Totally Taylor

Day o' Love

2012-02-15T08:30:00.000-08:00

So yesterday was a big day for one member of our family. Little Mister wasn't able to attend the big Valentine's Day party at Dogtopia last year because of an allergy flare but he was more than up to participating this year, friends!

After the girl and I picked him up last night, she headed to tumbling and then we all had a yummy dinner (if I do say so myself) of meatloaf, homemade mashed potatoes and corn. I'm not really sure how it happened but meatloaf appears to be my specialty. Amusing because it's not something we ate growing up but my girl has loved it since she was a toddler so we adapted. ;-)

Once the dishes were mostly cleaned up and put away, the girl helped Rambo go through his party bag.

Love this sweet face!

Prissy even got in on the action for a bit before Mr. Crankypants snapped at her :-(

He read each card with care...

...and was very excited about the number of treats his friends shared.

Going in for a good sniff of the loot!

Romeo brought home some sweet treats for his sissies as well so they wouldn't be left out of the fun.

Here's Priss after ~~devouring~~ enjoying hers...

Here's a pic of the treats before they were chomped to tiny bits. Aren't they precious?

And, no, my sweet Valentine did not send flowers this year but these will last forever. I absolutely love them!

Hope your day was sugary and sweet, y'all. :-)

Wordless Wednesday

2012-02-15T02:58:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentine's Day

2012-02-14T10:25:00.000-08:00

So today is the annual day o' love. We truly aren't huge participants in this holiday but don't totally ignore it either. I gave Tonto a cute card with the pics of the pups and the girl. He reciprocated with an amazing card this morning and left a card and chocolates for the girl.

Little tip: if you want to impress a woman, leave sweet Valentines for your kiddos. :-)

Sixth grade is apparently the year Valentine's Day parties cease in our school district and that makes me so sad, y'all. Luckily for me, Rambo is at school today and they're having a very special day of fun complete with exchanging Valentines, treats, sweet bandanas and bubbles!

Last year we just took cards but Rambo received lots of treats from his friends so we upped our game this year and included Milk Bones. The Puppy Posse may or may not have done some quality control testing of said bones. :-)

My decorations this year are pretty much the same last year with two exceptions: first, I finally unpacked the last box of goodies from my grandparents house and found this amazing red glassware. I felt like it definitely needed to join the festive party, for sure.

And my mom gave me this apothecary jar, which I think will be perfect for changing out seasonally. I picked up these styrofoam balls at Hobby Lobby for next to nothing. They have all kinds of colors and are a great option since the glass is very thin. Next up will be St. Patrick's Day and I'm not sure what I'll use then but I think Easter eggs will be cute as well. Yes, I decorate for every major and minor holiday. :-)

And, finally, the little heartbreaker himself in his new holiday themed neckwear!

Happy Valentine's Day, friends!

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.

John 13:34-35 NIV

Giddyup Cowboy

2012-02-13T10:58:00.000-08:00

Last Friday evening was the annual awards gala of the local Ad Club - otherwise known as the ADDY awards - so Tonto and I had a nice evening out. And even took a picture!

Well, Taylor actually took the picture but I think it turned out well. The enthusiasm on Tonto's face is, honestly, almost overwhelming. :-)

It was held at the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and has a Western theme. This meant Tonto got to wear boots and jeans and look at the exhibits so, basically, this was the best awards show ever for him. And John Wayne even made an appearance!

Before the presentation began we had a chance to view the exhibits, which was really nice. I hadn't been to this museum since I was in fifth grade so let's just say it had been a few years. My recollection was somewhat foggy though - ironically - I can remember exactly what I wore that day and that we had lunch on the banks of the river. Funny what the mind remembers years later!

Can I just tell you how awesome it was to learn you can actually have your name put on your boots? Who knew?

And I'm not big on guns but these were awful puuurty :-)

We eventually made our way back into Knox Hall and enjoyed a delicious BBQ dinner. And then the main event began...and my camera died. Oops!

I've gushed about the amazing group of folks I get to work with every day and, though I know awards can be subjective at times, it was nice to see our hard work recognized. Totally blessed to work with this group - thank you, Jesus!

Rambo Bowers

2012-02-10T14:19:00.001-08:00

Though we paid a full breed price, he's apparently half boxer and half goat.

This is a nightly occurrence, friends. If you're ever in need of random entertainment, just head to our house. :-)

Happy weekend!

Somewhat Weekly Top 10

2012-02-09T12:39:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the randomness of my mind, folks...

I've been doing Beth Moore's new study on the Book of James and, y'all, it's absolutely amazing. I realize that the bluntness of James is more than some really want to study in-depth but I really can't recommend it enough. Life-changing applications abound.
The weather in Texas is absolutely bipolar this winter. While I realize this could describe weather in Texas during most seasons/years, it seems to be more pronounced this year. I mean, really, should my child even need to ask me each night if she should wears shorts or pants to school the next day in, say, February?!?!
I'm going through one of those seasons where I just really want to buy clothes. A lot. Like I said, this is totally random...
While in a church committee meeting last Sunday morning, I realized that somehow I have actually become a full-fledged adult.
Mama Bear is also in full force this week as my girl has been treated unfairly at school by an adult. Not a big deal in the grand scheme of things but sometimes you have to fight for your child. You know?
Both my girl and I got new cowgirl boots this week (thank you, Tonto!), which has apparently come as a complete system shock to my man. :-)
My urge to plan summer vacation is almost overwhelming. Clearly I'm looking forward to some R&R but, seriously Casi, pace yourself.
I have absolutely no idea what we're doing this weekend. Strange but also kind of awesome at the same time! Tonto and I are attending an awards gala Friday night, though, so maybe we'll get a cute picture together since my allergies prohibited that at Barkin' Ball.
Related to #6 - there are some seriously overpriced boots for sale in the world. As Tonto said, "for that price, they better sing and dance for me." Couldn't have said it better myself.
I've been really sappy/emotional lately. This is rather odd for me, to be quite frank, but I'm just really in a season of being so thankful for my people - both those who have two legs and those that have four. :-)

Pup Finery, Part 3

2012-02-08T09:50:00.000-08:00

One of the errands we ran last weekend was to Hobby Lobby as the girl had a language arts project due yesterday and needed some supplies. One of the unwritten rules of visiting this particular hobby store is that you must pick up new pup finery (aka snazzy neckwear) before exiting.

Because Perkie and Rambo are small, they almost always get one bandanna and I cut it in half. Otherwise, they look like they're being strangled by a large piece of cloth. And that, my friends, is not cute no matter the pattern...

The girl chose SpongeBob for the smaller guys this time as Perkie is modeling below.

And that's the best photo you'll get of camera shy Perk. And, no, my hallway isn't that dirty. Not sure why it looks dingy but we'll blame it on the flash.

Rambo, on the other hand, has never met a camera he doesn't like.

Exhibit A

Exhibit B

Exhibit C

Lucky for him, he's absolutely adorable so there's no shortage of folks who are willing to serve as his personal photographer. Besides, if he ever lands an acting gig, we can add "Photographer to the Pet Stars" to our resumes. Obviously that would be a game changer, friends. :-)

Miss Prissy is a full size pup so she gets to have her own style of pup finery. The girl also picked this one out. Clearly she felt Priss needed to brighten her wardrobe for the spring.

Such a sweet girl who doesn't have a mean bone in her body...

...though she can knock you down without ever meaning to touch you. It's hard to be a big boned girl in small spaces. :-)

Honestly, dressing these four-legged babes up really made our weekend. Perhaps that's evidenced by the fact that we took multiple pictures of them? Clearly we're easily amused. And I'm totally ok with that...

Happy Wednesday!

It Was Super!

2012-02-07T14:34:00.000-08:00

So, yes, I went to Louisiana last week and I'll share some of that trip soon but there's a lot going on this week and I need some time to really think through that post so I'm going with fluffy stuff until then. Cool? Great!

So Saturday we did a lot of running around and Tonto totally spoiled both of us at Cavender's. Love. Him. (Not because he bought us things but because he is a softie with such a good heart.)

We ran a bunch of other errands and even went to the grocery store. It wasn't riveting but these were things that needed to be done and, quite frankly, I truly love being productive on the homefront so it was right up my alley.

Sunday came around quickly and Tonto headed to work (the beauty of being out on FMLA when a schedule is made...lots of erratic shifts :-) and the girl and I headed to church. It was a great morning and we had a nice lunch but then the exhaustion hit.

And I slept pretty much all afternoon.

Occasionally I would wake up and find Rambo intently watching the Puppy Bowl. As soon as it was over, he bounded off the bed and started trying out how new moves on Perkie. I found it amusing. She did not.

But I did finally wake up (feeling much better, thankyouverymuch) and the Super Bowl had already started. Who knew the game started so early? Not I, friends...not I.

So I decided it was time to prepare the main event. And we got to cooking...while watching lackluster commercials. Seriously - where was the funny factor?

By the time Tonto arrived home, though, we had some awesome snacks to enjoy while watching the Patriots lose. My dislike of a certain QB prohibits me from admitting in written form that he and his team won.

Clearly I'm not competitive. At all.

But these, y'all, were delightful...

...and we, of course, had some veggies to round out all the meaty goodness...

...and the dairy group was well represented also, friends...

But we most certainly saved the best for last.

Thank you, Gambino's Bakery in Lafayette, for delighting our tastebuds...

...and leaving a sweet taste in our mouths even though that team won. :-)

So I Went to Louisiana...

2012-02-06T13:36:00.000-08:00

Lightning in a Bottle

2012-02-01T11:43:00.000-08:00

In August of 2008, we were at the first Baylor football game of the season. Eager to catch a glimpse of a highly touted recruit, Robert Griffin III, we had been counting down the days to this contest and excitement was palpable in the stadium.

After allowing the senior QB to start the game, we watched a long and lanky guy trot out onto the field to take over as the signal caller. He was wearing #10 and he immediately brought the crowd to its feet. I remember like it was yesterday. And his fancy footwork and break neck speed dazzled fans throughout a lackluster season.

The future was looking bright.

As the 2009 season began, the Baylor faithful knew this was the year. We were finally going to become bowl eligible again. There was no doubt in anyone's mind Griffin was the right young man for the job and Art Briles is an offensive mastermind. Everything was in place and was going well.

Obviously a much younger Taylor is pictured here :-)

Until University of Louisiana - Monroe came to town.

We collectively gasped as we saw Robert go down after what appeared to be a knee injury. We watched him intently on the sideline and cheered as he went back into the game. As he threw touchdowns and scampered around defenders, we thought all was well. But he did not come back for the second half. The next day our worst fears were confirmed when it was announced he had suffered a season ending ACL tear.

This was also the year Taylor suffered a major break in her elbow, had a plate and six screws placed in her arm and suffered through grueling therapy. She immediately felt a connection to Robert, who was her favorite player and - quite frankly - first crush, as they were "going through this stuff together."

I, in fact, have a photo gallery depicting each step of his rehab. From game to game. My girl took all of those photos and treasures them to this day...

Nick Florence stepped in during that season and came thisclose to leading the team to a bowl game. All they needed was one win and they were so close to getting it during the last game of the year (vs Tech) that it haunted the players throughout the offseason. Their words, not mind.

When the 2010 season came around, there was no doubt in our mind. This was the year. And it was, y'all! There was lots of this...

...engineered by this guy...

We followed the team across the state...

...and eventually ended up here...

...where we lost. It wasn't even close. But we'd been to a bowl game. And I got a picture with Phil Taylor. Things were looking up and then we met the man himself at a Lady Bears' game.

I told Robert my daughter had been injured around the same time he had and they had rehabbed at the same time as well. That she had used him as inspiration. And, y'all, he looked at her and said, "Then we're just like this (while crossing his fingers), right, Taylor?"

And that's when he became one of the most precious people ever to this mom.

Besides, we had him for two more seasons, right?

Maybe...

As this season began, we were pumped. I had us pegged going 9-3, which we did, though we didn't do in the manner I had anticipated. I have never ridden a rollercoaster more exciting than this past football season. From the first game versus TCU it was an instant classic.

Taylor even got her prized pink jersey signed at the fall scrimmage. Funny thing about the picture: a couple of days before, RG3 (as he was now known) had given an interview about the crazy socks he wears. He indicated a love of pink and how he would like to have Hello Kitty socks but they're really expensive.

When he saw the pink jersey, he absolutely loved it and even asked Tay, jokingly, if he could keep it. I told him that we had indeed heard of his affinity for pink to which he said, "I have no idea what you're talking about, ma'am."

