I am no longer a Virgin

Yes, it's true.  I am no longer a virgin.  A "Bachelor" virgin that is! 

While the rest of the world was watching Alabama shit the bed against Clemson (one of my husband's favorite phrases, not mine), I broke down this week and watched my first episode ever of the Bachelor.  I will admit, I'm intrigued. 

I have poo-poo'd this show since the beginning.  I never understood the fascination with this show (and subsequent franchises) and quite honestly thought finding true love in 6-weeks on reality TV was ludicrous.  Now I'll admit, I had kept up on social media with who's who over the years (kinda hard to avoid when that whole Arie thing was all over the internet and these contestants usually end up hawking some kind of food supplements or on Dancing with the Stars).  I mean, I knew who Trista & Ryan were, I think Jo-Jo Fletcher is absolutely adorable and I knew Rachel was from Dallas.  I knew who Juan Pablo and Andi Dorfman were, too.  I knew who Melissa Rycroft was because I watch the Dallas Cheerleaders show.  I never liked that Emily Maynard and I knew who Jesse Palmer was (duh).  Oh, and I think Josh Murray is pretty nice looking! 

So having said all that, why would I, a staunch critic of the show, decide to start watching this particular season?  Well, there's a couple of reasons actually: 

#1 Colton Underwood
He's adorable.  I mean, like really cute!  Very boy next door.  He seems pretty sincere and comes across as a nice guy.  And let's face it.  The whole virgin thing is intriguing.  Not that I care about this guy's sexual history (or lack thereof) but I do admire him for putting that info out there and not being ashamed of it.  It's kind of sweet.  It doesn't sound like it's a religious choice, it's more of a "I haven't found the right person yet" kind of thing. Very refreshing to see a 26-year old virgin rather than a 26-year old man-whore.   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colton_Underwood

#2 Bri
Twitter was a-buzz prior to the season premiere about the girl with the strange Australian accent and whether or not she lied about it.  I thought it was pretty brilliant.  I get it.  She's trying to stand out among 30 contestants.  But how will this all play out when Colton discovers she's not exactly Australian???

#3 The Entrances
Again, newbie here so I had no idea what to expect from the limo entrances and found it interesting how I immediately "liked" or "disliked" a contestant just from those edited, initial few moments of interaction. Meeting someone for the first time is hella awkward as it is. And the girl who brought the balloon?  Yikes!  I liked the butterfly girl (and how cute was Colton when he put one of those butterflies in his pocket???!!!), thought the girl who gave him nuts was hysterical (especially after the Cinderella entrance -- she turned to the other girls, with a full glass of wine in hand, and said something like "I probably should have done more than give him a bag of nuts!" hahahahaha  My kind of girl.  We could be friends.).  Oh, and BTW . . . when I saw Cinderella girl my immediate thought was "Run Colton Run!  She's too high maintenance!).  Spoiler Alert -- she did not get a rose.  Did not care too much for the girl who handed over her dog (she then went on to sabotage other contestant's time with Colton.  Not cool.).  The South?/North? Carolina pageant girl was cheesy and comes across as someone who's used to getting what she wants.  And let's just say Sloth Girl was weird.  Spoiler Alert -- she did not get a rose.  Hannah B from Tuscaloosa seems pretty chill and I also liked Nicole from Miami who spoke Spanish. She seems a little unsure of herself but I'd like to see her gain some confidence and find her worth.  Didn't care too much for the girl who showed up in a squad car and claimed she was Fashion Police. 

#4 Hannah G. 
a girl from Hoover is on the show!  Hannah is a year or two younger than T so naturally I wanted to check her out!  T said she is/was a genuinely nice person in high school.  Not being a Bachelor veteran, I had no idea what a big deal it was that she received the first rose!  https://www.eonline.com/news/1002862/meet-the-bachelor-contestant-who-won-colton-underwood-s-first-impression-rose

So there you have it!  I will be watching The Bachelor.  This season at least! 

Tacos(s) Tuesday

If we were a normal family, we'd have tacos for dinner tonight since it's Tuesday. But: a). we're not a normal family and b). lacrosse season is upon us in full force.

KJ was supposed to have a game tonight but it has poured all day and is quite windy and chilly.  Only been about 45 degrees today, which is a far cry from last Friday's high of 80.  Instead they are watching game film at the rec center. She had her first home game last Thursday and scored 3 goals. Unfortunately 1 was called back for a crease violation.  But, she did get the game ball. Her lax team is extremely sociable ... the girls have team dinners, they meet for lunch, they go out after games and they really look out for each other. What is even weirder is that the team is comprised of players from 2 rival high schools.  Huge rivals. If this was any other sport, they'd hate each other.

