It's Officially Christmas Season - Tradition One

OK, usually I announce that it's officially holiday season after the annual showing of The Wizard of Oz, my favorite all time movie ever. But we were out of town when that movie was shown on TNT (I think that was the station). My oldest and I both missed one of our favorite films...sigh.

Anyway, tonight on ABC another one of my all time favorite shows was on. And this one means that Christmas is REALLY on the way....when I was little I had this show on an LP...and had about all the words memorized...

I had my boys watch it with me and they seemed to enjoy it.

A Charlie Brown Christmas...now there's a classic....and that poor tree...how cool was that?!

Their Aunt Sissy will be so proud.

Thank you, Charles Schulz for a family classic!!

Our Very Own Stadium

Yesterday, Jim got this very cool stadium bunt pan. We got a butter yellow cake mix and away we went. The "field" is gingerbread and the stadium is all cake.

Today my oldest helped to guide where the "people" went and how the field should be decorated. It was a fun and unique way to celebrate this annual battle of Michigan and Ohio State.

The back drop is this very awesome watercolor that Jim got today...how cool is that?!

Even though the Wolverines didn't win, at least we got to eat some pretty good cake.

You Have to Admit It Was a Good Game

Well, it's over...three lousy points and it's over. You never know exactly what's going to happen when the Buckeyes and Wolverines step onto the turf. It was a great game...just as I'd hope it would be. There were a few of coulda woulda shoulda calls that Michigan made but at least they held OSU to only 3 points.

I'm exhausted now...going to cheer for Cal and Rutgers and see how that goes....it's not gone well....

I Have No Nails Left!!

OK...this is a great game, but I have no nails left...3 point game, less than 2 minutes to go.

GO BLUE!!

AARRRGGGHHH

Well, it's half time at the Horseshoe and Michigan is behind by 2 touchdowns. It's getting hard to watch...U of M gets a break then they go backwards. Come on guys, let's get back in this. Let's go!!!

Go Blue!

It's Go Time

Let's Go Blue!!

Goodbye Bo

Today we heard some sad news in the life of Michigan football...in football general. Bo Schembechler, U of M icon, passed away today at the age of 77 after taping a show about tomorrow's big game where the Wolverines travel to the Horseshoe to take on the Buckeyes. Bo was the greatest coach in Big Blue football. How sad it was to think of this great loss especially on this weekend where the national championship would very well be the reward.

Bo bled the maize and blue...and was filled with the Wolverine spirit. He will be greatly missed. Our prayers go out to his family and friends.

So the focus is on the top two teams playing tomorrow at the Horseshoe. I am excited and nervous about the game. Will the Big Blue show up in force and squash those Buckeyes? Or will their hearts be somewhere else? Hopefully the battle will be hard fought and the Wolverines will come out on top.

Come on, guys, let's win this one for Bo!!

Good Bye Audio A

Last week the group Audio Adrenaline played one of its last concerts in Charleston. After 15 years, the group is going their separate ways. And to end their time together are doing a type of farewell tour. Charleston was one of their last stops to say goodbye.

This news was a little saddening to me as Audio Adrenaline was the first concert that Jim and I went to when we were dating. They played in my hometown of Celina, Ohio which is something unusual in and of itself, but Will McGinniss' (guitar player) twin sister had set it up.The Lutheran church in town was having a youth rally and Audio A was just getting its big start after their hit Big House. It was an outdoor concert and it was really, really fun.

A few years later, when I was in seminary, I saw them again in Columbus and got to talk to them. I thanked them for coming to Celina...they not only remembered the concert but said it was one of the most fun concerts they had ever played.

If you've never heard them I encourage you to listen to a couple of my favorites...Big House, Hands and Feet, If You're Happy and You Know It (watch yourself on the head banging part), Don't Censor Me, and Never Going to Be As Big as Jesus. Their other songs are good too, but those are my favorites.

Farewell to a great band who carried the Gospel message to so many people.

Fun in the Leaves

1. Getting Ready








2. The Big Leap

3. A Soft Landing

My Favorite Season

Fall is my favorite time of the year. I love football, cooler weather, the fall food and the fall smells. A couple of evenings ago I opened the back door and the crisp cool air hit my face. There was a faint smell of burning wood in the air too. These are the smells that I just love!!

I love everything about this season except raking the leaves in our yard. Our yard is great in the winter...it's huge and shady thanks to our pin oak in the back. It's the same tree that I hate this time of year as the leaves continue to fall.....and fall....and fall.....and fall.

To raise funds, our youth group volunteered of their time to help rake yards this year. So, Jim and our oldest had some help with the yard this year. J had his little rake and was helping to gather some of the leaves together so they could be mulched or bagged.

I think he had a lot of fun in the leaves once they got raked. He ran and jumped in them. He even posed with his little
brother.

The days are getting shorter, but the chill is in the air, the colors have changed into bright oranges, reds and yellows. The smells of the fall are in the air...the crunch of leave are under our feet.

Happy Fall!!

We Are Marshall Movie Poster Released

Today the new movie poster for the We are Marshall movie was released. It is so cool looking...Matthew McConaughey looking over Huntington. Now to just figure out how to sometime get a copy of the poster for the boys' room. They have the We are Marshall game poster that's been around town.

The time for the movie is swiftly approaching. It's getting more and more exciting. I can't wait to watch it to see if you can pick us out in the crowd.

The clock is ticking...and the excitement is growing.

Below is an alternate movie poster that the Herald Dispatch blog had...the picture is from the Green and White game...maybe we're in that...we'll have to look.