This photo was taken the moment Nick looked over and said, "I know exactly what she's talking about and you do, too, man."

And we all laughed. Such a fun memory. Such an amazing young man who always made you feel like you were the most important fan in the world.

And then it happened.

The OU game thrust Robert into the middle of the Heisman Trophy discussion and he capped an incredibly season against Texas on the last weekend of the season. As it became clear he might actually win, I had the opportunity to work on a number of promotional projects that were a professional dream.

And then came the night of December 10, 2011. We cheered and jumped up and down as his name was read. Perhaps we had truly captured lightning in a bottle. Our Clarke Kent had morphed into Superman right in front of our very eyes.

The Alamo Bowl came and went and, with it, we notched our 10th win. It was an incredibly special game but I was still holding out hope it wasn't the last time we had seen Robert in the green and gold.

Alas, it was, and my co-workers and I watched his press conference with mixed emotions. This is a young man we've watched grow up. He has been an incredible part of the revitalization of Baylor football. And he will always be a Bear. He's a part of the family and nothing about that will change. In fact, he's still mentoring younger players on the team while training for the NFL combine.

He is a class act and we will never forget the immense blessing it has been to watch as he caught lightning in a bottle and made it a priority to praise the One who made it possible in all turns.

Thank you, Robert, for being a precious person who made my daughter's year when you took the time to make her feel special. We shall forever be fans and wish you all the best in your new endeavors.

Weekend Recap

2012-01-31T13:49:00.000-08:00

This past weekend (and week thus far, quite frankly) is a bit of a blur. We had plans to go to the Harlem Globetrotters game Friday evening but my dad forgot he had a procedure scheduled and wasn't up to making the drive to Waco. My mom stayed home to take care of him, as she should have, so it would have just been me and Taylor. The problem was I still wasn't feeling 100% and was totally overwhelmed at the thought of taking her myself. And Tay wasn't thrilled anymore either because it was to have been a group thing...

So we didn't go.

We, instead, had dinner at Samurai Steakhouse (Tonto had a gift certificate) before heading to Hastings where the girl got a game for her Wii and Academy where she talked Tonto into a lot of purchases.

And then I passed out upon arriving at home.

Saturday morning Tonto headed to work and I actually got back on the workout train before cleaning house and picking one of Tay's friends up to spend the night. Then I tackled grocery shopping and, before I knew it, I was almost passed out again. Plum tuckered out, friends.

By now you're getting the feeling we didn't do much except play video games and watch movies, right? If so, you're on exactly the right track. I did manage to get up and go to church on Sunday before the girls and I met Tonto for lunch. I felt much, much better that day and continue to feel a bit better each day.

Upper respiratory infection do not play, y'all.

Anyway, I'm frantically working to finish up a project before heading out of town unexpectedly, which I'm sure will be talked about in greater detail at some point, but today I just don't have the energy to go there...

And, in case any thieves read my blog, I'm the only one leaving. Tonto and the girl will be at home. As will our three guard dogs :-)

In any case, happy Tuesday!

Weekly Top 10 - The Totally Inconsistent Edition

2012-01-26T11:14:00.000-08:00

So I realized today I have some random photos from my phone, which has a mind of its very own since 7pm last night (don't ask), that I haven't shared. Thinking these would be a great Top 10 edition, it also occurred to me I haven't done one of those in quite some time because I've had so much to share due to holidays, trips, etc.

So here's the Totally Inconsistent Edition. And, no, I can't promise 2012 will bring consistency of any type to this blog. Just keepin' it real, y'all.

One very spoiled boxer was not at all happy when his dad went back to work a couple of weeks ago. In fact, I looked over from the joy I was experiencing with Tony Horton via P90X to find Pouty McPout Pout.

2. I've completed 9 of 13 weeks of P90X. Unfortunately, I've been sidelined due to this silly respiratory illness but I've been given the go ahead by Dr. Tonto to return to regularly scheduled punishment tomorrow. I honestly haven't lost much weight but I am much stronger and have lost some inches for sure. Perhaps the fat and muscle are doing a trade off? :-)

3. Should you ever doubt just how much allegiance we have to the Baylor Bears, may I present a recent snack enjoyed by the Puppy Posse?

4. I have an amazing job that brings great joy. I am fully aware of this. But sometimes when I'm on campus for an afternoon meeting and the weather is spring-like (in January, mind you), the breathtaking beauty and blessing that is Baylor falls afresh. See below. We also won't talk about the parking ticket I got immediately after snapping this photo.

5. Kashi Dark Chocolate Coconut bars are absolutely amazing. One might even deem them "life changing" in the dieting area.

6. I made Honey Roasted Sweet Potatoes last night and they were absolutely amazing. And healthy. Who knew this was possible?

7. Tonto has joined the times and is now on Twitter. It's a social networking miracle, y'all. If you ever feel the need to be entertained, feel free to follow him @txsfordman (also ironic because he drives a Pontiac GTO...)

8. My girl has become quite the social butterfly and my evenings and weekends are apparently hers to do with what she pleases these days. I'm cool with that for the most part. And, yes, we do have parameters and expectations must be met in the classroom before any fun is had...don't want to get any emails :-)

9. I showed Taylor this pic of Rambo the other day and said it was his "What you talkin' about, Willis?" face. She had absolutely no idea what I was talking about. Apparently I am old. Or so she says.

10. We're going to see the Harlem Globetrotters tomorrow night. After a week of recuperation and hitting the bed before I could take my shoes off after work, it will be nice to finish off with a lot of laughter. If I can stay awake. I'll let you know how that goes...

From Revival to Rejuvenation

2012-01-25T10:07:00.000-08:00

This time last year I wrote a post about my word for 2011, which originally sprung from my listening to a K-Love morning show in early January 2010 that requested people call in with the words they felt God had given them for that year. I didn't call in - and normally don't participate in these rhetorical questions - but the word restoration immediately came into my mind and heart. And it didn't disappear throughout the year.

That year was one of true restoration for many of my family relationships, which had previously been broken beyond what I thought was repairable. Would they continue? Yes. Would they ever be as vibrant? I didn't think so. But God has made them even better than they ever were before. Immeasurably so.

I also lost 40+ pounds that year, we finally found out what was wrong with Tonto's knee and my girl eventually completed 14 months of therapy on her elbow. And she had full range of motion. Hallelujah!

A number of other things happened as well (some not so happy) but it was really a year of total restoration. No question.

My word for 2011 was revival and, honestly, that word scared me a bit. But in true "I know what's best for you" fashion, He wouldn't let me shake it. For many of my friends, last year was an amazing one filled with marrying their soulmate, welcoming long-awaited children, experiencing incredible professional growth, building/buying new homes, etc.

If you've been reading here for more than 10 minutes, you know that's not the kind of year we experienced.

It was a hard year but there were bright spots - I did get a promotion at work, Tonto found some relief for his chronic knee pain, we took a number of fun family trips and followed Baylor football throughout the State of Texas.

But when I think of 2011, those aren't the first things that come to mind. The first thing is that I lost a baby in April. The second is that He used that pain and, in my mind, very unfair situation, to bring about a personal revival.

I am much more healthy - physically, mentally and spiritually - right now than I was a year ago. My options were to become bitter (which, honestly, I did for a while) and turn away from Him (which I did not do 98% of the time) or walk through this trial with Him and become better.

I've said many times it wasn't a choice because I wouldn't have survived without Him. But the truth is we all have a choice. And many times I make the wrong ones. Daily, in fact.

But what I learned last year is that revival doesn't just happen in a tent or during a week long preaching series. It doesn't just happen when things are going well and we have an abundance we can't help but share with the world.

For me, the greatest revival of my life happened in the midst of more tears than I've probably cried in years. In fact, up until almost a year ago, I would have told you if you saw me crying it's because I was mad. That's just what I did. Sad didn't make me cry but being mad and out of control, well, that set me off something fierce.

Obviously God has a sense of humor because, cumulatively, I probably shed some type of tear (angry, joyful, helpless, sad, hopeful) six months of 2011. :-)

Revival in my home happened when the one thing I wanted more than anything alluded me. When the one thing I thought would complete my family was taken. The truth is that all I (or any of us) need is Him. And, to be truthful, had I been on maternity leave with a sweet babe, I would have never worked on any project with the word "Heisman."

He blessed with with a professional experience I may never have again. And, when I realized that a few weeks ago, I had tears in my eyes yet again.

I say all this only because I've been in the valley and could possibly return there tomorrow. But all is not lost there if we allow Him to meet and carry us through.

As for this year? Well, it's rejuvenation with a side of redemption. Apparently the Lord shares my love for alliteration. And I can't wait to find out what this one means. Unlike last year, I have given absolutely no thought to what it might entail. My plan simply doesn't matter. His does.

Germs

2012-01-24T12:41:00.000-08:00

To say that the last week has been less than adventurous would be a great understatement. Last week the girl missed a day of school due to an upper respiratory infection. My first clue should have been her spending most of the MLK holiday like this...

...but, hey, at least she didn't lose her affinity for a tasty snack!

She recovered throughout the week though it became very clear 40mg of Prednisone was way too much for my girl to handle each day. To say that she was bouncing off the walls would also be a gross understatement, y'all. It. Was. Bad.

And somewhat entertaining.

But mostly just BAD.

So we backed off to one pill per day and she finished up her antibiotics right about the time my sinuses revolted. My nose and eyes began running constantly, friends. It truly as though I was sobbing at all times.

By the time I made it home Friday, I fell into the bed and passed out. And with the exception of running out of the house twice (once to pick Taylor up from a service project and once for the doctor), I didn't leave the house until this morning when I headed to work.

This time yesterday I was truly wondering if it was possible for one's head to just split wide open. In fact, that may have been a relief. I tried to get ready for work yesterday morning only to find I couldn't move without holding my head in my hands.

Needless to say, I stayed home. In the dark. All day. And I answered work emails from my phone.

Since I spent 72 hours in bed due to illness, you might imagine I don't have many photos to share this week.

And you would be right.

But I am so thankful we seem to be on the mend. And hope you are as well :-)

Yes, They're Real

2012-01-23T02:34:00.000-08:00

After the celebration pep rally, we had a chance to get our pictures taken with both the Heisman and Alamo Bowl trophies.

Yes, please!

Though these beautiful ladies weren't all that sure it was worth the wait, after striking this pose they immediately decided it would have been worth twice the amount of time we spent in line. :-)

Still so surreal....but, my friends, I have seen them with my own eyes and they are most definitely real.

And they will forever be ours. :-)

Our Pep Was Rallied

2012-01-20T08:08:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday evening, we had a very special experience that I truly didn't know would ever happen at Baylor. At least this quickly after I came back as a staff member and in only a short four years with Art Briles at the helm of the football team.

We celebrated the record breaking and historic 2011 season with the team and 5,000 other fans at the Ferrell Center. And it was truly a lot of fun.

The team entered with their hardware...

Our very own John Morris served as emcee for the evening's events...

...and it was great to see the team again. We've been going through what some might call post football season withdrawals. :-)

There were tons of photos from throughout the season in addition to some fantastic video packages produced by Baylor Vision. I work in the same division as these talented guys and, y'all, let's just say I'm in awe of their talent. And they're super fun as well.

A proclamation was read by the mayor (who had an unfortunate fall on his way off the podium but the team clapped and cheered for him just like an injured teammates...and he's fine) and we learned that very day was "Baylor Bears Football Day" in the fine city of Waco.

Next we heard from Judge Starr, which is always entertaining. Y'all, I know there was a lot of discussion about him becoming president at the time it was announced but please let me assure you he is the best thing that has happened to Baylor in many years. His leadership is phenomenal and we are so blessed to have him at the helm.

We also heard from some players who are from the Waco area: Jarred Salubi (Waco High), Ahmad Dixon (Midway) and Levi Norwood (Midway). There was some indignation from my girl and her friend when Salubi indicated he is a big fan of both Levi and Ahmad "even though they're from Midway." There's a bit of a rivalry going on there, as you might expect.

Ahmad, who's always fun, ended his talk with giving a "shoutout to my high school who actually made it to the state championship game." To which Taylor replied, "You just got burned, Mr. Salubi." :-)

Another proclamation - this time from the governor in honor of Robert's accomplishments - was presented by Senator Birdwell.

And then we all relived the evening of December 10 (the night the Heisman was presented) through video. A sweet time indeed.

A special appearance was made by the Noze Brothers...

