Sports Excitement and the Solar Eclipse!

This week, we had the opportunity to go to not one, but two Greensboro Grasshoppers games.  We especially love our minor league baseball team for its special canine "team members".  Miss Babe Ruth, Master Yogi Berra, and Miss LuLuGehrig are the black labs who add so much energy and joy to the game by picking up discarded bats, retrieving balls, and racing around the bases during breaks.  Each time we go to the stadium, we like to take a picture with their statues so that we can show Winnie when we get home:

    

Luke also loves "pushing" the giant baseballs.  Every. single. time. 

 Our first Grasshoppers game on Tuesday night was with a group of people from Daddy's work.  We had a party deck, food, and covered seating, and thought that this was a pretty nice way to watch the game.  Then we were invited to come to another game yesterday with our friends who had a box... and the rest is history.  Mommy decided that this air conditioned, comfy, private suite is actually her favorite way to watch baseball, and that regular ol' bleacher seats may not be appealing ever again.  The Grasshoppers mascot, Guilford, and the Greensboro Swarm mascot even made a special visit to our suite, and these little fans were elated!

Leah was the only girl, and had no trouble keeping up with all those crazy boys!

The kids were invited to run the bases after the game, and this was a big highlight for Luke and Leah!

Saturday also proved to be a special day, as we attended WFU FanFest.  There were inflatables, games, and activities on the football field, which provided entertainment for the children while Mommy held our place in the line to obtain autographs from the football team.  

We ended up very close to the front of the line, and the kids were able to get every starting player's autograph.  They were absolutely star struck, and I love that Luke and Leah are the perfect ages to have this be the pinnacle of their celebrity sightings!  

 The players were very kind to our children, took their time conversing with L&L, and asked them their names and hobbies.  Here's Luke chatting with the quarterback:

Coach Clawson was at the end of the line, and he talked to us and posed for a picture with our family after he signed the kids' posters.  Daddy was very excited about this moment! 

 We also found the Demon Deacon, who has a new, fresh look!:

 Our luck continued as the kids posed beside the gigantic 18-wheeler that carries all of the football team's equipment to away games.  The driver spotted us and offered to open up the truck for Luke and Leah to climb in and look around:

Two VERY enthusiastic Wake Forest fans!

Love her fierce Demon Deacon scowl!

This WFU football player went to my elementary/middle school and was one of Mimi's students.  He remembered this, and we were excited to take a picture with him to show her!  I will not mention that he is less than 10 years older than Luke and more than 20 years younger than me.  Nope.  Won't talk AT ALL about how old that makes me feel:

We recovered from all of our sports excitement in time for the solar eclipse today.  The kids were ready with their eclipse glasses and a themed cookie cake:

We watched the eclipse on live television this afternoon as it hit the west coast, and eagerly awaited our special moment, where the moon would cover 93% of the sun in our area:

All of the excitement and hype quickly wore off as clouds and some rain moved in.  These are the faces of three bored children.  I told the kids that we could go inside and watch more on tv, and Leah (who was on the verge of tears) moaned, "But I want to see it in person!" 

Then, suddenly, there was a break in the clouds, and we were able to see the eclipse occur.  These expressions say it all! 

We ended up having an impromptu "Eclipse Party" in our yard with many of our neighbors.  (That's what happens when you have coveted eclipse glasses and cookie cake!).  It ended up being a great afternoon for everyone, and Luke has already asked if we can make plans to watch the next total solar eclipse (which he informed me is in Chile and Argentina in 2019).  Between those plane fares and my new love of suites at sports events, we better start saving our pennies now!