Beaumont, Texas

A couple of weeks ago Trent's dad (Bart) mentioned that he and Trent's mom (Martye) were going down to Beaumont, Texas for Lamar University's first home football game in 21 years. (The university had their last football game in 1989 and cut the program due to budgetary issues). Bart and Martye (along with other alumns) have been very instrumental in getting the football program started again. This is important to Bart because he played football for Lamar while he was a student there. When Trent learned of the game, he immediately decided we should go because his parents were going to be honored on the football field before the game.

On Friday after work we loaded up the car and dropped Rex off at my mom's house (he LOVES going to visit her). We then hurried over to Martye and Bart's and headed south to Beaumont. We arrived around 11:30 at our hotel.

I think this is a funny picture. Our rooms were on the second floor but for some reason there were some random steps in the hall. Trent and Bart decided to lift the baggage cart up the steps. It was funny!

During the day on Saturday we drove around Beaumont. We ate breakfast at Raos bakery, drove around Lamar and found ourselves driving around downtown Beaumont. (Beaumont is not only a special place to the Simmons because of Lamar, but also because both Martye and Bart grew up there.) While in downtown Beaumont we found the World's Largest Fire Hydrant... of course we had to take pictures.

We think Rex would have loved this!

Everyone got a picture!

When we were on our way to find Martye's old childhood home, we saw (what we think is) the World's Largest Brick. It was just on the side of the highway... and of course we needed pictures.

Some brick!

Bart and Martye with the brick!

The game was really special. The whole city of Beaumont was excited for the game and the spirit was something like I have never experienced. EVERYONE wore red and the game was completely sold out.

A picture of the stadium before the game started. It was a classic southeast Texas day, hot and humid!

All of the people instrumental in making Lamar football possible. Martye and Bart were down there for the ribbon cutting, my phone just didn't zoom in enough for you to see them!

Halftime fireworks!

The Lamar Cardinals won 21- 14! After the game, the students rushed the field!

I know this weekend was special for Maryte and Bart, but it was special for us to experience such a monumental weekend for Lamar. We had an absolute blast!