Weekend Recap

Halloween is always a fun day. Q dressed up in his costume to wear to school.  He was Peely from Fortnite (or just a banana if you don’t know about Fortnite). 

And what he looked like without the face covering. 

The school had a little costume parade so I ran up to see it, unfortunately it was raining so we needed to be inside.  I love seeing what other people have for costumes.

After work it was time to get the pumpkins out onto the front step.

E was a Blue Jays fan.

E and his friend ready to go. 

We had about 40 trick or treaters, which is normal for us. 

Everyone got back in time for the 8:00 start to the Blue Jays game.  E had his friends over and a few of them stayed for a sleepover. 

Not a great end to Game 6.

Dave went golfing on Saturday morning, I made breakfast sandwiches for the sleepover teens, and Q made a birthday card for the party he was going to later. 

Q’s candy, yes that’s a Michalob Ultra that someone was giving out for the parents. (Although Q thought he was getting a Diet Pepsi so was a little disappointed, haha)

We geared up for Game 7 of the World Series, and it ended in heartbreak. I wrote yesterday about Why I Love the Blue Jays and man, I was pretty sad on Saturday night and all day Sunday. 

Q had batting practice, both inside and outside, I went to church and then took E swimming.

Later on Sunday afternoon we went to see Tron: Ares at IMAX.  We were supposed to do that for E’s birthday but it was pre-empted by Game 1 of the World Series.  I don’t really remember the first Tron, but I enjoyed this movie.  Then we went to Scaddabush for dinner. 

We settled in for a few episodes of The Office and then got to bed.  I loved every minute of watching the Blue Jays games but those were some late nights, so I’m glad we can start going to bed at a decent time again.

Why I love the Blue Jays

Oh man, that Game 7 World Series loss still stings and it will for awhile.  Sports will break your heart, for real.  As we wipe the tears away and get farther away from the end of the season, and our head clears a little bit, we will remember the good times.  It was truly an incredible season for Blue Jays fans across Canada. Because we love them so much it made losing feel that much worse, but we can only be proud of the team and hold onto those memories.

A little tribute post about why I love the Toronto Blue Jays:

They are Canada’s team.  Sure there are people that cheer for other teams throughout the season whether due to geography (Windsor likes Detroit, the Maritimes like the Red Sox, Vancouver likes the Mariners) or family tradition, or connections to other places or players, but when it came down to the last few teams, there was no question that the Blue Jays had fans from coast to coast to coast. Everyone got in on the action, even those who never watched a baseball game in their life before were tuning in to everything and getting to know the players as well as those of us who were watching all year.

The players are good guys. You can tell that the team is made up of decent human beings, they love playing with each other and they love the game of baseball.  They love to talk about what their teammates contributed to the game, not what they themselves did. You know that Vladdy loves being the first one on at the top of the step to put the home run jacket on someone.  Max loves seeing his bullpen and rookie Yesavage pitch well. The friendship amongst the team is palpable and genuine. And this isn’t the first team that has been like this, whether its our organization attracts that type of person or being somewhat “isolated” in Canada creates a different kind of bond than other teams have, it’s fun seeing them have fun.

They show up.  When it was time to perform we saw some amazing plays, pitching outings, and hits. The effort put in by these guys throughout the season and then as the season came to a close was something to see, breaking records left and right. And it was the whole team, anyone on that line up could put it down the middle for a base hit, put it over the fence. And even the guys coming off the bench had my confidence. 

They like us.  Canada always has a little “aw shucks, they really like us” attitude.  And when you see the players, most of whom are American, gush over our city and appreciating that the entire country is behind them, it means something. I loved seeing Ernie walking to the ballpark on game day, Vladdy talking about loving poutine, and watching George Springer sing O Canada at Game 7. We like to be seen and appreciated. Canadians aren’t going to yell about how great we are, but we like when someone else notices. 

Proud fan base. I love being a Jays fan because of the company we keep.  People are mostly respectful, even if we can get a little chip on our shoulder about an ump’s call or a wayward pitch that hits a batter. The Sportsnet team that covers the games are top level. You know they are fans and they go the extra mile to speak to the players and get to know each and everyone so when they are sharing stories, you know they are authentic.  I learned so much from Caleb this year when he went on a rant about a less than successful Max Scherzer outing in late August. I didn’t really appreciate how the pitchers put together a sequence and locate their pitches in different ways for each at bat.  As a former catcher, he, and Buck Martinez too, really have the perspective to share their knowledge of the game. 

Next year, whoever is still here will be cheered as they take the field in their Blue Jays uniform, and when some of them come back wearing a different jersey, they will get an ovation, we will always appreciate what they did while they were here.  No matter the outcome from this year, it was full of memories and good times with good people.  Thank you Blue Jays!  

