SUPER!

I'm sure you all know that Indianapolis is hosting the Super Bowl this year, and the city is a frenzy of activity leading up to the big game.

Yesterday, Darci and Andrew invited us to go along to check out the downtown area and visit the NFL Experience. Darci's sister Betsy just started working at the JW Marriott downtown, so she knows her way around. What an exciting time to be starting a new job in downtown Indy. She'll be bumping into celebrities around every corner this week.

The hotel is beautiful, and all decked out with a giant decal of the Lombardi Trophy. Wow!
Indianapolis apparently even ordered special weather, as it was mild and sunny yesterday. It is supposed to be in the mid 50s this week. Not at all typical for Indiana in January/February. Trust me.

There are Super Bowl touches all around in the lobby of the hotel.

We walked through the skybridge to the Convention Center for the NFL Experience. Looking around for familiar faces, I immediately spotted this guy. I asked Betsy to see if she might be able to save him for me after it's all over. It would look great in the basement, don't you think?

Matthew and Haleigh were excited to see all the areas and play some games. Haleigh is good at saying "football."

Andrew and Matthew waited in line to try the quarterback challenge. Haleigh watched everyone get a chance to show off their throwing arms.

She looked quite cute in her Saints tutu from Blissy Couture, and got lots and lots of compliments, despite the fact that our team isn't actually playing on Sunday. :(

Ella was wearing hers, too, and even the man walking past thought she was cute.

Aunt Betsy, Darci, and sweet Ella Kate.

Grandpa and Haleigh were getting along fine until he put her down and she decided to run under the queue line barriers, making him zig and zag trying to catch up with her. Oh Grandpa!

Matthew tried out his quarterback skills.

Andrew took a turn too, completing one throw to the farthest net.

They had these replica 'players' all along the hallways throughout the area. It took us a while, but we finally found the Saints player and each took a turn pretending to be a football star. Every player from every team was number 12 (Darci figured because it's 2012. So smart.), so on the Saints, that would be Marques Colston. Not a bad choice.

Here's Matthew...

going deep for the long pass from Drew Brees.

Andrew. Concentrating on his route.

Ella.

Darci.

Haleigh.

We found the Steelers player, so Andrew decided to show the despair of the Steeler fans in honor of his friend Matt.

Silly boy.

Matthew looking sad as well.

Haleigh was waving at the folks who thought she was the cutest thing ever. I have to agree.

Matthew got to suit up and try some hitting in the NFL Rush Zone, which was an area for kids 10 and under.

He kicked three extra points, sending one ball over the wall. The Boilers always need a good kicker.

Bryan and Jennifer came downtown to check things out, too, and met up with us in the Rush Zone.

Some kind of Saints guy hanging from the ceiling.

There was a quarterback challenge for kids, too, and Matthew was three for three hitting the basket.

Time to try a long snap.

Haleigh was trying to figure out just how it's done.

She thought she should try it out too.

She found her favorite team on the tile floor. Smart girl.

With the first pick of the draft, the New Orleans Saints select....
Of course, the Saints don't have the first pick this year. That honor will go to the Colts.

Andrew posed with the Bears jersey in honor of Shylah. Da Bears!

There was a long line to get close to, and take your picture with, the Lombardi Trophy.

I just used my zoom, and got a picture with no waiting.

Outside, on Georgia Street, is the Super Bowl Village, complete with ziplines overhead. I have heard that all the pre-sale tickets have been sold, and some folks are waiting in line up to 6 hours for additional tickets, and to take their turn on the zipline. I will keep my feet on the ground, thank you very much.

Slowing down at the finish.

We walked a few blocks to the Circle, thankful for the mild weather. The city looks amazing, and it seems that the host committee has thought of every detail. Everything is clean and shiny, people are extra friendly, and the lights and sounds of Super Bowl are amazing. There is a light show on the huge XLVI that includes highlights from Super Bowls past.

Matthew and his daddy on the Circle.

Matthew, Darci, Andrew, Haleigh, and Ella enjoying the excitement.

Well, almost all of them are enjoying the excitement.

Ella is plum tuckered out from all that football.

Walking back to our car, we took in all the lights welcoming guests to the city.

Super night. Super city. Super Bowl!

Oh What A Night

We had a nice evening on Friday with Jim's sales team in Dayton for dinner and the theater. We were picked up by this lovely Buckeye bus. I know.

We were on the third load, so there was room to spread out.

We were so excited to see Jersey Boys again. Great music, great energy, and a fun show. Oh, and a few bad words. And gunshots. Just a warning.

