fresh picked whimsy: hometown USA

If you were ever a fan of the TV show Friday Night Lights, you know that is the team mantra recited by Coach Taylor and his football team just before heading out on the playing field every Friday night. I love it, so i just had to make that piece above. I'm going to hang it in Riley's room.

We are deep in football season and this past week was Homecoming. I thought i would share some of the sights and fun. Last week I was at one of Griffin's soccer games and two of the moms sitting next to me, who are originally from India and England, were asking me what exactly "Homecoming" is. I know i have a lot of international readers, so i thought i would explain it to you, too! Homecoming is technically about welcoming home the alumni, but it's really about building school spirit and community spirit. Here in Carmel, there is a weeklong celebration at the high school, full of spirit days and decorations, pep rallies, contests, a parade and finally culminating with the crowning of the Homecoming queen {a student voted on by her classmates}, the Friday night Homecoming football game and the Homecoming dance on Saturday night. It's all a lot of fun.

My kids all participated in the spirit days at school. One day was "dress like a favorite movie character". So the kids went to goodwill to piece together their costumes and this is what they came up with...Katie is Pocohontas, Riley is Will Ferrell's character from Kicking & Screaming and Griffin is Paul Blart, Mall Cop. Hilarious.

There was no way they were going to pass up the opportunity to decorate the BEAST {kate & riley's truck} for the decorated car contest at the high school. Anyone could decorate their car, and then the school would choose the top 3 to be in the parade on Friday afternoon. Katie and Riley worked on it until midnight the night before...we made the greyhound out of newspaper and painted it. Then, they attached it to the truck with painter's tape!

leaving for school the next day...

She texted me early that morning to tell me that she won 3rd place and a couple of free car washes, too! She was so excited when they announced it! Here's the Beast in the parade!...

Riley and the team walked in the parade...

Back in my day at Carmel High School, we made floats for the parade. A few years back they decided that too much money was being spent on the floats, which were destroyed the next day. So, these days, the students at CHS build and paint children's playhouses to be auctioned off for different charities. It's a worthy cause and the kids have a lot of fun, too.

The tailgating for high school football is crazy here. You would swear you were on a college campus. We have so much fun with our friends.

the kids love it, too...

When the team arrives at the stadium before the game, everyone tailgating cheers them on. Here's my smiley Riley after he spots his brother and friends shouting his name out!

The game is just sensory overload...so much going on.

ending with a WIN and the team singing the fight song for the fans...

and finally, a player-lead, team prayer...which chokes me up everytime.

So, that's a little slice of Americana, right there. Community, hometown, family, team. We love being a part of all of it. Thanks for letting me share it with you!

GO GREYHOUNDS!!!