Friday Night Lights & the Weekend

We kicked off the weekend by checking off an item from our fall bucket list.  We attended my alma mater’s (and Jacob’s and Olivia’s future alma maters) alumni social and homecoming game.  

The alumni social is a party that they hold in the school auditorium every year, and it gives all past students from all graduating classes a chance to come back and mingle and catch up with one another.  They served hors d’oeuvres and beer and wine, and had a yummy dessert table filled with treats.  The cheerleaders came in and did a couple of cheers to get everyone fired up for the game, and the school also gave us a preview of their new video to promote the school.  It may or may not have made me tear up a little.

And while I’m thinking about it, I was a positively terrible blogger Friday evening as I barely took any pictures because I was so caught up in the moment.  Those are always the best kinds of nights, though, aren’t they?

Anyway, we spent the first few minutes getting the kiddos set up with some food desserts and once we were done eating, we turned Jacob loose to play with his friends while we chatted with some of my family (my mom, and several aunts and uncles are also alumni) and then I met up with a few old friends to chat and catch up.  There were at least 8 or 9 people from my graduating class and we talked about getting a group picture, but that never came to fruition.

The game started at 7:30 so we made our way down to the football field, and we got the kids a couple of hot dogs since they had only had sugar up until that point.  Then once again, we turned them loose.  Our school has a huge open area on the home side of the field that also connects to a softball field, and all of it is fenced in, so there were hundreds of kids running around and having a blast.  Lots of kids from Jacob’s class were there, so he had a great time playing with them all evening.  Barely any football was watched.  Haha.  We did win, though, 7-6.  Close one!

By the time we got home, the kids were filthy and exhausted, but oh-so-happy, so we wiped their little hands, faces, and legs down with some wipes and sent them off to bed and B and I settled in for a new episode of Shark Tank, an episode of FNL, and a big ol’ piece of cheesecake.  Because when you go the entire work week without dessert, you need something spectacular on Friday night!

We went to bed with full hearts and full tummies.  And as I said on Instagram, it is absolutely wild seeing our kids running around with their friends who are also the kids of my friends and former classmates.  We are so fortunate to be a part of such a wonderful church and school that is really more like family than anything.  There’s no other place that I can imagine sending our babies… I have such peace of mind knowing that they are being cared for by people who I’ve known for most of my life.  <3

Saturday was spent cleaning the entire house from top to bottom – I finally cleaned the toilets, y’all! – but not before Olivia did this:

That’s a brand new, 75 count, box of Kleenex dumped in the toilet.  I literally left her and Jacob for a couple of minutes to vacuum the stairs, and this is what commenced in that tiny little window of time.  I mean, seriously, they were playing happily with the Hot Wheels Garage on the other side of the house one minute, I turn my back for two, and this is what happens.  I spent the better part of ten minutes fishing it all out, and unfortunately that toilet had not yet been cleaned, so it wasn’t exactly sparkling. 

Anyhoo, when B got back from his tennis match (that’s why he wasn’t around when it all happened), we watched our hideous wood shed beating of a game, and then it was time to get ready for church.

The kids were perfect angels during church, and we took them for Mexican to celebrate (and so Mommy and Daddy could drown our football sorrows in margaritas) and then we stopped by DQ on the way home, because, Pumpkin Pie Blizzards!

The kids enjoyed theirs right when we got home while B and I watched some more football, and then we let them hang out downstairs for a little bit since we had gotten home a bit earlier than usual for a Saturday evening.  Around 8:30 it was Halloween PJs and off to bed for them, and B and I stayed up for more football and to eat our Blizzards that we had been saving in the freezer. 

Sunday morning, the kids and I baked a cake for my mom for her birthday (it was Saturday) and then I prepped dinner because I made Sunday dinner this week for a change so my mom didn’t have to cook on her birthday weekend.

