Sunday, September 16, 2012

Our 1st ND FOOTBALL GAME!

Hello again!  What a weekend it has been for us!! First of all, as always, we have been super busy with school and what not.  Zack has been really stepping up his game on networking and researching different companies to find the perfect fit for a career for him.  It has been good because it has really helped us to start thinking about our future, but it has also been hard because it is very time consuming for him.  I told him the other day that I wished I was a computer so that he would stare at me all day.  Really though, he is such a hard worker and I am so lucky to be his wife.

My schedule is a little less hectic than his, but it is still crazy.  I am still working part-time as a nanny as well as doing my student teaching.  This means lots of early mornings!  Which sucks because that means I have to go to bed early, which means that I don't get to go to bed at the same time as my sweetheart.  I know, thats not a big trial, but I still just don't like it.  There is something special about laying next to the one you love and cuddling before you fall asleep.  Even though it takes me a little longer to fall asleep when he is there, I also find that I sleep better when he actually comes to bed at the same time as me.  But otherwise, things are really wonderful!  Especially since its.... FOOTBALL SEASON!!!

So if you knew me growing up, you know, I was never really a sports fan.  I mean I loved gymnastics, but as far as like basketball and football and other ESPN type sports go... count me out!  But this has become my favorite time of year!  I'm not sure if its because the weather cools off a bit, which of course means cuter clothes and more cuddling!!!  Or if it is the yummy smell of cinnamon and pumpkin that is everywhere or if it is just the wonderful sport of football that has become a huge part of my life over the past 3 years.  Regardless of the reason, this weekend was a BLAST!

We started out our Saturday by going and taking Zack in to work a concessions stand on campus.  I figured, it over was 4 hours before kick off, so I would have plenty of time to find a parking spot on campus and hang out til Zack's 1 hour shift was over.  Boy were we wrong!!  You have to have a special hang tag to park on campus, and by the way, even if we had one, the spots were filled up! Four HOURS before kick off!  So I searched for parking elsewhere, but everyone is charging like 20-40 bucks to park in their parking lots!  It was Bonkers!!  But finally I found a grocery store that was about 2 miles from campus that I could park at.  I parked, walked to campus (the whole way there is was like one big ND tailgate!) and got there about 15 minutes before Zack's shift ended.  We went to the MBA tailgate and had some lunch and met some wonderful people, and then we were off to watch the football players walk from the library (Touch-Down Jesus) to the stadium.  It was pretty cool! Especially when we saw Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson from less than 10 feet away!  :)

After the Player walk it off to the Golden Dome to listen to the "Trumpets in the Dome".  This is a pre-game tradition where all the trumpet players from the band line the beautiful spiral walk way up to the dome and play ND music.  I know it doesn't sound like much, but grown men were literally crying because of the pride they have in this school.  It was beautiful music and really just united all the people who were there watching and participating.

After that it was Game time!   We found our seats and sat in them for about 5 minutes until that game started , at which time we stood up because the student section is so cool that we don't sit down!  Thats how supportive we are!  The game was amazing and we brought home the W!!  It was a fun, exciting, and exhausting day!  We cannot wait until next time!  Two weeks! Then we will be sharing the experience with the Olsens!! WOOHOO!!!

Below are some pictures of our fun experience!

Til next time!
This picture is really funny to me and has nothing to do with my post but apparently Zack thought he was sooo funny looking like he is licking me.  So I posted it. Jokes on him!
This is the 5 minutes in which we were sitting down! Very beloved 5 minutes.
Another picture that doesn't have much to do with my post.  Just to show how lucky I am to have the husband that I do.  He had this one morning on the front door when I had to leave to teach.  I am one lucky woman!
This is the Players walk thing.  You see the blank part on the sidewalk?  Thats where the players walk.  There were literally thousands of people there!
Lovin this view! This was about an hour til kick off!  Give this picture another 30 minutes and there wasn't an empty seat in the house!
The Golden dome!  This is where the trumpet players line up to play.  So So So cool.
This was right before the player walk.  Where we saw Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson.. Should I name drop again? Ok I will.. Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson.  I could have touched them. 
I know its hard to believe, but in this picture is Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn.  See the guy in a black jacket, blue cap, and blonde hair hanging out of his hat?  Owen Wilson.  The guy right behind him in the same clothes but with dark hair? Vince Vaughn. Watching the game
This is a picture of the trumpets in the dome!
Just a picture of all the freaking people.  And this is just in one section outside of the stadium.  It was seriously so crazy! And so much fun! We can't wait for next home game to have the Bensons and Olsens come with us!!