Thursday, September 3, 2015

let's just catch up through 2014, mmmk?

After my pathetic attempt to catch up on posts this summer, I've decided to basically do a photo dump to get all caught up through the year. Football season starts this weekend, and we all know I love documenting those, so let's get caught up so I can bring you the regularly scheduled posting, mmk? God forbid I let 2016 sneak up on me before even getting to 2015. 

OCTOBER

My sweet precious angels.. well, one might be part demon, waiting to see if the puppy stage ends anytime soon.


After the weekend in Orlando was the Auburn vs. South Carolina game. Naturally I went to the lake for the weekend and said hello to duckie. 


This was the first game of the year my sissy Bink was able to attend! 


We saw tons of friends at this game!

Bink with Katie and Caroline


Some of my favorites! Kathryn and Doug Van Wie


We won! Had a little fam jam photo shoot after the game.


Went to Bodega after the game and saw Kaki and Chris! 


Ready for some rolled trees?!




Daddio loved Duckie as much as I did. I should mention here that dear Duckie is no longer with us. What I'm about to tell you is a true story told from a neighbor that saw the whole thing. A flipping BALD EAGLE flew down from the sky, and tried to take Duckie from the shore. It took three tries before he captured him and flew him away. RIP Duckie. If there was an award for the most American way for a duck to die, that was it. 


It was the next week of October that the Fix It and Finish It episode I was on aired! EEE!


Halloween weekend was the Auburn vs. Ole Miss game! I went with my roomie Mollie to Oxford for the festivities. Here's the Grove before the madness of game day. 


Mollie said this phone booth was famous in town, so I had to get a pic. 


The Square! 


Mollie's parents' boxer was the cutest!


Since that Friday night was Halloween, Mollie and I decided to get dressed up! She was a vampire, and it should come as a surprise to no one that I once again went as a cheerleader. Those pompoms never get old. 


NOVEMBER

On game day we headed to the fully packed Grove! 


Candace, our Ole Miss friend from Birmingham, joined us for the fun. 


I also ran into my Auburn friend, Jackie! 


After tailgating, we walked to a bar to watch the game. We passed this truck along the way and thought it was hilarious to take a pic for my dad (whose name is Ray).


Good lord, I was a needle in a haystack in this bar. I felt like the only Auburn fan. I took to texting my new (at the time) beardy boy the expletives I couldn't yell at the TV. He was thrilled, I'm sure. 


The game was NUTS, but we won! Crazy nail biter game, but it made me think Auburn might have what it takes to get through the rest of the season…

Until the Texas A&M game. 

Bink and I had met a group of guys two years previous to this, and we became fast friends. We went to the A&M game in Texas in 2013, and they came back to Auburn in 2014. I thoroughly enjoyed their boot fashion: 


My beardy came to town for this game, and arrived just in time to take a shot before heading to the lake. Two of our A&M friends stayed with us. Meet Nathan, so sneakily hiding his minis! 


We got a bag of beer and walked through campus while I gave all the non-Aubs a tour (is anyone surprised?). 

Caroline, Bink, Kelsie, Nathan, Honks (my beardy!), and moi in front of Samford Hall


The random guy taking the picture told us to act like a tiger in this next one.


I should point out here that Honks is an FSU fan (say whhaaaaat?!), which is why he's wearing yellow (I mean gold?) and not the appropriate orange and/or blue. 

HOW NICE IS AUBURN!??! I just love us. 


If Bink and Honks weren't BFFs before, they sure were after shotgunning some beers. 


Walking up the ramp!




We were suppose to win by three touchdowns. Suddenly, A&M was ahead, then us, then them. WHYYYYY Auburn?!?! 


They won. I was devastated. Our sweet Aggie friends tried not to be too rude. We decided to play fire in the hole, aka buy fireball shots whenever we said "FIRE IN THE HOLE!". That totally made up for it. 

Nathan found a way to not have to carry his popcorn bucket!


LOVE! 


This guy went and bought an Auburn shirt after the loss without me knowing to make me feel better. If that's not the way to my heart, then I don't know what is! 


We had tons of fun, even with the loss, and even hit up Rodeo Club at the lake after the game.

The week of the UGA game, I went back down to visit Honks at the beach. Colbs and Bink came too!


This is one of my favorites for some reason.


Honks and his roomies are chefs, so naturally there's always some cooking out going on.


This particular evening, we all had on plaid shirts, so of course I demanded pictures!

(Gordo, me, Honks, Bartley)


I was back in Auburn for the Samford game, mainly because it was the last home game of the season! 

It was freezing outside, but that didn't stop Cotton ball for going for a swim. 


Excellent eagle pic! (sarcasm.)


Bink, her friend Jenny, and moi. It rained for a bit, so we all busted out our ponchos. 




We won this one, thank goodness. We got spanked in the Georgia game..


