Baseball Means Summer

I spent my summer's growing up back east visiting my dad's side of the family. Philadelphia, little towns in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, and all over Manhattan were our stomping grounds!

My brother and I would see our grandma Jones, all of cousins, aunts, & uncles for a memorable two weeks. I remember backyard barbecues, my aunt's meatballs and delicious bacon (gasp - I used to eat pork), listening to Frank Sinatra all day long, hurting my hands on my uncle's speed bag and punching bag, Butts Up tournaments on the back wall, the magic refrigerator, Broadway plays, walks through Central Park, and going to baseball games every year. We went to either a Phillies or Yankees game and sometimes even both. Of all the fun we always had, baseball games specifically, were a favorite of mine.

Those memories I cherish - walking to the ballpark, watching the game, the architecture of the stadiums, the food, the singing of Take Me Out to the Ballgame. I loved it all. So much.

And I want my babes to have a love for the game of baseball, and all it has to offer like I do, so...

Here we go, our first game this season and a lifetime of many more.

Because really, baseball means summer.

Sidenote and a very important one: My babes earned these tickets by being awesome readers. They maintained an average comprehension score of over 80% throughout the school year in one of their reading incentive programs called Accelerated Reader. Both of my big kids also earned over 100 points this year and I am so proud of their tremendous growth. 

Pregrame

"Wait. What? They will shoot fireworks from right there if the Angels hit a home run? Well they better do it tonight!"

"Why the heck didn't you bring my mitt mom?"

"I need dis so bad."

"I yike him. I want a picture wif him pyease."

Gametime:

She begged her daddy for cotton candy, and sure enough, he caved.

Yay! Abby earned it too!

"Dey is in yuv. Dese rahyee monkeys is kissing."

I have seen some amazing moments in baseball history and I hoped to add another one to my list. However Mr. Albert Pujols decided not to hit his 600th homerun at the game we were at. He saved it for the next game, and it just so happened to be a freaking GRAND SLAM!!!!!!

THIS was the picture I took in case I missed the home run because my babes were too tired and we couldn't stay for the whole game. But now it is the face of frustration because he did it the next game. 

The. Next. Freaking. Game!!!!