day three: fantasy football

if you're paying attention, you'll notice that i've skipped two days. it happens. the weekends are hard.

my favorite part of football season.
fantasy football.

i'm even afraid to type this out right now because it might jinx me. but i have a really good fantasy team this year.

for those of you rolling your eyes over these two words, promise me you'll read this whole post. because i promise you. if you gave fantasy football a chance. you'd love it.

i get that it comes off like that annoying thing someone you know does. maybe they spend way too much time during the week "setting their line up". or come sunday morning, have a panic attack because their "starting running back is officially not playing". it also might be the reason why they're attached to the tv sunday from 1pm to almost midnight. and let us not forget about thursday night and monday night.

for those of us with teams that may or may not want to make us enter a psych ward after each week (but really, GO BROWNS), fantasy football may be our way of cooping with a not so good team.

because here's the whole point to fantasy football:
you get to pick your team.

and here's how it works.

every year ten (or so) friends get together and decided to make a league. there's a commissioner, just like in the nfl. except, the commissioner of the fantasy league isn't a butt head like this guy.
everyone gets their own team, and needs to come up with a catchy name. because no one. and i repeat, no one. likes a boring fantasy football name.
and here's a suggestion. make it something everyone gets. inside jokes with yourself don't translate well.

there's a draft. in which, just like the nfl. you get to pick players to be on your team.
not every fantasy team is set up the same. some play with two quarter backs, some play with just one. some only have you play with an offense (running backs, wide receivers) some, have you play with an offense and a defense.

generally speaking, here's what a fantasy team looks like:

(that third WR position is a flex position. meaning, you can have either a WR or RB or TE)

also. no this is not my fantasy team.

here are five tips for fantasy football:

#1. pay attention to bye weeks (the week they don't play). if you've got a qb and wr on the same team, you're in trouble for their bye week

#2. get on the waver wire's monday (the waver wire is where all the players who didn't get drafted hang out for you to pick up during the season)

#3. give people a chance. don't drop someone after one bad week. check their stats. see what's up next for them. 

#4. SET YOUR LINE UP. nothing gives away a newbie or someone who isn't into the league more than a line up not set.

#5. do some research before the draft to know who to pick. or. maybe just pick them based on looks because i kid you not, i know someone who did it, and is actually doing well in their league. 

and by now, who's on my fantasy football team. 

take note. i don't play in a "normal" fantasy league. on top of an offense, we play with a defense. a kicker, the whole defense. and also. two quarter backs. it's intense. but it's awesome. 

h. smith Min-S                6.10                10.50

the numbers in blue to the right are the actual points they scored me.

this was my week this week in fantasy.

if you've never joined a league. get on it next season. it's fun. and also. 

most importantly about a fantasy football league. 

bragging rights. 

the ability, for the entire off season to tout off about how awesome your team was. the ability to remind everyone that you kicked their butt. 

the ability to be the champion. 

here's to fantasy football. 

day two: two players to know

every friday, we'll be going over two players to know. some will be current players in the nfl, some will be college players, some will be the best of the best that are obviously retired. 

i could talk about tom brady, or peyton manning, or drew brees. but i think every one knows about them already. yea? 

good. 

if you're lost. their quarter backs. google it. 

so today, i picked two players (which may or may not be the leading scorers on my fantasy football team) that i think are playing pretty well this season. 

and may or may not be totally terrible to look at. 

say hello to jordy nelson. 

his name is jordy and he's adorable. 

team: green bay packers

position: wide receiver 

college: kansas state

number: 87

ok enough with being a total girl.

why i'm loving him: 

he's got three touchdowns so far and almost 500 yards 

thirty plus catches on the season, one of which was for 80 yards

he's putting up some hefty numbers on my fantasy team 

next. 

alfred morris.

(this is his touchdown swing)

team: washington redskins

position: running back 

college: florida atlantic

number: 46

why i'm loving him:

he's had over seventy rushes for 300 yards

he is quick

when he scores a touchdown he swings his arms like it's a bat

tomorrow we're talking about fantasy football. my fav, your fav. everyone's fav. or maybe you have no idea what it's about and you're annoyed that it's all your guys friends can talk about. well come back tomorrow friend, and we'll get through it together. 

day one: three rules to know

i feel like before we go any further. i should start with the basics of the game.

there are two teams. 

there are eleven men on the field for each team (eleven positions).

there's a coin toss to see who gets the ball first. 

the loser of the coin toss kicks the ball to the other team. 

that team gets to try and work their way down the field and score.

once they score, or turn the ball over (fumble, interception) it's the other teams turn. 

are we all on the same page?

so today, and every thursday for the rest of the month, we'll be going over three rules to football.

#1. there are four 15 minute quarters in a game

-there is a half time in between the second and third quarter

#2. there are 100 yards on a football field

-the white lines on the field indicate every 10 yards

#3. each team tries to move the ball down the field gaining downs

-a down is reached every 10 yards

-there are four chances to get a 1st down 

-3rd and 1 means third down, and 1 yard to go to the first down 

for those of you new to the game, i get that this can be a bit tricky. but google it. watch a game. you'll get the hang of it.
and fellow football players. stick with me here. we'll get into the game more soon.

