Blah Blah Blah

The new season (talking about football here, folks) hasn't even officially started but I am officially done with all of the hype. My gosh...

First it's (I dare spill his name here) Vick and his ongoing antics... or rather, his (ah-hem) new-found state of honesty and remorse. A happy ending to that story, though - he's signed with Philly and is right where he belongs (no offense to any Eagles fans out there).

Next up is Favre... oh dear. Nothing sketchy here, just drama around a future hall-of-famer who can't give up the game. I've got nothing for or against the man, but it does seem like his time has come... and gone. It is a shame, though, as I'd previously thought Favre was bigger than a cheap publicity stunt, but it seems as though he's not the only one.

And a quick diversion back to baseball... but this one is closer to home. Perhaps the name Stephen Strasburg doesn't mean anything to you but around here, you can't go far without hearing his name followed by his $15+M price tag. While I really can't understand how the salary (and signing bonus, etc.) is justified for someone who hasn't thrown one pitch in a professional league, I just hope this kid can handle all the pressure and fame that has been heaped up on him. I'm not optimistic... but only time will tell.

And then, just when it seemingly can't get more corrupt or drama-filled... along comes a coach talking about why he just won't leave a formerly pitiful program (and it's not for lack of offers!). Really, though (admission of my bias here)... who would want to leave the solid program that he's grown by leaps and bounds, and stuck with... because he "really does believe in family, commitment and all those other values that are nothing more than just motivational buzzwords to so many of his coaching colleagues." Huh? Sure, you might argue that this guy is only in the ranks of college football where the dis-loyalty and corruption don't run so deep, but I beg to differ... especially given whatever is in the water so far this season, I count our Coach Grobe as a true class act, perhaps for once the pros should look to a college coach for some direction!

*For those who literally thought "blah blah blah" at my sports commentary, don't let my lack of (food-related, or otherwise) posting falsely lead you to believe I'm not cooking, or eating, for that matter. And hopefully some of what I've made will catch your fancy as well.

Just a Teaser

Because if nothing else, you know I'm good for a follow-up. Or maybe that should read: "if nothing else, I'm good for a follow-up from Deacon-land". There, much better.

Surely you even saw this coming... with my mention of the summer slipping away and football game-watching foods on the brain. Nice how that worked, huh - really, I'm not nearly that organized to have planned it out - although, I do wish I could claim to be!

But I do realize it's Friday and attention spans are understandably short - so I'll get to my point... this will not weary you in the least (has someone hi-jacked my blog... am I really quoting a movie?).

Aaron Curry... you possibly remember me singing this recent Wake grad's praises a few months ago when he got picked fourth in the NFL draft? Well, he's since moved up to Seattle to join and start practicing with his new team - and about a month ago, the Seahawks released an article that we Curry fans awaited with baited breath... would he live up to the hype?

Well, a quick scan of the article (yes, I eventually read the whole thing but was so nervous about the content that I couldn't do much more than scan it initially) told me everything I needed to know... heck, the title basically gave it away: "Exceeding Expectations".

In case you don't care to read the whole thing (what?! you aren't obsessed with the Deacons like I am?), I'm here to provide the highlights: (my emphasis added)

• "Aaron Curry is every bit of a football player the Seahawks hoped he'd be, and much more."

• “He’s a top-flight kid, and he will really add a lot to this organization both on and off the field,” coach Jim Mora said at the time. “It’s a heckuva pick for us. He’s the kind of guy that we like to draft, both as a football player and as a man.”

And with that fall football-season teaser (this weekend marks the first pre-season game, after all), I will turn back to my summer salads.

Right Where We Belong

Somehow, just today, it finally dawned on me (after living here for almost 8 years) that LOTS of people come to this beautiful and truly important city. And, all this time, we've just called it home.

ALL those people, we saw them this morning; and rightly so, most of them didn't give us (mid-heated rec-league softball games) a second glance. I, however, paused for a moment to marvel at the fact it's normal for us to play a softball game (or 14) in the shadow of the Washington Monument and across from the WWII and Lincoln Memorials.

