Tuscaloosa Gameday

I had tickets to the Alabama game Saturday in Tuscaloosa, it was a late game so I didn't really want to take Barrett.  I knew Brittany and I would have a blast.  We had so much fun the two years we were at Alabama together and I was ready to relive the glory days. 

We got there, got parked and headed over to my cousin's house to hang out.  We visited for a while and then headed out to see the sights.  We walked by the stadium and it was almost time for the team to arrive so we waited around to see that.  Then we walked all through sorority row to see the new houses.  (They are huge!)

We made a pit stop in front of Tut to make our picture before they tear it down.  I've made so many memories in that building.  From cheerleading camp to my freshmen year.  I'm sad they're tearing it down. 

We walked back up in front of the quad on our way back to the stadium.  I love Denny Chimes.   There was a big crowd for it to be a cupcake game. 

I was so excited about how good our outfits looked together.  Also this is my accountability partner and she looks amazing.  I'm so proud of how far we've come.  It's been many years since we sat in that stadium together and I'm so thankful that we're still friends.

And I know I include a picture of Matthew every year but I just can't get over how old he is.  He came to my house to tailgate before his first Alabama game when he was just 2 or 3 years old.  Now he's 14 and taller than me. 

We had the best time and I've decided that this is the perfect friend day because you're trapped in the car for at least and hour each way so you get lots of time to catch up.  And then the game is just so much fun anyway.  I'm hoping to get back down for another game this season but I don't know if it'll happen. 

And we won!

Roll Tide!

Last week of 2016 & NYE

We had a wonderful week between Christmas and the New Year! Can I just say that I love when Christmas is on a Sunday!! I love the four day weekend, I was just perfect!  We worked Tuesday-Friday.  Mainly just getting the office cleaned up and ready for a new year.

This sweet girl loves her beauty and the beast tea set. 

She rarely falls asleep on me anymore.  This was so sweet!

While brother plays on his new swingset she tries to pick everything off the ground and eat it.

I feel like it's rained nearly every day since Christmas.  There was one clear day and we took full advantage of it.

Barrett got a new tool set for Christmas and he's been working on everything around the house all week. 

He definitely never falls asleep on me anymore so this was a real treat!

We went over to Matt and Jennifer's house to watch the Alabama game Saturday.  The Moore's came too.  Barrett and Jackson were obsessed with the cat.  The cat was not obsessed with them.  At one point they were just sitting and waiting for him to come out so they could take his picture with their tablets.  It was a fun night celebrating the big "W".  We're headed to the National Championship again!

We headed home to watch the ball drop.

I had to get a picture of my girl in her cute elephant hat.  I bought this hat when I was pregnant with Barrett (the bow comes off).  I love that she got to wear it too.

Every NYE I'm reminded of that first week at home with out tiny newborn baby.  He was on the bili-light and he got to come off of it at midnight NYE so while the rest of the time zone counted down to the new year we counted down to getting to take him off the light.  I can't believe how quickly the time has passed.  Now we have two precious babies.  2016 was crappy for a lot of people but for us it was pretty special.  Patrick started a new job, we had our baby girl, Barrett started K3 and we went to Disney World.  It was so much fun!  I can't wait to see what 2017 holds!

2014 Homecoming at the Capstone

Saturday was Homecoming in Tuscaloosa.  It was really late this year.  I really wanted to go and take Barrett.  Patrick was supposed to go with us but he ended up having to work.  We left Gardendale around 9:00am and traffic was at a stand still in Fultondale.  Luckily my mom noticed it before we got on the the on ramp.  After our little detour we made it just in time to walk to the end of my cousin's street to watch the parade.

Barrett was a little scared at first but he eventually warmed up and started waving at all the pretty sorority pledges. 

He did not like when the big trucks blew their horns.  I loved getting to do this with him.   

He did great all day.  It was very surreal to see Barrett and Matthew playing.  Matthew came to his first Alabama game when I was in school.  He was just a little older than Barrett.  Now he's as tall as I am.  The kids were so sweet to let Barrett play with them. 

Before long it was time to head to the stadium.  We had to get our picture in front of the sign.

Barrett didn't get take a nap and he started to get fussy during the game.  Luckily the sweet lady behind us shared her popcorn with him and he was happy.

Ava sat with us too.  It wasn't that long ago that I took her to her first Bama game.

He was very interested in the dancers.  He liked the football too.  He cheered and clapped.  

I just loved getting to take him to the game.  I took him to homecoming last year and I'm hoping we can make it a tradition.  I was so proud I didn't cry at all.  I did get a little teary eyed while we were watching the parade and again when we first got to the stadium.  I just love being a mom and I love getting to share things that I love with my son.  He may or may not like football or Alabama and that's okay but until he decides I'm going to enjoy days like this.  I hope I never take for granted how blessed we are to get to do these things with our baby.  

Week-in-Review

We've had a fun week.  

Last Tuesday my friend Brittany invited me to attend a dinner and live auction to support Just Keep Smiling.  It was so much fun.  We didn't win anything but I loved the auction.  It was very exciting.  They also played "Minute to Win It" type games and our table was called to send up a person.  I volunteered to go and I had to stack ding-dong snack cakes on my forehead.  I didn't win but it was still fun. I thought this was a pretty picture of Brittany and me before we went in. We finally got Barrett a new carseat for Patrick's truck.  He was very excited about his box.  Patrick cut a door and a window in it. They played in it all night.
Saturday I headed to Tuscaloosa.  For an unexpectedly big game.  It was a cold one and we won! So that always makes for a fun day! This is a terrible picture of me but Jennifer and I had so much fun together. I didn't take any pictures because I dropped my phone and shattered the screen.  Luckily it still works but Patrick's got to replace the screen.  After the game we went to the Houndstooth.  It was fun.  Every time I go there I feel older and older.   Sunday, Barrett and I braved the yucky weather to go to church.  After church we went to John and Hope's house so Patrick could help John run all the wires for the TV through the wall.  Barrett was trying to do whatever the boys did.  It was cute.  We enjoyed getting to visit with them.   Now it's about 30 degrees and we're just trying to stay warm.  I'm not usually a Christmas music before Thanksgiving kind of person but this weather has me in the spirit.  Maybe I'll put the trees up this week... Maybe not.

