That time I felt so sad.

We don't need to talk about the game last night.

.....

Well, we'll talk just a little bit about it.

I clapped and cheered for those Utah boys as loyally as I could,

completely by myself surrounded by yellow-clad people...

until we were losing by 30 points. Then I kind of just pouted.

Conversation behind me:

Guy 1: "Did you know the Jazz were this bad?"

Guy 2: "No, I didn't know they were this bad. I don't think they usually are?"

Guy 1: "I don't know, they look really bad."

Girl in front of them in the Jazz shirt: More pouting.

Are you surprised they put us, a temporarily dysfunctional couple, on the Kiss Cam?

Jazz shirt and all. It was easily the highlight of the sad, sad game.

Well, folks. Maybe next time. 

And by next time, I mean January 26 when the Pacers totally

lose their cool in the Energy Solutions Arena Delta Center.

Right? Right.

p.s. Who is this Draco and what's with his threatening of holiday plans?

I'm way too excited for our flight tonight,

and he is NOT permitted to be another holiday flight fiasco.

Don't come between me and Utah, Malfoy. 

Jazz in the City

This Jazz schedule looks at me every day.
And I keep forgetting to bring pictures for my desk at work,
so it's all I look back at.

December 19 has a big circle around it...
the boys are here to play the Pacers tonight!
Michael and I will be there, cheering them on!

Well, I will.

Michael informed me last night that he would be cheering for the Pacers.
Psh.
Then my sister informed him she was no longer willing
to pick him up from the airport tomorrow.

I still get a ride though. And I'm stoked!
One week of family time in Utah, with a new little nephew we need to meet!

Finally through Finals

Michael finished his last final yesterday!

And then he did a happy dance.

That's not true, actually, because he gets along with dancing

about as well as I get along with mice.

But I know that he probably did at least a little happy dance inside.

First semester down, seven to go :)

We went out for Ethiopian food to celebrate. Have you had it?

You eat with your hands, pulling apart Injera (a flatbread made with just ground teff seed and water).

The bread is spongy, and somewhere between a pita and crepe.

The owner of the restaurant was so nice to us. He is from Ethiopia,

and is his wife is from Eritrea. She makes everything that they serve.

Then we came home and played games with friends until midnight.

That's cool right?

Since we usually go to bed at 9:30 on Fridays. SO lame :)

You should listen to this album with me. 

I'm addicted, and SO excited for our Christmas trip to Utah this week!

And on Wednesday, the JAZZ are coming to town to take on the Pacers!

We bought tickets like eight years ago it feels like,

so I'm excited to finally go cheer them on.

Half of Fifty

Even though we were super happy when Lewis arrived on November 2,

Michael was a little sad about it.

If Lewis waited one more day, he would be born on his uncle's birthday!

And Michael was convinced that if this happened,

they had to name the baby after him.

Close, Michael, very close. Maybe next child.

Of course we had blueberry coffee cake in the morning!

Michael loves this stuff more than anything.

First it was doughy. Then it was burned.

He still loved it more than anything :)

(And don't mind those paint samples taped to the wall...

that is just me practicing my new DIY definition and thinking this paint project through.

Actually, do mind them. And help me choose.)

We had big plans for the birthday, which included the Indianapolis Zoo and all its glory.

Unfortunately, some clouds had big plans for the day, too,

and they dumped on us all day.

But that's ok, we'll take a rain check! Literally.

That night, we went with some friends to the Pacers vs. Kings game.

We were hoping for a Jimmer sighting...which we did get, 

but only because they put him on the jumbotron next to a picture of Paul Ryan

during the "politician look-a-like" bit.

Other than that, no playing time for our P-town hero.

We're still rooting for him.

Then, we went to the Naylors house to bust out the birthday cake!

After he blew out all the candles he said,

"Oh....I forgot to make a wish."

This made me sad for him,

but that's coming from a girl who wishes on every first star,

every 11:11, every railroad track crossing (feet up, fingers crossed),

and every yellow (sometimes red) light.

There's always next year, Michael.

And that was his happy 25!

I'm so glad this guy was born.

So, so, so very glad.

p.s. do you love our free shirts? XLs all around, everyone in the whole place!

Here's to you, Jerry

The Jazz just lost.

Lost to the Suns (better them than any other team ... except maybe the Celtics), and lost their longtime legacy.

The news of Jerry Sloan's resignation didn't really sink in for me until I watched the game tonight. I drove Jenny and her kids down to Cedar this weekend, and I'm glad I got to watch the game here. This is where I remember loving Jazz games with my mom, popping popcorn and watching Stockton and Malone read each other's minds. And Hornacek wear short shorts. We always popped popcorn. Could be the source of my addiction?

And Jerry Sloan was always there on the sideline. He started coaching the Jazz when I started, well, life. No denying 1988 was a good year. It felt so weird to watch the game tonight without him on the screen.

Nobody took his resignation harder than Ali, I love how much she loves him. She needs to come back home and draw the Jazz logo on our street in chalk again, like she did with her friends back when her team was in the playoffs with the Bulls.

I think people would still drive around it like they did then.

Here's my favorite article about Jerry from the Washington Post. So, all in all, emotional week ... but, go Jazz. :)

All That Jazz

The whole family was together this year for Thanksgiving.

It's been a while.

The inside jokes came back fast. So did the sharing of past embarrassing moments.

So did contention. What? Didn't say that. (We're happy, really. Lots of love.)

And definitely a lot of the love for the Jazz.

Yeah, we beat the Hornets. But we didn't get on the Jumbotron.

It was not for lack of trying. 

The camera man was favoring cute kids and people with posters. 

Our dance moves didn't cut it for him.

Alison was in her element. I think Michael and Rachel had fun at their first NBA game, but maybe our Jumbotron efforts embarrassed them?

My parents are never phased by us dancing in public places.

We got hot dogs, but I think that just made Ali miss Hot Rod Hundley?

Then a Hornets fan stole the show. 

The Jazz Bear wanted to slide down the stairs on a sled, but the man refused to get out of the way.

Loser.

Then the timeout ended, and the Bear couldn't slide. The whole Delta Center (I will not conform to this Energy Solutions fad) booed him. 

But then we cheered when ushers took him out.

But then he came back. We watched a mother give him a finger-pointing lecture. 

I liked her.

The whole energy died in the place a little. 

Loser.

But then, the Bear came back from behind (foreshadowing of the Jazz-Lakers game tonight),

grabbed the stubborn Hornet man's hat from behind, tied it to a balloon ... and let it fly.

The man was not happy.

He did not cheer up at all when the Bear came from behind again and shoved a cake in his face.

Yeah, the energy came back. 

And yeah, he left.

And the Jazz? They didn't cheer him up at all either. 105-87, and we left happy.

Then we made it to Cedar in time to watch them play the Lakers tonight. You're welcome, Kobe.