Grateful

You know when you have those moments when you realize how incredibly blessed you are? Whether it's a specific event that causes the realization or one of those times when you just feel an overwhelming sense of peace - it's so important to be grateful. I realize this would be a good Thanksgiving post, but its on my mind now and I figure we should be grateful all year round, not just at Thanksgiving, right? So here goes.

I am grateful for:

• The absolute most incredible family in the world. Okay, so it's definitely not the most traditional family and there have been some hard times, but I would not change one single thing. To be as close to both your parents as I am is an incredible blessing and I wouldn't be anywhere in this world without them (literally, of course, but I mean more metaphorically). I'm Mama's best friend and Daddy's little girl and I wouldn't have it any other way. I have a ridiculously awesome brother who is finding new ways to make me proud everyday (including, but not limited to, early morning game day texts). I have a stepmom that makes even ordinary events seem fun. My grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc are all incredibly cool. So blessed.
• Carolina. Even if you take sports out of the equation, there is no place I feel more sublimely happy than Chapel Hill. And once you add sports, well, game over (no pun intended). Chapel Hill has been in my heart since I was a baby, but it means even more to me since I graduated. I literally feel a weight lifted off of me when I am in Chapel Hill. Everyone should be so lucky to have a place that makes them feel the way Chapel Hill makes me feel. So blessed.
• A job I love. Sometimes I literally have to pinch myself. I get to do public relations for the best jewelry store ever. (I know it's my job to say that, but I was a customer prior to the job). Some days I find myself writing about the latest designer line or playing Santa and giving away jewelry and I can't believe I got so lucky. So blessed.
• Amazing friends. You know, friendship is a funny thing. Growing up changes friendships in a way that at first really frightened me. You don't always talk as much and people you considered your best friends move on with their lives. But then there comes a moment when you realize the coolest part - these people are more "there" for you than they ever were before. Yes, we all grow up and move on with our lives, but I've come to learn that if I ever needed any of these people they'd be there in a heartbeat. And that's what friendship is really all about, isn't it? So blessed.
• Sports. I really don't know how people cannot like sports. There is so much raw emotion behind them and so many great storylines. Picking a favorite player (love you Teej!), a clutch shot to win a game, a kickoff return for a touchdown - these are some of the great moments in life. Not to mention, game day dresses. Go HEELS! So blessed.
• North Carolina weather. How fortunate are we to experience all four seasons, but none of them too harshly? So blessed.
• Food. Obviously, I'm grateful for food on a purely sustenance level, but as I've grown up I've come to appreciate the ingredients in food and love experimenting in the kitchen. So blessed.
• And some more: Walking into a warm sunny spot on a chilly day, the peace that passeth understanding, pretty dresses, good books, fashion magazines, wine, girly tv, a good night's sleep, meeting a goal, writing.

Don't forget to take a little minute to be grateful.

(What's Supposed to Be) Monday Morning Review

We lost. Badly.  (33-10). Fumbles, interceptions (TJ tripled his interceptions this game by throwing 2 - he now has 3). It was just sad and bad. I hate Miami. They dance and throw their little U sign up. They are gross.

Looking forward to Homecoming this weekend! We play William & Mary. Word is former UNC backup QB Mike Paulus (now William & Mary's QB)  is talking a lot of smack to his old teammates, saying he is going to teach the Rude Boyz some manners. Oh silly Paulus.

(What's Supposed to Be) Monday Morning Review

Goodness gracious, I just could not be more proud of my Tar Heel boys. They have had to deal with so much this season, yet have gone above and beyond. Case in point: Saturday the Heels went to Charlottesville and took home a decisive 44-10 victory over those dirty Wahoos. We hadn't won a game at UVA since 1981 and we dominated it.

Extra kudos to Dwight Jones for his three touchdowns and to TJ Yates (always, always kudos) for continuing to be the steadying force behind the Heels.

We head down to Miami Saturday for what's arguably our toughest game this season. GO HEELS!

