Super Bowl Sunday - Flashbacks.

In honor of Super Bowl Sunday I thought it would be fun to relive the two Super Bowls I've been lucky enough to attend.

On our first Super Bowl trip the Colts beat the Chicago Bears. This picture is so old school to me now! I look wicked young (and chubby) and sweet little Ruthie!...she's now 21 and a junior in college!...

That first super bowl it literally rained the entire game. The ENTIRE game. By the end we were drenched, exhausted, and victorious! It was slightly bittersweet to beat some of our friends who were on the opposing side. But it was a certainly fun to bring home our first ring!

Our second Super Bowl we lost to the New Orleans Saints (boo) but it sure was fun to be back in Miami for the big game, again.

This is my older sister, Rachel, and I during that game...


It didn't rain, thank goodness - but I would have taken the rain and a victory over the nice weather and a loss any day. By this Super Bowl I was living in Florida so I drove down instead of flying with the families. We had a great couple of days as a family in Miami and despite the loss, managed to make it a great vacay.

Happy Super Bowl Sunday! I hope you're enjoying some 'football food' (yum) and friends. I will be rooting for Eli and the Giants today (not like any of you believed I'd root for the Pats).

Love,

B

Checking Back In.

Some of you may remember that before heading to the Super Bowl I did a giveaway. This entry told why I chose Drew. Well apparently Drew, the cutest little Colts fan ever, was pretty pleased with his prize. So, here's a picture for you all to enjoy. How presh is he?




Also, thanks Drew for still representing the Colts super bowl gear after the fairly crushing loss. We'll get em next year!

Love,
B

Ps: Don't forget to comment on my Dove entry for your chance to win my current giveaway.

The Right Kind of Press.

There is always much press and publicity surrounding the Super Bowl. But this year my parents got some press attention that makes me smile. I wanted to share this with you. Thank you to my sweet friend, Sean Cook, who passed this along to me earlier today and brightened my day.

Love,
B

Super Bowl Update.

Day Two of my trip to Miami! I wanted to pop on blogger before I hit the sack to prepare for the big day to update you all on the trip thus far (hey, I keep promises!).

Thankfully, I hit no traffic from Tampa to Ft. Lauderdale on Friday morning and rolled into the Harbour Beach Marriott at 10:30am. I dropped my bags in the room and went to get my credentials. Our hotel is under level 1 security so it's pretty intense around here. I have to wear a badge with my face on it! So with my new face bearing necklace, I headed up to the room to catch a quick nap while my mom went to pick up my baby sister from the airport.

Later after some travel chaos on everyones part BUT mine, we had a family dinner. Dad had picked a place within walking distance where we could sit outside. Which sounded like a great idea until it started pouring rain. My parents friend Dale and I managed to get us a table inside but not until we had already been thoroughly soaked by the rain. Oh and ps: my caesar salad was terrible but they did have delish coconut shrimp.

I didn't sleep well so I got up about 7 and hit the beach for a long walk. It was a beautiful morning it gave me a chance to clear my head after a bad nights sleep. Later in the morning they bused us to practice at the Miami Dolphins facility (thanks for letting us borrow, guys). Practice was short and sweet but it was fun mingling with everyone on the field afterwards. Got some great pictures (I'll post some soon).

We grabbed a late lunch in a cute little covered cafe when we returned to our side of town. No rain AND my food was excellent. On the way back we scoped out the concert site - which later we walked down too. We watched OAR beachside and then an awesome Super Bowl firework show. How is it that fireworks are so amusing? OAR wasn't half bad either. I love that stinkin Poker song.

It's been fun meeting a few of Dad's players I hadn't met yet. The atmosphere at the hotel has been really laid back and for the most part the security has kept it from being autograph and picture taking chaos. So everyone has felt free to roam around and mingle. Way more fun.

I better hit the sack because tomorrow we have: chapel, brunch, NFL experiencish thing, game, after party! So pumped.

Love,
B

Super Bowl Giveaway Winner!

It's time to announce the winner of the Super Bowl Giveaway! First, I wanted to say thank you to everyone who commented, publically started following my blog, and especially those of you who have been following for a while and I just found out! I love blogging and I love my interactions with you all because of my blog even more. So thank you to everyone and if I could afford too, I'd be bringing each of you something back (or taking you with me)...I hope you know that!

I was most taken with the 2 entries in which someone asked to be the winner for someone else. What a sweet thought! That being said I have chosen Elisa's entry as the winner. She wrote:

Well, my entry isn't truly for me - but I do enjoy your blog and leaving anonymous comments on it -- I'm sure your guess was wrong.
My entry is for my almost 6-yr-old freak of nature son who has become "obsessed" -- his word, not mine with football. Today, at dinner, I had to explain to him when exactly February 7th is when the "Colts will play and win the whole season" - again, according to him.
Later tonight, he, completely on his own, traced a little tykes Zebra toy, cut it out and did his best to draw a horseshoe in blue.
Now that deserves a win!

