As anyone who knows Dave at all knows, Dave loves and lives for baseball and softball. Always has. He is like a kid in a candy store when we have had the opportunity to go to a major league game. (And there have been several, since we plan vacations around going to a MLB game! Seriously!) And, all summer, from May until October, you will find us several times a week at the softball fields watching Dave play. He loves it. He used to always play on a co-ed team. But, the past couple years he has played on a men's team. (He would have done both if I had let him, but I made him choose!) :)
Anyway, how sad are the winter months when he can not play softball! But, Wait!! He can! And, he does! He and his old co-ed team all travel the long hours to St. George, UT where they have a tournament every first weekend in December! Awesome! In the last 5 years, Dave and I have gone to St. George 4 of them for the tournament. It is so nice because we leave the kiddies at home with family and get away for the weekend alone! Nice!
Notice the beautiful red mountains in the background!
So, this last weekend we were in St. George. Their first game was 8 p.m Friday night. We went down with a couple guys from his team, so yes, I was the lone girl. But, these guys are good friends of ours, so it was fine. So, every year we think it will be warm. And every year...it is "unusually cold". The Friday night game they played in about 33 degrees or so. It was FREEZING! I felt bad for all the players. I was huddled in the dugout with my coat, blanket, hat, gloves, and propane heater! :) They won their first game easily.
Dave batting...notice the long johns under the shorts! Yep, that cold! :)
Saturday morning they started at 11 a.m. It was still in the lower 30's, so still frigid. They won their second game, in extra innings. I hate/love those nail biter games. Then they played again at 12 p.m. They played a really great team, and lost. So, then they had to play at 2, won that, and played again at 3. Unfortunately, they played a GOOD team and they lost that game and were out of the tournament. But, they figured that out of 81 teams, they finished in the top 12! They played really well together.
Dave pitched the whole tournament.
He is a really good pitcher. He would rather play short stop or outfield, but he had to pitch this tournament. He did really well. There were many pitchers at the tournament wearing face masks and helmets, for good reason. Some balls are hit right back at the pitcher and there has been serious injury resulting. Dave had several hit back at him and was able to catch most. In the last game, a big guy hit one right at him. He had to dodge it because it was coming right towards his head. He stopped it with his glove, but it knocked his glove off and hurt his fingers. Other than that, he was fine. But, it sure was scary! I keep telling him to get a face mask!!
We drove home Sunday. It was a really fun weekend. Dave plays softball with some fun people!
So fun!
The kids had a lot of fun while we were gone. Dave's mom picked them up from school and watched them Friday night until Saturday. My parents watched them from Saturday afternoon until Sunday evening. They had so much fun with their grandparents! They did crafts with grandma Pendlebury, and bowled with my parents. Thank you so much mom, dad, and Shirley! You made this trip possible, and I am so grateful for you guys taking such good care of our kids! Also, thank you, Erin, for watching Avery. I owe you so big! And, thanks, Jaimee, for watching Paisley!
I love this break in between holidays. Now back to reality! Let the Christmas madness begin!! :)