...who informed Robert he is the newest member of the brotherhood and his name shall now be "Brother HeismaNoze." Some fancy green and gold glasses were also presented and RG3 was a great sport. He even indicated this may be his "best moment ever at Baylor."

Did I mention they also gave him some Superman underroos?

And, of course, the evening wouldn't have been complete without hearing from the QB of the defense - LB Elliot Coffey. We will definitely miss his leadership and humor. For instance, after we beat TCU there was a raucous celebration in the locker room and Coach Briles (who never wears anything other than a long sleeve shirt) took off his shirt in celebration.

Coffey was found in the corner shaking his head and muttering, "I've never even seen his arms before. What is going on?"

I wondered what was going on in Griff's mind when I saw this pic...it was his last event as a Baylor Bear...

Along the way the coaching staff (particularly Coach Bennett) was recognized and appreciation was shown all around. This season's accomplishments were most definitely involved a true TEAM.

And we closed the evening with some words from Coach Art Briles (aka CAB)...

And though this season was amazing and it may be a very long time before we see another Heisman Trophy winner (or not - looking at you, Nick Florence), the fact is the climb is not over. The best is yet to come. And my family and I are so incredibly thankful we have had the chance to be along for the ride.

Sic 'em, Bears!

Winter Break Blues

2012-01-19T10:42:00.000-08:00

With Tonto being off for another week due to his surgery and the girl not returning to school until January 10, I decided to take a few vacation days to extend my break as well so we could spend some quality time together.

Quite frankly, 2011 was not my favorite year ever (though I did grow and learn a great deal) so I really wanted to just take some time to regroup before charging forward into 2012. And, y'all, it was such a sweet time.

We had no set plans but did manage to workout every morning and then tackle a few household projects I'd never gotten around to each afternoon. We went to see Alvin and the Chipmunks one afternoon, the girl played in the neighborhood with friends and we all slept in. A lot.

This guy was in absolute heaven. His favorite thing to do is use us as pillows. May I present Exhibit A?

He also took a liking to sleeping with his toys. Perhaps he was protecting them from his sisters?

There was lots of down time, playing videos games on someone's new Nintendo 3DS and the Wii as well. In fact, someone (ie Tonto) may have become a wee bit obsessed with beating the Toy Story Mania game. :-)

There was even a trip to the skating rink one afternoon...

...which was promptly followed by more lounging, home cooked meals and laughs.

In other words, it was week of perfection...

Barkin' Ball 2011

2012-01-18T11:20:00.000-08:00

After we returned from San Antonio, we began getting ready to attend Barkin' Ball. This is a wonderful event we look forward to every year. So blessed to have the opportunity to partner with the amazing folks at Fuzzy Friends Rescue. :-)

I'd like to preface this picture by saying my allergies were all of a sudden out of control right before we left. My eyes were watering left and right. Literally. And my face was even a bit swollen. But you still have to get a picture, right?

This lovely lady is my friend, Becki, who plans and executes this phenomenal event (plus many more throughout the year) - she's a pro! And she also had triplets last May. Precious babies that Tonto and his co-workers cared for in the NICU. So we're bonded forever now. And I love it!

This year's theme was modern and classy. Being a connoisseur of bling, you can imagine how much I loved this feature :-)

Absolutely. Stunning.

As always, the food was delicious. Lobster mashed potatoes, prime rib, mini corn dogs, meatloaf sliders, crab cakes...and the list goes on for miles. It was all delightful. How do I know? Because between the two of us, Tonto and I tried at least a bite of all of it!

Our table was full of Baylor grads and/or supporters (with the exception of one Aggie - bless his heart!) so we had a ball reliving football season, the Heisman Trophy and the current success of our basketball teams. So. Much. Fun.

There was also a lively band but, as you might imagine, dancing isn't really on Tonto's list of preferred activities these days. This is really a shame because I've cut many a rug with him and he's quite skilled.

We left a bit earlier than usual because a certain 12-year-old asked that we come home and "watch the ball drop" with her. And, honestly, I wouldn't have had it any other way.

And, yes, we are praying for a better year in 2012. True to form from the past two years, I also have a word for the year. But that probably deserves its own post. :-)

Happy Wednesday, friends!

Let's Light up the Riverwalk

2012-01-16T02:18:00.000-08:00

One of the surprising benefits of Tonto's knee giving out at the bowl game was that we had the entire Riverwalk to ourselves, which allowed us to take in the Christmas lights illuminating the way at our leisure.

My girl has reached the age that she isn't easily enthralled or mesmerized but, y'all, these lights got her.

She just stood and stared and took it all in. Her mouth may have even fallen open a bit at one point.

Tonto was the only one of the five of us who had seen this before but this year was different as they added many more strands and transitioned all the lights to LED. It was absolutely beautiful, friends.

One thing many don't know is that we were en route with a much younger Taylor to see these very lights in December 2005 when we got a call that my mother-in-law was being rushed to the hospital. We turned around immediately but did not come close to making it back to Waco in time to see her before she passed away.

Honestly, it was good that Tonto (who was so very close to his mom) was out of town when this happened. And we know she is in a much better place where we will see her again.

But there was also something sweet and special about finally making it there to see this sight.

And you can be sure that we soaked it up as much as possible. The girl and I even surveyed the lights from the balcony. At 2am. ;-)

Bowling ~ Alamo Style

2012-01-13T14:26:00.000-08:00

Continuing our bowl experience...

We had a nice walk over to the Alamodome with a number of the Baylor faithful. The City of San Antonio was ablaze with green and gold. Including the Tower of the Americas.

The girl was mesmerized though she was rather upset the interlocking "BU" that had been projected on it the evening before for a pep rally had disappeared. :-)

After a brisk walk up a number of flights of stairs (felt a lot like P90X, to be quite honest), I had to give my peeps a few minutes to catch their breath before they would agree to pictures. But, alas, I was victorious!

We arrived in time to see the sea of green and gold appear and, friends, it was a beautiful sight to see. Part of following the team so closely is that you get to know the players and their personalities. I can assure you that we have a roster full of great athlete who are also fantastic young men. Because of that, I really wanted them to be rewarded for all of their hard work all season with a bowl victory.

And things really started out well. The band put on quite an exciting performance...

...and paid tribute to the great State of Texas...

...and then we had an unexpected treat. We knew there was going to be a military tribute but had no idea the national anthem would be sung live by none other than Lee Greenwood.

A.Maz.Ing.

And then it was time for the game to begin, friends.

We cheered as our boys took care of business in the first quarter...

...and were feeling pretty darn good about the state of the game when the score looked like this after one quarter of play.

And then something very unfortunate happened. Our offense got out of rhythm and our defense left the building for a while, which led to Washington scoring 28 unanswered points. And I was beside myself. As was the rest of my family.

In fact, the phrase "if you can't play, get off the dang field" may have been uttered from my lips a time or 20.

I was, truth be told, on the cusp of becoming very angry. For a number of reasons. But decided to enjoy a rousing halftime show anyway.

Around this time the folks at the Alamodome cranked the air conditioning down significantly (perhaps due to some unnamed fans being hot under the collar) and Tonto's knee began throbbing.

But we persevered and saw the Huskies' lead dwindle to three points. And then we allowed them to score again immediately.

Roller coaster doesn't even begin to describe my emotions, y'all.

At this point, Tonto looked at me and let me know that his knee would not allow him to see this game through. Not in person anyway.

So the girl joined the two of us in descending the steps for the last time in search of a place on the Riverwalk to have dinner and watch the rest of the game. My parents remained at the game as representatives of the group :-)

After watching the girl take in the lights on the Riverwalk for the first time (another story that was a sweet moment, friends), we ended up at Joe's Crab Shack where the host immediately informed us that we were now ahead.

Say what?!?!

We joined with some other Baylor fans in cheering the team to victory through the remainder of the second half. Well, the cheers were inbetween some lamenting and gnashing of teeth (just being honest here) but - in the end - the Bears were victorious.

And we also educated a number of servers on the history of Baylor University and the athletics programs as a whole.

One a marketer, always a marketer. We just don't know how to turn it off. What can I say?

My parents joined us and we moved to a Mexican restaurant while Tonto headed back to the hotel to rest his knee. About 2am we finally made it back to the room where we watched highlights of the 67-56 win repeatedly.

Yes, you read that score correctly. It was what they call an offensive juggernaut, I believe.

And it's so true what they say, y'all - victory is SWEET.

Particularly when you know the stories of a number of our players who persevered through much hardship to become offensive MVP (looking at you, Terrance Ganaway aka "Gangway") or displayed tremendous leadership to younger teammates as an entirely new defensive scheme was introduced (hello, Elliot Coffey)...and don't even get me started on Robert Griffin III, Robert T. Griffin (who lost his mother the week before), Philip Blake or Nicholas Jean-Baptiste.

To say this team is special and will always hold a place in our hearts is a significant understatement.

We will never forget December 29, 2011. Or the 2011 season. From start to finish, it was electric. And we are so thankful to have been a part of history.

Sic 'em, Bears!

Bowl Madness

2012-01-12T14:39:00.000-08:00

We headed to San Antonio early the morning of the Alamo Bowl so we could have some fun on the Riverwalk before the big game. Once we checked into our hotel (Holiday Inn on the Riverwalk - highly recommend), we hit the river almost immediately in search of some good Mexican food.

None of us had ever eaten here but, friends, it was delightful. And I don't kid about food so you can be sure that it a real endorsement.

We had to wait a bit for our table so we did what any normal people who were decked out in their school colors and uber excited about such a fantastic bowl would do - we took pictures!

Me and Tonto...

Our sweet girl...

(yes, she had on a "Heisman Winner" t-shirt under the jacket)

My parents... :-)

I don't really know what to say about this photo except that my husband apparently had a strange reaction to my request that we "strike the Heisman pose" as he instead struck "Grecian god pose."

Taylor got stopped so many times (and someone even ran after her with their cell phone to take a picture) by Baylor fans who wanted more information about these socks.

After the Superman socks RG3 wore during the Heisman presentation sold out, a local company began producing these snazzy ones in his honor. They were a huge hit!

It was an absolutely beautiful day. The weather was perfect, which was much different than our trek to the Texas Bowl in 2010 when it was raining cats and dogs. We thought it was a very good sign :-)

We truly love the Riverwalk and couldn't wait to see all of the lights that evening...

After lunch we headed back to the hotel where I took a nap and was awakened by two people informing me they were "bored" and wanted to find something to do until the game. After a quick Google search, we found ourselves at the Rivercenter Mall where we saw We Bought a Zoo.

Absolutely. Amazing. Movie. So good, in fact, that I already ordered the book.

We met up with my parents afterward and headed to the stadium. Given my range of emotions during this contest, I feel it deserves its own post but wanted to share this picture with you...

...so you'll realize we are BU through and through. Right down to our pillow pets and blankets. :-)

Christmas Morning (aka Santa Came!)

2012-01-11T09:55:00.000-08:00

Continuing to backtrack...

After we set out these cookies for Santa, my sweet child looked at me and said "don't you think it's a bit weird for him to eat himself?" Love. Her.

Santa brought her some Spirit Fingerz to cheer on the Bears in addition to a necklace and some other small items in her stocking.

The main attraction, though, was under the tree. Here she found a book (she loves this series), a Nintendo 3DS and a game. Exactly what she had asked for.

This girl has spirit at all times. :-)

Rambo was also very interested in the contents of her stocking as well. :-)

We headed to my mom's house for Christmas lunch after playing with the new gadgets for a while. She got a new tree this year due to having higher ceilings in this house. It looked great and this is also the only picture I took while we were there. Shame on me!

In my defense, Tonto's knee was hurting, I was trying to help my mom and the girl was excited about us dropping her off to spend some time at her other grandparents' house that afternoon so she could see her dad's family for a bit.

It was a pretty relaxing day and the food was amazing. Tonto and I just hung around the house and rested (and watched time type of sports, I'm sure) until the girl returned home that evening. The next day we ventured out to get some new tennis shoes with our Christmas money (all three of us were in need!) and had lunch at Chick-fil-a before coming home to chill and play more Wii games (shocking).

On Tuesday after Christmas, the girl and I drove Maw Maw to Beaumont while my mom drove her car. This way she wouldn't have to make the entire drive back to Louisiana. It was fun to visit and be together but by the end of the 12-hour roundtrip, this girl was really ready to get back to the house. :-)

Wednesday was rather calm as well. Game playing and packing. Why? Because it was almost time to head to San Antonio and cheer the Bears to victory at the Alamo Bowl. :-)

Christmas Eve

2012-01-10T11:36:00.000-08:00

Christmas Eve was so fun this year, y'all! In addition to hanging with the Bowers clan, we also had dinner and spent some time with my family before going to an amazing candlelight service at our church. It was the perfect day, in my opinion.

