The Eyes of Texas are Upon me

It's Sunday, September 30th and here I am in Texas with Rob and Jo and the twins.
Rob invited me down to go to a Texas A&M football game on Saturday.

It was a very cool experience. It actually started at midnight on the eve of the game with what they call the Midnight Yell. That's when all the students go to the stadium and practice their yells for the game. It was very ritualistic and I believe they sacrificed some virgins at the end of the Yell but I couldn't be sure in all the commotion.

Rob was cute as a button in his little Aggie T-shirt

Glad I brought my hat and T-shirt. Everyone was in maroon

Saturday at the game I was in the student section with Rob, about a gazillion students and a few bewildered older folk like me. The students stand for the entire game! Not only do they stand, but they stand on the benches. Our bench just happened to insist on wobbling back and forth the entire time so it was 3 and a half hours of balancing in 34 degree Celsius weather. Please inquire about my much improved core strength when you see me. It had such an effect on me that when I got up later in the middle of the night to answer the call of the wild (I know it should be the call of nature, but trust me, when I get up it's the call of the wild) I was quite wobbly on my feet. I was sure I bounced off a couple of walls before I returned to the safety of my bed.

And of course the twins have been delightful. We really should do something about all their smiling. As with all my grandkids, I got a big kick out of just observing them play and dismantle everything within their reach.
Saturday nite we went to a traditional barbecue eatery.

Bring on the grub y'all!

Yeah y'all bring it on eh!

This here corn's mighty deelishus!

Ditto y'all!

It wasn't easy getting the boys to sit still long enough for this picture but we did it

Well now I've completed one of my goals of going to an NCAA football game. Now I just need to go to an NFL game and get court side seats at an NBA game... Get working on that will you kids? Thanks for the game Rob.

New York New York

Carson and Taylor at camp

Jolanda's been after me to update our blog since our return from New York and our visit with Taylor and Kaycee so I better do it I guess.

We flew in on August 30th and the next day we drove up to Palmyra passing through Scranton, PA home of The Office. I strained as hard as I could but I couldn't see Steve Carrall anywhere.

We were able to tour the Visitors center at Cumorah as well as visit the Joseph Smith home and the Sacred Grove. Interestingly, there isn't a designated area in the grove where the first vision took pace. It's a large wood with several paths leading through it.

Carson checking out his shoes

Carson checking out the food at camp

In front of the Joseph Smith home

The grove was really quiet and peaceful

One of the paths leading through the grove

I liked this shot of Kaycee and Carson with the sun streaming through

Another fun shot

Standing on top of the Hill Cumorah

New York City is enormous. The things I most wanted to do were to go to a Yankees game, visit the Apple store and see Times Square at night. Mission accomplished.

Nancy and Carson on the ferry to New York that Taylor takes every day

Denver on the Staten Island Ferry taking pictures of the Statue of Liberty

On the Staten Island Ferry

In the nose bleed seats at the Yankees game

Can you tell which one is Derek Jeter?

Nancy in awe in Times Square

Note Carson insisting on helping to push his stroller

The signs in Times Square are something to behold

Times Square was worth the visit