Movie Review by a 2 1/2 yo: UP

UAB Homecoming

I LOVE football season!!! It might be my favorite time of the year. I would be perfectly happy sitting on my couch on a Fall Saturday watching football all day long! Now I prefer to watch an SEC team play but really any team will do! Some might think my husband is a lucky man...nope...well he is :) but not because I like to watch football...he doesn't really care to sit and watch football all day. I didn't realize this when I married him! :) Anyway. This past weekend was UAB's homecoming. The game didn't turn out they way we had hoped but hey, we're UAB fans what can we expect?! We did however get to spend time with friends and family at a tailgate.

So the weekend started out with Emory and I driving to Birmingham on Thursday afternoon. My mom wanted Emory and Payton to ride with her in the homecoming parade on Friday at noon. Emory loved the parade and getting to throw candy to the people on the street. Now granted they had to wait for the car to move to get the candy because she was only throwing it about 6 inches away from the car; but they thought she was cute doing it!! We were only a few cars back from the band and Emory loves the drums! We froze but we had a good time and at least the bad weather waited until we were on our way to lunch. As soon as we were warm in my car it started raining and then it started sleeting. It's like it decided to suddenly be Winter...I think we may have skipped right over Fall. Oh well!

Riding in the parade with Tita.

Friday night we went to a basketball game...now this is one sport UAB seems to do well in. And the Blazers didn't disappoint we beat West Alabama 81-65 in the first exhibition game of the season! Go Blazers!

Chase attempting to show Emory that Blaze won't hurt her...it didn't work...oh well, maybe next year!

Emory and Abby

Abby knew how to keep the little ones happy...she was hiding skittles in her shirt pocket! Emory discovered it and was trying to get a few!

Emory and Payton

The kiddos kicked back in the box, eating their popcorn with Papa...he loved it! :)

So the Blazers didn't get a win this week but...Once a Blazer, Always a Blazer!! Maybe next week boys! :)

Halloween Weekend 2010

Halloween was another busy but fun weekend. Friday night was a "birthday party" of sorts, it was more of a large get together with all our friends that happen to fall around Courtney's birthday!! Any excuse to get together!!

Friday night after the party we decorated cookies I had made...Emory loved eating the icing and sprinkles!!

Sunday was trick-or-treating. This year we went to a friends neighborhood and set up camp. The boys stayed at the house with the fire pit and the candy, and the girls loaded up the wagons with kids and made the big loop around the neighborhood!! Emory was a birthday cake! I had everything for her to be a cowgirl but when someone would ask her what she was going to be for Halloween, she would reply with "a birthday cake." I tried pushing the cowgirl costume but she wasn't having it and the birthday cake request was so cute I couldn't not let her be a birthday cake!! She picked out the whole outfit! Halloween is definitely more fun when you have a creative toddler!! :)

Let's get the show on the road!

Lexi, Kaylee, and Hailey, a.k.a. the band of pirates

Headquarters

The birthday cake

The kiddos, a.k.a. the candy getters!

The boys, a.k.a. the candy givers!

The girls, some might call us the candy eaters!

Emory and Daryn, a.k.a Birthday Cake and Alice

Grayson and Sutton, a.k.a Cinderella and Optimus Prime

Pumpkin Patch 2010

Ok so I'm a little behind in posting but is anyone surprised?! The weekend before Halloween, we had a long but fun weekend full of wonderful friends and unforgettable memories...and we actually stayed in Nashville! Saturday morning we served the homeless in downtown Nashville with our lifegroup from church.

Saturday evening was date night with the Kate and Baxter, I didn't get any pictures but we had a wonderful time. We went out to dinner and took our time...we were there for 2 hours and and enjoyed every second! We kept all the kids at the Lee's house so after dinner we headed back there to the peace and quiet...because our wonderful baby sitter had already put the toddlers to bed and was giving baby Baxter his last bottle of the night, followed by bedtime!! It was wonderful! We were able to enjoy adult conversation and drinks without interruption!

Sunday was church followed by lunch and the Pumpkin Patch with our lifegroup. Emory loved it! If you ask her what she saw, she will tell you she saw the pigs race...nothing about the pumpkins!!

The pictures below are a little out order because blogspot and I are having issues but at least I have it posted!!

Family Picture...by this picture it might seem that it was easy it get the 3 of us together...not so much! We spent most of the time wrestling Emory to sit still!!

"I have pumpkins ALL over me!!"

Rachel, Me, and Christy!

About to watch the pig races!

Trying to figure out the FSI (farm scene investigation).

Such a cute little cow!!

This picture pretty much sums up our husbands!!!

The kiddos!

The girls serving at Laymens Lessons

The boys serving at Laymens Lessons

Music to My Ears!

Happy Birthday G and Dude!!

Recruitment 2010

AOII door...it made us proud!!

The oldies...but goodies!! :)

Emory on Bid Day.

AOII's and a little legacy.

Dancing with the girls.

Katie, Emory, and Alyssa

The girls didn't realize they were getting a new mascot!! haha! Emory ate up the attention!

In early September Emory and I drove to Birmingham to help out with Recruitment...and to eat at all the places in Birmingham I miss so much!! (seriously we ate at O'Carrs, Taziki's, La Dama, Nikki's, and Milo's) :) Anyway, Friday night me and some of the Alums provided a lasagna dinner. It was great getting to provide the food knowing how much they appreciate it!! Food at the end of a long night of parties was always the best part of the night!! Saturday, Mom and Claire and I went to one of the Theme Night parties. Not much has changed...they have updated some of the songs and dances...but it still kicked butt!! :) Made me proud to be an AOII!! Sunday was bid day. After running all over Birmingham trying to help my sister keep her wits, I met Mom and Emory at the Green and waited to see the girls run across the street and join their new sisters!! Gotta be honest...it brought tears to my eyes!! AOII gave me a wonderful group of friends for a lifetime and I love that my true sister is also my sister in AOII and enjoying it as much or more than I did.

Meet Baby Sam

So Sam is actually a month old today, so I guess you could say I am a little far behind in posting...to say the least! Surprise, Surprise!

Samuel Holden was born September 1, 2010 at 3:43pm, weighing 7 pounds, 11 ounces and was 20.5 inches long. We were not able to make it to Birmingham until the next week, but Emory and I had an almost week long trip planned for AOII recruitment (post to follow).

He's pretty stinken cute if I do say so myself!!!

Nita at the hospital with Sam.

Snoozing away.

Emory playing mommy!

The proud big brother!!!