The winning-est couple

This weekend marks a first in couple-dom. Lizzie and I both made playoffs in the 3rd ever Official Hula Ball Championship Tournament. Hosted at Hanby-the-Younger house, the Hula Ball tournament attracts competitors from all over the Gulf Coast region. We had a good turnout this season, and with 2 courts running full time during the round robin pool play, more Hula Ball was packed into a single day than ever before.

Some of you may not know what Hula Ball is. For that, I am sorry. Perhaps an intro video would serve you well here. Alas, one does not exist. I'll write a letter to the commissioner(s). For now, this explanation will have to suffice. Think about a bean bag toss at your 6th birthday party. You take the handheld bean bag, throw it at a piece of plywood with a clown painted on it and holes cut in his eyes and mouth, and the object is to get the bean bag in the hole. Now, replace the bean bags with a football. Set the clown face on fire. Put a hula hoop on the smoldering ashes. Put another one 25 feet away. Get a friend and a drink. That's Hula Ball.

It's significantly more sophisticated than that, but I don't know that I could explain it without some form of visual diagram. And it's too late for me to open Visio or Powerpoint for this post.

Suffice to say, Lizzie and I both made the playoffs. This is a first not only for the female gender, but also for a couple to enter the playoffs is unheard of. I'm proud of you, Lizzie. (Nevermind that she beat me last season and was much closer to being in playoffs than I was -- these are but mere details)

Thanks go to Jeff and Erin for hosting the event. Also for surprising us with these awesome engagement cupcakes! They were white chocolate macadamia and chocolate deluxe. We thoroughly enjoyed them and everyone's company at the tournament. Sadly, I lost in the final round, but at least I could drown my sorrows in sugary goodness.

Switching gears (but in a similar vein), we'd like to throw out some more public gratitude. Special thanks go to both Ashley and Andrew for their very thoughtful engagement card. Apparently, Ashley had planned to give us the card together, but she got too excited and gave it to Lizzie. Lizzie somehow managed to wait to open it together with me. Ashley has told us that Andrew is excited because this engagement marks one step closer to Andrew and I becoming brothers. I couldn't agree more.

Thanks is also due to Brooke for what arrived in my mailbox on Saturday. For the last 2 years, I've run the Goofy Race and a Half Challenge at Disney. Both times, Lizzie couldn't make it with me due to scheduling conflicts, and both times, Brooke managed to take some time to come out and show some support (thanks, Brooke!). I do like that the artist renditions of height proportions are ridiculously accurate. I'm also tempted to wear the buttons to work one day if only to get reactions out of coworkers. Incidentally, my boss is going to be leaving for Disney this week. Well played, Brooke!