We slipped away for a couple of hours to grab pizza for lunch and take the kids to the Halloween store that just opened.  Jacob has decided that he wants to be a Storm Trooper instead of The Flash, and Olivia is still saying that she wants to be Belle from Beauty and the Beast, so we were on the hunt for those items.  They didn’t have any Storm Trooper costumes in J’s size, but we were able to find a Belle crown for Olivia.  I already ordered her costume on Amazon and it should be here today, so hopefully it will fit! 

We had a little more time when we left, so we stopped by Lowe’s to grab a couple of pumpkins and some mums for our front porch… our fall décor is now complete and I can’t wait to share it with you next week!

As I mentioned before, Sunday evening, instead of going to my parents’ house like we usually do, we had everyone over to our house for dinner so my mom didn’t have to cook since it was her birthday weekend.  I made Shay’s slow cooker Ranch Chicken Pasta, broccoli, and garlic bread with a chocolate cake for dessert. 

Y’all know I love hosting, so I spent all afternoon Sunday setting up – I lit my favorite Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin candle, turned on all of our twinkle lights, turned on my dinner party playlist (which consists of Michael Buble, Rod Stewart, Frank Sinatra, Steve Tyrell, and a whole lot of cocktail jazz + some other faves).  We opened a bottle of wine, and everyone settled in for a great evening. 

We had our usual crowd – our family of four, my mom and dad, my brother, my grandmother, and my uncle and his girlfriend.  The dinner was a success... except for the fact that I burned the broccoli something serious... don't ask.  Ha!  But at least there was cake!  We ate way too much of it.  It was a great night with the ones we love, and it was the perfect way to end the weekend and to celebrate the most important lady in my life! 

Happy birthday to the very best momma in the whole world!  We love you to the moon, Cokie!

*Linking up with B Loved Boston for Weekending.

Five on Friday – That Southern Game Day Style

It’s no secret that we love college football.  I mean, a) it runs in my family, b) it runs in B’s family, and c) we live in the south.  Brian and I were bound to be a college football obsessed couple!  As you aaaall know, we are die-hard Georgia Bulldog fans.  Brian and both of his sisters graduated from there, my grandfather graduated from there back in the 40’s, one of my cousins graduated from there a couple of years ago and has been working with the football team for the last six years, and another one of my cousins is currently in her sophomore year there.  Our love runs deep for the red and black and we have the season tickets to prove it.

We are three games deep already with still a few months to go, and we’re as happy as clams as you can probably imagine.  We’ve already been to one game, and we’re hoping to head to Athens for two more before this season is over.  In case you didn’t know, the game day style is almost just as important as the actual football itself down here in the south, and today I’m sharing my favorite game day staples. 

O N E – A Comfy Dress

Down here in the south, girls typically dress up for college football games.  And by dress up, I mean we literally wear dresses.  Or skirts.  Or leggings and dressy tunics.  Or rompers.  I had always assumed that was a college-football-wide thing, but it was recently brought to my attention that most people don’t do that anywhere else.  I had no idea!  I love that tradition, though, because… any excuse to dress up, right?!

The beginning of football season down here in Georgia is always brutal weather-wise as we are always dealing with temps in the 90’s and high humidity.  Therefore, short and light dresses are always welcome.  And it doesn’t get much comfier than a flowy sundress anyway!  For the colder games, we add tights or leggings and sleeves to our dresses and we call it a day!

ONE // TWO // THREE // FOUR // FIVE // SIX

T W O – Cute, but Comfy Boots

All of the girls wear boots to the games.  Repeat after me.  All of the girls wear boots to the games.  Boots with sundresses, boots with rompers, boots with jerseys, boots with tunics and leggings.  We just do.  Unless it’s 99 degrees… then this girl doesn’t.  Because sometimes being cool is more important than fashion.  But only sometimes. 

Since we tailgate so far from the stadium, footwear has to be as comfy as it is cute.  We literally walk miles when we attend games, so I always wear flat boots or boots with a low heel.

