For all of you non-football fans, you can't really understand how exciting it is when NFL training camp rolls around. Still, you're a good six weeks from any actual football action, but you're at least getting SOMETHING, which is always better than nothing.
It's super awesome that despite being a one-income family, we can have season tickets to our hometown team. I know a lot of people think the Glazers (the Bucs owners) are cheap, but as a pass holder, I've got to say they really make an effort to make the games affordable, and to do what they can in the community (they built the best children's museum in downtown!), and the perks they give you for being a season ticket holder.
Now, I get it, we spent a lot of money on these tickets, so whats a free giveaway here and there, a special event, and a free meal? It's still awesome. I've had a couple of people ask me how much our tickets are- it's $150 for each of the kids, $300 for Asa and me. They spread it out over payments (starting in January and ending in July), and thats for each of us to go to ten games (two preseason, and eight regular season games). I think, for an NFL game that's totally reasonable. It comes out to $15 a game for the kids!
Not only that, but we do get special events- and they make them family friendly, and free, which is awesome. Tonight, was members only training camp. While our training camp is open to the public, tonight was for members only- so less crowds and lots of perks.
When we arrived there was our picnic dinner packs waiting for us to enjoy, and they were giving out lots of free beads off the pirate ship float to all the kids.
Dinner was great. You had a choice of barbecue chicken or pork, homemade (super yummy) chips, and coleslaw. It was packaged up all nice so you could easily take it out to the bleachers. Calib and Asa even had seconds. We all had tons of water, and the boys were happy to have some pop they didn't have to pay points for.
Of course we got our first look at this years team.
And our quarterbacks.
They had lots of games for the kids to play.
Hayden mostly dropped the football, and fell down.
Peyton ran really hard, though.
But, as long as Hayden was having fun, we're happy!
There were throwing games too (poor Hayden, he got his coordination from me)
Peyton threw the football through the holes a few times though.
Then they got to do all the things football players do at the combine.
They ran drills.
And did the long jump and the vertical jump.
They recorded all their stats on a card and gave them to the kids when they were done.
They got to compare them to NFL players, it was pretty cool.
They handed out some Popsicles to the kids to keep them cool, and brought Captain Fear (our mascot) around to take some pictures.
Oh, and everyone got free t-shirts!
We all got some rosters to keep track of the team, and we discovered this guy right here played college football at Eastern Michigan University! I'm hoping he makes the team!
It was lots of fun, but it's Florida --in July-- so it was hot!
We could have stayed another hour until the end of practice (our new coach has been inviting all the kids on the field to get autographs and meet players after practice-- apparently something he did in Chicago when he was there too). But, the boys we're hot and ready to go. We have another event Friday at the stadium, so we decided to head home.
You didn't miss much around here yesterday, it was a pretty rainy day, we tackled lots of school work (Peyton is just a couple countries away from having all of Asia's flags, countries, and capitals down!) and we played some board games.
We've also discovered Dipper can't be around when the boys are writing anything. He LOVES playing with pens when they're trying to work.
I did make a Target trip (I am anxiously awaiting the big July toy clearance drop to 70 percent to pick up some more Christmas presents, so every couple of days I like to go check and see whats going on) This is one of my most impressive trips yet- two packs of index cards, two packs of post-it's and two scotch tapes for 8 cents! I've really been taking advantage of the school supply coupons, because I know it's stuff I'd need to pick up eventually.
Big news also- we finally got the boys photo books in the mail. I make them every year for their portfolio review, and Hayden was so excited to sit down and look at all the fun and educational things he's done all year.
Peyton was impressed with his too! I love these, just looking at them gives me a huge sense of accomplishment. It's another year of home schooling under my belt. It's not easy to do at all, and I know it's not for everyone. But it is so worth it for us.
Up Next: We've got a large to-do list for tomorrow, and Night Practice on Friday!
No comments:
Post a Comment