My kind of weekend…an ALABAMA weekend!

Denny Chimes on A-Day game

I was lucky enough to have gotten to spend this past weekend in one of my favorite places on earth.  TUSCALOOSA, ALABAMA!  Home of the University of Alabama (where I went to college) and some of my favorite memories.  This past weekend was our annual spring game, called the A-Day game.  My cousin, Zack is looking at UA for college and I had the privilege of showing him around campus for the weekend.  I got to see wonderful old friends, spend time with my cousin and his dad, went on an amazing tour of the best stadium in college football…and well I need a weekend to recover from my weekend.

Precious, precious girls who let me sleep on their couch for the weekend! PPL!

Texarkana Represent! The one and only Lyd who hung out with me this weekend...dry sockets and all!

Wonderful friends--Hannah, Julie, and Lydia

I know most people have fond memories from college, but mine are especially precious to me.  When I was 18 I thought it was the best idea in the world to move 9 hours away from home.  Though it was difficult at times, I have to give my 18 year old self some props.  Hands down one of the best decisions I have ever made.  If nothing else, meeting these girls pictured in this post was worth every minute of homesickness I had.  They were my family for 4 years and I don’t know where I’d be without them.

SUS! Another Texarkana survivor and one of my favorite girls ever!

One of my best friends (and bridesmaid in my wedding), Hannah, now has a big fancy job with Crimson Tide Sports Marketing.  Her office is INSIDE of Bryant-Denny Stadium and she hooked us up with an amazing tour of the stadium.  My uncle even stole some Coca-Cola from Coach Saban’s fridge!

Bryant-Denny Stadium

The Walk of Champions from inside Bryant-Denny. You can see Coach Sabans statue still wrapped up and a guard sitting next to it awaiting its reveal before Saturdays game!

Here are some of the other statues of the other famous UA coaches to have brought home a National Championship.

Coach Gene Stallings, National Champions 1992. You can see the space reserved for Coach Saban in the background.

The Man, The Legend, Coach Bear Bryant (strong last name)

Coach Nick Sabans statue revealed last Saturday before the A-Day game.

Hannah and I inside the stadium

Bryant-Denny Stadium

We had to take a classic Bear Bryant picture.  They had just finished painting the “ALABAMA” in the end zone when we took this so I now have some white paint on the heel of my cowboy boots.  Ah well.

Coach Paul Bear Bryant

Look familiar?!

We think were cool. Ha!

For the rest of the weekend, I just spent time with old friends which is about the best thing you can do in Tuscaloosa.  So many things have changed so it’s a little weird being there and being unfamiliar with the local hangouts, but somethings have stayed the same just the way I like them!

Some of my dearest friends in Birmingham, Rachel, Jana, and Katie Mac.

One of my Pi Phi little sisters took a break from CPA studying to come hug my neck! Love her!

Precious sorority sisters at the NEW Innisfree!

Another favorite friend of mine!!

Mary Catherine who has the best head of hair Ive ever seen in my life!

I’ll leave you with this picture.  This is what the Alabama football players see as they walk out of their locker room heading out onto the field in Bryant-Denny stadium.  There is nothing else to say but THIS. IS. ALABAMA. FOOTBALL.

This. Is. Alabama. Football.

Roll Tide Roll!

Football Season

Bryant Denny Stadium- Tuscaloosa, AL

Oh man do I love football season.  We’ve been doing a lot of football watching around the Bryant house so I thought I’d share some of it with you.  The above picture is of Bryant Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, AL home of The University of Alabama Crimson Tide (where I went to college).  This stadium is probably in my top 5 favorite places I’ve ever been. Call it lame, call it cool, call it whatever you want…I LOVE Alabama Football!  Our stadium was just expanded again and now holds a staggering 101,821 people making it the fifth largest stadium in the nation.  Let me tell you one thing–it is LOUD in there.

Davis-Wade Stadium- Starkville, MS

Here is another place that I love.  This is Davis-Wade Stadium in Starkville, MS home of the Mississippi State Bulldogs (where Mr. Fancy Pants went to college). Both State and Alabama are SEC schools so we have some friendly rivalry going on in our house from time to time.  Avey has become a really big football fan and demanded new game day gear for this football season.  So we bought him new collars and jerseys for both Alabama and Mississippi State.  I’d venture to say he’s the one that’s fancy now!

Avey's Alabama and Mississippi State football jerseys

Avey's Game Day collars. Yes they're engraved with his deets on the back. Just in case he gets too excited about a game and runs out the front door.

Avey dons his gear during each game which ultimately means he changes clothes a lot on Saturdays.  It’s ok though because he’s a true fan.

The Fancy Pants family in our MSU gear during the MSU/LSU game. MSU ALMOST had a win that game!

These pictures were yesterday during the Alabama/Florida game.  Avey may look upset in these pictures and you may think, “Hum, it’s probably because you put a DOG’S football jersey on a cat.”  I encourage you NOT to jump to that conclusion my friends.  He was just really into the game and was not in a picture taking mood.  But we had to capture the moment so he got over it.

Avey and his Alabama collar

Here are Avey and I during the 4th quarter when I decided to take pictures. Mr. Fancy Pants and Avey were not amused with my timing. In my defense, it was during a time out.

Man oh man do we love some football here!  A few weeks ago we flew to Mississippi to see all of William’s college buddies and went to an MSU game.  I’ll post about that soon!  In the meantime… ROLL TIDE ROLL and GO DAWGS!