Pictures from the Season

[Jack and I at Dempsey Thanksgiving - we came staight from the woods]

[the family minus Jody]

[Dudes vs. Chicks - the Official Weigh-in. The girls LOST (booo) and I had to get my hair "colored" red. Don't let the picture fool you - it was BRIGHT red.]

[Jack went home with a red head that night]

[Celebrating Cam Newton's Heisman Award at Toomer's - my little buddy was good at the Heisman pose!]

[Celebrating with my big brother - I think my Mom has a picture from when Bo Jackson won of me and Billy at Toomer's - only difference: He was 6 and I was months old. :)]

[Me and the Boys - aren't they adorable?]

[William went shopping with me & was sooo excited he had change to put in the "'red bucket"]

[The Armstrongs/Caldwells @ Dempsey Christmas - Elvis snuck in the picture too]

[I had a group of girls over to decorate cookies & we watched ELF - it was a sugar high for sure!]

[SNOW on Christmas Day]

[This was early in the snow - 4 hours later it was still snowing and still piling up]

[The only picture I have of us on Christmas Day - Merry Christmas from the Armstrong's]

Thanksgiving

(I know I'm behind)

Thanksgiving this year was spent with my parents in St. Petersburg, FL. It was BEAUTIFUL! Jack and I drove down on Wednesday. What should have been an 8 hour trip turned into a 10 1/2 hour trip which meant I changed for Thanksgiving Eve Service in the car going across the bridge from Tampa to St. Pete :) Quite a sight I am sure! The service was wonderful - it was great to be back at The Salvation Army ARC with my parents & the men! It was also good to hang out with my family! Thanksgiving morning we play the "Turkey Bowl". Daddy started this years ago in B'ham and it is a FUN tradition we all look forward to!

[this is all of us after the game - orange team lost in the last few minutes! :( ]

After the game everyone cleans up and changes and then we have lunch with the men. It's always a delicious meal and this year was no different! That evening we vegged out. There was football, ELF, and an assortment of other things being watched.

Friday we woke up and ate breakfast and realized we had time to hit the beach before the Iron Bowl. I gladly put on my bathing suit and off we went. Mom didn't go - she stayed home to cook special requests (mainly mine). It was sooo yummy too!

[Sarah and baby Gatlin]

[It's GAME DAY - and W's hand is pointing at it]

[My cute husband]

[G-daddy & William]

We got back in time to shower and get our gameday gear on. We are a divided house.  My Dad and Jack cheer for Alabama. Billy, Me, the Boys, and Sarah (this weekend) cheer for Auburn. My mom remains neutral on this game. It was a rough game. We were down big time at the half - so much so I went for a walk to burn some energy. Came back in time for the 2nd half and it turned out victorious for my team. WAR EAGLE! Being that an Auburn tradition is rolling Toomer's we rolled the FL version.

[Sarah and I rolling the palm tree on driveway]

[the boys doing their part]

[we then moved to the orange tree in the backyard]

[me and my boys]

[mommy and daddy]

After rolling took place we sat down to eat and celebrate Baby Gat's birthday. I still can't believe he is 1! Where does the time go? It's always fun to watch little ones get into their cake and he was no different!

[our cake, his cake and his hat]

[mommy and daddy love their baby Gat]

[g-daddy and mawmaw love their baby Gat]

[Uncle Jack and Sweet T are pretty fond of him too!]

[cute family of four]

[me and my buddy]

[baby Gat opened his presents & W got a few too - aren't they cute?]

We got up and drove back to Auburn on Saturday - it was an equally long trip back but I am thankful we got to spend time with our family!

I'm coming, I'm coming ...

I am severely behing on blogging. A little overwhelmed at all of it but TOMORROW, TOMORROW. I'll get back to it. I even have a Christmas one - it's late but you can read it anyway! :)

House Divided

(Fall 2006)

 (Fall 2009)

(Actual Game day 2009)

Cleary this day every year we are a HOUSE DIVIDED. The whole time we dated and were engaged my team (Auburn) won. Since we've been married his team (Bama) has won. I'm hoping to change that up this year. War Eagle from St. Pete, FL.

