Butler fun!-homecoming 2013

Our annual tradition-Butler Homecoming!  We did this probably about 3 weeks ago.  Just trying to catch up. Andy and I do love getting to take the kids every year and Butler is a great venue to watch a football game.  The kids can move around a lot and Ewan almost ran out onto the field during the game as he was running up and down a hill and no one batted an eye.  So, we packed up the van and forgot our sunscreen and made our way down to Indy.


Ewan got to say "Hi" to the Butler bulldog mascot.  I think he really looks forward to this. 

Kella's got her shades on.

Kinley's first football game!

Yes, they got a snack-popcorn.

Kinley with Daddy.

I really wanted to get all the kids in a picture together, but of course, there was one that didn't want to cooperate (see the left side of photo). *sigh*

Well, we tried.  And a kind lady walking by offered to take our entire family picture.  We said "no thanks".

The best we could do.  Wonder if there are any future Bulldogs in this photo?

Kella got her way and got her picture taken riding the little dog.  Thank goodness.  This is what she wanted to begin with.

A great trip!  The kids did great and we managed to see most of the game.  Cale got to buy himself a little ball.  (He loves souveneirs.) We walked around Hinkle Fieldhouse.  We will be back for a basketball game this winter :-).

time for a Butler basketball game

One of our goals this year was to take the kids to a basketball game at Butler.  Thanks to Andy's connections, we got free tickets-so nice with as many people as we have.  The game was December 22nd against Evansville.  The only catch was that we had to split up-4 seats in one spot, 2 in another.  They actually weren't that far apart and we could have gotten together to sit after the first half.  Andy took Kella, Marcus, Cale and Ewan.  I had some one on one time with Liam.  A bag of candy to pass around made the game go more smoothly for those with shorter attention spans.  

Liam watching the game.  It was pretty warm, as you can tell by his rosy cheeks. 

Our view of the court.

The game was a good game.  Butler vs. Evansville.  You would think that being ranked and having beaten the #1 team in the country (IU), that Butler would have had this game in the bag.  Surprisingly, it was a close game.  Butler pulled away in the second half for a little while and people started to leave.  Then, Evansville came within 4 points of tying the game.  All those people getting ready to leave decided to stand there and see what would happen.

Liam didn't care.

Butler won!

My attempt of a photo of Andy and the kids in Hinkle Fieldhouse.  Not too shabby looking of a group.  I especially like how Ewan is giving himself bunny ears.

once again, we go to Butler homecoming

Time for Butler homecoming!  This year, the game started at 6pm.  I was curious to see how everyone would do with a later start time than all the previous times we've gone.  And, it was a cool day, too, and I knew it would only get colder as the night came.  So, we dragged out the winter coats, some blankets, gloves and handwarmers and made our way to the game. 

One thing I like about Butler's homecoming is that is it always easy to find a close parking spot.  This year was no different.  We parked in the same lot, pretty close to the field and by a bunch of pretty trees with big, yellow leaves.  I made an attempt to get a photo of the kids.

The evening start time meant that we had to feed everyone.  If I had been more proactive, I would have packed food for the car ride down so we wouldn't have to eat at the game.  As it was, we feed the kids there and got scalped by food prices.  Yikes! 

Everyone likes Cracker Jacks.

It got colder, but only some of us wanted to wear our nice, warm coats.  We made it until a little into the third quarter before Kella, especially, and Liam, a little, were ready to go.  When we left, Butler was losing and had just let the other team score 2 touchdowns in a row if I remember right.  Well, wouldn't you know it?-Butler came back late in the 4th quarter and pulled out a win!  Too bad we had to miss it.  Hopefully next year, we can stay longer.  Hopefully next year, it's a little warmer out, too.  Our next goal for Butler sports is to make it to a basketball game this year.

Kella perked up nicely by the time we made it home.  She is wearing a blue lei that the cheerleaders handed out to the fans in honor of the BB team going to the Maui Invitational.  I think that she thinks she looks awesome in her new blue necklace.

Butler Homecoming 2011

Last Saturday was our annual trip to Butler for their homecoming game. We've been going since Cale was not quite a year old. I look forward to taking the kids because Butler is a relaxed place to go for a college football game.  And, homecoming has some family-friendly things, too.  We never make it in time for the pre-game fun things (one year we will), but the boys just like the chance to roam around part of Butler's campus.  The difference this year was that Andy had the chance to be the atheletic trainer for the game that day.  How cool is that?  He got to go back and be the trainer for the school he graduated from for the team he played for!  I figured I could handle the kids by myself.  I was probably a little delierious from working the night before and not having any sleep.  It sounded like a good idea to me.  First things first, that Saturday, the 3 older kids had gymnastics-wear them out early.  We came back home after that and I packed some stuff, including lunches, to take to the game.  I had a few moments when I almost backed out of going to the game, but I knew that Marcus and Cale were looking forward to this.  So, into the car went the kids and me and away we went.

First thing on our list was to see the Butler Bulldog.  The boys look forward to this and started looking for the bulldog as soon as we entered the stadium.  Cale needed his picture taken

Liam was in a pleasant enough mood to say "hi". 

Then it was Ewan's turn.

Our first seats were on the "hill".  I thought this would be nice because the kids could move around.  And, the view was pretty good.

Hmm, I don't think they were watching a lot of the game.

I made the executive decision to move to some bleacher seats in an empty area of the stadium.  We went inside to get a drink (Strawberry Crush) and watched the band and dance squad perform (they did a routine to the song Moves Like Jagger-one of the kids' favorites)

Our new view of the field also offered a view of the trainer-hello Andy!  We stayed for the entire game.  The boys were able to move around and play on the bleachers.  They did pretty well.  It was harder to contain everyone without Andy there to help.  5 against 1 aren't great numbers.  Liam was the hardest to control.  He's just a determined 2 year old who has a plan and doesn't want mom to interfere.  His new tactic is just to sit down and not move so you either have to carry him or try to get him to stand up by pulling on his arm-always fun to do in a crowd of people.

Oh Kella!  Why do you look sad?  Are you hungry, cold or upset that Butler got trounced by a school I've never heard of?  Poor baby was ready to go home.

After the game, we went into Hinkle Fieldhouse for a snack.  We also had to get our pictures taken with another bulldog.

Kella wasn't sad for long!  A happy baby glad to be home!