Rise and Shout!

This past weekend was really something to shout about!  First of all, let me say how much we appreciated everyone's desire to come for our retirement party--which, actually, never took place.  We now know that we will be here one more year with George's job.  I, however, am just going to finish the school year and will be done in June!   

The whole weekend had been planned months ago with the retirement party to be held on Friday, then many of us would travel to Atlanta after the party Friday afternoon, and be there for the BYU football game against Georgia Tech.  With the change of plans and no retirement party taking place, some people cancelled their tickets to come to Florida until we really did retire, while others came anyway.   Those of us who did go to the game felt it was well worth it!!!

After I finished school on Friday, George and I left for Atlanta--which takes nearly six hours.  We arrived in the evening to find Kevin, Connor, and my dad there.  They had been having a great two days in Atlanta after flying out from Idaho and Utah together.

 Grandpa, Kevin, and Connor had visited the Coca Cola Bottling Company.

 They, also, visited the CNN Studios . . .

 and, of course, they got on the field of the Atlanta Falcons Football Stadium.  Kevin has his dad's touch--don't ever say it's impossible to get inside a football stadium!

After George and I arrived at our hotel which was the same place Kevin, Connor, and my dad were staying, we had fun talking together, then we were all pretty tired and just went to bed.  The next day, we decided to tour around the city a little and see the famous East Lake Golf Course which Connor really wanted to visit.

 

East Lake is a Pro Golf Course where the Tour Championship was held in September of this year.  Brandt Snedeker won that tournament.  (Tiger came in 9th.)  Clubhouse can be seen in the rear. 

Everyone watching as the golfers were teeing off.

Notice the two guys in all-white--they are the caddies and carry two bags apiece.  No golf carts on this course. 

It was pretty funny--as the golfers came by, we told them we were their gallery.  They said we'd better be careful because they were all Georgia Tech graduates.  I guess they had seen our BYU shirts and hats.  Anyway, little did they know what was going to happen to their Alma Mater on homecoming day in a few hours!

 After enjoying the beautiful golf course scenery, we headed for the stadium on the Georgia Tech Campus.

Four generations!

I was so mad when the guys in yellow took my little sandwich bag full of Halloween candy out of my purse.  Was a little bag of pom poms a safety threat or did they just want me to buy their food?  Either way, I didn't see the guys throwing it away.  I'm sure they just enjoyed an early Halloween treat!

Soon we met up with Kent and his former missionary companion, Dan.  They served in the Guatemalan Mission for the Mormon Church as 19 and 20-year-olds, and have remained friends ever since.  He  now lives in California, but they meet up for games quite often.

We had a fun group--Rhonda (on the front bench nearest the camera) is such a great family friend and was a roommate of both Amy's and Natalie's in Provo, her friend (sorry, I can't remember her name).  Kevin, Connor, Kent, Dan, and Grandpa Rigby.  All in all our group was represented by California, Washington, Utah, Idaho, Georgia, and Florida! 

 So this was absolutely hysterical, if it hadn't been so obnoxious.  This little kid comes in with an airplane taped to his head.  The only thing was--it was poking Kevin right in the face!

What parent would actually let a kid do that?  Kevin was a great sport and said nothing.

  
Look at Kent snickering and Connor smiling.

 Finally, the kid takes it off--thank goodness--before the game actually starts.

Of course, we had to be there for the warm-up.

With the effects of Hurricane/Tropical Storm Sandy, it was still pretty windy and very cold for us Floridians.  By the time the game was over, we were pretty chilly!

Too bad this was Georgia Tech's Homecoming!

Here comes the Cougars!  There were actually quite a number of fans for BYU there!  Of course, they let the missionaries come in their white shirts and ties--they all put on their suit jackets as the game went on and it got chillier!  (They are up in the left hand corner, but I didn't get them in the picture.)

Seriously, Cosmo was the best ever!  When the Georgia Tech Band started playing the Gangnam Style music, he danced and was a hit! 

Then he did a standing back flip which was just amazing--even the Georgia Tech photographers were filming him!

