It's Great to be an Auburn Tiger

Wow, what a trip.  It almost seemed surreal.

It all started with a text from my dad over New Years that said, have 2 extra tickets...interested?

Excuse me, um, YES!!!

And from there all the stars seemed to align for us to make it to Arizona and watch our beloved Auburn Tigers play for the National Championship.

Scottsdale is fabulous, truly a beautiful city.  Great restaurants, shops and things to do.

We stayed at the Phoenician (on the pull-out couch in my parents room, but we didn't care!)  It was a wonderful resort.  We rubbed elbows with ESPN while waiting for cabs, walking into our hotel and getting off the elevator.  ESPN had about 6 jet-black escalades lined up waiting to take them to the game on Monday morning.  It was fun running into them everywhere we walked.  We tried to get Corso to tell us who he would pick to win, but he wouldn't spill the beans.

Our seats were on the 45 yd line, 17 rows up.  In the Oregon section.  But we had friendly Auburn fans all around us.  And we have to say that all the Oregon fans were pretty nice.

We stood up the entire time, except for timeouts and TV timeouts.  Our feet were sore the next day.  But it was so worth it all.  We were nervous and excited all at once as it was another nail-biter to the finish.  Toilet paper trailed from the upper deck after Wes kicked the winning field goal as the final 2 seconds ticked off the clock.

I received this pic in an email this week.  Pretty awesome!

We hung around the stadium for a while after the game ended.  We watched as coaches' kids made confetti snow angels on the field, players ran around the stadium giving fans high-fives and waving flags, and slowly as the players made their way into the tunnel.  

Not sure that anything will top this trip for a long time.  Its great.... to be.... an Auburn Tiger....

Bringing Home a W!

What can I say...

We're pumped, ecstatic, over-whelmed, over-joyed, can-hardly wait excited!

Headed out to Arizona early tomorrow morning.

Looking forward to hanging out with my parents; meeting up with some great Auburn fans; and bringing home a W.

WAR EAGLE!

Another Christmas Toy Put Together

I'm not sure what gave me the idea to put together another one of LB's Christmas toys this morning, but I jumped on it with gusto.  My sidekick was much more interested in playing with the clothes hamper however.

I opened the box and there was a bright green sticker saying you could watch the toy put together online.  Hmmm - sign #1 that this would probably be another "challenge" like the first toy I put together for her - mentioned as a not so favorite moment of the holidays here.

Step 1 - well, lets just say that it was hard to understand.  And, secondly, I wasn't strong enough - or at least I thought I wasn't at the time.  But it turns out that I wasn't even using the correct pieces.  (maybe why they made an instructional video)  Anyway, I packed everything back up in the box and waited for my knight to return home to help me figure this thing out.

Lunch rolled around and Grant and I put our heads together and got the ball rolling.  He felt confident that I could do it by myself and with my trusty sidekick glued to my side he left for work smiling.

Rolling we were, until we had to take a timeout for a stinky.  (I think that sentence pretty much sums up my days sometimes!)  LB wouldn't leave the kitchen without her new toy, which was only 1/3 put together.  We rolled it down the hall.  But instead of rolling it back, she thought it more efficient to just carry it back to the work room/kitchen.

Back to work.

We tightened screws and pushed pieces in (later realizing I forgot to add a washer) so we pulled pieces back off.  And while I worked, I think LB sat in every individual piece to test out its comfort.

Finally we're getting close.  The toy is starting to resemble a shopping cart - a princess cart no less.

Daddy - we're going to have to work on LB's driving skills.

Why don't stores just sell pre-assembled toys?

A Few Minutes to Myself

For as long as I can remember I always took showers in the morning.  I'm not sure why other than it was a hair thing.  After LB was born showers became a hot commodity, but rarely were they fully enjoyed.  Usually it was a hurry up and get out shower before baby girl wakes up.  I now shower in the evenings and I must say that I am a huge fan.  Grant has taken over bedtime, reading the same stories repeatedly and hunting down pacis so that I can have a few minutes to myself and checkout.  I stand under the hot water and slowly unwind.  It is a great way to end the day.

Blogging Stats

Only since I started blogging have I become an avid blog reader.  My list of favorites continues to grow as I spend time reading others and often times stumbling upon great ones along the way.  Some blogs worth checking out are Today's Letters and The Pioneer Woman.  Fabulous reads.

My blog dashboard has this fun little button with Stats, filled with little things like

• average 800 - 900 page views per month
• most popular posts are Debt Free Reward and No, Its a Horse
• readers hail from the US, Canada, Australia, Brazil, United Arab Emirates, Colombia, Germany, Guadeloupe, Russia and Argentina

If you like Geez Louise and check in here all along, please become a follower.  I would love to know who you are!  

To Do List in Chalk

I have always thrived on To Do Lists.  I love making them and I love crossing items off.

Grocery List - makes me efficient and saves money
Work List - keeps me focused on the most important task at hand
Packing List - so we don't forget our essentials

LB's list for New Years at the Lake

As a mom, sometimes I have to be resourceful.  Wanting to pack for the Lake and LB wanting to play outside ended up with my To Do List in chalk.


But it worked.

Jon Gordon's Weekly Newsletter

20 TIPS FOR A POSITIVE NEW YEAR

(Updated 2011 Version)

1. Stay Positive. You can listen to the cynics and doubters and believe that success is impossible or you can know that with faith and an optimistic attitude all things are possible.

2. When you wake up in the morning complete the following statement: My purpose is_______________________.

3. Take a morning walk of gratitude. I call it a “thank you walk.” It will create a fertile mind ready for success.

4. Instead of being disappointed about where you are think optimistically about where you are going.

5. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a college kid with a maxed out charge card.

6. Remember that adversity is not a dead-end but a detour to a better outcome.

7. Focus on learning, loving, growing and serving.

8. Believe that everything happens for a reason and expect good things to come out of challenging experiences.

9. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip, energy vampires, issues of the past, negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.

10. Mentor someone and be mentored by someone.

11. Live with the 3 E's. Energy, Enthusiasm, Empathy.

12. Remember there’s no substitute for hard work.

13. Zoom Focus. Each day when you wake up in the morning ask: “What are the three most important things I need to do today that will help me create the success I desire?” Then tune out all the distractions and focus on these actions.

14. Implement the www.NoComplainingRule.com. Complaining is like vomiting. Afterwards you feel better but everyone around you feels sick.

15. Read more books than you did in 2010. I happen to know of a few good ones. :)

16. Get more sleep. You can’t replace sleep with a double latte.

17. Focus on “Get to” vs “Have to.” Each day focus on what you get to do, not what you have to do. Life is a gift not an obligation.

18. Each night before you go to bed complete the following statements:

I am thankful for __________.

Today I accomplished____________.

19. Smile and laugh more. They are natural anti-depressants.

20. Enjoy the ride. You only have one ride through life so make the most of it and enjoy it.

Reprinted from Jon Gordon's Weekly Newsletter.  To learn more about Jon and his great books, check out his website at jongordon.com.