You Guys! THANK YOU for the love yesterday! I appreciate you so very much! By the way, I didn’t even realize how small and hard to see that font was! The way I was viewing it, it looked so very different. Those of you who commented it was hard to read-THANK YOU! I appreciate you and think I figured out what I was doing wrong! Rookie mistake, literally! ha!
If you follow along via Instagram then you probably saw what adventures we had over Christmas but I have a little more back story and details of the trip to share. Then I’ll be officially ALL CAUGHT UP and I’ve got a fun line up of topics thanks to your responses from my quiz in December.
Let’s rewind back to November when Tab got his schedule for Christmas weekend. We knew the odds were Tab would have to leave on Christmas Day for a football game on Sunday, the 26th. When I say we went back and forth about what we’d do, I really mean it. The planner in me struggles with waiting until the month before to book everything needed for a getaway but that’s the way this works. So, we got the Cincinnati assignment, booked flights for the whole crew, and decided we’d make it a family affair. Just thinking about Tab leaving early in the day on Christmas and the rest of us just hanging at home felt all kinds of wrong. Apparently this is our new tradition should Tab be gone on Christmas.
Cincinnati in December can be mild or FREEZING cold and thank goodness, the weather could not have been better! We arrived on Christmas evening just in time for dinner. The kids and I had Christmas dinner in the hotel restaurant while Tab was in meetings. And the next day we got GAME DAY ready!
Have I mentioned the weather? Because it seriously deserves another shout out. I’d gifted everyone new winter gear thinking we’d need to be wearing it while we attended the game, but there were moments I was seriously concerned we’d all have a sunburn. ha!
Our hotel was right downtown in the heart of Cincinnati and was just a quick walk to the stadium. We arrived early, grabbed our seats, and that’s when a Raven’s player MADE OUR DAY! He was stretching and kind of warming up. Then he began throwing the all in the stands all around the end zone. From young kids to older gentlemen, it didn’t matter who he threw it to, they’d light up. I wanted to thank him for taking time out of his day to make everyone feel so special and I also wanted to call his mom to tell her how proud she should be. Nowadays, I often think about the moms. We’re all doing our best and probably to hear a “job well done” would really make her day.
This was right before I realized we’d never make it an entire game with this sun so I offered up a Bengals’ hat to each kid!
Unfortunately for Britty, they were sold out of kids’ hats so they were all way too big.
Nixon didn’t want to miss any thing so he grabbed the first hat he spotted to shade his views and the rest of our group made our way into the team store.
Where Bowen talked me into this jersey. His love for Burrow runs deep {remember his LSU days} so he was stoked. And thankfully he found one on sale because I wasn’t going to easily be convinced. Win-win for us both!
One of you recommended this German restaurant right across the river on the Kentucky side of town. And I’m so glad you did! The wait was a tad long on game day, but it was totally worth the wait! We had the best German food…schnitzel, sauerkraut, pretzels, and beer cheese fries. Oh, yes, we did. I’d highly recommend this spot if you visit Cincinnati!
The next morning we got up and drove to Louisville to visit the Louisville Slugger Museum.
Notice my face…that’s a whole blog post in itself. Basically for two weeks of Christmas break I thought I was using a gentle face wash but I actually using a super strong acid involved face wash. My face got insanely dried out, swelled up and the entire time I thought it was allergies because remember “gentle face wash”. Insert the face plant emoji for me a couple times as you read because it’s well deserved. Anyway, face was a mess so I stayed out of pictures as much as possible. {I don’t know why but in that football game selfie it doesn’t look so bad.} It’s been ten days since I figured it out and quit using the face wash and my forehead is still really peeling and dry. What a mess! Tip for the day-read all the labels even when you start using a product you’ve years ago.
Nixon, Bowen, and me have all done reports on Jackie Robinson in school.
Some major league players have visited the factory to choose their own wood to use for their bats.
Super cool thing to see!
Tab walked around with my phone and it’d shock you how many pictures he took of the process.
Girlies in the dug out.
A League of Their Own has been my favorite movie since I was like 12.
We checked out the Louisville campus and then had tickets to see….
An American Underdog…the movie about Kurt Warner’s life. I’m a Missouri girl who grew up at small school without football and when asked about my football knowledge or to name football players back in the day…well, the only thing I would have been able to say was, “Kurt Warner plays for the St. Louis Rams”. That’s it.
I’ve come a long way. hahaha!
But the movie was SO GOOD! You should take your family, take your people and go watch!
After the movie, I said that we HAD to try some Cincinnati Chili. We’d asked for recommendations and heard Skyline Chili was a good one {if you’re a local and have better suggestions, please share for next time}. We’d seen a Skyline in Louisville so we tried for ourselves! Since we’ve been home we already tried to recreate it ourselves.
Cincinnati, you were so good to us! Thank you for such a great Christmas 2021.
And thanks for being patient with the blog stuff…if you see something else or notice something that needs some assistance, please let me know
XO
What a fun trip with so many memories! Thank you for sharing!
http://www.elspethsdaybyday.com
Thanks, Elspeth!
Awwwwwww!!! The perfect new Slaughter family tradition! I just loved this so much! I am so thankful for sunny skies and mild weather too. You guys looked like you had the BEST time!
AGREE!! The perfect new Slaughter tradition!
Looks like a fun trip and a unique way to start new Christmas traditions. Love the new blog and it’s so much easier to comment. Go you girl!! 🙌🏻☺️
Yay!! It’s so much easier for me to reply too! Thank you, Toni!
