Florida vs. Georgia 2012

What a wonderful weekend!!! Another Florida vs. Georgia weekend has come and gone! They seem to go by so quickly! We spent the weekend with great friends and celebrating the best time of the year...College Football Season :) 

Sweet Devon and I finally made it to the tailgate to after an early morning of cooking :) 

We tried to get a "good" picture before all the FUN began! 

Lots of yummy food

"Nausea Tonic" haha...found this in the bathroom. 

Monogrammed Mason Jars aka 'Spirit Cups'...but of course!

Story of my life...sister being silly in a picture! 

All the ladies of the family! (miss you Milly)

Yes we poured a special drink just for this pic!

On our trek to the top of the stadium

"At least we can watch the game unfold" -BJR

"HEEEEERRRRE Come the Gators"

Here come the dawns

Pride of the Sunshine (appropriately named based on the evening's sunset)

Love these guys! 

Glad she was there :)) 

THE most beautiful sunset I've seen in Jacksonville in years!!!!! 

This was one of the best year's yet...so much fun...easy to set up/clean up and a great turn out! Can't wait to see where the years take us!!!! Here's to another successful Florida/Georgia!!!

                                                                      ****CHEERS****
                                                                                     
                                                                                                 ~G

Tailgate Prep

This weekend is one of THE biggest weekends in college football....FLORIDA vs. GEORGA aka The World's LARGEST outdoor cocktail party!!! Being a Jacksonville native, I'm a little partial to the FL/GA weekend, because around here, everything stops!! Businesses slow down on Thursday, store fronts are decked in Orange/Blue & Red/Black, students are even out of school (I think thats probably for a different reason...oh well). 

Each year, we gather our friends and travel downtown to join in all the festivities. Several years ago, we were lucky enough to meet these two precious ladies who sell their parking lot to us each year....best part is, their building has 2 REAL bathrooms...no more porta-potties for ME!!!! I love to tailgate!!! There's just something about everyone being in one part of town having the time of their lives that's hard to pass up. 

It always takes a good bit of pre-planning to pull off a decent tailgate. My hubs has got it down to a science and each year it get a little easier for me (even though I always want to do too much). It's nice to have good friends that join in, help out and it turns into a large potluck. I'm trying to organize my list of food for the day, so feel free to share any suggestions you have! 

Tailgate Menu:

Famous Hammy Sammies (aka warm ham sandwiches)

Picture Taken from Pinterest

Recipe adapted from a friend of a friend (I think that's how this recipe works):

2-4 tablespoons melted butter2 tablespoons brown sugar2 tablespoons dijon mustard2 teaspoons poppy seeds1-2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
Mix these ingredients together. Cut hawaiian sweet rolls in half and cover with chopped ham. Baste sauce over bread and ham. Wrap in aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes or until warm.  
Buffalo Chicken Bites (recipe adapted from Gourmet)
1 cup finely diced cooked chicken breast
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
2 tablespoons shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup hot sauce (Frank's brand is what I used)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 tablespoons brown sugar
Crescent Rolls (The real recipe includes        homemade dough...yeh right, this is for a tailgate!)

To make the buffalo chicken mixture, in a small bowl, combine the chicken, blue cheese, cheddar cheese, melted butter and hot sauce; set aside.

Roll out crescent rolls and press flat. Scoop spoonfuls of Buffalo Chicken Mixture into rows on the dough. After a row is made, roll the edge of the dough over to make a rope. Seal the rope with fingers, then slice 2 inch pieces with sharp knife. Repeat. 

Bake buffalo chicken bites in the preheated oven for 5-7 minutes or until the tops are lightly browned. Remove from oven (some cheese may have melted out.) and brush tops with melted butter before serving (optional).

Grilled Hamburgers and Hotdogs

Pigs -n- Blankets
Spinach Dip
Rice Krispie Treats
Fruit Dip with assorted fruit
Rasberry Beer

Food from others:
Macaroni and Cheese (homemade of course)
Baked Beans
Buffalo Chicken Dip
Charleston Dip
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Brownies 

I am so excited for this weekend...I know it's going to be a BLAST!!! What are your plans? Have any recipe suggestions I should try? Feel free to stop by our tailgate if your around! Gators and Dawgs Welcome!!!! 
                                                                                        ~G

I Believe In Auburn

As I've mentioned before, my husband and I are die-hard Auburn fans. Brian graduated from there in 2007, while I attended Samford University in Birmingham ( I liked to think I earned an honorary diploma from AU). We love to go up to games as much as we can and when we can't we always watch the games on TV. We proudly fly the Auburn flag in front of our house and say "War Eagle" when we see a fellow fan. 

