Mama Pajama

Laura Wilkinson

Tonight's diving competition should be exciting. I've always been a fan of Laura Wilkinson. She is from the Houston area, and is the same age as me.  The idea of me going head first in the water, much less jumping off of a platform at 35 mph, is completely absurd. Maybe this is why I'm so in awestruck by her accomplishments. At thirty years old she's competing with girls half her age. Much like Dara Torres, she isn't ready to hang up her hat just yet. I hope she does well tonight!

Dara Torres Takes Home Another Silver Medal!

I just can't get enough of the Summer Olympics.  Did you watch Dara Torres go for the gold in the 50m freestyle?  I was really pulling for her.  I found myself jumping around in the living room as Cameron looked at me like I was crazy.  Even though she didn't win the gold medal, the silver was still such an outstanding accomplishment. At 41 years old, she was the oldest person in the pool, and she only lost by .01 of a second.

Watching her swim that one lap across the pool at a ridiculously fast speed, gives me hope that I could at least make it across a pool like that and manage to stay in a straight line. I guess that's why I'm so into the swimming and track events.  It just seems so impossible to make your body move that fast...(this coming from someone who was once lapped by the hitter behind me during a softball game)

I just went to her website to read more about her.  She has a really interesting story.  This was her fifth trip to the Olympics! Her grueling resistance stretching and workouts really paid off.  I wonder if we'll see her again in 2012?

Thursday Thirteen: My Thirteen Favorite Summer Olympic Events

I don't know about you, but I just love the Summer Olympics. I thought the opening ceremonies in Beijing were simply breathtaking.  Just the choreography alone was amazing. You can tell that the Chinese have a lot of pride in their country. 

I always look forward to the Summer Games. Here are my absolute favorite events (I've listed out the contests that can earn medals for each):

1. Gymnastics (Team All-Around Men, Individual All-Around Men, Floor Men, Pommel Horse Men, Rings Men, Vault Men, Parallel Bars Men, Horizontal Bar Men, Team All-Around Women, Individual All-Around Women, Vault Women, Uneven Bars Women, Balance Beam Women, Floor Women)

2. Diving  (3m Springboard Synchronized, 10m Platform Synchronized, 3m Springboard, 10m Platform)

3. Track Events (sprints (100 m, 200 m, 400 m), middle-distance (800 m and 1500 m) and long-distance (5000 m and 10,000 m) Obstacle events include: hurdling (100 m and 400 m for women, 110 m and 400 m for men), relays (4×100 m and 4×400 m) and the 3000m.

4. Field Events (long jump, triple jump, high jump, pole vault, discus, shot put, javelin, and hammer throw)

5. Tennis (men's singles, women's singles, men's doubles, women's doubles)

6. Softball

7. Basketball (Men's and Women's)

8. Baseball

9. Rowing (Single Sculls Men, Pairs Men, Double Sculls Men, Fours Men, Quadruple Sculls Men, Eights Men, Double Sculls Lightweight Men, Fours Lightweight Men, Single Sculls Women, Pairs Women, Double Sculls Women, Quadruple Sculls Women, Eights Women, Double Sculls Lightweight Women)

10. Volleyball (Volleyball Men, Volleyball Women, Beach Volleyball Men, Beach Volleyball Women)

11. Swimming (Freestyle: 50m, 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m (women), 1500m (men), 4x100 m Relay, 4x200m Relay, Marathon 10km. Backstroke: 100m, 200m. Breaststroke: 100m, 200m. Butterfly: 100m, 200m. Medley: 200m Individual, 400m Individual, 4x100m Relay)

12. Football (Men's and Women's)

13. Modern Pentathlon (Men's and Women's Shooting, Fencing, Swimming, Riding, and Running)

Which events do you enjoy watching during the Summer Olympics?

Best Swimming Relay Ever!

Were you watching the men's 4X100 relay last night? Oh my goodness. That was the most exciting swimming event I've ever seen.  The amazing part about the race was that the top five finishes beat the world record!  I feel bad for the 4th and 5th place winners who beat the world record (but I guess they never actually did since the US set the bar even higher just seconds before) but yet did not even win a medal. 