So for you visitors - no matter why you came here, maybe patriotic or politically interested, or perhaps a history buff... welcome, we're so glad you came. Sometimes we forget that it's the world's interest in this city that really makes it go 'round.

But you'll have to pardon us, as well - we love this city just as much as you do, but we use those lawns you trudged across this morning more like this...

Come Sit With Me

While I'm on a roll driving away (the droves of) readers with my awkward eulogy to our ice cream maker... I thought there was no better time to toss in a post about the imminent NFL draft. (perfectly logical connection, don't you think?)

Really? Yes, really. And it's important, not to mention being way more interesting than when I babbled about the MLB All-Star game (although that's not saying much).

I think I've mentioned before about being proud to be a Deac - maybe just once or twice. There's no pre-tense here, so I'll say it right upfront... I'm going there again.

But, Kara, you said this is about the NFL draft... what's that got to do with Wake Forest? *for those of you who already know where I'm going with this, please pardon my elementary explanation - you may now proceed on with your day

GLAD you asked!

Type in "Wake Forest" and "NFL draft" into your preferred search engine now. Go ahead, I'll wait here.

I assume you got quite a few hits.

Perhaps one of them was this article about a certain Wake alum, showcased on the front page of USA Today's sports section... saying that it's "hard to find a flaw" in him and asking if he might just be the "draft's safest pick".

Or maybe this one... explaining that even though linebackers rarely go very high in the draft that our alum is such a "sure tackler and versatile player, able to flatten a running back behind the line of scrimmage on one play and drop into pass coverage with speed and agility on the next, that NFL coaches and front-office executives are plenty excited about him." Whatever that means... I know this: most analysts agree that our boy will be picked in the top 5 or 6 (no jinxing!!) tomorrow evening.

But please, whatever you do, don't stop reading just yet. Yes, we love our alum, are proud of him and his accomplishments on the field, and there's no doubt that the whole wide world of Deacons will be waiting with bated breath until his name is called tomorrow... but this article says it all, this is what it's all about.

Thank you, Aaron Curry, for making us proud to be a part of your (rather extended) family. It's true that we will be cheering you on with fervor tomorrow (and beyond) and that we want you to go as early as possible in the draft... but it's things like inviting this leukemia survivor to sit with you as you await the news that will surely change your (and your family's) life that make us truly beam with pride.

Sure, we aren't certain exactly how high you'll go in the draft or what city you'll call home as of tomorrow, but there is one thing I know... when you get there, tell your new team to get ready for a bunch of gold and black wearing fans.

Game Face

It's that time of the year...

And apparently something like 130 million of you agree with me (and some of you even take it this far - whoa!). At least in the overall concept. However, most of those millions probably didn't wake up this morning contemplating how you could wear your Wake sweatshirt or t-shirt to your place of employment like I did.

Since I couldn't figure out how to incorporate the old gold and black into my outfit today, I brought my game face instead. (lame, but true)

I am confident in and proud of my Deacs. Our little team (okay, big team) from our little school has gone through some unexpected adversity in the past few years but never let that stop them from putting their heart and soul out on the line (almost) every time.

I'll keep saying it until the cows come home (speaking of cows, if you haven't already - please introduce yourself to the Pioneer Woman, but be forewarned that her amazing Blog of the Year will suck you in) - I couldn't be happier to be a Deac.

And depending on the outcome of a certain 9:55pm-ish game tonight, I will be only slightly more or less proud. Does that make me a bad or less-devoted fan?

Believe

You didn't think I'd let this pass without a comment, did you? And I thought you knew me so well.

Maybe you remember me posting this last year. Well, unless you were hiding under a rock (or for shame, you don't care about college basketball!), you know that it happened yet again last night. And while I'm proud to be a Deac every single day, there is a certain air that we Deacs walk on after each victory over Duke. Can you blame us?