The dinner and show took place in the beautiful Schuster Performing Arts Center. The dinner was delicious, and the building is awesome. This is the Wintergarden. I think it would be a perfect place for a wedding reception. The palm trees are real, but petrified.

Dinner was in an upstairs room overlooking the Wintergarden.

We just might need to make a trip back in May to see Wicked. David and Shylah should be all settled by then, and ready to receive guests. :)

Of course, salesmen can't seem to pry themselves away from their phones. Ever.

The inside of the theater is beautiful as well.

The stars in the skylight depict the Dayton night sky on the eve of the Wright Brothers' first flight.

Show time!

Walk.    Like.    A.    Man.

The show was great, and we finished the evening at the rooftop restaurant, enjoying the night lights of downtown Dayton.

Super de Duper Hodgepodge

Time for some Wednesday Hodgepodge. I enjoy participating, and sharing answers and comments with my blog friends. Thanks to Joyce for hosting. Be sure to click over and see what it's all about!

1. The NFL playoffs were held this past weekend and this year's Superbowl lineup will feature The New York Giants versus The New England Patriots. How do you define 'patriot'?

Well, in terms of football, most folks from Indiana would define 'patriot' in words that must not be used on this blog. Ahem. Yes, Colts fans have a rather intense dislike for our friends from the east. I, however, harbor no ill will toward the team or their quarterback. You have to agree that he's cute. I remember a story from early in his NFL career about a high school girl who knocked on his door and asked him to the prom. Now that's a brave girl. He said no, but I'll bet she's still telling the story.

Of course, Mr. Tom Brady could never take the place of this guy in my book.  

He's a Boiler, you know.

As for a real patriot, I think someone like Paul Revere fits the bill. He was brave, clever, artistic, a good horseman and a night owl. I have always loved Longfellow's poem, Paul Revere's Ride.

2. What's something in your life right now that feels like a 'giant'?

Planning the wedding of our only daughter in just... 94 more days! It is a fun giant, though, and friendly.

3. What's the first thing that comes to mind when you think back to being 18?

I was excited to be graduating from high school, and looking forward to college. I had my little green Vega, my popcorn popper, my new luggage, and I was ready to meet new friends and experience life away from home. (An hour's drive.) Teehee.

4. Coconut-mashed potatoes-vanilla ice cream-mayonnaise...which white food would be the hardest to give up?

Vanilla ice cream, with mashed potatoes a close second.

5. Describe an incident or a day you remember as the coldest you've ever experienced?

It will come as no surprise, but the coldest days I've experienced occurred at football games. I remember a game at Purdue shortly after we were married when we played Penn State. It was snowing and very, very cold. They (PSU) had a good running back that year, I believe.....

It was also cold the day Purdue beat that school from Bloomington to earn a trip to the Rose Bowl. We were bundled up, but lovin' our Boilers!

Last year, we went to watch the Saints play the Bengals in Cincinnati on a cold, cold day. We had those packets that hunters use for our boots and our pockets. 

A few days before the game, Matthew had asked, "Granny, will it be warm in the Superdome?"

"Well, yes," I said, "but the game is in Cincinnati." No indoor stadium there!

It was worth it, though, when he was able to get an autograph from my his favorite player. :)

6. You're hosting a brunch...what's your favorite dish to prepare and serve?

My family (the boys anyway) will all choose biscuits and gravy, so that is what I usually make. I also have a great recipe for breakfast casserole from my sister-in-law, Carol.

7. How do you combat negative thinking?

I think Barney, on How I Met Your Mother, said something similar to this. Barney wisdom. I like it.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

David has officially accepted a job in Dayton, and he and Shylah will moving sometime around the end of March. Yay for being a 2 hour drive away instead of a 9 (or 10 or 12) hour drive!! He will be a research chemist at Wright Patterson Air Force Base. They have enjoyed their time in North Carolina, and are excited about being closer to family, and for the new opportunities presented to them. They are now in the process of house hunting in the Dayton area. And even though they'll be living in Ohio, or should I say, O-H....I-O, I don't think we will ever call them Buckeyes. :)

 Jim and I will be in Dayton this weekend for a meeting, and plan to spend some time doing a little research about housing, neighborhoods, and the city for David and Shylah. It won't be all work though, as the meeting includes an evening at the the beautiful Schuster Performing Arts Center to see Jersey Boys. We have seen it once before, and it is such a fun show. I'll have to locate my CD so we can jam to listen to the music on the drive over. Makes you want to get up and dance. Here's a little clip to enjoy... I know we will!