Agony and Ecstasy

Wish I'd Done That: For a great cold-weather activity, my friend Priscilla says to wait for a REALLY cold day - 0 degrees or below. Get a glass of water, go outside and throw the water into the air. She says the water crackles and freezes. Try it! Your kids will love it. Just stand them at the back door - you won't even have to get them all bundled up!

I hope you all remember last week's big TU football bowl game win over then-ranked Ball State, because today, I must report on a sad loss.
TU hadn't beaten Memphis, a conference foe, in 7 tries. Last night, we played them at home on ESPN2. We were behind the entire game, but in spite of some bad luck, missed calls and 22 turnovers, we had a chance to win.
Our best guy, Ben Uzoh, went to the free throw line with 4.5 seconds left. He shot 2, made both, and TU went ahead.
Memphis took the ball down and shot over our 7 foot Jamaican dream, Jerome Jordan, and the ball went in as the buzzer sounded.
So sad! Memphis hadn't lost a conference game in forever (44 wins in a row), and we thought we finally had them.
Oh, well!
Very exciting, but disappointing.
Ace & I have season tickets in the same seats as last year. I'm going to have to move next year, because we've got some doozies who sit behind us. They have nothing but negative things to say about our kids - I don't know why they come.
As a parent of an athlete, I know how deeply these kids want to win; they are trying their hardest to do their best. Sometimes, that doesn't happen. I'm so tempted to ask these so-called "fans" if they've ever played a college basketball game, or any sport, for that matter.
It's a great lesson for me to always be positive: someone is always listening!

Bowling Hopes

Wish I'd Done That: Once a month, schedule a "date night" with your hubby. It doesn't have to be anything expensive, maybe just a trip to the grocery store, but spend time with the guy. When you have little ones, they tend to take all your attention. The big guy needs some alone time, too. I know you are frazzled, tired, talked-out, etc., but it's a great investment for your marriage.

TU plays Ball State tomorrow night in the GMAC Bowl. We decided not to go, since Ace needs to work this week. We'll be watching the game, and rooting on the kids.

LA begins her next-to-last term in grad school today. I see Chicago's temp is about 20 degrees. Nice......

AA is skiing today in Breckenridge. The kids have a big group, stay together in a great condo, and ski for 4 days or so.

Now that all the Christmas stuff is put away, I find myself at loose ends. Not a bad feeling, but I need to get a great book to read!

I've been called for jury duty next week. I get called often, it seems. I must be really good at it?.....

Hurricane Warning

Wish I'd Done That: "If it ain't broke, don't fix it". This may seem a strange parenting tip, but trust me, if you are a pregnant person, take heed. Many times, when LA was a newborn, Ace and I would be tempted to disturb her in her sleep or just being happy time. We soon learned to leave her alone if she was happy. When kids are happy, LEAVE THEM ALONE. Don't change their diaper, wake them, move them, whatever......Trust me, you'll be glad you listened to me someday....

Tomorrow, TU plays in Tulsa for the conference championship. This is joyous. However, you may remember that also tomorrow is our Open House. Poor planning. It wasn't that I didn't think the Hurricane would make it there, but I naively hoped the game would be played at night.
So, I'm going to miss the great event, which may never happen again in my lifetime.
Oh well, I struggle......

Great stuff about TU:
Great student to professor ratio: I think it's about 10/1.
No grad students teaching classes.
Great scholarship opportunities.
Located in a super town.
Good student athletic teams, if you're a sports buff.
Small classes.
Top 100 university in the US.
Wonderful reputation across the US.
And the best thing about TU:

Lovely, wonderful alumni......

Have a marvelous weekend: Go TU, beat ECU!

TU Travels

Wish I'd Done That: Sit down at the table together as a family for your meals. I know that is a bold statement, but you must do it! Turn off the TV, and spend time talking to one another. You might be amazed at what happens.....

Ace and I are off on another TU adventure. Earlier this month, we went to Dallas to see TU take on SMU. That was a nail biter, but the Golden Hurricane won.
Tomorrow, TU takes on the Arkansas Razorbacks. AA goes to school there, so it will be a family affair. He grew up going to all the TU games, but he's a Razorback at heart. It should be a great time. 90,000 screaming red fans calling the Hogs, and 1,000 or so blue people trying to keep a perfect season going.
We'll see AA before the 1:00 game and take him and his roommates out to lunch.
I love going to the Hog games: tailgates, crazy fans, calling the Hogs. It's like nowhere else!

After the game, Ace and I are headed up to Big Cedar Lodge in Branson. We've not been there, but I've heard only raves about it. Looking forward to some time away from home, and work. I'll report back in a week or so about the Lodge.
Then, I think we'll swing by Eureka Springs. We used to go there every fall to celebrate our anniversary, but haven't been for a while. I love walking around there and seeing all the Victorian houses and the great fall colors.
I'm off to vote early! Remember: vote early and vote often!
Prayers for Sharon: God's healing mercies and comfort in tough times......

TU in Top 25!

Wish I'd Done That: I've learned something recently: not everyone makes lists! I'm shocked. I thought this was a universal way of life.....Without a list, I'd be lost - what do I do next, when do I go where?, etc. Make a list of your main objectives for the week. Try this for a month; you might be surprised that you not only are more at ease, but that you get more done. When you have little ones, time is at a premium, so make a list!

Golden Hurricane

As you know, Ace and I are fans of the University of Tulsa. We support their academics and their athletics. Our oldest is an alum, now, too, and so we've spent lots of time there.

Nothing recently has been as exciting as these last few weeks at TU. We've been to the home games, and even followed them to Dallas for the SMU game.

To be an athlete at TU, you must meet certain academic requirements, and while not as exhaustive as those the regular students face, the athletes there are generally great kids who value the opportunity to receive a great education from a top 100 university.

We put up lots of points. In strictly a point-per-dollar deal, a ticket to a TU game will give you a lot of entertainment.

Saturday, TU played UTEP in what might have been a close contest. It was for a quarter: tied at 28 all after the 1st period. Lots of points, and not much defense. After that, TU's defense stood up and the offense went crazy.

My favorite player, Brennan Marion (the Milkman, because he always delivers!), had 150 yards and two touchdowns in the first quarter. He finished the game (without playing the last quarter) with over 250 yards.

If you like college football, turn on ESPN Sunday night, Oct. 26th at 7 p.m. to watch TU play Central Florida. It won't be anything, if not a scoring extravaganza.....

University of Tulsa

Wish I'd Done That: For you SAHM, organize a babysitting co-op. We did in our neighborhood, and it was a great success. Kids made new friends, moms could run errands or go out to lunch, and no one was taken advantage of. There are many websites to help you set one up, but here's one to try: http://www.stretcher.com/stories/00/000925a.cfm. You'll find other moms at church, pre-school, or your neighborhood. We formed one in our neighborhood, and it served us well until all the kids went to school. Try it, you'll see!


Only 2 days until the University of Tulsa unveils its new stadium. Since last year, the old one has undergone a $26 million overhaul and remodel. It looks really great, and I'm excited to see the Hurricane play at home for the first time this year.

Ace & I are huge fans of college football, and TU in particular. We love the tailgating, the bands, the friends, the kids.
Here, Ace is showing his Hurricane spirit while on vacation in Colorado. The TU alumni magazine put this in an issue last year.
Last year, TU had the highest total offensive year average in the nation. They pass a lot and score lots of points. We went to a bowl game and did really well. Mark & I have followed them to Memphis for the Liberty Bowl and to Ft. Worth, for their bowl. We are off to Dallas in October to see the TU/SMU game.

Are you a football fan?