'Never Again'

This year I was somehow motivated to actually try this Black Friday gig. After crawling into bed I senselessly answered a call from my sister who was panting (see 3+ months preggo post) and raving about all of the 'great deals she was finding'. I rolled over and said to Blair 'you know what, I have nothing to do tomorrow in the morning, maybe I'll give it a go if the deals are THAT great'. He wished me luck & I rolled out, put on a zip up and met my Mom at Target. It took us 20 mins to park, we stood for 30 mins in a line as long as a football field surrounded by insane people in utter excitement about leaving their kids/husbands at home to spend the entire night/morning shopping. <Insert me, wide eyed, puzzled & inquisitive> I asked the women in front of me, as my Mom was chatting it up with the two gals behind me, what was it about standing in a line for hours, being bumped around and stepped on inside a store you MIGHT find something you like, only to then stand in line for another 2+ hours to checkout & do it allover again at the next spot excited them? I mentioned that I was a virgin shopper that day (one who hates shopping any day of the year for that matter) and was interested to see what the hype was all about. They proceeded to tell me that the #1 reason that they do this is to 'people watch' and get out of the house for a few hours with family. They kept stating 'its tradition' over & over to me. I kept looking at them in awe, hearing them out, all the while standing there thinking of 100 other ways I'd rather people watch (airports, the fair, while sitting on my warm couch watching tv, the list goes on) & another 100 other ways I could 'enjoy getting out of the house or forming family traditions'.

FINALLY, the doors open (we were standing in the wrong line & had to then re-line up at the other door, of course) and into Target we sped!!! I must say, walking through those doors and picking up my cart was the highlight of the 1:03 evening of Black Friday for me. Well, there also was a woman dressed up in red valuer sweat suit, heels and pearls like the woman on the commercials that had I gotten a picture with would have made it really worth it, but from the point of entrance, it was all downhill thereafter. Women were literally stepping over me, pushing their carts onto my heels, backing up the aisles with their bodies & elbows flying as they dug into stacks of whatever-they-were-there-to-buy. I'm not kidding when I say I stood with my empty cart as my Mom & the other shoppers stomped like a heard of elephants through the store in horror. I pulled a 360, text my sister who was en route to tell her to pedal to the metal so I could see her before I bailed. Her & her MIL had already been to Jefferson Outlets for hours before heading on to Columbus for more of the 'festivities' GASP.

Within minutes of her arrival I was strapped soundly in the car en route home. When I think of Black Friday moving forward, I can appreciate that difference is what makes the world go round in this human race, but for me, the song 'Never Again' by Kelly Clarkson wont stop ringing throughout my ears.....

Xoxo,
Andi

Wordless Wednesday

!!!!GO BUCKS BEAT MICHIGAN!!!!

xoxoxo,
Andi

Weekend Warriors

I cannot believe how quickly this year month has gone! I mean, I feel like the second the month gets started its over & now that the holiday's are here it's going to be unraveling faster than ever! Thank G that 2011 blew 2010's crap year out of the water, let's hope 2012 tops 2011!! With a niece or nephew on the way and building our first home together I'm certain it's going to rank up there!!




Last weekend was off to a rockin start with dinner at The Wine Bistro on 23 Friday night with Quinn & Paige. Love them to pieces & am so fortunate to have such close relationships with my in-laws & family. We waited entirely too long to be seated, so a bottle of red went down sans food, and we nearly cleared a second by the time we scarfed through our pizza (gotta love the families love for vino)!! Quinn's 21st is fast approaching & we're planning a killer blow out at The Hyatt this year!!! Cant believe my little Quinny is 21, but so so happy that we can now not worry about her being carded (although most people don't --way to go Quinny!) and that she can enter into the stressful wonderful years that we call 'Our Twenties' <3

The Wine Bistro w/ My Sisters

Saturday Katie Kittle blew into town with her sister Claire and Poppi joining at the tailgate to boot! Katie & I met at the hole that is Dawson (the doors are circular downstairs for a reason as people never seem to stay long) but honestly looking back it was worth working there to have met & became such close friends to Kittle & Glenna. Some pics (whats a blog without pics?) from the awesome Briner tailgate that we will so dearly miss until next season::

Poppi Kittle, Kittle, Glenna & Claire Kittle-- love us some Kittle :)

G, Bates & Kittle

Standard Cody...always doin something to scam the pic

Thank you Briner Family for another wonderful years of Fun & Memories!!

Looking forward to Thanksgiving on Thursday & to see my absolute best, The Stephanie Garee who is in town from D.C (thank God she no longer lives in Houston and has to pick one holiday a year to make). We will be Black Friday strolling with M.K & Lauren (faves) to see if we can find any goodies, but mainly just enjoying each other & catching up I'm sure. On weeks like this I wish I didn't have gymnastics & could 100% enjoy time off but I was placed responsible for all of the floor choreography this year and the first meet is on Dec 7th (eeeek)!!! Honestly, I have no idea how I'm going to get 4 floor routines done by then & have exhausted my resources for help. <sigh> Guess I'll put my big girl panties on & get to figuring out routines.


