Weekend Recap

It's back to the grind for me today.  I worked most of last week but nothing really goes on around the holidays at the office and so many people are out it doesn't feel like real work.  I must say the part I am the most bothered by is that I had to wear real dress pants.  I have not had to wear them since mid-December and I am really missing my jeans, especially considering the high today is 30!  In true southern fashion, people are freaking out here.  Several school systems have closed for today and tomorrow due to the cold, which if you ask me is a little (ok a lot) on the ridiculous side).  I realize they don't want kids out at bus stops or walking to schools, but a delay seems like a much better idea to me that cancelling all together.  I could understand if we had -50 windchills like several members of my family are experiencing, but with windchills in the teens let's send the kiddies to school. I am pretty sure the fact that Auburn is playing the National Championship tonight has something to do with the cancellations, but no one with admit to that.

My weekend was split between 2 things: basketball (duh) and de-Christmasing the house.  We played Friday and Saturday this weekend and finished the weekend 1-1.  It was an important 1-1, because the win gave us our second win this season. Two wins may not seem like a lot but it made us 2-2 in our Region, which is HUGE because that means we're #3 in the Region!  Now if we could just put the ball in the basket more consistently (we scored 54 on Friday but only 19 on Saturday), we could add a few more wins to our record.  We may need to figure out a way to cool out gym down because the heaters were out on Friday when it was in the 40s and the gym was ice cold when we scored 54.

1. Hollow enjoyed watching The Little Rascals on tv this weekend.
2. The school we played on Friday had not one but 2 guys who were about 6' 8" and looked like grown men, not high school seniors. This is one of them dunking....nearly above the rim.
3. The school we played at on Saturday had Spunks....aka Otis Spunkmeyer Chocolate Chip Cookies, so naturally I get some and then looked for copycat recipes as soon as I got home because I have missed those delicious morsels or amazingness.
4. I had to put up the dog toys when I was cleaning on Sunday so I could vacuum/mop, but every time I put the boys' new bones up Peanut would pull them out of the basket, so I finally put them on the mantle.  Don't worry Peanut found them and waited on the fireplace step until I got one down and gave it to him.
5. we had lunch at Eric's Mom's house on Sunday and got to see this little nut.  She cracked me up sitting on her perch on the back of the couch.

As for my other weekend activities, it took me 2 days but I finally got all of the Christmas decorations taken down.  I probably could have done it in one if I had a full day (but I didn't because of ball games).  The last thing to come down was our Christmas card display.  I hang them in our doorway so they are on display and I just LOVE looking at them.  One of these days I am going to make a book for them like I say I am going to do every year.

Yes that is my Letterman's jacket from college hanging on the chair.  It's my dog-walking jacket when it's cold because it's so warm and cuts the wind.

Tonight is the National Championship, and for the 5th year in a row a team from Alabama is playing for it. I am hoping the Auburn Tigers can pull another big win off and bring a 5th consecutive National Championship back the state of Alabama....how cool would that be!  I am super jealous of all of my friends who are enjoying the warm sunny California temps while we are experiencing record lows down here!

Speaking of record lows, that little brother of mine spent yesterday evening braving the cold in Wisconsin at the Packer/49ers Wild Card game which ended up being the 7th coldest NFL game in history.  The temp was 4 degrees, but windchill made it feel like -14 degrees.  I told him I needed photographic evidence of his attendance and he obliged.

He was clearly rocking the Ninja Turtle look at the game. 

If you are in the eastern part of the country today and tonight, bundle up and stay warm....and War Eagle!

Bama Blues and Freezing Temps

I think it's safe to say that last night was a doozy for the Crimson Tide. I am sure it will be pretty quiet around the office this morning as a result.  In case you missed it, Alabama was pretty much manhandled by Oklahoma and ended up losing by 2 touchdowns.  I realize that 2 touchdowns is not a huge margin, but for the Tide it is. Eric was less than thrilled by the game and yelled at the tv almost the entire game. I had to go into the kitchen at one point because it made me laugh and I figured he would not appreciate me giggling at his dismay.

