Ole Miss vs. Vanderbilt

We had big hopes for the Ole Miss versus Vanderbilt game...sadly, the 'Dores ended up winning the game but they certainly did not win the party! The weather was perfection, we had a crowded tent packed with friends, family and babies AND we were in The Grove...such fun!  Just a few pics below:

mesmerized by Vaught-Hemingway Stadium

loves his sis

he makes me happy!

cutest face in the world

my honey!

November Visit to Dyersburg

Since the Stacy family will be in Mississippi for Thanksgiving this year, Stafford and I took a little road trip to Dyersburg to visit with Honey, Papa, Sis, Uncle Ronnie and Memama.  It had been a while since Uncle Ronnie and Memama last saw Stafford (his birthday in September) and we decided Christmas was just too far away to wait SO we headed North for a long weekend!  I always love going home especially in the Fall.  Below are a few pictures from our visit:

horsing around with uncle ronnie

getting some lovin' from memama

angel baby

An Ocotpus and a 5K

October just blew right in and blew right back out again! Geez Louise! October (well, Fall in general) has always been one of my favorites AND we have actually done something other than watch football all month long!  During the latter part of the month, Reed ran his first 5K (in a long while) out in Flowood and HE FINISHED FIRST IN HIS AGE GROUP!! Whoop!! I can't remember his time but it was fast...like, way fast...as in, I-wouldn't-have-been-done-with-the-first-mile-yet fast. 

Another reason that I love October is that it always brings Halloween!! This year we had an octopus stop by and boy was he CUTE!  Being the planner that I am, I found Stafford's costume back in June and I loved it so much that I had to jump the gun on that purchase!  We went to CCJ for their annual Halloween Party and Stafford had a blast.  They had an area specifically set up for kids his age so he was able to play and explore away from all of the "big kid craziness."  We decided not to take him trick-or-treating this year because, well, he can't eat candy, he barely has any teeth AND our neighborhood stinks in the trick-or-treating department.  Reed and I have owned our home for five years and we've only had ONE trick-or-treater in all of those years: our nephew Ryan.  Sad, huh?!  Oh well, maybe next year will be a big candy collecting/giving year for us!!

PS: that PRECIOUS appliqued/monogrammed t-shirt that Stafford is wearing came from Decked Out...SUPER CUTE stuff.  Check them out (to the right on my blog list)!!!

BRRR!!! It's COLD outside!!

Stafford was ready for Daddy to cross that finish line!!

cutest octopus EVER!

playing at the CCJ Halloween Party

Happy Halloween!

sweet bug...oops to the torn-up pumpkin!

Football Football Football

Fall = Football.  Literally. Every. Single. Weekend.  BUT, IT'S FUN!! The Stacy family has been burning up I-55 and Highway 6 this month.  We had back-to-back weekends (Texas A&M and Auburn) during the early part of the month and back-to-back weekends of "no driving" the latter part of this month.  Texas A&M weekend was COLD and rainy but we braved the Grove for a few hours at least.  Reed had the best idea of the weekend, which was opting to spend the actual game on the couch, in our pj's!  Auburn weekend, in typical Mississippi weather, was HOT!  Reed couldn't make that game so Stafford and I headed up on our own to watch the Rebs win their Homecoming game!  Because Reed didn't come, Stafford got his own seat in the stadium! I think he liked having that cushy seat all to himself but he definitely missed his daddy...as did I!!

homecoming with sister

ole miss vs. auburn

texas a&m game = COLD!

me & sis at texas a&m

Mississippi State Fair

The Mississippi State Fair rolling into town constitutes one of my favorite events in the fall.  Of course, I'm a Dyersburg girl so the fair has ALWAYS been a big deal to me.  This year, I was able to attend the fair, just not the Dyer County Fair! The Mississippi State Fair is a fun-filled 10 days of rides, food and "interesting" people...and I love every second of it!  Even though Stafford is a little young, we thought he would enjoy looking at the lights and the animals so we decided to take him.  HE LOVED IT!!!  His little eyes were about to pop out of his head...he couldn't get enough of the lights! We let him sample a few fair food favorites (pizza and a funnel cake), too!  That child is definitely his momma's boy...he chowed down on the funnel cake, literally couldn't get enough.  Below are a few pictures from our little fair adventure:

first carousel ride

on the midway

chowing down on a funnel cake

Back to September

September needs a little recap!  I have been so caught up in Stafford's birthday and posting those pictures that I have totally neglected the rest of September....please forgive me!  September was a busy month for the Stacy family.  We spent A LOT of time in Oxford last month and we even took in a little concert by someone named Elton John...heard of him?! :)   OMG is all I can say about that concert.  I am a B-I-G Elton fan so when I heard he was coming to Jackson (WHAT?!) I made plans immediately to be in attendance.  Let me tell you...he DID NOT disappoint.  This truly was one of the best concerts that I've ever been to.  Our seats were fabulous (thanks Sarah for selecting those seats!), the music was awesome and the company was FUN! We went with four other couples, did dinner beforehand and had an absolute blast! Let me note, this was the first time that Stafford spent the night away from us (thanks Mimi and Pop Pop) and we (or I) made it without any tears!

All of the hype surrounding the Ole Miss/Texas game did not disappoint either.  The Grove was slammed and it was awesome!  Although I was a teeny bit disappointed that I didn't have a Matthew McConaughey run-in, he was present and accounted for (or so I heard!).  Miss America sang the national anthem and Betty White did the Hotty Toddy...so neat!  We did take Stafford to the game and I was pleasantly surprised by how well he behaved and how much he liked being there! Since the game had such a late start time (8:15 pm) we only stayed until half-time.  Stafford did so fabulously well that we're going to take him again this weekend!  See below for a few pics:

with my man, Ole Miss vs. Texas weekend

love my bestie!

Stafford meets his new friend, Jack Ray

just chillin'

love my Sis!

hanging out with Papa in the Grove

little man was AMAZED by the lights and the crowd at V-H Stadium

date night for the Elton John concert

Elton John...perfect seats!!

Up Up & Away...

for Stafford's FIRST birthday!!  We had such a blast celebrating Stafford's birthday at our home (a few weekends ago on the 22nd!) with family.  Since we have such a large family, we decided to do family party at home this year.  We had so much fun visiting with everyone! My parents, uncle and grandmother came into town and celebrated with us along with all of the Stacy/McDaniel clan.

 I wanted to do a hot air balloon-themed party so I went to town on Pinterest looking for ideas.  Stafford's outfit came from my friend, Shannon's line, Patycake Kids (www.patycakekids.com) and it was PERFECT!  For the food, we decided to order burgers and fries from Five Guys (my favorite!), pasta salad, fruit, hot air balloon shaped cookies from Campbell's Bakery (in Fondren) and a homemade, rainbow layered birthday cake.  I tried to make the icing from a recipe that my mother-in-law had but it didn't turn out quite like I wanted it to...oh, well...Stafford didn't mind one bit! Stafford racked up on gifts, too!  Below are a few scenes from the party:

the cousins and Gaines (honorary cousin!)

 

birthday decor

banging on the drum from Sis

the Stacy family

the birthday boy

krispy kreme for a birthday breakfast!

celebrating with memama

celebrating with uncle ronnie