Coach loves being at TCU.  Great group of guys!  Two weekends ago they played at LSU and KJ (and her mechanical baby!) drove down with him on the team bus.  T and Pony Boy met them in Baton Rouge since she knew couldn't be in Hoover this past weekend for the 10th Anniversary.  He told me the other day he doesn't know if he could ever go back to coaching high school. Although he loves putting a stick in a kid's hand while they are young and making sure they learn the basics, he never enjoyed coaching the little little kids. Said it was like herding cats. And while he always loved his time at Hoover, the last couple of years were rough.  I think things changed a bit for him after T's class graduated. Those first couple teams were extra special because everything was new and they were so enthusiastic.  The kids (and parents!) got a little jaded as the years went on and suddenly everyone was an expert. People who (obviously) never even heard of lacrosse until their child picked up a stick were now suddenly questioning each call the refs made, questioning their kid's playing time, buying the most expensive equipment on the market and basically questioning why their kid wasn't getting a D1 scholarship.   In any event, the torch has been passed and the current coaches are doing a great job!  Coach loves the fact that 5 of his former Hoover kids and 1 of his BamaLax boys are coaching programs!

We had a great but very very quick weekend in Hoover. We got in late Friday night and by 10 am Saturday Coach was at the fields for a long, long day of lacrosse. KJ met up with a friend for breakfast and then joined us at the high school.  We had such a great day visiting and spent time with folks we hadn't seen since we rolled out of Hoover.  The girls made KJ feel extra special and came out of their way to see her while she was in town.  The alumni game was a ton of fun and we all went out for drinks afterward and closed down the bar. KJ spent the night with a friend and we picked her up Sunday morning and headed back home. Of course everyone asked her how she liked Texas and everyone was amazed at how well she's adjusted. Which makes my heart happy! 😏😏😏

Beer Can Chicken

No secret I absolutely positively hate to cook.  Love to entertain, hate to cook every night.  When we lived in Hoover, we were busy running from dance to softball to lacrosse (2 daughters and a hubby!), football games, basketball games, dance competitions, etc.  By the time I walked in the door from work, I had to turn around and either get someone to practice or pick them up from somewhere. 

Since we moved to MD, I have cooked almost every single night which is a rarity for me. I've done a little menu planning (nothing major, more like walking into the grocery store with a well thought out list in my hand).  Other than Uncle Julio's last week, we've gotten Chinese food one or two nights and a pizza once.  Not bad considering we probably ate out 3 or 4 nights a week when we lived in Alabama due to our busy schedules. 

Last week I made "Beer Can Chicken."  And Cosmo and KJ lost their minds.  It was super easy and positively delicious.  They are still talking about it and last night I overheard KJ telling T:  "OMG!  Mom made this stuff the other night.  It was called Beer Can Chicken...."  Too funny. 

Disclaimer:  My recipe did not call for an actual can of beer and looked nothing like this.  I just think this photo is hilarious!



Update !!!

Today I have officially been back in Maryland for a week!  So far so good! 

To date, the move has been awesome!  The packers who boxed up the house were great!  Very easy to work with and very professional.  The local Birmingham movers who loaded up the truck were okay, not great, not terrible.  Unfortunately, they were on the "older" side which surprised me since their representative had been out to our house, saw that it sat on a huge hill and also knew it was 3 levels (basement/garage, main level and upper).  The local guys did nothing but bitch and complain about the hill, the stairs and the heat.  All out of my control.  And the bitching got on my last nerve quite quick. 

After some room service, a hot shower, some wine and a restful night at Ross Bridge, the dog and I left Hoover Saturday morning and headed North.  I could have and should have driven straight through but decided to stop in Virginia and break up the trip a bit.  I had never driven that far by myself and didn't know how I'd do.  When I made my hotel reservations, I forgot that I was driving from Central to Eastern time and lost an hour.  I should have made my hotel a little farther than I did and end up stopping a little too early.  And I kind of had to smuggle the dog into the room in a Vera Bradley tote.  I was a nervous wreck that she'd start barking and give us away so I didn't sleep a wink.  At 4:30 AM I was still wide awake and by 5:15 AM I was on the road.  And I hit a lot of heavy, heavy dense fog the entire way up I-81.  Other than that, the drive was uneventful and Trixie was great. 

