K risti Gundy perches on the edge of the sofa in her living room, attempting to style the wispy blond hair of her daughter Caitlin, 2, into "dog ears," as she calls them.
"Hold still, Caity," Gundy instructs as the little girl fidgets and wiggles.
Her son, K.C., 7, watches thoughtfully from the couch opposite his mother and sister. He suddenly has a revelation.
"Hey Mom, I know why (OU) didn't win," K.C. says. "It's because they didn't care about the game, because they were thinking about Thanksgiving!"
Gundy laughs and shakes her head. "I don't think so, K.C."
For the Gundy family, OU's recent loss to Oklahoma State University could have been considered personal. OU running backs coach Cale Gundy lost the game not only to the Cowboys, but also to his brother, OSU offensive coordinator and assistant head coach Mike Gundy.
However, Kristi Gundy, Cale Gundy's wife, said this loss was no different from any other loss.
"A loss is a loss no matter where it comes from," she said. "You're sad for the loss but that's irrelevant to family ties."
Ironically, this was the first year that Mike and Cale Gundy's families did not celebrate Thanksgiving together, but Gundy said that it had nothing to do with the OU/OSU rivalry.
"We normally do," she said. "This year was the first year we did not. Bob usually lets the players go home, and this year he didn't. Since he didn't let the players go home, the coaches and players and their families went to the Santee Lounge (for Thanksgiving)."
Gundy said that the rivalry between OU and OSU is never discussed when their families get together.
"Not ever, at any family get together do they ever talk, 'we're going to beat you guys,'" she said. "They do talk football."
Gundy said that family will always be more important than coaching.
"Cale's family is very close, very tight knit," she said. "Family is always going to take precedence over anything."
Kristen Evans, assistant director of marketing and promotions in the athletic department, has been friends with Gundy for more than three years. She said the rivalry is never mentioned when the families are together.
"What they do for a living doesn't really conflict with the family," Evans said. "I've gone and done things with them when they're all together. It's just not brought up."
Evans also mentioned that the Gundy family has had to deal with the rivalry for years because Mike was a football star at OSU while Cale was a football star at OU.
In 1993 while attending OU, the former Kristi Johnson met Cale Gundy, who was the starting quarterback at OU.
"I didn't know who he was," Gundy said. "We just became friends, and were friends for a couple of months before we started dating. Sometimes I think God or fate has a hand in that because there were so many things that made us perfect for each other."
Johnson married Cale Gundy on July 5, 1995. They have since had two children and are building a new house in Norman.
Like many mothers, Gundy said her top priority is taking care of her family. Evans said Gundy is a "great mom."
"She just does a great job considering Cale's so busy with football," she said. "I've learned a lot from her parenting."
However, Gundy also sets aside time for her Mary Kay business.
"Yea, I have to work around my kids, but I don't feel like I have to sacrifice anything," she said.
Gundy said Carol Stoops, wife of OU football head coach Bob Stoops, initially introduced her to the Mary Kay business almost three years ago. Since then, Gundy has become a sales director, built her own unit of about 26 consultants and earned her first free car. Instead of taking the car, however, Gundy decided to take the alternative, a monthly check of about $350, in its place.
Selling Mary Kay cosmetics gives Gundy the ability to follow her husband wherever his job takes him, because "I have a career that can go anywhere in the country," she said.
Even with such a successful business, Gundy notes that her kids will always come first.
"When K.C. gets home at 3 o'clock, my focus is my kids," she said. "Mary Kay will never be first." hello there & you too