Our family has always opened presents on Christmas Eve so the tree would be bare for Santa's gifts. Someone in our family is an alum of Texas Tech. We love him anyway. :-)

See what I mean? Santa had no room for his packages.

Someone requested a number of Rangers items. And she got an extra one last week because I had forgotten about the Josh Hamilton World Series shirt we had gotten her. Found it while I was cleaning out my closet.

The Puppy Posse opened gifts as well. In addition to various types of bones from Nana and Boppy, they also received these awesome new treats Dogtopia is stocking. They're in a bakery case and seriously look like baked goods. Each one got a canoli and then they split a doughnut, a tailbanger and a scone.

Rambo is there today (Tonto went back to work today so I'm trying to keep him from becoming depressed) and I have a feeling they're each getting a "Sic 'em" paw cookie this evening. Shhh!

Maw Maw :-)

Oh look, more Texas Rangers gear!

The girl was seriously spoiled this year. Between Rangers and Baylor items, she is good to go in the area of sporting her teams' colors. I really can't even remember what all she got but I do know this was one happy little girl.

After presents, we had dinner before all heading to our church for the candlelight service. And look - I even got my peeps to pose for a picture before we left. It was a Christmas miracle!

And just because it's adorable...

After church we got cookies and milk ready for Santa but that's another story for tomorrow. :-)

Four Generations

2012-01-09T13:14:00.000-08:00

Well, I'm back! After two and a half weeks of fun, family and football, I'm back at work (and loving the routine) while Tonto and the girl will resume their regularly scheduled activities tomorrow. I know the blog has been super quiet but we really had a sweet time off and a wonderful Christmas. I hope you did as well!

Maybe it's because we had a pretty rough 2011 (that came on the heels of a 2010 that wasn't exactly roses) but I really felt like we needed this time to kind of reset and regroup. I'm so thankful we were all able to be together and reconnect that I can hardly see straight. :-)

We kicked off the break by visiting Tonto's surgeon who basically said there's nothing more he can do for the ol' knee. While that's not exactly the desired outcome, we were prepared for the next step to be a knee replacement. But we also knew he's not old enough to qualify yet.

We did, however, get some answers about timing. And some hope for an alternative treatment. He can get a bionic knee (as he calls it) at age 50 but can continue with his injections on February 2, which is a blessing because he's in a great deal of pain currently and these winter weather fronts aren't helping. Not one little bit.

Another option in the somewhat near future may be adult stem cell therapy that would allow for the cartilage to regenerate itself. This is something Tonto has been hoping/wishing/praying for and he was uber excited to hear his surgeon bring it up as a possibility. So he'll resume injections next month, we'll pray it works as well this time as it did the last and also that the therapy moves past the research stage sooner rather than later.

The next day I cleaned all day in preparation for hosting Christmas Eve at our house while Tonto and the girl revived their love for the Wii. They played the games we had, purchased more, rented even more and somehow an new controller entered the mix as well. This recreational vehicle played a huge part in our break :-)

Christmas Eve morning we headed to Dave's sister's house where he made a delicious breakfast and then we settled in for a spirited game of Yahtzee. And I actually won, which pretty much never happens. The girl would want me to tell you she came in second...

After a fun morning, we headed home to rest for a bit before the second round of festivities began. My grandmother was here (woo hoo!) and we got some new four generation pictures, which I absolutely love. A treasure, for sure.

The rest of that evening's fun will have to wait for another post because there are a bunch of pics and I can't seem to eliminate any of them...what's new, right?

So happy Monday, friends, and we'll talk soon!

Merry Christmas

2011-12-24T01:24:00.000-08:00

We wish you a very Merry Christmas and pray you and yours will have a beautiful time of fellowship and remembering the true reason for the season today and tomorrow.

An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.

Luke 2:9-11

After today I will be taking a bit of a bloggy break to spend time with my peeps before Tonto heads back to work and my girl back to school. We'll chat in 2012 and I have no doubt there will be a full onslaught of pictures upon my return. :-)

Santa Baby

2011-12-23T00:47:00.000-08:00

Though I love to decorate and throw the occasional party, craftiness really isn't one of my gifts. The same cannot be said for my daughter, though. In fact, she's taking art as an elective this year and her talent truly blows me away. It's absolutely amazing.

So when she told me she was hoping to exchange gifts with a group of girlfriends this year, I was more than ready to hop in the car and see what we could find at the store they would like. Imagine my surprise when she informed me they were all making something. And she wanted to make something crafty as well.

The one Christmas craft I had in mind was very similar to the one a friend had already planned so I headed to Pinterest for a little inspiration after seeing some cute snack bags on Big Mama's blog. After review by the girl, it was decided we would indeed craft some gifts.

I gathered all the necessary materials and steeled myself to begin the process Monday evening. By the time I got home, though, Tay was passed out and had a rough sinus headache. There was no getting around the craftiness last night, though.

As it turns out, I had a blast hanging with my girl. And I think our project was a success...

She was very helpful and proved once again that she has a knack where this type of thing is concerned.

She's also pretty handy with the Krazy Glue!

As I was basking in the glow of such a wonderful evening and making memories with my baby...

...she looked at me and said, "This was awesome! Next year can we make something for my teachers too instead of giving them store bought gifts?"

At least I have a year to prepare this time, right? :-)

Candlelight Christmas

2011-12-22T00:46:00.000-08:00

Sunday evening our church had Ladies' Candelight Christmas, which is one of my absolute favorite events of the season!

I had the opportunity to host a table again this year and my mom was gracious enough to loan me her incredibly adorable snowman china. To go along with the dishes, I went with a silver/navy/dark red color combination.

And, of course, it included bling. That's sort of my middle name, after all.

I had grand plans to bake a red velvet bundt cake; however, once I learned one of my favorite bakeries had them for a very reasonable price, I decided to leave the baking in the hands of professionals. It was good decision, friends.

Once I started pouring water, I realized the whole 'napkin in the glass' idea may not have been completely thought through...

But my mom's china was really the most awesome thing on the table. What makes it unique is that each plate has a different design. The first one, pictured below, is the first in a series...

Each in the succession builds the snowman until he looks like this...

Each of the tables was beautiful. See...

Love how each is so unique and usually you can tell a lot about our personalities through the tablescapes. So thankful to have had the opportunity to visit with good friends, eat dessert and remember the One who is the true centerpiece of this special season.

Road to State

2011-12-21T13:03:00.000-08:00

Last Thursday evening the girl and I headed up to the high school for the state championship pep rally. Truth be told, I only really went because I'd promised her a state finals t-shirt and that's the only time they were for sale to the public. But I decided, in the name of helping Tay build precious memories with her friends, that we could stay for the actual pep rally.

While there I noticed they had the various billboards that were in town throughout the season hung in the gym. The beautiful lady on the right is Dave's cousin :-)

There was much cheering, fun music,

dancing by the Goal Tenders, inspirational speeches,

and a recognition of the momentous occasion. This was the first time Midway has ever made it to the playoffs.

After work Friday evening, my little fam headed to Cowboys Stadium. Let's just say getting there was an adventure because sweet mercy at the traffic, friends.

Eventually we made it to the stadium, though, and we even found some seats. It was a Christmas miracle.

The girl was with a group of friends and they apparently spent more time checking out the various amenities Jerry added to this venue than watching the game. :-)

Our team fought hard and the score was very close for most of the game...

...and could have even been called a defensive battle.

Clearly there were a few (or 50,000) fans on hand to root the team to victory!

And had we made a few more plays at opportune times...

...we may have won. But, alas, it was not meant to be. Lake Travis won for an unprecedented fifth time in a row.

It was disappointing but the Panthers had an amazing season and it was such a fun ride. We were blessed to be able to join the team on their road to state.

And, in the end, my girl and one of her sweet friends were able to see the trees all lit up at the stadium. I even conned them into taking a picture!

But what I really want to know is how much taller is my child going to get?!?!

The Heisman Comes Home

2011-12-19T09:07:00.000-08:00

Last Wednesday (yes, I'm behind, why do you ask?) evening, Tonto and I took the girl to the men's basketball game. We even ponied up some money and bought real tickets (as opposed to getting the freebies by using my Baylor ID - didn't want y'all to think we're counterfeiting athletic stubs in our spare time) so my man would have to climb 47 stairs.

His knee is still rather temperamental and apparently it is truly not a fan of these winter fronts that keep blowing in and out like my bangs without the proper amount of hair product.

But I digress...

Anyway, we wanted to see the men's team in person because they are truly human highlight reels this year. Absolutely. Amazing.

There was a little extra incentive for this particular contest, though, because the Heisman Trophy and its winner had made its way back to Waco.

But first there was the always exciting welcoming of the team while the lights are out and my camera wants to use a flash that it is forbidden in the Ferrell Center.

Coach Drew was fiery this particular evening. Reminded me of The Coach Kim Show... :-)

There was some great basketball played by our guys. In fact, the other team only scored 16 points in the first half. Pierre Jackson (aka P-Jack) is #55 below and is one of my absolute favorite players ever. His enthusiasm and 40+ inch vertical make my heart smile.

Every school has a Heisman Cam, right?

And more great defense...

And then it was time...

...to welcome RG3 and his new hardware back home!

Absolutely,

positively,

amazing, friends. And the One More Year chant made my day. Mainly because that's what has been echoing in my head for several weeks now. Imagine what we could do next year if Griffin stays at Baylor!

No matter his decision, we'll still be able to watch Rob and his amazing teammates one more time at the Alamo Bowl. Cannot. Wait.

No matter what happens there, though, we'll always have this....

And, behold, we have seen the Heisman Trophy with our own eyes and are filled with great joy!

O Christmas Tree

2011-12-14T11:18:00.000-08:00

It's been really rainy and dreary around these parts this week. Though we need the rain, I can't say that my hair and I always welcome it with open arms. It does make the house feel quaint, though, and provides some nice lighting for late night Christmas tree pics. :-)

We have a new to us tree this year and the girl and I decided to add some color with burgundy (not to be confused with maroon) ribbon. :-)

Of course, she abandoned me halfway through the decorating process and, quite frankly, I just chalked it up to 'tween hormones. Turns out, though, that she was actually getting quite sick. In fact, her poor nose swelled shut and she was on steroids all last week.

Must to my surprise, she was in the best mood the entire time she was on the meds. I guess some things don't run in the family because I'm quite a mess when I have to take steroids....

You may be wondering why in the world I'm sharing this random story. That's a fair question.

Yesterday afternoon I found out one of my sorority sisters had been found dead in her home. Her very young children found her. Her husband was out of the country on business. A tragic loss.

We also have a precious couple in our lives who are facing some surprising health news this week that could result in the need for surgery. Quickly.

And those are just a couple of things off the top of my head that are making my heart heavy this week.

So I guess what I'm saying is that these inconsequential stories that happen on random evenings in early winter with my girl are ones I want to remember. Forever.

And now I will. :-)

In Retrospect, We Should Have Known

2011-12-13T12:44:00.000-08:00

On September 2, we made our first trek of the season to Floyd Casey Stadium. It was hot, y'all. Blistering to be exact. And there was revenge on the minds of many faithful Baylor fans. To the point that several served frog legs at their tailgates before kickoff.

Our team prevailed, though, and last season's wrong was made right as the Bears beat TCU and captured the national spotlight for the first time in 2011.

Though this season - like most others - had some rough spots, they were nothing compared to that of season's past. We enjoyed unparalleled support from students...

...and fans alike. Week after week, regardless of the ever changing Texas weather, they came in droves.

On some occasions, fans of the our opponents made the trip to Waco as well.

We cheered. We experienced ecstasy and agony. Repeatedly.

Our pride in those on the field donning green and gold - and in what was in their hearts - grew each and every time we watched them play. They did not get overly confident when they were ahead nor did they fall into a pit of despair when they were on the wrong end of the score.

We sang That Good Ol' Baylor Line with gusto after they beat Missouri on Homecoming. We watched in disbelief when they came back in the fourth quarter against Kansas to force overtime. And then they won. We were shocked - happily so - as our Bears beat OU for the first time ever in the last 12 seconds of the game.

