought I'd leave a note on my blog for anyone who may be wondering what dungeon I may be hiding in.  I better get back to studying. 

What just happened?

Well . . . I'm done.  I finished my last paper of my law school career today.  It is finished.  I thought that I would be really happy and giddy; I know my friend was.  I am just wasted and disillusioned though.  I'm hoping that in a couple days it will sink in that I'm finished and I will be able to feel the pleasure of accomplishment and completion. 

Reasons for a dearth of blog posts.

For those of you who still have faith that I'm going to update my blog, all I can say is sorry.  I'll fill you in on why I haven't.  I haven't had time.  On the weekend before thanksgiving, we packed up all our staff out of our Moscow apartment and moved it to Emmett.  (side note: My grandma moved out of the doublewide next door to my parents, and into a retirement home.  My parents purchased the double wide home from her, so now we are going to stay there while I study for the bar and look for a job.)  We got it all moved down there and moved into the doublewide.  Then on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving I had to come back to the dreaded Moscow in order to work on things that needed done, like my final mock trial.  So I didn't even get to have Thanksgiving with my family.

Now I'm in Moscow still.  Classes have started back up.  This is the last week of classes.  Finals begin next week and I am in for the ride of my life.  Luckily one of my finals is this week.  My final mock trial.  So not all 18 credits are during finals.  Its still going to be difficult, but when its all over, I get to go home and never come back.  Yay!

After finals are over in 3 weeks.  I am going to drive down to California where my family will be waiting for me.  Then on December 29th, I begin studying for the bar examination.  The single most important test of my life.  If I pass it, I get my license to practice law and get to look for a job.  If I don't, I have to do it all over again.  So wish me luck!  I'm going to need it.

Followers?

I found a cool new feature when I was looking at my friends blog.  It's called "followers."  You can set up a deal on you blog so people can easily follow your blog.  I set it up on mine, so by my follower. :)

Stock up!

If any of you who read this blog have ever considering buying a semi-automatic rifle, or what the anti-gunners call an "assault rifle", then now is the time.  I hear people saying they are going to buy one "if Obama wins".  HELLO PEOPLE!  It's not a matter of "if".  He is going to win.  Buy it now while the prices are still relatively low.  Once Obama is elected the price of these guns is going to sky rocket.

Now if you have not considered buying one of these, then that's a whole other matter.  You should consider buying one.  If you have food storage, but don't have one of these to defend it with, then your in a precarious position.  I wish I had about 5 more of these.

Law School Craziness

Okay, while I don't have any pressing news, I also don't want anyone to think that I've given up on updating this blog.  I have been very busy with law school.  It really sucks taking 20 credits in law school.  I think I am staying afloat though. 

I think I've managed to clear all the hurdles that the law school administration puts in your path while trying to graduate early.  They really don't like it when you try to graduate early, I think because that means they don't get to drain those last tuition dollars out of you on your way out.

I printed off all the papers to apply for the bar exam in february.  I had to kill a tree just to print off all the application papers.  I haven't got there yet, but I think they are going to ask for my first born.  

This week was Soren's birthday.  If you want to see pics and all that then click on my wife's link off to the right.  He got a new red bike.  He was so excited.  I wanted to get him one those those battery powered power wheels vehicles, but Katy said that was way too much money.  I think he's just as happy with his bike though as he would have been with what I wanted to get him.  Little kids aren't picky.

Not much else has been going on.  Things are pretty boring around here when you are taking 20 credits.  I could tell you all about what's happening in my water law, wills trusts and estates, family law, trial skills, insurance law, conflicts of law, or critical legal studies classes, but I think that would bore you to no end.

Hopefully I'll make time for more fun things to write about on a later date.  Stay tuned 'til then.

Wife Tag

My wife had this post on her blog, I've modified it so that I can respond to the survey.

1.  What is her name?

Katy Anne Atkinson

2.  Who eats more?

Her.  I don't eat much.  I eat small portions.  But I drink a ton.  Mostly pop.

3.  Who said "I love you" first?

Who knows.  Katy is all frantic that she can't remember, but I'm glad we don't.  It's representative of our relationship.  We don't live a life full of check lists.  It wasn't like, well, I said I love her, got that checked off my list.  

4.  Who is taller?

I am.  I'm 6' 2", and Katy is 5' 11".  Our kids are going to be giants I'm afraid.

5.  Who is smarter?

Depends on what you mean by smart.  Some ways I'm smarter, other ways she is.

6.  Who is more sensitive?

She thinks she is since she cries.  I think this is an example of how little women know about men.  Nietzsche likened understanding a man (a male) to seeing the foam upon the surface of a deep dark body of water.  Underneath the foam there are things you will never see.

7.  Who does the laundry?

She does.  We still believe in gender roles. :)  Call us old fashion.

