Kobe's Night

In a tradition as old as... well, a 9 year-old something... Brian and Tyler celebrated their 16 day apart birthdays this past weekend. It all started with Brian, Tyler, and Sam going to Kobe's in Nashville, a Japanese hibachi grill place where they do all the cooking in front of you and stuff. The birthday celebration has grown over the years, adding new people occasionally, switching with the hibachi restaurant Fuji's in the Boro, and last year took a different turn with a weekend in Gatlinburg. But this year, the group made a triumphant return to Nashville and the place where it all began...

They've improved the place with renovations, but the spirit remains the same. Imagine - this place has known 2002-era Tyler and Brian... that's a scary thought!

Justin, Katie, baby Sophie (hidden in Katie's belly), Brian, and Becky.

Morgan, Jesse, Ty, and Brooke... drinking colored water....

If you're wondering what Becky is doing with her face, she is reacting to the tantrum-throwing 6 year-old who was lying on the ground kicking and screaming across the room. For real.

Sam and Dave... take, like four since Justin kept ruining the picture!!! Darnit, these digital pictures are expensive, Brown!

Jesse and Morgan are not only celebrating the birthdays, they are also celebrating "kid-free" night!

My best Blue Steel impression. The world isn't ready for Magnum. Thank you, Derek Zoolander, for helping me ruin pictures with my wife!

We got to sit in the room where you take your shoes off and sit on the ground! Guess who had the flip-flops on in February?

Our chef, setting stuff on fire. I think he was a bit of a pyro. Fine by this table though.

The onion volcano of FIRE!!!!

We restrained Tyler from eating the entire grill of fried rice. It took some effort.

You can't beat this meal... unless you served me a million dollars... covered in soy sauce...

Brian getting the happy song, courtesy of the Kobe's manager, and my tip to the waiter...

Our fun floor seating that I've always wanted to have there!

Partial group shot as Katie was waiting patiently for the valet, Brooke took the picture, and Sam... well, I don't know where she went... but you see the happy, smiling faces. Another successful year of birthdays, ready for next year's celebration, but now that we are over thirty it can take its time getting here!

Frustration...

I passed this book in Barnes and Noble this weekend, forgive me, but I kinda got an inside laugh when I saw it. No, I wasn't even in the family planning section, (I'm telling you this stuff follows me). I was actually on my way to the children's section for a gift, but this book caught my attention. When I saw it the first thing I thought was....hmmm I could probably write that book! And if I did write it I would include that it can take 2+ years, fertility drugs, a surgery, and you could still be in the before you're expecting category. Frustrated, but not giving up the faith!!

Valentines + Contact Sport = Awesome Date Night!

Two hockey games in 5 days for the price of one good seat? Yes, please! For Valentine's Day, I got my wife great seats to see the number one team in hockey, the Canucks, play the Preds. We knew it would be a tough game, probably a loss, but we never turn down inexpensive hockey tickets! This is how we show love - watching guys beat the snot out of each other.

I'd like to know how much it would cost to buy a giant, inflatable hockey player. And I'd like to have enough money to buy one, just so I could occasionally put him in my front yard... freak the neighbors out...

Oh, to ride the Zamboni. On the bucket list.

Canadian national anthem?? This is America, jack!

Yeah! That's better.... red, white, blue, and NO silly leaves on our flag... take that, America's top hat!

Yeah, Happy Valentine's Day!

FIGHT! FIGHT! FI- aww, come on refs....

12 rows up, can't beat those seats.

This guy just screams hockey fan: red wool blazer, on the phone, oblivious to most everything... he stayed like this most of the game. I really hoped for one of those puck warnings to come true in his direction.

So this is the Canucks fan that sat right in front of us. He was all about cheering when they tied it up 1-1... but then the Preds scored two goals in 50 seconds, and he got mobbed by Pred fans. It was beautiful. Then he turns to explain to the drunks behind him that it's okay, he is an American, but he went to college in Vancouver (THAT'S EVEN WORSE THAN BEING CANADIAN!) At this point I turned to Brooke and said, "He looks Jewish, too, look at his hair," and two seconds later he says, "And I'm Jewish!" Jenn Segel, you should be so proud of my Jew-dar!!**

**Note to readers who don't know me: I love Jewish people. I've rocked a yarmulke before, please read into my humor. I am not Mel Gibson!

Self-shot, with ice behind us, happy that the PREDS BEAT THE BEST TEAM IN THE LEAGUE!! Awesome night!




The last ten seconds of the game - this was as close to playoff hockey as you can get!

The introductions of the team - nothing exciting, but I had the video, so there ya go.

Welcome Mike Fisher!

In a surprise move, the Predators recently acquired Mike Fisher from the Ottawa Senators in a trade. Why is this important to non-hockey fans? Well, it probably isn't... but it worked out for me because they sold $12 tickets for the next game, so we went! You probably know Mike Fisher as the husband of Carrie Underwood - she is a little known singer around Nashville, not much to look at. Does that make it more relevant now? The moral of the story: we saw hockey for the price of a movie!

Warning: The puck may fly at your forehead at an incredible rate of speed and knock you unconscious. If you're so lucky. But passing out does not earn you the right to keep the puck!

Not bad seats - but after sitting three rows behind the ice, we've become seat snobs. These will do, I suppose!

Self-shot, as always...

5-3 win for the Preds in a game WITHOUT fights... stupid refs kept stopping the good stuff.

Celebrating the win and the fact that Mike Fisher on the team means Carrie Underwood will be at more games! Guys win on all levels!!!

Fun game, good night with the wifey, and it was cheap! Trifecta!