I was at our house by 12 noon Sunday and after lunch we spent the entire afternoon in the pool.  And on Monday, we barbequed and lounged in the pool the entire day.  It was so nice not having anything to do or anywhere to be.  Tuesday I drove KJ to school and picked her up but Wednesday she rode the bus both ways and has been riding the bus ever since.  The bus stop is two houses down and it's awesome.  She waits at our front door and doesn't start walking to the bus stop until the bus passes our house. 

From the middle school on Tuesday I went grocery shopping and ran a bunch of other errands trying to get familiar with everything.  Tuesday afternoon the previous owners came by to say hello and show me how to run the pool heater, filter, etc.  I gave her my contact info and she texted me later that afternoon to ask if she could bring her daughter by to meet KJ.  Lexi then texted a bunch of girls in the neighborhood and they came over to meet KJ which was super sweet.  This neighborhood is FULL of 8th graders!  So awesome!!!  Two of the girls, another Kendall and a girl named Lucy, made plans to walk KJ to the bus the next day. 

The local Baltimore crew who unloaded on Wednesday were absolutely awesome!  Wow.  I couldn't have asked for a better crew!  Pleasant, fun, helpful, personable.  I am up to my eyeballs in boxes but we're getting through it.  Our family room has curtains (yay!), most of the kitchen has been unpacked, haven't touched my dining room (low priority) and KJ's room is almost done.  I haven't done anything in T's room but Cosmo is all unpacked.  We have separate closets in the house so I'm taking my time with mine.  The closets are positively HUGE and I've got a dressing table in my closet and plan to make it look all fancy and chic. 

Wednesday was a little crazy with movers running around, the pool guy came by, KJ rode the bus for the first time, etc.  One top of all that Cosmo had contacted the volleyball coach and explained our situation to him and asked if he could recommend any clubs or camps.  He asked if KJ had played any travel ball and when Cosmo replied she had 3 years of travel ball under her belt, he told them to come out to that night's practice.  Fortunately I had separated her volleyball stuff and drove it up in my car and we didn't have to hunt through a million boxes to find it!

 

I'm kinda losing track of my days but one night (Thursday or Friday maybe?) we went to Jimmie Cone for ice cream.  For my North Rockland friends, it's like Hoyers and it's delicious!  I'm just a plain vanilla soft serve, cake cone w/ rainbow sprinkles kind of girl but it totally hit the spot! 



Move it Along Folks

So crazy to think that at this time next week I'll be both homeless and unemployed! We've had a super busy week with parties, dinners and get-togethers saying good-by to friends. Cosmo came home last weekend and we had a huge blowout at the house. It was so good to see everyone -- neighborhood friends, lax friends, Hoover friends, volleyball friends, work friends, even friends from Cincinnati! All I wanted to do was clean-out the bar and get rid of our liquor. Somehow, I'm +6 bottles of wine which is amazing considering we threw away 4 huge trashbags of nothing but beer, wine, rum and tequila bottles. Say what you want about the Cos family but man! We can throw a party! Lots of toasts, lots of shots.

I had all the chicks in the nest last week which may not happen for a long time. T drove in Saturday morning and of course her daddy had to make her favorite macaroni for dinner and I had to make her favorite chilli cheese dip for the party. She had to be back in Oxford early Sunday morning so it was a quick, emotional trip for her. It hit her hard that she will never come home to this house ever again. We had a long talk Saturday night (morning???) and I told her it's just a house. It's just four walls. Memories are made any where and every where. It's what's you keep in your heart.

KJ had a ton of kids over Saturday night, too. Naturally it ended in a cake fight. Sunday she spent the day w/ her sweet friend Mo shopping and doing fun girly stuff (I think strawberry shortcake was dessert of the day). Monday KJ got her eyebrows waxed and we did some last minute stuff (shoe shopping), Tuesday we had a relaxing evening getting pedicures (hey! a girl's gotta look good for her first day of school!). Wednesday we met Jo and GW for dinner at the Mexican place and Thursday we had dinner w/ The W Women. Tonight KJ has a b-day party to go to, she'll probably have some friends sleep over and tomorrow she heads to BWI so she can start 8th grade on Monday! Whoop! Whoop!

