life in the district. : We're your favorite teams favorite team.

I love Labor Day weekend because its the start of college football AND I know it means a great weekend at the lake.

I hate Labor Day weekend because I know its the last good weekend at the lake and summer is officially, officially over (I don't actually count the whole "first day of fall" as the end of summer...who does anyway?)

so with that...

Last weekend was the opening weekend of college football - and we did it the only way we know how -- with sunshine, tailgating, lots of Carolina blue and lots of floating in the lake!

8.15 : Josie and I left Charlotte ... Carmel Frappacino's in hand -- and headed to Winston Salem to pick up Miss Becky for the Labor Day weekend festivities. Josie showed up in the appropriate blue pocket-tee ... and I had brought BK a bagful of any Carolina blue things I owned...and convinced her to be the "superfan" and wear the NC skirt. (so cute, I know!)

9.45: It was all Carolina blue skies ahead of us as we made our way to Chapel Hill to meet the family. A quick stop at Harris Teeter to pick up some necessities -- being Cheez-Its, plastic bowls - and a razor.

11.30 sharppppppppp: The crew congregates in the HT parking lot ... consolidates all the chicken, drinks, snacks, chairs, tables, tents AND people -- into 2 cars. where's the Fan Van when you need it?

11:45 - Tailgating begins.

Becky, Me and Josie are ready for the Heels!

Rives got himself a face tatoo!

(and a CapriSun)

and clearly...so did Aunt Cake!

Rives showing off his Blue Zone ticket.

They're heavy duty plastic and on a lanyard. LEGIT.

Ben Chesson and crew stopped by our tailgate!

love the long-sleeve button up for an opening game. fail.

3.30 - KICKOFF -- Carolina v. JMU to open up the 2011 Football Season.

a little dissapointed there wasn't a flyby ... but whatevs. We got all season.

The girls and me with the new video board behind us

THE BLUE ZONE and new video board.

It was a little hot -- and with air conditioning, free waters (and Choco-Tacos) and tv's up top -- most fans didn't actually make it into the seats. Luckily .. our seats were in the shade .. Ellen and POC were not so lucky ... well ... they had free ice cream. So maybe they won after all ...Drew and I called the November game to sit in the BlueZone ... its all about strategery ... thats when we want the sunshine in our faces!

actual text conversation during the game:

E: it. is. so. hot.

K: yeah, it looks like it from here ... haha

E: i hate you. and all your friends in the shade.

Rives and his "binoculars" -- we also learned how to bite both ends off of a Twizzler and drink coke like it was a straw. YEAH SUGAR. (Your'e welcome E and Drew)

7.15: After a CAROLINA VICTORY -- we finished off what was left at our tailgate and piled back into the cars one more time to make the drive up to Lake Gaston. We arrived and caught up on the highlights of the other game throughout the day --- how gross were Gerogia's helmets?! and THANK GOODNESS I wasn't in Charlotte for the ECU v. South Carolina game ... could you imagine sharing my city with those fans?! haha .... then one by one we crashed pretty early. I mean, we did have a big lake day coming up and all ...

Captain Rives is ready to get in the boat!

"Hoist the Sails!!!!... Im the Captain"

Julia checking out the whole lake situation in her turtle.

Sorry about the lifejacket choking you out, Jules!

does it get better than this?

After a solid day of sunning, floating and some boating -- we all gathered on the dock for some appetizers (chicken ball, chicken ball, chicken ball) and some of Dad's famous Maragarita's while still enjoying the last bit of sunshine as it slowly creeps to the other side of the dock.

Sweet Julia

it was my turn to be captain of the boat

"come abouuuuuuuuuuut"

Jake stopped by to hang out some!

enjoying time on the dock after a solid day on the lake!

E and POC

The next day we had a bit of cloud cover -- but that didn't stop us from hittin the dock and the water for one last day of vacation before heading back to the real world (ugh) ...