ROLL TIDE, Babies!

My BEST WEEK EVER post omitted a rather huge piece of goodness...but I decided to save this for a post unto itself.

The University of Alabama won its 17th NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP last week!!!

Historic!!!

The program has quite a history, but prior to 2009, our last championship was in 1992, when I was in 10th grade!  The girls don't have any sense for such a drought, though, as Bama has won FIVE championships in their short lifetime!

You may know it wasn't difficult to find pictures of the girls in their crimson best from each championship year.  What a fun look back at our pride and joy!

2009!

2011!

2012!

2015!

And this last year...in comparison to the BABIES in those pictures...it gets me, y'all...

2017!

(I'll go ahead and admit that the girls wouldn't necessarily have included Bama's win in their Best Week Ever list.  When B got up on Tuesday morning after the big game, I told her I had great news.  "It SNOWED??!!!" she asked.  Oh, well...they can sing the fight song and they excitedly wear that glorious crimson with the best of them.  I guess I'll take it.)

ROLL TIDE!!!

Our Mini-Vacay Adventures!

For Spring Break this year, I took off a couple of days and we headed south to Sweet Home Alabama.  Our first stop was Rocket City...Huntsville!  After an incredibly yummy, down-home Cajun lunch (including an up-close encounter with the biggest crawfish I've ever seen), we headed to the Space and Rocket Center.

Some cool interactive exhibits!

On the surface of the moon, with Rocket Park in the background!

The girls loved the "moon surface"...although I'm thinking the moss is an Earth-add.

And I love this picture of A, so engaged.  She stopped off here while we were looking at something else.  I loved the view from behind her, seeing her anticipation at the liftoff video!

Waiting with baited breath!

After a delicious (and much more expensive than we'd planned) dinner [I was looking at the LUNCH menu...not the dinner menu!], we rested up and met my cousin and her sweet baby girl for breakfast the next morning.

Then we headed to Hubby's alma mater, UAH, for a walk down Memory Lane.

Cool sculpture!

And then we headed to my alma mater...our first "home" together...Tuscaloosa.  We immediately headed for campus.  We just so happened to park beside the stadium.  Hee hee!

Family photo opp!

The girls always zero in when they see "2009"...here, in Champions Plaza.

I love this view!!!

One of my favorites...such a happy place!!!

The girls practiced their "Nick Saban clap"...HA!

Baby A climbed up quite a way for this photo op!  B was not keen on joining her...

And then we headed to supper downtown, at one of our old favorites.  DePalma's...YUM!!!

My loves!

The girls requested Alabama ballcaps, which we procured on Friday.  They could hardly wait to put them on Saturday morning and head to campus for the A-Day festivities!  Our first stop was Daddy's monument!

These girls are two proud peacocks!

And then we attended an alumni event at the business school.

So official!

And just before game time, we headed to the Quad to see the sights.  I LOVE this picture of the girls with their backpacks!!!

They look SO grown up!

At last it was Game Time!

Excited for their pom-poms!

Our view!

After the game, we took a break for some ice cream (and Mommy had some coffee), and then we headed to Aunt A's house for some catch-up time.  Here are all the kiddos together!

Posers!

Sunday morning we enjoyed a yummy breakfast at a German bakery, and then we spent a little more time on campus.  I am thrilled to have captured this impromptu hug in the shadow of Denny Chimes!

Be still my heart!

And our A couldn't help but DANCE to the chimes...hee hee!

What a happy soul!

On our way home we made one last stop at GG's house.  Baby B wasn't much for pictures, but A was all smiles alongside GG.

We packed A LOT into four days...and it sure was fun!!!

Bama's Best

So we made our quick down-and-back trip to Alabama this weekend.  It was short, but definitely sweet.

I have some great pictures, and I'm so thankful I took a few minutes to jot down some great quotes.  Being in the car for 10 hours over two days will do that for ya!

Some of the funnier moments came as the girls were reading signs.  I sometimes forget THEY CAN READ, and it strikes me as so funny, some of the things they come up with...

Baby A read, "Left shoulder closed."  "But Mommy, I need both my shoulders!"

And then, she read an advertisement, "Skydive Today!"  She immediately protested, "I don't want to skydive today!"  And then, "What's skydiving?"  Hahahaha!!!

We were getting a little antsy during the last few minutes of the drive on Saturday, so I started to quiz the girls on some math problems...

To B, "What's 25 x 3?"  "75!" she immediately answered.

And then, to A, "What's 6 x 5?"  She paused for just a second.  "Well, that's 12 x 2 + 6."  And then, "30!"  I really thought she'd memorized that multiplication fact...or at least that she'd count by 5's.  Her algebra amazed me!

When we got to Granddaddy's on Saturday afternoon, we decided to brave the heat and head to Noccalula Falls Park.