Another reason it was such a satisfying win was because the French were talking smack right before the race, saying they were going to "smash" the Americans.  But, alas, the US won by just .08 of a second (a heartbreaking loss for the trash talking French). 

It was an amazing swim by all four members of the team, but I was most impressed by the the anchor, Jason Lezak.  With an amazing boost of what must have been adrenaline, he was able to come from behind and beat the French swimmer at, literally, the last second.  What an awesome moment to be an American!

Hyped Up Sports

Are a complete sports fanatic?  Well, if you are a collector of sports collectibles, you are going to love this!  HypedupSports.com has come up with a totally new and exciting way to improve the value of your own memorabilia!  You can send in your items to Upper Deck to be signed by their top athletes.  And when they say top athletes, they really mean it. Some of these star athletes include: Tiger Woods, Michael Jordan, Lebron James, Kobe Bryant, and Kevin Durant. 

How do you know that all of this is legit? Well, every single time an item is signed, it will be witnessed by an Upper Deck representative.  It will be authenticated immediately!  These athletes will sign any type of sports memorabilia, not just balls.  For example, you could send in things like jerseys, sports cards, pictures, posters, and even paintings.  The possibilities are endless.  And for the real sports fan, autographs are just invaluable. 

Just think about how excited your spouse, significant other, or child would be to find out that you've arranged for one of their favorite sports collectibles to be autographed by his or her favorite athlete!  It's truly a unique opportunity.  If you are interested all you have to do is go to their website and follow the simple steps.  What are you waiting for?

Roger Clemens

We've been watching the coverage on Roger Clemens.  The controversy about HGH and Steroids continues, and I'm having a hard time believing that he never used any of it.  After watching his testimony yesterday in front of members of Congress, I really don't believe him.  I think he's just too stubborn to admit it.  I don't think Andy Pettitte "misremembers" his conversation with McNamee. What do you think?

Kentucky Derby

Chris and my dad love to watch the different horse races every year.  There is a Greyhound Dog Track in our area, and so they like to go there and place (small) bets on the Kentucky Derby on the first Saturday in May.  Last year they had a great time.  You can find lots of stuff to get ready for the game.  Much like the Superbowl, you can even find items like Kentucky Derby party invitations.  This year we'll probably just invide my parents to come over and watch it at our house.

Superbowl XLII

What did you think about this year's Superbowl?  We're not huge fans of either team, but I have to admit that I was rooting for the Giants.  Eli had a rough start, and had to deal with so much criticism this year.  I was really impressed when he was able to escape that sack in the fourth quarter.   I almost always pull for the underdog, and so I was happy with the end results.

Some of the commercials were funny, but I thought they could have been better. I found the careerbuilder.com ones to be especially dumb.  I liked the Pepsi one with the head bopping Haddaway song, and the Audi one that referenced The Godfather.  But none of the others made me laugh.  Which commercial was your favorite?

Are You Kidding Me?

In this week's issue of Time, there's an essay written by Nancy Gibbs that discusses whether or not it is fair for South African runner Oscar Pistorius, an amputee, to compete with his carbon-fiber blades (Cheetahs). 

On January 14, the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) disqualified Pistorius from competing in the Beijing Olympics! Are you kidding me?  This is a man who was born without major bones in his legs and feet! He has overcome so much, and now that he's threatening to beat the best in the world, he's being disqualified!  Hopefully, he will appeal and win his right to compete.

Gibbs says it all with her closing thoughts: "There's some sweet irony in the fact that before Pistorius came along, there was no need for the rules that now ban him.  Only when the disabled runner challenged the able-bodied ones did officials institutute a rule against springs and wheels and any artificial aid to running. That's a testimony to technology, but it is also a tribute to the sheer nerve and fierce will that got him to the starting line in the first place."

Thursday Thirteen #20

Well, if you haven't noticed, we're still really excited about LSU winning the National Championship! In Louisiana, football is like a second religion.  Chris has rarely missed a game on television, or in person, in all his 33 years.  LSU has some of the most loyal fans around, but it takes a real fan to stick around through the good times and the bad.  And believe me, LSU struggled for many years throughout his fanhood.  When Chris' lifelong dream of attending LSU came true, they were especially lousy!  So, this might help explain how much this year's win means to him. It was redemption for all the years he never gave up on them. 

