We got up bright and early (on the road by 6:30A) to head down to the opening game of the Missouri Tigers game as a family.  This was the first game we had attended as foursome since Mara was around 5 or 6 years old.  The game was an 11A start and we were meeting our friends Jory, Mary, Les, and crew to tailgate before the game.  Max and Mara managed to make it down from their bedrooms, into the Pilot, and get some food in them on the road before they crashed in the backseat for the ride down to Columbia.

Our new friends Steve, Crystal and their daughter along with Jory and Mary. 

The Peek crew.  There was no way I was not taking advantage of one of the last sunny, hot days of summer to get some sun.

Mara and Max with some of their new friends.

Truman the Tiger getting the crowd fired up before the game.

Max borrowed my hat due to the extreme heat.  Of course he had to craft it Max style.

As a kid one of my memories from growing up was going out to dinner with my parents every Friday night at a hole in the wall Mexican restaurant in Southern California called Socorros.  My parents were both fully bilingual and when we walked in everyone said hello and knew who we were.  We felt like the people there were our family.  Ironically, it was the last place we stopped as loaded up the Uhauls and moved the Midwest

About two years ago we started a family tradition of going out to eat at our favorite Mexican restaurant – El Patron .  It is surreal the parallels.  We have developed friendships at Patron that run deep and it is the absolute highlight of our week each week.  The food is outstanding and the folks that work there are our friends.  The trips home are generally filled with Jen and I singing our favorite songs from a couple of our favorite bands ( Cross Canadian Ragweed who are now touring as The Departed and Ha Ha Tonka )  Of course Max and Mara are not always fond of our singing talents or choice of songs but that does not slow us down.  This particular Friday night Mara challenged Jen that she knew the words to a couple of songs better than Jen which led to a sing off.  Unfortunately I did not get any pics of that but end result was a memory that will last a lifetime. 

Upon returning home, the fun continued.  Below Jen is singing some song (likely from the 80’s.).  By the way, she is going to love this post.  I almost wish that she did not have login or edit rights as I fear some of these pics may disappear.

Below Jennifer is demonstrating her mastery of yoga emulating the same move.  With all the laughter, I cannot honestly remember if Jen when first or Mara but in either case the laughs were non stop.

Below Jen starts to lose it and in my mastery of the camera I get a pic as she starts to fall.

Our family motto is Full Family.  Full Life.  Full Throttle. Everyday.  Our family outings down to Patron have created tremendous memories.  I have every confidence that when my kids look back many years from now they (and us) will point to these nights with a huge smile.