As many of you know - I am a big fan of the Utah Jazz. Well, the preseason is here and since I found 4 upper bowl tickets to a preseason game on ebay for only $7.99, I figured it would be a fun family outing.
Amber and the kids picked me up from work and we hit the Wendy's AND McDonald's drive thru before heading downtown to the game. Kate refused to eat McDonald's nuggets and Ethan prefers the Wendy's ones as well - but Nicole wanted McDonalds (and Amber & I prefer McDonald's also - especially since it is Monopoly time - I love Monopoly time at McDonalds). After everyone was happy with their dinner we headed downtown. Being the tight cheap-skate that I am (and the fact that Amber and I never carry cash), it took about 15 minutes to find free parking - and not very close either.
On the walk there, three different times Kate could smell popcorn popping. Kate has a weak spot for concession stand popcorn. A week earlier, we went to the U of U football game. After getting Kate a hotdog, pretzel, candy and Sprite - she smelled the popcorn and would not rest until she had some. So we went and got a big tub of popcorn. She gleefully carried it up to our seats at the U football game where Holly & Dave, and Grandma & Grandpa awaited. She told them all that she got the biggest bucket of popcorn and they could all have as much as they wanted. What a good girl for sharing. However, about 10 minutes later, upon realizing that her popcorn bucket was only about 1/4 full, she yelled at everyone at told them that they had all eaten too much of her popcorn and revoked their sharing privledges. Oh well, it was good while it lasted.
Back to the Jazz game, Kate immediately started asking for popcorn, which we managed to hold out until the end of the 1st Quarter to get her some (we arrived with about 7 minutes left in the first quarter). Thankfully, the vending stations take credit cards and we got some popcorn.
Nicole is also a big Jazz fan. Last year during the playoffs, she watched every game with me and whenever she wore her lucky Jazz T-shirt - the Jazz always managed to win. Last year, she knew every player and their jersey number. You could quiz her. She was also smart enough to know that Matt Harpring is the worst player on the Jazz, and that we were glad that Fisher left. They gave out posters with the season's schedule on them. Which Nicole is proudly displaying in the picture below. Now all we need to do is cut out the picture of Harpring and it will be fine.
When I got home from work the next day, both Nicole and Kate had hung their posters on their bedroom walls. I was one proud papa to see them being excited about the Jazz.
Ethan also had a good time at the game. He didn't squirm too much and actually sat on my lap and watched (as long as he had some candy, food or as you see below, a sword [straw] to play with). He even cried both times we took him out of the arena to go walk around. He wanted to be in where he could see the court.
He did get upset when I made him pose for a picture with the court in the background though.
We all had a great time, I even ran to the car in the rain and sleet so my family wouldn't get wet and wouldn't have to walk the 3 miles away that I parked. (It was very cold and very wet)
