Hail Homecoming

We were back at the tailgate lot bright and early on Saturday morning, with the sun shining and the flags flying.

Our friends Kyle and Kristin were able to park right beside us, and they were flying a different kind of flag.

Bless their hearts for opening their home to a large number of returning alumni in town for the Homecoming game. I think they had 16 for the sleepover. That they knew about. :)

Jim and I were not among the overnighters, and we left our house around 6 am. It was early! We remembered almost everything, and Jim bought this cute table when we got there. :)

Jim is the master of the tailgate grill.

Cooking up some ultimate pancakes.

Riley and Matthew were fired up for the game and the pre-game activities, including a little football on the ground. Not to be confused with football on your phone.

We also had time for a little corn hole.

Courtney showing her skills.

Good morning, Adam!

Jon supervises the corn hole game.

Kyle and Kristin's group was cooking pizza on the grill, and then bratwurst. Don't worry about the smoke, everything was fine.

Chellsey and Courtney.

Darci and Andrew.

Little tailgaters, Riley and Matthew.

David and Shylah.

We tried to get a photo of the whole group, or at least most of the group. I think Kyle was exiting as I took the picture.

Some of us did actually make it into the game. Here is the 20 yard line group.

Since it was Homecoming, the alumni band took part in the halftime show. I'm pretty sure this is Darci's sister.

I thought she would be out there, but I couldn't really see well enough to tell for sure. So I took a picture of everyone with a piccolo. Great job, Leigh! (Hope this is you!)

As has been the case for most of the games this season, the halftime festivities were the highlight of the game. The team? Not good.

Several folks were inducted into the athletic Hall of Fame during halftime. That's Matt Light who played for the Patriots.

Joe Tiller, who coached many great Purdue players.

Like Drew Brees. :)

The alumni cheerleaders were launching a 'dummy' over their heads.

At the end of the third quarter, another Boilermaker great, Mike Alstott, led the crowd in 'Shout!' He is Jonathan's favorite player, and the reason Jon spent his childhood as a fan of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. I think his favorite team is still the Bucs.

Legend has it that during his Purdue days, Mike would train by pushing a jeep up the hill beside Ross-Ade stadium.

It's tiiiiimmmeee to shoouuuuut!

Purdue Pete was having fun with some alumni.

The team was in a huddle, but it will take more than that to salvage the season. The team made a quarterback change right before halftime, and the new freshman QB did a pretty good job. It was not, however, enough to stop the pummeling handed to us by NIU.

One bright spot of the fourth quarter was seeing these two on the big screen. Fans are invited to email photos, and a few are selected and shown near the end of the game. Lookin' good boys!

No, the game was not pretty, but the day sure was.

By the end of the game, the stands were pre-tty empty. I, however, stayed 'til the last tick of the clock.

I returned to the tailgate lot to find the party still going on, despite the scoreboard. I think it's gonna be a loooonnnngggg season.

Reminds Me of the One I Love, Deep in the Heart of Texas

We had a beautiful day on Saturday to honor the bride-to-be, my niece, Caroline, with a shower at Highpoint Orchard. Caroline went off to college at Texas A&M, and never looked back. She and Brian are getting married on the Saturday after Christmas in College Station. To celebrate our Texas bride, we used a Texas theme for the shower decorations. I used some recently acquired barn wood to make a sign with their 'brand' inside the state of Texas.

Texas flags, roses, bluebonnets, hats and boots decorated the Mill Barn.

Darci made Texas shaped cookies for favors for the guests.

We had cupcakes, made by Darci,

and a little Texas A&M Margarita punch.

Ruthann had a chance to meet Baby Noah, just one month old.

Lunch included apple slaw, corn and bean salsa, and beef barbecue sliders.

The beautiful bride-to-be had a special cowboy hat, made by Becky.

She opened many lovely gifts,

including a beautiful scarf, which could also be used for a pretty table cover.

Caroline had lots of helpers to assist with opening her gifts.

Arden opened a whisk,

and Shayne opened two spatulas.

Drumsticks? On your head?

A little ring-around-the-rosie,

and some rocking on the porch.

She received a custom made Texas-shaped cutting board. As she opened her gifts, the giver was invited to share a funny story or special memory about Caroline. We had lots of stories, and lots of laughs.

It was a great day, and we loved hosting a fun party for the little girl who is all grown up and ready to get married! Becky, Caroline, Ruthann, and I after the shower.

Jennifer and Caroline.

Her pretty hat,

and the special book Becky made to record her gifts.

Grandma Gunn with Elizabeth and Caroline.

Lauren, Elizabeth, Grandma Gunn, Caroline, and Jordan.

Aunt Caroline (Aunt Bubs), with the triplets, Arden, Harper, and Emerson.

Mom Erica, Aunt Bubs, and the triplets.

Caroline and her mama.

It was such a blessing to have Caroline back home in Indiana and to celebrate her upcoming marriage. Our children have a treasury of special memories of times spent with their cousins, and Caroline spent lots of time with our family. There was rarely a dull moment around here, and Caroline was right in the mix, be it roller blading in the warehouse, making her way down to the track at the Kenny Chesney concert, falling jumping off the swingset and breaking her arm, or arguing talking with Jonathan in the back of the van. And now that spunky, outgoing, and determined little girl has grown into a beautiful and successful young woman who will soon be a bride.

The stars at night are big and bright,

Deep in the heart of Texas.

Reminds me of the one I love,

Deep in the heart of Texas.

May God bless Texas, 

and the marriage of Brian and Caroline.