(Looking at the pictures, I realize now that Granddaddy and the girls had a tropical theme going on.  Hee hee!)

The beginning of our adventure...waiting on the train!

Our beloved train!

Petting a baby goat...sweet!!!

And we were so lucky to witness some of nature's magic.  When we first got to the petting zoo area, we saw a goat that was VERY pregnant.  We went inside to check out the bunnies and birds...and when we came out, there was a crowd gathered around to watch the baby being born!!!

We missed that particular action, but we did get to see the mommy goat cleaning up her baby...the baby's first steps...and the baby's first drink!  It was so sweet to see the girls cheering the baby goat on.

Late July in Alabama was probably not the most comfortable of days to be traipsing around the park, but we enjoyed it.  This crew was looking a little more exhausted by the end of the afternoon, though.  I love this picture of everyone, waiting on the train to come pick us up.

We came back to Granddaddy's and go cleaned up to go out to eat.  Unfortunately, though, I don't have any pictures from our gorgeous dinner.  We sat on the deck at the Fish Market and had a super-yummy supper.  I did capture a quote, though, as the server set down in front of A the crab cake dish I'd ordered for the girls to share.  B immediately reminded her sissy, "Half of that is mine!"  HA!!!

Sunday morning, we enjoyed breakfast out, and then some play time outside.  I didn't take a ton of pictures, but I did capture this beauty.  B was very serious about her technique (no doubt what she learned during basketball camp this summer).

Shooting some hoops!  (And enjoying time on the swing, of course.)

A short but fun trip...some great memories made!!!

Thankful for Their Reaction

We’ve had a change in plans for the weekend.  We’d been planning a trip to a state park in Tennessee.  We were going to stay in a hotel…eat ice cream…swim in the pool…and then hike this awesome park that has a gorgeous waterfall.  The girls were all excited about it, and so were we.

But over the last few days our babysitter options for this coming week, when Daddy has three all-day meetings, narrowed.  And then they disappeared.

We talked about a couple of different options, and then Thursday night, we made a last-minute call to Sweet Home Alabama.  I asked GG if she could come help us for the week, and of course she was thrilled.  Friday morning I called Dad, and he was excited to know we’d be coming down, too.

I was a little nervous to tell the girls, worried that they’d be upset that our waterfall adventure would have to be postponed.  (This is actually the second postponement, the first being earlier in the summer due to weather.)

Before breakfast on Friday morning, I told the girls we had some thing we needed to talk about.  “You know Mommy and Daddy have been working to figure out a babysitting option for next week, right?  And you know that Miss Jennifer and Miss Jenny are not available?  Well...” I asked them, drawing it out and piquing their interest, “who would actually be the very best babysitter in the whole wide world???” 

The girls’ eyes lit up as they tried to think.  “She doesn’t live in this town,” I added.

“GG!!!!!!!” they exclaimed in unison.  They were so excited to know she was coming to hang out with them for the week.

“So…that means that instead of going to the waterfall, we’ll be going to Alabama.”

“YAY!!!!!!!”  They didn’t miss a beat.  “Do we get to see Granddaddy???” they asked immediately.

When I told them yes, they lit up even more.  And then Baby A added, “Wow!!!  We got to see him last month, too!!!”

For these many things, I am thankful.  I am thankful for family who’s willing to come up on such short notice, and who will take care of the girls better than anyone.  And I am thankful for the girls’ excitement…their understanding that waterfalls can wait…and their joy at seeing GG and Granddaddy.

Taken in late February.  L-O-V-E.

Capturing Memories: Alabama and GG

(This post is a bit belated, but I didn’t want to forget some of the sweet things from a couple of weeks ago.)

GG came to visit in late June.  It was a visit much anticipated by all of us.  We were so glad to have her here!

The girls and I went down to Alabama, our second trip just the three of us.  Our first stop was Aunt Alison’s house.  It’s always such a treat to sit back, relax, and catch up.  (Well, that’s what Alison and I did while the girlies played!)

That afternoon, we headed to Granddaddy’s house.  We had the most awesome dinner at The Fish Market.  I didn’t realize the scenery was going to be so picturesque, or I would have taken my camera.  We sat right on the river.  We enjoyed some fun live music, and the girls enjoyed watching the boats come in for supper.  Oh, and the food was delicious!

The next day, the girls and I went to visit our newest baby cousin, Z.  She is precious!!!  The girls were enamored with her…once they got a taste of holding her, they didn’t want to stop!

We had another fun afternoon at Granddaddy’s house.  Although it was HOT, we got in a lot of outside play time.  Granddaddy surprised the girls with these planes…

…and we all got to admire Granddaddy’s new car.  WOW!!!  He took us for a very short ride around the block.  (I was incredibly nervous, since the girls didn’t have car seats, but we literally didn’t see another car at 6pm on Sunday evening.)  The girls thought it was AWESOME to ride with the top down!!!

