On Fridays I share things that made me happy from the week - a photo, a song, a quote, a beauty product, a recipe, a pair of cute shoes, etc. If it's a product, sometimes it's something I actually own and sometimes something I just saw online that gave me a smile. Sometimes it's serious and sometimes it's silly. I suppose I believe that God is in the simple details of life and yes, I can even find Him in a tube of lipstick.
Well, hello,
Last Friday I mentioned that last week wasn't my favorite and I'm happy that as we head into this weekend, I'm feeling more positive about life in general. This might be because I have had almost week to recover from the debacle that was the Texas - Arkansas football game. Saturday night was a low point. So much so that I had to have a talk with myself to remind me that these are just a bunch of 20ish year old boys who do not mean any personal harm to me. They aren't intentionally trying to steal my joy. THEY ARE CHILDREN, FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE.
I mean, if you're a person who may or may not have spent a majority of your Saturday night calling upon Jesus to come back as a defensive line or an offensive line or even just come back and take us all home, you might need to check yourself.
Ahem.
It's possible I take college sports a tad too seriously.
Tomorrow we play Rice. One would think that the fact that we have lost to Rice exactly twice since 1960 would make me feel really good about things. And to that I can hear the beloved Lee Corso say:
Let's move on.
I did find some favorite things this week that didn't involve me screaming at our new coach,"I'm going to need you to stop squatting down with that look of shock on your face and stand up and coach this team, Sir!"
Apparently I'm not good at moving on. Let's try again. God bless you, Coach Sark. It'll be okay. Here we go:
1. It's Slavik on Instagram
I cannot get enough of watching ItsSlavik on Instagram. He is an incredible dancer who posts his videos on Instagram and TikTok. (I haven't figured out TikTok because OLD). Anyway, I discovered one of his videos last week and ended up spending about 45 minutes on his page. Check him out for a good happiness break when the world is getting you down or if maybe your team's defense has more holes than Swiss cheese.
2. Knox Rose at Target
I bought a dress from Target's Knox Rose line this summer that I wore a ton. I was just in Target this week and I think some of the Knox Rose fall line is really great.
I love this Black Plaid Open Layered Jacket. In early fall you could wear it with a tank (here's one that comes in a zillion colors from Amazon) and jean shorts or jeans and tennis shoes (that's "sneakers" if you're not from Texas). As it gets colder it can go over a long sleeve shirt, leggings, and boots. Really cute and only $27.99.
I have been eyeing both this black plaid swing dress from Able which is $130 - too expensive and out of stock - and this one from Vici - probably too short and also out of stock - for the past couple of months. When I saw this Knox Rose dress at Target and it was only $29.99 I thought I might have a winner. They didn't have my size, so I ordered it and I'm hoping it'll work. I think it'll be a perfect casual dress to wear any day this fall.
3. Siete Snack Foods
I'm trying to detox myself from all of the insane road trip and restaurant food I ate this summer since we were traveling for baseball so much. I'm trying to limit my sugar, dairy, and grains. I hate talking about food and bodies because it gets really sticky, but my body took a hit this summer. I'm trying to right the ship so I can feel better.
I tried these Siete Grain-Free Tortilla Chips and even my guys think they are really good. They come in a bunch of flavors, but we like the basic Sea Salt flavor.
The next thing I'm going to try which seems absolutely insane is Siete's Cashew Queso. I think I might have to tear up my Texan card for trying this, but it might be worth a shot because College Football is sad enough for me right now without having to watch it without queso. I just ordered it this week, so I can't officially name it a favorite, but I have high hopes.
4. Amazon Graphic Tees
I think I might get my Texas card back if I wear this t-shirt while I eat my fake queso. I think it would look cute with the Knox Rose Open Jacket or a long cardigan and jeans as the weather gets a little cooler.
Perhaps you have deemed all of your previous football game day shirts "loser shirts" as I have? Here's a basic cute tee that covers all the teams in case you might need to change the channel and cheer for some random school in Iowa or something at some point in your night. It's just a thought.
5. The Return of the Fall Baseball Season
Our fall baseball season has started back up and I couldn't be happier about it. I've been writing here for years about sports - mainly baseball - trying to find out why these events are more than a game to me. What is it about baseball or sports in general that has convinced our family that it is worth so much of our time and money and mental space? There are many "whys" for us which might not be true for others. I found that in the past 18 months one of those stood out very clearly.
In the past year and a half due to the pandemic and some health issues my family faced unrelated to Covid, I thought even more and more about why the absence of sports was such a profound loss for me. We, Americans, like to imagine that we are in control of our own destiny. This year we were faced with a virus we could not see and could not manage. It was unsettling for a control freak like myself to say the least. I want to manage my parents' health, my children's future, and even my inevitably aging body. I can pretend at times that I'm able to do all that.
When I'm watching my son on the baseball diamond or the Texas Longhorns on the field, I have to surrender control for a few hours. Sure I try to imagine that a lucky tshirt or spot in the bleachers will change the outcome of the game, but I really have no delusions that I can control the game from the stands. I have nothing whatsoever to do with whether we win or lose. There is such freedom and peace in knowing that all I have to do is watch. What a blessed relief.
Let's play ball.
I hope you have a wonderful weekend, Friends. Hook 'em Horns.
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