Running, Football, and Tuscaloosa

Those are a few of his favorite things.  Husband, that is.  

A few weeks ago when it looked like we were on the cusp of spring, we drove to Tuscaloosa, ran around campus for an hour (that double stroller is getting heavier and heavier), then played football on the quad, then enjoyed the river walk, then had lunch at Pepitos.  (holy run on sentence, Batman.)  

It was pretty much Husband's dream day.   And he deserved it.

My mini football team

September 2012 ... quickly

Daughter's dollhouse. Husband and I made it for her birthday .

After all their adventures in Tuscaloosa, I fear my kids will never love Auburn.

At the Birmingham Museum of Art as part of Daughter's birthday adventure

Son said, "let's be the same size for a picture."  close

She wanted Husband to make her a Sally Brown cake.  That's the head.

swimming in the hotel pool at the beach.

On this beach adventure, we took the kids to Fort Morgan.  They  loved it.

Bon Secour.  incredibly beautiful.

Son's first football game

We took the kids to the Alabama Georgia Southern game Saturday.  They (the kids and the husband all had a fantastic time)

funny side note: When we were getting dressed, Daughter wanted to wear her Greg McElroy jersey she got for her first game last year AND her navy Auburn hat.  She wore it the entire car ride and when we were getting out of the car, I suggested she leave the hat in the car so she wouldn't lose it.  It worked.  The Auburn hat stayed in the car and Daughter didn't get heckled for loving red shirts and blue hats.   When Husband was putting on Son's Mark Ingram (who we saw signing autographs) jersey, he screamed, "GET THAT FOOTBALL SHIRT AWAY FROM ME."  He wore a different shirt and his red hat.

walking to the quad

cheering and shaking his shaker with the the band.  

watching the band at Gorgas.

the kids' view.  they loved it.

when we first walked into the stadium, about 30 minutes before the game.

Daughter saying hello to her good friend "Big Owl" and Son meeting "Al the elephant"
She loved it and he was pretty traumatized until we starting walking away and I said, "buddy, that's the Big Al, the elephant you watched on the field."   "... that was him?  I love him, but he scared me."

they cheered, ate popcorn, french fries and drank (gasp) Coke and cheered some more.

luckily the people behind us never showed up so  the kids could stand in their seats.  talking about the game

I'm pretty sure Daughter put a Confundus Charm on Georgia Southern

cheering.
When Alabama had the ball, I taught her "B-A-M-A Bama all the way."
and on defense, she yelled, "PUSH EM' BACK! PUSH EM' BACK! HARDER, HARDER."
she loved it.

After the bands performed, we considered the day a success and headed out of the stadium.

Both kids declared two time National Championship winner Coach Frank Thomas as their favorite coach statue.
Daughter said if her likeness is ever turned into a statue, this is the pose she wants.

 On the way to the car, we stopped for ice cream.  The last time we went out for ice cream was Mother's Day (or Father's day ... I forget which one) but the kids both wanted the same kind of ice cream they had that time.  and that's what they ordered.

blue (cotton candy) for Daughter

green (mint) for Son

and something almost the size of his head, for Husband.  I think he got a pumpkin something or another.

Saturday night when we said "our favorite parts of the day" both kids said going to the football game.  It was a fun, special day I hope they remember forever.

The Game of the Century and how I spent it

Saturday, Husband and I headed to Tuscaloosa for some time without kids ... oh, yea, and to watch this super hyped football game.  And a good time was have by all.  No, that's a lie.  I saw a lot of crying, a lot of drunken celebrating, 3 fights and all around exhibitions of craziness.  But luckily, Husband and I were't the ones doing any of those things.  Husband was just a bit morose.

After lunch at DePalma's.  I was refused wine service because I had an expired driver's license.  seriously. time to renew.

My favorite smack talk of the day

Marr's Spring.  an incredible place on campus Husband took me to.  It was wonderfully quiet and  peaceful.  The campus used to use this spring as a water source.

Husband got down on the ground and propped his feet on the bench and said, "I used to do this a lot when I lived here."

Looking in one of the cisterns, spring water still flows.

My second favorite smack talk of the day

the drum line warming up

THIS is what the stadium looks like when you get there before the 90 minute countdown clock starts!! The student section is almost already full.

Coach.

This is the closest I've ever been to Lee Corso in real life.