Clockwise from top left:
1. My new look....I didn't realize I still had my whistle on from basketball practice until AFTER I got home from the grocery store.
2. This sweet face peeking up at me from under the coffee table....I love it so much!
3. This is what the weather was doing this morning on my way to work.  I know that you northern folks will say that's just another day, but to those of us in Alabama it is COLD!  I made sure to bundle up this morning!
4. The reason I had that sweet face staring at me last night.  Our amazingly delicious homemade pepperoni, sausage, bacon, mushroom, and sweet pepper pizza.  

Basketball games start up again tonight and we have a double header this weekend. Our game tonight got moved to this afternoon which is nice because it means I won't be at the gym all night, but also means I have to leave work early (which is good and bad at the same time).  I am really hoping we can pull off at least one win this weekend so we shall see.   Since we will should be done with basketball games at a decent hour this evening I am planning on throwing a big pot of chili on the stove as soon as I get home because it's waaaaay to cold NOT to make chili. I can already taste the Frito Chili Pie!

Stay warm and Happy Friday!

Christmas 2013 Recap: Part 2

As I said in my first Christmas post, we were fortunate to be able to have Christmas with both of our families this year.  After an amazing Christmas with my parents and brother, we loaded up the car and the mutts and headed back to Alabama on Christmas Eve morning.  We pulled into town with enough time to unpack, straighten up the house a little and head over to Eric's Grandma's house for Christmas Eve dinner.  We had a spread of delicious hors d'oeuvres and had a nice time chatting with her and his uncle before we headed over to his Mom's for a little while.  We finally headed home around 9 so Santa would not pass over our house and so I could get the breakfast casserole made before we went to sleep.

Our beautiful tree!

We slept in Christmas morning and then exchanged gifts.  He got me a super comfy purple Nike Dri-Fit Sweatshirt and a monogrammed Otterbox for my phone.  I gave him a shirt, a belt clip for his phone (he broke his right before Christmas), and new Yatzee game for the bathroom, and some cash for his upcoming trip to Las Vegas in my own special way. There was no way I was just handing him some cash. =)

We lounged around the house for a little while and then went to his Mom's house to have Christmas brunch and exchange gifts with his parents, his brother and his wife, and his grandma.  We had a wonderful time!  Since his brother and his wife moved away this summer we don't get to see them whole lot any more, so it is always wonderful when we are able to get together.

We finished off our Christmas with a BBQ Chicken Pizza cooked on Eric's new Big Green Egg baking stone.  He was so excited to get to use it and we have used it a couple of times since then.  I have a feeling we're going to get a LOT of use out of it.

1. Hawk's favorite way to ride in the car...jowls flapping in the breeze!
2. Eric showing his grandma how to use her new Keurig.
3.  Eric found a new way to eat breakfast casserole....as a sandwich.
4. Opening his Vegas gift from me...I used glue dots to put dollar bills and fun Vegas trip ideas on a deck of cards and wrapped them up in the card box so he had to go through all of them!
5. Christmas Day walk with the puppy dogs.
6. Our Christmas night BBQ chicken pizza!
7. Of course we watch White Christmas on Christmas night. =)
8.  Our movie was accompanied by delicious hot chocolate!

Some of my favorite pics my SIL took at our Cagle Family Christmas Brunch!

And that my friends is the end of my Christmas/Holiday Recaps (except for maybe a recipe or 2!).  We had a truly wonderful holiday season and I am sad to see it end.  And no that's not why we have not taken the tree down yet.  I just have not had a chance yet! =)

Happy 2014!

Happy New Year to you!  We had a house-full on NYE...what's new right?  We had games, champagne, and ridiculous amounts of wings (we're STILL eating on them).

Happy New Year!

....and of course there were fireworks!

Here's to a happy, healthy, and wonderful 2014!