When we lived in Madrid there was a group of gypsies that lived near our apartment complex.  I am too young to remember this of course but my mom and dad said they roamed across Europe.  I may have been secretly switched at birth and swear I have some gypsy blood in me.  I like to keep moving, I don't like to be stagnant or complacent.  I like to try new things.  I like to read about new places, different people.  I like a little chaos in my life.  It's fun to mix things up a bit. 

I am so absolutely awful at good-byes and totally dreaded my last day at the hotel.  I work(ed) with an amazing group of people and we always had fun no matter what.  Lots of laughs and a lot of silliness.  The girls and I had a nice quiet lunch, no fuss and I tried to sneak out as best as I could.  One of the ladies I work with said, "You and you're family always go on the best adventures!" and I kept that with me all day today.  This next chapter in our lives is definitely going to be an adventure and I'm really looking forward to it! 

"It's time to say goodbye, but I think goodbyes are sad and I'd much rather say hello. Hello to a new adventure." == Ernie Harwell

Here we go!

Since the countdown has officially began, I thought over the next couple of days I'd share with you some of my experiences of living in the South for the past 14 1/2 years. 

Let's begin with our actual move in day way back in May 1999, Memorial Day Weekend to be exact.  I am 6 months pregnant with KJ and quite large (don't judge!  she was a huge 10 lbs. baby!!!).  Our new house sits on top of a ridge and our driveway is kind of steep.  The moving van was parked at the end of the driveway and the crew was running our household goods up the hill with dollies and boxes strapped to their backs.  I'm at the bottom of the driveway, directing (or, as Cosmo lovingly would say, "bossing.").  T is inside, running around the empty house, twirling from room to room, listening to her voice echoing off the walls.  We haven't even been official Hoover residents for more than an hour when all of a sudden we hear a large explosion and can see a huge fireball and plume of smoke coming up from the back of our house!  Thinking our house is on fire, Cosmo and the guys drop everything, run into the house, screaming for T.  Turns out our neighbor was burning trash/rubbish, added gas to the pile and BOOM!!!!  Welcome to Alabama!!!

It works both ways folks

So by now everyone has heard about Paul Deen's recent troubles.  Allegedly, she used the N-word years ago and is being sued by a former employee for creating and fostering a working environment filled with racism and sexual harassment.  Food Network has chosen not to renew her contract, she was recently dropped by Smithfield's and her home shopping deal seems to be in jeopardy. 

Last night I heard about the tweets from one of the nation's top high school football recruits.  A young man from here in Hoover.  http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2013/06/top_prospect_marlon_humphrey_j.html#incart_most-read  Unfortunately, what the young man thought was a "joke" is quite harmful to the coaches, the students, the alumni and the fans of Ole Miss.  It was malicious, slanderous and libelous.  And, in a way, racist.  He showed his ignorance and publicly commented on a group of individuals and an institution he knows absolutely nothing about.  The young football player has since recanted and admitted he has never stepped foot on Ole Miss's campus. 

So, should this young man suffer the "Paula Deen" effect -- should he be tried in the media and convicted via social media?  Should any/all of his football scholarships be retracted?  Or should we just chalk this up to a youthful indiscretion the way some people have proclaimed Deen to be a victim of her Southern upbringing? 

Sneaky Spot

T and I cleaned the Sneaky Spot yesterday while KJ was whooping it up at Six Flags.  I guess I should back up a minute and explain what the Sneaky Spot actually is.

T was not quite 5 years old when we moved to Birmingham.  We were taking the tour with the realtor when we opened a door at the top of the stairs which lead to a little office/study.  T took one look at it and said, "Ooooohhh!  A Sneaky Spot!"  And the name stuck.  It's a really neat little space / bonus room with built in shelving, an angled ceiling and a parquet floor.  When the girls were little they used it as a playroom and had the Little Tykes kitchen set up there, they played dress up, read books while relaxing on the beanbag chair, colored, etc.  Then, as the girls got older and outgrew the Sneaky Spot, it became a bit of a junk room.  If you didn't know where something belonged, "just throw it in the Sneaky Spot; no one goes in there any more."  I tried to take it over as my office at one point and Cosmo installed a counter for me to do scrapbooking, etc.  It just never took hold.  So, the Sneaky Spot became more of a Catchall Corner over the years.

