Part I - FSU v UF Game: VICTORY for the Good Guys

Where oh where should I begin? Unless you live under a rock, or merely watch ESPN and their lack of FSU footage (due to being run by uf communication's interns), you may have heard a little something about the FSU v UF game...

This post will be about our gameday experience like my previous posts. Mark has agreed to write the second part of this and give his reaction to the win...so stay tuned.

This past weekend began on Friday afternoon when we rolled into Tallahassee with Matthew and, little sister, Kendall Davenport. We headed to the Ale House for some game watching and beers followed by Ken's Tavern on the Tennessee St. strip. We stayed there as our friends arrived to kick off the amazing weekend that was about to ensue.

Mark and I stayed in a hotel across the street from the bar scene so that "stumbling distance" was possible for this weekend- which was a nice for a typical night at Ken's.

Early Saturday morning I woke up to Mark telling me, as always, that it is gameday (like I don't already know this?) and already heading out to grab us breakfast. My instructions: to be ready when he gets back.
When he does, it is time to kick off the tailgating. I'd say it was roughly 40 degrees that morning but was going to turn into WONDERFUL football weather. We started off as usual, the ladies drinking their mimosas and listening to the fight songs which circulatied through the campus speakers. Glorious.

Our tailgate was like the many of this season except for our new addition of the Roche's deep fryer. Mark had purchased some gator meat for this game, so our lovely friends; Jared and Jacki Roche kindly brought their deep fryer to cook it up just right. Alligator, chicken and hush puppies were the main food attraction.


yum





The men who make it happen every gameday.



Jared Roche frying up some goodness.


This tailgate was one that was looked forward to all season, yet easily awaited for being as it would be our last home game tailgate. Playing corn hole, listening to oldies but goodies, visiting with friends coming by our tailgate to say hello, and of course the usual - busting out the Dougie.



Erika Roche teaching her "hubby" - Matthew Davenport her dougie moves.

 And then came time for gator scalping.....

We headed to our booster seats, fearing that since it was a sold out game, we couldn't move to our "go to" seats and stand/yell the whole game; rather sit and politely clap with the other boosters. Luckily, no one was in the sitting mood. I cannot even begin to explain the energy that radiated through Doak Campbell Stadium. I do not remember the cheering dying down...ever, nor any one in that stadium sitting down. FSU supplied the fans with garnet and gold pom poms and "GO FSU" posters. If I can say one thing, it is that the pom poms were an amazing addition to the chop. The chop is exciting enough to see all in unison but adding on all the streamers throughout the entire stadium was a great view.

And if I can reiterate anything it would be that I was very impressed with the intensity on behalf of the Seminole fans. We were so loud that the gator players were literally waving their arms as if saying "WHAT DO I DO?!?!" They couldn't hear each other at all. Calling and having to use their time outs while we just did what our players instructed us to do: GET LOUD. I love when our players jump up and down and tell us to get louder and louder because well, we listen. So as cheering got louder and only intensifying the whole game, the score got sexier, and I started to realize we were not only winning - we were dominating.

Now for the best part, as the gators headed for hills, the NOLES stayed and celebrated our New Era. "Gator-3rd world country- nation" met Jimbo-Nation in those hours. It felt great to watch our players run out and take in the Seminole fans' gratitude for their hard work and commitment to the program.
As the coaches and players ran out onto the field, the fireworks started and I was one happy girl.

final score

After the game, we stuck around and took it all in. Some pictures were taken, hugs and high fives, and buying up final score posters that were made minutes beforehand.

Then it was time to head back to our booster tailgate spot to eat and drink some more...for celebratory tailgate time.

Mark will be making a guest posting appearance later on this week when his crazy work schedule wraps up for the those who enjoy facts, numbers, and his perspective on the whole thing. Plus, he's a much better writer than I am, so I look forward to reading too!

Go Noles

31-7

Catered, Cornhole, Clemson = 11.13.10 FSU GAMEDAY

These blogs are becoming centered around football, but let's face it...that's what Mark and I do every weekend this season. Almost over :-/

Well, this past weekend we drove up to Tallahassee on Friday evening. On Saturday morning we do did what we normally do and turn on College GameDay on ESPN, pour the mimosas and bloody mary's, and eat some breakfast. After getting ready we headed to Kappa Sigma in Heritage Grove for some pre- tailgate time. We listened to some music, they played some games in the yard, and I gave them my burger recipe...

