Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas (blog version of a Christmas card)

One of my favorite Christmas pictures is when Coleman played Santa in the school play

I love getting the Christmas cards with the family or kid's photo. It is one of the things I look forward to each year. So thanks to all of you who sent us one this year. It is sad that I can't plan ahead to get them out myself. I was pretty good until about two years ago and then I am not sure what happened. We currently have one foot on the Christmas merry-go-round. We went last weekend to share Christmas with my dad's parents in Alto, Texas. I could tell is was really special to my grandmother to have all of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren together. Chad finally has a few days off but unfortunately I have to work (when will we ever be off at the same time?). At least I get off early on Christmas Eve. The Christmas Eve service at our church is really special and that is something we definitely make time for. After the service we will head over to my parents to share Christmas with them and then get up early on Christmas day and go to Georgetown to spend the day with Chad's parents. So yes, we will be busy but it is a blessing to have family to share this season. If I don't talk to you before the 25th have a wonderful and blessed holiday.

Jingle Bells

Tonight was the Sablatura 6th Grade Band Christmas concert. Coleman plays trumpet and is currently sitting in 4th chair position. He has practiced hours (I am not exaggerating) for this 15 minute concert. We are still amazed at how much he enjoys playing music. He has even asked about taking guitar lessons. According to the band director the concert was a success because "you can actually recognized the Christmas carols they are playing". The only down side of the evening for Coleman was that he had to dress nicely for the event. By nicely I mean khakis instead of jeans. Of course, I thought he looked handsome.

A clip of just the trumpet section playing Jingle Bells:

Fort Worth Here We Come

The decision has been made. The Cougars will be playing in the Armed Forces Bowl on December 31st in Fort Worth. It is a re-match against Air Force. Hopefully we will win this time around. One great thing about this bowl is that we will be able to celebrate Christmas with both my family and Chad's family at the regularly scheduled time.

On a side note, Coleman has his first band concert next week. I believe it will be a compilation of Christmas tunes. I'll try to record and bit and put it on the blog for all to see.

I narrowly escaped jury duty this week. Well, I didn't really escape at all. I was summoned to jury duty yesterday and was actually put on a juror panel and instructed to return today at 9:00 am. Since I had the rest of Monday off I did some Christmas shopping. Man, it is much more pleasurable shopping experience on a Monday in the middle of the day compared to the frenzy of a weekend. Let's just say there is no evidence of a recession at Baybrook Mall or Pearland Town Center. Anyway, when I returned today we were all set to hear about a crime that someone committed while they were already in prison. I'm thinking "why not just add time to his sentence and be done with it". No such luck for being done with it but they decided to postpone the trial for some reason which let me off the hook. Not that I would totally mind seeing the inner workings of the legal system but the jury duty pay is not going to cut it right before Christmas.

The cold front is blowing in as I am typing this. Yeah!! It's starting to feel alot like Christmas!!

Where will we bowl?

Another Christmas season approaches with my family in limbo. Once again, we can't make Christmas plans until we know which bowl the Cougars will be playing in. Don't get me wrong, I love the fact that they are going to a bowl. It means they had a winning season and a bonus will follow but for the love of football can't we just get a schedule. One day it is Armed Forces Bowl in Fort Worth, the next day it is Hawaii Bowl in (well surely you can figure out where this one is) and then the GMAC bowl that doesn't even happen until January 6th. I know I could just say that Coleman and I will do what we want to do and leave Chad to the bowling but that's not our style. We want to be a part of it all even if it means last minute Christmas plans.

It was better than he thought it would be

Thanks to Alex Saphos (another team dad) for this great photo.

Coleman was supposed to have his first basketball game today but it was rescheduled. Unfortunately, we did not know this before game time. So when we got out of the car to head into the gym he was still planning on playing. Here is a conversation he and I had on our way into the gym:

Me: Are you nervous?

Coleman: Not really.

Me: Whoa - I'm surprised because you were really nervous before your football games.

Coleman: That is because I depend on football.

Me: What does that mean?

Coleman: I want to be a football player when I grow up. I even did my career day presentation on being an NFL player. It is way more important to me. Basketball is just for fun.

Me: I didn't know this. It is good to have a goal. I guess you really like football.

Coleman: It was better than I thought it would be.

So any thoughts about him leaning toward the non-violent, high paying career of professional golfer are probably out the window. Although, he does like golf in a football player sort of way and enjoys going to the driving range with his Pa. I love the picture of him at the top of the post. It certainly looks like someone doing something he considers "way more important".