The Gator-Bulldawg Dilemma

For those of y'all who have been reading my blog for awhile, or even those who are new followers, (it's pretty obvious just by looking at my blog haha) you know I love my Florida Gators and Mississippi State Dawgs...but what do you do when they play each other??

Last year, Mississippi State hosted Florida in Starkville. I had been a State grad student for almost 3 months at this point, and loved State, but still wore orange and blue to the game. Florida was the predicted winner, and took a win home to Gainesville that weekend. Dan Mullen was a new head coach at State and the team was rebuilding and learning a lot last year. This year, Florida hosted State at the Swamp. I definitely took this opportunity to return to my home turf and really loved being back in Jacksonville Beach this past weekend. I got to go shopping, go to the beach, and see my family. I also loved that some friends were able to see my beautiful city of Jax Beach and the Swamp!

Saturday morning we ate breakfast on the beach.

Here I am...wearing a Mississippi State sweatshirt and Florida Gator shorts!

After breakfast we did a little shopping in Bealls and Target then got ready and headed to Gainesville.

Here are some pictures:

Me with Albert and Alberta

Me and George with Albert and Alberta

Dang I love Florida. Look how pretty the Gator walk is!

George, me, Justin waiting on the Dawgs

Go Gators!

The Swamp is amazing...like no other stadium. I'm so lucky to have had so many amazing memories here...and I'm only 23! Many more to come!

Dan the Man! Go State!

Urbs.

3rd row seats are pretty sweet

My boys from Ol' Florida and my boys in Maroon and White.

The outcome of the game was not only a total shock, I was left with completely mixed emotions. As a lifelong Gator fan, I had decided to stick to my roots and wear orange and blue to the game. Mississippi State was coming off a 3 win streak vs. Georgia, Houston, and Alcorn State. Florida was coming off 2 losses to Alabama and LSU. This was a big game. SEC predictions thought that should State beat Florida, they would most likely see a top 25 ranking this week, and a 5-2 week 7 would most likely mean bowl eligibility within the next couple of games. However, Florida neeeeeeeded this win. Not only for the season stats, but also for morale. It's pretty much a lose-lose situation. When Florida missed the field goal that would have tied the game and forced overtime, I wanted to jump and celebrate and at the same time cry in disappointment. What a bittersweet win. I love State with all my heart and am so absolutely proud to be a Bulldawg (with a #24 ranking), but the Orange and Blue loss runs a little deeper. But like the song says, "In all kinds of weather we'll all stick together for F-L-O-R-I-D-A".

Thank the Lord they don't play each other next year.

Gooooo Gators and Bulldawgs! Couldn't be prouder to have 4 beautiful colors in my blood-blue. orange, maroon, and white.

Weekend at the Coast!

This past weekend, I headed down to the Gulf Coast with Mary Catherine. Liza's momma was visiting her this weekend so she couldn't come with us. We missed her and will definitely have to plan another trip she can come on! Friday night we just drove down to Mobile where my friend George lives (we stayed with him). We all went out to supper at Friday's then just called in an early night since we were all exhausted and MC was getting over strep throat. Saturday we woke up and headed to the Foley outlets and went shopping!

We thought this jacket was odd...it was like $300 and kinda looked like a hobo coat.

After lunch we were finishing up shopping when it started pouring. So we decided to head to the Gulfport, MS outlets and go to Target and Michaels. After 12 hours of shopping we met George for supper at a really good sushi restaurant in Mobile and got Krispy Kreme after!

Sunday we woke up and the forecast was looking pretty rainy for Gulf Shores again, so we headed to Pensacola! Y'all know how much I love my Florida!

Beautiful beach!

Love topsiders much?

There were 2 swans IN the water at the beach! They were swimming all around the people! I had never seen anything like it!

The water was amazing!

MC floating! The water was really relaxing

After the beach we had lunch at Hemingway's and it was really good!

Since I was in Florida I had to get me some Key Lime Pie!

We stopped off at Bass Pro on the way back to Alabama. George was playing with guns so we goofed off and tried on camo.

MC and I headed back to Starkville after we packed up our stuff at George's. Great weekend! And I didn't do too much damage at the outlets! I mostly got stuff I needed.

I did find this adorable kitchen towel at a store in Foley. Go State!

Monday was ticket day at Mississippi State! We woke up early to go get in line to get our student tickets!

I got my student tickets for all the home games as well as away tickets for my fall road trips! LSU, Alabama, Florida, and Ole Miss! I'll also be heading to Knoxville at some point to see Jim!

Look who was handing out donuts to the students in line! Coach Mullen! Go Dawgs (and GATORS!!)

This week and next we will be preparing for our first home game and tailgating! Liza and I are going to make maroon and white dresses and cups for the game! I'm glad she can sew well because I can't! I'm very excited for football season!

