Work+School+Church+Gator Football=My Life

So it's that time of year again.  Time for school to start, church activities to get busier, and most importantly, time for Gator Football!!!

I am taking a 4 credit hour class this semester on top of working 40 hours a week.  I'm also the head cook at church and am responsible for planning, cooking, and cleaning up after 2 meals each week, plus the tailgating festivities for home football games.  That in itself will keep me busy enough.  But, my most favorite part of the Fall is Gator Football.

I love me some Gators, but I love the opportunity to have my niece and nephew during the games even more.  Don't get me wrong, I thoroughly enjoy going to the games, but that's not always an option.  I have decided (ever since Jay was born and I got to keep him during that first football season) that I would gladly trade a place in The Swamp for having those kids hanging out with me!

I feel that I miss out so much on their lives since I live 3 hours away from them.  And although I make it home often to spend time with them, we bond so much more when the rest of the family is away cheering on the Gators. ;)  I have some fun stuff for Jay this season (including a Pillow Pet and some Toy Story 3 coloring books) and am looking forward to spending more time with Miss Lily.  Hopefully, we will even get to have Ethan over so all three kids can play together.  I promise to post pictures through out the season and who knows, I may even make it to a game or two.

Go Gators!!!

A Wonderful Weekend

I went home for the weekend before my crazy fall semester and it has been confirmed that I am no longer being called Oba! I referred to myself as Oba all weekend, but he still calls me Aunt Robin. Now, don't get me wrong - I am thrilled that my nephew recognizes me and talks to me and asks me to do things for him (like put him to bed for the night), but I miss that adorable voice calling me "Oba"! Although I haven't gotten permission to do so (still haven't remembered to ask) I'm going to post two pictures from this weekend. One of me and my sweetpea niece and one of the little man (who goes to the potty like a big boy now!). I figure that since so few people visit this site, no harm will be done! Enjoy!

Big Boy!

Sweet Girl!

A Bit of Sad News

I spoke with my Mom yesterday while she had the kiddos and tried to talk to Jay (a difficult task, especially when he is focused on his Brillo Blocks!). As we were concluding our, albeit short, conversation, I told him I loved him and he replied a garbled version of "I love you Aunt Robin". Now, most aunts would be ecstatic that their nephew (or niece) would say that, but I have tried to make it clear to everyone, but especially my family, that I don't want to be "Aunt Robin". Jay started calling me "Oba" almost a year ago and I absolutely loved that that was the name that HE came up with for me. I am very sad to think that it may be slipping (well, may have already slipped) away. It is difficult for him since the rest of the family refers to me as "Aunt Robin", no matter how much I beg them not to! (My older brother has actually said that I'm weird for wanting to be called Oba.)

I will do my best during football season and any other time I have with him (and with Lily and Ethan as they start talking) to reinforce the calling me Oba! I know it's different, but then so am I! I don't want to be your typical aunt. I'm fun Oba!! :)

Tune in later for more fun conversations from a crazy person (me!)! I'll be posting pictures of my new place with furniture soon! I promise.

My New Digs

So, my nomading around Gainesville has come to an end. The last few weeks, my new roommate Laurie and I have been getting things ready to move in. Laurie and her parents painted and replaced the flooring in the living room. We haven't moved anything in yet, but here are some pictures


Living room and Kitchen

The living room started off as the same color as the kitchen. It looks and feels a lot more cozy.

I worked on my bedroom

Before:


After






So that's all I have for now. I'm moving the furniture in this weekend and will then add more photos. Hope to see you soon!

What were we thinking?

This was the question that my cousin Leslie and I asked ourselves the entire weekend. We decided to go with our extended family (13 of us total) camping in Georgia! Yes, I know that is was over 100 degrees and extremely high humidity. Yes, I realize that I don't have a camper with air conditioning and that tents are not the coolest places in the middle of June. But, my family is very convincing AND it was Father's Day weekend, so I went where my Daddy was.

The festivities began on Thursday evening when we all started to arrive. It down poured on us traveling up (with the 24 foot Hi-Lo camper pulling behind us - for my parents, not me). Some of the party were already at the campsite when the rains came and watched the little river run through the campsite (at least we knew where NOT to put a tent). Speaking of tents, I wish I had a picture of our set up - Tent City. We had 2 campers - one pop-up, one Hi-Lo - and three tents of varying sizes. In between the tents were a mess of electical cords so that we could plug in the multiple fans that we brought to try to keep us somewhat cool.

We stayed until Sunday mid-morning (the rest of the party stayed until Monday, but I had to get back to work). We had fun, but man were we sweating. No, not glistening, SWEATING!!!! There wasn't a lot for us to do, but play cards and drink (vodka and pink lemonaide!).

Leslie and I decided that we will not be this stupid again. No more camping during the months of May, June, July, August, or September. Please help us remember that the next time we start talking about going camping.

Here are the pictures that my amazing cousin Leslie has provided me!!! And as a sidenote: it is being discussed about a Galloway family reunion next year - in JUNE! As Leslie pointed out to me, "That is the second finger of the five-finger-no-camping-month!" We'll see what transpires.

Weekend of Friends and Fun

Alright, well I told you from the beginning that I wasn't very good at keeping up with stuff like this :). I've had a little disruption in my life, but that is for another post. Here are the pictures from the weekend of Sara's visit and the Gator baseball games! Thought it was fitting to finally post now that the Gators on are their way to the College World Series!
Friday night, the Gators took on LSU in the first of three games for the weekend. Casey, Sara, and I went and met Sara's brother at McKethan Stadium. We were having fun when we noticed that the sky was getting cloudier and then we started seeing flashes of lightening. It was the top of the fifth inning when we decided that we should start to head to the car (lightening + metal bleachers = bad combination). We were almost out of the stadium when a loud crash came and the game was called. We made it to the car just before the bottom fell out! We headed back to the church to wait out the storm, then went out to the house for a slumber party. Casey was headed home on Saturday, but decided that it would be so much more fun to stay at the house out in the woods than alone at the church ;).

Saturday brought Game #2 (followed by the end of Game #1) and the HEAT! It was so hot that Sara and I only lasted about 4 innings (the game started at 1). After we left the game, we decided that for the final game we needed to make shirts (a favorite past time of ours). Here are our shirts:

Then we made a good ol' Southern dinner: Fried Chicken, Fried Okra, Green beans, and Mac & Cheese



We had a wonderful weekend, especially since the Gators swept the series and sent LSU home with their tail between their legs! So proud of the boys in the Orange and Blue! I'll share two more pictures of Sara and I sporting our shirts at Sunday's (HOT) game:

My future

Okay, so I know that I said that I would be posting about my weekend (and I promise that it's coming), but I just had to share this news: I have figured out my classes and have figured out that not only will I be able to graduate with a minor (as long as it's approved), but that graduation will take place in May '13 instead of Dec '13 as previously thought!!!!! I'm so excited!

Here's what my life for the next few (3) years will look like (on top of work and church activities):
Fall '10 - Applied Research Methods
Spring '11 - Senior Seminar
Summer '11 - Principles of Management (online)
Fall '11 - Family Financial Management
Spring '12 - Ethical Issues in Family, Youth and Community Sciences (online?)
Summer '12 - Principles of Marketing (online)
Fall '12 - Business Finance (online?)
Spring '13 - Evaluation of Family, Youth, and Community Programs

And then I will proudly walk across the stage in the Stephen C. O'Connell Center and accept my Bachelors Degree in Family, Youth, and Community Sciences with a minor in Business Administration!!! :) (and then a trip to NYC as my graduation gift! - get ready Mom)