It was our last Padres trip of the summer and we were playing the Giants. Saturday morning we were up early to watch Tubbs play an 8am AYSO soccer game. They won!! We raced home for Tubbs to get showered and then waited for Bubba to get home from his overnight Boy Scout camping trip. (He was not disappointed about missing the 10 mile hike that was scheduled for after breakfast!)
We were on the road by 10:30 and I was feeling good because I wanted to
get to the park EARLY this time around instead of in the 5th inning. We ended up getting to SD around 2:30 so we checked in to the hotel and then ate at Subway. We drove to Petco Park and we were in the gate 90 minutes before the same was set to start. We sat in our seats about 30 minutes before the game was set to start and we noticed two dozen or so people down by the field, waiting for autographs. Soon enough, a few players came over during warm-ups and signed stuff. Mental note...go buy some Sharpie markers before the game in the morning.
Depending on who you ask, we had "good seats." We were lower field level (first base side) row 24, with aisle seats. The issue, we quickly realized, was we were unable to see home plate when people were coming and going up the aisle.....and there were A LOT of intoxicated people coming and going. We agreed that these field level seats were really crappy.
Sunday morning we were up bright and early for breakfast and to head back to the park. We found a Jamba Juice with a nice bagel shop next door. There was also a Sprouts market next door, so I picked up some nectarines for the game.
We got the park 2 hours before the game for KidFest and hopefully MANY autographs. :)
The little ones made their way to the "Box Trolls" movie table to make boxes for a contest.
We were field level again, but row 43 so we were in the shade for the 1pm game. THANK GOODNESS! We sat down on row 3 about an hour before the game started and the boys and I stood at the fence to get autographs. We were not disappointed. It was so much fun. We ended up getting 14 autographs. The boys got a few more from different pitchers in the bullpen, while Wiggy and I were getting food. We were all very excited. I was checking off the names of who we got autograpghs from and we got most of the infielders, half the pitchers, and a few outfielders. Bubba was able to get Alexi Amarista's autograph but then the game was getting ready to start so he had to leave. Tubbs was so bummed!
An older gentleman standing next to us said he knew Will Venable and waved for him to come over. Will came over a few minutes later and the gentleman was so nice, he asked him to sign our stuff first.
Jake Goebbert...a pitcher. The boys got his autograph on a baseball last game.
Cory Spangenberg....
Tommy Medica liked Tubbs' bright hat....
Alexi Amarista.....shortstop.
Bubba is down in that crowd somewhere getting his hat signed. Impatience paid off for him. :)
Jr. Padres autograph signing today were Joe Wieland and Robby Erlin...both pitchers.
Snacking on Cracker Jacks and potato wedges in the first inning....
The kids each were given "rally rags" before the game started. They looked like something else by the end of the game.
Her face paint by halfway through the game...what a sad sight. Thank goodness it was free.
Padres won...again. yay!!
After the game was over, members of the Jr. Padres club were able to run the bases. Lots of fun!
After leaving the park we hit the road. We stopped at the Irvine Spectrum and ate dinner at "The Melt." It's a grilled cheese sandwich shop and it was very interesting. I ordered mine with bacon and mac-n-cheese. Bubba and Wiggy were jealous.
We had tickets to the Saturday and Sunday Padres games, as part of the deposit we put down for 2015 season tickets. We are loving the SD Padres games and it's so fun to do this together as a family.
Saturday morning we left a little later than expected but we were on the road between 10 and 11am. We thought we would have PLENTY of time before the game started at 5:40pm.
We were sorely mistaken.
Oh naive Katie. It's Labor Day weekend.
EVERYONE and I do mean EVERYONE was headed somewhere south of LA. It was VERY slow going between LA and Carlsbad. We didn't get into San Diego until 6:30pm and by the time we found a parking space and found our seats at the park, we were in the 5th inning.
Heaven help me.
The Padres were playing the Dodgers and the silver lining was we WON! It was awesome. It was tied up until the 10th inning.
After the game we headed to the Cheesecake Factory for a late dinner and then made the long drive to Oceanside. Yes...it was the only place we could find a hotel room...unless we wanted to sleep in Tiajuana. Everything was either sold out or $300 a night. Madness!!
Sunday morning we were up early to make the drive back to San Diego. We stopped for Jamba Juice on the way. Sundays are KidsFest at the park, so you can get there early for lots of activities and kids who are part of the Jr. Padres Club can get autographs from two Padres. It was so much fun and the weather was phenomenal. I LOVE Petco park....
The family in Padres blue.....and pink. :)
Odrisamer Despaigne - (pitcher) and Jake Goebbert (outfielder) signing autographs before the game. They can only sign one item each, so the kids brought a ball for them to sign, along with their hats.
This girl was so sweaty from running around before the game, her face paint was half gone.
Sadly, the Padres lost. I thought I was a their lucky charm since this the 4th game we've attended and this was their first loss. Oh well. We cruised over to Luche Libre's and I had my beloved chicken queso tacoes before we hit the road.
While we were in SD my brother Bobby and my Pops were down south with my nephew, watching him play baseball with an MVP club. On Saturday while stuck in traffic, my dad sends me a picture of him and STEVE GARVEY. Apparently his youngest son was playing with Cooper's team that day. So crazy! I guess Bob and my dad shared their tent with Steve and his wife. Sounds like a good time to me.
These boys stayed the night with us Sunday night and left Monday morning to head back to northern California. I love these guys!
Wiggy Biscuit and Tubbs have signed up for soccer this year. I played soccer when I was around Tubbs' age, so I am excited to watch him play this year. I know he will really love it once he learns the ins and out of it.
Wiggy has games on Friday evenings and Tubbs' games are on Saturdays. We have only watched them play once so far, but it was very entertaining.
Tubbs' first game the coach played in a different position every quarter. He definitely didn't like being a forward, who would hang out near the goal, getting passed for the ball to score. "Too much pressure," he wailed. :)
Here is mama....many years ago.
The good ol' days before I had any "curves."
That Stop Wasn't On My Itinerary....
So the Hogue's made it to Florida for our first official family vacation. It was Sawyer's first plane ride....and Simon's first plane ride that he can remember. We were excited....the boys were stoked. We had everything we needed! But it seems that Sawyer packed something with him that wasn't on our checklist: a big case of pneumonia. Yes, the little fella made it almost one whole day in Florida before he started heading downhill fast. Our 2nd day in Orlando we were in the Urgent Care south of Cocoa Beach. (By the way, to see a doctor more quickly, it helps if you vomit all over the waiting room in front of the receptionist. Little tip for ya) After chest x-rays they advised us to head to the ER in Melbourne, where they eventually admitted him to the hospital. So, we had 3 night deluxe accommadations at the Holmes Regional Medical Center. The little whipper snapper was a trooper though! The nurses loved him, thankfully, and made us all feel right at home. We were going to send postcards out with pictures of the hospital since we spent 40% of our trip there...but they didn't have any. Imagine that!Hmmm.....maybe its something they should consider.