                                            Getting their the liquor luge delivered
                               

After hanging out with KSig, we headed to our tailgate spot on campus. This gameday we decided to have the food brought in. MUCH EASIER and MUCH BETTER. Pulled pork, smoked Gouda mac and cheese,  the other bbq foods and desserts were DELISH. I couldn't stay away from the Gouda mac and cheese shells...

The game was scheduled for 8:00pm this time which was great. It gave us plenty of time to eat, play cornhole/ tossing around the football, and time to enjoy Mark's gameday play list that he strategically set up, ha.
                                 
                
    Playing the Thunderstruck drinking game....drink until they say "thunderstruck" again!

 FSU v Clemson game time snuck up in no time and we were off to watch the game. After standing a huge shoulder to shoulder line to get into the stadium...we made it to our seats.

                                                                In line...

Actually, I should say our "go to" seats is where we always end up. Our purchased seats are a little harder to get obnoxious in because we are in the middle of other people and not all of our friends have their seats in our block. We walk up to the top of our section along the brick wall, have everyone meet there, and do not have to worry about blocking any one's view when we stand the whole time and scream who knows what... (Mark gets loud...)

                                                           A couple of us at our spot.


When the game started, it was off to a bad start. It was about 9 bad penalty calls against us and Mark was FUMING. From that point, I did not think this game was going to be a good one. We are used to refs making unfair calls against us. I mean Mark is now planning on dressing like Ron Cherry (ref's uniform and all) and throwing flags into the crowd all night for a game. Not that he refereed this game, but that is just his all time favorite AWFUL/BIASED referee.

                                               

                                       Jared Roche comforting Mark as they wait and watch
                                                  
ANYWAYS, this game continued being a stressful one. EJ Manuel did a great stepping in when Christian Ponder was out hurt with an elbow injury. We had to just stand and wait, hope the refs would referee fairly, tell the crowd to shut up when the "wave" started (it is bad luck and done at all the wrong times). We had a hurt player on the ground and the wave starts?!?! REALLY? I think slowly but surely the wave nonsense will come to an end. Back to cheering... we made noise until those final moments, 3 seconds to be exact, and quietly stood there (I was crouched nearly into a ball looking up) when Dustin Hopkins made his 55 yard field goal.

                                              
HOOOLLLLYYYY Celebrating! WE WENT NUTS. I cannot even begin to describe the energy in Doak Campbell Stadium when Hopkins made that. I can only speak for myself when I say that I am used to disappointment at final minutes, seconds in our games. I still and always will LOVE my NOLES, but always mentally prepare myself for heartache. When the field goal was good, I jumped up from my couched position and gave Mrs. Jacki Roche the hug of a lifetime. It was an amazing end to a game. Good for Dustin Hopkins, a kicker that was making 65 yard field goals in practice. He was ready and did a great job in those final ( NERVE WRACKING) moments.


                                        Brother & little sister, Matt and Kendall Davenport

                                    
                                     

                                          The Roches & The McGuires celebrating the win

                                     16-13 was the final score and that's a W for the NOLES!!!

After the celebrating ended, we headed back to the tailgate spot. We normally head back and spend about another hour (or more) eating, dancing, playing drinking games, and killing time before the traffic dies down. After doing the cupid shuffle, soldier boy, and every other dance on our play list, we headed out for some celebrating at the bars.

GREAT weekend, GREAT friends, GREAT game. GO NOLES.

Now onto Maryland and Florida...

Becoming Boosters

Well, as many of you are already aware...Mark and I became FSU Boosters the day after we moved back to Florida. The season tickets were the best investment we could have made. Wins or losses, we have been been having the most incredible time seeing our good friends every/everyother weekend in Tallahassee. We look forward to our tailgates (getting better every game) and sharing days and nights with our pals.


                          *This is our friend, Nancy, preparing an amazing breakfast at the tailgate*



From eggs Benedict to lobster tails, each of our friends bring their own additions to the tailgates...

