TGIF

Yay!!!  It's finally Friday!

As always, it's been a busy, busy week here in Hoo-ville starting off with Bid-day on Sunday and will end up with lots of football (Hoover vs. Vestavia High School game Friday night, Ole Miss @ Alabama Saturday and some good ol' NFL on Sunday -- yippee!  The Refs are back!).  Oh, and I almost forgot!  My birthday was in there somewhere as well as two middle school volleyball games. 

Had a wonderful, relaxing birthday.  It was exactly what I wanted / needed.  We eat out alot because of our busy schedules so that has kind of lost its appeal.  It's not special anymore.  I told Cosmo I don't care if I have a bowl of corn chex for my birthday dinner, I just want to be in my own home.  Cosmo sent me an amazing bouquet of flowers and he & KJ made some steaks and scallops on the grill and we had tiramasu and cheesecake for dessert.  It was a gorgeous night so we ate outside.  It was a PERFECT birthday!

Everytime . . .

Everytime I come back from visiting T @ Oxford, I thank God she is exactly where she's supposed to be.  She is having an absolute blast, she loves her classes, loves her roommate and has made tons of new friends.  That's what college is all about.  This should be the best time of her life! 

She had such a wonderful, amazing Rush week and is so excited and proud to be a Baby Panda!  It was a crazy, crazy day!  Lots of hugs, lots of tears of joy,   T was very funny about the whole process.  A couple of friends had told her not to tell me too much because although she would have moved on during the week, mom's have a hard time when a sorority drops a girl for whatever reason.  So, after the last day of Philanthropy she casually mentioned which houses were here favorite so far, which she wasn't crazy about, which she was on the fence about.  I wrote them on a scrap little piece of paper to kind of keep track and I found that piece of paper when I got home from Oxford Sunday night after Bid Day.  She had Pref'd her top 2 houses and the third house was from totally out of left field.  Things just have a way of working out and she got her first choice!  All of the 5 Hoover girls did well and got bids from great houses!  And Nat is a Frat Rat so they're all happy.  They will all have an awesome year! 

AOPi !!!

"Running of the PNM's" (thank goodness she wore a bright colored shirt!  She was easy to spot!)

"Baby Panda"

Rush !!!

Cancer Walk-A-Thon

After 3 days of Philanthropy and Skit last night, today is Pref Day at Ole Miss with Bid Day on Sunday.  I have to honestly say I had absolutely no idea what T-bone was getting into.  I had always heard horror stories about Ole Miss being super competitive, completely over the top, etc.  A friend of ours warned her "Rush is a bitch."  Recent national stories about Ole Miss Freshman attending Rush workshops didn't help my perception either. 

I am very, very happy to report that T has had an AMAZING week and is really looking forward to tonight and tomorrow.  She hasn't been stressed at all, she's having fun and, most importantly, is staying true to herself.  I thought she was going to have a hard time juggling classes, lax and rush but she handling it like the trooper she is.  She has been inundated with encouraging handwritten letters and notes of support from family and friends (my co-workers have gone above and beyond and have been showering her all week with love), she's received beautiful and thoughtful gifts and feels very blessed. 

Day 1 of Rush

They had water parties a couple of weeks ago.  T has several older friends in different sororities on campus so it was interesting for her to learn a little bit more about each of those sororities as well as the sororities she was not at all familiar with.  She loved a couple of houses, a couple of houses she just wasn't crazy about for some reason (as she put it, she just didn't get the "warm fuzzies").  And one of the houses she was very, very disappointed in.  She had NO connection with the girl who welcomed her into the house and said it was terribly awkward. 

Convocation

Fast forward to formal Rush.  T has always been involved in various charities (through dance team, pageants, dance studio and lacrosse) and was very excited to learn about the organizations each house supports.  On Thursday night the PNM's had to list their top 6 houses out of the 9 they had visited during Philanthropy.  T said it was very weird for her because a couple of the houses she really liked during water parties didn't really stand out during Philanthropy and vice versa . . . a couple of houses that she hadn't really considered welcomed her with open arms.

The funny thing is Bess the roomie has had a similar experience.  The houses she loved during water parties (which were the complete opposite of T's preference), didn't make the cut at the end of the week and she, too, flip-flopped on some houses. 

Early Friday morning came the dreaded knocks on the dorm room doors signifying if a girl has been dropped and won't be receiving a formal bid.  T was happy to learn that no one on her floor/wing of the dorm got a knock.  That afternoon the girls found out how many houses they had been invited to for Skit night with 6 houses being the maximum you could get invited to.  T was hoping/expecting to be invited to at least two skits.  She was shocked to learn that she had been invited to SIX.  She had a long, exciting night and called around midnight to give me the run-down.  She had SO much fun during Skit and really appreciated how much thought and effort each house put into their Skit.  She just loves the energy, the whole clapping, singing, upbeat vibe of this week. 

So today is Pref.  Supposed to be a little more serious than the rest of the week, she'll get to spend a little bit more one-on-one time at each of the houses.  I'm heading out there tonight but probably won't see her until we meet for Breakfast on Sunday.  I think it's going to be another long, but fun, night for T and we're both excited about Bid Day!