When LSU made it to the game in 2003/04, we didn't even try to get tickets. We thought that they would just be too expensive. So this time, I told Chris he was going to get into that game, one way or another. Yes the tickets are pricey, but you only live once!  They have only been to the championship game three times ever, so you don't know when this will ever happen again!  Luckily, Chris was able to find a ticket to the big game. It was the first in a series of lucky events!!!

1. The "Golden Ticket" (see picture)

2.  Special Ticket holder - He wanted something to help hide his ticket under his clothes. His Uncle Don went to buy it for him at a shop in Lafayette on Thursday, but they had not received them from the supplier yet. But, his uncle did give him a bunch of stuff to stick on his car for good luck.

3.  Sunday - He went to the same shop to pick the ticket holder up, and ended up being interviewed by a local news crew! He appeared on the 10pm news.

4.  Standing in line for a poboy, he met Tim Brando!  Chris listens to his radio show every day!

5.  He arrived at the stadium ridiculously early so that he could get a great parking spot (very important - I need 13 remember).

6.  He started a cheer that went around the whole stadium!!!!

7.  He witnessed his team win the national championship! 

8.  When he arrived back at his grandparent's house after the game, his 80 year old grandmother greeeted him on the driveway at 2am with her gold pom poms, cheering, "LSU! LSU!" Seriously.

9.  Then she sat up with him for a while and they drank champagne!

10. On Tuesday, he spent a couple of hours with his Uncle Don, who just happens to know just as many ridiculous facts about each player (what they ate for breakfast, their shoe size, etc.) as he does.

11.  His PawPaw, 84, (below) was really happy that Chris was able to attend the game. Aunt Bonnie took this picture of him in his LSU gear (to view more of her photographs click here). He also sent Chris back home with a bunch of flowers that he cut just for me! Isn't that sweet?

12.  He arrived back at our house yesterday evening and was able to show me all the game "stuff" he had collected.

13.  He says this weekend was in the top 5 of his life.  Now that was worth the ticket price and the trip to New Orleans.

      

Heads or Tails

This week's theme is Heads: New or Tails: Old.

After writing and reading about everyone's resolutions and goals for the year, I have lots of ideas of my own.  I'm hoping to stick to my goals of staying healthy and getting fit this year.  But, since LSU beat Ohio State last night (sorry Misty) I can show the NEW BCS National Champions!!!! Geaux TIGERS!!!!

  I just love Les Miles (aka The Mad Hatter).  He's proof that a football coach can be smart, tough, nice, and a family guy all at once.  I love the fact that he was always willing to take the necessary risks throughout the season to get the end results we all wanted.   

Last night, while being interviewed, an announcer asked him what he learned about his players during last night's game that he didn't already know.  He replied, "Nothing."  He already knew the kind of players they were and had confidence that they could do this.  They might have only made it to the game "by the Grace of God," but once they were there, they got the job done!!!!  Here are a few pictures of Cameron watching the game : ).

Bowl Games

It's official, I can't beat Chris in our bowl game pick contest.  Boo.  Of course, I didn't lose as many as I would have expected. I went with my fanhood, vs. the favorite. For example, I couldn't choose Auburn over Clemson, because I do not like Tommy Tuberville.  I also chose my Alma Mater, Texas A&M, over Penn State.  Those both came back to haunt me, but it was still fun.  Now all we have left are the Fiesta Bowl tonight, the Orange Bowl tomorrow, and then the International Bowl and the GMAC Bowl on January 5th and 6th. It all leads up to the BIG GAME on January 7th...I can't believe LSU actually made it there after all, but we are so thrilled!  Hopefully, Glenn Dorsey and Matt Flynn will both be100% healthy and ready to take down the Ohio State Buckeyes. Geaux Tigers!