The cheerleaders were pretty great, too!

Yes!

At half-time, I saw Connor fraternizing with some of the opposing team's fans.  I thought, "How cute!  He is getting to know some of their fans!" 

Come to find out--Connor knew both of them.  The girl is a great friend in his class at school.  They came to visit their grandpa, and he gave them the jackets since he is a Georgia Tech fan.

Great grandpa and great grandson having a little chat.
 

We were one happy bunch of people--BYU defeated Georgia Tech 41-17!!!!  Great game!

Walking back to the subway entrance, we saw the beautiful colored leaves.  We don't see much of that in Florida!

After getting back to our hotel, we decided to eat at Johnny Rocket's in Underground Atlanta.  Grandpa George had to get his ice cream shake!

Saying "Good-bye" came way too quickly.  Kent was staying at a different hotel and would be flying back to Washington the next morning.  Kevin and Connor were, also, flying back the next morning to Utah.

The next morning we took one last look out our window at Downtown Atlanta, ate breakfast, and started the six hours for home to a wonderful meal prepared by Jeff and Amy.  Great weekend--Rise and Shout!  The Cougars really did come out!

Fall is in the Air?

One would never know that it's fall--the weather still reaches 80 degrees in the daytime, we are still cutting the lawns, and you still have to run the air conditioner--but all of this without the dreaded humidity that we felt all summer.  This is the reason people choose to live in Florida!

 In George's effort to be a good citizen of the community, I think he got into grass that was a little more than the little, old, dilapidated tractor could handle!  But, being the "never say never" person that he is, he just kept trying!

 Pictures that make me smile:  Papa and Lola started watching a movie together.  I think both Papa and Lola must have gotten bored with it--Papa fell asleep, Lola started decorating Papa.  When I went in to see why it was so quiet in the t.v. room--I couldn't help but run and get my camera.  The flash woke Papa up--he had no idea he had a bowl on his head or a box on his tummy.  So funny!

 School Health Fair.   For the past three years, Amy has had a booth had the School Health Fair--you know, nothing better to raise the spirits than some new jewelry.  Amy and Alison work together (hence, the A & A Jewelry).  Amy worked for two days before the Health Fair began to categorize and label all the jewelry.  She was so organized!  I just helped in the booth on the day of the fair.  It really was a lot of fun--but we both were dead afterwards!  Retail is definitely a lot of standing on your feet!

Trunk or Treat.  One of George and my favorite events of the year at the church is the Trunk or Treat party near Halloween.  George and I were decorating our car when Jeff and Amy's family arrived. 

No comments on the decorations - I have been using some of these since 1984!  Seriously!

 Garrett and Isaac were heroes--

 Lola was a princess, of course--Cinderella.

 No princess can have a string on her dress, so Papa got the scissors to cut it off . . .

 then away they went to the party.

 Good thing Cinderella took off her white gloves!

 The next few pictures have to be shown in sequence because they tell such an adorable story.  This is McKenzie--one of Lola's favorite friends.

 They really love each other and play together every week when their moms go to exercise class.

 They were being very daring, petting the spider. 

 But, suddenly a skeleton started screeching and falling out of the car!  (Sorry, couldn't get their faces and the skeleton, too!)

 Close-up of their reaction.

 The skeleton stops screeching and moving--they are in awe!

 Oh, my gosh!  Did you see that!

 Let's get out of here!

 Isaac and Garrett loved the bounce house almost as much as going around to the cars for candy.

 Grandpa George is known as the "Candy Man" in the ward.  All the little kids know he will give them lots and lots of candy at our car!  (This keeps our two dentist sons, as well as all other dentists, in business!  Hah!)

 These two little girls absolutely love George--aka Candy Man, and were so disappointed when we were on our cruise last year, and he wasn't there to share his candy.

 And me--well, you know how much I love to take pictures, so that was what I did.  Love it!

 Amy and her dad.

 Jeff and Amy and their family.  Do you think Lola is still thinking about the skeleton?

Until next year's Trunk or Treat party--Bye, for now!