Table Update

Just a little "tweak" to my Ole-Miss themed dining room table.  I needed some height on the table and thought the football guy would look cute on a pedestal.  The flowers are compliments of a client at work.  Depending on the vase/container, the florist will sometimes come back for their vases but they don't usually want the flowers.  One of the girls in our banquets department hates to see the flowers go to waste so she breaks them up to in smaller bunches and puts them on our desks to brighten our day. 

 

It's OK Thursday !!!

It's OK . . .

...that we had Taco Tuesday on Wednesday

...it's MORE than OK that my Fantasy Football team kicked major butt this week!  Thank you Reggie Bush!

...to have friends with different political views than you.  It's hard to have conversations some times, but it's OK. 

...to not care who the new judges are on "American Idol" or "The Voice."

...to be insanely excited to start reading Ken Follett's new book in the Century Trilogy, "Winter of the World."  

A LOT of Orange

Lots & lots of Orange this weekend!  KJ had a vball tournament this weekend (I missed the 4 PM game -- I mean, seriously??  Who schedules a vball game for 4 PM on a Friday??).  The won their 4 PM game (match?  set?  I still have no idea what the correct terminology is!) but lost their 6 PM.  She stayed with friends on Saturday while the rest of us headed to Oxford which was probably a good thing.  It was a late game and turned out to be a very long day. 

I tried to keep up with the Hoover homecoming game via Twitter while I was at vball Friday night but when I saw that it was 33-0 with 3 minutes still to go in the FIRST QUARTER, I stopped checking.  As I said in an earlier post, no matter the conference or division, Hoover will run over their opponent. 

We had another great weekend at Ole Miss.  The Grove was nuts.  Totally nuts.  Wall to wall people, tents as far as the eye can see.  Lots and lots of burnt orange (when Ole Miss played Central Arkansas, you only saw a handful of purple).  The Texas fans were fun and I think they had a good time in Oxford.  Never did get to see Matthew Mc but Betty White got the crowd pumped with a great "Are You Ready" and the student section was pumping the entire game.  G & I had fun walking around the Grove (you never know who/what you'll see!) and Sorority Row (Phi Mu & KD had great signs too but I can't get them to load properly). 

 

 

It was wonderful to spend some quality time with T.  We had a great brunch with her and enjoyed catching up.  She texts and calls regularly but there's nothing like face-to-face and hugs. 

Funny how things Change

I thought I was in for a bad week on Monday and Tuesday but then Wednesday and Thursday were nothing but good and today is Friday!  Whoop!  Whoop! 

A co-worker got a new little King James Cavalier puppy and brought him into work to show us.  What a super cute dog!  Of course we all "ooh-ed" and "aah-ed" over him.  What is it about puppies and babies that turns adults into mush and makes us all start talking baby talk???

Thursday we had an ice cream party at work.  I'm pretty plain vanilla when it comes to my ice cream.  Seriously.  Just vanilla ice cream (or mint chocolate chip if it's available).  I don't mix my flavors.  I could never have a bowl of strawberry, chocolate and vanilla or some other combination.  As far as toppings, it's some chocolate or rainbow sprinkles (my dad always called them "jimmies"), maybe a little caramel, that's about it.  I'm very weird about stuff like that.  Even if we go to one of those frozen yogurt places, my toppings are seperated into neat little piles and off to one side of the container.  NEVER mixed together.  When we lived in NY, Cosmo would specially order my ice cream cake from Dairy Queen days in advance so I could get a custom, vanilla only cake. 

Today is Football Friday in the office which is always fun!  We all wear our colors (MegSP has the most AWESOME houndstooth high heel shoes!) and we bring in a food dish to share.  Most of us are Alabama fans.  One of the girls I work with is originally from Louisanna but went to Ole Miss so she cheers for both.  One of the guys from Accounting is an Auburn fan and we give him crap each week.  It's all in good fun and he takes it like a man. 

 

Apparently Oxford, MS has gone into complete over-drive the last couple of days and everyone is anxiously awaiting the Texas game.  It's a pretty big deal!  Rumors are swirling that Matthew Mc has bought out such and such restaurant for Saturday night, G5's and G6's are clogging the tarmac at the airport, etc.  Wednesday night T texted me and said the rumor going around campus was that he showed up at the DG house while the girls were in the middle of rush preparations (his sister?  mother?  was a DG.  Allegedly.). 

 

 

Everytime I think of Texas I think of this clip from the movie "Man of the House."  The movie isn't that great and this is the probably the best 2 minutes.  I also like the scene where Tommy Lee Jones says, "This IS my happy face!"  I use that line alot! 

 

 

And then, Thursday afternoon, the most wonderful thing happened!  I was in TOTAL shock to receive 4, FOUR, super awesome comments on my blog (it was actually 5 comments but 1 was a repeat so I won't count it!).  Four (ok, actually 3; don't count the repeat!) comments on "It's OK Thursday" and one for the post "Foosball."  I was over-whelmed and I was so happy to know someone reads my blog!  Thank You!  Thank You!  Thank You!!