Yearly Dilemma

For the past three or so years, I have had the same dilemma. Now let me preface this by saying, this is not too serious of a dilemma, and really, it's one I'm blessed to have.  But as a girl who has always been indecisive (I'm trying SO hard to work on this rather icky trait), I hate something that makes me feel like a little bit of a hot mess.

I just penned all of the 2010-2011 Carolina Basketball games into my calendar. And I got SO excited.  Like giddy, butterflies in the pit of my stomach excited. I saw this is a year where we end the season with Duke at home and I got even more excited.

But then I got stressed. Enter dilemma. Am I a football girl or a basketball girl?

I grew up playing basketball. I've played since I was six years old and I have always been in love with the game. While not exactly a star player, I held my own which was huge for me. I've never really been athletic and to be able to competently play a sport (and even be relied upon to make the big plays) was a dream come true. There is nothing to me like the feeling of playing. I miss nothing more than playing basketball. 

I know my dad always wanted a kid who was good at sports and for me to even come close to doing that for him gave me the biggest sense of pride. Granted there are regrets.  I didn't practice enough to become the kind of player I really could have been and that will go down as one of the biggest regrets of my life. But for those few seasons when I was the "man" on my team - the one they would go to when they needed a winning three pointer, the one who played every second of the game - I was in love with the game of basketball.

So when my dad announced near the end of my high school career that we were getting UNC season tickets, I screamed. Lots. I've watched Carolina basketball since before I could speak much - "Yucky Wolf and Duke ::stick out tongue::" were among my first words/actions. I became the biggest Shammond Williams fan in the history of life at a young age. I was also fortunate enough to see a National Championship my freshman year of college (words.cannot.describe.this.experience). I love the Dean Dome, I love the defensive drill before games, I love the "I'm a Tar Heel" videos, I love the time my dad and I get to spend together at games, I love that you get to know every player on an individual level - I love Carolina basketball. It's also nice that I "get" it. Having played for over 13 years, I understand what's happening in basketball. I can read plays, I know the rules, I have a good grasp on basketball.

Now, let's talk football. I became a college football fan much later in life. I started getting into it at the end of high school and really started following it my freshman year when I went we went to a bowl game (Yeah, my freshman year was awesome).  Of course, I had always gone to the games, but I had never considered myself a die hard. Fast forward to now. Saturdays during football season are really my reason for living. I love wearing my football dress, tailgating and watching the Heels in Kenan. I have been known to cry when we lose big games (hello Meineke Car Care bowl 08 and 09, and LSU game 2010). I love Carolina football. Football is complicated though. There are some plays I really don't understand and sometimes a penalty is called and I'm left clueless. But nothing is better than a victory in Kenan.

If you asked me during football season, I'd tell you I was a football girl without hesitation.  But when basketball season comes around, I start to remember how much I love the sport and how much Carolina basketball has been a part of my life.

So am I a football girl or a basketball girl? At this point, I still don't know. But here's to another year of both, trying to figure it out. GO HEELS!

New House!

I've been so overwhelmed with sports, that I haven't posted much about this yet, but in a few months I will be moving! My friend Lauren's dad bought the cutest house in a great area and is completely renovating it for us.  I am so excited!! This weekend we picked out paint colors - it's starting to get so real! My room is going to be a khaki color with all my carolina blue accents and my bathroom is a pretty blue called "dockside blue," almost Carolina blue, but with a little more grey in it. It will be so nice to live in a house with a yard and a sun porch.  And it'll be fun living with Lauren - she's a really great friend.  AND we'll be saving money since we both live alone now! Can't wait!!

Monday (Close to) Morning Review

Oh goodness. Where to begin.  Well, the Heels pulled out a close one against Clemson this weekend. It was a beautiful day in which we enjoyed Tar Heel Town, the Old Well Walk and a tailgate.  The game was very close, but we came out on top 21-16, giving us a 3-2 record - which, all things considered I think is pretty good.