And while I'm at it, I'm way past due for addressing another very important matter... I hereby vow to mute any basketball game (or at least any game during which I have control of the volume) that Dickie V calls. I've been tolerant, I tried. When I wanted to throw the TV across the room last night after his 20,000th comment about why Duke is the greatest team to ever grace a basketball court, I held back. But no more - really, it's just silly.

One For the Little Guys

Having gone to an ACC school, I am completely spoiled by our conference. Yes, people probably think Wake is DII since we are so small and more known for our academics than our sports, but we really were lucky to have the best of both worlds; a great mix of incredible academics (admittedly sometimes a little "too" incredible as we are often called "Work Forest") and big-time sports.

However, the other side of my family has been born and bred cheering for Navy (of the small but formidable Patriot League - all you Wake fans are surely laughing at the formidable comment)... and as you all know, I don't mind donning my USNA gear and taking one for the team. And while not as big a rivalry as our favorite Army-Navy, when Bucknell is in town, it's a rivalry in this house.

So when we heard Bucknell was coming to take on Navy in mens basketball, a couple of us headed over to Annapolis to cheer on our respective teams. Unfortunately, I am sad to report that save for the last 30-seconds of the game when Bucknell decided to make a last-second showing, the half-time show may have been the most exciting part (see! I'm so spoiled by ACC basketball!).

Anyone seen the ZOOperstars before? Yeah, we hadn't either...

Luckily, it's hard to beat a night out with good friends and food - Federal House made for a great dinner spot (if they have the crab quiche on special, try it!) and Galway Bay for some post-dinner fun. I absolutely love Annapolis - admittedly better in the summer than a bitter cold winter night, but we made a fun night of representing our teams.

Coming Clean

I'll cut to the chase - for all the times I've boasted about loving my Deacs, it's high time to admit that while my devotion hasn't waivered, I just may not be the #1 fan 100% of the time that I portend to be.

Now don't get me wrong, this sudden announcement isn't a result of finding out that I really like Duke or something absolutely ludricrous like that... it's just that both of my teams, Wake and Navy, are coming to DC, basically knocking on my back door, to play in the inaugural EagleBank Bowl (lame, I know), and who isn't going?! Me.

Perhaps this is just the wake-up call that I needed to get my life in order and get a handle on everything I need, or is it want... to get done - because honestly, usually a game like this would make it high on the priority list.

Luckily, I know a few folks who are attending the game and am assured that our Deacs are in good hands.

Oh? And that "lame, I know" comment up there?? I might just take that back after reading that this bowl is "Dedicated to our Nation's Most Dedicated" and also that the "focus of this historic event is to honor the sacrifices made by all those who serve our country." Not so bad after all.

GO DEACS!!

Win-Win

Sometimes in life, we are lucky enough to be faced with two good options... I will admit that when this (rarely) happens, I am one of those people who sometimes (though I'm working on it!) complains because I just can't decide (if only life was always this hard, right?).

Well, last night we were some of those fortunate people... torn between two great choices, not surprisingly related to sports (yahoo - it's college basketball time). Bucknell's mens' basketball team was nice enough to grace us metro-DC folks with its presence against the Terrapins... and as you may remember, Chris is an alum of both schools.

Thanks 100% to our amazing friend Mark, all the way up in New York, we were lucky enough to score seats on the floor. Since tickets to this game were Chris' birthday present, sitting on the floor close enough to hear Gary Williams screaming at anyone who would listen and to catch a rare smile from Greivis, was a super special treat.

And as an added bonus, we (and by "we", I mean Chris) are fairly certain that we had our own little celebrity spotting in College Park. Anyone able to ID the man in this picture below? It is believed to be one of the Sports Junkies (by the way, I'm linking to them but not taking any responsibility for what's on their website), Lurch. Also, just in case he's reading, EB was also there, and my husband tells me I have a bone to pick with you over a story you so inappropriately laughed yourself silly over sometime last year.

