Football is a big thing here. If there is a home game, we basically avoid Athens altogether that day. People from all around come flocking into Athens that weekend and serious tailgating is happening all throughout gameday. Even if Jared wanted to get into school, it would be a nightmare since all parking space is set aside for the football game.
Jared submitted a grant this month to help fund is PhD. School has continued for him and he remains busy with classes and research. Heather and the kids balance time between school, library, shopping, playing at home, playing with neighbors, and enjoying life.
Early in October, we dropped the kids off at another member of our ward's (church congregation) home and drove the three and a half hours to the Columbia, South Carolina Temple. It was a great day and we enjoyed spending it with each other and other ward members.
Over the past weekend, Jared went out on a short trip to Northern Georgia and North Carolina collecting plant tissue for various species that they will be working on in the lab for his research. It proved to be a good trip and he got to spend lots of time with his advisor and became more familiar with the plant species they are working on.
Jared arrived home in time for Halloween. Heather dressed the kids up (see below) and took them out in our neighborhood. Jared remained home to pass out the candy. It turns out that our neighborhood is a popular place for trick-or-treaters. Several cars arrived from elsewhere with load of kids . We will definitely be prepared next year for the masses and Jared has a year to think of proper ways to motivate the older trick-or-treaters to earn their candy (i.e. sweeping leaves off the driveway, answering biology questions, etc.)
The three kids ready for trick-or-treating.
Amber the giraffe.
Nathan the Dalmation.
Kyra the Hula Girl.