Friday Favourites

Happy Halloween! And Happy Game 6 of the World Series Day!  This has been a week for Blue Jays fans!! Three games in a row with the Monday game going to 18 innings. The kids went to bed at the end of the 9th and Dave and I watched until about 1:30 but eventually had to turn it off.  But we dutifully tuned in the next night for a win and then another win on Wednesday.  But these late nights are adding up!  

When we did the cupcake decorating last weekend, the parting gift was a caramel apple kit.  Q enjoyed making that on Monday.

Both boys played at the little music recital on Tuesday.  They did a great job. 

E has a swimming exam coming up in a couple of weeks but hasn’t actually been swimming for awhile so I took him to lane swim on Wednesday morning before school.  He did a good job but needs a bit more practice for the exam.  We will go again on the weekend. 

We got to work carving our pumpkins on Wednesday night and finished them up on Thursday. 

You know we had to do a Blue Jays pumpkin this year!

And Q wanted to do 6-7!

A few Halloween themed treats - mummy dogs (served with zombie brains/green macaroni cheese), and classic Rice Krispie squares for Q to take to his class party. 

Hope you have a safe Halloween and Go Jays Go!!

Linking up with Andrea and Erika.

Monthly Musings

 

1. Favourite Halloween Traditions

Just the normal stuff - trick or treating and carving pumpkins.

2. Any special Halloween dinners or spooky snacks?

I tried hot dog mummies last year and the kids liked so I will try it again tonight. I am also going to make jack o'lantern quesadillas which are just regular quesadillas but with a face cut into the front :)

3. What do you typically do on Halloween?

We have a quick dinner, get a photo of the kids, and send them out trick or treating. Dave usually goes out with the kids and I stay home to give out the candy.  This year E is going to invite his friends back here to watch a movie (or rather the Blue Jays!) and stay for a sleepover.  

4. Do you carve or paint pumpkins?

Usually carve but I have done some painting before. 

5. Favourite Halloween candy?

I go first for the Wunderbar, then M&Ms. I really don't have a problem eating any of it though!

6. What are you giving out for Halloween this year?

Doritos, Chocolate Bars, and Sour Gummies

7. Full size or fun size?

Just the fun sized ones.

8. Favourite Halloween costume of all time?

I'm good at getting the pumpkins carved, but costumes are usually just ones procured from Spirit Halloween.  I liked E’s Harry Potter costume and in keeping with our Blue Jays still playing baseball, I also remember Q's Bo Bichette costume a few years ago.

9. Favourite Halloween movies?

Hocus Pocus, The Addams Family, The Haunted Mansion, and Ghostbusters.

10. What are the trick or treat hours where you live?

Kids usually get started by 6:00 and I'll turn out our lights around 8:00.  

What's Up Wednesday

 

What we're eating this week...

Sunday - Smash Burgers and Fries

Monday - Pumpkin Sausage Mac and Cheese

Tuesday - Wings and Quinoa Salad

Wednesday - Chicken Thighs, Potatoes, Carrots

Thursday - Mummy Dogs

Friday - Jack O’Lantern Quesadillas

What I'm reminiscing about...

A few people I follow on Instagram recently went to Disney World and Disneyland.  We went to Disney in 2023 and it was so fun.  Our plan is to go back in a few years. 

What I'm loving...

I’ve been loving working from home since June.  Our new office will be ready next month so I’ll be heading back there a few days a week, which will also be nice. 

What I'm dreading...

Honestly it’s helping E with his school work. His strengths do not lie in writing essays, and he has one due on Friday. It’s a struggle for me to stay patient. 

What we've been up to...

Riding the roller coaster that is Blue Jays Baseball.  Since mid-September when they were way ahead in their division to just clinching a playoff spot, to the Yankees to the Mariners and now the Dodgers.  The highest highs (Game 1) to the lowest lows (Game 3).  We will continue to standby our team, anything can happen.

What I'm working on...

Organizing Q’s clothes. I didn’t think he had any pants but then I got the bin of E’s old clothes and there were several pairs of pants in there, so that was good.  Now I just need to sort through the shirts and get rid of the ones that are too small. It’s always nice to have a tidy drawer with clothes that all fit.  E needed some new pants too so I got him a few from Uniqlo.

What I'm excited about...

I’m looking forward to Wicked For Good to come out. I have loved singing Defying Gravity all year and can’t wait for more Ariana and Cynthia on the press tour.

What I'm watching/reading...

We are watching Blue Jays baseball and that takes up a lot of time.  We also watched Dept. Q, The Pitt (one episode left), the Lilith Fair and John Candy documentaries.  Next doc up is the Montreal Expos one on Netflix.

I’m not reading anything at the moment, I started a book but never got into it and returned it to the library when it was overdue.  I’ll see if I pick anything else up soon. 

What I'm listening to...

We were listening to “Who’s On First” by Abbott and Costello again the other day. We think it is so funny.