St. Louis Blues vs. Dallas Stars Game

Well, we just got back from our weekend trip to Dallas.  Chris' big Christmas gift this year was NHL tickets.  He's been a St. Louis Blues fan since he was a little kid. He used to listen to the games on his little radio every night before going to sleep.  But, he had never actually been to an NHL game before. We found someone who was selling his season tickets to this game in Dallas, and jumped at the opportunity.  I can't get over how fun it was!  Watching hockey on TV isn't very entertaining to me....it kind of ranks up there with bowling or pool.  But, it's awesome in person!  These guys are so talented on their feet, and of course it's fun to watch them slam into the plexiglass and push and shove and stuff. We had on Blues Jerseys at the game, so a few people gave us a hard time. But it was all in good fun. I bought Chris the movie Slapshot, with Paul Newman for Christmas also.  It's a very crude hockey movie from the 70s, but it's hilarious.  It really puts you in the mood to see a game in person.  We're hoping that Houston will eventually get an NHL team, but until then we're hoping to attend at least one Houston Aeros Hockey Game this season.  

More Bowl Games

  Today we get three bowl games in one day!  We both lost our game last night, since we both picked Memphis over FAU.  But today we both won our pick of Cincinnati over Southern Mississippi.  I'm pulling for New Mexico and UCLA in the next two, while Chris picked Nevada and BYU.  I hate to lose!  But I love watching these closely matched games.  Cameron always looks at the TV when he hears the cheering. We should probably record a few games for him to watch after the January withdrawal sets in.

The Bowls Have Begun!!!

The College Football Bowl Season has begun! Last night's Poinsettia Bowl featured Utah vs. Navy.   Chris and I have each picked out all of our winners and have turned it into a competition. We do this every year for college bowls and for March Madness College Basketball. We even entered  our picks in order of how sure we are about each team winning through the ESPN website.  It will automatically give us points and keep track of everything.   I already lost my first pick, as Utah ended up beating Navy in a 35-32 nailbiter. But, there are many more games to come! I love this stuff! 

Bowl Games

Well, LSU did it.  I've never been happier to be so wrong. I really didn't think they had a chance to go the National Championship this year, but both Missouri and West Virginia lost last week.  The College Bowl Games begin on December 20th, with the Poinsettia Bowl, and continue until LSU plays Ohio State in the BCS Championship Game on January 7th.  I can't wait! 

Thanks LSU

Surprisingly, my husband has held it together really well this week.  This past weekend, LSU lost to Arkansas. Yes, Arkansas, an unranked team.  They play Tennessee this weekend in the SEC championship game, but the hopes for playing in the national championship are officially over. Even though they lost two games, they had a heck of a season.  Several games went in to overtime, and could have gone either way.  It was an exciting and fun year to watch them play!

Heads or Tails #11

This week's theme is Heads: Spooky or Scary

It might be a bit of a stretch on the theme, but I've got something spooky and scary to tell.

Last night, as we were watching the Red Sox play the Colorado Rockies in Game 4 of the World Series, I realized that my husband has issues.

Well, I already knew he had issues (smile) but this was something different.  After bathing Cam last night, I brought him out looking super cute with his slicked back hair, and big smile for dad.....but there was a problem.  He was wearing his Astros outfit.  It's perfect for this weather - long pants but short sleeves.  I put his Santa socks (Red Sox) to make sure we didn't jinx the game.....and I thought this would be enough.

But oh no.  The Rockies started getting runs.  Chris made me change him into a different outfit so that the "disAstros" wouldn't ruin the luck of the Red Sox.  You see, we're Astros fans as well, and they had a terrible season this year. Chris even went to our room to change his own clothes. "Maybe it's these purple shorts..." (sigh)

Well, you know the rest. The Red Sox swept the Rockies in four games.  Superstitious fans everywhere collectively say, "You're Welcome."

NFL in London

Wembley Stadium was filled the fans of American Football.  The atmosphere was festive, the weather a bit dreary and wet.  The Miami Dolphins were defeated by the New York Giants 13-10.  Is it just me or was this a pretty boring game? I know the NFL is looking to expand to Europe.  But, this wasn't too exciting. Maybe they should have started out with Patriots v. Colts, or two teams that are actually doing really well this year.  It was pretty fun to watch this soccer field get so torn up after only a few possessions though.    College football is so much more fun to watch than NFL!

