If you can't beat 'em, join 'em.

Here in Auburn, Alabama, "they" breed little Auburn fans from birth. It doesn't matter if your parents graduated from LSU, Ole Miss, UGA, or, Heaven-forbid, Alabama. (BTW, Roll Tide). No one respects your alma mater unless it's A-U-B-U-R-N!



Now somehow my older two children, AAA and L'il Man, managed to withstand the pressure and they are Georgia fans tried and true. But alas, we have a rebel in the family. And I don't mean an Ole Miss Rebel. I'm pretty sure that by now you know who I mean.



Kit Kat bleeds orange and blue. She LOVES Auburn with every fiber of her being. Either that or she just loves to torment her family. Or she loves being a rebel. Take your pick.



Each year at the Kindergarten, they celebrate with Tailgate Day. The word "celebrate" doesn't seem to give enough emphasis to this affair. It is an over-the-top, mucho anticipated, all -out blue and orange EXTRAVAGANZA.



Let me make just a small list of who all is in attendance:


Aubie!


The AHS cheerleaders (yes...they get out of school for the day to attend Tailgate Day at the Kindergarten. And yes, KitKat came home saying, "I want to be a cheerleader!")


THE Auburn University cheerleaders!

The girls who twirl the flags and batons on the field during half time (I'm sure they have a name)


football players!


The Auburn University Band!


This year, even the man whose voice you hear on the radio - the announcer man - was there! Yes, him. Rob somebody (for real!). If you are an AU fan, you know who I'm talking about!

Here. Take a look. See for yourselves:

(everyone smile and say "War Eagle")

(Subliminal message: If you are an Auburn fan, you'll be able to do back flips and back handsprings)

(Below: Dancing to songs like "Eye of the Tiger")

(One paw print wasn't enough!)

They paint the kids faces with tiger paws and cute AU's. They cheer and dance and spell Auburn as loud as they can. They have contests to see who can yell "Auburn" louder. They teach them the fight song.

These kids don't stand a chance. They WILL be Auburn fans.

I'm not saying that being an Auburn fan is a bad thing. Unless your mom graduated from Alabama and your dad graduated from Georgia.

Well War Eagle, anyway.

I'm just sayin'...

Catching up!

I have A LOT of catching up to do! I can't believe I went the entire football and soccer seasons without bragging on my kids at least once! But don't worry (ha!)...it's coming!


But first I want to share this little Indian with you who just makes my heart melt! "Princess Flying Horse" is her name, although she informed me she doesn't like princesses and asked that I call her "Flying Horse." Her teacher asked each of the students what their favorite thing to do was and Sunshine said her favorite thing was "flying." Then the teacher asked them what their favorite animal was and Sunshine answered "horse." Poor Sunshine...she has never flown and she has never ridden a horse either!

After the program, the Pilgrims (the kindergarten class) ate lunch with the Indians (the pre-K class).

Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving feast, as well!

Stay tuned for lots of bragging on my kids! :)

Free to Good Home

Free to Good Home: All the silly bands you'd ever want and the arm to go with them!

Is it just my kids or do Silly Bands bring out the worst in your kids too?!?

Are you even familiar with Silly Bands? Or is this a "only in Alabama" kind of thing?!?

Silly Bands are shaped rubber bands that elementary school children are buying, trading, and selling. It's the new craze. They're cute. They're cheap. They're fun.

But...I'm serious...they are bringing out the worst in my children!!

We are probably the last family in our town to own Silly Bands. But while we were in Birmingham this past weekend, my little sister gave us the keys to her toy store and told us to pick out whatever Silly Bands we wanted. She had packs that I'd never seen before. But the pack that I was so drawn to was the pack of religious shapes. There was a cross, a Bible, a Christian fish, and Noah's Ark. I thought to myself, "Oh how perfect for my precious little angels." Precious angels, my foot!!

This is all I've overheard the past few days,

" You stole my red cross!!"

"I'm gonna hide my silly bands under my sleeves so my friends can't see them and they'll give me more." (Guess who.)

"I'll trade you, but I want ALL of your very favorite baseball cards."

"That's MY blue fish!!!!"



Enough with the Silly Bands already! One child has already been told that he can no longer wear silly bands because it creates too much chaos in our family. He accuses his sisters of stealing his bands, he steals his sister's bands when they aren't around (then the sisters come whining to mommy), He was instructed to return the silly bands to his sister. His sister was instructed to return his favorite baseball cards. They were all warned that if I have to intervene ONE MORE TIME there will be no more silly bands.

But I have to know...is it just MY family???

If you STILL want some silly bands, particularly the religious ones, click HERE to visit my sister's store. And good luck to ya!

Crazy Father Puts Dye In Son's Mouth

This is my son.

My poor, poor son.

You see...his dad is the youngest of six children. He never had a younger brother he could tease.
He is so thankful that he has a son that he can wrestle to the ground and pour food coloring in his mouth.

My poor, poor son is a good , good sport!!

Lucy's First!

Sweet Little Lucy celebrated her first birthday this past weekend. Time sure flies!! The "theme" (you know we have to have a theme!) was "Our little cupcake is turning one!", so there were lots of pink sweet treats.

Mary Michael wrapped these little water bottles in polka dot grosgrain ribbon, then attached a little round "thingy" (it's late and it's Monday) to the front of them.

And...she made these really cute hanging pom-poms.

Papa was there! (and so was Mimi!)

Little Lauren was there!

Pf course her daddy was there!

Uncle Bo was there!

Cake time!

Lucy and her fan club...

(Kit Kat, in the red dress, is standing beside Lucy. She kept looking at me and saying, "I'm hungry for cake and Lucy is gonna ruin the cake!")

Durham was there!

Mary Ashton was there (in Sara Evan's shirt ;))

And we were all wiped out on the way home! That's the sign of a good party!

Happy Birthday, Lulu! We love you!