We traveled to Jerry World as they got rid of another monkey on their backs in beating Texas Tech. Handily. And with our (amazing) backup quarterback. And then it was time to arrive at Floyd Casey one last time.

This time they took on the University of Texas - as favorites for the first time - and we saw the heart of champions once again. Overcoming much trash talk throughout the week, our Bears shut down the mighty Longhorns in the second half and walked away with a victory.

Amazingly, this team had indeed earned college football's highest honor - the Heisman Trohy - for their talented and incredibly humble leader, Robert Griffin III (affectionately known as RG3). All of Baylor Nation rejoiced - loudly - last Thursday as RG3 was named the Davey O'Brien Award winner. That was nothing compared to the glory of him being awarded the Heisman Trophy, though.

For some the amount of pride we feel about this season is silly. We did not win the Big 12. We were not selected for a BCS bowl. Our record is 9-3.

But, friends, for that to seem inconsequential to one means only that they have not been along for this long, arduous journey that began many years ago.

As a Baylor alum, the amount of pride I have always had in my school and the belief my family has had in this team has been justified. And then some.

As the parent of a future Bear (you don't actually believe she has a choice, right?), I know there is no limit to what this University can achieve by the time my girl dons her Baylor Line jersey.

As a member of the Baylor staff, I literally have tears in my eyes as I type this post.

And as a mom, I can only imagine what the parents of these young men - and all the young men and women who call Baylor home - feel at this moment. For, you see, this is Baylor Nation and no part of this whole is more valuable than another.

We are Baylor, we are...

And, in retrospect, we should have known an incredibly special season was ahead when we beat TCU on September 2. The score below - and none of the others we saw throughout the season - is not a mistake.

Each was part of the whole. Mistakes hold valuable learning potential. This team - and Baylor University as a whole - has experienced a healing from some past blemishes over the past week and a half that I wasn't sure I would ever see.

And, yes, I will forever remember squealing with delight and returning my man's high-five as the nation finally saw Baylor and RG3 for what they truly are: diamonds that have been through a lot of rough spots to get to this one.

And, as RG3 and many of his teammates would say, to God - and God alone - be the glory!

Weekly Top Ten - Allergy Edition

2011-12-09T12:02:00.000-08:00

This week has truly almost kicked my tail. My allergies are about to wear me out and, to be frank, I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired. That's a cliche, I know, but it's completely true in this case.
Robert Griffin III is the Davey O'Brien Award winner! So proud for both RG3 and Baylor University. He's the first one to tell you it's about the team and not one individual. He also gives all the glory to God for his accomplishments - amazing young man.
RG3 may very well win the Heisman on Saturday evening as well. If you hear a loud scream around 8pm, that's just me celebrating.
My girl has been ill with allergies as well and had to be put on steroids. Much to my surprise, she hasn't been cranky at all. She's been wired but also in a great mood. Now I just have to figure out how to get a maintenance prescription of Prednisone... :-)
I'm totally kidding about the script. Don't go getting wild on me.
We don't have a football game to attend this weekend. I repeat, no football games to attend this weekend. Looking forward to a much needed breather.
I have one more Christmas gift to buy. Here's the thing, though - who's going to wrap them? Same goes for Christmas cards. They're here. Someone should address them...
Rambo had to make a visit to daycare this week. Being home with Dad and the girls just wasn't cutting it at tiring him out and he became a crazy little dude. Some time with his girlfriends helped immensely.
As of this morning, I have completed Phase 1 of P90X. Now that's a Christmas miracle, folks.
My grandma is coming for Christmas and I am absolutely elated. :-)

Happy weekend, friends!

Wrapped It Up With a Pretty Bow

2011-12-07T08:08:00.000-08:00

After the big game with Texas Tech, we headed back over to Grapevine for dinner Joe's Crab Shack. This is one of the girl's absolute favorite places to eat and we never turn down a chance to eat seafood fondu. Never. Ever.

After we were done, we drove down Main Street to see it all lit up for the Christmas season. My mom, Taylor and I walked this street last year but the guys had never seen it. It's absolutely amazing as most of the store fronts are lit up like this...

Quite festive, huh?

Also, there's a giant Christmas tree in one of the park areas whose lights are synchronized to music. Such fun.

Another area has vignettes set up - a little walk through storybook, if you will.

And, of course, we hit the girl's favorite before leaving - the tunnel of lights.

There are also some winter animal statues in one of the courtyards. I'm not exactly who this child is because mine usually shies away from the camera but, well, let's just say she'd had a lot of Dr. Pepper that day :-)

After this fun detour, we headed back to the hotel for a few hours of sleep. My man was missing his puppies something fierce so we were up and gone before my parents even woke up. Our leaving early like that is something you can always count on when Tonto's in the traveling party. It's like clockwork. Remember when we left Padre Island at 3:30am? :-)

This was such a fun trip (except for the crazy storm that blew in and almost blew us all away) and this was the perfect way to wrap it up. Love the Christmas season and feel so incredibly blessed to be able to make these types of memories with my family.

Yes, I know this season is all about Jesus. We're all about that, I can assure you. But I've gotten to the point that I really don't need physical gifts. I have enough material items to last me a lifetime. But as my girl gets older - and eventually moves on with her own life - these are the moments I'll remember.

The Shootout

2011-12-06T13:20:00.000-08:00

We survived the crazy weather and arrived to the...

...where we had prime viewing of the band's formations...

...we took pictures...

...watched a desperate team take out our quarterback with a very dirty play...

...and were amazed by Nick Florence when he seriously did not miss a beat as RG3's replacement...

...cheered our hearts out, reconfirmed our dislike of all things Texas Tech (except Donny, of course...who was wearing green and gold, by the way) and rejoiced as we rode a wave of victory into the final game of the year...

Sic 'em, Bears!

ICE! - Shrek the Halls

2011-12-05T07:06:00.000-08:00

Tonto, the girl and I were literally the first people in the ICE! exhibit last Saturday. That's partly due to luck but mostly just because we now know the system and how to navigate the different stages. Anyway, because of our good fortune we have a bevy of photos. Enjoy! :-)

'Twas Moments Before ICE!...

2011-12-01T07:34:00.000-08:00

One thing you may or may not realize about me is that I am a huge fan of a schedule. I like routine and sort of become cranky when it's thrown off. If I could show you my color-coded calendar right now, you would definitely believe me. I promise.

What's so strange is that, though I'm a slave to routine, we don't have a huge number of traditions in our little family. A lot of times we just fly by the seat of our pants (I blame it all on Tonto's influence) when it comes to the types of activities we participate in.

There are a few exceptions, though: Christmas on 5th at Baylor, football games in the fall, copious amounts of movies on Christmas break, going to at least one theme park in the summer and - for the last three years - going to Grapevine at Christmastime.

Last Saturday morning we got up early so we could browse through the atrium at the Gaylord Texan before seeing the latest ICE! exhibit, which is based on Shrek the Halls. As usual, the decorations did not disappoint.

And Tonto and I even got a picture of the two of us, which hardly ever happens :-)

Don't they look like they love each other? :-)

They always have the reindeer scattered around and each year they are dressed differently. Let's just say they were rather over the top this time around. And I love every second of it. So much so that I needed my picture taken with the one who shares my fashion sense.

These beautiful trees were in the lobby of the hotel. I got an email with super cheap rates a week or so ago but we decided not to stay there so we could be closer to the stadium. Once we saw they were showing Puss in Boots in one of the auditoriums, the girl and I were very sad we'd made that decision. One day we'll spend a weekend there, though. :-)

More fashion forward reindeer...

And my favorite fountain...

Back to reindeer. They just make me smile.

Santa was there as well but my girl thinks she's too old to sit on his lap and take a picture. She does not, however, believe she's too old to receive presents from the jolly fella. And, of course, what's a winter scene without Frosty, right?

And my favorite new addition - a rocking horse.

Did I mention their trees are ginormous?

Our pose was absolutely not planned. Guess we're more alike than I realize sometimes...

Of course, all was guarded by gigantic toy soldiers. Would you expect anything less?

After our fun in the atrium, we headed to the other side of the hotel for ICE! It was absolutely amazing but I'll your retinas and share those pics tomorrow :-)

David Conquers Goliath

2011-11-30T08:45:00.000-08:00

Last year we headed to Cowboys Stadium the day after Thanksgiving to watch Midway play Denton Ryan. After a defensive struggle, we ended up on the short end of the stick. There are apparently some things vigorous ringing of one's cowbell (red and blue, of course) simply cannot overcome.

It was sad, indeed, but we rebounded quickly as Baylor had a bowl game ahead.

This year we headed to Mansfield's new stadium to watch -- you guessed it -- Midway take on Denton Ryan yet again. We were pretty leery going into the game because we lost some really good guys on defense last year and the players for Ryan were all sophomores and juniors last year so they would be back. And they had a whole year to get even larger.

Seriously, y'all, I don't know what in the world they feed the kids in Denton but it must be engineered in some super secret place responsible for growing giants.

All that being said, we wanted to support our team. So we did.

The players came out looking ready to fight. We took that as a good sign.

The captains were even holding hands to show solidarity.

We've been playing a three quarterback rotation since midseason. The player who's been getting most of the time lately, though, is #3 Kramer Robertson. Son of none other than Kim Mulkey. He is awesome and clearly has his mom's mindset. (aka I will find a way to win!)

My man was very serious about this game. As he is about most football contests.

We cheered. We screamed. We let the officials know we had a rule book if they needed help. And we wondered, for three quarters, if their whistles actually worked against Ryan.

Dave and his aunt, Traci, were lively, friends. She is so much fun to hang out with!

We enjoyed a fantastic halftime performance.

And then it was time to get back to business.

And, in the end, our Davids pretty much owned Goliath. Oh, y'all, it was truly an amazing game and we were so excited to have been able to attend.

Our guys visited with the Ryan coaches and players and then it was time...

...to hoist the trophy high in the air, celebrate much hard work and enjoy the fruits of their labor!

Go Panthers! We Will Win!

Thanksgiving, Part Two

2011-11-29T11:01:00.000-08:00

After lunch and picture taking at my parents', we headed home to bake an apple pie (side note: do you know how many women will stop you when there's a froze pie in your cart and give you tips on how to make it look homemade??) and slice up the lemon squares to take to dinner with Tonto's family.

I'm really blessed because I absolutely love my in-laws. Super laid back, not an ounce of possessiveness and they love my girl. While there, we watched the first half of the A&M/Texas game. I will refrain from any comments about that contest because the Lord has taught me that talking trash about other teams does not bode well for Baylor's next competition.

Not. At. All.

After dinner and the game, we headed home to pack and get ready for a couple of days that were absolutely packed with activity, adventure and fun. Oh. My. Word. It will seriously go down as one of my favorite weekends ever. And since we all know I'm not prone to exaggeration (Ahem.), clearly it must have been awesome, right? :-)

As promised, here are some additional pictures taken during our little Thanksgiving session. Aren't they cute?

Taylor took care of the props ;-)

Happy Tuesday, friends!

Thanksgiving, Part One

2011-11-28T11:37:00.000-08:00

Apparently I decided to take a little blog break over the Thanksgiving holidays. Though it was somewhat unplanned, I must say that we had an amazing six days together and I have so many pics and stories to share that it's almost overwhelming.

Almost. But not quite. :-)

I took off last Tuesday to get a bunch of errands done and then we were all together Wednesday through Sunday. So thankful for an employer with generous holidays!

We didn't do much on Wednesday but Tay and I cooked several things to take to my mom's and Tonto's sister's for Turkey Day. Before we knew it, it was time for the festivities to begin and this little guy got an invite to join us...

He was very thankful for the opportunity and made sure he thanked everyone for all the bites he got from the table. I'm looking at you, Tonto! On an impressive note, though, Rambo can now eat very efficiently from a fork. And a spoon.

After a delicious lunch, we headed outside for some family pictures. It is Christmas card time after all...and the images that appeared did not disappoint.

This one is my favorite. She climbed up in the tree and put this together on her own. My creative girl.

In Boppy's hot rod...

Me and my mom...

Taylor and Nana...

And with Nana and Boppy...

Love. Her.

I took a bunch of my parents as well but thought this was probably enough pictures for today. In addition to those, we also went to our high school's playoff game where they beat #2 Denton Ryan! Before heading to the Tech/Baylor game on Saturday at Cowboys Stadium, we went to the Gaylord for ICE! and it was, in our opinion, the best one yet.

