Let it snow!

A couple weekends ago it was VERY frigid for us here in Texas. Dude....I'm talking it barely got to 32 degrees as our high! But it didn't even snow here in Austin...well at least not NATURALLY.

The outdoor mall in our area had a huge snow blowing machine set up. SOOOOOOOOO much fun!

They made snow angels, slid down a small snow hill and of course had a good old fashioned snow ball fight. We left with numb hands and rosy cheeks :-) As much fun as it all was, I'm glad we don't get snow here all the time...it was FREEZING LOL!

4W - Austin Rugby Club

I've totally mentioned (a lot) that Big Daddy plays rugby. He started playing when we moved here in 2010, and he loves everything about it. He's actually quite good for never having played before...like EVER. What helped him to adapt to the game was that he played football for a long time. At one point he even played semi pro football. He's ridiculously athletic, which everyone seems to love about him. Perfect sport for a man's man if you ask me. Hard hitting, no thinking, just smash = Big Daddy. 

The whole rugby community is super excited for rugby's come back in the 2016 Olympics. Rugby continues to grow here in the states which is awesome! Granted, it may not be such a big deal like it is overseas but we'll get there ;-)

website

WHO: 

Facebook

WHAT:

The Austin Blacks are a United States rugby union team in Austin, Texas. They compete in the Texas Rugby Union and the West Rugby Union of USA Rugby. The Blacks are the competitive men's team of the Austin Rugby Club. We compete at 2 different levels: Men's division 1 and division 3.

"Austin is only the second club in USA rugby history to have two teams compete at the National Championship Play-Offs in the same season with our Division 3 team also winning the Texas Championships." *source* 

(that was the first year that Big Daddy played with the club...he scored the winning try in that D3 championship game)

WHEN:

Season officially begins for the Blacks on Saturday, January 5th, 2013 in Houston against the Houston Athletic Rugby Club (HARC). Our DIII team will play at 2:00pm followed by our DI team at 3:30pm.

WHERE:

Home matches are played at the ARC field here in Austin:

Burr Field

6013 Loyola Lane, Austin, TX 78724

We play all over Texas and are playing in both Las Vegas and Chicago next year as well.

We, the women behind the men of the Austin Rugby Club (which really was myself and another chic), also started a support group last year...we are called the Belles. Open to all the women supporters of the Austin Blacks.

I know, I know...such a formal sounding post LOL. So unlike me huh? But hey, this is rugby...it's serious business ;-) And I'm just so excited!

If y'all are in the area, you should come watch our team play. See for yourselves how awesome we are. I promised this year that I would video tape the games, so expect a lot of behind the scenes goodness here and of course on my YouTube channel. 

I know what you're thinking...

Where the heck did that awesome locker room mom go?! Well don't you fear...I am back. It has been one heck of a ride, this moving to Texas thing. After the AWESOME house viewing I went to, I never thought I would ever get into that place, let alone any place to live. But as luck would have it (not big daddy's though cuz his luck sucks!) THE LOCKER ROOM HAS OFFICIALLY MOVED TO AUSTIN! Sorry was I screaming just then? Oh well. We are officially Austinites. Aaaannnnnddddd...we actually moved into the exact place the heathen, monster children and I viewed together.
And after 6 weeks, big daddy came home. It was crazy. I remember it just like it was yesterday  LOL. It was a warm April 1st, almost 2nd night. Ok, ok no more. But big daddy called me thursday night saying he got the moving truck all loaded up but wasn't sure when he was gonna leave yet. He was calling to like map out the drive with me so he would know about how long it would take. I was in the middle of telling him about Dallas when he was like oh I gotta go and just hung up. Dude WHAT?! You can't just hang up on me like that. I was pissed! So of course, the teenage sex symbol in me (u like that huh lol), called him back. But NO ANSWER! What the?! Did he get a call from some other chick? Did this dude really step out on me with some chick? Then my phone rings...it was him. I almost didn't answer. The first thing he says is, "damnit Nicole, I'm tryna surprise you and come early, but I tell you I gotta go cuz I lost control of the truck and the trailer came undone. And then you wanna call me back to back a million times, sheesh!" So in my most sweetest voice ever, I just start gushing...
"Really?! You were trying to come early? Aww I love you! Yada, yada, yada..."
Of course I asked him if he was ok and all that jazz. But fast forward to 4am Friday, and there he was. My love. I was asleep of course when he came in. He just climbed into bed with me. I didn't realize how much I missed him until that moment. Sigh. I do love that man.
I woke up before my guys and went in the living room to have breakfast with Vontrapp (I promise a post about her is coming soon). Next thing I know, here comes big daddy carrying juju into the kitchen. They both had the biggest smiles I've ever seen on their faces. Juju was NOT gonna let go of his daddy anytime soon. About 30 min after that, I heard stanky in the bedroom going "daddy? daddy? mommy where r u?" So I went to get him and when I brought him into the kitchen, oh the look on his face! Shock, pure shock. LOL. It was weird. He wasn't smiling, he was just shocked.
What sucked was having to leave them so we could go and sign our lease and all that stuff. Big daddy was actually the one who didn't want to leave. Did I ever mention I hate packing? I did? Well I'll say it again...I HATE packing.
But that was that. And its now Thursday and tomorrow will be one week that we've actually lived in Austin. Its so good having my family together. All we need now is skinny and milkshake and the locker room will be complete once again.

Bittersweet packing

So I've been a little distant the past couple of days...but with good reason as we know. Its Wednesday, and I leave for Texas on Saturday, and I am still not even close to being done packing. Who knew that in 5 years, we would accumulate so much ISH! My I've been trying to get my closet packed up and it doesn't even look like I touched it. The goodwill pile does keep growing though.
This is a SUPER exciting thing, but it has really hit me how bittersweet it all really is. As much as I've ever complained about living here, THIS is where it all started. I get teary eyed almost every hour I swear. Louisiana is where we became a family. Packing things up, I have replayed so many memories. Walking from one room to the next "accessing the situation, " I relive all the things that happened in that room. I think thats why its taking me so long. A part of me really just doesn't want to leave. Not yet. Look there I go again, all teary eyed. LOL. I've actually lived here for almost 8 years, but only 5 years in this house. Well it would've been 5 years this July. In those 8 years I have made awesome friends, met the love of my life, became a Mrs., and became a mom again for the 3rd and 4th times. Its crazy because I didn't get like this when I left Hawaii for college or when I moved here from Las Vegas. I think its because I know I will never come back here...the place where it all started. Our first home. How emotional am I right?! LOL. It was supposed to be pack and leave. Sheesh.
Of course through the tears is joy. There was a point in my marriage when I thought big daddy and I wouldn't make it. But here we are continuing our lives together on an exciting adventure (corny I know). To a place where we know we wanna be and love. Closer to family, a place where we can
enjoy life. Thats what makes the tears stop.