Again, we can't thank Mark enough for his super generous tickets - I have to believe this night was the perfect end to Chris' 30th birthday celebration. (oh, and Maryland won)

Cause for Celebration

If anyone knows my husband, they know he is not one for being the center of attention. But if you know that, you also know that he IS one to put everyone else's interests above his, always.

Course, he's no fool and has caught on to my love of cooking and entertaining, and he also knows I love celebrating those that I love... so he graciously played along with my idea to throw our first big party in the house, and allowed his 30th birthday to be the cause.

Facing all that I knew going into this thing, the only thing I could do was to think of everything and anything that Chris loves... sports immediatly popped into my head first - so the decorations consisted of everything we owned Nationals-Redskins-Bucknell-University of Maryland related.

Next was the food, I called in the big guns and had Chris' brother, Ben (who I've mentioned before as being the master of the grill and almost all things culinary), for his *almost world-famous ribs. I supplied all of the appetizers and sides and dessert, but Ben's ribs were the star of the show by far.

I had some other help - namely the weather (which enabled a few fun rounds of KUBB) and a good Redskins-Browns game that provided additional entertainment.

And to cap it all off, a team of us lit all 30 candles one our favorite chocolate-mousse filled Costco cake. *yes, I bought a cake - sometimes it's just better to outsource; the rest of the food for 30+ people had done me in

Even Chris' least favorite part of the evening, some extremely loud but friendly singing, couldn't lessen the fun from the rest of the day.

All in all, I must say that while I'm a little tired from all of the planning these past 2 months, I definitely loved every moment of it. The absolutely best part, though, was getting to celebrate Chris' birthday with all of our favorite friends. We've agreed multiple times that one of our favorite past-times is just about any time we're able to spend with friends... and this time was no different.

So a big huge thanks to everyone who made this such a special birthday... even if Chris would rather forget WHICH birthday.

And yes, it goes without saying that these pictures aren't the greatest... between transitioning from appetizers and snacks, to dinner and then again to dessert (and lighting 30 candles!), pictures were the last thing in my mind, sadly enough.

A Bit of History

Sadly, our trip lasted barely a "New York minute" but an incredibly fun and packed 60 seconds it was!

Before I get too far and anyone questions my loyalty, I must state that it is true... Yankee Stadium is in its last year of existence, I saw it with my own two eyes. And for that matter, seeing that stadium was the ONLY reason that Chris and I found ourselves in attendance at the game against the Blue Jays. The experience was fun, especially since Chris and I are such avid baseball (okay... sports, in general) fans, but let's make it clear that the Yankees don't make it to the list of teams we cheer for.

But as for our quick 60 seconds... what an alive and vibrant city the Big Apple is! We loved exploring as much of Manhattan as we were able.

Our friends, Amanda and Drew, had picked our cultural activity for the afternoon so shortly after arrival, we headed to the Frick Museum to see a magnificent, stately home, filled with an unmatched collection of art. I highly recommend it to anyone no matter your taste in art.

After seeing our share of Vermeers, Monets, Renoirs, to name a few... we spent the rest of the afternoon wandering around with stop at St. Patrick's Cathedral, Rockefeller Center, and Times Square! I loved the hustle and bustle of such a busy city.

Dinner brought us to La Vineria, another choice of Amanda and Drew's... and after the Frick and our delicious dinner, I have to say they are hired for my next trip! We enjoyed first, the freshest mozarella and tomatoes I've ever tasted, followed by a variety of different amazingly fresh pasta dishes *think butternut squash filled pasta with a light sage sauce drizzled over it.

After a great day in the city, we were ready for our trip to the Bronx to visit such a historic landmark in the soon-to-be demolished Yankee Stadium. It was just as I imagined - a great neighborhood for baseball - and we even got our fair share of "real" Yankee fans (who were removed from the game shortly after arriving - love Yankee Stadium security!).


We had such a perfect afternoon *enjoying a Yankee loss, and end to our quick trip, getting to know Yankee Stadium and its city!

