NFL Week 1

Opening weekend of the regular season is my favorite time of year.  Fall is (usually) in full swing....jerseys are everywhere....fantasy teams are drafted and the whistle sounds to let the trash talking commence.  So let's get into the nitty gritty of some of the games.....

Patriots vs Steelers  Thursday night openers are always great games, in my opinion.  The build up of fan-ergy is overwhelming and they seldom fail to impress me.  Honestly, for me, this was a neck and neck battle.  The Steelers looked pretty good overall and I honestly thought they had a chance.  Gronk, as always, was a beast and Brady didn't fail to perform (again, not a shock).  The biggest news seems to be the head sets malfunctioning.  Frankly, here's my take..... We never would have heard about the head sets if the Steelers had won.  I think that the Steelers wanted an excuse and wanted to play on the publicity of the Deflategate scandal.  Were the headphones malfunctioning?  I'm sure.  Was that the reason they lost?  No. 

Texans vs Chiefs  Watching this game was painful for the first half, in particular.  Texans offense was just not performing at its peak.  I'm a pretty huge JJ Watt fan but I didn't have to be a biased sports fan to see that he was a defensive beast!   I mean, he had his helmet ripped off essentially by Reid and STILL managed to sack Smith for the 9 yard loss. He achieved his 58th career sack and, frankly, held things together (along with the defense) for the first half (and then some) of the game.  I gotta give it to the Texans that they were definitely coming back by the end of the game and didn't get completely annihilated but they just didn't perform as well as the Chiefs did.

Broncos vs Ravens  Honestly, there is no other way to say this other than the defense won the game for the Broncos.  Was it Manning's best performance?  No.  Did our defense kick some ass?  Ummmm yes.  This game was a defensive war with no offensive touchdowns scored the entire game.  Everyone is going on and on about it being a sloppy win.  Yes, yes it was.  But I'll accept that sloppy win and know that our season is just starting and it's about to get awesome.

As for the other games, here are my comments on my favorites....

Rams vs Seahawks  Two words:  Go Rams! The Seahawks occasionally need to be knocked down a peg and get their egos in check.

Bills vs Colts Um, upset anyone?  This one was a shocker to me and a WHOLE lot of Fantasy fans.  I had to get a giggle from everyone boasting about Luck and how he was going to be a beast in this game and it was a sure thing.  Nothing is EVER a sure thing in the NFL....ever.

Packers vs Bears.  This one stung a little.  I was raised in Chicago so a Packers win always stings a little bit. With that being said, they definitely fought the battle hard and it was not a blowout as its been in the past.

Cowboys vs Giants  Take that haters! I'm not a Cowboys fan but they get ripped on pretty regularly by a select crowd and their comeback last night proved they can't be written off so easily. 

Swear Word Guidelines

I confess...I'm a mom, work with kids, and behave like a lady (as I was raised) but I have times when I have the mouth of a sailor.  I control it well around kids and in public.  I'm relentless in the effort to teach my kids (and any kids around me) that there are more educated ways to speak than throwing around GD and the F word like they're adjectives.  As I continue my committed journey to getting closer to curse-free, I bring up the following curse word guidelines in my life....

Sometimes "Oh cheese and crackers" just doesn't cut it.  Let's be realistic.  There are just some times in life when "da** it" or "oh for fu**'s sake" just fit into the scenario better.  Stubbing your toe for the 50th gosh darn time on the end of the bed is one of those times.  In fact, it is sometimes cause to create a whole new slew of curse words.

Know your audience.  Kids and curse words are not a good match.  They will repeat literally EVERYTHING they hear.  Just be aware of that.  What you think is cute to teach your friend's kids will come back to haunt you someday when you have your own.  If you never have kids, it will come back to haunt you when your drunk friend calls you while you're talking to your mother in law someday and loudly, through the phone, shares about that one time when you were so wasted.  You know who you are....  Oh and by the way, a good portion of grandparents don't want to hear it either. 

Be a lady/gentleman when you can  Honestly make an EFFORT to use your education and speak well when you can. 

but....

Be forgiving and understand that not everyone agrees with your curse word theory.  Whether you like it or hate it, not everyone will agree. Respect their opinion and do you..whatever that is.

My Opinions on Kim Davis

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/judge-orders-kim-davis-freed-kentucky-jail-n423541

This is the story of Kim Davis.  She's the clerk in a Kentucky town that gives marriage licenses to the residents.  She's also a Christian.  Since the legalization of gay marriage, she is still refusing to hand out marriage licenses to gay couples.  However, she is not citing how state should have the right to decide this and protesting on these grounds.  Oh no, she's using her religion as a reason to not do her job. She went to jail for six days because she refused to obey a court order and is now being treated as a saint after she was released though she's still hinting that she will disobey the court order. As a Christian, I have a few opinions on this.....

First of all, I understand that she disagrees with gay marriage.  I, personally, am of the opinion that God doesn't call us to judge others just because they do things differently.  God can absolutely tell us that something is a sin and we don't have to do it ourselves but that doesn't mean that we have to beat people over the head with a Bible.  Ironically (and I only say that because it's not a widely accepted Christian view), I'm a gay marriage supporter.   I don't believe it's a decision that the Federal Government should have been able to make; I believe it should have been a state to state decision BUT I support gay marriage overall.  I do understand that she doesn't believe in it and I support her RIGHT to her opinion.