31 days of football

since i started this blog i've done a terrible job of blogging. once, maybe twice a week. and so i figured. to get back on this horse i've been chasing, i'll start with the 31 days of blogging with the nester.

if you've never done this before. it's quite simple. and really fun. 

you pick a topic, and blog about it for 31 days (the whole month of october). 

you can pick any topic. 

really. 

ok maybe not any topic. but one that's appropriate to talk about for 31 days. 

i've done it before, and it's a really great way to get writing every day. 

because hello. i was an english major. let's not forget that. 

i knew i wanted to join in this year but just couldn't find a topic that yelled, "pick me! pick me!"

and so, as i sat watching football this sunday. it was like a lightbulb went off. 

welcome to, 31 days of football. 

i'm pretty pumped about this. 

here's somethings you should know going into this.

#1. i am from cleveland, ohio. so all my references may or may not have to do with either a) the cleveland browns or b) the ohio state buckeyes

#2. meaning, i don't ever combine the colors yellow and black or blue and yellow (if you don't get this reference you will later on)

#3. i'm no expert on football, but my daddy has taught me a lot

during the next 31 days, we'll go over everything from rules, to coaches, to players, to the draft, to how i really feel about cheerleaders in the nfl.

if you're a football lover like me, you'll appreciate the days when i talk about players, and stats, and fantasy football. 

if you've never watched the game and only think football is that barbaric game when men hit each other, you'll appreciate the rules day. and hopefully by the end of these 31 days will be the newest browns and buckeye fan. 

or your team of choice, but a girl can dream.

so! here's to 31 days of football. 

yes, that's duke. in a buckeye jersey.

say a little prayer for me

i don't think i'm great at prayer.

it's one of those things growing up that wasn't really talked about.
you knew the Lord's prayer. and the bed time prayer.
and that was it.

prayer, was just that nice thing you told people you'd do for them. it might have been the thing you did when you reaaaally needed something from God.

it certainly wasn't a daily activity.
it wasn't a conversation with God.
it wasn't a time to believe in HIS name that things would happen.

i don't think i'm great at prayer because i'm just figuring out what it really is.

it's all those things i thought it wasn't.
it's quiet time.
seriously quiet time, with zero distractions.
it's coming to God with everything. the big things. the little things.
it's talking to God. it's expecting from God. it's listening to God.

i've had some serious prayers answered lately. big ones. and even little ones. but answered. in a mighty way.
and i'm always blown away.
which is how i always want to be.

i also don't ever want to pray and just know that God will do it.
i expect God to answer my prayers, but i also know that sometimes He'll do it when, and how He wants to do it. which may not be when or how i had asked for.

sometimes i get intimidated by women when i hear or read about their serious encounters with the Lord during prayer time. because i immediately think i'm doing it wrong.

which is the thought process that has to stop.

because here's what Jesus says about prayer:

"and when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others.

truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. but when you pray, 

go into your room, close the door, and pray to your Father, who is unseen. 

then your Father who sees what is done in secret, 

will reward you. 

and when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need

before you ask Him." matthew 6: 5-8

quiet. alone. just me and God.
check, and check.

i started about a year ago getting up and reading the Word in the morning and praying. some days i miss it. mostly the weekends. but i'm a work in progress. some days, it's an hour. other days, it's ten minutes.
the biggest thing, is that we have to stop thinking there's a right and a wrong way to do this.

your head and your heart have to open to the Lord.
that's how this all works.

i'm refusing to keep thinking that there's a right way and a wrong way. as long as i stick to His words. i'm good. there may be some tried and true formulas people have. but those might not work for me.

God works for me.
mornings work for me.
being honest works for me.

whatever your time of day is.
whatever your method might be (mines writing btw. if i don't write my prayers out, my brain goes from asking God for healing, to who i think will with the amazing race in 5 seconds).
whatever works for you.
do it.

via.

mean girls

here's the thing.

no one likes a mean girl. 

(unless we're talking about the movie which has, in my opinion, some of the best one liners. is butter a carb?)

but in real life?

no one likes a mean girl.

the older i get, the more i realize that no matter what age you are. there will always be the mean girl. and i hate it.

i hate it so much because there's this better alternative.
being nice.

i think the internet has a big role to play here.
we're a generation used to typing away our thoughts (good or bad) and hitting send.
whether it's a keyboard, or a cell phone, we tend to hide behind that screen.

and i just can't help but wonder why?

i've encountered one of these mean girls, and just recently. and everything said and done just reminded me of high school. all. over. again.

and it hurt.

the words said hurt my feelings. they weren't necessary. and they didn't have any weight, other than to tear me down.

so let's try something new. let's be kind humans. instead of expressing our opinion in an "i'm better than you" attitude, let's just be nice.

because when you're nice. people remember you.
but when you're mean. people really, really, really remember you.

proverbs 16:24

hello september

is it just me or is it crazy pants to anyone else that it's SEPTEMBER?

one of the greatest months of the year because football starts.

go browns. 

and with a new month, comes new goals. 

because i love goals. even when i don't stick to them. 

#1. book a wedding

i have some seriously wonderful brides inquiring with me. 

#2. find a church

we haven't found a church in orlando yet. such a big decision to make. 

#3. loose 5 pounds

remember when i wrote about loving all the food and not caring about what i look like. i lied. 

#4. read through Jeremiah

for some reason this book has been on my brain lately.

a short list. but a list of goals. i'm excited for september because there's so much newness going on. summer is on the way out, ok well not totally in florida. but fall is here. and that makes me happy. 

here's to a great september.