'Tis the Season

It's the most wonderful time of the year!! Around here, we speak FSL - Football as Second Language. I can define, and use in a sentence (in football context) the following: "option", "screen pass", and "I-team". This time of year we have 'game film' almost constantly being reviewed, and I find little scraps of paper throughout the house wth x's and o's on them...and no, they aren't love letters! Football is not only a game to us, it is a paycheck. And, luckily, I 'heart' football.

I 'heart' that my husband gets to do something he is passionate about for a living. He, and his former team and fellow coaches, were recently honored during halftime at an APU football game. Ten years ago, as he began his career, he was the Offensive Coordinator at APU, and they won the National Championship, so they had a reunion and halftime presentation this year. Seeing the old team ten years later for this reunion brought back a lot of great memories!! Awww...we were just dating back then!!

Here he is waving to the crowd!!

The team...1o year reunion!

I also 'heart' cheering for my teams! I have highly sought after season tickets to Citrus College football games...I've got an in with the head coach! ; ) ...Go Fighting Owls!!...Kevin just loves that mascot!

I 'heart' my Purdue Boilermakers. I went to grad school there, and made some really close friends. When you are with 20 women every day, going through a full-time grad program together for 2 years, it's hard not to make close friendships! We went to many football games together, and had some really fun times!! I was lucky enough to get back to Indianapolis for my friend, Mandy's, wedding in August and reunite with several of those girls! When we get back together, it feels like it did 5 years ago!! I love those kind of friendships, where you pick up where you left off. They are so comfortable!

Purdue Speechies Reunion

Finally, I 'heart' UCLA. I loved going there, loved cheering for them at the Rose Bowl, so I was heartbroken when they lost so badly to BYU. During my period of mourning, the day after that game, I found this on my car window as I walked to my car after church:

At the risk of sounding sacreligious, I REALLY don't 'heart' BYU...they have some really crazy, Mormon fans. In fact, as evidenced above, one of them desecrated my car with this vile sticker...I'm not going to name names, but I have evidence that the perpetrator is a leader in my ward, his wife makes vinyl stickers, and his last name rhymes with "how". I drove home from church with my face shielded, hoping that someone wouldn't mistake me for a Cougar Fan. ; ) Long story, but they got a lot of mileage out of one little sticker.

As much as I don't heart the teams that beat mine, I do 'heart' college rivalries, and getting to watch the drama and excitment that this sport brings!! It makes this time of year fun for me, even though we miss seeing our husband and daddy!!

Sugar and Spice...heavy on the spice

When we found out a girl would be the tail-end of our family, we envisioned a quiet, docile princess, who would bring peace and tranquility into our already busy, loud, boy-friendly home. However, this princess RUNS full speed everywhere she goes, and HATES being held. She is very loud, in a cute, girl way, of course. She loves climbing and chasing/being chased by her brothers...enter exhibit A... While running in the house, Kami fell on the hardwood floor, hit the banister, and got her first shiner...actually the hugest shiner of any of our kids so far. It was quite alarming to see a goose egg protrude like that from her head, and I was sure that brain matter was oozing from her skull. ICK. Kevin was even taken aback when he got home and insisted on holding her, even though the tears had long been dried. Birth order may contribute to her business...she does have 2 brothers to keep up with and defend herself against. That combined with her strong spirit, makes her one tough cookie!! She is fiesty...but soooo cute. Kevin and I still go peek at our 'peaceful' girl sleeping before we go to bed every night...so, she does have her quiet moments. ; )

Friends Forever

Timaree Startup (5), Quincey Coles (4), Berlyn Startup (3), Presley Coles (2), Kamryn Emerson (1)...little girls all in a row. Plus Madison, then add a dash of testosterone.


The Startups were one of the very first, very friendly families who Kevin and I met when we first moved to Chino Hills, back when we were childless (was there ever a time when we had no kids?!...hard to remember!). Now the Starups have a million kids, and we have 3...ok, we give, you guys win! The Starups introduced us to the Coles, and the 3 families have grown up together ever since. We had 3 of the Startup girls at our house the other day, and got these great pics of the "buddies".