We call this football season our "guinea pig season" because it is our first as season ticket holders. We are testing out what works and what will make the next tailgate even better. Mark and our friend, Matthew Davenport, are planning BIG things for next season's tailgates. From the grilling and cooking plans to the media equipment that will be purchased for game watching and music.
Can't wait to see what these two come up with...

Tallahassee visits have also been filled with dancing day and night :)

Mark likes to twirl me around when he's had a few...hah

Erika teaching Mike how to "dougie"

Late nights out after the games (Emily, Me, Erika, and Nancy)

I often agree with what Jackie Roche has said before and that is, "We will be homeless before we do not purchase FSU Season Tickets ever again..."

We have loved planning, attending the games, and having the ability to spend time with our friends who live all over the state of FL...and even our out of state pals who fly in.

We thank Jared Roche....

for sitting Mark down in front of his computer to show us which Booster level and which tickets to purchase on our first day back in FL. We look forward to every FSU Football Season with our pals.

xo

The McGuires

Tallahassee, Chicago, & back to South Florida....

Being a little under 4 months now that we have been living back in South Florida, Mark and I sometimes talk about how much we have discovered and learned about ourselves from living away from it. Starting in 2003 Mark headed up to Tallahassee where I soon followed in 2005. Then, on a late night in February 2009 I got a phone call from Mark asking if I would want to move in with him...in Chicago. His company wanted him up there to help out the Chicago branch and he couldn't decide. I told him that moving to Chicago would be something new and exciting for the both of us to do together, and that I would support his decision 100%.

Mark has always been one of the most hardworking people I know, and one of the reasons I have always admired him-even at a young age. If he would benefit from this move, then so be it...off to Chicago!
As many people know, Chicago was quite the experience for us. I always joke and say that I only liked Chicago on the weekends...and this is pretty much what I stand by! Looking back, my reasoning for this is that I am not much of  the city girl that I thought I would be. I never considered myself a "small time kind of gal" from the countryside just because I was from Florida. Fort Lauderdale and Miami are cities to me, but Chicago is another level of city. I myself didn't enjoy the jam packed train rides, long winters, no parking, and tickets for every violation under the sun! Although it was a lot of adjusting and downfalls throughout the week, Mark and I enjoyed the weekends there with our new friends... We would bar hop through Wrigleyville, had a wide range of places to eat/drink,  enjoyed concerts, and walks through the park down to the Lake. Many of these activities were enjoyed on weekends and in the warm weather - hence my ongoing joke about "only liking Chicago on the weekends." I also liked that the people of Chicago are very friendly. I made wonderful friends there that I miss and wish them well in their futures.

Chicago also holds a special place in our hearts because as much as we missed and wanted to go home at times, Mark and I really began to know each other on a new level there. Many ask if living away from home and attending the same college even gave us the opportunity to grow as individuals and do our own thing, and our answer to that is Yes, I was! Mark and I actually had very different experiences as FSU. He was extremely involved and busy with Kappa Sigma Fraternity and his job at Boater's World. First, as Kappa Sigma's VP and then following as their President, he was ALWAYS building or planning something. I on the other hand, was involved in campus organizations like the Student Government Association, a volunteer organization, and bartending at night. Mark and I did see eachother but it was often with a group of people and not so often as long as we would like.

Chicago was a time where the both of us were under one roof and planned according to one another's schedules. I can honestly say that Chicago took Mark and I to another level. We both loved the fact that we were in it together... Being hundreds of miles away from families, friends, the ocean, and FSU?! - we both realized that we still had eachother to plan and learn new things with.
Now that we have been back in South Florida for the last 3 1/2 months, we have gotten married and started planning what our future will hold. We owe a great thanks to Mark's company and the people of Chicago for giving us a new insight and chapter in our lives that we will both never forget.
Mark and I don't have any regrets and now know that things we do/ don't want in our life together.

For one, we couldn't be any happier right now.

We have our family, friends, ocean, and FSU back! We enjoy having the simple things back and weather we missed so much.
We also hope that the friends we have make similar moves at some point in their lives...whether to L.A., NYC, Chicago, over seas, or just anywhere really...
In our opinion, we are overjoyed to be back but it comes from knowing and experiencing something different and out of our comfort zone. You learn to appreciate the things you have so much more when you don't have them while also gaining new and exciting experiences elsewhere.
Have fun and safe travels friends!