Needless to say, the 2012 college football season has not been one Auburn's finest. As a matter of fact, we are 1-6 (uh makes me want to throw up just writing that) for the first time in 60 years. I find myself getting so frustrated watching them play...just want them to pull it out! B even jokes that he is taking down the flag and putting up our high school flag. 

(sorry for the bad quality)

I think the thing that separates a true fan from what they call a "band-wagoner" is that true fans still love their team even when they are 1-6 or 0-12. You are fan because you know what the AU symbol truly stands for, not players on a field, but class, integrity, honor and sportsmanship. George Petrie, writer of the Auburn creed said it best, "...and because Auburn men and women believe in these things, I believe in Auburn and Love it!" So, I guess I need to just be happy that  we won the national championship a few years ago and know that "there's always next year". 
                                         WAR EAGLE!
                                                         ~G

                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                

Happy Fall Y'all!

As much as I love traveling and being on the go, some of my favorite weekends include staying close to home and catching up on all the small things around the house. This weekend was just that. Friday night was our high school homecoming, so of course we had to go:) I have a special place in my heart for FridayNightLights and no matter how old I get, I still enjoy watching my high school play ball! It brings back SOO many memories being in those stands and watching the cheerleaders flip out onto the field....MAN, I wish my back would still let me do that :)) 

Saturday, we worked around the house, but specifically in the backyard. We have a substantially large yard, and although it is wonderful, it is a headache to maintain. When we moved in, the massive flower beds were filled with weeds and overgrowth. We've spent over 3 months working to clean them out. Hopefully, I will have some finished product pictures to share soon. 

The weather was absolutely beautiful here this weekend and I had to take advantage of the free day to go to the pumpkin patch. Our neighborhood's pumpkin patch is pretty large! There were sooo many pumpkins to choose from :) I always think it is funny how particular we are when trying to pick out a pumpkin. We searched the entire patch looking for the "perfect" pumpkin! After a little hunting, we finally found it, just round enough, no "nasty" patches and a good stem. Before we left, I just couldn't resist the precious little "spookies" as they call them.

There are so many "funny" shaped pumpkins! 

YES ...I made him take this picture:)) 

I'm so excited for fall now, that I couldn't help but make a trip to my local garden store and get pretty yellow mums and a bail of hay to decorate my porch. It is still a work in progress (need to plant the flowers and get a few more), but I love that it gives our home a little fall character. 

Have I mentioned how much I LOVE FALL?!?!?! I seriously think I love everything about it! Pumpkin flavored, well, everything, cool weather, college football, changing leaves ( not really in FL, but ya know what I mean), jeans, boots...the list goes on! What is your favorite thing about this time of year?? 

Happy Fall Y'all! 

 ~G

On the Run

As you will soon figure out, I do most of my self reflecting while I'm running. I have to love to run!! It is a stress reliever, weight management strategy but PRIMARILY I run to mentally unwind. Now don't get me wrong, it has not always been easy. I am very comfortable running with a buddy. I love to chat while I run and I tend to not have a much of a filter while I'm out there (whoops). I've had several running partners throughout the years...and some of the greatest friendships come from spending time on the road. This summer, one of my running partners got pregnant and due to personal issues decided against running during pregnancy...well that really stunk for me :((( Here I was again learning how to run by myself with me and my mental games. I tried running with my husband (we LOVE spending time together) but inevitably every time we ran together one of us said, " You wanna race????". So...that didn't last long. 

Well all this to be said, I'm finally learning how to push through my mind games and truly reflect while I'm on the road. Using the "alone" time to challenge myself in all areas, physically, mentally and spiritually. BUT....then again.....anyone looking for a running partner???? 
                                                               **Always remember we live because of HIS Grace, 
                                                                                                               ~G

Taking the Leap

Well...after years of reading blogs, talking about blogs, using recipes, craft ideas and teaching strategies off blogs, I finally decided to take a leap of faith and start my own. Live In Grace is a place for me and my family to share memories and debrief on recent events occurring in our lives. I plan to post about my home (which we just moved into 90 days ago), my classroom and our lives in general. I am excited to start this new journey and maybe just maybe someone will actually be interested {wink wink}. 

~G