Showtime

Since recently much has been made of Michael Phelps' daily caloric intake and diet, I jumped at the chance to post a similar "menu", one much nearer and dearer to my heart... this time from the Wake Forest football team!

Today is the kick-off of the 2008 Wake Forest football season... so it's only natural to talk about how the team is gearing up; and, with that, (thanks to the Deacons Direct Gameday Blog) comes this impressive list of food apparently consumed every gameday by my favorite Deacs:

Here's a breakdown of all the food available on this trip:

- On the bus to the airport: bags of Chick-fil-A and a bottle of Gatorade.
- Boarding the plane: bottle of Gatorade or water.
- During the flight: a bag of snacks that includes pretzels, two granola bars, a Snickers bar, an apple and a banana; plus more Gatorade available.
- During the flight, part 2: more fruit, cheese and crackers and again more Gatorade or soft drinks.
- Arriving at the hotel: more Gatorade.
- Team dinner: salad, fruit, rolls, green beans, mashed potatos and gravy, roast beef, spaghetti, more Gatorade (of course) and the highlight of the evening, the ice cream bar (including hot fudge, strawberry topping, caramel, whipped cream, nuts, bananas and cookies - yikes!).
- After movie: late night snacks which includes salty stuff such as chips and popcorn (gotta have salt to stay hydrated) and more Gatorade.
- Team gameday brunch: fruit, eggs, hash browns, bacon, sausage, pancakes, grits, juice and more Gatorade.
- Pre-game meal: heavy on pasta and Gatorade. -
Post-game meal: TBA...everyone is usually given a bag or box of food (of course in a generous portion)
- During the flight home: similar to the first flight, but top it all off with a Wake Forest football tradition that is said to pre-date the current coaching staff: Dove ice cream bars. Oh, and more Gatorade.

GO DEACS

Never Enough Time

Surprisingly enough, this is actually not a post whining about not having enough hours in the day... I still think about that constantly but in an attempt to get over it, I'll leave it off the blog. This time, it's a simple plea for a few more hours with some of my very best friends.

This weekend marked the 7th annual summer trip for a group of my girlfriends from Wake! I'm so thankful that we've managed to keep this tradition going - even with all of the changes that life has brought throughout these recent years.

Even though in the past, this trip has always been our "beach weekend", we easily adapted that to the schedule of our favorite "BG" and dare I say a new tradition of "home visits" has begun?

Friday evening, everyone assembled in Kernersville, NC, just outside of our alma mater's town of Winston-Salem. Our weekend would end up consisting of a variety of activites between K-Vegas and Greensboro! It was so much fun to be back in Carolina!

Saturday morning, bright and early, we headed to the Old Fourth Street Filling Station to prepare to host a shower for Jayne and BG! Brunch was of course delicious and the shower was a lot of fun; I think BG and his/her parents are now adequately equipped!

At risk of sounding like I'm tooting my own horn... earlier in the week, my mom had convinced me to get into the arts and craft groove; somehow through a series of conference calls, she instructed me into making this cute "Baby Sock Corsage" that our guest of honor donned at her shower. Let's just say that I usually have way more fun in the kitchen than I do with arty projects but this might have gotten me back into the spirit! It was really simple and actually tons of fun to put together!

After the shower, the girls and I made our way to Greensboro for an afternoon of pampering at a spa! It was so much fun - the spa was nice enough to let us take over their back room so we could all be together. Everyone got at least one treatment and some of us even included their very first massage! *yup, that's me - it was a VERY relaxing experience, not sure that I'm hooked or anything but definitely worth it on a rare occasion!

Since this was a weekend of celebrating what's to come mixed with some old favorites, we couldn't skip a visit to our old stomping ground, the Village Tavern! YUM! We munched on delicious Hot Crab Dip and Spinach Tortilla Dip and then each enjoyed our entrees. How I miss this restaurant... it seems that it's sprouted offspring in just about every city except anywhere close to me! Unfair!

