I cannot complete our football season without documenting one of the biggest games of the year.  Possibly the most fun game I've ever witnessed live!  Auburn came to Starkvegas as #2.  We were #3.  And it was to be the game of the week...College Gameday was in town too.  The anticipation was great.  Millie Janalee and I caught a ride with my parents, and we spent the night with my brother again in Columbus so we could be there bright and early the next morning.  We took the evening to enjoy some time on campus and set up our tents.

We woke up bright and early for an incredibly game day experience.  Nothing about the day disappointed!  My family and I knew that this may be mine and Millie Janalee's last home game of the year, because we knew Smith was due to arrive that Monday by induction.  I am so happy that the day proved to be one for the books!  We tailgated in our old familiar spot from years past.  Millie Janalee did a great job refraining from running out in the street.  Ha!  She had some special visitors too!  A couple of the MSU cheerleaders found our tent so they could visit Millie Janalee.  I think she was starstruck!  Thank you, Allison, for taking time away from your fun day to make some fun for my girl!

My mom's best friend and her husband used two of our extra tickets for the game.  She brought her grandchildren by just as the cheerleaders walked up, so they got pictures too.  Such a treat for all of them!

"Nice to meet you!"

Millie Janalee did manage to get a short nap in before game time.  It was a beautiful day to tailgate...contrary to the forecast.

KayKay and Millie Janalee napping

The adults enjoyed relaxing watching College Gameday on the television, the girls and Lee tried to see the Dawg Walk.  Oh my!  Besides a near panic attack, passing out from heat exhaustion, and claustrophobia...we enjoyed cheering our players in with thousands of other fans packed in the Junction like sardines.  We also loved seeing all our visitors as they stopped by throughout the day.

Before long, it was time to make our way toward Davis Wade Stadium for the BIG GAME!  The biggest game in MSU history.  It was time to make a STATEment.  We believed.  As we always do.

The atmosphere was electric.  Cowbells have become a national conversation.  And Bully even came out as "Dak"man!  We were ready.

The rain did eventually come.  And it rained HARD!  Poured.  Not a fan left the stadium.  Our Bulldogs never fell behind those Auburn Tigers, and we came out with an emotional victory over the #2 team in the nation!

Grown adults...fans of many many years...and young adults alike were teary eyed at the sight.  An experience like none other.  One I'm so glad I experienced with Millie Janalee.  And the family of course! Oh what a night!

We took our time loading up the tailgate, because as you can imagine the traffic was unbelievable.  Not a single person left til after the game...and longer.  Everyone was soaking it in.

The next day, we would get out of church in time to find out.  We were #1 in the country!  And would be for five more weeks.  Simply amazing!  From unranked to #1 in just FIVE WEEKS!

It was our nation for awhile.

Of course last week, we lost a heartbreaker to Alabama pushing us back to #4.  Our run isn't over yet.  It's time to show up for that other big game.  Time for our team to travel up to Oxford for the Egg Bowl.  And we will keep going after that.  We just don't know where yet.

First Home Game at Home

One adjustment Millie Janalee and I have made is watching our Bulldogs play from home.  I seriously cannot remember the last time I've missed a home game, but we are getting used to it.  And we actually get a great view...and are able to keep up with all the other games throughout the day without interruption.

Just because we are watching from home, doesn't mean we don't do it in style!

Special thanks to Kay Kay for the adorable hats she ordered for my bully babies!  And the talented Julie crocheted the adorable cowbell for Smith!  It was a perfect day to bring out the cuteness since it was so cold.  We watched the Arkansas game at home with Russ, which was actually very nice.

We even were able to watch the Homecoming game last weekend.  Switching between that and the Auburn/A&M game.  Oh, and the LSU/Alabama game nearly gave me a heart attack...and I couldn't bring myself to cheer for either team.  It's just not in my blood to do so.

This weekend...BAMA!  I may not be able to sleep til Saturday night.  And I hope I'm sleeping with sweet dreams of a victory.

MSU vs Texas A&M

Well, this post is a little late considering our latest development.  But I could never skip over the first major win of the season.  More major than LSU in fact.  Things just get better and better from here.  But a couple Saturdays ago, Millie Janalee and I drove south for the big game.  SEC Nation was coming to Starkville, and we just couldn't miss it.