Tailgate Time: LSU Edition

I love our tailgate family.

Saturday we gathered for our last "official" tailgate of the season. (There's still one more home game but not everyone was going to be there so we decided this would "officially" be the last of 2013.  There's several people missing but this was the best we could do.  

We had cajun themed food and we decided it was the most delicious tailgate we've had.  Ten years and three locations later we're still friends.  I still can't believe it's been that long since I hosted the first tailgate.  I was so excited to have everyone join us on gameday.  That was back during the Shula years and we all know that we weren't exactly winning but we never let that get us down.  

We were at that house for 3 years and  it was a great house for tailgating.  I loved it.  Then we moved to the house where my sister and I shared a room for a semester.  We stayed at that house for 5 seasons and two National Championships.  We loved that house too.  We had a lot of room there.  (This is the post where we moved out of that house.)

The last two seasons we've been at the apartment.   Our little group has migrated the few blocks every few seasons and we're so glad.  I wish we had a record of all the folks that have joined us over the years.  

I love this funny group shot.  

Sister and I before we headed out to the game.

Matt felt left out. 

The Million Dollar Band made an elephant to welcome the team to the field.
Big Bama spell out.
We ventured to the quad since we had so much time before kickoff.  Love this picture of my sister, mom and me.
It was snowing on the strip.
I hated leaving this little guy for the day but it was just to late of a night for him.  He looked so cute in his new shirt.
We had a great day tailgating and enjoying the food.  A dog wondered up to us outside so we walked for blocks trying to find it's owners and gave up.  Then someone showed up looking for her.  I was so happy her owners found her.  She was such a sweet dog and well taken care of we knew she had a home.   Finally the sun went down and it was time to head to the stadium.  My sister sat with me again.  As we were walking to our seats we ran into Sarah Patterson the gymnastics coach.  We were so giddy to see her.  We love gymnastics.  The game started kinda slow and we weren't playing like I thought we should but we turned that around in the second half and we had a blast.  At one point during the 4th quarter I think they were playing Dixieland Delight and the entire stadium was singing and swaying and the upper deck was moving.  It was awesome and creepy.  I loved being there and seeing Nick Saban, the man who shows no emotion, run and leap into QB AJ McCarron's arms after the win.  We went back to the apartment and ate again.  I feel like that's all I did all day.  I was such a fun day but those late games are hard.  I crawled in bed around 3:00am and Barrett was up at 7:00.  It was so worth it but I'm definitely not as young as I used to be.

Weekend Review

The weather turned way cool at the end of the week and weekend so Barrett got to wear is cute elephant hat to work Friday.  I thought he looked so cute.  

Last week was Patrick's last week on 2nd shift and we were very excited.  We can't wait to have him home in the evenings.  I told Barrett to smile so we could send Daddy a picture and he did.

Saturday I left Barrett at home and headed to Tuscaloosa with my parents for the Alabama Tennessee game.  I was so nervous to leave him.  I knew he was in great hands and we needed the time away from each other but it was the longest we'd been apart. In other news, I was having a really good hair day.  I think it was the time I let my hair rest between blowing dry and curling mixed with the 0% humidity.
Stephanie and Lauren stopped by on their way to the game.  I enjoyed catching up with them.
Sweet baby brother.
Sister, sister.
Celebratory cigar after rolling over Tennessee. Funny story, before we left for the game I asked if I was going to need a jacket, everyone said yes so I grabbed my sweater wrap. Then my cousin Mark asked me why I was taking my "snuggie" to the game.  Ha.
Back at the apartment with the brother again.
This little booger wanted to drag all the toys out again after I put them away.
It was a fun weekend.  Not nearly long enough though.  I'm not ready to go back to work yet.  We have a fun week ahead with Barrett's first Halloween!  

Leaving a Crimson Legacy

This past Saturday was homecoming at the Capstone.  In 2003, I went to my first homecoming game as a student in the prime of my life.  Ten years later I took my son to his first Alabama game.  So much fun sharing this with him.  It was about 95 degrees and the sun was bright.  We had a bunch of extra tickets since it was such an early game so Barrett got to go.  We only stayed for 4 touchdowns because I'm not kidding it was in the top 5 hottest games ever.  He did so good.  He acted like he was going to go to sleep but he never did.  He looked around and watched everything around us.  

Hanging out at Uncle John's before the game.

Before we left the apartment.

Barrett and Granddaddy. Sweet boy watching the game.  Right before we headed back to the apartment. Barrett was to busy watching the replay of the touchdown on the jumbotron. Having a cheese curl after the game. Bentley was snuggled up with my camera.  Maybe he wanted him picture made. Hanging out after the game.  
We walked down to look at the sorority lawn decorations.  I keep thinking it hasn't been that long since I was in school.  Then I walk around campus and see how much things have changed.  Its crazy.  They've built 3 or 4 new sorority houses and are adding on to some.  Those new houses are huge and beautiful!   It was a fun day with my little guy.   Looking forward to taking him to lots of football games in the future!