We tore that room up yesterday and I'm happy to say we have a nice, clean, organized Sneaky Spot once again. I keep all of our photo albums up there and T and I had a lot of laughs over some old photos.  KJ was a beautiful baby and toddler but had the worst smile.  It was more like a grimace.  We used to have to bribe her to smile in photos.  Even now it's a bit of a struggle to get her to smile in photo but she's kind of learned if she just gives a quick grin, I'll snap the photo and leave her alone.  As long as she doesn't do a bunch of those awful duck-face "selfies" I'm OK with it. 

Weird, Wet Wonderful Sunday

Favorite Day of the Week!  And it's pouring to boot!  Yay!  Love a good, relaxing Sunday!  And, let's not forget, Vikings season finale tonight on the History Channel!  Such a great show!  Hate that the season is over but it has been renewed!

Finished reading "Wedding Night" by Sophie Kinsella (eh; definitely not my favorite Kinsella book).  Started reading "Paris" by Edward Rutherford (he's not following his usual formula and that's OK!). 

The Hoover Varsity lax team is spanking Oak Mountain as I type in play-offs.  I went to the Spain Park game the other night and we lost (thus ending our undefeated season) so I think I'm the bad luck charm.  I'll just stay away from now on.  I'm good with that. 

My parents are here and today (in the pouring rain!) my dad planted all my flowers for me since I have a black thumb.  His "yuppie" granddaughter helped him for a little bit but the rain got to be too much for her.  The two of them also painted my mail box and the post on Saturday.  Good, quality grandparent/grandchild bonding time. 

T was at the Opryland Hotel in Nashville this weekend for a fraternity prom.  She's texted a few times and sounds like they had a good time. 

Happy Happy Happy

I mean seriously!  What's not to be happy about today?  It's Friday, the sun is shining, I'm wearing some super cute arm candy,  had the sunroof open and the tunes cranking on my way into the office this morning, my girl is coming home for the weekend and oh!  Did I mention it's Friday??!!

KJ is feeling better and headed back to school today.  She's been on the antibiotics and ear drops for two days now.  She went to volleyball last night even though her coach told her to stay home and rest for this weekend's tournament.  KJ really loves this team and I was very surprised yet pleased when she said she wanted to go to practice even though I knew she was feeling puny.  We love, love, love her coaches this year.  Coach B is super sweet yet firm with the girls and uses every opportunity to coach.  She's very positive and encourages the girls to do their very best and to support each other. 

Coach had a rough night last night.  They pulled out a win but played horrible the entire first half.  He calls this game the annual meet-up of the Catholics vs. the Convicts.  I think the Catholics were a little annoyed that they didn't end of with MAR in a green uniform and came out a little more aggressive than anticipated.  A decision was finally handed down late Wednesday evening after Coach, MAR and his parents presented their arguments regarding the situation.  What tipped the scales in Hoover's favor was the revelation that there were several players on other teams that were playing outside of their zones.  So, #MarkAllenHasBeenSaved

#SaveMarkAllen

Love so much that the Hoover boys have rallied around a fellow lacrosse player.  Extremely proud of them and they are learning a valuable life lesson.  It's not all about winning.  They have taken a stand and are supporting MAR every way they know.  They're using #savemarkallen for all of their tweets and are also willing to forfeit games if it means allowing him to play. 

MAR has been playing the game since middle school.  Unfortunately, the Varsity team he played for didn't have the numbers or the talent so they dropped to JV.  MAR was the only senior on his team and is an incredible player who has the potential to get recruited.  Unfortunately, no one is going to take him seriously if he's playing on a JV team.  So, because he's played for Coach with Bamalax and knows most of the Hoover players, he requested to play for a different team.  Which should not be an issue since the sport is not sanctioned.  This has nothing to do with the school district or the AHSAA or anyone else who has nothing to do with the sport.  Unfortunately, the GBYLA, the governing body for local Birmingham lacrosse has decided that MAR should play at JCCHS or another private school. Which makes no sense.  The rule has always been that if a child wants to play but his local school does not have a team, he plays for the next nearest team.  Which, in MAR's case, is Hoover.  He's not Catholic nor has he ever attended private schools. 

This is a young man who just wants to play a sport that he loves.  This is not a young man who is whining or complaining about he's playing time.  He's never had an issue with a coach or another player.  He just wants to play lacrosse.  #SaveMarkAllen

Red Neck

"Just once, I would like to wake up, turn on the news, and hear...'Monday has been canceled, go back to sleep."  -- Author Unknown

Had such a nice weekend with T and the girls!  It was wonderful having a houseful of kids and the girls were super sweet.  They were so low maintenance and no trouble at all. 

