Wives' Trip

Pre-Game

Some of the other coaches' wives: Kesha, Tia, and Stephanie

This was the view from our hotel room- Children's Medical Center

That's Tyson in the green shirt and white hat.

Me and my bestie, Kesha.

Tyson plays quarterback in these drills...

...and I think it is hilarious to see these big lineman looking like they're about to get him!

The Blazers!

I love the Texas sky!

And one last one of my favorite coach!
At dinner Friday night...
Everything's bigger in Texas!

Tyson and I just returned from a weekend in Dallas, Texas where UAB took on SMU. Unfortunately, we lost. :( Other than the outcome of the game, though, I had sooo much fun on this trip. It was our annual wives' trip, and every year it gets better and better! (You can go here to read about the 2009 wives' trip and here to read about the 2008 wives' trip).

I've been looking so forward to the trip ever since I had Walker...well, actually even before that! This trip was going to be the first chance I had to "getaway" and get a little bit of a break since March. And sure enough, I slept great, ate well, relaxed a lot, and just enjoyed being around other grown-ups and most importantly, Tyson. It's just a shame we have to go to a football game to "getaway," though.

Thanks to my Mom for being a great sport and keeping the boys for us for the weekend! If you know my mom at all, you know sleep is very important. Unfortunately, between a 5 month old who is teething and isn't sleeping well and a 2.5 year old with an ear infection that isn't sleeping well, not much sleep was to be had this weekend for my mom. Sorry about that, Mom! I just kept telling her, "welcome to my life!" Ha!

Anyways, we had a great time (despite the loss) but we missed the boys for sure. It definitely made things much easier knowing they were being very well taken care of!

Walker's First Day of School

Yes, at the mere age of 5 months (today!), Walker started school. He is also attending the same Mother's Day Out program as Jake, but he will only be going 2 days a week. We did this so that I can work some during football season, and so I can have a little break for sanity purposes! ;) But I also think it will be good for Walker to be around other kids his age and other caregivers.

I have to admit, I got a little teary-eyed leaving my sweet baby boy this morning. We've left him in the church nursery several times and I've left him to go work night shift too many times to count and I've left him with friends and family before, but this time was just different. It probably doesn't help, though, that I'm about to leave for the wives' trip to SMU this weekend and I won't see my sweet boys until Sunday. Anyways, there were no time for tears because I had to get Jake to class. Jake was super sweet and excited about Walker going to school with him; in fact, Jake helped me drop Walker off and he put Walker's name sticker on him, gave him a big hug, and said "I be right here, Walker!" If you've caught on to my struggles with the whole sibling rivalry thing, this was huge in my opinion. Love those boys!

I'm curious to see how Walker's day goes; as sweet and laid back as he normally is, Walker can be pretty difficult to deal with if you don't know how he likes things (ie bottles). I'm sure his teachers will figure it out, though.

**These definitely aren't the best pictures of my sweet boy for his obligatory "first day" pictures, but I had to do it. I literally just woke him and threw on his clothes, and he totally looks like that, too! Poor baby!

Jake's First Day of School

Today was Jake's first day of Mother's Day Out for the 2010-2011 school year. He actually went to a summer session that ended about a week and half ago, so it just seemed like another day for him.

Jake has the same teacher that he had this summer, Miss Brittany, and Jake and I just love her. I got to talk a little more extensively to Miss Brittany at the Meet and Greet we had yesterday, and I learned a lot about Jake's little personality at school. I really had no clue what she was going to say because Jake can be extremely shy and I figured he was probably like that at school, too. However, she said that after I leave, Jake's "cute little personality" comes out. She also said he is very independent and is her little "cuddlebug." My son, the teacher's pet! ;)

We are very excited about this school year and can't wait to see what it holds!

Jake the Train Conductor

"All ABOARD!"

I'm pretty sure if you ask Jake right now what he wants to be when he grows up, he would say football player first and train conductor second. He is obsessed with trains! He can name all the different parts of the train (engine, caboose, box car, oil car, flat car, freight car, etc), tell you all about "Thomas the Tank Engine" and his friends, has "The Little Red Caboose" and "The Little Engine that Could" memorized verbatim, and says "All aboard...this is the Polar Express" at least 50 times a day. He constantly has a train in his hands at all times, and in his bed, and his carseat, and on the kitchen table, etc. Oh, and the Little People train conductor pictured above goes everywhere with us- church, school, Daddy's office, Target, etc and he also eats with us, takes baths with Jake, and is Jake's right-hand man. OBSESSED! He does make a cute little conductor, though, doesn't he?

The Jumperoo

I finally pulled out the Jumperoo a few weeks ago, but I just realized I hadn't taken any pictures of Walker in it. So here you go! Walker is finally coming around to liking the Jumperoo; for some reason, he does a lot better whenever Jake is around...I guess Jake is a little more entertaining than all those obnoxious lights and animals on the Jumperoo! Jake, on the other hand, thinks it is his responsiblity to bounce/twist/shake/move the Jumperoo. Poor Walker...I just pray that the kid lives to see 1!

Walker's First Trip to the Park

Today was a beautiful day for a trip to the park, so that is exactly what the boys and I did. We didn't stay long, though, because a certain older brother got jealous that I was swinging a certain younger brother. Such fun times these days! How much longer "til football season is over?

First Game

Jake gives tailgating two thumbs up!
Walker's buddy, Tanner...eating a pom pom!

Daddy! Or as Jake said the whole game, "MY Daddy!"

Cheering on his Daddy's Defense!

What what? Is that a real smile?

Dawn and Connor came out to support UAB!

Testing out his headset...I think.

Look who came! The Turners!!

Brantley loved every aspect of the game! Especially swapping beads with Jake, stealing Jake's popcorn, and looking for "Tyson." :)

The big furry dragon that my child never let out of his site!

A few of Tyson's linebackers...

And the legendary Coach Schnellenberger! He HAS to be hot in that suit!

Silly Boys

Tyson is going to kill me for posting this!"Oh no! Has anyone seen my other lens?"

I've been the worst picture-taker lately! I've had lots of opportunities to snap some cute pictures, but I have my hands full these days and the camera gets left behind a lot! Anyways, to satisfy the grandparents and the great-grandparents, here are some pictures of the boys I snapped today. Walker really wants to crawl, but he just kicks and kicks to no avail! It is super cute! Speaking of cuteness, what do y'all think of Jake in those sunglasses? Ha! He got them in a goody bag from a birthday party and just found them tonight. I'm pretty sure Tyson tried his best to get rid of these glasses...he obviously didn't hide them too well!

My mom is staying with us this week to help out and watch the boys so I could work; she is also going to watch Walker tomorrow night so that Jake and I can go on a date to the football game! As always, we are enjoying having her here and having so much fun!

I hope to snap lots of pictures tomorrow night at the football game, so be on the look-out this weekend! Go Blazers!