As a special treat, and since it seems we always have a few birthdays to celebrate when we get together, Jayne got us some delicious pink lemonade and chocolate-chocolate cake squares from none other than Dewey's! We loved the cute summery decorations (flip-flops!); plus, they were the perfect size for a little sweet treat after our yummy dinner.

Sunday morning, we sadly gathered all together for the last time. Katie fixed us a complete brunch of cinnamon rolls, hash browns, tasty English Muffin egg casserole, and fruit! Unfortunately, soon after brunch, a few of us took Allison and Anna to the airport and bid them farewell though we were so happy that they were even able to join us for a short time.

The rest of us took advantage of the tax-free shopping weekend in NC and then headed to the Greensboro Grasshoppers single-A minor league baseball game! Unbelievably, this was my first minor league game and definitely NOT my last - it was a blast!

Yes, we did actually pay attention to the game, but my favorite part, no contest, was Miss Babe Ruth. If Annabelle ever had a job, I'd want her to do this - Miss Babe Ruth is the team's bat girl and it's absolutely adorable!

And of course, no visit in Winston is complete without the requisite trip to Cook-Out and a stop at the Deacon Shop. Even though I was so sad to be leaving, you can't get much better than a send-off of lunch at the Carving Board (carved turkey sandwich with cranberry sauce and a thick slick of sharp cheddar on wheat). *I think this weekend turned into a old-favorites restaurant tour!

There really is never enough time when it comes to old friends... thank goodness for major life events! The last time I'd seen them all was our wedding weekend, then this past weekend, and again in October to shower another baby! I'll admit I'm getting sappier as the years fly by, but I couldn't be more thankful for the time I have with these girls... can't wait to see you all again soon!

Welcome Home!

Seems we can't escape the "home" topic... but thankfully, this time we're not talking about ours (though maybe we should be spending more time in/on it).

Last night, Chris and I met his dad at the new Nationals' stadium for the pre-home opener exhibition between the Nats and our neighboring (notice I didn't say 'neighborly') rivals, the Baltimore Orioles.

It was a fun (even if chilly) evening spent exploring the new ballpark (and watching the Nats beat the O's) - the consensus was that there are a number of fantastic (i.e. tasty) vendors such as Five Guys, Ben's Chili Bowl, Boardwalk Fries, and Red, Hot, and Blue... but they are all over-priced - though, I contended that it wouldn't be a Major League Baseball park without the inflated prices that, for one thing or another, we all end up succumbing to pay... hey, it's our national past-time, right?

Let's hope the Nats can keep up this (very short... and rare) streak - but either way, we'll keep filling the seats at our city's new park!

It's Just a Game?

Ha!

In an emotional season, a win like this is just what we needed.

Way to go, Deacs! I'm so proud of you guys!!

Awkward

Except for one Maryland fan in particular, I find the best way to describe the rest of them is "awkward" (there's a story here). They all have very limited vocabularies and to put it nicely - jeering the new coach of a team who's head coach very suddenly passed away just a few months ago... a big no-no.

Despite all that and the final score, it was a great night of good ole' ACC basketball.

Another Season

It's true - there are many "new" seasons in my life right now, but the one I'm most excited about at the moment is the start of the American Idol season... TONIGHT at 8/7c! I'm taping it on my trusty VCR (yes, I still have and use one) since I'll be cheering on my Deacs at the Wake-Maryland basketball game.

But before I get ahead of myself... even though it's been a while since I've been 'here', I have been occasionally jotting down a note or two to myself when I've come across or done something somewhat interesting, thinking "one day, I'll put that on the blog"... so I thought I'd share some of those things with you from the past couple of weeks before we are off to the "next season".

Turns out the last few weeks have actually provided a good glimpse into an overview of my year in review... funny how that works out.

Over Christmas, I spent a great week+ down in Atlanta - it's true that thanks to the events of August 29, it may have been more wedding-planning (more on that to come) than Christmas but I think we still got to celebrate the real season as friends and family were in and out of town at various times helping remind us.