Unfortunately, the tournament wasn't organized very well and the home team didn't have a contingency plan in place in the event of rain.  The fields were an absolute disaster and the Saturday games were cancelled.  Coach made some phone calls and was able to secure some turf fields for Sunday but the home team did not want to travel the 45 minutes up the road from Ttown to Hoover nor did they want to play on a high school field (which is weird because the high school facilities are a 1000 times better than the rec fields at Bama!).  The girls made the best of the situation and all went to the mall and out to dinner.  A couple of them went to Coach's game (which was super exciting!  It went into double-overtime but Hoovs lost by 1.). 

The bus came for the girls super duper early Sunday morning and we headed to T-town for two games.  Last fall Alabama beat the girls pretty bad but Saturday Ole Miss only lost by two and Ole Miss beat Samford pretty good so they ended up going 1 for 1 on the day.  T scored two goals in each of the games.  And, if I remember correctly she scored first in each of the games.  The weather was so incredible.  Such a beautiful day, not a cloud in the sky and I love being on the Alabama campus (kind of weird though being on campus wearing and Ole Miss sweatshirt and hat).   Unfortunately, I got sun burnt on the back of my neck and look like a total goober. 

I didn't sleep well Saturday night but Sunday night I had one of the best night's sleep of my life.  A very good deep sleep.  I was so snuggly and really had a hard time getting up this morning.  Monday's really stink.  

Poor Coach

Got SOOOO much done today!  House looks great!  House smells great!  I even had time to bake some cookies.  Beds are made, fresh towels in all the bathrooms, extra pillows on hand.  Now I'm just waiting on the "girls" to get here. 

Poor Coach.  He is going to be severely outnumbered this weekend and he's trying to get in as much testosterone as he can.  He's got a game tonight (in the pouring rain, no thank you) and 2 games tomorrow but they're later in the day so he'll be able to catch T's first game and most of the second.  Coach had made arrangements for the "girls" to use one of the Hoover fields tonight to get in a little practice and the former Alabama Men's coach was going to come out and work with the Ole Miss goalie but Parks and Rec closed the fields due to the weather.  Tomorrow's games are going to be a mess.  The Alabama Men's tournament organizers were scrambling to find alternative fields and the Women (i.e., the "girls") are playing on the Rec field (which is going to be more of a swimming hole than a field). 

Thank goodness for good friends, they are taking KJ to her vball tournament in Huntsville this weekend.  She made me promise that no one would sleep in her bed while she was gone.  She said she doesn't want any "strangers" in her bed.  I couldn't help but laugh.  Trust me KJ.  No one and I do mean NO ONE wants to sleep in that bed. 

Tuesday already?

Tomorrow's Hump Day.  Where has this week gone???

I braved the bitter cold Saturday and sat through most of the JV game and all of the Varsity game.  JV lost by 1 and Varsity won (can't remember the final score).  After the game we grabbed a bite to eat and the assistant coaches and a couple of the kids ended up sitting at the table next to us.  We got home in time to see most of the high school's Beauty Walk on iHigh.  I missed all of the girls walking out at the beginning but caught the top 30, the top 10 and the finale.  Luv, luv, luv seeing the girls all dressed up and grown up! 

Sunday morning were two more games but I didn't go.  It was nice  to relax and sleep in a little and get a some laundry done.  Last night Coach and I went out to dinner before getting KJ from the airport.  She had a wonderful, wonderful time in DC and took some amazing pictures.  They were on the go the entire trip and she's exhausted and slightly cranky. 

Getting ready for the lacrosse team's arrival this weekend -- been buying snacks, bought some extra pillows in case someone forgot theirs and bought some fresh guest towels.  Hopefully most of the girls remember to bring their air mattresses.  The girls will get here late Friday night and will go out to dinner after the games Saturday so I just need to feed them breakfast Saturday and Sunday morning.  And hopefully it doesn't rain so I don't have 30 girls covered in muddy tromping thru the house! 

No Kids Allowed

Whoop!  Whoop!
Totally enjoying our "kid-free" weekend so far!

KJ is having a blast in DC!  She's been sending us photos and it doesn't appear to be too terribly cold.  She's not wearing a jacket or snow boots in any of the photos.  They were at the Ford Theater earlier today as well as the National Cathedral. 