Like I said, a great time was had by all. I'm so thankful for the time together, for the lessons we've learned this year and am incredibly proud we've all stuck together through it all.

God is good. All the time.

Best. Sports. Weekend. Ever.

2011-11-21T13:40:00.000-08:00

Y'all. Where do I even begin?

Last Friday began what may be one of the most exciting sports weekends I've ever experienced. It began with our high school team winning and advancing to the next round of the state playoffs. Very exciting!

But, friends, there was so much more excitement to come. We. Had. No. Idea.

Saturday we headed over to Floyd Casey to tailgate and then ventured into the stadium where we were to play Oklahoma. As in the No. 5 Sooners.

Now, we all know how much I love Baylor but my hopes for blowing this game out were low. Not because I don't believe in our guys - I do! - but because I try to be a realist. It's best for my blood pressure. I was praying we were going to be competitive and see a good game.

And we did. Well, we saw half of it. Let's just say crutches and recovering from surgery aren't exactly conducive to watching football. At least not in person.

We made it to halftime but watched (with eyes half opened at times) from home and, y'all, I was literally kneeling on the floor in prayer at one point. But you know what?

Art Briles and company knocked off the #5 Sooners!!!

And the fans rushed the field...

This was a huge team effort, friends, but we all know who the Heisman candidate is, right?

And then on Sunday the #1 Lady Bears hosted the #2 Lady Irish for the Preseason WNIT Championship.

And. We. Won.

I mean, seriously, can it get any better? And did I mention our men's basketball team (No. 9) beat San Diego State last week as well?

It's almost more than my competitive little heart can handle.

But, given my Louisiana heritage, is it really that surprising? I mean, there's another Louisiana native at Baylor who's a bit competitive as well...

Happy Monday, friends, and Sic 'em Bears!!!!

A New Chapter

2011-11-18T11:10:00.000-08:00

Today is the the one I've been dreading since April 25. The one I anticipated would bring me to my knees, tears to my eyes and pain all over again.

It has not.

This was the year I summed up in one word - revival - as it began and was absolutely certain it would bring joy, peace and an easy season for our family.

It has not.

My feelings since that numbing day a bit over six months ago have run the gamut - anger, laughter, grief, joy, despair, peace... I have been positive for months all those feelings would collide today.

They have not.

What I feel today is peace. Joy. Hope. Anticipation. It is true that what we should be doing today is welcoming a new member into our family here on earth.

But we are not.

I have no idea why it was not to be. I have no answers to many of the questions I've asked, cried, begged and pleaded with Him for...

And that's ok...

In fact, it's more than ok. Because this year has brought about many things and, much to the devil's dismay, one of those things truly has been revival.

My marriage is stronger. The way we love each other is more passionate. My parenting comes with more understanding (most of the time). And we try our best not to take any day for granted. Each is a gift.

I have been, for the most part, proud of our little family and how we have weathered this storm. That's not to say we haven't fallen, stumbled or had bad days. But we have gotten back up, dusted ourselves off, moved forward and made the choice not to let this experience define us.

So what I actually feel today is that it is, in fact, the end of a chapter. A very special chapter I, for one, will never forget. One that made me question everything around me, including my faith in One who works all things together for the good.

While I still do not understand, I have learned firsthand that He is near those who mourn. Even when grief and sadness cloud our judgment and we cannot feel His presence.

There was also a period of time when I felt He had backed away. I know, without a doubt, He never left me but I do believe He was giving me a choice. I could either continue to seek Him - without every concrete answer I begged for - or I could choose to be angry. And it would have eaten me alive.

So today we close the chapter. We look ahead. With great anticipation that He has infinitely more wonderful things in store than we could ask or imagine. And, with gratefulness, I now know the following passage to be true. To my very core.

I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.

Philippians 4:12

He is the answer. The only one that matters...

Taking Care of Daddy...

2011-11-17T13:11:00.000-08:00

...right after surgery...

...is exhausting, time consuming and requires attention to detail...

...lots of snuggling...

...loads of cuteness...

...and dedication to the task at hand...

And, of course, the ability to swoop in on an instant's notice and gather any and all crumbs dropped from Daddy's plate. It's a rough job but someone has to do it.

There just may be a future in nursing for our baby boy.

Or a crumb collector. Whichever comes available first.

Attitude Adjustment

2011-11-16T11:43:00.000-08:00

Let me start this post by acknowledging I'm in serious need of an attitude adjustment. Though the intelligent thing to do, in this situation, may be to refrain from blogging, I really just feel like getting it out of my system.

You've been warned, friends... :-)

So here's the thing...I'm tired. I'm cranky. I'm tired of watching my man hurt. I'm currently in the middle of the week I've been dreading since we found out our baby was gone on April 25. And to top it off, there has been a tragedy in the Waco community I truly cannot get out of my mind. Add in some seriously annoying things that keep happening this week and you will find me with a very heavy heart.

On Sunday evening, my Facebook timeline was filled with people mourning the loss of a friend who had gone to be with the Lord following a car accident. He left behind a wife and infant daughter. While this would be tragic regardless of who the person was, I learned yesterday it was someone my co-workers and I met at Baylor Line Camp in July.

We had dinner together and chatted on and off throughout the long evening. An incredibly nice guy. A relatively recent grad. A man who told us all about his beautiful wife and precious baby girl. And now he's gone.

He was actually in some of the photos I took that night but it feels odd to share them at this point. I absolutely did not know him well but I cannot imagine having my man abruptly ripped out of my life. In an instant. Or having a baby to raise who may not remember the father who adored her.

Of course, this time last year I also couldn't imagine having a precious baby go to heaven before I did either....

All that to say that we truly aren't promised tomorrow. And though I should be seizing the moment with this fresh reminder, all I really want to do is sit down and sob.

While I'm 100% certain that has a lot to do with Friday looming ahead (that's another post for another day), the fact of the matter is that people's lives are being turned upside down each and every day. Those we know. Those we don't. Those we meet in passing and assume we'll see another day.

And that's really hit me afresh this week. Things we find unthinkable happen all the time. And I certainly hope I'll be more cognizant of that moving forward and enjoy my peeps - and all those He puts in my path - a little more instead of rushing straight on through to the next task.

And Then It Was Tuesday

2011-11-15T13:16:00.000-08:00

The days since Friday have been a bit of a blur but the good news is that Tonto came through surgery well, it was rather uneventful and he's actually pretty self-reliant for someone who's currently on crutches.

This was actually before surgery instead of after as one might initially believe. He told me he "needed a nap." :-)

Though he went in for a meniscus repair, it actually wasn't torn after all. He did, however, have a great deal of unstable and floating cartilage (hello, second surgery that was a complete fail) that needed to be removed. The underside of his kneecap was also rough again due to bone on bone rubbing before he got the synthetic cartilage injection in March.

So he's on crutches until he feels it can withstand weight but no set timetable. We'll just have to see how it goes. And although he is doing well, he's still in a lot of pain. More like the first surgery than the second, which was relatively painless given what he'd been living within in the months and years before.

All that to say that I would really appreciate it if you would pray for my man. He's a tough guy but I don't like watching him suffer. And all of the rainy weather and fronts coming in don't help. At all.

We are praising God for a favorable outcome with the realization that a knee replacement is in his future at some point. Right now he's way too young for that to be a viable discussion but it is the eventual conclusion. Until then, he'll be getting those lovely injections :-)

Happy Tuesday, friends!

Puppy Love

2011-11-10T12:40:00.000-08:00

Guess who wanted to say hello?!?!

And big sister too!!!

Perkie, as usual, fled as soon as the camera made an appearance but just pretend this is her instead of another adorable pic of Sir Rambo. :-)

So we learned this morning that Tonto will report for surgery at 9:30am tomorrow. We've been eagerly anticipating the time but they apparently don't provide that information until the day before. Which totally makes sense because it's not like some people live over an hour from the hospital and have children whose schedules need to be worked out in advance...

Oh wait, yes there are...

Anyway, we are grateful the time was set and are looking forward to getting this over with and moving on to the next adventure on the list. Personally, I would give a lot for anesthesia-induced sleep and eight weeks off work. Even if it was due to surgery. :-)

I'll be back next week with what are sure to be some funny photos of Tonto. As many times as we've done this, you would think it would be old hat but it's still my man. Who I will make fun of regardless of surgery. Because he would totally do the same to me :-)

Homecoming 2011

2011-11-09T14:50:00.000-08:00

Baylor Homecoming was this past weekend and was, as usual, an amazing time. I must admit to not going all out this year. We didn't even attend the parade.

I know, I know, but it had been a really long week and the girl asked if she could sleep in and have Shipley's for breakfast. We had also planned to watch the parade while eating said breakfast but she wasn't awake in time. It is on our DVR, though, so there's that...

We also didn't attend Bonfire because we were at the Midway football game. We did, however, show up at the stadium bright and early to set up our tent in the very windy conditions. In honor of the LSU/'Bama showdown - GEAUX TIGERS! - we had jambalaya and red beans. It was sooooo good, y'all. Totally hit the spot :-)

March of the Bears was extra festive this time. I even got high fives from RG3, Big Griff and Ahmad Dixon. I may never was that hand again...ok, totally kidding - I washed it shortly after but still...

After stuffing ourselves with the yummy Cajun food, we headed inside to catch the tail end of warm ups and the band's pregame show. Coach Art Briles even stepped up his game for this special occasion and donned a Vegas gold pullover instead of his traditional white. Step back, CAB!

BUGWB!

New for this game but the ginormous traveling camera that was rigged with cables from a number of light poles. As the ball kept sailing through them during kickoffs, I wondered what would happen if it actually hit one of the cables. Interference by an inanimate object? :-)

The alumni band was on hand to do "script Baylor."

And my girl and her friend got their faces painted. Funny story #1 - the girl's friend dropped her phone onto the field while trying to film the players running out of the tunnel. One of the freshmen who's redshirting this year picked it up and kept running to the sideline. The girls finally retrieved the phone shortly before the end of the game but, let me tell you, that video is priceless. He had no idea he was being recorded for a good 5-7 minutes.

Cheeseballs...

Why do they think this is funny?

After much gnashing of teeth, wondering if the officials had a nice trip from Missouri to Waco (we were playing Mizzou), biting my fingernails, and not watching most of the game (I was bad luck - every time I looked something went terribly awry), we went into our prevent defense and allowed them to score once more so we could get the ball back.

AND WE WON!!!!

We were, in fact, on the 10 yard line and could have scored again but Coach Briles is all about not crushing people's spirits. I said I like him - not that we agreed on every point of the game! :-)

Funny story #2 - my girl came running toward the car after the game and presented us with her new prized possession - one of Kendall Wright's game gloves. She is still absolutely beside herself. You see, he gives them away every game and he threw one to her at the last home game but it slipped out of her hands. A little boy grabbed it and ran with it.

Well, this time, a little boy caught it and ended up giving it to Taylor because he saw how much she wanted it. So she spent the ride home watching the funny video on her friend's phone and marveling at how large Kendall's hands are...she clearly did not expect him to wear an extra large. :-)

It was a delightful evening and I'm so happy my parents were there with us while Tonto was working. Only a few more days of work for him, though, as surgery is just around the corner. That's another post for another day, though.

Happy Wednesday, friends :-)

Over in a Flash

2011-11-09T09:29:00.000-08:00

So last Friday was the last regular season football game for our high school. It was a beautiful - and very cold - evening. Basically, it was perfect for a Friday night game.

We got there very early (the girl was thrilled about that, let me tell you) so we had a chance to snap some shots closer to the field. Generally by the time we get there it's very crowded and just not worth fighting folks for a good shot but this time was a little different.

We had a chance to watch warm-ups, which is just as exciting as you might imagine.

And to see our opponent - the Killeen Kangaroos - warm up as well.

Next it was time for the Goal Tenders and band to march around the track and take their places.

There was no wind. Thankfully. Can't imagine how cold it would have been had there been a few gusts here and there!

The game was well in hand for the Panthers from the get go so we were able enjoy the game and visit without being super stressed. :-)

We're currently utilizing a three quarterback carousel, which appears to be rather effective. My understanding is this makes it very hard for a defense to adapt on the fly. All I know is it improved our play significantly in the middle of the season.

It was Senior Night so all of the seniors were honored either before the game or at halftime. Dave's cousin, Bri, is a cheerleader. Here she is with her little sister and Dave's aunt and uncle.

Yes, Dave and his uncle are very close in age. :-) They're an awesome family and she is an amazing young lady.

