Winter has...

The Basilica with a coating of fresh snow 

... returned just in time for the return of students from their Christmas Break. A recent winter storm dropped a few inches of snow and brought significantly colder temps. If the predications for this week hold true, then there should be much more snow and even colder temps by the end of weekend.  On the winter weather, a Steds resident said, "Winter is always more bearable when there's snow on the ground. Still, there can be too much of a good thing."

Best of...

...the Gentlemen's Monthly. Yes, four years ago today, here was today's posting. Enjoy this blast from the past.

That's a wrap.

The Grotto's Nativity scene 

With the Magi now appearing in the Nativity scene, it means that the Christmas season is nearing an end. Something that is also at an end is the Christmas Break. Hope it was a blast, and like the Magi, travel safely to your home under Mary’s Dome!

Cotton Bowl...

Meissner, Viner, Lucciola, and Coffey

... reflections. With the Championship game now over, it's seems like the Cotton Bowl was not just a week and half ago but rather ages ago. Even though the outcome did not make Irish eyes smile, there were many smiles from other moments from the bowl game. Many Stedsmen, Steds parents and friends of Steds travel to Dallas for the fun, and for some them, like the Ryan Family, it was in their backyard. On the Cotton Bowl, Matt Coffey, Steds sophomore, said, "I’m not angry. I’m just disappointed in myself that I believed we could win." But making the proverbial lemonade out of the lemons of the bowl game, Debbie Ryan, Steds mom, said, “Although the North Texas CFP football caravan of ND students, parents, and alumni had more smiles before the game than after, we look forward to 2019, because after all, we are the Fighting Irish and it’s hockey season!”

The Ryan Family with friends...

... and Steds juniors

... and Steds alumni all enjoyed tailgating in a new and different parking lot...

...while Parker Mathes '18 with his brother Charlie, a Clemson grad, smile...

...but Father Ralph had a different watering hole.

Everyone was...

Ryan and Schelhorn: Back after a commercial break

... having a break. Yes, look like Stedsmen, current and past, were having fun during the Christmas Break. Well, that was certainly the case for Brandon Ryan '18 and Alex Schelhorn '18. With Ryan visiting and Schelhorn returning home, both Stedsmen stopped by the set of the Stephen Colbert in Manhattan to visit fellow Stedsman Jack Herrfeldt '18 who works there. Before the show, Herrfeldt was able to give the two visitors the "full tour." On the tour, Ryan said, "Schelly and I were treated to an afternoon of merriment and comedy on behalf of Stephen Colbert and his more important staff member, fellow Steds Alum Jackson Herrfeldt. To paraphrase a well said quote from the host himself, ‘It’s incredible where we've all found ourselves after school.’ Thanks again to Jackson for a great experience!” Indeed, Mr. Ryan... indeed it is!

Saturday Squirrel.

A squirrel from Lord of the Rings?

While we may all be away for Christmas Break, it does not mean that we cannot have yet another installment of "Saturday Squirrel." Here is a picture, submitted by Fr. Terry Ehrman, C.S.C.,  theologian, botanist and general naturalist, of a furry friend that happen to come cross his desk. On what the squirrel non-verbaled, Fr. Ehrman said he thought it was, "You shall not pass!"

Best of...

...the Gentlemen's Monthly. Yes, one year ago today, here was today's posting. Enjoy this blast from the not so distance past.

They were...

Bowlers: Trzaska, Gayheart, Youseff, Johnson, Turk, and Kelly

...there! Taking a break from Christmas Break, a group of Steds juniors and sophomores made the trek to Orlando to see the Citrus Bowl. Once getting there, instead of enjoying sun and mid temps, they endured rain and cool temps. Still, they made the best of it. They took the lemons that Mother Nature gave them and made lemonade out of them. As they did, they enjoyed their time together AND enjoyed something that most Irish fans have not enjoyed under Coach Kelly- a bowl game win! On the Irish Citrus Bowl win, Paul Youseff, Steds sophomore, said, "We came, we saw, and we conquered."

Still yet, there were even more Stedsmen at the Citrus Bowl. In the stands added to fan power of the Irish were Brendan McCarthy '09, M.Ed. '11 and his wife, Brenna, along with Tony Piskurich '09, M.Ed '11 and his wife, Stephanie, AND Nate Uzas '09. 

True fans: The McCarthys, the Piskurichs and Uzas

Happy...

Happy 2019!

... New Year to you, Stedsmen, and to your families! May the New Year, 2019, be filled with prosperity, generous love for all, and an ND Day victory in any sport! And if we win ND Day, a fireworks display like this will certainly be in the cards!