The next day, GG, Uncle Tommy, and Aunt Janet came to Granddaddy’s for an early lunch.  We enjoyed a short visit, and then we loaded up and brought GG back home with us.  I didn’t get to enjoy as much time with GG as I would have liked…I was at work my usual schedule…but the girls and GG (and Daddy) had a great time together.  Here are a few of the highlights…

·         GG and the cats.  GG met Miki and Alex for the first time.  She loved them!  And Miki, in particular, liked her.  He was quite taken with her hair, combing his little paw through it every chance he got.  He obviously got some kind of kick from this, and GG definitely did!

·         “Helping” GG.  GG took it upon herself to make sure the girls’ beds were made every day.  B was glad to supervise.  (Sigh.)  GG told me that B was directing her how to put the blanket.  GG cracked me up when she recounted it.  “I’ve got it, B,” GG told her.  HA!  And how cute it was to hear A caution GG, “Careful!” as she went up the stairs.

·         Giggles.  I called home on Monday to check on everyone.  Hubby answered the phone, to an ongoing chorus of giggles in the background.

·         Mastery.  While GG was here, B mastered the hula hoop!  She’s been able to do it for a year or so, but something clicked, and she’s got it now without a doubt.

·         Kudos.  On Thursday, the ‘fam picked me up from work and we all went to lunch.  I asked around the table how everyone liked their food.  “This is good, Mommy.  Amazing, actually.  Fantastic,” A said.

·         Fun.  On Friday night, Hubby needed to cut the grass, and I didn’t have much planned in the way of supper.  Since it was just us girls, I decided to spring something different on everyone.  We had a “picnic” in the den…PB&J sandwiches on towels while we listened to GG’s favorite singer, Willie Nelson, on CD.  It’s obvious that it doesn’t take much to impress the girlies.  “This is the best night ever,” A told me.

What a GREAT week!  One I don't want to forget, for sure!!!

Football = Soccer ???

...well, not in this country…but I can see my sweet kiddos trying to figure it all out.

This mama is a huge football fan (of the American sort), Alabama Crimson Tide football, to be more exact.  While it was only over the last year that we actually let the girls watch any football (the TV is rarely on while the girls are awake), they’ve been decked in Crimson and White since they were tiny.

Soccer also runs deep at our house.  I didn’t grow up with the sport, buy my hubby lives and breathes it.  It’s his true passion.

The girls have logged much more English Premier League soccer time in front of the telly than they have football, for sure.  And we play a lot of it, too…in our basement, in the front yard, and every chance we get to go to the park.

I see the sports as being so completely different, but I recognize now they can cause a little confusion to the wee ones.

We were at the park a few weeks ago, kicking the soccer ball around.  Baby A did something really nice, and I congratulated her, “That was AWESOME!”  She threw her little hands in the air and yelled, “TOUCHDOWN!”

Daddy just shook his head.

I got my turn at head shaking during the Alabama game this past weekend.  During the first quarter, the opposing team scored first on a field goal.  After a few minutes (still during the first quarter), B said somberly, “Mommy, I don’t think Alabama is going to win.”  WHY would you say that, Sweetie???  “Well, they have three goals, and we don’t have any.”

I had to laugh (perhaps to keep from crying)!

...hmmm...maybe they can play soccer at The University of Alabama...yes, that's it!!!

My (Dusty) Camera

Since the girls started school and I started back to work, I realized I haven't had my camera out nearly as often as I always have.  It isn't literally dusty (the horror!!!), but my September14 picture file was sadly thin.

I packed my camera this past Saturday morning, as the girls and I went to our beloved Jackson's Orchard for their annual Orchestra in the Orchard event.  [I have pictures from our visit each year that I could pull out...but I'm not quite that organized these days.]

Here are a few of my faves...

We started out, listening to the orchestra, under the shade of an apple tree.

Since we didn't get there as early as we'd planned, our spot wasn't very good, and we decided to find a snack.  In line, we ran into none other than "Grandma" June!!!  It had been waaaay too long since we saw her...what a fantastic treat!!!

The girls enjoyed playing...

...and Grandma June insisted she take a picture of the three of us.  What a rare treat!

And last, but certainly not least, we scoped out the pumpkins.

After a super-fun morning, the girls and I headed downtown for lunch.  We opted for Tea Bayou, one of my frequent haunts from the girls' preschool days.  How I'd missed that little place, too!

Here are the girlies, waiting on our food, near-tuckered out from a full morning of sun and fun...

And I had to snap a picture of A, trying to eat a big muffaletta.  It's hard to eat when you're short on teeth!!!

Before we wrapped up our sweet time together, we made a pit stop by the downtown fountain.  This picture opp never gets old.

I've been missing time with my precious babies...and with my camera!  So glad I got a good dose of both this Saturday.

{heart}