She REALLY Wants to be a Lap Dog

Bouncing Baby Ballards

I think the best part of Thanksgiving 2009 was spending time with Sophie and Boone. The twins are seven months old now and love to cuddle. I had a great time holding and playing with the newest members of our family!

Thanksgiving 2009

We met again in Macon for Thanksgiving, and everyone was there this year. It was such a wonderful day! I am still eating leftovers :-)

One of the most important things we do in Macon is take pictures. Everyone looked so good!

Aunt Nancy's Family - the Rigdon/Tyre/Music Clan

Aunt Ester's Family - the Meeks/Rawlins/Ballard/Taylor Clan

And the McDonalds - the McDonald/McMottes :-)

And all the kiddies - this year there were 10!!

It's my Birthday! My B-B-B-Birthday!

And I got a yummy Flamingo cake!

Someone Got a New Toy

Lullabelle got a new Quackers, but she's not quite ready to part with the old one.

At Least Connie Was There

Last weekend was the final Georgia home game of the year - UGA v. Kentucky. Marc was in Arkansas for the christening of the Rowes' new bundle of joy, for whom he is the godfather. So Connie joined me in Athens for the weekend for some birthday celebrating, shopping, pizza and football.

We had a good but cold time in our red and black (and grey) at the President's house for the pre-game reception, and then headed to the suite to get ready for the guests' arrival.

One of the perks of sitting in a suite - outdoor heaters! And great seats. And a coffee bar. That didn't make the loss to Kentucky any less painful. But it did help to have such a fabulous friend with me.

What We'll Do Today

At least until I pick Marc up from the airport. It's rainy, it's cold, it's a perfect day to be lazy and completely unproductive.

The After Party

I completely forgot that I had these on the camera. . .

After the homecoming game, we came home with wings, chips and beer and hung out with the Thompsons and the Alexanders. It was a perfect way to unwind after such a busy week and lots of fun. The dogs had more fun than we did.

Lullabelle got to cuddle with Sean and give Trip kisses.

And Sandy, as usual, begged for food. But Bob kept the Doritos for himself.

Basketball Season Begins

Friday night was the first official basketball game of the season, and the first with UGA's new coach Mark Fox. President Adams wasn't using his tickets for the game, so we did! Marc and I went to the game with the Thompsons and we had a great time, especially with Trip.

Trip is such a ham that even the cameraman noticed - he was on the big screen!

Happy Birthday Little Brother!

Today was Michael's birthday, and we all met up in Hampton to celebrate, eat spaghetti and some of this horribly ugly cake:

I guess if you are a Florida fan, it looked pretty good. Mama did a great job of decorating it, even if she had to hold her nose while she cooked and frosted it.

The boys helped Michael blow out the candles -

And helped him eat the cake!!

I Can Tell You Exactly What They're Thinking

Lullabelle: I love when Sandy and I cuddle! I wish. . . zzzz. . .

Sandy: Stop laughing and taking pictures and get her off me.


Lullabelle: So comfy. I love to cuddle! I hope. . .zzzz. . .

Sandy: Dangit, moving didn't help. Seriously, get her off me.

Uga!

Our friend Katherine was the lucky duck who drove Uga in the Homecoming Parade, and here are a few of the pictures she took. Such a cute doggie!

Hey, Check Me Out!

I'm above the fold, in color!

So it's not really about me, but my name got mentioned.

King and Queen in the Suite

One of the great parts of my job during Homecoming is hosting the newly crowned King and Queen and their families in the President's suite for the second half of the game. They were so cute!

Excited and Surprised!

Marc with his Homecoming Chair Laura, his Union President Jessie and his Homecoming Court Chair Adrian

Marc with King Darryl and Queen Christina

The King and Queen with the Boss Man

UGA Royalty

The Homecoming queen and king are first nominated by an organization or person on campus. Nominees go though a round of interviews, and the field is narrowed to ten ladies and ten men. After a second round of interviews, the court is set with five men and five women. The student body votes for the winners from the court. In both 2008 and 2009, some fantastic students were voted king and queen.

Last year's Queen and King Bailey and Beau

Our 2009 Queen and King Christina and Darryl

On the Field

As I've mentioned, Marc is the man who coordinates Homecoming at UGA. Marc and his kiddos from University Union did a great job this year! And I got to be on the field with them and take some fun pictures.

Marc's Homecoming Exec

Homecoming Coordinator Laura hamming it up with Marc

Really? With Marc and Mary

Last Friday was so busy, between the parade and the comedy and the friends in town and the work. So I went home early from work to spend some times with the doggies. When it was time to leave, I decided instead of putting Lullabelle in her crate, I would leave her in our bedroom. Because we were going to be coming home very late and Lullabelle would just get in the bed and sleep, right? We've left her out for an hour here and there when we aren't home and she's been so good lately. She won't do anything destructive, right?

WRONG.

She ate my plants. ALL OF THEM. The leaves, the stems, the roots! All that was left was the dirt. Really Lullabelle?


And then she threw up ALL OVER THE BEDROOM CARPET. So at 2am I was steam cleaning the carpet. Really Lullabelle? Really?

Grandest Lady in the Homecoming Parade

Friday, before the comedy competition, Marc had to make sure that the Homecoming parade went off without a hitch. This year, I was one of the judges for the parade, so I took pictures until the floats started.

Courtney Kupets, the Grand Marshall

The Redcoat Band

Uga VII

The Boss Man

Bailey Simpson, last year's Homecoming Queen

Vic Sullivan, the Alumni Association President

I just love the cheerleaders who come back for Homecoming! They are so cute.

He's the Funniest Man in Athens!

Friday Night, Marc was voted Athens Last Comic Standing!

He had a looong week last week full of homecoming activities. Street painting at midnight. Meetings until late in the evening. A concert. A comedian. And one night when he came home early, he had to go back to work twice. Then Friday was the homecoming parade followed by the finals of Athens Last Comic Standing. And he did all this while fighting a nasty sinus infection and mild fever.

(For some reason, the club decided to have a smoke machine with strange stage lighting. So the pictures I took kinda stink.)

We are so grateful for all our friends who came out to watch the show and vote for Marc. Jenny and Sean came in from Nashville, Kirsten and Justin came in from Atlanta and Connie came up from Augusta. And we had our fabulous Athens friends join us, too.

This win was bittersweet for Marc, though. His fellow finalist for this round was Eric, one of Marc's former Union students. Marc and Eric are good friends and Marc mentored Eric on getting into comedy. So when Marc won, he felt bad that Eric couldn't win, too. (But if Marc had lost, he would have been happy for Eric but mad that he wasn't the winner!)

I am so proud of my funny man!