8.  Who sleeps on the right side of the bed?

We switch it up.  Again, this is representative of our relationship.  We are quite spontaneous.  Things are always changing.

9.  Who pays the bills?

Katy does.  I hate dealing with money.

10.  Who cooks more?

Katy does of course.  Gender roles again.

11.  Who is more stubborn?

I'll admit to that one.

12.  Who is the first to admit that they are wrong?

Me.  It just so happens that I'm not wrong all that often.

13.  Who has more siblings?

Her.  By a long-shot.

14.  Who wears the pants in the family?

That should be clear by now I think.

15.  What do you like to do together?

Almost everything we do we do together.  We watch movies and television together.  For television we love 24, the Office, Heroes, etc.  We like to shoot guns.  We like to play Nintendo Wii.  Too many things to put all down here.

16.  Who eats more sweets?

Me.  No contest!  I probably need to cut back.

17.  Guilty Pleasures?

I'm not quite sure what this question is asking.

18.  How did you meet?

I met Katy while doing my duty. :)  I was her (and her roommates) home-teacher.  You better bet I didn't miss a Sunday.

19.  Who proposed?

Me of course.  Gender roles.

20.  What is her best features?

She has beautiful green eyes.  She has long legs.  And she is tall.  She is also pretty funny once you get to know her and get used to her humor.  Until then you'll think she hates your guts.

Bridging the Gap!

Well I really don't have much to say at the moment, but I feel like I need to bridge the gap in between my updates, besides I'm bored.  

I'm officially and technically over with my externship, but I've continued to work at the Prosecutor's Office because it's great experience, and they have me lined up for some jury trials. My first being July 23rd.

I'm prosecuting some old man who rented a car from a dealership, and never brought it back. When I tell it in summary everyone always say, "awww, I bet he was just senile and forgot to take it back."  No, trust me, this guy is as guilty as the day is long.  All of the information he gave the car dealership was conveniently false, and thus he couldn't be contacted or found.  The police finally caught him.  Plus, the guy has a rap sheet of thefts and frauds.  Now, I just hope the jury buys it.

I've decided to graduate early and I've been hustling to get things figured out in order to make it happen.  I have to apply late for graduation and pay a bunch of late fees (dang those communists), and I had to get special permission to take more than the maximum allowable credits, 20 instead of 18.  I'm going to have a very busy fall, but then I can take the bar in the winter and start working a whole semester early.  I think it will be worth the extra effort.  I am sick of school and just want to start making money and working on getting a house.

The kids have been crazy this week.  They have been sooooo naughty, you can't even leave them for 10 minutes alone or they will tear the place up where they stand.  I am currently sitting in the living room, right between their two rooms, typing this blog, and waiting for them both to quit crying, and quit trying to sneak out of their rooms, or in other words fall asleep.  Every few minutes I'll hear Soren start to sneak out of his room whimpering and I have to snap at him to get back in his room.  Ahh, the joys of being the father.

Well I guess my boredom pulled more creativity out of me than I had planned.  Hope you're all feeling well.  Don't forget to put a comment on my blog if you visit it.  It motivates me to write more. :)

D.C. Gun Ban Lifted

Can we give three cheers to the United States Supreme Court for its decision that the Washington D.C. gun ban is unconstitutional? Hip Hip Hurray! (Three Times of course) I've been waiting for months for this opinion to finally come down. It is a good day indeed.

Update:  When I originally wrote this post I hadn't read the actual opinion yet.  I still haven't (it's hundreds of pages long), but I've glanced at it and it was written by Scalia.  So, I was wrong in saying it was a good day; it was a GREAT day!

My first victories!

I finally won my first trials!  On Monday I had several trials scheduled and actually went through on two of them.  One was a Minor in Possession charge.  I was really glad I won that one because the kid was a real punk.  He hung himself by testifying in open court that he indeed did drink a beer on the night in question.  I had to try my hardest not to laugh out loud.  

The second trial was for speeding.  It was a close case, the defendant was trying to convince the judge that the police officer actually clocked a different car and then mistakenly identified the defendant's vehicle as the car.  I wasn't buying it, but the judge appeared to be seriously considering it, but in the end ruled in my favor.  So that was two wins in one day.  I was quite pleased.  Today I had another trial that was a no-brainer "Driving without Privileges" charge.  It took me like 5 minutes to win that one.  So my current tally is 3 and 1.  

Big Bad Prosecutor Lost. :(

The big bad prosecutor had his first trial a few days ago and lost.  It's okay though because the Chief Prosecutor pretty much knew it was a loser case since it was a Citizen complaint of speeding.  We try them anyway though since we feel like we need to give the citizen an outlet.  The good news is, I got to do a trial all by myself!