Sun Bowl

We were so busy having fun with the Kents that we didn't go with everyone else in my family to El Paso on the 26th, so we went on the later plane on the 29th.  We were "lucky" enough to fly with the band and the cheer and dance teams. The noise level was worse than having 20 toddlers on the flight, but somehow we made it through it. (I had to deny to Dawson that I ever acted like that when I was a cheerleader.  He doesn't believe me).

We arrived  in sunny El Paso and since there was no time to waste, we got ready for the FIESTA.  Oh boy was it a fiesta.  Free tequila shots for all!  And shot glass necklaces.  The food was very authentic, and my evil husband almost tricked me into eating pig intestine.  Lucky for me some kind soul saved me from that fate in the nick of time.  So then I let Dawson eat the rum soaked tres leches.

The next day we went to the Sun Bowl banquet, went on a hike with Uncle Freddie, hit up the pep rally and stole mini corn dogs from the kids table, went to Mission Impossible 4, and took the hotties Ashley and Brittany hot tubbing with the football players.

When were driving to our hike, we realized that the freeway was pretty much the border - look to your left and you saw El Paso, look to your right and you saw Juarez, Mexico (possibly the most dangerous city in the world).  Dawson wanted to go into Juarez, but I wanted to NOT get shot that day so I vetoed that idea.

Then it was GAME DAY!  After tailgating, my stomach was in knots.  After the interception and being down two touchdowns I was almost in tears and said I wouldn't watch the rest of the game.  Then Dawson yelled at me for being such a Negative Nancy.  So I started putting all kinds of positive vibes out in the air and lo and behold....

That's right.  You betcha the Utes had the comeback victory in them.  Overtime, and Juan Blanco Quatro scored the winning touchdown.  

 And what's even better, we got home to Utah in time to celebrate the win AND New Year's.  It was a great end to 2011, which was quite possibly the best year of my life thus far.