Life

We made it to church this morning...on time...just barely. :) Everything takes a little more time. I cooked a little yesterday and today but a few friends are providing some meals this week which will be a huge blessing. Andrew has used up all the time he can take at the moment so he will be headed back to work on Tuesday. I will miss him!

The boys are absolutely LOVING preschool and we will probably be transitioning them to go from 9-2 instead of 9-12 (two mornings a week) - they don't like leaving when other kids stay. :) I'm just so glad it's going well! We had decided at the beginning of the school year that we would give it a trial run of 2 months and if it wasn't working out, we would not continue. Little did we know that it would be so wonderful for them. They are two weeks in and we can already see improvement in Calvin's speech which was our main motivator for choosing to put them in preschool this year. I'm looking forward to getting more involved in the coming weeks and hopefully meeting some of the other moms. They have their first field trip next week to an orchard which will be so fun! I've been so impressed with how much they encourage parents to take part in all the activities - even in the classroom. We are so thankful that God directed this for our family this year and we hope it continues to be a good experience.

We are getting excited for my sister's wedding coming up in less than two weeks! The boys (except Ty) will be ring bearers, I will stand up with my sister, and Andrew will be an usher. It will be so much fun and we are so happy for her and Jeremy. Now I need to write my toast... It makes me a little nervous - but for Steph, I will be brave because I wouldn't miss it! It's just that I'm not crazy about public speaking - in fact, I opted out of it in college. I took a communications class at 7:30 in the morning to fulfill the speech requirement. Yeah, I really didn't want to take speech. :)

So that's what's going on here. We have our fantasy football draft tomorrow. Here. I'm taking the easy way out. We already bought the drinks, we will order pizza or wings or sandwiches, and everyone else will pitch-in. It's the one party Andrew plans every year and I just didn't have the heart to not host it this year... :) Life will eventually return to some semblance of normal - a new normal but normal none the less. I'm going to give myself permission to rest this week - alot - well, after tomorrow.

Draft Day

Today is the day...okay, not that day (at least that I know of - no call, yet :)). No, no it's the annual live fantasy football draft hosted at our house. Tired of being football widows, several of the wives, girlfriends, etc. decided to try and join in the obsession so we could 1) understand, 2) be more knowledgeable, and 3) see our significant others. Little did we know, that three years later we would 1) still be playing, 2) actually enjoy it, and 3) mostly know the players and understand the game. To say that our men are proud of us is a bit of an understatement. :)

Over the past three years, we've lost a few women who just didn't have the time or interest but we have gained others who are willing to give it a try. This year we will have 8 teams - 5 returning, 3 new. Last year, after a rough season, my team (the ChocoFrogs - inspired by Harry Potter) finished 2nd. This year, I will be debuting my new and hopefully winning team...LaughingWombatZingers. There is no rhyme or reason to the name - it just sounded like a good one for this year. :)

Twelve men will gather in our dining room intensely weighing their options as if their life depended on it. Eight women will gather in the loft upstairs, laughing, chatting, and drafting with a little less intensity. Papers and computers will be spread out by both groups as selections are made. Food and beverages will be consumed...fun will be had by all. Critiques, analysis and comparison of teams will conclude the evening.

Andrew is praying that our hoped-for baby boy will wait until at least midnight tonight before deciding to make an appearance. :) Yay for the start of another season!

FF - A Doomed Season?

Well, after starting the fantasy football season strong, I'm quickly falling behind. I've been on a 3 game losing streak. I'm trying to not care but the truth is that I do! I wish my players would do better and I wish I at least had a shot. Almost every week, I'm projected to win and every week many of my players do not perform as projected (which I have anticipated but still am disappointed). It's a little depressing.

I still think my team is strong but with performances like Peyton Manning and Willie Parker this past weekend and with injured star running back, Adrian Peterson, it is an uncertain future. I'm guaranteed a spot in the playoffs but I would like to go into it backed by a winning season. The really, really frustrating thing is that I have the most points in our league but rank 4th out of 6. Ugh. Oh well. I try.

