Tampa Bay Rays - April 7, 2015

The Tampa Bay Rays, a needed dose of sunshine after the long Michigan winter.

First, the stadium at Tampa was empty.  Hugely empty.  They actually took fabric and stretched it across entire sections of empty seats.  What's up Florida fans?  I feel like Comerica is always pretty full, but not everyone has the Tigers.

See the blue fabric covering the blue chairs.  So strange.

Let's talk food, because you know we love our baseball food.  Tampa Bay is a GLORIOUS place to eat.  Lee had one of the best things he's ever eaten at a ball game.  They also served Mac and Cheese in a cone.  Mac and Cheese.  In a cone.  Heaven is paved with food like this.

Lee eating the Cuban burger, a spin on the traditional Cuban that swaps a burger for the pork

Mac and cheese in a cone

Aliyah and Owen eating the pulled pork sandwich, which Owen loved so much we went back and got a second!

The stadium itself was really beautiful. Batting practice was a huge success for Owen.  He snagged a ball.  It was a bit bizarre, though.  You could not stand in the first row of seats unless you had tickets for that row.  Kids and adults were swarming in the second row and beyond.  During batting practice, the Tampa staff had whistles that they would blow every time a ball was popped up that would enter the stands.  This got old fast.

Owen with the ball he snagged amidst the batting practice whistles

Sadly, Tampa was losing.  I decided to try a new tradition.  Rally hair!  I wound Aliyah's hair and mine together.  She was not the biggest fan, and in the end, it didn't help, so I'm not sure rally hair will be sweeping the nation.

Rally hair!

One of the great things about our Florida trip was that it took us close to family.  We got to swing by and hang out with Lee's aunt and uncle.  They are wonderful people and we don't get to see them nearly enough.

We are so lucky to have an amazing extended family!