Champions!!

This was the scene last night near the University of Kentucky campus, after my Wildcats beat the Kansas Jayhawks for the NCAA Men's basketball title. I hope there weren't as many couches set on fire or cars turned over as there were on Saturday when we beat Louisville. Seriously, I don't understand that. Yeah, I guess I do. Extreme amounts of alcohol + sports fanatics = very bad things.

I stayed up well past my bedtime to cheer on the Cats. I'm so excited for this win and that it was achieved by such a great group of guys.

Congratulations, team. Well done. 

I'm sure many of you are sick of my college basketball reports. I promise, I'll focus on other topics starting tomorrow. I just want to relish this moment for a bit.

Cheers!
Images from kentucky.com

GO BIG BLUE!!

Tomorrow night is the big game. My Kentucky Wildcats take on that other local team in the first round of the NCAA Final Four tournament. Can you tell I'm ready?

Go Big Blue!!!
Image property of A Place to Dwell Blogspot

Skirtin' Around

Well, quite the weekend for my alma mater. The University of Kentucky Wildcats are headed to the NCAA Final Four. And, that little team from Louisville is our first opponent in the tournament. I can't wait! Would love to go down to New Orleans for the game, but when I checked the prices of flights, they were CRAZY expensive. Plus, we don't have tickets to the actual games. Yeah, tickets to the games would be the whole purpose of going. Duh. That and hanging out in the French Quarter. It will be like Mardi Gras when the Big Blue Nation descends upon NOLA.

In the meantime, I've picked up the my running pace a bit, after taking yet another few weeks off. Now that we have more daylight later in the evening it helps. Plus, my kids' soccer practices take place at a park with a good running trail. Best thing about running? It's good for your health? Gets your heart pumping? Allows you to enjoy the great outdoors? Nooo, it's the outfits, dahhhling!

Yes, I'm joking. Sort of. I just bought a running skirt from Tar-jay and I love it! So very comfortable and, of course, cute.

Not sure what to think of the compression socks. Hey, runners out there, are the socks helpful? 

Happy Monday, friends. There will plenty of smack-talk throught the Commonwealth of Kentucky this week. Go CATS!!!
Images from activebeehive.com and jillconyears.com

March Madness

Number one seed in the nation. First game at the arena across from my office. I about cried when I got the news.

Although my Kentucky Wildcats lost the SEC championship yesterday, we were named the number one seed going into the NCAA tournament. And, we play at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, which may as well be our home court. In addition, my brother's school, Murray State, is playing here and if Western Kentucky University wins Tuesday, they'll be fighting it out in Louisville as well.  So, great news for fans in the state of Kentucky, not so great for my commute. Oh, well. I'll deal with it.

Congrats to the Cats and Coach Calipari. It was an amazing season. Let's take the National Championship!

Did your team make it to the "Big Dance?" If so, who are you cheering for in the tournament?
Image from Libby - Facebook

True Blue

As the Southeastern Conference basketball tournament gets underway, I felt that I should do a color tribute to my University of Kentucky Wildcats, similar to my recent ode to pink and red.

Today, it's blue, blue and more blue.

 

Okay, maybe blue velvet cake doesn't look quite as appealing as its red cousin.

If you're a basketball fan, tune into Selection Sunday to see where your team will be placed in the bracket line-up. Also, Daylight Savings Time begins Sunday as well. Goodbye extra hour, hello extra daylight!

By the way, if you're in Louisville on Saturday, come to the Highlands neighborhood for the St. Patrick's Day parade. Several of us have a float in the parade and will be riding and marching down the street, throwing green beads to the masses. Last night officially kicked off the parade festivities with the "Blessing of the Beer." Yes, it's good to live in a city settled by Irish and German immigrants.

Happy Friday, friends. Have a great weekend!
Images from inthecitywithcrystalin.tumblr.com, etsy, jessicasimpsoncolleciton, bakebakebake.livejournal.com, nyimage.etsy.com and latimesmagazine

All-Sports Weekend

How was your weekend?

Our weekend was centered around basketball and football viewing, which I imagine was the case in many households across the country. 

Saturday we ventured down to Lexington to watch the University of Kentucky take on South Carolina. It was an easy win for us, so not very suspenseful. But, it's always fun to cheer on my Cats in person.

One of the more exciting events at the game was during half-time when a fan won $10,000 after making a basket from half-court. The crowd went wild. Kroger, the grocery store chain, was offering the prize. Hubby joked that while the guy was doing his victory dance, Kroger reps were saying, "Damn it!"

After the game, we walked back toward campus to grab dinner. Along the way I took photos of some historic homes on Mill Street that I just love.

We toasted the Cats at hubby's grad school hangout, Pazzo's. I'll spend the rest of the week trying to burn off the beer and breadsticks.

Sunday was full of more basketball, the grade school variety, as we cheered my cousin's son on to victory.  

My kids adore him and he's such a good kid. His future high school is itching to have him. He's only 13 and already more than 6 feet tall. 

We closed out the weekend with one final sports event: The Denver Broncos versus the Pittsburgh Steelers. Hubby sported his Steelers-wear and I wore my Tebow jersey. Can you believe that touchdown pass?? Tebow is the man. I hope the Broncos can pull off a win against the Patriots next week. 

So, that about covers our weekend, minus the laundry and other mundane tasks.

Happy Monday!
All images property of JMW A Place to Dwell

We'll Be Back

Terrence Jones after UK's loss to UConn. Terrence, we feel your pain.

Well, it's over. The Cats lost last night; no national championship game. But, I'm proud of my team. It was a fun ride while it lasted. And we'll definitely be back next year.