ONE // TWO // THREE // FOUR // FIVE // SIX

T H R E E – Cute Outerwear

It doesn’t get terribly cold here, so for those chillier months, adding a jacket and a cute scarf to your ensemble is typically enough to keep you warm.  I have been to a few games that were bitter cold and required toboggans and gloves, but those are few and far between.

ONE // TWO // THREE // FOUR // FIVE // SIX

F O U R – A Small Clutch or Cross Body Bag

Ok, this is where I have a hard time.  On a daily basis, I carry a giant purse and it literally weighs probably seven or eight pounds, but I always downsize for the games because otherwise, my giant bag wears out my shoulder since I carry it around all day.  Not to mention that just this year a lot of NFL and college stadiums have implemented new rules for handbags anyway.  A lot of them now require either a clear bag (you can find them with handles in the makeup section of Walmart for $10, ladies!) or you can carry a small clutch no bigger than 4x6. 

So far, UGA hasn’t implemented these rules, but they do search all bags thoroughly upon entering the stadium, so it just makes things easier to have a small bag.  A lot of girls carry clutches, but personally they’re not quite big enough for me, and I also don’t find them very comfortable.  I prefer a small cross body bag because it frees up your hands, and you don’t have to worry about someone snatching it off of your shoulder since it’s around your body.

My game day handbag essentials typically consist of my license, a single credit card, a little bit of cash, my ticket for the game (duh), my compact, a lipstick and a lip gloss, gum, and a single tablet of either Pepto or Immodium.  #IToldYallIHaveAWeirdStomach  #IHaveToBePrepared 

ONE // TWO // THREE // FOUR // FIVE

F I V E – Accessories

We’re big fans of team face tattoos down here as well, and I always wear one to the games.  Red lipstick is also fun just because I don’t have many other excuses to wear red lipstick.  Pom poms are great for rooting on the team during the game, and sunglasses are a must since we’re outside all day.

ONE // TWO // THREE // FOUR // FIVE

And just for fun, here are a few of my past looks for games...

And before I let you go, don't forget about the JORD giveaway that I'm hosting here on the blog... the contest closes on Monday, so you still have a few more days to enter if you haven't already!

ENTER THE CONTEST HERE and see this post for more details.  You could win a $100 e-gift code for your own JORD watch, and everyone gets a $20 e-gift code just for entering!

There you have it, friends!  Who do you root for and what do you wear to games?

*Linking up with A Liz Adventures and Carolina Charm for Five on Friday, A Little Bit of Everything for Friday Favorites,  September Farm and The Farmer's Wife for Oh Hey, Friday, Meet @ the Barre for Friday Favorites, Cup of Tea for High Five for Friday, and Our Pretty Little Girls for Rewind Friday!

*This post may contain affiliate links.

 

Confessions {9.21.2016}

Sheesh, this week has been really, really busy y’all!  Unlike last week, this one has flown by and there just hasn’t been enough time in the day to get everything done.  I can’t believe it’s already Thursday!  Shoot, I barely have time to work on this post, so let’s get it started!

I confess…

… that I’m embarrassingly behind on blog emails.  I have 100+ emails from this week that I haven’t yet responded to, but I promise that I’m not ignoring you!  Your comments and emails truly mean the world to me, and I will get to each and every single one hopefully by the end of this week.  This week has totally kicked my hiney so thank you for being patient with me.  :o)  And keep ‘em coming!

… that I’ve been so busy that I went a couple of days without even posting anything on Instagram.  I mean, the horror!!

… that I want to quit my job so I can have more time to do the things that actually matter in life.  Oh wait, have I already mentioned that in a confessions post?

… that in addition to not having enough time this week and getting my hiney kicked by my never-ending to do list, I have also gotten my hiney kicked emotionally.  Nothing major and nothing terrible personally, but there have been several things this week that have just been mentally and emotionally exhausting.

