Thanksgiving & Football Fun

Robert and I spent Thanksgiving up in Knoxville this year.  We decided to let Auburn's football schedule determine where we would spend the holiday.  The years that Auburn plays in Auburn after Thanksgiving, we'll stay in Atlanta so it's a shorter drive. 

We got up to Knoxville Wednesday night, with enough time for me to make the pumpkin pies.  Robert was downstairs with my Dad, which I made the comment that it was probably better because he doesn't enjoy being around me in the kitchen.  I like to take my time and enjoy the experience, he just wants to get it done.  Well it was probably good that he was downstairs, because not 5 minutes after me making the comment to my mom and sister about our kitchen time, this happens...

It was everywhere-but gave us all a good laugh!  Me in the kitchen is always an interesting experience!

Thursday morning Robert and I sucker my sisters Michelle and Karen into doing an 8k with us in downtown Knoxville.  It was a fairly easy course, so I decided to make my goal time 47 minutes.  I slacked off a bit with my training for this run, so I figured a 9:30 min mile should be doable.  And of course I always want to beat Robert when possible (since I did beat him in the Peachtree Road Race 10K).  Michelle and Karen walked, which Karen beat Michelle by a 100th of a second.  And me beating Robert...

887 Katie Stachler 46:39
888 Robert Stachler 46:57

We actually didn't have a great run.  We both started entirely too fast and ended up wearing ourselves out.  By mile 3 we were on an 8:30 pace, which was great but didn't last much longer.  I caught up to Robert (we never run together, which I am just fine with), and he wasn't feeling that great so I walked with him for a little bit.  We were going to all take a picture together, but after sitting in the car for 40 minutes back to my parents house all we wanted to do was shower.

Friday we watched the Auburn vs. Alabama game at my parent's house in the Dougherty Pub.  What a great game!!  Robert was starting to give up hope that we would win, so we did a seat change switch at half time (Billy and I normally do a shaker switch when things are going poorly).  We were convinced that it was the game changing play.  Ok, probably not but we'll keep thinking it.

Auburn Grads
(not sure what's on the lense...snow?)

All in all, it was a great Thanksgiving weekend!  Hope yours was as well!

Phoenix



Just before the race began.  Our Valvoline client
and our Teacher of the Year.



So, what have I been doing this past week?  Let me share some pictures with you.  While I don't enjoy watching the car laps, I found the behind the scenes of NASCAR to be much more interesting.

The whole purpose of going out to Phoenix was to award a teacher who is involved with our Valvoline program as the Valvoline/ASE Teacher of the Year.  There was an award ceremony Wednesday night, but we flew the teacher and his wife out early to treat them to the race. 








Pit Stop for Matt Kenseth
#17 Valvoline car



Carl Edwards, who won, is on the Roush-Fenway team.  Valvoline is a sponsor of Roush-Fenway, so we were able to go down into Victory Lane.  It was certainly a zoo, but really interesting to be apart of. 



Gatorade Victory Lane
at Phoenix International Raceway

















Carl Edwards in Victory Lane



They are quite organized in Victory Lane with their pictures.  When they first got in there, all the crew members and Carl threw feathers because their sponsor was AFLAC.  (If you look at the confetti sticking to the walls, they were actually baby hammers and wrenches.  Something that I would have never known if I wasn't there.)  And then for the next few minutes someone yells a sponsor and they all switch their hats, hold up a #1 with their finger and smile.  We actually did get to take a picture with Carl, but the official photographer took those.   

My boss and I in front of the trophy

The highlight of my trip was going to Chino Bandido.  I absolutely love Diners, Drive Ins and Dives on Food Network-so while we were there we decided to look up a place to try.  Certainly a dive, but oh so good.  I got the carnitas, jade red chicken, jerk fried rice and refried beans.  I wish I took a picture of it, but I dove right in as soon as it got in front of me!   

I'm a slacker, what can I say?

So remember in my last post I said how work is really crazy right now-yeah that would be why I haven't posted in awhile.  It's been so hectic that there are many days I don't even get on Facebook-not even for a second.  Shocking, I know!  So let me fill you in on what's been going on in our lives over the next few posts.


Halloween weekend Robert and I did a road trip with his parents to the Ole Miss Game.  This picture (take with Emily's fabulous camera) is the ONLY picture that was taken all weekend.  Actually, no that is not true.  It's the only one I care to share.  Let me begin...


The car ride starts off wonderfully, we hit to road at AIS (*ss in seat-a term commonly used in the Dougherty household) and make great time.  I was actually a bit nervous because this was going to be the first trip that it was just Robert and I and his parents- usually Robert's siblings are with us.  So, we're just outside of Birmingham when I decide to show Robert's dad the "hide ya kids, hide ya wife" video on my iPhone.  Apparently the last video that I was watching on there is the Natalie Portman sketch from SNL.  (If you aren't familiar with this video, just Google "Natalie Portman, SNL" I don't take responsibly for the horrible language).  Yeah, so that disclaimer I just gave you...I click on the youtube app and that comes up BLARRING.  I am telling you, I could not have gotten the video to start where it did had I planned it.  Let's just say some lovely words were said and I was called out for horrible language and my poor selection of "music."  Well shoot...good thing I'm already married into the family!!


We get into Oxford Friday afternoon and drive around campus for a little bit before heading to the square to get some dinner.  It was only about 5 when we got to the square so we decide to take a quick look around and then head to Ajax for dinner.  When we started our loop around, Ajax was empty.  By the time we made it back around 30 mins later, there was a good 30 min wait.  But I'm so glad we waited, because the food was delicious!  We're still talking about it weeks later!  After that we head to our lodging for the weekend-a cabin at a state park 30 minutes east of Oxford.


The cabin was actually great.  Sadly it had a nicer TV than Robert and I own, and had cable.  It was on a point of a lake, so the view was spectacular and the park was actually really nice.  We decide to call it a night early since we would have a long day of tailgating the next day.  Oh the next day...  I had noticed while getting ready for bed that the toilet was flushing slowly and a plunger was next to the toilet, and I thought in my head that it probably wasn't a good sign.  So Saturday morning roles around and I'm the 2nd person to get in the shower.  I notice that the toilet is now not flushing at all but I jump in the shower and decide to give it some time and deal with it after.  Well I get the plunger and start plunging, and plunging, and plunging.  It. wasn't. working.  So I go get Robert and see if he has any ideas.  His idea...for me to keep plunging while he takes a picture.  And then to get another one when his dad tries.  Yes, those were the only 2 pictures we actually took that weekend.  We ended up getting it fixed, but certainly wasn't the way we expected to start our morning!


Those would be the highlights of the weekend...it really was a lot of fun, and of course always better when Auburn wins!


Tomorrow I hop on a plane to Phoenix right at the beginning of the AU vs. UGA game.  I have to go out there for work and will be attending yet another NASCAR race (I never thought I would be able to say I've been to 3 different races...Bristol, 'Dega, and Phoenix).  We're hoping to go to atleast one Diner, Drive-in, and Dive location so I should have some good stories soon!  Maybe I won't wait a month to post again...