Of course one of the highlights was watching my adorable, ever-growing and learning 2+ year old nephew (with a new understanding of "surprises") open his gifts from his nana and g-dad (his version of "grandad").

Children, even those who spend the rest of their waking hours running around with endless energy, have an amazing innate ability to show us what is really important. To Charlie, that means lots of hugs and kisses all around.

Charlie was also big into practicing being gentle with his stuffed animals and our two dogs (Annabelle make the trek down with me and spent the next 9 days being terrorized by my parents' still-puppy dachschund)... this became especially important when we were presented with a bib that said "I love my big brother" on it! Jacob and Robyn are pregnant with their second child (though Jacob swears "it" is twin boys)!!! This just means the fun for our family doesn't stop come March 2... it's just begun! My mom's already talking about getting a bigger kitchen table for family meals.

At the last minute of Christmas evening, I did take a break from wedding planning to help make us dinner and our traditional dessert (Kara back in the Kitchen!); it wasn't stated as such but I knew my future hung in the balance when I heard that because of the craziness of late, my mom hadn't been able to make both my dad's favorite cookies or our family-favorite Christmas Strawberry Trifle. Luckily, I was finally able to master the trifle recipe this fateful holiday and our Christmas went on!

Once we made it through the holidays, we were given a brief reprise; shortly after Christmas, my mom and I spent a wonderful, leisurely afternoon with some of our closest friends at my friend, Anne Marie's beautiful home. My aunt and cousin were in town as well as my sister-in-law so we were lucky to have them join us as well!

Soon after my return to DC, we welcomed little Evan Leech into this world... we'd been waiting for him since March so his arrival was a nice last Christmas present. It's been obvious by his affection for his mom and dad from the moment he saw them that he just couldn't wait any longer to meet his family which is why he arrived a few weeks early (but healthy - what a blessing!).

Recently, the camera has been used mostly for wedding-related activities so I won't bore you with those pictures... except to say I've remembered how much I love pictures and recording memories for the ages so I'm hoping to bring out the camera more often.

Sadly, since the our fun, low-key game-night New Year's with Megan and Brad, Sara and Shiu, we haven't had the chance to be very social save for an occasional quick dinner with friends. We are trying to make more time for quality evenings with friends who we especially haven't seen in some time, hoping to carry that theme throughout 2008 (though we welcome any and all to the house after 3/1!); I realized far too late in 2007 that I really dislike ending the year with "shoot, I wish I'd been better about doing x or y this year... oh well - next year...". There'll always be things you think of too late in the year but I really want to make the most of the time I have... so being more productive and better time management are two of my goals for the near future. I have been vowing, each day more and more, that I will soon be back to in the kitchen, experimenting, cooking, and baking away (slow-cooker recipes anyone?) and also maybe picking up a fun new trade or two, little by little. I'm asking you all to hold me to these goals... ask me how my progress is going throughout the year and I'll keep you all posted on my status as well as anything that comes of my goals that might be useful for you!

** Wedding update... 6 weeks and 4 days to go! Even though I've promised this wouldn't become a wedding blog, I am just dying to mention one part of the wedding planning that I think is often over-looked or not mentioned and appreciated. I'm talking about meeting and working with my church's music director, Clair Maxwell. This was the part of the planning that we knew the least about but it quickly became the easiest part of our preparations, thanks to Clair's knowledge and easy-going attitude! I could not be more excited about the music that will ring in the church as our wedding gets underway, throughout the ceremony, and as we happily exit as a married couple. I hope I'm not the only one who's had such a great experience planning for the music that plays such an important part in your wedding ceremony.

A Hero Among the Rest

Just when you thought (or at least I did) that there was no hope for pro athletes... along comes someone like LaDainian Tomlinson... and on a day like today when we are reminded of some of the most horrific acts "gotten away with" if only for a little while by a fellow/former NFL star, this story about L.T. was just what the doctor ordered.

