Take Me Out...

... to the ball game! Caleb and I joined the rest of my family for a night out at the baseball park in Arlington on Sunday to cheer on our Texas Rangers. I grew up with my dad and brothers always watching the Texas Rangers and I would tag along to the games at the ballpark, but to be honest, neither Caleb or I are really that into baseball (except last year when the Rangers made it all the way to the World Series!). With the temperatures being 100+ degrees for over 20 days in a row, sitting outside for a few hours with a toddler and an 8 week-old wasn't really an option. But, this wasn't going to be a night at the ballpark like we had ever experienced before! 

My family (the ones that still live at home) go to church with the "silent owner" of the Texas Rangers, Mr. Davis. Being the huge Ranger fan that he is, my 12 year-old brother, Parker, has become pretty good friends with Mr. and Mrs. Davis. Last week, Mrs. Davis called to see if Parker would like to have tickets to Sunday night's game and sit in the Davis' suite. Without hesitation, Parker accepted the offer and was so excited that he and my dad would get to go to the game AND sit in the owner's suite! The next day, Mrs. Davis called again to see how many people were in our family because she had intended for all of us to and she ended up giving Parker 16 tickets along with 2 parking passes. 

To say Parker was excited is a huge understatement! But the excitement and surprises didn't end there. The day before the game, Mr. and Mrs. Davis said they had room for 6 people to join them on their private jet and wanted my parents, my 2 little brothers, my sister and her boyfriend to take a free ride to the game. How cool is that!? What would have been at least a 2 hour drive, turned into a 22 minute flight! Mr. Davis also told Parker that there would be one more surprise, but he wasn't going to tell him until they were at the game. 

That's a big jet! (L to R: Landon, Mom, Dad, Parker)

In the jet:

So, my parents and the others flew to the game while the rest of us drove and we met them up in the suite. Once we got there, we learned that not only did they get to fly to the game, they also got a police escort from the airport to the underground private parking! 

I searched three different stores to find outfits for Savannah and Hudson to wear to their very first Ranger's game, but couldn't find a thing. Luckily, my sister-in-law Joy, let me borrow a onesie that would fit Hudson and then my sweet sister took the initiative to MAKE a cute shirt for Savannah to wear. Isn't she a great aunt!? And because this was their first game, they got a keepsake certificate. 

 Mommy's and our boys (cousins)

 The days with their boys

 Me and my sweet boy!

 Savannah in the cute shirt my sister made for her.

The suite was an indoor-outdoor suite, so we were able to keep the little ones cool. Mr. and Mrs. Davis had arranged for food to be in the suite. We had unlimited amount of hamburgers, hot dogs, quesadillas, nachos and drinks. We were also each given a voucher for a free "helmet" of ice cream (each costing about $7). 

The Suite Inside

We all enjoyed our time eating, visiting and watching the game. Unfortunately, the Rangers lost 3-0, which stinks because the game they played the following night (last night) they won 20-6! Oh well. We went more for the experience anyways since we're only fair-weather fans. 

Mr. Davis and Parker

 Savannah "watching" the game outside.

When it came time to leave, Mr. and Mrs. Davis took the same group back to the plane, but not before letting them have one last surprise. When they got down to the underground parking, they got to meet Nolan Ryan! They were able to get their Nolan Ryan baseballs signed and have their picture taken with him. Now, Parker and Landon are too young to have seen Nolan Ryan in his pitching days, but THAT is when I grew up and all the games I went to were to see Nolan Ryan pitch. And of all the Ranger players from that time period, he is the ONLY one I remember!

Parker, Nolan Ryan, Landon

Signing the baseballs

Savannah and Hudson both did great for the night out and I'd say their first Major League Baseball experience is one to remember! It's been two days since we went to the game and Savannah is still saying "I go baseball game!" (she wants to go again).

It was a little after 10 p.m. when we started our drive home and once we got onto the highway, Savannah thought the roadway lights were too bright. She wanted to wear her sunglasses. Who was I to withhold such a simple request? So, she wore her sunglasses and ended up falling asleep with them on. 

Notice that they are upside down? Yep, that's the way she thinks is the right way. No matter how many times I turn them around, she always wants to wear them upside down. Just one more cute little thing she does.