Secondly, I support a private business owner's right to refuse service to someone based on religious belief.  I definitely believe that they can refuse to bake a cake or anything else.  With that being said, I also believe that they will have to deal with the consequences of that decision including, but not limited to, protestors, awful reviews that lead people away from their business and other businesses outrightly using their limited views to boost businesses that will do those things.  What I do NOT support is a public official choosing to not do their job because of their religious views.

Third, building on the last one, IT'S HER JOB!  Job duties change regularly at many jobs.  If you can't do what's required of you, leave your job.  I'm very sorry that it's going to affect you negatively but if you feel that strongly about it, you shouldn't be doing it.  That would be like a teacher refusing to teach what the school board approved just because they don't like it.  Sorry, lady, it's your job.  Do it or quit!

Fourth, she was NOT jailed for her religion.  She was jailed because she expressly chose to go against a court order.  No one is immune from the law.  She CHOSE to go against what the judge ordered her to do and she was jailed for doing so.  Then, they actually offered her a solution by taking her name off of the documents for ALL marriage certificates and now she's trying to argue that those licenses will not be valid because they lack her name on them (which may TECHNICALLY be true if it wasn't for the fact that the court is going to validate every one of those anyway).

Finally, her reaction when she got out (and the reaction of her lawyer), to me, is appalling.  She looked like a kid that just got to keep the toy they just stole from the toy store.  She pretty much flat said she's not going to go along with the court again and is willing to go back to jail.  It's ridiculous to me that people are hailing her a hero.  She could very easily get a different position OR agree with the peace offering the court offered.  She's just being difficult and then smearing her religion all over it like a bear in a beehive.

Look, I understand there is a whole lot of Christian-shaming that seems to be going on.  People lump us in with extremists that use our faith as a shield all the time.  However, this case isn't about that.  This case isn't about the fact that she is against something.  She chose not to do her job and then she chose not to obey the court.  Kim Davis isn't a hero.  Period.

Broncos Health and Wellness Expo 2015

Saturday, September 5, we attended the inaugural Broncos (and 9 News) Health Expo and it didn't fail to impress.  Though the expo started at 9:00 AM, we arrived around 8:20 and there was already a line formed.  The line continued to grow and curve in front of the building with most of its occupants decked out in jerseys or orange and blue gear.  The team spirit in our city is incredible!  There were plenty of different people pepping up the line to get them excited about the expo.  We will definitely be arriving again early next year, as well, and recommend it for anyone who wants to fully enjoy the experience.

The expo had a great selection of booths with a wide variety of products to try out or information to hear about.  The businesses (etc) were incredibly friendly and very informative.  We tried out everything from different types of pears to mancakes.  We learned about the Dumb Friends League, the Alzheimer's Association, and essential oils. 

 
 

 

One of our favorite booths was this one.  The kids got to try out making smoothies by peddling a bike to power the blender.  I seriously need one of these bikes in my house!

 

 

In addition to the informative power of the booths, there were a lot of fun things just for the kids.  For smaller kids, there was a Jump Bunch booth with an obstacle course and many fun things to try out.  For older ones, there were several booths from Children's Hospital talking about everything from safety to fire prevention and beyond with great, extremely informative displays.

 

At this booth, the kids were allowed to select where they got their "fake injuries" and they were bandaged up, showing them how to apply pressure to a wound.

 

 

If all  of this wasn't fun enough, we got to do some great Broncos-themed activities from meeting players to hanging out with Miles.

 

 

Seriously, he is the most fun mascot in the NFL, I'm sure of it.

 

We even got to go on a locker room tour which got us not only on the field where we got to learn about Sports Authority field AND got to meet some of the cheerleaders.....

 

 

 

....but we also got to see the locker room.  The kids were seriously amazed!

 

 

 

My personal favorite, though, was meeting the crew of our 9 News team.  Everyone from Belen to Danielle to Gary and beyond.  They were so sweet and friendly, making time for everyone.  They made time to take pictures with everyone, though this one is my favorite....

 

 

Review of the Expo:  Incredible experience.  I will definitely be returning next year.  I will try to make more time to make sure we can meet more players (which, obviously, required lines to stand in) but I am extremely pleased with my experience.  Go Broncos!

 













Teacher Appreciation

I don't think, sometimes, that it's said often enough how great teachers really are.  I can honestly say that the staff at my kids' schools is fantastic.  I have yet to have a teacher I haven't liked and, quite frankly, everyone from the office staff to the cafeteria workers are so friendly and sweet.  It seems like there is a generation of kids coming up whose parents blame teachers for common core (which was NOT instituted by teachers, ironically).  They blame teachers for not having textbooks in their classrooms (which the teachers are not responsible for as this is a funding issue).  They blame teachers for their little angels getting into trouble.  It's always the teacher's fault in their eyes and most of the problems they're describing have absolutely NOTHING to do with anything the teachers can control.