I readily admit, in the past year or so, I'd heard all the stories about L.T. averaging x-number of touchdowns a game but I chalked it up to "just another NFL star". Thanks to 60 Minutes on Sunday evening, I take back any comment I may have made or ever thought about L.T. being "just another" ANYthing.

Just a few of the highlights, though you really should take a few minutes to watch the video clips in their entirety.

• Two days before Thanksgiving, he gives 2,000 families enough food to make Thanksgiving dinners.
• He has his own charity golf tournament, gives $1,000 college scholarships to seniors at his old high school, and hands out dozens of bikes and hundreds of shoes to underprivileged kids in San Diego.
• Since he couldn't afford to go to NFL games as a child, he buys tickets for 21 kids to every home game. Twenty-one is his jersey number. And again, he gives them his time. After the game he comes back on the field to greet each of them, sign autographs, and pose for pictures.

Let's hope that L.T. isn't just inspiring little kids out there... we big kids need just as much help!

*Has my blog taken a turn into the world of the emotional side of sports "writing"?? I will be back with some tasty treats, I promise.

Will He Stay or Will He Go?

Ahh... so this is what it feels like to have a somewhat decent football program... especially one that came out of a "nothing" program only a mere two years ago. At the conclusion of the past two seasons, Deacon fans around the globe have been rudely awaken to press that our beloved Coach Grobe will be leaving for a bigger school, "better" (depending on your definition) program, more money, etc. I stand proudly among the Deacs and admit freely that my morning consisted of chasing down articles all over the Internet trying to figure out if we have a coach or would the Meineke Car Care Bowl (doesn't have quite the same ring to it as the Orange Bowl did last year) be his last day as a Deacon...

First this...

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/football/sec/2007-12-05-arkansas-boosters-grobe_N.htm

http://www.razorbloggers.net/index.php/2007/12/not-much-sizzle-but-a-lot-of-steak/

http://www.wholehogsports.com/nwat/59960/

http://www.wholehogsports.com/adg/209773/

And then after we all recovered from our minor heart-attacks, things started to look up...

http://www.oldgoldandblack.com/article/grobe_will_not_leave_university

http://www.news-record.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071206/NRSTAFF/712060308/-1/SPORTS

http://www.nwaonline.net/articles/2007/12/06/razorback_central/120707uafbgrobebacksout.txt

So it seems, at least for now, that *knock on wood - lest I be the one to jinx us! we still have a coach and a great one at that (but really, someone, please let me know when this is a sure-thing!). It is a compliment to be so highly sought after, that's for sure - it just makes for a panic-filled morning.

But, this begs the question... what is the real draw for college football coaches and what truly defines their success? Are they all in it to make it to the "big" football schools or is there just a point where they become tapped out (speaking of, another school close to my heart... USNA... rumors abound whether Paul Johnson will remain)? Is quality of life and job security enough to stay? If so, I say that both Grobe and Johnson will be back at their schools for many years to come.

Here's hoping!!

*Uh oh - Paul Johnson's a goner.

We Can Be Friends!

It's no secret that it wasn't the best weekend for my Deacs... though before anyone accuses me of looking for a new team the second my team falters, I must make a stand and say that this is very much NOT the case. I have friends that will vouch for me that Maryland has always been my second favorite ACC team (hey, they aren't Duke or Carolina... not to mention my mom's an alum!) and really, let's be honest, I'm just trying to keep the peace with my soon-to-be husband (an alum and life-long Terp).

But above all, who can turn down tickets to a great football game... sure, it might have been 40 (or so) degrees outside and Maryland was by all accounts supposed to lose the game, but still... college football! I miss those days.

In the end, though, we were pleasantly surprised... we brought blankets, gloves and hats, and two jackets each and only needed them for the walk back to the car (great warm-up for the upcoming Army-Navy game)... and Maryland upset the Boston College Eagles (what's better than watching your second favorite team sack the Heisman Trophy hopeful, Matt Ryan?!).