What I'm wearing....

Nothing too exciting.  There are a few things I want to get, mostly some new pants.  When I go back to the office next month it will be good to dress a little fancier.

What I'm doing this weekend...

Halloween on Friday and hopefully some more Blue Jays games.  Q has a birthday party on Saturday but no other set plans.  I want to start raking some leaves. We always have a lot in our yard so we need to get this started. 

What I'm looking forward to next month...

I’m really not ready to think about Christmas but I know that as the calendar turns to November I will be starting our holiday plans. 

What else is new...

The boys had a little music recital this week.  E played a portion of  One by Metallica on his electric guitar and Q played This is Halloween. They both did well.  E is so good on the guitar, if only he practiced more!

Linking up with Shay.

Weekend Recap

There are a few moments in life that you know for sure are going to be exceptional and for me Game 1 of the World Series, Blue Jays vs. Dodgers, in person at the Skydome will be one of those.  Going to Disney World for the first time is a contender, but I think I can say that this was probably one of the top events of my life. (Some of are you are nodding along, others are scratching your head.)

So let's recap - we are sports fans in this family and we especially love Toronto baseball.  The games are plentiful and easy to attend throughout the season.  Dave grew up playing baseball and the boys play too.  I always remember having the Blue Jays games on when I was younger and Dave and I both remember the Blue Jays World Series wins in 1992 and 1993.  We love the Blue Jays and this season was so fun to watch as they got to the top of their division and now are playing the World Series!!  

As soon as they won the American League Championship I knew that we should try to get tickets.  I remember when Taylor Swift was here last year, I thought it was impossible to get tickets so I didn't even try, and I'm not a huge Swiftie, then it seemed like everyone was going to the concert and I regretted not going.  Fast forward to now, even with tickets selling out immediately and resale prices being astronomical, I knew that I would feel left out again if we didn't find a way to go.  So we waited until Friday and scoured the various resale sites for tickets all day, with a concentrated effort from about 4:30 to game time.  There was some movement in ticket prices but not a lot, so we eventually just bit the bullet and pressed "Buy Now" on four tickets together in section 539, row 13 (way up top for those not familiar with the Skydome). There was a bit of a wrinkle when our credit cards were declined for fraud suspicion.  But we got that cleared up and paid the price and ran over to the stadium.  We were handed the "Want It All" towels and made it as the US National Anthem was starting.  We stayed on the concourse for the anthems and realized that we did the right thing by buying actual seats rather than General Admission, as the Gen Ad crowd was 5 people deep and we wouldn't have been able to see much that way.  Then we went up to our seats to see the first pitch. 

I kept thinking I can't believe the Blue Jays are in the World Series, and that we are here, and that they kept doing so well.  The crowd was amazing, on our feet for most of the game, high fiving everyone around us, spilling our popcorn all over when Barger got the Grand Slam, and screaming so much that my throat is still hurting days later.  Vibes were immaculate.  We had absolutely no regrets of spending the money on the tickets. 

Now, some photos:

We look like we are going to the game, but at this point we didn't have tickets.

Met up with Cindy and Eve for dinner at the Keg, they had tickets already.

Starting the walk down to the stadium, checking out prices all the way. 

Want it all!

We're in!!!  Let's Go!

Great moment singing O Canada with everyone. 

Our view. Yes, we are high up but there is really no bad seat in the house.

Bichette was back!!

Brief moment of the rally towel under Q's hat before the Jays tied it up and then blew it wide open.

One of many friends at the game.

We can't believe it!! 

Core memories were made!!

We were very late getting home, but it was all worth it.  After watching Game 2, we were so happy we chose to go to Game 1 instead of waiting, we would not have had the same experience at all.

Dave was golfing in the Pumpkin Scramble on Saturday morning with a 10:00 tee time, so I dropped him off there and picked up some Blue Jays doughnuts for the kids and a coffee for me.

E had some birthday money to spend so we went to the mall in the afternoon.  He got a new pair of shoes, I used a Sephora gift card for some things for me, and the boys bought a Lego set with their shared money.  As if we need more Lego but if they want to spend their money, I'm okay with it.  

We were still exhausted but we rallied so we could go to a friends' house for dinner.  We were able to walk.

Tuning into Game 2 after a delicious dinner. 

On Sunday morning I went to church and Dave and Q went to batting practice.

In the afternoon Q and I went to the golf club for some Halloween cupcake decorating and magic show. It was a fun little event.

E practiced his guitar while I did a bike.

And Q was at the Marlies game with a friend. Unfortunately they had to evacuate because of an alarm so they just went back to the friend's house for pizza and hung out there instead.  They did get on the big screen!

Dave's cousin Adam and his son were up for a curling bonspiel and they stayed with us on Thursday night and Sunday night.   I forgot to get a good group photo but here they are playing crib.