T is having a bit of a rough day in Nashville.  They are played Vandy earlier today (and lost) and are about to play Clemson.  It's cold, the team isn't playing well and she's not a happy camper.  I think the girls are having a hard time bonding since their goalie passed away in the fall.  I think the older girls have lost their spark and the younger girls are looking to them for leadership.  They'll turn it around. 

Last night we had our annual lacrosse fundraiser and had a GREAT time!  I don't know a lot of these younger kids coming up or their parents but we had a lot of great food, great adult bevvies and some great items were auctioned off!  I bought a basket full of wine and two autographed books (my friend G's brother is an author and has written a book about their father's experience in WWII and his newest book is about William Faulkner).  I've had both of his books on my Nook Wish List and now I actually own signed copies.  I'm very excited to start reading!  http://www.jacksacco.com/

Today the sun is shining but I can hear the wind and it's supposed to be very cold out.  Coach (yup!  the lax season has officially started so he's back to being "Coach").  I plan to support Coach and the team but am kind of dragging my feet.  I really don't want to sit on the cold metal bleachers in the wind for two games.  Guess I need to make a to-go cup of hot chocolate, pack a seat cushion and a blankie and just suck it up!

Busier than a . . .

take your pick:

1.a one-armed paperhanger with a case of the hives.
2.a one-eyed cat watching nine rat holes.
3.a one-legged man in a butt kickin’ contest.
4.a one-toothed man in a corn-on-the-cob eating contest.
5.a mosquito at a nudist colony.
6.a one-armed paper hanger.
7.a cross-eyed air traffic controller.
8.a set of jumper cables at a country funeral.
9.a cat with puppies.
10.a weatherman in a tornado (made me think of James Spann!!)
11.a desert cobra at a mongoose convention.
12.a termite in a saw mill.
13.a dog scratching fleas.
14.a one-armed-pimp in a bitch-slapping contest
15.a one-armed trombone player.
16.a rooster in a henhouse.

Some of these are pretty funny.  My dad always said he was "busier than a one-armed paperhanger."  I've never heard the "with a case of hives" part before. 

Got a lot going on . . .
-- really like my new job so far.  It's keeping me busy. 
-- trying to get KJ packed and ready for DC. 
-- she's had a lot of vball; weekly practices / weekend tournaments.  I feel like all I do is wash uniforms and vball socks. 
-- we've had a lot of lax (Ole Miss and Hoover) and the Hoover season doesn't officially start until Saturday; got our annual auction this weekend which is always fun!  Made up a tailgate basket (it's actually a cooler, not a basket but I guess it could also be used for a picnic) to auction off (a variety of gourmet beers, fun bottle-opener, blue corn chips, mango salsa, some kind of beer potato chips, crackers, sausage, cheeses, etc.).
-- getting ready for the Ole Miss to stay with us when they play Bama.  Not sure yet if the ENTIRE team (approx. 30 girls) or HALF the team (approx. 15 girls) are staying with us but that weekend couldn't be any crazier . . . they'll play 2 games on Saturday and 1 on Sunday so that means they'll be with us 2 nights (which means the woman who HATES to cook will be cooking for a small army).  Cosmo has Hoover lax games that weekend and KJ is supposed to be in Nashville for a vball tournament.
-- then we head into Spring Break.  T and the girls will be stopping here on their way to SB'13 to pick-up a friend from Auburn who will be joining them.  Not sure of the number but it could be anywhere from 5 to 10 girls.  I volunteered to make a lasagna and salad for them for that first night in the condo so they don't have to cook.  Who am I kidding?  I'll get Cosmo to make the lasagna.  KJ has SB'13 the week after T and was invited to the beach with friends.  I will probably end up cancelling the condo I had for the week and Cosmo and I are thinking of taking a quick, romantic, child-less trip for a couple of days.  I don't care where we go.  I just want to sit at a pool and/or get lots of spa treatments. 

Go Bucs!

Big night for the high school football team!  Semi-finals game against Clay-Chalkville.  Should be a great match-up and record crowds are expected.  Cosmo really wants to go to the game tonight but I haven't been to a single game this year and think I should not mess with the mojo.

It's been a busy, busy week and I am really, really looking foward to the weekend!  Monday I had dinner with a sweet friend, Tuesday I had a big client lunch with PSDS out at Barber's and in the evening KJ & I went to dinner before her travel volleyball team meeting.  Wednesday I had a bunch of errands to run after work and last night Cosmo was home after traveling all week.  My Thanksgiving decorations were down last week but I haven't put up a single Christmas thing yet.  I'd like to get that done this weekend but we're not putting trees up until T comes home next week. 