My point is simply this: Take time to talk to the teachers in your school.  They are, often, just as frustrated with circumstances as you are.  They are doing their best to fight the injustice while still fighting hard to teach your child.  Most of them love their jobs and just want your child to love learning just as much as they do.  Take a little time to appreciate these individuals for the hard work they're doing and give them a little love for taking on a job that would make most of us crazy.

Wish List

As the school year starts to get into full swing for us, I find myself much more often wishing I had the flexibility to work from home.  I have a great job, a job that I love working for people that I love.  With that being said, the ability to be at home with my kids more is something that never really leaves my heart (though I'm sure this is the same for most parents).  I'd love to have the flexibility to be able to volunteer at my kids' schools more, be more involved with events and maybe, just maybe, help some other parents who worked long hours themselves.

What else would be on my wish list?

Owning a home.  I miss gardening like crazy.  I miss the time and energy spent in the garden babying my flowers and picking weeds in my vegetable garden.  I miss the smell of the fresh cut herbs.  I miss the excitement of seeing how they thrive and the feeling of sitting outside with a cup of coffee admiring all of my hard work.  I miss being crafty to create projects from furniture to wall art.  I miss using power tools and creating beautiful things to surround myself with.  I'd love to have a house big enough for my whole family and then some...5+ bedrooms and plenty of space to run.

Driving an SUV.  I love love love my van and the storage and room it provides but man, oh man, do I miss driving an SUV.  I hate the gas guzzling aspect but I'd love to be driving around a 4WD Tahoe or something of the like.

Road Trips.  Between schedules and everything else going on in my life (and, obviously, the life of my family in general), there's just never really time for a road trip and the money is rarely there, as well.  I miss stopping off at crazy roadside destinations.  I miss seeing my out of state family.  I'm dying to take my kids to Orlando and do Disney JUST once. 

Being the soccer mom.  This applies to any sport, really but I miss being the mom that coordinates things and drives the carpool.  They're only young once and I'd love to be the one ushering kids to and from activities.

Having a pet.  I miss having a dog more than I ever thought I would.  Was it a pain to pick up poo in the back yard?  Yes.  I miss the companionship, though.  I miss the feeling of having a pup curl up next to me on the sofa and I miss running with my dog. (Though I'd really love to have a slew of pets, not just a dog)

While most people have outrageous hopes and wishes on their list (winning a million dollars, etc), my list is simple but very real.  What is on your wish list?

The 5 Moms at the PTSA Meetings

In honor of the PTSA meetings starting up, I wanted to make a fun post.  Let me preface by saying this is strictly from my own experiences so please don't turn this into a fussy post where you take it all personally.  Without further ado.....

THE FIVE MOMS YOU FIND AT THE PTSA MEETINGS....

The Organizer:  You know this mom.  She may be the President or she may just be a super mom that has the ability to plan and execute every activity all year long (the person that SHOULD be the President of the PTSA).  She's going to be loud and proud and not let her opinion go unheard.  She's going to be on top of things all of the time.  Her kids are probably dressed to the nines every day at school and she never misses a meeting. She'll hear you out every time because she just wants the parents to get involved.  Generally these moms are friendly and light hearted but very strong willed (you have to be for some of these tasks) and a born leader.

The Bitter Wanna Be Organizer  This is the mom that is still ticked off that she didn't win the votes to be the President of the PTSA....or maybe she didn't put her hat in the running but is bitter AT the President of the PTSA because "she could do a better job."  Ironically this mom will only pick and choose her tasks but she will kick butt at every task she does, regardless of how exhausted she gets.  She can be found sitting at the back of the meeting mumbling to another bitter parent or her spouse about how she should be the one leading the meetings. (Side note:  If this mom DOES get to be President and sees how hard it is, it's humbling for her and her attitude can sometimes change for the positive).

The Super Involved Stay at Home Mom  This mom might not directly want to be involved in the staff of the PTSA but she definitely wants to help.  She's at every even helping and volunteering.  She is often the mom that uses Pinterest as her secret weapon and can create anything with a little whimsy.  She will often drive to and from meetings or help out the moms that can't make it to the meetings or events due to work.

The Barely Makes it or Comes Late Working Mom  Guilty as charged.  These moms work on schedules that either have them coming in late or leaving early so they can still make it to their job.  They want to be involved but can't always be at the events that occur during the day.  In fact, they need crazy amounts of planning in order to be able to make it there period.  Their intentions are good but their ability to be in two places at once is very evident.

and finally....

The Spectator  These are the parents that come to vote and that's about as far as their involvement goes.  It's not a bad thing.  They may join in once or twice if they get a special call from the PTSA staffers but they generally are just coming to the meetings to know what's going on in their kids' lives. 

and an added bonus..... the Absentee Ballot:  These are the parents that pay the fee, join the PTSA and then never do another thing the whole year.  Still important for paying the fees and contributing, these parents are absolutely never at any meetings or events the whole year.  It's not that they don't care about their kids, they just don't care about the PTSA and they CERTAINLY do not want to volunteer.

Again, this post is designed to be fun so have a little giggle at where you see yourself in here.  Get involved where you can when you can and support your PTSA!