FSU v BYU 9.18.10



This past weekend, Mark and I drove to Jacksonville and slept at Jared & Jacki Roche's home on Friday night. Not wasting any time, we made some cocktails and started making Mark's amazing Buffalo Chicken Dip. (I'll post the recipe at the bottom of the post)
The next day, we got up around 7am and were on the road by 8am...making one stop to subway to get quick breakfast sandwiches. Just as all four of us walked in, wearing our FSU gameday attire head to toe, we realized the guy behind the counter was wearing a gator's hat. He was not as amused as were were to say the least. It was a great way to start our day ;)
Three hours later, we arrived in Tallahassee. For me, it was the first time back since my graduation in May09. I couldn't wait to get out of the car.
Pulling into to our tailgating spot, running into familiar faces, and realizing that we had all season left, was a great feeling.

After getting to our seats in the stadium, Mark realized that we were sitting next to Eric Bowman's parents. Eric is a Kappa Sigma fraternity brother of Mark and Jared's. The game and company we were with was great. Long story short, FSU won the game 34-10 and we were exhausted.
That was our first home game as new season ticket holders, which means we are excited to have a bigger and better tailgate next week. Our next game is this Saturday in Tallahassee at 3:30pm against Wake Forrest.

The best part about being ticket holders is knowing that you don't have to be sad after the weekend is over because you get to go next weekend  and do it all  over again! Go Noles.
Good times and they have only just started.

BEST BUFFALO CHICKEN DIP

4-5 chicken breasts
2 packages of philly cream cheese
1 cup of choppped celery
1 cup of ranch
1 cup Frank's Red Hot sauce
1 package of shredded cheese ( can be cheddar or cheese blend)

Boil the chicken,
Shred chicken with a fork (it's hot be careful),
Place the shredded chicken and add cream cheese into a 12 inch skillet -  heat for 5 min -
Then add in ranch, red hot, & chopped celery
Cook another 10 min.
Then place all the ingredients into a 9x13 baking dish
Bake 25 min on 350 degrees
Remove from oven and sprinkle a generous amount of shredded cheese on top
Bake again for another 15 min
Serve with chips

From our tailgate to yours, hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

What Game Day means to us...

This weekend Mark and I will be making the drive to Tallahassee for OUR first home game of the 2010 FSU Football Season. We missed the first home game due to our wedding being later that day in South Florida. For me, it will be the first time I have been back since my graduation in May 2009. I CANNOT wait!!!

I feel like it was yesterday that Mark and I got engaged and a week later we were flying to Jacksonville to attend Bobby Bowden's last game as FSU's head coach. After that game, Jared Roche (Mark's best man and best friend) made sure to sit Mark down and make both he and I FSU Boosters and purchase our Season tickets. Not that that it took much convincing for Mark... ;)

We have been looking forward to the drive up with friends, tailgating at Doak Campbell Stadium ( now that we have our fancy parking passes for the stadium!), and watching our Seminoles play. There is nothing quite like the Fall season for us. For Mark and I, it means: the season we fell in love 13 years ago - 10/27/97, our rival high school football games, and now our college football games! We love the weather, the smell in the air, and the energy that school spirit brings.

St. Thomas Aquinas HS (my high school) playing Cardinal Gibbons HS (Mark's high school)

Doak Campbell Stadium is like our cathedral. I know it sounds crazy, and it may very well be... but when we drive by and see Bobby Bowden's stained glass window watching over, it makes us very proud to call it Home. We have so many memories with friends in the days of preparing game day dishes, assembling game day wardrobes, painting each other's faces, waking up to the FSU Warchant blaring through the house on game day, making the "walk over" to the stadium all together while screaming FSU chants, and knowing that rain or shine you WILL stand the entire game cheering the Noles on...

This Friday evening at 6pm we will begin the drive up, stopping in Jacksonville for the night and finishing the drive over with Jared and Jacki Roche the following morning---and I mean MORNING. We will be those obnoxious people in Jared's F-250 blaring the Warchant.
Hope to see you there fellow Noles!!!!