And this is the picture Drew made:



Isn't it precious? I asked Elisa if I could put it up on my blog for you all to see. How could I not award the prize to someone who drew a green horse? : ] Love it! And my sisters and I were little football freaks ourselves not so long ago (ok, long ago..when I was young). So I guess I may have been a wee bit of a sucker for that.

So again, thank you to each of you who entered and I truly felt like each of you was deserving of a prize. Thank you for your friendship, support, and readership!

Love,
B

Ta da!

This my friends is THE skirt. The one I've been waiting for (since last Tueday!). This is the skirt I will wear after we (hopefully) win on Sunday - to the after party. Can't to celebrate a second victory in Miami for my Colts. Of course, I also can't wait to sport this new skirt.

Still working on what I'm going to wear it with. But I make sure there are pictures from the party so I can share the final results with you later, when I return.

Love,
B

Ps: Thank goodness my legs aren't quite as pale as this girls! Ha ha...

'I'm so happy for you!'

A while back I wrote this entry about our desire to see others experience failure and misery. I want to return to that topic for a brief moment and talk about how success in your life brings 'friends' out of the wood work AND has a tendency to make frienememies out of the most surprising people.

I experienced this the last time Dad made the Super Bowl and less than 24 hours into our re-making it, I'm experiencing it again. Not only have I already fielded ABOUT 200 ticket requests (let's me honest people, not gonna happen. Check stub hub.)...but I've already fielded some nasty texts, facebook message, e-mails, texts, etc. Whether it be about the persons distaste for the Colts or Peyton Manning's ever growing popularity, people just can't seem to keep their lips zipped about their ill will. It's quite incredible to me. If the only thing you can think to say to me is that you hope my team (and therefore my family) lose, well then keep it to yourself.

The last time we made the Super Bowl, our opposing team was a dear friend of mine's Dad's team. Of all the people who were most gracious in the way they talked to me before, during, and after the Super Bowl he was certainly the best. It was incredible to me just how much class he and his family have that even as we were opponents in the biggest game of our Dad's lives - he wished me good luck, and he sincerely congratulated me afterwards. This people, is what we call good sportsmanship AND true friendship.

I have tried in my mind to find a way to justify these peoples behavior. Perhaps no one was ever taken a cheap shot at their father's career to them and so therefore, they do not understand? That could be possible...though in my mind I can't help but think it's common sense that people are going to be sensitive about their families. Also, I honestly believe that some people think they are being funny. They're 'joking' when they say 'the Colt's suck' or 'There's no way you'll win' and they just think they are hilarious. Again, I can't help but think if these people really thought about it for 5 seconds they would realize how completely un-funny and therefore unlaughable this really is. In other words: epic fail. I hope these people don't believe in Karma - sheesh.

I am choosing not to end this entry on a negative note. For every negative Nancy in my life I have an incredible friend who cheers their heart and soul out for me in everything I do. For my parents, my sisters, and my best friends who support me and are with me every step of the way - I am eternally grateful. For each and every person who has prayed us to this point, I hope that we can go to Miami and win this for you. The frienememies in my life only serve to make my real friends shine.

I leave you with these wise words...

The antidote for fifty enemies is one friend. ~Aristotle

Love,
B

Once in a Lifetime...again.

Once in a lifetime opportunities may just come more than once in your lifetime. A few years ago my family made our first trip to Miami to play in the Super Bowl against the Chicago Bears. Our once in a lifetime was now a reality. The road to the Super Bowl had been a hard one and we had weathered it as a family. On our knees, in prayer. When you're in the NFL this is the 'end all be all' of the game and we would finally be IN one.

Not only did we make it to the Super Bowl that year but the Lord delivered us a victory and we returned with the trophy. It was one of the most exciting, emotional, and amazing experiences of my life to date. My whole family was there together through the whole experience. I can't even put it into words.

And now, we're going back! Only a few short years later we're returning to the Super Bowl and it's back in Miami. I'll head out a week from Friday to meet the parents, Rach, Ruth, and Chris to cheer on our boys to (hopefully) our second Super Bowl win! I can't even BEGIN to tell you how pumped I am.

I watched the game at home so I could be a crazy person (as I usually am during the playoffs). Two of my best girl friends here in Tampa came over and watched with me. Jess, Jen, & I camped out on my floor and an air mattress in my still fairly empty new condo and screamed, shrieked, and yelled (oh wait, that was just me) as the Colts delivered a W! We toasted the victory with my optimistically pre-cooked victory cake. If I couldn't be in Indy screaming my guts out live, this certainly eased the pain. Great friends, great food, and finally having cable in the new condo. I have fallen in love with making new, lasting memories in my home. My home...still feels weird to say it.

2010 is certainly shaping up to be an exciting year for me. And it's JUST getting started. Stay tuned for more talk about the Super Bowl and I will be in serious need of outfit advice.

Thanks for sharing in this special day with me.

Love,
B

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. Ephesians 3:20

Ps: What should I do as a Super Bowl giveaway?!