Coffee Talk Mom

SUPERBOWL WEEK RAMBLE

What great timing!  The holidays are long since past, snow is (still) on the ground, and whether you are a fan or not, you have to love the Superbowl.  It is the quintessential excuse to eat poorly, have a drink, visit with friends, and park yourself in a lazy boy lounger with no guilt.  It gives us cold weather people something to look forward to, a reason to plan a party, and THIS year...so much more.  Since Denver gave up the good looking, promising yet risky fan favorite Tebow, our hopes have been 100% in Peyton Manning.  Every time he gets hit, I think about the fact that he had the same neck surgery that I did (and I am avoiding any jarring activities which may or may not include house cleaning).  The pressure must be incredible.  Any time you play under these circumstances, it is two great teams and anything goes.  Men...I know it feels like "I could have done that!" when you watch, but...honestly, if you were over 37, can you imagine playing in the Superbowl?  This man deserves the "W"!

I remember during one of our first year's of marriage, we spent money to go to a "scab" game in Seattle (we lived there for 8 LONG years).  We thought we had died and gone to heaven to be able to afford an NFL game...even if the players had to cross picket lines.  I am excited that my cousins and auntie will have something to do other than splash around in the rain, pick out a new umbrella, or wait for the sun to shine (That is about as TRASH TALKIE as I can get!)

I have to admit, if the Broncos were not in the Superbowl, I would be cheering on the Seahawks. 

Unfortunately for the Seattle fans, this CoffeeTalkMom will be wearing her orange and blue, pacing the basement of a friend's house, and shouting "OMAHA!" Now...if this whole thing would, "Hurry Up, Hurry Up!"!!

Here is an easy refresher on a game pool.  We, here in Denver, are a little out of practice!

Have everyone BRING QUARTERS (well...you can always use them later for the drinking game if your team loses)...You can do dollars, but you will need $100=lots of people playing!

Create a game sheet containing a 10×10 grid of boxes where each row and column will be assigned a number from 0 to 9. The top row 0-9 is one team, the side row 0-9 is the other team playing. (We do have a free Super Bowl Squares Pool Game Sheet for you to print if you don’t want to make your own.)

Each square of the grid is claimed by a guest by writing his or her name in the square. Choose a price per square and let people buy as many squares as they want. You will have 100 squares to sell to your guests, and you’ll need to sell all 100 squares. Most people charge $1 a square, but if your friends are high rollers you can up the ante. This money goes to the prize pool.

Once all the squares are filled, to keep people from only picking the squares with 7′s, 3′s and 0′s, pull numbers from zero to nine randomly to designate the order of the numbers that go along the top and the left of the grid. Make sure to do this randomly and AFTER all the squares are filled to keep it fair.

At the end of each quarter of the Super Bowl, the last digit of both NFL teams’ score is compared to the grid to determine a winner. For example, a player has the 7-3 square, 7 for the Redskins and 3 for the Ravens. If, at the end of the first quarter, the Redskins were ahead 17-3 the 7-3 square would be a winner.

The prize pool is usually awarded by percentage with the largest going to the final score winner. $1 a square yields $100 prize pool, so you could pay out $12.50 to the 1st quarter winner, $25 to the halftime winner, $12.50 to the 3rd quarter winner, and $50 grand prize to the final score winner. If you don’t want to charge, split the squares up between your guests, then hand out prizes to the winners. Fun “Football party” prizes work well, like a large bucket of pretzels, or a 6-pack.

This is a great game for even the football novice to play since it requires no real knowledge of the game, just some luck.

 

 

Cheers and Enjoy your wings!

CoffeeTalkMom

YES…YOU CAN!

That is my usual response when I talk about my annual Thanksgiving Day track meet (or Olympics)…Originally, it was called a "track meet" mostly because we met at the track. Now it has evolved into a fine mess of games, exercise and mostly laughing which, might I add, is good for the abs! Most of the adults have to be talked in to coming for fear they will look like a total has-been. Well, we are ALL over that now and anything goes!! I am the type of person that watches sports and yells,"Go Dummies" thinking to myself…"I could run faster than that"…Well, that is NEVER the case especially this year as I had to stand by and watch the mayhem ensue. I hate it when that happens! I figured that launching this awesome body off the long jump board may not be good for the neck! (insert laugh here) Every participant brings a $5 gift card or gift. This year I LOVED the romance novel (found later when I got home and opened an unused bag of prizes) and a pound of bacon! If you are tired of the typical Thanksgiving "football" game which most little kids get crushed, here is a list of our activities for you to try. I am all about traditions: this is one that just won't die!

100 yard dash (kids first/then adults

Golf Chip/Putt: Place frozen, duct-tape wrapped turkey on field. Closest to the turkey wins!

4x100: Have families of 4 line-up on track. Have them pass an un-opened water bottle. Everyone on the winning team wins a gift card/prize.

Turkey Toss: Buy a frozen 8-10 pound turkey. Wrap in plastic grocery bags, then completely duct-tape. Have ALL participate…it is super funny.

