Archive for November, 2007

Carry on

I am always on the hunt for a new purse that can lug all the stuff I need to tend to four children and a host of teams who always need something — tylenol, Band-Aids, safety pins, Kleenex, gum - and carry my personal belongings, wallet, sunglass case, make-up case, keys, digital camera, video camera, Game Boy, subscriptions to all my magazines - and that I won’t fret about when stuffing it under a stadium seat or on the gym floor where they are subject to Cokes, nachos, you name it. I have several but I found one this summer that has become my main go-to bag this season. And I read about it on The Bag Snob. And when someone asks me about it, I can tell them about the good cause it went to instead of saying, I received it when I bought a bunch of make-up (I’m a sucker for GWP - gift with purchase). And, isn’t the little No. 1 on the reverse side appropriate for a coaches wife? The cost of the bag feeds one child for one year. It was designed by Lauren Bush for Feed Projects. For $59.95, I bought one for my Mom. As Tim Gunn would say, “carry on.”

“Sweet Caroline….Good times never seem so good”

No matter how many times I tell the Coach and my kids that it was “cool to be in the band” at my high school, I still get the eye roll. Not a roll-back-in-your-head eye roll, but more of a raised eyebrow accompanied by a smirk eye roll. Ah, what do they know, anyway? One of my favorite marching band shows was our tribute to Neil Diamond (followed closely by the Pink Panther and Chicago). I haven’t stopped humming “Sweet Caroline” since I read this morning that Diamond finally revealed that the inspiration for his song, “Sweet Caroline,” was President Kennedy’s daughter, Caroline. The no. 1 hit was penned years after seeing a photograph of her in her riding boots next to her pony. I didn’t know it was a closely guarded secret. Keeping it quiet all these years made the revelation all that more sweeter. Caroline’s youth was my youth. And this week as we head home to families (except those still in the play-offs), you can’t help reflecting on the past and simpler times.

Don’t mess with Texas

A fellow coaches wife and I always smile when we remember the year our team made a run at the state championship. With each passing game, we piled on one more sweater and moved 10 yards down the field because of the growing crowd (winning does that ;) ). By the time, we played in the state final game, we were on the 5-yard line, 20 rows up and five sweaters deep. Last week, we were involved in one of those “end-of-season-both-teams-must-win” situations to make the play-offs, which meant a huge crowd. Normally, the huge crowd would have boosted my enthusiasm, but all I could think about was - that meant more trash. In an effort to teach my kids “how to work” I volunteered to clean the stadium (we did get paid). It was a humbling experience - that’s all I have to say. So, in an effort to educate crowds heading out tonight to support their teams, here are some hints to make the cleaning crew happy come Saturday morning. 1. Throw out your trash 2. If you can’t throw it out, leave it in the stands. Sliding it through the bleachers so you don’t have to see it anymore is death for cleaning crews. There are ants down there, licking their chops waiting for their next soggy bowl of nachos to make their way down and who are still there Saturday morning when someone reaches down to pick it up and throw it out! And, they hurt! There’s also a great number of metal bars that get in the way when you stand up and unwittingly smack your forehead against, and you subsequently blurt out something that you have to explain to your 10-year-old who you originally signed up to teach a lesson. 3. If you are trying to quit smoking, good for you! However, since you will be chewing nicotine gum or something similar, and I imagine, you will be chewing a great deal of it, find something else to do instead of wrapping it up in the 1/2 inch by 1/2 inch wrappers they come in and chunking them over the stands. 4. Sunflower seeds, peanuts — I love ‘em. They are an exception to rule no. 2. All kidding aside, as I looked at the field Saturday evening (I finished the last game by myself — basketball scrimmages and birthday parties) I took pride in my work. The long day gave me time to think, time to exercise (bending, bending and more bending) and it gave me time to think of the fresh start. A season completed, also means that its time to look forward to the next season. And that always brings hope. Losing is the pits. And putting away the equipment for the year always depresses the Coach. But he always looks forward to pulling it out again next year. It’s what keeps him going. Good luck in the play-offs, but remember not to mess with Texas (or a Texas Coaches wife) ;)

Good game plan

I am still catching up (via DVR) on last week’s episode of Friday Night Lights. I am behind because basketball kicked off with a vengeance this week and I can’t get past one scene. I keep replaying it to make sure I heard it correctly. As an administrator and booster club member try to find ways to bump Coach Taylor’s salary up to its previous level without dipping into extra funds, Coach Taylor was given the added responsibility of Athletic Director, overseeing all Dillon athletic programs. When Coach Taylor expressed concern because of time constraints, the administrator brushed him off, reassuring him that (and I’m paraphrasing here: Nothing to worry about. The departments pretty much run themselves. It’s just a figurehead position. Won’t take any extra time…) Now, that’s funny! I still love the show, though and was worried that the writer’s strike may affect its future. But the New York Times reported yesterday that shows, such as FNL are in better shape because when other series are showing reruns, FNL will have new, fresh material and may finally attract the new viewers it deserves. FNL started production early and cranked out 15 episodes. Someone deserves a star on their helmet for developing a good game plan. So for now, I’ll overlook the AD scene.

Friday Night Fashion

The Austin American-Statesman today combined two of my favorite subjects into one story: fashion and Friday Night Lights and to cap it all off - it took place in one of my favorite towns - Austin. Does it get any better than that? Reporter Jenny Miller landed the plumb assignment of trailing the wardrobe stylists for the Dillon Panthers’ squad, and then reported on their daily shopping trips scouring Austin boutiques. Do they need an intern? I can do that job. Wait, I do do that job. Today’s clothing of choice for the four coaches kids: 17-year-old (T-shirt caught at a pep rally three weeks ago - being 6-4 has its advantages); 15-year-old (required team traveling shirt and pair of khaki pants found at 11:17 p.m. last night when informed semi-single parent that he needed them for a game today and couldn’t wear his “church pants” and he has grown three inches); 13-year-old daughter (school t-shirt - the other five she tried on are still lying on her bedroom floor - they are almost identical, but they are soooo different, Mom); and 10-year-old son (booster club t-shirt bought last year at discount, close-out price of $2). Do I see a pattern here? A common theme? To my recollection, Julie hasn’t worn any Dillon Panther t-shirts and I think I’ve only seen Tami wear one to bed. Hello! Are you really playing a coaches’ wife? It doesn’t matter. If I looked as fab as Tami, I’d shop at by george as well. I wonder if the stylists read StyleShaker? Or if they have visited Girl Next Door? It’s a new season in our house, and that means a new wardrobe.

You’re beautiful

The first three things I do every morning are: make coffee, turn on the computer and visit my three favorite blogs: Blogdorf Goodman, The Bag Snob and Beauty Snob. Now that I am in my 40s (OK, I have been for awhile), skin care has taken precedence over everything. Even basketball. I enjoy Beauty Snob for its daily write-ups, but I also am addicted to their daily contests. This month-long contest is their best yet. I’ve won Beauty Snob’s contests twice before, and I promise I won’t play again if I win this month. (Don’t believe it)

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