Keeping up with Katy: Game 7: Atlanta Braves

Hello there, Tuesday.

So, in all honesty, today is my Monday. We had a jam-packed weekend, and then I had some tests run yesterday, so I just decided I needed a one day extension and then we'd start again today :)

This past Sunday was Game 7. In the event that means absolutely nothing to you, let me explain. When I turned 27, I decided I wanted to make a list of 30 things I wanted to do before I turned thirty. You can see the complete list here, but one of those things on that list was to see 10 out of state baseball games with my dad!

Game 1 was the Boston Red Sox,

Game 2 was the LA Angels,

Game 3 was the San Diego Padres,

Game 4 was the San Francisco Giants,

Game 5 was the Oakland A's,

Game 6 was the St. Louis Cardinals,

and GAME 7 was the Atlanta Braves.

(PS I just did that list from memory and I'm quite proud of myself..)

Why the Atlanta Braves, you ask? Because they got a new stadium this year. And we wanted to see it!

Game 7 - St. Louis Cardinals vs. Atlanta Braves - May 7, 2017

The flight from Dallas to Atlanta is only about an hour and a half and the game was at 1:30, so we decided to make a day trip out of it. The day trips are perfect in that you have no hotel costs, but you're also at the mercy of the flight schedule.

For instance, the only morning flight that could get us to Atlanta before the game started left at 7a. Which means my alarm went off at 3:30 Sunday morning.

Here is our obligatory plane selfie - the sleepy version.

The plus side? We got upgraded to first class! Things that make taking off in the dark a little more bearable :)

When we landed, we took a train/uber combo to the new stadium. The old stadium used to be right downtown, but the new one was built on the outskirts of Atlanta (which apparently where the Atlanta population is going as well...).

Since the game wasn't until 1:30 and we got there around 11:30, we had some good time to explore the stadium before the game even started.

I love these flag pictures. I take them at every game. For some reason they just make me happy.

Here are a few pictures of the outside of the stadium. It was QUITE packed 2 hours before the game started. There was live music, a drumline, restaurants/bars with lines out the door - it was basically tailgate central.

Hey Bobby Cox!

They opened the doors at noon and we headed in to do some more touring.

Only after eating a hot dog. Obviously.

One of my favorite things about the stadium was the "Atlanta Braves Monumental Garden." It's basically a giant pathway tribute to the past of the Braves. Dating all the way back to when they were the Boston Braves. Who knew!? They had jerseys, gloves, bats - even celebratory champagne bottles from way back when. Pretty impressive. I always have all the feels for the nostalgia.

Another pretty cool thing? They have their own custom jersey making shop - right in the stadium! Those jerseys were revolving around the top and they would customize them right there during the game!

I wish the Rangers' stadium had that. I would get one that said "Katy Hamels" on the back :)

#notmarriedyet

Then the game started, and WHAT a game it was!! We decided this game and the LA Angels game were the top two most interesting games of the seven that we've been to. After the first few innings the Cardinals were up 4-0, and then by the eighth inning it was tied 4-4. We saw multiple home runs, double plays, stolen bases, and 2 plays overturned cause the umpire on first base was just not having a great day.

And you know what else? The people sitting around us were not obnoxious. HUGE WIN. Because we definitely can't say that for several of the games we've been to...

We had to leave in the middle of the eighth, but at the airport we saw that the game went to FOURTEEN innings, and the Braves ended up loosing 6-4. Wamp wamp.

Man, such a good game though. We didn't want to leave!

Oh and the food? We checked it all off the list.

Multiple hot dogs? Check.

Peanuts? Check.

Ice cream? Check.

Ballpark food is some good eatin.

I also learned why my dad likes peanuts. He likes to create a complete and utter mess.

I mean, really. I found a peanut shell in my shoe when I got home that night. It got a little easier once he stopped throwing the shells at our neighbors, but still - can't take this guy anywhere :)

Oh, and it was cold. In the sun it was really nice, but our seats were in the sun for approximately 8 minutes of the entire game. So when it was time for ice cream, we found one teeny tiny block of sun and stood in it while we ate. The things we do for our sugar-dairy intake.

Cheers to Mayfield Creamery!
(that tasted a lot like Baskin Robbins!)

And finally, like we always do, we took our 'seventh inning selfie' in our new baseball hats! By the way, I'm going to need to have a son. And I'm going to need his nursery to be baseball themed. I've got a wall of hats ready to decorate. And then when we're up all hours of the night I can tell him stories of how his grandaddy and I got all those hats :)