They can throw it or roll it…Furthest wins!

Long Jump: Sometimes helpful to bring a rake (I usually forgetJ)…Longest for adult/kids

Donut Chow: Tie donuts to goal posts using string from home. Adjust height according to family member (each team or family chooses one person). If the donut falls, they must eat it off the ground. This year's proud winner: Reilly! She ate it off the ground and didn't puke!! Woohoo!

Water Chug: Line up all willing participants. Hand them each a water bottle and tell them they can break the seal but not open it. On the "GO", they chug. 2 years in a row the winner was Paisley (a college student daughter of our friends)…uhh…no comment…(hahaha)

Toilet Paper Wrap: Bring a 6 pack or 1 roll for each family. They chose a team member to be "papered". First to finish their roll without cheating, wins a gift for each team member!...

As a funny side-note, I must add that on the way home my son mentioned that since I WAS INDEED the "Activity Coordinator" maybe I should pick games that my OWN family can win! Next year we will be programming and solving Calculus problems. FYI friends…start practicing now!!

Bring on a NEW FAMILY TRADITION!!

Carry On Coffee Talk Peeps!

Coffee Talk Mom

Let’s get Physical!

…or not…You know, I have exercised in some way, shape, or form for all of my life. When I wasn't the S T A R basketball player in 6^th grade (final championship score 4 to 2 and guess who scored BOTH baskets????..Uh ya!), I was swimming or biking at the beach with my sister. I love team sports, but most of all, I just like to move and have fun. Typically, most of us have changed what exercise means and how we do it as we age. . Our bodies just DO NOT react in the same way as they used to, and unfortunately becomes more of a chore than a joy. About 3 years ago, I heard and felt a pop in my calf while playing tennis. Of course, it was doubles and I am competitive, so I sucked it up and played to the end of the match. Unfortunately, my adult body (the one with the childish mind) felt it the next day, and the next, and the next until I got an MRI. It's never good when the tech asks you to stay while he finds a doctor. SO what do you know? The knee and calf muscle are intact, but I had a highly unusually large tumor on my femur bone (which just happened to be "caught" on the film). After a week of stress and hell and an appointment with an oncologist (again…not a good sign), I was given the all clear and told that I have probably had this "cortical desmoid" tumor all my life. Some things are just better if we don't know about them! Onward to my "Boot Camp" class stage with the navy seal instructor…I never puked, but I DID manage a tear in my Achilles tendon and, once again, was slowed down by my own body crying out as if to say, "STOP or I'll shoot!" …All of this said, I typically jog, or walk with friends accompanied by some push- ups, sit ups, and other "Red Neck Yoga" style moves. Regardless, it feels good to MOVE and when I skip it I feel lazy and chubby.

2 months ago I woke up with a neck strain. I wish I could tell you that I had gone parachuting, or bungee- jumping, or that it was during the 3rd phase of my triathlon in New York City. Unfortunately, I just "slept wrong" and thought it was a fluke. As the weeks have passed, the pain has increased, and tomorrow I am faced with a trip to a neurosurgeon after a troubling MRI. My favorite brother in law is a chiropractor and wisely pointed out that with an MRI such as this, I must have injured it earlier in life. With that, I remembered, as part of my student teaching, we did a gymnastics unit. Now, I am 5'11" and was ONLY a gymnast in my own mind. I could do enough to get by, so when I was teaching how to spot, it didn't really dawn on me not to let my kids spot ME. That was the day, in 1986, that the spot went awry and I landed on my head doing a back handspring. If you don't think your own life is a miracle, maybe you should do a gut check and think about all of the times that something "could have" happened but didn't. The past 4 weeks in complete pain have made me realize so many obvious things:

If you have your health, don't complain about "having to" exercise, just go do it and find something you enjoy doing!

Being a couch potato isn't really all it's cracked up to be

Sleep is a gift

I have SO much…BE grateful! (My amazing friend Mary K. recommended "1000 Gifts" an excellent book!)

SO…tomorrow is an appointment with a neurosurgeon. I will be able to WALK in to that appointment and for that I am grateful. Life is fragile…stay active…and stay tuned!

I welcome your prayers!

Coffee Talk Mom

The thrill of VICTORY and the agony of DEFEAT!

Love, Love, Love the Olympics….I always have…since I was a little girl. I remember being depressed when they were over and figuring out how old I would be when I would see them the next time (4 years seemed like a lifetime)…I like the format more now where we can catch some excitement every two years!...SO this is London's big time and we are so blessed to have been to London so we can recognize most of the sites as we watch on TV. BK (before kids) Dave and I attended the Calgary winter games and had a blast! If you EVER have a chance to attend, don't miss it!

