Thank you, Luke Kuechly.  As a Linebacker for the Carolina Panthers in the Super Bowl, you handled yourself with class.
     Thank you for being an example to our kids this year, of not only how you should act in life when you win a game, but also, how to act when you lose.
     Thank you for going to the press conference after that loss of the biggest game in your life, with respect for your team, your coaches, your fans, the opponent, the game, and yourself. 
      It's fun to win.  It's great to celebrate and cheer.  The true character comes through, however, when times are tough.  Nobody wants to put on a shirt and tie, face the music and hold their head up, but that's just what you did.
     The example you showed our kids, those who dream of being like you one day...to the eight year old who wears your jersey, chooses your name during back yard pick up games...was an example to be proud of. 
     You've provided an excellent opportunity for them to learn how to handle a loss, without being rude or disrespectful.  In your own words, "It's going to sting and it needs to sting.  In order to learn from it, you have to let it sting".
     You were filled with nothing but class to the people who root you on, and again, we thank you for that. 
     Keep Pounding.       

    Super Bowl Sunday can rival Thanksgiving day in the food department around our house.  In a family filled with sports nuts, the biggest game day of the year usually results in a marathon of horribly-bad-for-you, wonderfully delicious foods. 
     Some of our favorites include: Buffalo wings, buffalo chicken dip, mozzarella sticks, homemade pizza and potato skins.
      Here are the recipes...
                      Buffalo Wings
5 pounds chicken wings
1 cup hot sauce (we like Frank's Red Hot)
2/3 cup melted butter
oil
Heat oil in deep fryer or deep pot until approximately 375* (when the handle/back of a wooden spoon bubbles when you put it in, then it's ready)
Add batches of wings in hot oil for approximately 10-15 minutes then remove.  (Check the inside for pinkness)
Combine hot sauce and melted butter in large bowl, add wings to bowl.  Cover wings with sauce and serve with ranch or bleu cheese dressing and celery. 

                   Buffalo Chicken Dip
2 cups shredded cooked chicken (for convenience, there is canned chicken usually around the tuna fish section)
1 (8 ounce package) cream cheese
1/2 cup hot sauce
1/2 cup ranch or blue cheese dressing
1/2 cup crumbled bleu cheese or your favorite cheese

Pre-heat oven to 350*
Combine all ingredients and place in shallow 1 quart baking dish.
Bake 20 minutes and serve with Pita Chips.

                 Mozzarella Cheese Sticks
2 (16 ounce) blocks of Mozzarella cheese, cut into sticks
1 1/2 cups Italian bread crumbs
1 1/3 cups grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 eggs, beaten
oil
Marinara Sauce

Combine bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese and salt in bowl.  In another bowl, stir eggs.
Cut cheese into sticks, dip sticks into eggs, then coat with bread crumb mix.
Place breaded sticks on baking sheet, cover and freeze at least one hour.
Heat oil over medium heat.
Working in batches, fry the cheese until golden brown.
Serve with Marinara sauce.

                    Homemade Pizza
2 packets (1/4 ounce each) active dry yeast
2 Tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup olive oil
2 teaspoons coarse salt
Pizza sauce
Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
Toppings of choice
4 cups all-purpose flour

Pour 1 1/2 cups warm water into large bowl, sprinkle with yeast, then let stand approximately 5 minutes.
Mix sugar, oil and salt into water/yeast mixture.
Add flour and stir until dough forms.
Oil another bowl and transfer dough, brushing top of dough with additional oil.  Cover with plastic wrap and wait an hour until dough has doubled in size.
Place dough on floured surface and knead one to two times.
Stretch to fit pizza stone or on parchment paper/baking sheet.
Cover with pizza sauce and desired toppings (black olives, pepperoni, sautéed onions, mushrooms, green peppers, etc.) 
In a 500* oven, place pizza in for approximately 12 minutes.

                      Potato Skins
Potatoes
Oil
Shredded Cheddar cheese
Bacon
Sour Cream
Chives
Salt
Wash and pierce potatoes, then bake in 400* oven for approximately one hour, or until tender inside.
Cool to handle
Fry bacon and crumble when cooled.
Slice potatoes in half, lengthwise, then scoop inside of potato out, letting some remain. 
Heat oil in large pot or deep fryer, fry skins in batches.
On lined baking sheet, arrange skins, filling inside with shredded cheddar cheese and crumbled bacon.
Set oven to broil, then place inside oven for approximately 4-5 minutes.
Sprinkle salt, sour cream and chives to taste.
Enjoy!  XO
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    There's nothing quite like having a Daddy's Little Girl.  There's also nothing like having a frame of reference when that same girl talks about going to the bar with some of her girlfriends.
    I was lucky enough to have that frame of reference, my husband?  Not so much.
    Our six year old daughter came home from school yesterday with this, as her winter writing project...

    At first glance, it's a cute project, but if you read closely, you'll find she writes about three girl snowmen with glitter hats and diamond scarves, meeting a cute boy who takes them to the bar.
    This conjures an image I can imagine no father would care to entertain.
    Upon reading her work, different levels of disbelief, concern, anger, fear...all began to well deep inside.
    "What does this mean?  Why would she write this?  HOW would she even know to write this?" Were Adam's first words.  There were no alternative meanings he could gather, other than the obvious...and it was terrifying.
     Now, the beauty of taking your daughter to gymnastics every week, would allow you to understand the meaning, at first read.  Our youngest son, Preston went to a boy's class last week, too, who, oh by the way, I call, "Cute Boy".
     Lauren Elizabeth's instructor told the girls last week how exciting it would be next class to start working on the bars.  Lauren and her girlfriends were giddy, and the whole car ride home, she talked of nothing else. 
     Fast forward one week later and her writing project happens to be on the same day as gymnastics.  Naturally, her six year old little mind would write about sparkly snowgirls (glitter and diamonds) while her brother, 'Cute Boy' would show them the "bar" which he got to do last week. 
     Obviously.
     I can't say it wasn't a little fun to listen to my husband squirm for a minute or so.  I am somewhat nervous for the future with his overprotective reaction, however.  He was this close to a complete lockdown for our first grader.
     Speaking of first grade, I'll be patiently awaiting a phone call from the school.  After all, there's nothing quite like a bar hopping group of sparkly six year olds, running with cute boys to raise some genuine concern.  
     With that being said, thank God they don't have poles in gymnastics. 
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    If you've seen the 1993 film, "Groundhog Day" starring Bill Murray, you'll know where I'm going with this.
    The movie follows Murray's character as he relives Groundhog Day over and over until he gets everything right.  Arguments, rudeness, a litany of incidences must be rectified and altered until he finally has that One. Perfect. Day.
     I sometimes wonder how many days it would take for that to happen.  How many do-overs would I need for perfection?  I figure there aren't enough days on this earth.
     Whether it's running crazy in the mornings or stumbling out of bed at 11:00 at night, because I forgot to let the dog out.  Perfection seems to be an unattainable feat.
     I have some friends who seem to have it all together, though.  You know, the kind that can leisurely go after a work- out to have coffee together with their fingers laced through the mug's handle.  I don't even drink coffee...or work out.
     They seem to have the perfect days with their perfect lives while the rest of us throw our hair up and go like mad.
      Maybe someday I'll attain that one true Groundhog Day of perfection, but I doubt it.  For now, it looks like the crazy life of mishaps and survival mode will prevail, Foreeeeeeever. 
                 Happy Groundhog Day!  XO  

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