 

It's OK Thursday

It's OK . . .       ...that my Fantasy Football Team sucked wind this week. ...to be anxiously awaiting the new Ken Follett novel.  ...that I still don't like Taylor Swift but I do find "We are Never, Ever Getting Back Together" very catchy. ...to not like anything Pumpkin flavored (which is really weird because Fall is my very favorite season!). 

Lips

No secret this is one of my favorite products of all time!  It goes on super duper smooth, it's not a sticky, high gloss and my lips feel SO smooth after using it.  Especially after having a cold or when it's really dry out and my lips feel flaky and icky.  And, most importantly, I like the color.  It looks good on me in the summer with a tan (and we'll see how it looks in the winter when I'm paler; I think it will complement my skin tone quite nicely).  It's a a good neutral shade.  Not too overpowering, not whimpy either. 

I think L'Oreal has had their version out for a while now but I only recently discovered it.  This weekend I purchased and tried "Nourishing Nude" and really, really liked it.  Nice price, too. Nice texture, smooth application.  Like the color. 

Again, I may not be the sharpest tool in the shed.  I have no idea when Revlon came out with Lip Butter but I purchased "Pink Truffle" recently.  Went on smooth, good price, good color. 

 

 

I don't know.  Maybe I shouldn't quit my day job.  I don't think I have a future in Lip Balm Product Testing.  I really like all three of these.  Sugar Fresh is my top choice but Revlon and L'Oreal are both serious contenders.  Maybe I should try a blindfolded test or something???

 

 

I just can't

I think I am going to take a self-imposed break from all social media today (other than this blog post). 

I am not trying to be difficult, melodramatic, or deemed insensitive or disrespectful to survivors or the families of the fallen in any way, shape or form. 

Cosmo and I knew too many people taken from us on this date and it is still so fresh.  It stings bitterly.  We all have our own painful memories of this day.  I vividly remember Cosmo calling me on that gorgeous September morning.  The sky was impossibly blue and clear.  I was getting Kj ready for our first Mommy & Me gymnastics class.  And then him subsequently rushing home to be with me and KJ.  I mean, he tore through that front door.  Us contemplating whether we should get T out of school to calm her fears (we had just been to the city in August and have a beautiful photo of her in front of the towers from the Ferry as we were approaching the Statue of Liberty; we knew if she heard about the towers she would worry about her family in NY).  Frantic phone calls to my parents.  Calling my brother in PA to tell him I loved him.  Immediate thoughts about Cosmo's cousin Hope who worked in one of the Towers.  Hope had only recently come into our lives and the thought of losing her was devasting.  Then the sudden realization that B might have been on duty.  Was Guenther OK?  Never in a million years thinking that a boy, a man now, that I played with when I was a kid, was now among the missing.  His son was only two weeks old.  Rob's poor sister.  Not only lost her brother that day but her husband as well.  The fireman who lived down the street from me when I was a girl.  The receptionist at my dentists office lost her husband.  Our high school friend lost his older brother.  My brother lost a high school friend.  The family who owned the local pizza place lost a loving wife and mother. 

Robert McCarthy

I guess what I'm saying is that I don't need 9/11 retrospectives or tweets or FB posts to remind me.  I will never forget.  And I will make sure my children never forget either. 

Reb Run

 

So, T had a good time @ Saturday's Rebel Run (natch).  She said the weather for the game was spectacular (figures!  the weekend I'm there it's hotter than the surface of the sun!) and it actually got a little chilly after the sun went down.  Don't mom's always say, "take a sweater!"??

 

Tonight is one of those super rare nights we don't have anything to do!  I think the last time KJ did not have volleyball was the first day of school.  Can't wait to have a nice family meal (minus 1). 

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.   

Flim Flam, Bim Bam

Are you ready?

Hell yes!

Damn Right!

Hotty Toddy, Gosh almighty Who the hell are we?

Hey!

Flim Flam, Bim Bam Ole Miss, By Damn!

OK. Not gonna lie. It was kind of weird rooting for a team other than the Tide or the Jets.  But we had a great time with T, got to see 5 of the 7 Hoover kids, visited with some old friends, met some new friends and just soaked up all that is tailgating at the Grove. 

 

The Grove was quite an experience . . . tailgating at it's finest.  The kids were all decked out, the tents were gorgeous (I was in heaven and got lots of ideas for my dining room table!) and the food was delish!  

 

 

Ole Miss won but it was an ugly win.  KJ and I giggled the whole time and drove Cosmo nuts.  He bought me a seat cushion and KJ a jersey to keep us quiet.  We kept asking him when they were going to play "Sweet Home Alabama" and under our breath we would say "Roll Tide Roll" when it was 1st and 10.  KJ had her picture taken with the cheerleaders and we did the Walk of Champions a couple of hours prior to kick-off.  

 

 

On our way home on Sunday we stopped at a nice little park in Tupelo and let KJ run around and play in the splash park.