This is the way we WHO DEY!

Finally I can participate in Kelly's Korner Show Us Your Life again! I don't have kids and we aren't married yet so I sometimes can't participate. This week I certainly can!

Show us Your Life Tailgate and Game Day Traditions!


We aren't college football fans- yep even as lifetime Ohioans- we are not Buckeye fans. We are however, die hard Cincinnati Bengals fans!


Let me tell ya- it aint always easy to be a Bengals fan - and I haven't always been one. I could've cared less about any football until Ben and I started dating in 2k4. After a couple of years of football season Sundays...I was hooked. We've had some pretty awesome years (2005-2006) and a major history of awesome years- ever heard of our nickname: The Bungles?

But in this house- the Bengals reign supreme and though we don't go to church regularly- on Sunday we worship in the house of Who Dey!

First let me show you the one picture from the one game I've ever been too: This was in 2006 I think - it was a preseason game.

Not a particularly great pic of either of us but its our history- anyone else think my nose looks huge? (Uhmmm also why is this underlining and in blue now?)

99 times out of 100 we watch the game from the comfort of our living room with a few friends
such as today. So I'm going to walk you through a game day in the Casa of the future Mr. and Mrs. Ben Smith.

First things first, you gotta put your game face on. Some people like no glare- I prefer Christian Dior tinted moisturizer and loads of eye makeup. I am aware I look a bit nuts in this picture...and a bit garish for 11am.


Loads of gals mention that for college football in the southern states all the gals dress up in skirts and dresses (and in college at Miami University of Ohio we did too). For pro football in the mid west we sport fitted tees, full makeup, and cute jeans/skirts. Most of us also have fleece jackets/cheer jackets/headbands/mittens etc. featuring our team's logo. Pro football runs longer than college and it gets mighty cold up here come December!

Boo generally tunes in to ESPN first thing in the morning to hear about all the latest goings on...




These guys seem to have all the gossip/stats/whatever....



Then we usually run to Kroger for our game day snacks....(On this particular day we picked up chips,salsa, apple cider, coney fixins, pop, and steaks for dinner)

If you are very lucky, while at Kroger you will see one of these:



If you are even luckier you will see a kitty cat puppet that meows Christmas tunes...


On the way home you must tune in to 700 WLW even if the game hasn't started yet - this one of Boo's rules.

Then its time to make Skyline conies.


There are many ways to build a coney. Mine are hotdogs, Cincinnati chili, shredded cheddar cheese, and sometimes onion.

I take dainty bites.

Ben takes his the same as mine except he adds mustard (mustard makes me yack)...


Boo inhales his conies!

When it is finally game time, other characters will start to arrive:
Such as Will.....


This is a men's smoke break during a time-out...these are frequent...especially in high stress games!

Another regular for game days is my girl Emily. You'll have to excuse her today, she had a bit too much fun at a wedding last night and is paying for it today....

She's not too hungover to enjoy a coney though!

Our kitties have their game day rituals too!

Some are in -but they want out....


Some are out - but want in....


And some just find a comfy spot on the steps and listen to the game while catching a nap.


The gang watches intently while I snap their picture. Poor Emily is really trying hard to recoup.


Boo wanted me to show you his autographed Marvin Lewis picture- he's the Bengals head coach.

We call him Mah-vin.

He says: Come on Lets Go (Its an inside joke but one time during a particularly intense game Will said, "Man, Marvin Lewis must be thinking...Come on let's go....we all laughed but its a you had to be there moment)

During particularly tense moments we squeeze this Bengals pillow...

Its been squeezed so much that we've torn a hole in it- my hand is covering it up -been meaning to stitch it......



On this particular day we just propped it up next to Emily- she was not doing well....


In our house you can always tell when the games getting tight by how we're all sitting. No more casual lounging: butts are on the edge of seats and hands are clasped....


And when we're really down to the wire... Ben is found in crouch position on the floor, right in front of the TV....


Let me give you a teeny back story here: The last three games before today we have won due to plays in the last, like, nanno seconds of the game. They have begun calling us the Cardiac Cats- this game vrs. the Baltimore Ravens was absolutely no exception. We came from behind in the last minute of the game and scored with only 20 some seconds left on the clock! Sealing the deal that we are now the NUMBER 1 TEAM OF THE AFC NORTH!

CAN I GET A WHO DEY!!!!!


Not a great picture but this is the final score of the game today! Some say Cardiac Cats...I say coronary cats! It was definitely a nail biter!

But everyone at my house was pretty stoked for the win. We even got Emily to sit up!
Then she put on a bit of makeup and asked me to take a real picture:
Better...but still not an accurate depiction of the beauty she really is....

MUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCH Better!


And there you have it: Game Day in a Bengals fan household!

Hope you enjoyed it!

We certainly did!


First place and loving it!

Much Love!

Miss Amber Lane