We enjoyed watching the specials all week covering Mississippi State and Starkville.  The anticipation leading up to the game was so fun.  We drove down Friday night and stayed with my brother so we could make an early appearance setting up the tailgate tents before the big crowds took our spot.  7:30 am came early on Saturday when it was time to leave!

I don't always make it over to the Dawg Walk since Millie Janalee has gotten mobile, but my mom and I decided we couldn't miss this one.  We enjoyed watching the team walk in with bodyguards and television cameras in their faces.  The crowd was incredible!  It was fun.  We made our way through the crowds checking out the SEC Nation setup and took a few pictures in front of the SEC backdrop of course.

We hurried back to our tent to pack up for game time.  But we couldn't leave before taking a few shots of the cutest little Mississippi State fans on campus.  If you are a State fan with young children, you need to check out Mississippi State Bully Babies on Facebook for the most adorable children's clothing for gameday!  Millie Janalee and Hughes shopped there for nearly every game.

The family loaded up early for the pre-game show and to just feel the excitement.  It didn't disappoint either.  Believe it or not, Millie Janalee napped until nearly halftime.  She wasn't really able to the rest of the game since I was up on my feet most of the time.  The cowbell calluses are building, and it's the best battle scar one could have!

The game ended with a score of 48 - 31.  We dominated the entire game and it felt good.  Very good.  The crowd went wild...but didn't storm the field.  Ha!  Our family sat in the stadium as it cleared soaking in the experience.  We have cheered for and endured way too many losses to count.  And it was incredible to see it all come back around!  No bandwagon going on here!  Just a Mississippi girl cheering on her lifelong team.  TRUE MAROON!

As soon as we got back to the tent, we couldn't wait to turn on the Alabama and Ole Miss game.  We watched them win, storm the field, and feel the long awaited success just like we did.  Well, some of us saw it...

Sunday morning, we were still glowing in all the glory that is MSU!  Fall in Mississippi is about as happy as I've ever seen it!

Go! State!  GO STATE!!

MSU vs UAB

Millie Janalee is getting the hang of these gamedays as a toddler!  She loves to do her best cheer fist pump and yell, "Goooo State!"  I love it!  Our second home game wasn't a wet one.  But, BOY, was it HOTTTT!  Millie Janalee and I rode with my parents, so we were the first ones there for setup.  I'm not much help these days unless I leave Millie Janalee sitting in the car while I help set up the tents.  I assisted where I could while Millie Janalee sat comfortably in her little tailgate chair.

Once the tents were up, I was able to spread the quilt for Miss Priss to play.  I took her shoes off because I knew that would slow her down once she stepped on the grass.  Ha!  Such a girly girl.  We spent the rest of the morning setting up the television, food tables, chairs, and fans.  While Millie Janalee had a tea party with her friends...

The rest of our crew arrived in shifts.  The cousins played.  Actually it's more like Millie Janalee tortured the baby by hugging and kissing him.  Lol!

The game began mid-late afternoon.  In the heat of the day.  I lathered Millie Janalee in sunscreen and loaded up the handheld fans.  Kristin did the same with Hughes adding a cute bucket hat to protect his fair complexion.

It was seriously the hottest game we had ever been to.  Thankfully, Millie Janalee fell asleep shortly after we arrived.  I was able to just keep a fan on her and not have to worry about her being hot and unhappy.  The girl can sleep anywhere!  Dustin had a friend who offered Kristin and Lee seats in the shade with the baby.  So they took him up on it.  We didn't see them again until the second half when the clouds blocked the hot sun.

Notice my carefully positioned fan down my shirt.  Ha!

During halftime, Mama and I took a bathroom break to change a wet and sweaty diaper.  We had to laugh when we got under the stadium.  Every single flat surface was covered with sweaty Bulldogs trying to cool off.  Just sitting there in the shade.  Too funny!

Overall it was a great game.  With a happy ending!  Another win for the Bulldogs!  And Hughes's first full game day.

My favorite ballgame buddy!

Hughes's first game!

We arrived home with plenty of time for everyone to shower and eat before crawling into bed.  Early game days are good for moms with babies and toddlers.  But not necessary of course.