Hook 'em Horns

The weekend before Thanksgiving I had the opportunity (for the first time ever) to go see the Longhorns play at home...in Austin...where I had not been in 18 years.  To say I was a little excited was truly an understatement.  One of the ladies here at work is a Texas Ex and gets season tickets to the football games every year.  She knows I'm a huge fan so when she got her tickets this year and knew they would not be able to attend this particular game, she let me know right away.  I asked my cousin Dina to join me because well...
1) she is a huge fan
2) she has been to games before
3) she knows her way around, and most importantly
4) we enjoy spending time together
Her sister Anne joined us and we stayed at a very swanky hotel downtown.  It wasn't really swanky but I thought that sounded a lot better.  All I am really going to say is I had an awesome time at the game.  Our Horns had been on an awful losing streak so I like to think Dina and I brought them some much needed luck because we won that day!  Here is one of the first pictures Dina took of me at the game.  You can't tell it, but I was crying underneath my sunglasses from all the excitement. 

We took this one right before our guys made their entrance....

And this one at the end of the game....

After the game, we met up with Anne and another cousin (Stacy), had dinner and then hit 6th Street.  The evening was filled with great company and a ton of laughs but the highlight of my day was being at the game with my cousin.  I had an awesome time and hope to go again some day and take my son, who I know would enjoy it just as much as I did. 

 

The Breath You Take

Leave it to King George to come out with a song that brings me to tears almost every time I hear it.  There are times it does make me smile but today, its tears.  My wish is for my friends and family to really listen to this song and its message and to remember life's not the breaths you take, its the moments that take your breath away.  As I have said many times before, live it up each day because life can change in an instant and there's no going back. 

The Breath You Take

He looks up from second base dad’s up in the stands
He saw the hit, the run, the slide there ain’t no bigger fan
In the parking lot after the game he said
“Dad I thought you had a plane to catch”
He smiled and said “Yeah son I did”

Life’s not the breaths you take
The breathing in and out
That gets you through the day
Ain’t what it’s all about
Ya just might miss the point
Try’n to win the race
Life’s not the breaths you take
But the moments that take your breath away

Fast forward fifteen years
And a thousand miles away
Boy’s built a life he’s got a wife
And a baby due today
He hears a voice saying “I made it son
He said “I told you dad you didn’t have to come”
He smiles and says ”Yeah I know you did”

Just like it took my breath when she was born
Just like it took my breath away when dad took his last that morn

Life’s not the breaths you take
The breathing in and out
That gets you through the day
Ain’t what it’s all about
Ya just might miss the point
If ya don’t slow down the pace
Life’s not the breaths you take
But the moments that take your breath away

Here is a link to King George's performance of this song on the CMA's.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MvxsPSwWQU

Thanksgiving Menu

I'm taking a cue from my cousin and sharing my menu for Thanksgiving this year.  My sister and her family will be traveling to Louisiana to spend the holiday with her husband's family so we will have a smaller group.  You would think we'd cut back on our dishes but its Thanksgiving and we must have all of our favorites, small group or not. 

Smoked Turkey
Ham
Dressing
Mashed Tators
Corn
Broccoli/Rice Casserole
Green Beans (this is not definite)
Cranberry Sauce
Gravy
Crescent Rolls
Apple Cobbler
Double-Layer Pumpkin Pie

I think this is everything...and my mouth is now watering!  One of my girlfriends asked me the other day what our menu looked like.  I sent it to her and then added two additional items I forgot.  I still feel like I have forgotten something above.  As I said before, its a lot of food but we simply cannot leave any of our favorites off.  Green beans are in question because we decided to have corn instead--for those who prefer it to green beans.  I however, have found a recipe that I would like to try that puts a twist on the traditional green bean casserole.  Still thinking about it.  And I bet you're wondering where the sweet potatoes are right?  Again, majority is not a fan of them so we have opted not to have them.  Last year I had a recipe I wanted to try with them so they graciously allowed me to make the dish and bring it.  I also would love to add a pecan pie to the desserts.  I've never made a pecan pie but would like to try.  Who knows, maybe if I'm feeling frisky Wednesday when I'm cooking up a storm, I just might give it a whirl! 

Good Mornin'

Well good mornin' sunshine!!  And how are you this fine rainy morning?  I'm doing pretty good here.  Its a holiday for me..Veteran's Day...so I'm chilling here at the house before I go get my hair done.  I'm really excited about that because its been quite a while.  The kids are off, the washer is going, the floors are swept, dishwasher is full and I'm about out of coffee.  Of course I'm still in my jammies....well not really because I did have to get out of the car when I took Bella to daycare.  Didn't want to scare everyone, so these are what I call throwndown clothes.  I'm sorry I haven't been around much.  I've had a lot of thoughts but just haven't gotten around to writing them down, but things are good.  Did get a disappointing phone call yesterday.  There was a family looking at my house, saw it three times, asked a lot of questions, blah, blah, blah.  In the end, they decided to go with another home....a newer home.  Bummer.  I can't blame them really.  This one does still need some work but when you look at its size and the potential...WOW!!  Trying to stay positive and hope that another family will come along and this home will be the one for them. 

The kids had a great Halloween. I enjoyed being off that day because Christopher and I spent a lot of time in the kitchen baking cupcakes, roasting pumpkin seeds and cooking.  He is a wonderful little chef and loves to learn new things. We went to Daddy's house later for pizza and trick or treating with my sister's family and our good friends the Hillier's.  Its a tradition that started years ago when the Hillier's oldest daughter was little (she'll be 21 this month) and I was newly married and home by myself on Halloween (Jeff was working).  They stopped by our house while trick or treating and invited me to join them, and that's where the fun began.  We started out trick or treating at a neighborhood near their house but have migrated to Daddy's neighborhood--less chaos and people.  When my sister had kids, she joined us.  I love this little tradition that we have.  We always eat pizza, trick or treat and come back to the house--the kids all go to the back room, sort through the candy and a trading fest begins.  Let me tell you...its a very serious thing with those kids but they have a great time doing it.  And they LOVE passing out candy to the goblins that come to the house..almost more than going out themselves! We love Halloween...always have a great time.  My pictures this year were awful...just awful so I don't have anything to show you.  And I still cannot figure out why my vertical pictures are turning horizontal when I rotate them and save them on my computer??  I need help with that. 

Other than getting through Halloween, we're trucking along just fine.  Gearing up for Thanksgiving, which I'm super excited about and Christmas, which I'm hyperventilating about.  As much as I love this time of year I wish I could make it slow down so I can catch up.  I'm WAY behind on my shopping and I am really fretting it.  I never fret shopping...NEVER!  But I am this year.  But it will be fine and all things will work out.  Right?      

Y'all have a great day....and don't forget to thank a Veteran today.