I am the crazy person who gets nervous and doesn't mind knowing the results first so I can watch later in the day and know the outcome. Is that weird? Anyway, here are some of Coffee Talk Mom's high and low lights from the past week:

The Opening Ceremonies: I didn't mind the history lesson…but really? The Obama Care Dancers were a little too much. I think they were trying to exemplify the excellence in care but I am not sure how the (sick) kids jumping on the beds worked…and the ending with the giant inflatable baby? What was that? The James Bond/Queen scene was cute except they had him jump out of the plane during the day and "pretend" land in the stadium when it was completely dark…huh…didn't a producer think about the time of day?? David Beckham…well…I'll just leave that there…can he look bad? NO!

The fireworks, special effects, and more are ALWAYS fun to watch and part of the fun is watching it to see the amazing creativity involved. It just looked a little Tim Burtonesque at times. My favorite song was not shown on the telecast. You can see it by clicking here: http://deadspin.com/5929778/heres-the-opening-ceremony-tribute-to-terrorism-victims-nbc-doesnt-want-you-to-see

Ryan Lochte is very nice to look at as displayed by the countless magazine covers and stories in the past few months. I was super disappointed to hear his Mom on national TV say, "He goes out on one night stands. He's not able to give fully to a relationship because he is always on the go."...What MOM says something like that?? I think we have an infection in this country…trying to be our kid's cool friends instead of their parent. UGH!

What a joy to watch the home-team tennis player Andy Murray win the gold in tennis. His childhood was not easy as he was in the elementary school (The Dunblane Massacre) when he was 8 and hid under a desk to avoid an adult shooter. That is the kind of thing that can change your life forever. After the match, the cameras showed him climb the stands to give hugs to his family. As he was just about to approach his mom (and we were all about to cry in my den) the producer went to Roger Federer walking off the court. WHAT??? They missed the Mom's response to her son winning gold!! OOPS!!

Last, we will never forget the South African Oscar Pistorius. He is a Para-Olympic champion who made it to the 400 semi-final. He did it without the benefit of legs. Whenever I complain about an ache or pain, I think about the bravery and tenacity of men like him. What an amazing story!!

I could write more, but I am off to see my 100 meter speed on the local track! (Come on…ADMIT it, the Olympics make you want to work out!!)

Coffee Talk Mom

Why I can’t watch the games!

I grew up with an athletic family. My Dad played both high school and college football. My brothers played football, basketball, baseball etc… My sister ran track. When I was little my mind said "You can be gymnast or a figure skater". My body said "You will be a basketball/volleyball /tennis/or track athlete". I LOVED watching the Olympics and still do. I love competition (my friends and family find this as no surprise). When I graduated from CU, I had a degree in secondary teaching and health and physical education. I took up in a suburb of Seattle coaching freshman basketball at 5:30am and varsity volleyball (after school). I would get nervous before the games just realizing that however the girls played, it would become a direct reflection on me. If they had a cat fight in the locker room about boys, it could change the outcome of the game. I survived with hard work and planning and trying to work with whatever was handed to me. This was pre-recruiting and scouting. I once had a 6'1" freshman who had never touched volleyball. She made the team…there was no "not making the team". It was my job to teach her the sport and incorporate her into the team. My last year with the volleyball team we made it to semi's at state. The year after I left, they won state. Every year for 20 years, I have exchanged Christmas cards with the other varsity coach. I love sports.

The problem comes when I am watching a team I REALLY care about: The CU BUFFS, the BRONCOS, and ThunderRidge GRIZZLIES. I get nervous…I want to run out on the court and (in my own mind) win the game, catch the ball, score! I think I am more mellow with high school sports because God gave me 2 boys who, for many years, couldn't care less about sports. I don't think Dave has ever sat in front of the TV with one of his boys and watched a whole game (until this year). I am blessed to have 2 drummers! They play their hearts out during the games and win or lose, they all go home happy. No stress, no yelling at refs, no getting upset over a missed note! It is awesome… Now back to the BUFFS and BRONCOS. Every Sunday I retreat to my bedroom with a book. I shut the door thereby shutting out surround sound and possible boos and cheers. You see, I can't watch! I get the clicker in hand and occasionally flip the TV on and check the score. Last night I was reading a book when I realized the Broncos had gone from being ahead to OT. Dave wanted someone to join him in the excitement, but I just COULDN"T do it. I kept reading and praying that they would somehow pull out a win. Once I heard the cheers from downstairs, I was anxious to see all of the replays and join in the celebration!! I don't know if I am the ONLY one like this. I have a feeling my older brother is the same. We have been known to pace the Denver Coliseum during volleyball state championships ( for my athletic nieces), peaking thru the tunnel openings to check the scores…out of stress…or hope…of somehow wanting to alter the outcome. Last night I realized that, for those of us in Denver, it was our Superbowl. We were the underdogs in a major way. We were up against the #1 defense in the league. It feels like we "won the season"…changed the minds of the doubters…gave some of us hope. Does anybody find it interesting that Tebow had 316 yards? John 3:16 has been a mainstay poster at NFL games for years. Also, captured from several separate locations, was a halo over Invesco Field (Bing it). Whether I watch the games or not really doesn't matter, but maybe next Saturday I will crawl out from under the covers and watch another miracle!