Homecoming

We had such a beautiful weekend here, and we got to spend the bulk of it outside, which was great.

We headed out to our alma mater, Samford University, on Saturday morning for homecoming festivities. Although we knew we couldn't stay for the game (it fell during Jake's nap time), we planned to attend a presentation of honors for some graduates of the Journalism/Mass Communication department (I was a JMC major) and to enjoy the free BBQ following it.

The boys behaved WONDERFULLY for the first 20 minutes of the presentation, and then all bets were off. We ended up escorting them out to the Quad until the "formal" part was over. While we were out there, we ran into the SU mascot: the bulldog.



Just after we ran into him, the boys discovered a Hole in the Ground. What's better than that?



NOTHING, that's what. I think it became the highlight of their day.



It was a real shame when we had to tear them away from it to go to the BBQ ... which was delicious, by the way. The highlight for me was getting to see my friend Rachel and her husband Mark, whom we haven't seen since they moved away after college.


We haven't been great about keeping in touch over the last several years, although recently we hooked up on Facebook, so we've been able to look at each other's pictures and are now privy to each other's kids' fevers via Status Updates. You know, the important stuff. I love how easy it is to pick back up with some people, though, you know? She's just an easy person to be friends with.

After the BBQ, the boys wanted to "run on the big grass," otherwise known as the Quad. Samford has one of the most beautiful campuses in the country, in my opinion, and I have always loved walking it. On the way to The Big Grass, we passed by the library:



Once on the Quad, the boys looked for a big hill. Because why go to The Big Grass if you can't then find A Big Hill? I don't know why. Their hunt ended in success.



They surveyed the hill and its rolling potential from the top.



They walked off sections of it to determine the best point of entry for maximum velocity while rolling.



The prime point of entry was defined. Satisfaction followed.



And then the running and the rolling began. Jake took off down the hill like a shot.



Then he climbed back up and asked (non-verbally, of course) to be rolled down.


(And yes, he has his paci. It was our last resort back-up plan for the Very Quiet Reception we attended at the beginning of the day, and once he had it, he wasn't giving it up.)

Nathaniel rolled.



Nick rolled.



And at the bottom of the hill, the boys discovered candy in the grass that had been thrown by the occupants of the cars in the Homecoming Parade. Jakey found Solid Gold, otherwise known as a Dum-Dum sucker. He endured Sophie's Choice: paci or sucker. Paci or sucker?



SUCKER!



He dug in with gusto.



He even tried the paper-handle end of it.



Apparently that end isn't quite as tasty as the sucker end.



He ran along the perfectly manicured shrubbery, fascinated by its appearance.



He couldn't help himself ... he HAD to touch it.



And by the time we rounded them up to head to the car, they were COVERED in grass stains. All of them. COVERED. I do not believe these pants will recover.



On the way back across the Quad, I stopped them in front of the chapel for a picture.


I'm not really sentimental, but I love having a picture of the boys on the campus where Grayson and I met. Lots of good memories there.

Walking back down the sidewalk, we admired the Fall foliage and decided to stop at the library for the boys to get a drink from the water fountain inside.



I bet the kids studying all the way up on the third floor could hear the slurping. We are not a quiet brood.



Jake spied the grand staircase and NEEDED to climb it.



Of course as soon as the older boys were done slurping, they had to follow.



They explored some, peeking around corners and through balusters.



This picture makes it look quiet in there. That's because it was, until we got there.



And when we got so unruly that I was uncomfortable with the decibel level, Grayson carried Jake out -- under complete protest, of course.


When one has to be carried out of a library horizontally, you KNOW he's not going willingly.

There were many hops, skips and jumps along the route back to the car. The campus has so many steps, walls, slopes, Big Grasses ... it's a shame it's all wasted on college students, really.



Just before we headed back up the hill to our parking deck, we ran into a nice sorority girl who was trying to find kids to give the last of her balloons.



SCORE!


A fitting red-and-blue end to our fun homecoming adventure.