In the end, I really just want the Colts to triumph...through Peyton Manning throwing ALOT of touchdown passes to benefit me! :)

Who knew I would ever be "in" to football and actually know players' names (beyond the Colts) and actually care what happens? Ah, it's the husband rubbing off... :)

GO COLTS - YOU CAN DO IT!!!! WE BELIEVE IN YOU!!!!

Football, Lattes, & Today

We enjoyed a fun evening at our friends' house watching the Colts game last night! The wives watched for awhile and then headed to Starbucks for coffee - most of us enjoyed the Pumpkin Spice Latte (yummy!). We made it back just in time to see the game finish and to check the fantasy football results. :) I won and so did the Colts. :) GO COLTS!!!!

I have lots of posts floating around in my head but no energy to write. The cold from last week is lingering and I'm wiped! The kids and I went to the museum with our good friends, Amy, Meredith, & Clara. We had a great time and the boys are now napping (I probably should be too)! :) Andrew will likely be working late tonight so dinner will be light and easy (not the scheduled one - I'll push that to tomorrow). I have biology assignments that need graded, clothes that need folded, and papers that need sorted so I will keep busy this evening! I'm off to rest before the hooligans get up. :) Maybe they will help me with cleaning their room!

FF 2007

So…it’s begun…it really never ends…one season goes right to the next (at least for my husband)…but the 2007 season officially began last Thursday. Perhaps your home has also been dominated by football and more specifically fantasy football. This is year four for my football loving husband and this year he is in four leagues. Many of his friends play with him and so every fall the wives and significant others were football widows.

Last year, in a brilliant attempt at understanding this passion of our husbands, my friend, Becca, decided that the girls should start their own league. And so we did. And most of us had a good time. And we understood a little more. And we know more players names. And we even know roughly how good they are. And our husbands are proud of us and pleased they can talk about it with us. We still don’t know what a tight end does and we may never but we do know that starting the right one is important. :)

And so, it was with much anticipation that we hosted the annual FF draft on Labor Day. There were 12 guys huddled around their computers eagerly drafting their perfect team and 6 women chatting, asking each other advice on choices, and checking the cheat sheets (mostly printed off by their husbands) to pick another player for their team.

After the draft and the first week of games, I find myself strangely drawn back into the madness. I was disappointed that I lost my first game by less than a point and hope to do better – if only I had started different players! While I don’t read everything about every player, I do think about who to start and check on their status come Saturday. And yes, you will even find me watching some football and understanding more than I ever thought possible and yes, I’m actually enjoying it!

So here’s to another year of fantasy football – hope I win! :)

Of Tony Dungy

     I still remember reading a long article on Tony Dungy in the Indianapolis Star when he was hired to be the new coach of the Colts.  I was very impressed with his commitment to his family and to helping strengthen other families, too.  He also seemed to have a genuine faith.  It was therefore a pleasure to read this article on ESPN.  What a man, a husband, a father, and a coach.  

Football Season...Already?!

So, I’m going to take a stab at fantasy football this year.  I watch enough football to finally understand most of the rules (and the point) of the game…it’s only taken me several years (thank you, Jon & Jason for trying to help me in college!).  

There are maybe 2 months of the year that football is not the constant topic of conversation in our house, okay, maybe 3-4 months.  Andrew was introduced to fantasy football a few years ago and has played ever since…the draft date for this year was a big concern – so much so, that in late April/early May he wanted to set a date.  I find myself amused by the importance of football in general and specifically to the male species.  That said, I do enjoy the game…at least the 1st and 4th quarter, I believe the 2nd and 3rd quarters are for napping with perhaps a brief interruption for the half-time.  This will perhaps change as I watch to see how “my” players are performing this year!  

I’m determined to keep up with and hopefully outscore Andrew.  We aren’t in the same league but we will definitely be competing…that’s half the fun.  My challenge right now is coming up with a team name – the colors will be red and white (of course!).  My plan is to beat the franchise with the black and orange (Catherine, I’m hoping you break out the orange nail polish for the season! :).  

The draft should be interesting…I think I’ll pass on Rothlesberger but hope he feels better soon.  I fully expect him to start an ad campaign on motorcycle safety – helmets in particular.  

If you have any suggestions on a team name, I will certainly consider all entries*.  I am looking for something creative, fierce, and competitive with a touch of femininity. :)  


*With the exception of entries from the chics in the league! :)