Starry Night

So, Sam and I decided to channel our inner Van Gogh for the night and headed over to Painting With A Twist here in Murfreesboro for some painting fun. If you know me, you may know that I'm a terrible artist. I can't draw a straight stickman, nor do I have a creative bone in my body, so this was way out of my comfort zone. The fun thing is, they let you bring your own snacks and drinks of choice. For us it was a bottle of wine to help get the creative juices flowing. And if we go back, we may be bringing some Gigi's cupcakes or Julia's Bakery with us to get even more inspired. It was a lot of fun and I definitely plan to go back. In fact I'm already checking their calender to pick out what I'm going to do next. Who knows I may become an artist after all!



This is what the painting is suppose to look like.....

Slowly but surely we're making progress and it's starting to take some shape

Our class hard at work on their paintings

Sam almost finished with her masterpiece, while taking a break to finish off our bottle of wine. As you may see, I'd already finished off my glass. One rule they had was, when in doubt take another sip of wine.....yeah, I found myself following that rule a lot!

Almost finished! I think I was the main one the instructor was talking to when he'd say relax, just go with it, don't think too much. I think I was a little too OCD....

And our finished products. I think Van Gogh would even be a little jealous. Ok, well my tree may look like a big hand reaching out trying to grab the stars, but hey I was happy with my first painting attempt. Move over Van Gogh there's some new artists in town!

Gigi's Goodness!

Okay, Okay, I know I obviously have a lot of time on my hands to post this blog, but I thought it was fun. And I thought it was a good way to brag on my husband. So the following messages are from our conversation on Tyler's Facebook Wall earlier this morning. The first one is his status update (if you know Facebook you know what I'm talking about) talking about me being off work today......As you can see it goes a little further than that. However, I got the end result.......

Tyler Henson is.....Jealous of Brooke Yeiser Henson... she gets to be lazy on the snow day... well, she's lazy every day, but even lazier today! I better have a hot dinner waiting on me when I get home from slaving away at work all day!!!!


Brooke Yeiser Henson Wow! All I say to say is you better pick you up some food on the way home if you want to eat tonight. And just to think I was about to text you and tell you I baked your cake for tomorrow and it's out of the oven and cooling!!

Brooke Yeiser Henson Oh and just a side note, you can make this up to me by bringing me a Gigi's Cinnamon Roll cupcake tonight!

Tyler Henson I won't be home til late - you better slip and slide your way over to Gigi's if you want some of that action!

Brooke Yeiser Henson I would if I had MY car, but someone else had to drive it to work today...

Tyler Henson Call Greg and see if he can drive the ambulance by there and get one for you. I'm sure that's legal.

Brooke Yeiser Henson No, no the point of this is for you to do it!

Brooke Yeiser Henson I hope no one takes this to heart and calls a marriage counselor for us..

Tyler Henson I'm taking it to heart. I'm hurt. I think you should go to Gigi's and make it up to me. After you cook me dinner.

Heather Spell Arrington Brooke I am sorry he is being so mean to you. I am going to hit him for you since he is right next to me!

Brooke Yeiser Henson Thank you Heather! I would greatly appreciate it!

Samantha Agee Baughman Now I want Gigi's! Tyler, you should pick some up for me and Brooke and send one via Dave.

Tyler Henson WHAT? How am I the designated Gigi's delivery boy? I'm across town and at work! I feel like I'm taking crazy pills over here!

Brooke Yeiser Henson I'm sure you get a lunch break at some point

Samantha Agee Baughman Well, Brooke's earned a day at home. I don't want to take the girls out in the cold. You get off work before Dave. It's the logical choice.

Tyler Henson ERRONEOUS!!!

Jennifer Segel This cracked me up. I needed this during this boring meeting I had today.

Brian Williams Hey Tyler, I heard TSU might be open tonight so you should DEFINITELY stop by just to see the note on the classroom door.You could bring me by a Gigi's cupcake, some Toots pickle chips and Zaxby's wings and things while you're out this way.

Karen Kilar Akers Tyler - you have a lot to learn! Better have a talk with your dad. No, make that your mom!

Amanda Robinson I have a roast cooking and I would trade a plate or two for some cupcakes!

Matthew Hibdon Tyler you are more than welcome to run to Gigi's and get some for all of us on campus.



And this was the final result after he ran to Gigi's on a quick break and surprised me at home:



I love my husband. The End.

Go Pack Go!!

In a rather late twist, we ended up hosting a small get together for the Super Bowl at our house. Sadly, the Owensbys couldn't have a big event at their house as planned, and our house is too small to host a huge party, so we made do with a few people. And luckily there wasn't a Steelers fan around, so it was an all Packers household.

Sam's rather impressive cake, complete with licorice facemask. And it tasted good, too!

Fancy enough, we had the tablecloths leftover from my party to use here - yay for recycling!

Yes, that is Twinkie filling I do believe.

I was trying to make an equally pouty face, but darn if she isn't really, really good at it...

Landon kicking back in his chair, havin a cold one, watchin the game.

Haley is in awe of how anyone can mess up the words to the National Anthem like that...

Alan approves of real football on HDTV with American food after spending two weeks in India.

Brian rockin the Packers gear and supporting the only MTSU player to be in the Super Bowl, Erik Walden, who was too injured to play... of course...

Kelsen with her favorite Aunt "Bwooke!"

I don't know why they put in Landon's drink, but he is layed out!

Babies were distracting us from the real reason for being there - the commercials!

Ayden attempts to eat his own finger. It was not successful.

Becky and Kelsen get in some quality time.

Obligatory self-shot! And Packers for the win!

We had fun, but hopefully next year Zack and Karie can try again, this time without illnesses throwing a wrench in the works... and hopefully the Titans will be playing in the big ga- hahahahaha... sorry, I couldn't even make it through that without laughing... I just hope we win a game next season...