The local papers are reporting on all of the fans, local and in Houston, and their thoughts on the game. My favorite quote came from a young woman in Lexington, which appeared in this morning's Courier-Journal:

At the Tin Roof Bar in Lexington, Ashley Grigsby, 23, said she put off a request for a first date to watch the game instead.

"I couldn't focus on a man," she said.

Now, that's a Kentucky girl.

"Go Cats! said George H.W. and Barbara. I heard Barbara opted to leave her Kentucky blue jacket at home, so that she could at least appear to look impartial during the tournament. :)

Enjoy the rest of your weekend, friends. We put up a new tire swing in the backyard yesterday, so early this morning the kids are already asking if they can go out and play. Love it! And, I was very industrious Saturday, tilling flower beds, planting bulbs and putting down mulch. Not sure where the energy came from, but I'm hoping some calories were burnt. Of course, I probably canceled it out with the Dairy Queen soft serve ice cream I had later that night. Ugh, what was I thinking? I better hit the pavement for a run today.

Happy Sunday y'all!
Images from the Herald-Leader

Get Your Game Face On!

Houston, you have a problem. The Wildcats are coming to town.

Did you hear? The Kentucky Wildcats are in the Final Four! What? Oh, did I already mention that? A few hundred times, you say? Sorry, I just never get tired of saying it!

C-A-T-S! CATS!! CATS!! CATS!! Folks in Houston will be hearing that cheer a lot this weekend.

I’m actually nursing a cold right now, so an ideal weekend for me would involve propping myself up in bed with the remote in one hand and my Kindle in the other while I doze on and off throughout the day. At the very least, I hope to catch some extra sleep so I can get try to get rid of this God-awful thing. Then, stay up late Saturday to cheer on my Cats!

In other news, congrats to my dad who officially retired yesterday. Woo hoo! Many golf courses await his arrival. And, Dad, if you want to watch my kids or run a few errands for us now that you have some extra time, be our guest. :)

It’s spring break around these parts. We don’t have plans to travel anywhere this year, much to the chagrin of our daughter. Oh, well. Maybe we’ll get our act together and plan something for next spring break.

Fabulous Friday has arrived – enjoy the weekend, folks!
Images from Sea of Blue and SEC Sports Fan

Irish Hooley Weekend

Tomorrow is the St. Patrick's Day parade in Louisville and Hubby and his friends have entered a float this year. Oh, boy. Yeah, we're all getting into the act, donning our Irish green and riding along. Even the kids. Here's hoping we have good weather. I'll just be glad that after tomorrow, the flatbed trailer for the parade will no longer be in my backyard.

In other news, my Kentucky Wildcats (because, you know, they're mine), play Ole Miss today in the SEC Tournament. GO CATS!!! I get so jazzed during March Madness - can't wait for Bracket Sunday!

So, we're gearing up for a Kentucky-Irish Hooley* weekend, by hitting the fish fry tonight and the parade tomorrow. What are you doing this weekend?

*A "hooley" is a traditional evening of Irish music and dance.
Image from University of Kentucky Athletic Gear site

SEC Tournament - GO CATS!!!

Have you heard? The University of Kentucky Wildcats are ranked number 2 in the NCAA basketball rankings and they're playing their first game of the Southeastern Conference Tournament today. I had my UK car flags flying this morning! You may have discovered by now that I'm somewhat fond of my alma mater's team...

The Cats take on Alabama at 1:30 p.m. Hopefully, we'll roll all over the Crimson Tide. I know so many folks who left yesterday for Nashville to attend the SEC tournament (Boo - I couldn't get tickets!). I imagine productivity at many workplaces will come to a grinding halt this afternoon.

Before the hoopla of b-ball, we're taking Miss E. to her kindergarten screening this morning. So exciting! She'll get to meet both K teachers, but we won't know which one she'll have until later this summer. Keep your fingers crossed that all goes well!

Don't forget - Daylight Savings Time starts on Sunday. Have a great weekend everyone!
Image courtesy of www.uky.edu

And one more thing...

My Kentucky Wildcats are now ranked number one. Back where we belong. ;)

C-A-T-S: Cats! Cats! Cats!

I'll be chanting this Saturday in Rupp Arena when we play Vanderbilt. I can't wait! (Don't you love my use of the term "we," as if I'm out on the court shooting baskets myself? I'm a Kentucky grad - we're a very possessive bunch.)
Image courtesy of UK Sports

We're Large and In Charge

Just had to give a shout-out to my Kentucky Wildcats who are
17-0 this season. They beat Florida in Gainesville last night. Woo hoo! This team is amazing and such fun to watch.

Hubby and I have tickets to the UK/Vandy game on Jan. 30 and I can't wait! Basketball in Rupp Arena is a religious experience, to say the least. So, looking forward to our get-away to Lexington. I'll be decked out in blue, screaming my lungs out (Ashely Judd has nothin' on this Kentucky girl. Yeah, I'm tired of seeing her on TV at the games, too.)
Image courtesy of the Herald-Leader

Weekend Getaway

No, we’re not escaping to a warm beach, but we are going to watch my Kentucky Wildcats play the South Carolina Gamecocks this Saturday in Lexington. Hubby and I, along with another couple, are breaking away for an overnight stay. We’re looking forward to good basketball, fine dining, a stiff drink or two and hanging out with good friends. We may need to pay a visit to some of my old college haunts, including Lynagh’s Pub. Oh, those were the days!

Have a good weekend everyone!
Image courtesy of www.visitlex.com.