Help! I’ve stopped receiving your emails. I checked my junk folder …nope. I haven’t gotten an email from your blog since mid-December. I don’t see how to re-subscribe
Hi Tina! Well, it’s probably because I haven’t blogged since mid-December. That system is turned off right now so you won’t be getting them for a bit. I’m blogging Tuesday-Friday this year so please check back those days! But, we’re working on adding the e-mail reminders back. It was too complicated to do it all when we updated but it’ll be back soon! Thanks for letting me know!
Thanks Erika! I love following along with your adorable family. I hope the emails come back soon!
I love this so much!! We are Packers fans so on Oct 10 we traveled from Indy to Cincy to see the Pack/Bengals and it was the hottest day of my life at 83 degrees direct sun!! It was my first outdoor NFL game and I did not think we would survive. I guess I’ll get my cold if I ever make it to Lambeau, LOL! So glad you had a great time in my neck of the woods. 🙂
Hahahaha! Were we sitting in the EXACT same seats? My kids burn so easily I kept thinking-they’re going to be PEELING! Thank goodness for a shop with hats!
What a fun trip and such a great tradition!
Thanks, Sheaffer!
Love seeing all the pics of Cincinnati – I’m only 30 min. from there. Skyline Chili is the BEST! Some may try to say Gold Star Chili, but they’re wrong-ha! Glad to be reading your blog again – you were missed.
Is Gold Star Chili at the Cincinnati airport? If so, Tab had a bit there {I think it was Gold Star} and he voted Gold Star. Womp Womp! But…1. what does he know? 2. Overall I definitely heard Skyline more than Gold Star. Thanks for your comment!
Louisville KY was a fun trip for us as well.
Did you get the little bat at the slugger museum?
YES!!
What a fabulous new tradition! And the spontaneity makes it like a surprise for everyone- as parents we rarely get to be surprised, so maybe that will be a treat for you guys, too:-) Love the new look of your blog, and glad to see you back from the holidays. (Is the font still a little small, or is it me? It could totally be me… I am thinking maybe I need new glasses, but wanted to ask in case others think the same!)
That’s such a great way to look at it! And it’s almost that time for all us! Let me see if we can enlarge it just a bit. Thank you!!
Would you mind sharing the name of the German restaurant ? Looks like a great trip!
Of course! Hofbrauhaus, in Newport, Kentucky…I had to look it up! Super fun spot!
I love the new look over here! Welcome back!! We too, traveled on Christmas day and it was so fun! We celebrated early with church & presents on Christmas Eve and started a week long Disney vacation Christmas morning! It was fun to change things up… and the airport wasn’t busy at all!!
I’d also say that everyone we encountered on Christmas Day was in the best mood, had extra grace, and were so nice!! And THANK YOU!!
My husband lived in Cincinnati for a short time after college (30 years ago) and is still OBSESSED with Skyline Chili. We went up to Ohio a few years ago for a quick work trip and in 3 days we ate there 4 times. It’s not my favorite but he loves it. We have a couple in Florida now so anytime we get within a 50 mile radius he has to make a detour. Some grocery stores carry it in their freezer section.
Cute pics!!! Looks like a great new tradition to me!!
Who knew?! We’ll have to be on the look out should we see one on any other travels! Thanks for sharing!
Just FYI…they sell Skyline Chili at the grocery store! I get it in the frozen department, but they sell cans too!
How cool is that?! Thanks for sharing!
Love this post, and love the new blog layout!
I’m from STL, and Kurt Warner is the best!
I still remember the image of him kissing his wife after the Super Bowl win!!
I’ve followed your blog for years now, so cool to see your family in my home area (we live in Frankfort, KY the capital city!) Its a beautiful state, if you ever get the chance to come back and see more of it you won’t be disappointed! So glad you all had a wonderful trip!
Hi Lindsay! It is a beautiful state! I remember our principal in high school predicted what state we’d live in and mine predicted Kentucky for me. So clearly, we go well together. Me and Kentucky that is. ha!
I saw on Instagram you all were in Cincy around Christmas, but had no idea you all drove down to Louisville! I’ve lived here in Louisville all my life! So glad you all got to experience a little of it. The best chili in Louisville is actually at a little dive called Check’s Cafe that’s been in business for over 60 years. You were less than 10 minutes from it.
STEPHANIE!! Now we have to go back to give it a shot! Thanks for sharing! I’ll be sure to keep it in mind!
I was the one who recommended the German restaurant and I was so happy to see that you loved it! Your trip sounds fab! I’m so glad you’re back to blogging. I read you, Shay, and Andrea’s blogs every morning with my coffee 🙂
Oh Danielle-THANK YOU so much for recommending that spot! It was such a fun dinner {and tasted great too}! Appreciate you so very much and thanks for reading!
So glad you enjoyed your visit to the Queen City. I always look for Tab in the officiating crew at games. What fun to get to travel with him. Come back anytime.
Oh, we will, Nancy! Ebby Lee said she was gonna choose a favorite team when she went to Tab’s first game and whoever won-HER team! Well, she just made me watch the entire Cincinnati/Las Vegas game. That girl is IN! hahaha! I’m sure we’ll be back!
So glad you enjoyed Cinci 🙂 The weather that day was for sure an anomaly! If you ever come back, I can give you lots of fun suggestions for things to do and restaurants. As far as local chili goes though, there is of course Skyline and Gold Star and then some local favorites are Dixie Chili, Price Hill Chili, and Camp Washington Chili!
Thank you!!