YOLO

Adam Levine. In a hoodie. Singing sarcasm. With Andy Samberg. SOLD. I've never been one to actively use the phrase YOLO (Mom, that stands for You Only Live Once), however when I saw the digital short from SNL from this past weekend, I was pretty pleased. YOLO baby, YOLO.

NOLA No Mo'

Well I am still planning on going to Disney World this summer with the Eikenberg family, but I am no longer making the trek to New Orleans. At least for the Super Bowl. To our total dismay and devastation the city of 'Nawlins' has overbooked and jacked up the prices of accommodations so high, I can't even imagine the high rollers coming into town for the festivities. I for one, thought I was coming with them! Sold out rooms from the dome to 3+ hours away, and houses for $7,500 a night with a minimum of 3 nights stay, etc. I guess this is the time you wish you had a home you could vacate and make some extra dough.  I was really looking forward to going, however, from every shadow comes a light that casts it. The Baltimore Ravens are in the Super Bowl and they are playing the San Francisco 49ers. It's exactly what I asked for.... a Super Baugh. A match up of my two favorite NFL coaches and brothers, John and Jim Harbaugh. John, obviously being the hometown favorite and one sexy beast. 

I will be rocking my Ed Reed jersey from somewhere in Greenville on February 3rd. Constantly yelling at the TV  "Put your hands up!!" - - a phrase that for some reason flies out of my mouth on both offense and defense. I either need us to catch it, or I need them to deflect it. It's stuck with me from high school, and trust me, the more I consume the more I think they can actually hear me. 

I feel good about a win, a Ray Lewis domination, a possible MVP to Flacco, Rice, or Boldin (he's been a beast lately) and an overall great game. Bring on the Super Bowl!

He's Home!

Click Here for the News Story

If you follow my blog you have read past posts about my dear friend Nick, who was badly injured in a car accident 6 months ago. His recovery has been nothing short of a miracle and this week he finally made it home....and about a year before he was predicted to. Way to go Nick!

Past posts:

* Nick Collins, A Miracle

* Clemson and Nick Collins

I'm Going to Disney World!

Well, not quite, but you could say my excitement reigns pretty close to how I could feel next weekend. As you may (or as you should) know, the Baltimore Ravens are just 1 win away from heading to New Orleans for the Super Bowl. They are set to play the New England Patriots in a repeat match in the AFC title game this Sunday at 6:30 pm. Last weekend we beat the Denver Broncos in overtime 38-35 in what was one of the most thrilling games of football I've seen in a while. The whole weekend of games was really something to watch. I've always been into sports, but have watched more closely this season and have really enjoyed it. But back to Disney.... my best friend and childhood hip attachment Whitney (Eikenberg) Pallia has a large family just like mine. Still living in MD, they are Ravens SUPER FANS to say the least. Growing up, they took me to Disney World several times. To this day, Mike, the dad of the family, always calls and says, "Lace, when are we goin' to Disney?!", knowing good and well I will hop on a plane in a heartbeat to not miss out on an Eikenberg family extravaganza. You wouldn't either. Whitney and her husband Tony got married last year around this time (planning accordingly to the Ravens possible play in last years Super Bowl with the wedding the week before on 1/28). It was a week long event and rivals some of the best college spring breaks I've ever had, if not topping them. I call them the Kardashians of the Eastern Shore of Maryland. There's Mike, who goes along with the flow. Kathi, one of the girls and one trendy mother who I'd share a glass of wine with any day. Then the 3 girls - Whitney, Holly, and Michelle. Beautiful, best friends, and insane. Then there's Tyler to finish them off. The fact that he came out alive is pure fascination. Though being around us I am sure he learned plenty and plenty fast. When the Ravens beat Peyton Manning on Saturday I got a group text message from the clan....I called immediately after I stopped screaming and said a

quick prayer to the football Gods. The crew went to Tampa in 2001 when Ray Lewis received the MVP in the defeat over the Giants, and as I told Mike and Whitney - if Brady goes down....nay, when, Tom Brady goes down this Sunday I will make the call as to whether I am buying a flight or making the drive down to New Orleans for the big game! Either way, I'm getting there. Just thinking about it I'm getting hyped. They will surely take the 'Flacco' van. What's that you may ask? Just a 15 passenger van they purchased, decorated, and take to every game with the license plate that reads "Flacco". I'm telling you, come New Orleans should the Ravens be playing, you'll want to join us. I can't wait.



Regardless, win or lose, they've played a hell of a season and Ray has had a hell of a career.  And, to make it even better, we (the Eikenbergs and I) really are going back to Disney come July. Whoop!

Ellen & Ollie Makes it to Belk!

Nothing makes me happier than when I can share a friends success. Molly Stevens, a fellow Clemson grad and sorority sister of mine, started a great fashion line of dresses called Ellen & Ollie. Check her out here - http://ellenandollie.blogspot.com/ and definitely on facebook - http://www.facebook.com/pages/ellenollie/345298694595 . Recently she has been given a title and huge award by Belk and I just have to boast for her! Molly recently won Belk's Southern Designer Award and will be featured in 44 of their stores! Way to go Molly! Well deserved!


(Click Play)

Also look for her in Garden & Gun Magazine soon. For a full list of stores you can find Ellen & Ollie dresses, click here.

Delayed breaking news

Ray Lewis is retiring at the end of this season, and with the Wild Card game against the Colts this weekend you can best believe Baltimore will be going crazy. This is one weekend I would love to be in Charm City. With the Redskins actually pulling through for once as well, Maryland has really made a good run. Throw in the recent somewhat success of the Orioles and you've really blown some people away. With 2 "hometown" teams hosting, its a big Sunday. Obviously the 1:00pm game having more appeal to me, but HTTR if it helps them get a "W". Nothing would make me happier than a "Battle of the Beltway" for Super Bowl 2013. As I watched the announcement of Ray Lewis' retirement to the press, I couldn't help but be a little happy for him. Disappointed for myself, but happy for the guy and his family. If you haven't been to a Ravens game live while he was on the field, you missed out. Just the announcement of his name and his appearance out of the tunnel would give you chills. I've never heard a place get so loud, and that is to outshine the cheers from Death Valley in Clemson during the biggest of games, with the drunkest of college students. It's football on steroids.....but without the steroids. No accusations here :)

In other (delayed) breaking news:
It's 2013! My New Years Eve was spent briefly at a work event, followed by a friends house party. Like any good NYE I wore some flashy pants slightly out of my comfort zone, enjoyed a Clemson win, multiple beverages, some alcohol infused fruit, a makeshift balloon drop, some fireworks, one hell of a dance party, a late night jam session, and all the other goodies a NYE is supposed to bring. Along with one nice 'battle wound' on the back of my leg from what I can remember (and have been told) was an accidental tackle from a dance move gone horribly wrong by our dear friend, Micah. The couches, also known as stages, were apparently a little too springy - one sudden movement and he took to the air like a flying squirrel. Pretty sure I landed on a plethora of side table items. It was hilarious, I'm sure.

2013 is off to a great start - and this year I plan to learn to play golf (Gentlemen bare with me....perhaps you can show me a few things with a free lesson), learn to sew (I was given my first sewing machine for Christmas), and watch out party goers, I am going to learn the worm.