Family, Food, and Football

It's time that I shared something with all of you. It's not exactly a secret, but it is an important part of who I am, so I'm just going to come out with it.

I'm a San Francisco 49er fan.

I didn't start out that way. We've always been a big sports family though - playing sports, doing outdoor activities, and watching sports. Growing up in Washington, if the Seahawks were playing, we'd pretty much always watch the game on TV. My dad Fred would often make chili on Sundays, and on rainy afternoons we'd get the fireplace going and all of it - the warmth from the fire, the smell of chili on the stove, the game on TV, and the family together - it was so simple but it felt like love.

Fast forward to my life in California 10 years ago when I married Eric. He, on the other hand, is a lifelong 49er fan. So when I married him, I also married into the 49ers, and over time I grew to love them as though they were my own. 

Over the past 10 years we've raised our kids on 49er football. Karsten attended his first game when he was three weeks old. We've celebrated  milestones at Levi's Stadium like a first lost tooth, and birthdays, and Christmas Eve. Even when the 49ers lost to the Seahawks one year at Thanksgiving, it was bittersweet since half the family was happy with the outcome of the game and the other half was too full from the epic tailgate to be too sad.

Rather than being a house divided, I like to think of us as a blended family. Now that we're back living in Washington, on rainy Sunday afternoons we watch the Seahawks on TV and make chili, but in our hearts we will always be 49er Faithful.  

And since I'm confessing allegiances, now is as good of a time as any to also confirm that I'm a Husky fan living in a Cougar world. I realize that makes me doubly outnumbered here, so thank you for accepting me for who I am. 

This Sunday, no matter who you're cheering for (or even if you're not cheering for anyone) my hope is that you have a moment when you're warm, and there's something good cooking on the stove, and you're in the company of people you love. Because that's all that matters anyway.

P.S. Get the recipe for Fred's Chili and have fun making it your own with whatever extra toppings are your favorite.