HAPPY TURKEY WEEK ALL!!


xoxo,
Andi

AUNT ANDI

okay, ive been DYING, absolutely DYING to spill the beans for the past three months now::


I"M GOING TO BE AN AUNTIE!!!! eeeeeeeeeeeeek!!!


"I'm so excited (insert Jessie Spano) & I just cant hide it"....


Ok, sooooo my sister & her husband are finally preggo and we all could not be any happier for them. They were married in 2006 and have been trying for the past few years to get pregnant, so when it finally happend we were all so pumped ESTATIC. I of course was the first to know (duh) & they decided to wait for the full 3 months before going public. See the video below of their first ultra sound 2 weeks ago, the little peanut was barely 3 months old on the video & already has little limb nubs <melt>.

I just cant wait to wrap it's bod up in my arms & sing it Van Morrison songs (there will be a headset for the full 9 months attached to my belly when i'm preggo) ;) I have a feeling it'll be a Boy, but they arent finding out until birth which is the only way to go in my mind. BUT, we will be elated whatever it is.


So, with that news, Happy Friday All!!! *Cheers


xoxo,
Andi

Wordless Wednesday

I've been missing my husband lately with season starting & feeling a bit lonely! :( So, today, on my new 'Wordless Wednesday', i'm going to post some of my fave(not so frequently viewed) pics of me & my lovey on our wedding day to cheer me up. <Assuming this wont be the first day I look back on these with awe> .... so much for 'wordless' i'll try harder next time.

Smitten Kittens <3 4.23.11

Coaches Wife

Well, it's here. It's here and it's in FULL FORCE. Like it or not--it's Basketball Season people--aka I'm a widow of a living man for the next six months. This time of year Blair is in the limelight alot, and always receiving a ton of questions about the team, what talent he has, what season is going to look like, etc. Last weekend Coach Mo from Athletes in Action came to practice with over 100 coaches that were in town from allover the world. Coach Mo was the individual who got Blair involved in the trip to China to coach the USA Basketball team last summer, so it was wonderful to get to see him again. Coach Mo is just an amazing individual, Blair & I sometimes wonder if he's even human and not put on this earth from God himself. Honestly, his spirit and faith & the walk the talk that he has about his Christianity is just so profound. Anywho, he & all the coaches came to watch Blair's practice and all were very impressed. They spent time at other high schools and colleges while in Ohio and were so impressed at how he runs his practices; "much like they do at the college level & better". Hey, I'm a proud wife what can I say? The man works AROUND THE CLOCK and really truly has a passion for the game. So, for the first time I was asked by one of the Hispanic translators that was there with the coaches what it was like to be a 'Basketball Coaches Wife'? My first response was to smile & roll my eyes, lol. Because truthfully I don't even know how to respond to that question. Being a basketball coaches gf/wife requires an individual who is very independent and doesn't need alot of attention in the relationship, because honestly you barely even see them for half of the year and when you do everyone is talking about basketball. I grew up in Kentucky with a sister who was en golfed in basketball (along with the entire state of KY with Ricki P coaching the Wildcats) 24/7. At one point in my life I loved the game, but much like people say about Ohioans and that all we live for is 'Buckeye Football', that's how I started to view my relationship with Kentucky Basketball once I was removed from the scene and living in Ohio. Don't get me wrong I enjoy the game, especially when its the team my husband coaches, but there is a level of resentment the game takes on when it's taking your man for 6 months out of 12. I cant imagine how it will feel when we have kids. Who knows, probably better since I'll have some little rugrats to hang with and bring to the games. I told this gentleman that the only pro to being a HS Basketball Coaches Wife is the joy that it puts on my husbands face & the passion that comes out of his pores. I'm just fine with playing second fiddle to the game for half the year for the fulfillment that it brings my husband. But again, i enjoy spending time to myself and don't require a ton of attention during season as long as the minimal time spent with Blair is valuable time spent together. It's not an easy role to play, not many women can do it, but I also grew up in a household where my Dad coached and/or was gone for work all the time. Sports have always been a way of life to my family, and I don't see it being any different for Blair & I's family in the future.

Blair & Coach Mo in China

USA USA USA!

Coach Mo, well, being Coach Mo...

      

DeSales Tourney Champs 2010

All Time Winning Coach @ DeSales 2010-2011

Ok, so there are SOME perks to being a Coaches wife :)
Clark Kellogg & I

This season I decided that while he was out to play, I would be too! I had the opportunity to be the assistant Gymnastics coach at Dublin Coffman HS and took it without hesitation (okay maybe a little as my work schedule is NUTS & is far from a 9-5 role) but I'm really enjoying being back in the arena again and it absolutely was the right choice to make. The girls are great and are really talented, I'm looking forward to competition season that's just around the corner. At least I'll be too busy to notice the time away from my husband, right? Now he can answer what it's like to be a coaches husband--ha-- hardly the same... GO ROCKS & GOOOOOO STALLIONS!!


xox-
Andi