Holidays 2008 (a.k.a. Loving the Warm Weather)

Get ready for an action packed blog post! I've got videos, pictures, you name it. I suppose that's the right way to document the holidays. Good times.

So, the first quarter at Ohio State is finished, and Meghan and I have survived the initial onslaught of the cold. I am proud to report that I landed some good grades in my first stint as a Buckeye, and I hope to continue the streak for the rest of the academic year. After cranking out multiple papers, however, it was time to take a brief respite both from the academic life and from the north. Thus, Meghan and I headed SOUTH!

First stop was Fort Worth, Texas -- home of the (now) Poinsetta Bowl Champion TCU Horned Frogs (victors over the blue-turfed Boise State Broncos)! It's also the home of one Kate Lundborg who had the good sense to graduate the same exact weekend that we were in the Metroplex (Dallas/Fort Worth area). What ensued was a celebration of everything Kate, which meant an incredible meal at a local Mexican restaurant (Joe T. Garcia's) that featured delicious fajitas and delicious margaritas. The following day, the Lundborg clan gathered together on the campus of Texas Christian University and watched Kate walk across a stage, shake the Chancellor's hand, and then promptly receive the title of "Bachelor" (watch out ladies). Here's a nice family pic in front of Frog Fountain:


Yes, that is the same suit from the history conference in Quebec. And yes, I do look just as good in it here as I did in it then. Big thanks to Donna who gave me a fantastic haircut the night before. The action then moved south to Brenham, Texas. Meghan, Kate, Donna, Blair, and I all had the chance to hang out around home, play multiple games of Dominoes (I came in last place every time), and eat good food. Brenham was also the site of the first 15-mile run for Kate and I. If I hadn't mentioned this before, Kate and I are training for a marathon in February. We're beginning to get to the point where runs are making us miserable. Here's how we felt after completing the 2.5 hour run in cold, windy conditions:



I love that picture of Kate. That's just about what it felt like. A more current update: both Kate and I completed 17-mile runs this past week, and actually I think it was a bit easier. The 15-miler was just a tough one to pull out.

While we were in Brenham, we also got the chance to celebrate Donna's 51st birthday. I'd like to say that we bought streamers and party hats and that tons of guests came over for a formal bash the likes that Brenham had never seen. But in reality we celebrated with a cozy night at home, some gift exchange, and a wonderfully delicious meal. (Segway to the first video of the post...)



Next stop: FLORIDA! That's right, the prodigal son returned to his old digs. Meghan and I booked a flight from Houston to Orlando and arrived in Vero Beach late on the 23rd. A quick side story: we rented a sub-compact car from Budget rental in the Orlando airport, but when we arrived, they said that they no longer had any sub-compacts available. The guy then proceeded to say that the next best thing available was a Toyota Tundra (BIG pickup truck) and that he would upgrade us for free. Granted the Tundra guzzles gas, but that was definitely a fun drive!

Christmas was done Watkins-style: we slept in late; my mom made cinnamon rolls, orange rolls, and coffee and we feasted until afternoon. Then we got together and exchanged presents (with the kids always somehow receiving more than what they gave) and waited for Grandma to arrive. With Grandma in house, we could then prepare the lavish Christmas meal (which resembled the type of thing you would imagine at a post-revelation Scrooge holiday shindig) and spend the rest of the night goofing around. Here's video evidence of the whole process (as well as video evidence of me being a total rock star):



Meghan and I got the chance to hang out in Vero for over a week. It was a fantastic time that was extremely restful. Not to mention the fact that sunlight and 70 degree weather has a way of rejuvenating the soul. We were certainly sad to leave on New Year's Eve but happy we got the opportunity to see my parents, Jenni and Scott, and everyone who came to visit (Grant, Matt, Tracy, Jacque, et al.). Now we're back in Columbus, ready to start up a new quarter and bear the winter for a few more months.

For your viewing pleasure, I thought I'd finish with one more awesome video of us playing the game, "Would You Rather...?" in Vero. I won't ruin the video, but I will say that the basic point of the game is to complete challenges in order to move your piece to the center of the board. Challenges were generally something embarrassing of inconveniencing that you had to undergo for a certain stretch of time. In between challenges, players had to read "Would You Rather" questions, come up with an answer, and then see if their answer corresponded with the general will of the rest of the players. Hilarity ensues.