Before long it was time to bid adieu to this part of fall 2011. They'll be playing at Cowboys Stadium on Thursday evening in the first round of the playoffs. We have a prior commitment on Friday, though, so we'll miss this go round. Seeing as Tonto will have 6-8 weeks off after surgery, I'm hoping they continue to win because a man after surgery who can't take a field trip or two is a very cranky man.

At least in my experience.

Happy Wednesday, friends!

Headgear

2011-11-08T11:55:00.000-08:00

This time of year we find ourselves glued to the television on Saturday mornings to see what headgear Lee Corso is going to don. Lately he's done it in quite a cold fashion as he did this past weekend. I was, of course, on board with his pick of the LSU Tigers. And he was proven right so, you know, GEAUX TIGERS!!!

Before we headed out to the last regular season high school game on Friday, my girl decided to don her own headgear...

...and clearly Rambo was over the moon with happiness about a photo. Guess she's rubbing off on him?

She picked this up with some birthday money a couple of weeks ago but, unfortunately, our support didn't help the Rangers to seal the deal.

One. Out. Away. On. Two. Different. Occasions.

Not that I'm bitter, though. Or competitive. Or hold a grudge.

And considering it was two degrees below frigid before the game ended on Friday, my girl apparently made a wise choice.

Even if she had absolutely had enough of picture taking long before I was finished photographing her beautiful smile :-)

Let Them Eat Cake

2011-11-07T09:25:00.000-08:00

A week ago Sunday my mom hosted a wedding reception for her best friend, Anna, who recently got married in her hometown. She and her man are moving to Dallas so this was a time to celebrate and wish them well in their new adventures.

And to enjoy this...

Seriously - who can turn down wedding cake?!?!

My mom outdid herself (as always) with the food and decorations. There were even edible flowers garnishing all of the platters. Like I said, FANCY! :-)

The bride and groom - don't they look giddy?

Proof my child was in attendance. As I believe I've mentioned a time of 20, she's not all that fond of the camera these days.

Love this pic!

The hosts! This was the first time they've entertained in their new home and it was a huge success. And also, their house is set up perfectly for entertaining. I'm really looking forward to Thanksgiving :-)

After the festivities, we headed to church where Tay was working at the Fall Festival. It was a busy day but was super fun.

And, yes, I have pictures to share from the weekend but not as many as one might believe. When you're too busy biting your fingernails throughout a game, it's somewhat difficult to take photos. Who knew?!?!

So I'll meet you here tomorrow. Ok? :-)

Happy Monday!

Homecoming Weekend is Upon Us

2011-11-04T10:33:00.000-07:00

Homecoming Weekend 2011 has arrived for the Baylor family, friends!

For those of you not familiar with my alma mater, this is a super huge deal for us. In fact, the first recorded Homecoming in the country was at Baylor and we still host the largest collegiate parade in the United States.

Like I said, it's HUGE!

One of the small touches that makes working here so special is arriving at the office to find scenes like this in the lobby of my building.

This happens several times a year - Homecoming, Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter. Each time, though, it makes my heart smile.

And though this will be a very busy weekend followed by another incredibly busy week, I would miss it for the world.

Have a great weekend, friends!

Weekly Top Ten

2011-11-03T09:47:00.000-07:00

1. Baylor Homecoming is this week, which means work has been busy, busy, busy. Love it! (both Homecoming and being busy in general)

2. I'm almost convinced sixth grade is trying to kill me. Couple more challenging coursework with a 'tween who really doesn't care about anything other than a social life and you have a recipe for disaster.

3. And by 'disaster' I mean she has some high B's in classes there's no reason she shouldn't have an A. That may seem a bit harsh but I'm really trying to instill good habits now. Before high school.

4. Thinking about her being in high school just gave me a chill. Hold. Me. Please.

5. Rambo went to the vet this morning for his annual check-up. He got an A+++++ and is good to go for another year now. So thankful he's healthy. It's a definite departure from our experience with Bo.

6. A front came through last night and it's chilly today. Can't tell you how happy that makes me.

7. Christmas shopping has begun in earnest. I try to get all of it done in November so we can enjoy the events and spirit of the season during December. And when you give someone who's borderline OCD a task, it's on like donkey kong!

8. I really want to see the Bears notch their fifth win this weekend. They've only lost one game I thought they would win (lookin' at you, K-State, who came out of nowhere!) but I'm got Mizzou as a 'W'. Don't let me down, boys!

9. I'm a bit too competitive. Clearly.

10. I just realized recently that Tonto's surgery is next week. Funny how things like that sneak up on me... :-)

Another Season Comes to an End

2011-11-02T08:56:00.000-07:00

Last Thursday was Taylor's last volleyball game of the season. Well, actually, it was last night but her regularly scheduled Monday game got moved to Tuesday due to Halloween and she has tumbling on Tuesdays so we didn't participate.

To be frank, volleyball and our fam have had enough of each other for now. I'm sure we'll be stoked for the spring season but this was a particularly trying go round. That being said, she still looked cute in her black and white ensemble ;-)

She won't look at me to take pictures these days - particularly in public - so just know that all of these were shot incognito...

See her scar? It's soooo much better. And I'm soooo thankful...

Getting ready for the serve...

Playing the back row...

Oops - she caught me! See how happy she is about the fact my camera is out?

And just because I thought it was a cool pic...

Farewell, Oreos - we'll see you again. But if history repeats itself, none of you will be on the same team ever again. How does that happen anyway? She's never been on the same team with anyone more than one season. Weird. But she loves it because she makes more friends. And she is nothing if not a social butterfly.

And there you have it - another season bites the dust. Which only means we're heading into what's generally my favorite time of year. :-)

Operation Trick or Treat

2011-11-01T08:46:00.000-07:00

For most of the girl's life, she has chosen whatever Halloween costume she wanted and I've ordered it during the month of September because I'm a control freak who likes to be prepared. So imagine my surprise when this year she proclaimed a homemade costume was needed because she wanted nothing more than to be a hobo.

After cutting up some of my overalls from college and begging her to wear some type of silly hat (to no avail), her friend Ketchup came over last night and we spent almost two hours trick or treating through the neighborhood.

These girls are silly, y'all, and they had me laughing pretty much all night. Well, at least until it was my bedtime and I was more than ready to head home. :-)

One the first street they told me, "Operation trick or treat has commenced...stand back and watch the magic..."

And by the time we finished there was not a bowl big enough in my house to hold all of the girl's candy. No kidding.

They walked most of the way with me in the car behind them because I have a thing about not letting my child roam the streets after dark. This causes her great distress but, quite frankly, I don't really care. :-)

All in all, it was a wonderful evening and really melted away a lot of the stress a crazy Monday had heaped upon my shoulders. Amazing how spending time with some joyful kiddos can do that, isn't it?

Only one of the many blessings my girl (and now her sweet friends) bestow upon me every day. That's what I call wealth, y'all, and I can't wait to see what next year brings. Thus far I've been told they're dressing up as pencil and paper...

A New Member of the Family

2011-10-31T11:28:00.000-07:00

There are a number of things I enjoy in life but one of them, friends, is not change. I like order, routine and structure. My man likes to be spontaneous, doesn't make plans and frequently changes courses on a dime. Drives. Me. Bananas.

But opposites attract, right?

Last week I was sort in and out of blogland for several reasons. One was that it was the anniversary of a week one year ago that was extremely emotionally packed. In addition to saying goodbye to Bo and hello to Rambo, we also - during that week in 2010 - learned that one of Tonto's good friends had lost his wife to breast cancer at the age of 38 and my grandmother had major surgery as well.

Like I said, it was emotionally packed. And reliving it this year was somewhat emotional as well.

But another reason is that we were contemplating purchasing a new vehicle. These days we find ourselves with numerous 'tween girls visiting almost every weekend. This, at times, makes transporting all the girls difficult as my Trailblazer (aka Bob) only seated five.

So on Friday evening a big ol' change occurred. At least it was big to me.

We said goodbye to Bob...

...and hello to Bobby...

Bobby seats seven and that extra seating folds down nicely for cargo space when it's not needed. He's definitely a newer and sleeker automobile but I must admit to feeling torn about leaving Bob.

Ironically, we brought Rambo home from the Killeen area on October 28, 2010. We brought Bobby home from the Killeen area on October 28, 2011.

One can only imagine what we'll bring home on 10.28.12 :-)

A Year Ago Today, Part Deaux

2011-10-28T12:34:00.000-07:00

One year ago today, this little fella came into our lives, our home and - most importantly - our hearts.

He brought joy, healing, laughter, love and - most importantly - a fresh start.

He continues to melt our hearts, make us giggle, take up all the covers when it's cold and - most importantly - completes the Puppy Posse.

We are so incredibly thankful for his presence, his playfulness, his quirkiness, his snuggly personality and - most importantly - his acceptance of every member of the family.

We love you, precious boy, and are so grateful you are in our lives!

If this doesn't say...

2011-10-27T11:45:00.000-07:00

...take me to school, woman!!!

Then I'm really not sure what does...

A Year Ago Today...

2011-10-26T13:42:00.000-07:00

...we said goodbye to this sweet boy. Though we think about and miss you every day, Bo Bo, we are so thankful we'll see you again one day soon. :-)

And thinking about you hanging out with the baby brother or sister we lost in April makes me smile. You were the ultimate prankster so I guess it fits that you're the only one who knows if it was a boy or a girl! ;-)

Rest in peace, sweet prince.

Weekend Rewind

2011-10-25T12:45:00.000-07:00

Though I could lie to you and insist we had an action-packed weekend that was both incredibly product and full of educational activities, the truth is that we were straight up bums who did as little as possible between Friday evening and Monday morning.

Truth be told, we've been really busy lately and I was running on fumes. When my head began pounding Friday afternoon and my sinuses were (again) threatening to revolt, I decided the high school football game was not in my future. Unfortunately, Tonto's knees kept him from going as well. :-(

Saturday the girl and I did some shopping with her birthday money. I think her selections of three Justin Beiber CDs along with Rio speak directly to her stage in life right now - not a teen but not a little girl either. Bless her sweet little heart.

We picked up the house, did some laundry and watched the new movie with Rambo that afternoon. It was his first animated feature film, which he slept through. Clearly he was mesmerized.

Sunday we went to church and Wal-Mart before heading home. I watched football while the girl viewed the Beiber movie again (I just couldn't do it again - once was cute but I think twice would have turned my sentiments to the dark side). After dinner (pot roast that was delicious and cornbread that was halfway delightful - the other half was a tad bit overdone), we all piled in the bed (Tonto and puppies included) to watch Zookeeper, which was super cute.

Before we knew it, Monday morning was upon us. Though we weren't that productive, I'm incredibly pleased to say that the girl and I were quite rested to begin the new week. Thank you, Jesus!

Tonto and I ran to the store yesterday after lunch where I learned about a snack that could be detrimental to my current fitness goals...

Can you even imagine?!?!

And, finally, this morning it was quite difficult getting out of the house because someone really wanted to go to daycare today. Unfortunately, he couldn't understand that Lexi won't be there until Wednesday. And today is not Wednesday.

Not only did he try to get into my car but he also refused to go into his kennel and parked his little behind by the back door. I had to almost drag him to his room where his kennel (and television set to cartoons) was waiting.

Good thing the little stinker is so darn cute!

There Is A God

2011-10-21T01:57:00.000-07:00

There's a new country song out called There Is A God and it is, quite frankly, a really good song. I first heard it while doing Zumba (it was the cool down) and somehow I managed to both stretch and listen to the words at the same time. Apparently miracles truly never cease!

Most of the lyrics pertained to things that happen when you know, without a doubt, that there is a God. When you see a baby's heartbeat on an ultrasound. When the doctor can't explain it but the cancer is gone. The gist was that all you must do to know He is real is look around.

Shortly after, I was watching Nightline with Tonto (does that mean we're old?) and they were interviewing the parents of Baby Lisa, the 11-month-old who disappeared from her crib recently. Though I have no idea how this happened or whether the parents were involved (and really don't care as long as the baby is found), one thing the mother said struck me. When asked if she thought they would see Lisa again, she replied, "Yes, I know we will because there is still a God."

And that got me to thinking...

Yes, there is a God. And He is mighty and powerful and omniscient and good all the time. He cannot help but be. He is for us and can overpower anything or anyone that comes against us. If He so chooses. If it is in His plan. If it will further His name and/or our purpose.

