Grandparents part III & Target Field

You would think I'd be caught up by now, but I'm not. Here we go!

A few days after our quick trip to Milwaukee, Scott's parents arrived for a visit. Yes, we had just seen them, but they like to enjoy the wonderful things our city has to offer, and they're welcome here any time!

I didn't take many pictures, perhaps because I was still trying to edit my way through all the ones I took in Montana. I did manage to take a fairly decent one of the boys with their grandparents - tough to get both kids with their eyes open, looking towards the camera, etc etc. So I'll be happy with this one. :)

We continued our adventures while Alan and Teri were here. The guys got in a few rounds of golf, the girls got in a lunch and shopping outing (without kids!), and we all enjoyed outings to Stillwater, the Mall of America, and many many meals out. Not to mention lots of play time, trips to the park, and chasing Zach around the block on the new Lightning McQueen big wheel that G&G brought him. And beyond the usual appreciation of having grandparents around to help with the kids, I was so grateful Teri was here while we were going through the chicken pox scare (Scott & Alan were golfing). It was nice to have someone to panic with, and to stay with Zach so I didn't have to bring him along to the germy doctor's office.

We also had a few ventures to Target Field (the Twins new outdoor stadium). First Alan and Scott went, and then on Labor Day Alan, Scott, and I took Zach to his first game at Target Field. He hasn't been to a game since he was about 18 months old, so this was the first time he went with a least somewhat of an understanding of what was happening out there on the field. It was very fun to watch his reaction, to the national anthem, to seeing "Minnie & Paul," and the players in the flesh.

Before the game started we went down near the field, and got pretty close to Denard Span as he was signing autographs. It was hilarious - he was about 10 feet away but somehow Zach didn't see him for a long time! But he kept yelling out all the names of the nearby players, he was so excited.

Once the game started, you could see him looking back and forth between the action on the field and the jumbotron, trying to figure out which he was supposed to be watching. But eventually he declared that he liked watching the game better at Target Field than at home because "he could see all the green part and all the players at the same time." You forget how narrow the view is on tv until you look at it from a newcomer's eyes!

Zach made it through the entire game, although he didn't want to stay in our seats when it started to rain. So he and I made a run for the Metropolitan Club (an indoor restaurant/bar/viewing area for season ticket holders), and while we were on our way heard the crowd give a big roar. Turned out Thome hit a huge home run - it hit the top of the flagpole - and we missed it! We also missed the next home run... oh well. I made it up to him by getting him an ice cream sundae, complete with M&Ms, in a Twins helmet. Pretty cool.

(^ Zach took this picture... his view of the cotton candy vendor. And if you noticed Scott and Zach are wearing different clothes in the first picture, that one is actually from Zach's second trip to Target field, about two weeks later!)

The game was an afternoon game, and not surprisingly, Zach conked out on the way home. What did surprise me is that he stayed asleep when I got him out of the car and carried him inside. And then stayed asleep when I eventually transferred him to Scott's lap. We ended up having to wake him up about 5:30 - a day at the ballpark wiped that boy out!

All in all, we had a great visit with Scott's parents. Zach is already asking when we're going to Montana again...