Homecoming---in pictures

Not wanting to make a scene, the goodbyes were quick and practically non-existent as we pulled away from Gammie and Grandad's Friday, leaving Gillian Grace behind for the weekend as we headed to Gainesville for Florida's Homecoming. Being that it was the first time I'd left my Sweet Bean for more than a couple hours, we rode in silence for the first few miles as I fought the urge to cry and force Bret to turn the car around. After all, leaving this face is always difficult!



Even though mom and dad are pros when it comes to child-rearing (I mean look how great I turned out, haha!), old habits die hard and the teacher in me couldn't resist leaving them with a handy dandy reference guide to all things Gillian Grace. From a daily schedule to GG's food preferences, I covered it all. And despite probably thinking that I was completely out of my mind, mom and dad were most gracious about my OCD tendencies and didn't make fun of me once...to my face anyway!
And thanks to the great idea I learned from my friend, Laura, Gillian Grace also had a mini photo album with pictures of her daddy and me just so she wouldn't forget about us. After all, two days is such a long time! (Wink! Wink!)



On our way, we stopped in rivalry territory for a quick pit stop. You know me, I just had to snap a picture! Kudos, Tallahassee! You may be home of the Florida State Seminoles, but you sure do know how to make a girl feel welcome with one of the classiest restrooms I've ever seen in a Chick-Fil-A!




After the nearly five hour drive, we checked into our hotel and then headed downtown where, Bret and I enjoyed dinner at our favorite, out of the way, local pizza joint, Big Lou's. Yum!


Image credit: Dana Johnhill
Nothing beats a NY style pizza!


Greek salad with loads of feta and fresh olives


Is there anything better than fried cheese? Mozzarella sticks are my favorite fried food indulgence!

Having not been back to Gainesville since we moved a little over three years ago, I was excited to tour the town and see what all had changed. On the featured list of attractions, my old residences.


Image credit: Phil Sandlin/APBeaty Towers, dorm
I called this dorm home the Fall semester of my freshman year, before moving into the Chi-O house the following Spring. This dorm, though I didn't know it at the time, has a rather famous association. Tom Petty, the famous singer/songwriter from Gainesville, is said to have written his song, American Girl, after learning of a young co-ed's death after falling from one of Beaty Tower's upper rooms. Though not the most feel-good story around, you got to admit, it's a little interesting!

Apartment Life (Melrose Place it wasn't!)




Home Life

I moved into Bret's townhouse after we got married. 

While Bret finished up his PhD, we were fortunate to build and move into this home, even if it was only for a little while. Who knew we'd be heading to Alabama just a year and a half after moving in!?

After driving around town, we parked the car and headed to campus to join in the Homecoming festivities.

On our way, we spotted a few gators on campus. And not the orange and blue wearing, tailgating gators you might be thinking of, but real alligators!



After the close to 3 mile hike from our hotel, we were starving! Lunch at The Swamp, a Gainesville landmark, was the perfect Game Day choice! The food was just okay, but the electric atmosphere was second to none!


Image Credit: Gator Nites






After our late lunch and making the rounds to all the various alumni barbecues, we headed in to catch all the pre-game action. Sadly, we saw more action during the warm-ups than we saw from Florida the rest of the night!







And unfortunately, instead of looking like this...




Image credit: AP

We ended the night looking more like this...


Credit: Google Images

And after drowning our sorrows in one ridiculously over priced $17 slice of room service key lime pie...



We returned home and found our happy ending!





All in all, Bret and I had a wonderful weekend away, and Gillian Grace was spoiled rotten by her grandparents, as it should be! The only thing that would have made the weekend better would've been to have been able to enjoy it with Sweet Bean and to have come away with a W instead of the Gators third consecutive loss! Oh well, there's always next year, right?!

And for those keeping track, I managed to only call home to check in every two to three hours! Not too bad, huh?

What did y'all do this weekend?


{Thanks, Gammie and Grandad for watching Bean, and Mary for the tickets! Without y'all we'd been watching the game from the couch!}

Check out the Lee La La giveaway! It's been extended through Wednesday!