All The Way to State!!

The Lady Lions do it again. They are heading back to the boro for another state tournament round! Some of you may be wondering, why do you care? Didn't you graduate from Lexington? Well, yes I did, but I've been a Scotts Hill fan long before I set foot in Lexington High. (those that don't know, Scotts Hill and Lexington are two rival high schools in the same county I grew up in) It all started back from when my mom graduated from Scotts Hill. Since then I have had uncles, aunts and many cousins pass through there, some of which have been a part of the Lady Lion basketball teams that have made history. If you're from the Scotts Hill area and know of "The Thompson Clan" that's my folks. This year the team includes my cousin, #12 Michaela Thompson and then another cousin Morgan Coffman that is a cheerleader. Unfortunately, living so far away I don't get to go to many games, but I was actually home Saturday night to go and see the Sub-State game. I have to say there is nothing like going to those basketball games, I remember even as a kid the craziness. The energy from the fans is just unbelievable and you can definitely tell they are proud of their girls. This year has included them being both district and regional champs (two yrs in a row) along with a 31-0 record for this season. Morgan and Michaela, you have had one historic senior year! I'm so proud of you two, enjoy this time and soak it up!

the cheerleaders getting the crowd pumped up

Morgan up in her extension (I'm assuming that's what you still call it. I'm probably a little outdated on my cheerleading lingo)

Michaela getting ready to do the tip-off. Just ignore the pom pom in my face. The girls in front of me were a little excited.

And the game is on! For that one corner Bradford filled up, they sure were a loud bunch!

I stole these next pics from my cousin Sam. They are a lot clearer since she had her good camera....I had brought my not so good small one (hence the dark and fuzzy pics above)

Me, Sam and Izzie

Me and Ezra. I always find time to get in baby holding time. And yes I had a wardrobe change in the middle of the gym. I think I was the only one on that side not wearing black or gold so I felt I needed to blend in.

Russ, me and Joyce celebrating the big win

And everyone rushes the court

Congratulations girls, you've earned it! See you in the boro!!

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!