Time To Eliminate All Distractions

This being a three-day weekend, a national holiday, it was spent with family. Naturally.

It also happens to be my nephew's birthday. Ethan turned three this year. It's weird to look back year by year and put those years in the context of children growing through adolescence.

Ethan's birthday party was at a petting zoo. Even though it was stifling hot and muggy, it was a good setting for a large group of children. You can never go wrong with children, animals, and a hay ride.

Then back to Meridith and Eric's house for more family time and games. As is apt to happen at most family gatherings, football was on the television and baseball and basketball were being played outdoors.

One of my favorite games to watch all year long is the Colorado State versus Colorado football game. My dad was working for Colorado State in Fort Collins when I was born. I grew up, for the first several years of my childhood, a Rams fan. I remember going to their basketball games and that being the first team I rooted for. When we moved to Wimberley, my brother and I shared a green folder that had CSU's logo on the outside. It made me feel unique; that my favorite team was from a place no other kid in Wimberley had ever heard of.

So, to this day, I sill root for the CSU Rams.

When they play their in-state rivals, it's not difficult to imagine why CSU is the underdog. CU has a national recruiting program, membership in the Big 12, and a national championship to boast of (even if they did need five downs to help win a game here or there). But CSU has heart and a football program void of misogyny, scandal, and recent probation.

Chris, Charlotte, and Jackson stayed with at our house last night. We stayed up late chit-chatting and catching up on recent happenings. Chris brought up all of his Sinatra cd's for me to put on the computer. I stayed up until 1 last night and am still working on the rest today.

The entire family came over for lunch today. It was the first time to have everybody over. Since we have a bigger place, it's a bit easier without everybody sitting on top of each other. Although during lunch, I noticed how family gathering have become a bit different as we've aged.

Even though we would call ourselves traditionalists, Chris and I did almost all the food preparation while Eric took care of Ethan. The women-folk were able to hang out at the kitchen table and thumb through IKEA and Pottery Barn catalogues. Then after dinner, the men did the dishes.

I actually am finishing this post on Monday morning. I started it late last night but was too tired from a long weekend to finish it. I know I didn't capture how much I enjoyed the family visit.

But now, I'm immersed in a That's So Raven marathon. Can't be distracted.