… that needless to say, I’ve been sleeping like a baby this week.  And by sleeping like a baby I mean sleeping like a dead person.  #OutCold

… that even though I have a million things to do, I neglected it all – my to do list, blog emails, and household chores – to sit and watch This Is Us Tuesday night.  And I freaking loved it.  #SorryNotSorry

… that I may have also neglected it all for a couple of episodes of Friday Night Lights, too.  Because, Coach Taylor.  #AndYesIStillLoveHimMoreThanTimRiggins

… that speaking of household chores, I haven’t done one in about six weeks… aside from dishes and tidying up, that is.  Cleaning a toilet?  #AintNobodyGotTimeFoDat  #PleaseDontDropByUnexpectedly

… that I’m sick and tired – like super sick and tired – of this wretched weather we’re having.  This has been the hottest, most humid summer, and there is still no end in sight… we’re facing low to mid-nineties every single day for the entire ten-day forecast.  Wake up, weather, it’s almost October!!!!  #HowsAGirlSupposedToAccomplishThingsOnAFallBucketListInShortsAndTankTops

… that I’m running out of clothing combinations for warm weather and my challenge to not wear an exact same combination of clothes for an entire year is getting extremely tough.  I’m starting to have anxiety over having to choose an outfit each morning.  #NotReallyButItIsGettingSuperHardToRememberEverythingIveWorn #WhenInDoubtMakeASpreadsheet

… that I’m out of time so this post is over!

Peace out!  

*Linking up with Sparkles and Lattes for Confessional Thursday and Home of Malones for Thoughts for Thursday.

Fall Bucket List 2016

I’m behind on posting about my fall bucket list this year.  Last year I rolled it out at the beginning of September, but this September has completely gotten away from me! 

Our fall bucket list always has the same group of core activities, but I like to try to add a few different things to it each year.

O N E – Decorate the House for Fall

Something I’ve been doing for ten years (since before fall décor was a huge thing), and this year I changed up the décor a bit.  I got a few new items and rearranged some things, so the home tour will look a good bit different than last year! 

T W O – Take Jacob to His First Georgia Football Game

Last year we only made it to one game, and this year we’re aiming for three.  To make this year even more special, we’re hoping to take Jacob to his very first game!  We’ve never taken either of the kids before because it’s just such a long day of travel and a lot of the games are too late for them to stay awake.  Now that Jacob is five and he no longer needs naps, we thought that this year would finally be his year!  We play Tennessee on October 1st at 3:30, so we are hoping this will be the perfect first game for him.  It will also be his first time in Athens, so we want to take him to see all the sights and see where Daddy went to college and hopefully make him fall in love with it so much that he will want to go there one day, too.  ;o)  

T H R E E – Install a TV on Our Back Porch and Watch Football Outside

This was a bucket list item for last year’s list, and the only one that we didn’t do, so here it is again!  Hopefully we’ll have a big check mark on this one at the end of the season.

F O U R – Attend Homecoming for My Alma Mater and Jacob’s Current School 

An alumni social and a football game… the perfect way to spend a Friday night during the fall!  Ours is this Friday so hopefully we’ll be checking this one off this week!  And hopefully the weather will cooperate and cool down a bit.  ;o)

F I V E – Head to the Mountains for a Fall Weekend Getaway

As I mentioned in this post, my uncle has a mountain house and we haven’t been to it in six years!  The last time we went, it was in early September, so the weather wasn’t very fall-ish, so we’re hoping to go when the leaves are turning colors and the air is crisp this time.  And we’ll also be going with the babies!  They’ve never been to the mountains before.

S I X – Go Apple Picking

Y’all, I’ve never been apple picking before!!  What’s up with that??  There is an apple orchard not far from the mountain house where we’re staying for our fall vacation, so we’re hoping to finally go this year.

S E V E N – Go Wine-Tasting at a Vineyard

Another item that we’re hoping to accomplish on our mountain trip.  Supposedly the vineyard is kid-friendly.  We’ll see how that goes!  Haha.