Catch up of the 30 Day Blog Challenge

Day 15: A person you admire

This is my friend Caitlin. She is originally from New York but ended up in Mississippi because her husband is in the Air Force. He is currently deployed for 6 months. Caitlin and I work together, go to the gym together, hang out together, and she is always positive and upbeat. I can only imagine how difficult it must be to be so far away from my family and have my husband overseas. She is also one of the hardest working people I've ever met. And thank God she gets my butt to the gym!

Day 16: A Song that makes you cry

The song that always gets me is "I Feel Home" by OAR. I'm not even a huge OAR fan but I love this song:

There are few things pure in this world anymore,
and home is one of the few.
We'd have a drink outside,
maybe run and hide if we saw a couple men in blue.
To me it's so damn easy to see
that true people are the people at home.
Well, I've been away but now I'm back today,
and there ain't a place I'd rather go.
I feel home,
when I see the faces that remember my own.
I feel home,
when I'm chilling outside with the people I know.
I feel home,
and that's just what I feel.
Home to me is reality,
and all I need is something real.

Feeling alright, heading out tonight,
maybe out to a dark driveway.
I say now some feel bored,
and some are looking for more.
Well, we all just decide to stay.
We got nothing to do,
and I look at you
I see something that I know and love.
and with the crack of a smile we all stay a while
we know from home there ain't nothing above.

Well in the end we can all call a friend
well that's something I know as true.
And then a thousand years and a thousand tears
I'll come finding my original crew

cause to me throughout eternity
there's somewhere where you're welcome to go
I said it's something free that means a lot to me
when I'm with my friends I feel home.

I feel home,
when I see the faces that remember my own
I feel home,
when I'm chilling outside with the people I know.
I feel home,
and that's just what I feel.
Home to me is reality,
and all I need something real
Home to me is reality,
and all I need something real

I feel home.

Day 17: An art piece

I love this picture. It represents the spirit of State.

Day 18: A time when you felt passionate and alive

Running on Jacksonville Beach

Days 18/19: A talent/hobby

Everyone always says they love my cowbells, so I think it's a talent of mine. Haha! I also think it's fun to decorate cowbells, so I would consider it a hobby too.

Go State!!

Day 21: Something you know you do differently than most people

I know this is weird, but my food can't touch. I will eat all of one thing, then all of another, and so on until I'm done eating. I can't combine food/flavors. I accept that this is weird.

Happy Wednesday!

Day 10: A picture of you taken over 10 years ago

Here I am at 14 months old-my first trip to Disney World!

I hope y'all have a great weekend! I'll be doing some lab work, but also laying out by the pool and getting supper with friends! Happy Friday!

Later y'all!

Vacation Pictures and Days 2 and 3 of Blog Challenge!

I wanted to post vacation pictures yesterday but my dang iphoto hated me! :) So last Saturday I headed to Florida for a week to see my family and friends! I had such a great time and these are only a few of the pictures I took!

Pictures that say a thousand words...Florida or Mississippi...the story of my life!

Almost to Jacksonville Beach! After 10 hours of driving in a heat box because my A/C was broken and I was waiting on Dad to fix it for free! haha!

Home sweet Jacksonville Beach! The Jax Beach Fishing Pier is to the left

Another picture of Jax Beach! 10 minutes later I was creeped on by weird single old guys...ick

I ran on the beach every morning!

Tuesday I went down to Gainesville (I'm considering Florida for further graduate education after I'm done with my master's next May) to walk around the campus. Then I saw the football stadium, got excited for college football season, and spent the majority of my campus visit creeping on an informal practice. What can I say? I love my Gators and the Swamp!

Kisses for gators!

Fierce.

I love the Swamp...it's even more fun when there are players and people in there! Haha!

I was feelin' rebelious

Posing with player Chris Rainey

Went to Lynch's Irish Pub back in Jax Beach later that day...unfortunately not everyone made it into the picture but at least we got most in. We played trivia and lost epically.

Cousin Kayleigh and I on Jax Beach Pier

St. Augustine

Castillo de san Marcos

With cousin Juliet in St. Augustine

More Jax Beach pictures

Again, we can never manage to get everyone in one picture but here I am with Kristine and cousins Kayleigh, Juliet and Dalton.

Tomorrow I'll post pictures of my birthday weekend!

Yesterday was my first day back at lab/school for over a week so I didn't get a chance to do Day 2 of the 30 Day Blog Challenge...so here are Days 2 and 3!

Day 2: A Favorite Movie:

I have way too many favorite movies to list just one. I love Sex and the City of course, and also The Blind Side, Steel Magnolias, and The Departed. My favorite comedy movie would probably be The Hangover and my favorite Christmas movie is definitely Elf!

Day 3: A Favorite Book:

Again...how can anyone pick just one favorite? I would have to narrow it down to Pride and Prejudice, The Great Gatsby, and Memoirs of a Geisha.

I would love to hear what y'alls favorites are!

Later y'all!