Tiger football

Another season of Tiger football has started and we attended the first game of the season as a family on Saturday.

We went in with a couple other families for a tailgating spot on Tiger Lane this year. We got confirmation of the spot at the VERY last minute, so we did not plan an elaborate tailgate. We just showed up about 30 minutes before the game to check out the location and feel out the vibe. The spaces are pretty small compared to the wide open space at Tobey, so we won't be able to spread out and have as many people as before. But, it is certainly full of Tiger spirit and lots of pre-game activities that I think Tyler will enjoy. We caught the tail end of the pep band and TOM the real Tiger entering the stadium right as we got there, so that was a fun glimpse. We will be missing a few tailgates this year due to our schedules, but we hope to make a few this season. The goal will be to have very low-key tailgates because keeping track of 2 kids is stressful enough!

Kalista and Evan entertaining Caroline.

Be still my heart! She looks like such a BIG girl here!!
Look how sweaty she is...it was almost unbearably HOT!

Sweet Evan is getting so big.

Poor Anna missed her nap, so she laid down in the back of the car to rest a little.

The heat must have brought out the hunger in Tyler, because he ate like a bottomless pit!!

The little tailgate...

I bribed Tyler with a sucker so I could get a picture of both of them together!

Sweet sisters Anna and Izzie.

Izzie was dying to hold Caroline and did such a good job!

Once we went inside the stadium and found seats together, Tyler decided to sit a couple rows down from us to watch the game. (We did know the people sitting to his left.) He sat there for an entire quarter by himself, intently watching and clapping whenever the crowd did. It was so cute and I cannot believe a 2 year old had that much attention span for a football game. At halftime, he was very concerned when the players left the field, so I told them that they had to go take a nap. As we were watching the band perform (which he really enjoyed), he got SO excited when the punter/kickers came back out early to practice! We got a giant tub of popcorn for us all to share and that always makes Tyler happy!

Caroline was a perfect angel, as always. Russ carried her in the Bjorn from the car to the tailgate and then into the stadium and out again. She "watched" the game from our laps going back and forth between us throughout the game. I brought a bottle for her and she took it like a champ, as well. 

We left a few minutes into the 4th quarter because it was SO hot and Tyler starting getting a little restless. We ended up losing to Duke 28-14, but we at least looked like we were in the game until the end. We are looking forward to a good season.

Tyler sitting watching the game by himself. Ha!

Sweet Caroline in the Bjorn with Daddy.

Family shot...Tyler would not stop eating popcorn long enough to smile for the camera.

This picture doesn't show it, but we actually had a pretty good crowd!