Newbie's First Football Game

Last night when the Hubs got home from work, we hitched 'em up and headed 'em out to the Hubs' old high school for Newbie's first football game.  There are lots of memories swirling around that field from our dating years for me, and tons more for the Hubs since he played football throughout high school.  It was really fun to go back and watch the game with our little man in tow.

The place was a throwback to Friday night football games when I was 17...there were enthusiastic highschoolers in the stands and middle schoolers congregating in groups throughout the stadium. There were wanderers and banders and flag twisters and football players and parents and die-hard alumni, all out there to get a taste of some Friday night football. Speaking of the taste of football, I don't miss much from my adolescent days, but I do miss a good walking taco or caramel apple sucker on a Friday night.  Yum.

[We interrupt this broadcast for the following public service announcement: After taking a look at the student section while finding a spot to watch the game, I noted that in the same way leggings are not pants, body paint is not clothing.  Ladies, for crying out loud, put some clothes on.  We appreciate the team spirit, but would like to pass on seeing 99.9% of your bare skin smothered in team-colored paint. Let's leave that to the middle aged men in the NFL stands.  If you wouldn't wear it to the grocery store, don't wear it to the game.  And that's coming from a woman who's been caught in her pajamas in the refrigerated section.  Pleaseandthankyou.]

Annnnnd back to the game.

Newbie did a lot better than we thought he would.  We knew he would like the football (he did) but we thought he'd cash out by halftime (he didn't).  Instead, he lasted all the way into the fourth quarter. 

He loved watching the boys on the field and cheering with the crowd.  The band had him intrigued for a while, but his favorite part by far was yelling and clapping any time the crowd did, and sometimes even when the crowd didn't. 

(TOUCHDOWN!!!)

He gets his general drama and enthusiasm from his momma, but when it comes to football, his daddy is in on the game too. =)

(Another fumble?! Oh no!)

Newbie did great for the entire game, and we were really tickled by how much he was really into the hoopla.  I think he could have made it all the way through, but when there was about 8 minutes left in the fourth quarter, we looked over to see him snuggling his blankie, and we decided to hit the road. 

When we left the game the score was something like 18 to 34, with the rivals ahead, and somehow by the time it all ended, the score was 40 to 46.  I sure wish we had asked Newbie to stick around longer because even though we lost, I have a feeling that was one mean fight to the finish.

I love a good football game every once in a while when it doesn't mean there is a man sitting on my couch for 12 hours on a Saturday.  Football in moderation, even in heavy moderation, can be a really good time.  Leaving the game last night left me looking forward to corn bread and chili and sweaters and scarves and apple cider and more football.  I can't wait to go back.

As for today, it was coffee and cartoons with my boys in the pajama clad AM, then a trip to the Farmer's Market and a driveway car wash in the PM. After washing the car, the Hubs and Newbie went to the gym to play in the raquetball court.  Newbie always brings the little basketball Uncle Chad gave him, and he loves going to the gym with his daddy. Daddy loves Newbie and the gym, and it gave me a nice quiet break around the house.  Win win win. It was a full, fun day!

Happy Weekending!