The Heisman

Tonight the highest award in college football will be awarded and I must admit, I'm pretty excited.  


I credit my dad and brother for my love of the game.  While I grew up cheering for the Washington Redskins and Minnesota Vikings (thanks to a 5th grade crush), I now find myself in the heart of Cowboy County. 


These days I'm more captivated by  college football, in particular, the University of Georgia Bulldogs (SEC football, the best) and, this year, the Baylor University Bears.  Don't get me wrong, I'll watch at least part of any exciting game, and I always enjoy cheering for the underdog, but these two teams have me pretty much enthralled.


As a consequence of my fandom for Baylor, I've followed this year's Heisman race closely.  Among the five finalists for the award is Baylor's young quarterback, Robbert Griffin III (aka RG3),  who has been so exciting to watch, put Baylor football (currently #12 in the BCS, thank you) on the map, and seems as impressive on the field as off.   

All this thinking about the Heisman takes me back to another Heisman-related story that involves (long story short): my husband (then boyfriend) on a business trip to Los Angeles, an emergency/unscheduled landing in Ontario, California, a 3 a.m. appendectomy at the Ontario Community Hospital, a 6 day hospital stay, a slow recovery and the Heisman award.  Suffice it to say, in a drug-induced state, seeing Andre Ware win the Heisman was seemingly the highlight of my husband's entire life.  As he wept "tears of happiness" from his hospital bed, I knew three things immediately:  despite almost 5 days in the hospital he was a long way from well, medication does strange things to people and, one day this would be the most hilarious story ever.  This story's been recounted numerous times and always has me laughing.  


Anyway, in it's 76 year history, there have been some pretty impressive Heisman winners.  Saturday night, here's hoping RG3's name is added to that list.  

Homemade Christmas Gifts

I'm endeavoring to make a few gifts this year; easy things really, for neighbors, my husband's co-workers and a few others.


Ina Garten's Barefoot Contessa at Home Cookbook is amazing.  Every recipe I've tried is  terrific.  This year, I'm making her Lemon Yogurt Cake. (I love lemon!)  Lots of steps, but it's fairly easy, delicious and beautiful.  Here's the link to the recipe.  

I found great 7.5 inch by 12 inch plates at a local party goods store, used 10 by 16 inch cellophane bags and a gold ribbon and I think they turned out really well.

I'm also trying my hand at cookies in a jar.  Here's the how-to.  

The jar on the left was my practice jar.  I quickly figured out to layer the ingredients in a way that makes it more eye-catching.  I used the seasonal variety of M & M's to make these Christmas- y.  On the top of the jar I included the additions required to complete the recipe and I attached a recipe card.  Since these are Cowboy Cookies I used a bandana to fancy-things up!

I'm also making my sister's Easy Peanut Cluster recipe.  

I bought these adorable little treat boxes after Christmas last year.  

Each box holds 8 peanut cluster candies.  Adorable!  

Finally, these aren't homemade but don't they look like it? I bought these here and they make great gift exchange ideas from your kids to the other kids in their classroom. I'm giving mine to the younger children in our neighborhood.  They're just fun!

Christmas Decorating

It's true.  Everything is bigger in Texas.  This Christmas season, I've seen it firsthand. And because I love holiday decorations, as I wrote about here, I'm thrilled with the over-the-top decorating unfolding all around me.  


I am going to try and take some photos over the next couple of weeks - so you can see for yourself how "in the spirit of the season" these Texans really are.  I am happy to report, it's pretty contagious.  


Today, I drove by a house and knew I had to stop and get a close-up view.  Aside from the beautiful wreaths on every window and door, they had this yard ornament(for lack of a better word):

Don't you love how the beam of light shining through the trees
emits a glow off the pages (something I only noticed after I arrived home 
and took a look at the photo).  

Now, I've seen all kinds of Christmas lights. as well as Santas in motion, happy snowmen (and even whole snowman families), life-size and live nativities and even a few glowing Menorahs and Hanukkah dreidels, but I've never quite seen anything like this 10 foot by 8 foot Bible, replete with the verse that sums up the season. 


More photos to come, but I'm pretty sure none will be as divine as this.