The next week was Thanksgiving! I went with Honks to his family's gathering in Tallahassee. You'd think it would be weird going home to meet the family after knowing each other only a month and a half, but it was fantastic! I loved them all! They kept asking if I thought their family was crazy, and of course the answer was NO. I'm from the loud, crazy ass Newman clan; I know crazy. Honks soon found out over Christmas.. 

We made a bonfire one of the nights. Is there anything better than a big ol' fire on a cold night? Nope! 


We went back to the beach on Friday night to prepare for the biggest game day on Saturday, which obviously included the Iron Bowl. We met up with Caroline, the bestie who introduced us! 


Auburn almost squeaked through with a win. It was a good game, but we just didn't come out on top. I will tell you that having Honks around makes the losses easier, if you can believe such a thing! I use to pout all night, now it lasts about an hour haha!

DECEMBER

Christmas season! Which brought a million string art orders, per usual, and is always welcome (definitely not complaint over here!). 


We had our annual Dothan-girls-in-Birmingham Christmas party! This year it was held at Katie's house. 


We all bring our SOs to this get together, and Honks was able to make the trip this year! 


He also got bombarded with Dothanites. The other guys got to relive their stories of meeting all of us who have stuck together since grade school. It's definitely an experience. 


Katie and I got a little silly after the party was coming to a close. 


At some point during Honks' trip, we went to Bourbon Street, the local karaoke bar. We had our first gin baby together, so naturally we had to take a family photo!


We also attended my cousin Terrell's engagement party in Bham! These are all the cousins that attended (some from Terrell's other side of the family too, but they're basically ours as well)

Brannon, me, Brother, Andrea, Terrell, Walker, Bink, Natalie, Shelley, Ashton, and Ashley


Walker and the Brannon sisters


Soon enough, all the Christmas orders were completed and I made my way to Dothan for the holiday. Mom has a small Auburn tree dedicated to all Auburn ornaments, which she claimed this was..

Definitely a coozie, mom. Not an ornament. I borrowed it for the evening, but she made me put it back on the tree once I was done. 


I ran into the Wells at KBC Butchers Block in Dothan. Not sure if I've written this before, but I run into them EVERYWHERE! Including places in Auburn. So random, but definitely an unexpected delight! 


Binky is gonna kill me for posting this..

we got matching onesies, and wore them on Christmas! 


Possum wore a snowman hat that lit up. She loved it! 


We got sleds! Sadly, it didn't snow in Birmingham this season like it had in the past, so I haven't gotten to use it yet!


We had the big family Christmas at Aunt Robin's house this year. 


All the aunties, Robin, Terry, Carol, Dale, and my ma Susan. 


NEANIE SELFIE!


The Nean, me, Stephanie, and Andrea


Cousins and SOs! 
Walker, Terrell, Brother, Bink, Stephanie, Andrea, Dewey, Carrie
Me, Shelley, Ashley


Carrie and Dewey's bb Daegan woke up from a nap and came to play. Auntie Binks tried to get him to like this shark tent. 



How'd that work, Binks? 


Christmas 2013, we were all having a good ol' time, and we found this seal decoration and gave it to Walker as our "seal of approval" since he had not been to a family event yet. Well it made it back this year, and Binky was "voted" to get it (or did she give it to herself?). Anyhow, she stuck it in my face the rest of the evening. 


JANUARY

OMG did I just blog into the current year?!? FINALLY! 

Binky and I went to a wedding in Mobile for a friend of mine from Birmingham. 


Then I headed to the beach! 


I found a stick, so Gordo and I made some art. 


I must show you that I still cling on to one skill from my many years as a gymnast. HANDSTANDS! 


One night we went to the movies, and Honks wore a sweater because it was cold outside. Of course it was hot in the bar, so he revealed this beauty and let everyone in the bar know he's actually an Aubs. I wore his FSU hat just to be fair.. but my shirt was orange and blue :) 


We had a cookout, and Gordo made gumbo that was DELICIOUS. I had to get a pic of the prepped ingredients. 


FEBRUARY

Whoa, first into 2015, now into another month?! Slow down, crazy, slow down. 

Binky's birthday is February 2nd, and she came to Birmingham to celebrate! I should also note here that she was in the process of moving to Nashville this weekend as well. 

Donnie, Andrew, Binks, Sarah Beth, Cody, me, Honks out in Lakeview. 


ROOMIES! Carl and Mollie


Katie, Bink, Honks, and I all made our way to Nashville a couple days later for the big move! Possum too, naturally. 


A couple weeks after that, a handful of us went to a Mardi Gras Ball! I'd never been, it was so much fun! 

Me and Mollie


The whole gang, me, Mollie, Carl, and Colby


I captured Colby's excitement entering the room. 



SO MUCH FUN! 

Just a few more posts before I'm all caught up! EEE!