Monday, October 20, 2008

This is Alabama Football: Weekend Update

The VanDykes had another very weekend ... in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. This is God's country according to my husband. I'm not sure I agree, but Tuscaloosa was our first home as a married couple and it will always hold a special place in my heart. We also get to visit with our dear friends-David and Nikki-each time we visit.

NEW FRIENDS: This is Claire's friend, Hartley. He is David and Nikki's little boy and is almost exactly one month older than Claire. They instantly hit it off and had a fun time playing together all weekend long.


First date? I love this photo. The kids were eating dinner on Friday night before the babysitter came to keep them while the grown-ups went to a Halloween party. Notice that Hartley is sitting on his potty. He is still potty training and sometimes has to pop-a-squat for a little while before he will go. Fortunately, he had the TV to entertain him. If these two every get married, this photo will definitely be on the rehearsal dinner video!

GHOSTS AND GHOULS: We went to a costume party with David and Nikki on Friday night. While we were there, we ran into Sarah Palin and John McCain (aka David and Nikki). Actually, we ran into 3 Sarah Palins, 2 John McCains, 1 Richard Nixon and 1 Joe the Plumber (of the recent presidential debate fame). Will and I were Spartan cheerleaders. It was very thankful for my comfy costume and shoes after I saw all those 3-inch+ heels that all the Sarah Palins were wearing.



Saturday: Game On!
Will and David (our friend, not our 6-month old) left early Saturday morning to get the tailgate site set up and pick up our BBQ lunch. So, that left Nikki and I with 2 2-1/2 year olds, a 6 month old and a 7 week old. We had to get everyone fed, ready and packed up in the car all by ourselves! We finally made it out to the tailgate site after walking about 2 miles (toting 4 kids) from the car. I was ready to call it a day after that! The kids had a great time and Claire got to see a bunch of inflatable Big Al's out on the quad. She told us about 100 times on the way to Tuscaloosa that she wanted to see "Roll Tide" (this is what she calls Big Al). We told her that he was asleep because it was night time, which prompted her to ask about 100 times: "Roll Tide asleep? I wake him up?" Will and I felt really bad about not bringing her into the game when there were open seats on either side of us and Big Al was standing at the bottom of our section for about half the game. Of course, she probably wouldn't have gotten near him with a 10-foot pole once she saw him in person. I have vision of lost of crying and screaming "no bother me" in my head.







Saturday was a beautiful fall day and we loved being outside on campus and listening to Denny Chimes ring in the background. Will ever rounded up the kids for a game of "tackle". At game time, Steve and Jane (David's parents), loaded up the kids and took them back to the house to meet the babysitters while we went to the game.

It was another first-half victory for Alabama over Ole Miss that became quite the nail-biter in the fourth quarter. Fortunately, Bama squeaked out a 24-20 win, despite the fact that they did not score one point in the second half. Hopefully, they will get their act together before heading up to Big Orange County on Saturday.


P.S. Cute Tailgate Food! It seems like a lot of blogs that I read like to post photos of food? Not real sure about that one, but these were too cute. I loved the Alabama petite fours and the Ghost nutter butters. I think I will make the ghost cookies for a Halloween party we are going to this weekend.

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