Signs

Everyone has seen those signs in the "good" football movies (Remember the Titans, We Are Marshall, Friday Night Lights, etc). They always show the town as a small town, real close knit community. All the stores shut down to go to the games, they put signs in their windows in support. Auburn is one of "those" towns in my opinion. This town goes crazy for their team. As I have been driving to work I have noticed our signs and felt that I needed to take pictures to share then with you. Especially, this week ... THE week of football season ... IRON BOWL WEEK ... Auburn vs. Bama.

Happy 1st Birthday Baby Gatlin

(first time I held him - less than an hour old!)

 Happy 1st Birthday Baby Gat!

I cannot believe you are already a year old! What a sweet blessing you have been this last year! I was THRILLED the morning your daddy called (at 4:30 am I might add) to tell me Mommy was in labor. My job for the day was to hang with your big brother. I could not move fast enough to get to the hospital when I found out you arrived! I spent LOTS of time with you after you were born because I knew when you were about 5 months old Uncle Jack and I were going to Africa. It made me so sad to think that when I got home (2 1/2 months later) you wouldn't know who I was. I think your parents and brother did a good job of saying my name so you'd know. Even though you won't say my name (or anyone else's) I know you know who I am. Your smile melts my heart. That toothy grin as of late makes me laugh everytime. You have been constant entertainment, especially when Chelsea and I try to make you go to sleep and you laugh and sing instead (baby crack is a very fitting nickname). I am praying that as you continue to grow that your sweet personality will stay around. I am praying that at an early age the Lord will show you your sinfulness and you will realize your need for a Savior. What a sweet blessing for this "Sweet T" to not only call you nephew but call you brother too. (I gotta quit - I'm crying!) Know that I love you and pray for you all the time! You are a joy!

Later that night

first time to meet Uncle Jack

W & G with Sweet T in their matching shirts!

Celebrating an AUBURN victory!

Sweet T teaching him how to celebrate!

Aubie & the Mechanic

Chick-fil-A ice cream - it's a tradition!

Dear Deer

Dear Deer (specifically Clay, Lee, Macon & Randolph County deer),

 Rifle season is here and it does not expire until January 31, 2011. Rest assured I or Jack will be hunting you.  The full moon this weekend allowed you to be sneaky but just know: I am still armed, still pink and still dangerous.

Consider yourselves warned.

-TL

Auburn Traditions

Welcome to AUBURN!

This is Toomer's Corner/Drugstore. If you were to come for a game you would come by here for their yummy lemonade! WAR EAGLE!

Taken just this morning (11/11/10) at about 9:45 am - Auburn "Family" hanging out a.k.a reserving their spot for their RV and tailgate. WAR EAGLE!

Before the night was over you would walk to Samford Hall to see just how beautiful it is! My favorite building on campus! WAR EAGLE!

I love it sooo much I had all my bridal portraits taken in front of it!

At the beginning of every game - the EAGLE flies! It is AMAZING! The Whole crowd stands up and cheers "WWWWWWWWAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRR EAGLE! HEY!" I get chills.

And of course, after a WIN, (which seems to be all we do right now) we ROLL TOOMER'S CORNER. It looks like snow - and it is BEAUTIFUL! WAR EAGLE!

This is on the picture I could find on my computer ... My sweet, wonderful, godly sister in law is a little confused and it always seems to really surface about the second weekend in November. She is a UGA Grad and well she lives in Auburn. She masks it most of the time but this week every year (sigh) she shows her true colors. Well, my sweet Sarah, get ready .... W A R  E A G L E! :) Cam Newton allegations aside ... Auburn is fired up and ready to beat those dawgs back to Athens. :) WAR EAGLE!

P.S. I overheard my sweet nephew saying "Go dawgs, sic em, woof woof" I will be retraining him the next week. (sigh) The duties of an Aunt. WAR EAGLE!