But there was still a God when my baby's heart stopped beating on the ultrasound. There is still a God when people's loved ones die untimely and unexplainable deaths. There was most definitely a God when Taylor broke her elbow requiring emergency surgery, 14 months of rehab and endured much pain and suffering. He is still there when people are going through unfathomable hardships of many kinds be it financial, health, relational, etc.

We all mourned after the 9/11 attack but, guess what? The tragedy was unexplainable and ripped at the hearts of many. And there was still a God. And He was still reigning on high when my friend, Brandi, went to be with Him almost a year ago after a long battle with breast cancer. He's still with her precious children and her husband.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that buying into the notion that all we have to do is look around at the good things going on in the world to know for sure that He is real, simply isn't enough. Why? Because He also works things that are meant for our harm into good.

Though we've walked through some serious valleys this year, He's still been with us every second. Even when I was angry and bitter and made the choice not to see what He was doing through our situation, He was still there. No question.

And I can assure you we have had some wonderful experiences this year and our relationships have grown deeper through the loss of our child. The same can absolutely be said about Taylor's elbow injury and Tonto's many knee surgeries, procedures and therapy. None of these things may have happened otherwise.

Perhaps I'm just being overly sensitive or picking apart some random comments and lyrics but if I've learned anything in the last six months, it's that pain and trouble can (and probably will) happen even when we're in His will. Truth be told, that's one of the biggest thing I've wrestled with because I've done a lot of things myself - completely outside of His will - through the years that caused me immense pain and had devastating consequences.

But that wasn't the case this year.

We didn't do anything to cause this trouble that ripped our hearts in two. We were in church, serving others, studying His word and living out what we believe are callings on our lives.

Are we perfect? No, absolutely not. But we also weren't caught up in a stronghold of sin.

And our baby still died.

But there is still a God, friends. And I know this - without a doubt - because there's no way I would still be standing - much less finding joy - today if there wasn't...

Party Like It's 1999

2011-10-20T01:05:00.000-07:00

After our afternoon of paintballing (is that even a word?), we were all starving. After enjoying some pepperoni pizza (they all agreed - can you believe it?), it was time to get down to business. And that meant cupcakes with buttercream icing that was cleverly made to look like it had been hit by paintballs and cake balls.

We set a table full of snack foods that the girls could graze on throughout the evening. Did I mention they were all spending the night?

In addition to these super cute mints, we had cheese cubes and crackers, fruit and dip, chips and dip and peanuts. Top that off with a cooler full of Gatorade, water and Diet Coke and you have some very happy 'tween girls.

This fella is scared of pretty much everything and especially people he's never seen before. Pizza crust did the trick luring him out into the open, though. In the end, I think it was good for him to have so many strange people in his house as he seemed to get more comfortable as time went on.

Soon it was time for the main event!

And for Logan to head back to work. Cannot believe she's almost as tall as he is...

Presents were opened right after we cleaned out the old refrigerator and got ready for delivery of the new one :-)

This year's theme was bright, solid colors. Everywhere. And it was fun, easy and festive.

Shortly after these photos were taken, the ladies sucked all the helium out of the balloons and then had a water balloon fight. Good times...

Cute paper lanterns. From Dollar Tree, friends. Yep, one dollar per pair. Can't beat it!

Inside the favor boxes were playing cards, which are apparently a big hit at this age. They also each had a souvenir shirt from the paintball portion of the evening :-)

And the aftermath...

While picking up plates with half eaten pizza, water bottles, Diet Coke cans, pieces of balloons and cleaning icing off every surface in the kitchen, Tonto and I came to a conclusion: 'tween sleepovers and frat parties have a lot in common the next morning.

It was a super fun party and the girl indicated she had a blast. And that's all that really matters to me.

Are You Ready for Some Paintball?

2011-10-19T01:04:00.000-07:00

When the girl requested a paintball party, I must admit to being surprised. When Tonto informed me that those little paintballs sting pretty badly upon impact, I was skeptical. When the girl asked if boys could attend, I was shocked. In the end, though, the big party was a rousing success. And, unfortunately, all of the boys had conflicts (except for big brother, Logan) so they could not attend.

There's always next year, I suppose...

The before shots...

The 'trying to fix the jammed gun' shot...

The 'we're decorating our shirts (which also served as party favors) shot...

And the action shots...

The 'I just nailed my son in the nose' shot...

The 'Who, me?' shot...

Back to the action...

And the after shot...

In addition to playing in the speed ball area (where the inflatables were), they also headed into the woods for a session but I remained in the pavilion where it was nice and safe. The girls had a great time, Logan was a huge help and basically led them through the whole process, and they wore themselves out a bit.

We thought they would bail after being hit once but the ladies (and gent) persevered and have some minor bruising to show off as battle scars for the next week or so. Apparently Tonto shot the girl in the behind at one point and she has told every person she's seen since about it. No secrets with this one...

All in all, it was a win!

After we'd exhausted all of the paintballs (including an extra bag - thanks Nana!), we piled back in the cars and headed home for pizza, cupcakes and lots of other snacky foods. But that's a post for another day...namely, tomorrow. :-)

Moonlight Madness

2011-10-18T09:26:00.000-07:00

Last Friday was very special for our men's basketball team at Baylor. They were chosen as one of 11 sites to host Moonlight/Midnight Madness on ESPNU. It was the first time we've ever been to an event like this and, y'all, it was so much fun.

The place was rockin' thanks to some super excited fans and the Courtside Players.

My girl brought a friend along...truth be told, she almost never travels alone these days. :-)

Clearly they did not sit with us. They were exploring pretty much the entire time. Oh, to have that much energy.

Because I've interacted with a number of the players, I already knew that there is absolutely no shortage of personality on this year's squad. They are the funniest, most outgoing group I've ever see at Baylor and I have no doubt they're going to be a lot of fun to watch on the court. But nothing really prepared me for them to come out like this...

...and then to get their groove on...

It. Was. Awesome.

Below are our freshman phenoms - Quincy Miller and Deuce "The Dunker" Bello.

Little team huddle before the festivities began.

One of my favs - Fred Ellis. Look at that perfect form.

Brady "Sharp Shooter" Heslip. I'd not yet seen him in person but, friends, let me tell you this fella can shoot the trey with unbelievable accuracy. It was pretty amazing to watch.

Ekpe Udoh was in the house as a celebrity judge for the dunking contest.

As was Brittney Griner.

The dunking contest was won (decisively) by our new point guard, Pierre Jackson. He led his junior college team to a national championship and, y'all, this kid has spunk. He's 5'9" and can jump higher than anyone I've ever seen in my life. It was like he had flubber (remember that movie?) on the soles of his shoes. Cannot wait to see him in a real game.

There was also a 20-minute scrimmage at the end of the program.

This was the first allowable day of practice but, friends, I was amazed at their speed. They are much faster than last year and after watching a lot of the coverage on ESPNU, it appears they're faster than most of the country.

I've got a feeling this will be a phenomenal basketball season for Baylor on both the men's and women's side. And you can bet we'll be there cheering them to victory - right after we hit a bowl game to watch our football team ;-)

Sic 'em, Bears!

Cuteness Overload

2011-10-17T11:27:00.000-07:00

Well, Monday, we meet again. This past weekend, friends, was epicly busy. Between Moonlight Madness at Baylor, the Heart of Texas Fair and the big paintball/sleepover birthday party there wasn't a dull minute to be found.

And did I mention our refrigerator went out on Friday? And that our new one was delivered smack in the middle of the sleepover?

Good times. But I'm so thankful it went out now and not after Dave has knee surgery. Oh wait, I haven't mentioned that here. Guess the cat's out of the bag...and now you know what we'll be doing on 11.11.11 :-)

I do have a slew of pictures to share but for now I'll just leave you with this overload of pure cuteness.

He's been in a super cuddly mood lately and he's even chosen to snuggle with me instead of his dad on several occasions. I chalk it up to the fact that I'm his ride to daycare, which means I'm his only option when it comes to seeing his girlfriend, Lexi.

Someone really should have cleaned his little allergy eyes before taking this picture. Oh wait, that would be me...

Happy Monday, y'all - see you tomorrow with the Moonlight Madness recap :-)

Weekly Top 10 - The Sickly Edition

2011-10-13T13:08:00.000-07:00

Given that this week is almost over and that I've spent most of it in a drug-induced stupor (ie: antibiotics, two types of steroids, Mucinex and Singulair), I'm recapping last weekend in a bit of a different way than usual...and here we go....

1. Last Saturday we headed to Floyd Casey Stadium early to tailgate and watch the Bears beat Iowa State. It wasn't always a pretty game but they got it done and it' a 'W'. I'll take it! There was a special guest on the sidelines...some like to call him Big Phil!

2. The evening before we'd been to another football game - Midway v. Waco. All week I heard about what a rivalry this game is but, quite frankly, I think that's really a one-sided feeling. It doesn't seem to resonate much around our neighborhood. Either way, it was a...let's say...spirited game and we ended up losing by two points. That's all I'm going to say because my mom was adamant about that whole 'if you can't say something nice...' thing...

3. It was the weekend of pink game, which I dearly love, and our drill team did a great routine that showcased their hot pink in style.

4. My girl hasn't been to the fair yet because I've been so sick. I feel absolutely terrible about it, y'all, but there's not a whole lot I can do to fix it. I am praying I'll be able to take her for a bit tomorrow without having a full blown asthma attack. :-)

5. The big paintball party is almost upon us. Due to me crashing after work every day this week, I'm taking off tomorrow to prepare though I'm still not sure we're ready for a party that includes boys on the invitation list...

6. I am terrible luck for the Rangers. Know why they keep winning late? Because by that time I'm asleep and no longer watching. You're welcome.

7. Sometimes your best friend for a week or so truly is cough medicine. Just sayin'...

8. I find it atrocious that I'm more concerned about Baylor's safety this weekend (due to multiple threats on many different levels) than the actual football game. That's just ridiculous, in my opinion.

9. I added some lowlights to my hair this week and I really don't like it. I'm thinking it might have something to do with me having zero color in my face right now, though. Guess time will tell...

10. Who Dat! It's been a while since I expressed my genuine love for the Saints so there you go...

Happy Thursday!

To My Daughter on Her Birthday

2011-10-12T09:17:00.000-07:00

My Dearest Taylor,

Today is your birthday! Yes, you are 12 on the 12th and if your mood this morning was any indication, you're really excited about finally reaching this new milestone. I truly could not be more thrilled to see unabashed joy in your face this morning, sweetheart, as you deserve nothing but the best today.

Age 11 was interesting and challenging on so many levels. Not only are you growing up (much too quickly, I might add) but you have also mourned the loss of a beloved pet and a sibling you weren't able to meet in person since you last blew out candles atop a sugary cake. By all accounts, this has been a difficult year for our family but you, my darling, have made even the darkest days bright.

Twelve years ago I held a beautiful baby with a ton of jet black hair and realized - in an instant - that life as I knew it was over. I had no idea it was possible to fall completely in love with a tiny bundle so quickly but you had me in a split second. Though I had no idea what I was doing (and still don't at times), you were (and are) my pride and joy. There is nothing I wouldn't (and won't) do for you.

But now you're growing up and the reigns have been loosened a bit over the last year. You spend a lot of time with a sweet group of girlfriends (and you're such a good friend it blows me away) and don't want to hang out with me nearly as much as you used to. But at the same time, we have the most amazing conversations these days and you continue to blow me away with your sense of humor and compassion. I pray all the time that you'll always retain a love for the unusual, the less traveled path and your quirky sense of style.

You are growing into your own person and, quite frankly, you're turning out to be a really amazing young lady. But make no mistake, my precious girl, you're still my baby. And I'm still your mom. I will always be here when you need me and even on those occasions when you don't think you do...but I know better.

There is no greater responsibility in my life than being your mom and that's why I pray every day I won't mess it up. :-)

Know, sweet girl, that you are the apple of my eye and all those times you think I'm hanging on too tightly, it's still just a fraction of how desperately I want to hold and protect you from this world. Because that's simply not a possibility, my greatest goal for you is to know that no matter what happens, there is One you can turn to at any time. One who will never leave or forsake you. One who has amazing and unexplainable plans for your life.

And - praise Jesus - you do know, love and trust Him.

You, Miss Taylor, challenge me every day to be a better person, have an uncanny ability to strip any amount of pretense from a conversation and see the good in any and everyone at all times. I love those things about you and know that God alone instilled those qualities in you because there is no way you got them from me. You are my greatest joy, darling, and I cannot wait to see what year 12 brings.

Love,
Mom