This is the part of the night when I put my camera in my pocket, got out my shaker and started watching the game and cheering like a lunatic.  Seriously, I don't think anyone around me knew I was an actual Auburn fan.    Two days later, my throat still hurts a little.

Here's how it would have gone if Alabama would have won: we'd have strolled to the Houndstooth, had a celebratory drink and then walked around for awhile and then started to make our way home in a leisurely fashion.  

Instead, they lost.  Which meant almost running the over a mile to the car and listening to sports radio most of the way home so Husband could hear other fans lamenting the loss.  But, we did stop long enough to get this picture:

Chris Fowler, David Pollack and Urban Meyer after the game.

Bonus, Husband went this great new way home that completely eliminated traffic.  Too bad we didn't stop for coffee on the way.   It was a great day.  Too bad my husband's team lost so it wasn't a great day for him as well.

the Kent State Game

I love college football.  Not the same way my husband loves college football, but I love it.  I like to watch it on television and I love watching it in the stadium.  Even if that means I have to go and cheer for a team that's not "mine."  It's worth it.  Right before the National Anthem, I told Husband I was getting a little choked up waiting to see the eagle fly, but then I remembered where I was and sobered up.

Anyway, it was also a fabulous way to get to spend some time with my husband when no one was asking for more drink, food, this toy, those crayons, or otherwise bothering interrupting us.

standing in line to enter the stadium.  the only reason I included this picture is because of my hair.  It's SUPER DUPER curly.  I rag rolled it the night before and used this spray to set it.  um, the curls held until I brushed them out on MONDAY.  My most useful and possibly cheapest pinterest find.  It's helping me decide to keep the hair long.

It's always a fabulous surprise when I remember that our pediatrician is the voice of The Million Dollar Band.  neat, huh? 

I love college football.  seriously. especially SEC football

the only real excitement of the game: The police came to investigate a possible counterfeit ticket problem a couple of rows behind us.  But after checking their manual and scratching the tickets it was determined that people were just taking up more than their ticketed seats and would have to sit closer together.

It was a fun game.  The weather wasn't too bad (hot but overcast and breezy) and I managed to get a sunburn on the only part of my body I didn't put sunscreen -- my forehead.  I look silly.  And the man who has tickets in front of ours, bought me a frozen lemonade when he got one for his wife and himself.  He just made my day. (incidentally, his first wife, who died 4 years ago was a Judson girl.  So we always mention it when greeting each other).  And that was his 470th Alabama football game to attend ...  want anymore useless tidbits about the elderly man who sits in front of us?  :-)

Husband is trying to peer pressure me into going to 3 more games.  One of which happens to be on Daughter's 4th birthday.  So, I nixed my attendance on that one, but the other 2 are still open to negotiation.

Wordless Wednesday: The Things I Do For Love

Wordless Wednesday: An Ode to the simple things

Daughter's first college football game

Thursday, Husband and Daughter headed west to Tuscaloosa for her first college football game. She had a blast!

I talked up Big Al a lot like I talked up The Gopher for her first high school game. I even showed her a picture I had made with Big Al when Husband and I went to our first Bama game together in 2006. I didn't want her to be afraid of him like I was afraid of a GIGANTIC Papa Smurf when I was three. Seriously, that guy was only supposed to be three apples high. And he wasn't!

Husband said she was on the lookout for Big Al the minute they stepped into the stadium!

watching the warmups from her seat

FINALLY she found him down with the cheerleaders.

Down the steps they went and soon she was sitting on the fence with Big Al's big elephant paw wrapped around her.

She said he was "friendly and cool."

Back to their seats for some football and self portraits.

the pregame show

cheering.

She had a shaker with her but when I asked her if she used it, she said, "not very much. I just used my hands."

french fry break

before halftime she announced she was cold and needed her hat and scarf and jacket (she also had gloves but decided she'd just put her hand in her pockets.

heading down the stairs at halftime. (Husband said if she made it to halftime then the night was a success)

walking around at the quad

wow, I love this kid.

another self portrait

Gorgas

this picture reminded me of a fun day Brooke and I had taking pictures on the Gorgas steps

Husband said she hugged, kissed and professed her love for the fire hydrant. seriously.

We're both so glad she had a great time and she's still talking about her friend the elephant (who she calls "big owl."