E I G H T – Go Gem Grubbing

Hubs is a rock nerd and he used to go gem grubbing when he was young, so he wants to take the kids as well.  We just have to watch Olivia like a hawk so she doesn’t try to shove them in her nose again.  ;o)

N I N E – Find a New Pumpkin Patch to Visit

We’ve been visiting the same pumpkin patch every year for the last six or seven years (since before we had kids), but sadly, it closed this past year.  Therefore, we will be on the hunt for a new one to visit… and I’m not sure that there’s one as close, so we may have to turn it into a little road trip.

T E N – Carve Pumpkins

Last year was the first time that we’ve ever carved pumpkins as a family.  We used to carve them all the time when I was little, but for some reason B and I never adopted this tradition until last year.  Last year we did a very simple one, but this year I’m hoping to use one of those pumpkin carving kits to do something a bit more intricate.  No triangle eyes and nose!

E L E V E N – Make S’mores

Well, I lied.  I just found another item that we didn’t cross off the list from last year.  We really need to do this.  The kids would love it!

T W E L V E – Trick-or-Treat

This one is obvious, but one that’s definitely worth mentioning!  We are in the process of helping the kids decide what they want to be, and I can’t wait to see them all dressed up.  Too bad Halloween falls on a Monday this year… they should really let kids have November 1st off when Halloween falls on a weekday.  :o(

T H I R T E E N – Watch Our Favorite Halloween Movies

We watch It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown every Halloween night after trick or treating is over.  Since Halloween is on a Monday this year, we may have to watch it the Friday or Saturday night before.  Last year, Jacob also got hooked on Toy Story of Terror, so I’m sure we’ll be watching that one as well.  Any other kid-friendly movies we can add to the list?

F O U R T E E N – Read Our Favorite Fall Books

We have a huge collection, and they are actually already in our seasonal book crate in the living room, so we have already started the process of checking this one off the list!  It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown, Happy Thanksgiving Curious George, Little Blue Truck’s Halloween, Five Little Pumpkins… the list goes on!  

F I F T E EN – Find Some New Fall Books to Enjoy

I’m really excited because one of our favorite children’s authors, Sandra Boynton (author of Pajama Time), has a new book for Halloween!!  I just ordered it from Amazon and we should be getting it in a couple of days.  I also need to check out Room on the Broom.  I’ve seen it around forever, but we’ve never read it.

S I X T E E N – Hire a Professional Photographer for Fall Family Pictures

I keep saying that we’re going to hire a professional photographer to do our fall pictures and we always end up getting my dad to take them, but this year I really really want to do this!  I need to go ahead and start researching now so we can nail down a photographer and a date.

S E V E N T E E N – Drink at Least Three Pumpkin Spice Lattes

I never have time to go to Starbucks in the morning because there’s no longer one on my route since I take Jacob to school.  Therefore, I only get to have them on the weekend.  Well, they’ve already been out for three weeks now and I have yet to get one.  Anyone want to bring one to me??

E I G H T E E N – Play in the Leaves and Enjoy the Fall Foliage

We don’t have many mature trees around our house, so we never have a back yard full of leaves.  We do have a couple of really great parks here in town that have leaves by the bucketfull during fall, though, so I’d love to go there and let the kids play.

N I N E T E E N – Make an Apple Pie from Scratch

I’ve never made a pie from scratch before, but I’m thinking of trying my hand at an apple pie this year.  After all of that apple picking that we will hopefully get to do, I will need to find something to make with them.

T W E N T Y – Watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

The perfect way to end fall and begin the transition to Christmas.  In my book, once Santa Clause waves at the end of the parade on Thanksgiving Day, the fall season is officially over and the Christmas season has officially begun! 

Bring it, because I’m so ready!

*Linking up with Jessi's Design and Going the Distance for What's Hap-"Pinning" Wednesday.