Living with the Yanks!

The boys started school on a Thursday (I think!). After their first day of school Dan and I picked them up and headed to Kansas City, MO to see the Yankees play the KC Royals! This is a trip we like to take every year with our good friends Robb and Jenn Wilson and their two kids - Luke and Kate. Our drive across the midwest was very flat and very WET...we even had to pull off the road once - along with the majority of other cars!

We finally made it safe and sound to the Intercontinental Hotel - the same hotel that the YANKEES actually stay in! Thanks to Papa's foot doctor - maybe an even bigger Yankee fan than Dan - who has spent many a night's in that same hotel, rubbing elbows with all the Yankee players themselves!

As soon as we arrived, the boys got comfy in their bed!
The next morning we got up and went to eat breakfast in the hotel restaurant, when all of a sudden the Yankee manager, Joe Girardi walks into the room for a bit of breakfast too! The boys had their baseballs with them and a sharpie in hand and walked up to "Mr. Girardi" and politely asked for an autograph! Of course, he gave them one - well, three - but how could he refuse the three cutest Yankee fans in the world??? I couldn't get any pics though as there were signs all over the hotel saying that no photography was allowed so that the hotels "guests" could enjoy their stay there!

After breakfast we met up with Robb and Jenn at the Negro League's Baseball Hall of Fame. Before we even got into the building Jack and Nick found a tree to climb - boys will definitely be boys!
Our five kids posed for a quick picture!
Again, cameras weren't allowed into the Museum, but I did manage to get a quick pic of Dan and the boys walking into the exhibit. It was very cool. The boys (and Kate too!) enjoyed running the bases on the replica baseball field. It would have been great to stop and read all of the information there, but with our 5 little friends, that was quite impossible. I am definitely looking forward to visiting it again!
Once we were finished at the Museum, we drove a few blocks away to Arthur Bryant's - the very first BBQ restaurant in KC and it was AMAZING! You could definitely tell it was going to be good b/c when we pulled up the line was out the door!
Thankfully it went fast though and in a matter of a few minutes - well maybe, 20 or 30, we were sitting down and enjoying some AMAZING BBQ! The boys waiting for their food...
Dan ready to eat - check out how much food he had!!!
After lunch we headed back to the hotel to relax a bit before the game. Here is our great hotel!
When we pulled up, we saw the Yankee's bus...and TONS of people waiting patiently for the players to leave the hotel. I managed to get a picture of Robinson Cano before I was busted for having my camera out!!! He is the guy with the light blue shirt on next to the ever green tree.
We walked into our hotel and saw MORE people standing as well as "body guards" to walk the players out to the bus. Of course, we had to wait to see if we saw anyone. The boys were happy to find a seat on the ground with their baseballs in hand. Dan saw a lot of players - names that I don't necessarily recognize and he even had quite the conversation with John Sterling - the Yankee radio broadcaster.
Unfortunately, our room was being cleaned so we hung out in the lounge. Dan and I enjoyed an "adult" beverage while the boys chilled with some soda. Then we headed back to our room for a quick break before we met up with Robb and Jenn at the game!

It was SO hot and of course we had to get their early! Who would have thought that there would be MORE Yankee fans than Royals fans, but there were...it was CRAZY! Here are our 5 little Yankee fans - and Robb on the end!
And the two BIG Yankee fans!
I mentioned it was hot, right? Okay, that is definitely an UNDERstatement! It was downright miserable! Thankfully, there were some delish margaritas to keep us cool! Jenn and I are posed with our 2nd of the evening!
Here is our little Yankee family - Jack is there, just in our shadow!!!
And here are the Wilsons!
It was a LONG game - fun, but definitely tough with 5 little kids! Good thing Dan and Robb were happy to shell out the cash to keep their little Yankee fans happy! Here are "big" Luke and Kate enjoying their frozen lemonade.
And Nick definitely looks like he is enjoying his cotton candy!
The Yankees LOST Friday night, but WON when we were there on Saturday night! We got to celebrate TONS with LOTS of Yankee homeruns! Here Dan and I are high fiving!!!
We got to end a great day in Kansas City with a Yankees WIN....THE YANKEES WIN, THE YANKEES WIN!!! Kate and Luke were SUPER tired...thankfully their fabulous dads were there to give them a seat!The night didn't end there though...the Wilson's headed back to our hotel with us. Robb and Dan headed down to the lounge while Jenn and I chilled with the kids! All 5 of the kids, Jenn and I watched TV on the bed - good thing it was king sized. The big boys had fun though as they talked to tons of the Yankees coaches and players in the lobby!

The next day, we got up, packed and headed out. Dan took Nick to check us out of the hotel and guess who he ran into - none other than Yankee first baseman, Mark Texiera - Nick was wearing his shirt!!! And dang it, Dan didn't have the camera or Nick's baseball, but Nick and Dan were ALL giddy about having talked to one of Dan's favorite players! What a fabulous weekend! I can't wait to head back there next year!