On Saturday right before the game they announced that Jonathan Smith would be out for the season (academic side of the probe) and that now Devon Ramsay was out as being possibly involved in one side or the other. That frightens me. Devon has played in all four games prior to Clemson, including two wins.  The NCAA could take away those wins because Devon played in them. I'll keep you updated.

Today UNC announced that Greg, Marvin and Robert Quinn were done for the season. Little and Quinn were declared ineligible by the NCAA and Marvin was dismissed by UNC. No word on sanctions yet.

The Heels (and I) are off to Charlottesville this weekend to take on UVA. We haven't won there in a bazillion years so a win would be huge.

New blog name and design - oh my!

Ok guys, over the past few weeks, "A Perfect Mess" had been boring me.  It was starting to feel like a rip-off.  Not that I copied anyone on anything, but the inspiration for the title was the Red Hot Chili Peppers song (still an incredible song - if you haven't heard it, go.download.now) and the site "mascot" if you will was Audrey Hepburn.  While I still lovelovelove the sentiment of "a perfect mess" and believe that we, and this blog, are all perfect messes, I want this blog to be uniquely mine.  Hence - Game Day!

Game Day! is perfect on many levels.

1) Whenever I wake up on football Saturdays (usually around 6am no matter our game time because I'm so excited) I text all my family and friends the words "Game Day!" They get really annoyed because it's way too early and I'm way too excited, but I can't help it - I really really love game days.

2) After waking up and annoying all my friends, I walk around saying "Game Day!" for most the day.  The only time this changes is during bowl season (if we're good enough to get to one) and I yell "Bowl Game!" all day.

And, most importantly,

3) Game days are perfect days. I look forward to them all week and savor every moment of them. There is no place I'm happier than tailgating in Craige and watching football in Kenan on a beautiful Chapel Hill day.  With this blog, I hope to get a little more of "game day" into every day.  Family, friends, food, fashion and football. Perfection. Or...a perfect mess. :)

Enjoy!

Gearing Up for Clemson...

Because of the (stupid, IMO) football expansion, Carolina has not played Clemson in Kenan since 2002.  That's a shame for many reasons.  1) Clemson is BIG time football. And it's always fun to play a big time football team. 2) For the part of my family that does not bleed Carolina blue (gasp, I know), they bleed Clemson orange.  Both my grandfathers went to Clemson and my dad's dad played football at Clemson.  I've always had a soft spot in my heart for the Tigers - they are so spirited and they have the kind of football tradition that we'd love to have. That being said, I'd love to crush them Saturday.  We get Deunta back which will be nice and hopefully we can pull out the W.  Clemson is coming off two losses to big teams so they will be angry.  I happen to have a little tiger tail I found on the ground in Atlanta when we played LSU - should be fun for Saturday!

As for the game day menu:
-carmelized onion dip and chips
-sausage balls
-chicken nuggets
-pigs in a blanket
-frito dip and chips
-chocolate chip cookies

GO HEELS!!

Monday Morning Review

What a great weekend! Friday night we went to a Rams Club function in CH at Kenan.  First we ate dinner at a new restaurant called One - delish! Then we headed over to Kenan and even hitched a ride in Butch Davis' golf cart to have a couple glasses of wine in the staduim.  Kenan is so beautiful and being there at night was breathtaking. I love that place!

Saturday we had a great tailgate with family and friends (both Tar Heels and Pirates alike), before beasting the Pirates 42-17. I was so incredibly happy.  Searcy was cleared for this game and ran an INT back for a TD.  Shaun Draughn and Johnny White ran all over the place and were incredible (which, I made known to Shaun Draughn when I saw him after the game and ran up and high fived him and informed him that, 'You're Shaun Draughn!).

We're at home again this Saturday vs. Clemson! We haven't played the Tigers in a while so it should be a lot of fun! Deunta will be back for this game, so I'm looking forward to that! GO HEELS!

Sunday was Mom's birthday so I hung out with her all day, shopped, and ate fattening foods! I have the best Mom in the world!