LSU v. Bama

This week LSU is off.  They are currently ranked #3 by the BCS.  On November 3rd, we are playing Alabama.  Nick Saban finally meets up against Les Miles. LSU fans have long been waiting this event.  My brother is getting married on that day, so my husband has already figured out a way to make an escape to a television set.  Yes, LSU football trumps wedding receptions....but he's NOT missing the actual ceremony.  When he fakes his stomach problems, he won't be fooling many.   

Can You Feel It?

If you're an LSU fan, or even just a College Football fan, you should watch this video. It will remind you why you love the game. 

***It works again***

Weekend Snapshot #6: You Can Do It LSU!

This might not look that amazing to you. But, it has taken lots of physical therapy and hard work on Cameron's part to get to this point. He's finally pulling up to furniture! We're so proud of him, it's not even funny! Yes, this may not be the safest place to learn to stand, but Daddy was pretty excited about the game, and we aren't going to discourage him in trying to stand up!

To join in the fun, go to Weekend Snapshot.

Boo....LSU LOST!

Well, we've officially been knocked off our "high horse."  LSU lost to Kentucky on Saturday.  The good luck/good karma LSU blanket did not help in overtime.  It just wasn't meant to be.  But, this has been the year of upsets.  When the BCS rankings came out this week, LSU is still ranked #4 overall.  If we could somehow win out we could possibly still play for the national championship.  But, we still have to play Auburn next week, and then Alabama.  The SEC is no cakewalk......

Thank You, Les Miles

As the wife of a college football fanatic, I just wanted to thank the players, coaches, and staff of the LSU tigers.  Not only did they manage to beat the number nine ranked Florida Gators 28-24, they did it by making a series of fabulous and "balgutsy" plays.  Florida has been a problem for LSU in the past, even losing to them during their "co" National Championship Season a few years ago.   But this game was held on a Saturday Night at Tiger Stadium.   LSU fans are brutally loud for opposing teams.  I did have to whip out the "Good Luck LSU Blanket,"  reserved for those special 4th quarters when a little extra good karma is needed.   I don't know if it helped, but the Tigers are still the number one ranked team in the nation!  Cameron wouldn't even look at the camera so that he could keep his eyes on the game. (Oh yeah, and did I mention that USC lost to Stanford? USC, the team that maybe should have still been ranked number one??? Hahaha) I love college football...This weekend LSU plays Kentucky. I can't wait!

College Football Saturday

Aaaahhh.  Another Saturday is here.  Our game is at 2:30pm. LSU v. South Carolina.....In the '90s, LSU had a reputation for losing it's day games at home. But those days are long gone.  LSU should dominate again this week, proving that they should be the number one ranked team in the nation.  USC is still ranked number one, even though they only have two games under their belt.  I would love for LSU to get the opportunity to play USC this year.....As for today's game against the Gamecocks, we should be able to dominate.  However, the guys from College Game Day seem to think it will be a close game. We'll find out in two hours!  Geaux Tigers!!!

Wordless Wednesday #6: My September Football Boys

Wordless Wednesday #5: I'm Trying to Watch the Game!

   

   

It's Texas A&M Mommy! I thought we only liked LSU??

It's College Football Time Baby!

  Well, it's here!  After months of agonizing withdrawal, my husband is finally back to being "himself."  Spring and summer teased him with basketball and baseball.  But as September approaches, nothing can bring him down.  It's time for college football!   And in honor of his team, the LSU Tigers, I went ahead and changed my design to something boldly purple. (I was also tired of the green and pink.)  LSU played Mississippi State on Thursday night to kick off the season.  It was an obliteration. 45-0.  But, we'll see how the year plays out.  LSU lost four starters to the first round of the NFL draft, including the #1 Draft Pick, Jamarcus Russell.  Oh, how I've come such a long way since 1999, when my questions were along the lines of, "Oh, you have to get another ten yards, and then the downs start over?"  Now I could practically ref a game!    (Yeah...right)   But, I have learned to love the game and the awesome traditions of college football.  I can finally say that I feel that "football buzz" brewing in my belly.  There is nothing else like it!