My poor, poor baby is so sick with the flu.  This is the child that NEVER EVER gets sick and for her to break down and go to the health office is a big deal.  Glad she's taking care of herself!  She's got finals next week and really wanted to nip it in the bud.  She said in addition to a prescription for TamiFlu they also gave her a little prevention kit w/ Lysol, Germ-X, a couple of those face masks, gloves, etc.  She had a lot going on this week too and really can't afford to be sick . . . she had BIG/LITTLE week and last night she finally got to meet her "family."  She met her Big, her Twin, her Big's Twin and her Little and her Big's GrandBig.  T is representing AOPi in the Parade of Beauties (along with 3 seniors) and she had a mandatory meeting last night.  After her meeting, her entire Family went out to dinner.  Sunday is her formal AOPi induction and she is just so excited!

A little foosball

Enjoying the rest of the Saturday with a little Alabama football.  KJ had a volleyball tourney today so I didn't get to see any of the Auburn game.  Folks on Twitter & Facebook are just tearing Auburn up after that game.  And my friend Julie is just loving life right about now.  I don't dislike Auburn, I just like Alabama a heck of a lot better.  Which is hard for Alabama natives to understand.  But, "not being from around these parts," I didn't have to choose a side while growing up.  Auburn's going to have a rough year and I wonder how long it will take before Chizik is on the chopping block. 

I'm such a total dweeb.  I just luv, luv, luv Nick Saban and I luv, luv, luv seeing the new Crimsonette costumes each year.  They are magnificent and positively scream football.  I don't like when schools try to break from tradition and modernize and fool around with uniforms (yes Oregon, I'm talking to you.  And you too, Terps.). 

 

 

 

T is gearing up for the Ole Miss game vs. UTEP.  It's parent's weekend and she gets to do the Rebel Run this afternoon.  She's still loving college life but in all seriousness, what's not to love?  She's at one of the prettiest campuses on the planet, loves her classes, likes her roommate, lax started this week and she's meeting lots of new peoople.  She likes the girls on her lax team alot and she's even met a couple of laxers who played against Hoover and remember Coach.  She tried out for the campus news team last week and originally did not make it.  Which we kind of expected as a freshmen.  But then, she got an e-mail saying they'd like her to do some B-reel, background work, research, etc.  And, she was also invited to two different journalism conferences.  The one in September interferes with Rush but she will go to the one in November. 

Didn't go to the Hoover football game Friday night and quite honestly, I'm not sure if we'll even make a game this year.  I hate this new alignment and have zero interest in any of the games (maybe I'll feel differently when KJ hits high school.  But for now, I'm really enjoying my Friday nights!).  The rivalries are gone, the excitement/anticipation is gone.  Don't get me wrong, Hoover is still an incredible team and no matter the conference or divison they play in, they will steamroll over everyone.  But I miss the Spain Parkers thinking they have a shot each year, I like the ugliness of the Vestavia game and I like the Brookies snubbing their noses at Hoover each year.  Oh!  And Homewood!  I always like their band.  They put on a good half-time show.   

Hoover vs. Spain Park

What a great, wonderful lazy Saturday we've had so far! It was a busy, busy week and we're all just looking forward to the long weekend! Everyone slept in this morning and Cosmo made us waffles at the beginning of the Alabama vs. Kent State game. That was our pre-game tailgating brunch.
Yesterday I checked KJ out of school so she could attend the pep rally at the High School. Cosmo met us up there and the gym was positively rockin'! Great, great, great pep rally! The band sounded great, the cheerleaders did great and the Bnettes did great! The kids were really pumped! T could NOT wait to run out onto the gym floor with the rest of the seniors. She has been waiting for that for 4 years!

Very humid at the football game last night (and we all know I don't "do" humid). Had a lot of fun seeing some of our SP friends and I got to see my 3 favorite Dazzlers prior to the game. I don't know what it was, but I thought last night's game was one of the longest games I had ever been to. Last week's game had commercial breaks but for some reason I felt last night's game dragged on.

T is having SO much fun this year being a senior. We had our annual "family bed" time this morning and she said last night the Bnettes started a new tradition. As they left the dance room and loaded the bus, they formed 2 straight lines and each person took a turn dancing down the middle. I'm glad the girls are doing their own thing and really getting a long. By the end of the year they'll be sick of each other but that's to be expected. These girls are together 5 or 6 days a week.