In Seminole Spirit,
Christina McGuire

Vega-McGuire Wedding

Hi everyone!
I have decided to start a blog for our family and friends that we do not see on a regular basis due to distance and crazy schedules. I will try and post as much as possible to keep everyone up with how Mark and I are doing in our first year of marriage!  Please feel free to leave comments or shared advice/experience in whatever I write about. We would love to hear all about you as well...

To catch everyone up to speed, our wedding weekend started with the Rehearsal Dinner at Blue Moon Fish Co. in Fort Lauderdale. It was a great night where both families, along with the wedding party, were able to meet and spend some time toegther before the BIG DAY.

Me & Bridesmaids at the Rehearsal Dinner

The Groomsmen and Mark at the Rehearsal Dinner

  Wedding Day 

   Saturday  Sept. 4th, 2010

Saturday morning was unusually serene for me. I woke up at my mother's house around 8am, went a grabbed my cup of coffee and headed straight for the balcony. I sat there and basically told myself that this day would go by faster than most and to enjoy and take in each minute...said a little prayer, and went inside for some breakfast that my mother had prepared for me. After I took a shower, packed Michelle Jones', a bridesmaid of mine, SUV with my dress, luggage, champagne, and gifts to be placed in the hotel room later; Mom and I headed to the salon to get our hair done and meet up with Ali Venezia, my Maid of Honor. Salon100 was my very first employer. I was a receptionist for the salon when I turned 16. Being there with familiar faces was something that made me enjoy the morning without nerves...After hair, we went to lunch and later to Neiman Marcus for makeup at Chanel. Mara did our make up and did a great job at that! After make up, we headed to Bahia Mar and started getting dressed for family pictures. The bridemaids met me in the room, where I gave them their gifts which included their matching JCrew necklaces to go with their JCrew dresses, a bottle of wine, a stemless wine glass, and matching bracelets. The bracelets are antique jewelry that was given to me, along with hundreds of pieces, by my grandmother. She has collected them throughout the years, and so I told the girls about this and asked them to keep them close as I do with my grandmother. I wanted all of the important ladies in my life to be linked with a visual reminder. It was a special moment, even under the hurried circumstances of getting ready on time, and I will never forget it.
After this, we all headed down to the garden area where Mark saw me for the first time in my wedding dress! Both he and I became a bit teary-eyed int that moment. I had thought and waited for that moment for a very long time.

Aftter family pictures were taken, I boarded the Floridian Princess and went straight to the bridal suite with my bridesmaids and mother. The time in the bridal suite was a good time as we toasted to champagne, took some fun pictures, and said a few special words to eachother.

Then  Lauren Talchik, the owner of Charter One Florida & event planner, came down to tell the girls it was TIME. As the girls headed upstairs to the top level of the yacht, my father came down to bring me to the elevator. In those moments my dad and I were arm in arm and both very excited, not believing that it was finally happening, and smiling at eachother from ear to ear. I grew up very close and raised mostly by mother...in that moment, I was so unbelievely calm knowing that " my daddy" was right there with me. As the doors opened, we tightened up our grip and made that special walk together.
Mark was waiting at the end of that aisle with a smile, took my hands, we said our vows, and celebrated our first moments as Mr & Mrs McGuire.
The reception followed immediately after where we danced to our very first song, "I Do (Cherish You)" by Mark Wills.  Mark dedicated this song when we first started dating...it meant so much to us to dance to THAT song followed by another of our songs, "Amazed" by Lonestar. I then danced with my father to "The Way You Look Tonight" & then with my grandfather to the song "Nina a Mujer." I could not stop crying when I danced with my grandfather. He sang the entire song to me as we danced just as he did when I was a little girl. Those three dances were my favorite moments of our wedding...

Dancing, cake cutting, speeches, dinner, and garter and bouquet tossing happened, but the unforgettable moments to me were those unseen in months leading up to that day. Mark, both our mothers, family and closest friends were such a help and made our engagement so enjoyable. I never stressed or worried because I always felt that I was in good hands. Mark and I have come a long way, and nothing was going to be worth anything other than happy times.
- Christina