Friday Night Lights

Growing up in south Alabama and then moving to Decatur shortly after college was a culture shock. It felt like I was in a different country, and I didn't know how I was going to make it. It wasn't better and it wasn't worse, it was just different. I'm rather set in my ways and change isn't something I embrace. But with every passing year we're here in Decatur, I love it more and more. Now it feels like "home". It's where we spent our first year of marriage, it's where our little ones were born, it's where we've made great friends, and even though I never imagined going into it I'd feel this way, it's going to kill me if we ever have to move. That being said, Friday night when we were in the stands at the Decatur vs. Austin game, I felt like I've been a Decatur Red Raider all my life! Of course, my Andy Bulldogs still hold a special place in my heart. :) Since it was such a huge game, Bethany's 9th grade squad got to cheer at the game along with the other 2 squads. I've truly never seen anything like it. The only thing I've ever experienced that I can equate it to is college football. It was definitely a sight to behold! And oh my word, to be in Bethany's shoes...I'd give anything!!

The fun started Friday afternoon when our friend Emma went with us to Bethany's pep rally...

When we got to the gym, B and Madeline made the girls' day by making such a fuss over them...

This is when I'd love to have a zoom lens...

That chick is cute whether she looks like an ant in that picture or not! Ha!

Have I mentioned that it was a Jersey Shore themed pep rally? You can bet my husband was in his shades fist pumping like crazy just to embarrass a certain 9th grade cheerleader. She gave me "that look" and I mouthed to her that I'd get him under control.
All eyes on B - she was doing a little fist pumping of her own in an extension...

Time for the alma mater...

We stood in line for what seemed like hours to get our ticket to the game that night, and the place was so packed it was hard to find a seat. We squeezed in our spots just in time for the National Anthem...

The girls were so incredibly excited to be in their cheer uniforms. They were all smiles!

I swiped B's Beat Austin shirt for the game and fit right in with the other thousand people wearing one...

I love this one - GAME TIME...

And finally, it was time for some football...

I wish someone would have warned me about the cannon before the football team ran onto the field. I'm still wondering if my heart is in check after that!
After Friday night I know one thing is true...it's great to be a Decatur Red Raider!!!

Can You Feel It?

Call me crazy, but I do believe I feel Fall in the air. I can feel that breeze (even through the heat) and that makes me one happy lady! Last Thursday morning Cate and I met my friends Ashley and Mary and their children at the park, and it was so nice that we made a 2nd trip that afternoon...

Cate's quite the mama these days. We travel with a baby entourage everywhere we go...

The park's fun and all, but my girls are easily swayed by sweets and when I told them we had brownies to make at home it was time to gather up the babies and hit the road...

B had a friend coming home from school with her which is why they thought brownies were a necessity in the first place. Complete with candles. Everything's a celebration...


Remember when I said that Cate's maternal instincts are in overdrive lately? I wasn't kidding. There are two little boys whose sisters take gymnastics with Towns, so they're always there when we're there. Cate has adopted them as her own for the hour long session, and takes pride in wiping their noses, giving them sippy cups, making sure they have toys to play with at all times, etc. She follows them around with her hand gently on their back as if she's guiding them where she thinks they need to go. It's really sweet, but sometimes Rowan and Evan don't like to play along. Case in point...

It totally and completely breaks her heart when they prefer their parents over her, bless her!

Yesterday on our way to gymnastics she said, "I'm a little bit worried about my boys not being at 'nastics today" and I assured her they'd be there. Thankfully they didn't make a liar out of me!

In other news, Cate starts Mother's Day Out tomorrow...finally! She's been waiting for what seems like all summer to get back to school with her friends. I have to admit I'm not too thrilled about it. Since Towns and Bethany have been in school every day, she's been my faithful sidekick. We went to meet her teachers this morning, and these two were oh so thrilled to see each other...

That's Ella...who Cate lovingly refers to as her "school sister"!
One day when they're graduating from high school I can't wait to pull these pictures out and tell them stories about what a mess they both were! :)

Twinkle Toes

According to Cate this has been the "bestest day ever"...

After almost 3 years of waiting, watching, and begging to just do something like her sisters she finally got to start dance class! I'm not sure I can put into words the level of excitement this brings to our lives. She's been inducted into the big girl club! Most everything she has is a hand-me-down which she certainly doesn't mind, and this is no different. She's got Towns' first pair of ballet shoes and her old dance bag. But J knows how big of a deal this is to Cate and he insisted I take her out and make a fuss over buying her new dance clothes. So that's just what we did! You could have given her the option of having the keys to Disney World or starting ballet, and dance class would win...hands down. She's my heart, that girl!
She put on her new "liptard" the second we left the store with it. And she's wanted to sleep in it, bathe in it, and do everything else in it ever since...


We got to class 30 minutes early because we just couldn't wait a second longer. She's taking dance at our church which is where I've taught for several years now, but you'd think she's never been in the dance studio before (even though she's there almost every day) by the way she was checking everything out. It was like it was her time now which gave it a whole new look!
She really got a kick out of checking herself out in the mirror...


I went to a Beth Moore Bible study on Esther (love it!!) while she was in class, but I got out just in time to catch the last few minutes of class...

When it was over she was excited to show me that she kept her ballet shoes on the whole time...

And she was ever so proud of the stamp she got on her hand for doing a super job...

You're such a big girl, Buggy!

She's still replaying the whole class in her head apparently. She keeps saying "I did great in ballet today, even gooder than great" and "am I so big to go to dancing like Towns?" which makes me smile. She can't wait to go back!
Tuesdays are our never ending dancing days...Cate goes on Tuesday mornings and Towns goes for two hours in the afternoon. At least we knock it all out in one day, though!
After ballet and picking Towns up from school, there was a box waiting on the door step addressed to these two monkeys...

Aunt Anna Kate had a little something up her sleeve!
And when the girls opened their packages to find brown and pink owl hoodies they couldn't have been more excited...


Thanks for making my girls' day, Roommate!
We LOVE our treats!!

New 'Do

Sunday afternoon Cate and I had a date, and that's the day I realized that her hair needed some attention. We started out of the house in an attempt to end up at the mall, but she needed to practice her cheer poses first. In this picture, her hair is ok...

But when I was looking back at the pictures and saw this one...

I knew it was time to take action!
Bless her. Her hair is just like her...wild! :)
So after her bath that night, we had a serious conversation about how Mommy is the only person in the world who can put scissors of any kind to her hair. {She's the one who will give herself a haircut - it's only a matter of time.} After a trim and a blow dry she was loving life. She thinks we're twins with our short hair...


There's nothing in the world I love more than two clean babies in their pj's who smell like Johnson & Johnson's from head to toe...I could eat 'em up!

We've had a very eventful past few days that have been full of lots of fun and laughs...I've been reminded a lot lately that we're never promised tomorrow. We need to make the most out of every day, and that's just what we've been doing!
We've hit the park...


Stopped by The Corner Bakery for pretty, pretty cupcakes...



Where Cate found something she'll be needing next month...

We've patiently waited outside Sissy's gymnastics while enjoying the weather and doing cheer routines...
This is "hold, 2, 3, 4":

"high V, 6, 7, 8":

She's got it down!
We've played ice cream shop with Play Doh for what seems like hours...


We've spent a few afternoons at Point Mallard...


And perhaps our most favorite thing...

We've thoroughly enjoyed the new Decatur cheer uniforms and mini pom poms we just got in! All I know is that the Varsity rep for north AL is my hero. Now those two will get to be even more like their Bebby than before! Bring on football season because we're READY!!