Going to the Army/Navy game has become a bit of a tradition since Robert and I got married. The first one we went too was back in 2003. It was such a last minute decision that we had to get tickets on the Army side. But since then we’ve gone every year except 2006 when Robert was underway and we were in the midst of a move. Otherwise, little has stopped us over the years. Gabrielle went to her first one when she was two months old, and now she’s a pro at saying “Go Navy, Beat Army!” This year’s game was in Philadelphia, where it has been almost every year except last year when it was played in Baltimore. With some extremely advanced planning, I managed to get us a room at the Holiday Inn within walking distance of the stadium. Yes! No taking the train this year!
Here we are getting ready to go the game. At this point, we’re pretty much sweating in all the clothes we have on. Three pairs of pants each. In fact, I had to run out last night to buy a pair of jeans for Gabrielle because as I was getting everything together, I realized that I’d forgotten to bring Gabrielle’s pants. Luckily, we’d eaten dinner at a restaurant that was next door to a Children’s Place, so I quickly drove back there to get some jeans. Unfortunately, I arrived at 8:02, and the store closed at 8! I had to beg the guy to let me in. . . “Please sir, we’re from out of town, and I forgot to pack my daughter’s pants!” The good news is that it worked, and she’s wearing them there. . . along with the two pairs underneath.
By the time we got to the stadium, they were drowning in clothes. Boots, coats, hats, gloves, scarves. . . the whole nine yards. But that doesn't stop them from taking in everything that's going on around them. In case you're wondering, they're staring at a giant video screen and trying to figure out where all the loud music is coming from. They're actually waiting to get their faces painted. Leila didn't really go for it. As soon as she felt the airbrush on her face, she was off. But Gabrielle never says no to face painting. And apparently neither does her dad. :-)
And of course, there's no football game without food. Those nachos were great. . . at least the three bites that I got. Twelve dollars worth of nachos, and I got three bites. Those two girls ate them up!
Then it was time to watch Gabrielle's favorite part
of the game. . . the men jumping out of the airplane. Who cares that the president was there, or that jets are flying by, or that you're sitting in this huge football stadium. All she cares about is the men jumping out of the airplane. Apparently that's all she remembers from the game last year. Lucky for her, they did not disappoint. Unfortunately, Leila does not look quite as amused.
While we were watching the game, Bill the Goat came up to hang out in the stadium. Gabrielle is too lucky to have a dad like hers. He picked her right up out of her seat, and carried her (boots, coat, gloves and all) to get a picture with him. That really made her day. For the first time since coming with kids, we actually managed to stay for the entire game. They survived just fine with a couple of breaks indoors (we had club seats, so the corridor was indoor and heated). And no one even slept! In the past, they have both slept throught the fly-bys as well as other parts of the game. But by the time we started walking home, sleep finally hit Leila like a brick wall. Before we even made it out of the stadium, she was passed out! And sadly for my back, that's how she remained all the way to the hotel room.
Our super fun day ended with going out to eat. And when we came out of the restaurant to go to our car, it was snowing! It's kinda hard to tell in the picture, but it's the first snow we saw this winter.
Here we are getting ready to go the game. At this point, we’re pretty much sweating in all the clothes we have on. Three pairs of pants each. In fact, I had to run out last night to buy a pair of jeans for Gabrielle because as I was getting everything together, I realized that I’d forgotten to bring Gabrielle’s pants. Luckily, we’d eaten dinner at a restaurant that was next door to a Children’s Place, so I quickly drove back there to get some jeans. Unfortunately, I arrived at 8:02, and the store closed at 8! I had to beg the guy to let me in. . . “Please sir, we’re from out of town, and I forgot to pack my daughter’s pants!” The good news is that it worked, and she’s wearing them there. . . along with the two pairs underneath.
By the time we got to the stadium, they were drowning in clothes. Boots, coats, hats, gloves, scarves. . . the whole nine yards. But that doesn't stop them from taking in everything that's going on around them. In case you're wondering, they're staring at a giant video screen and trying to figure out where all the loud music is coming from. They're actually waiting to get their faces painted. Leila didn't really go for it. As soon as she felt the airbrush on her face, she was off. But Gabrielle never says no to face painting. And apparently neither does her dad. :-) 
And of course, there's no football game without food. Those nachos were great. . . at least the three bites that I got. Twelve dollars worth of nachos, and I got three bites. Those two girls ate them up! 
Then it was time to watch Gabrielle's favorite part 
of the game. . . the men jumping out of the airplane. Who cares that the president was there, or that jets are flying by, or that you're sitting in this huge football stadium. All she cares about is the men jumping out of the airplane. Apparently that's all she remembers from the game last year. Lucky for her, they did not disappoint. Unfortunately, Leila does not look quite as amused. 
While we were watching the game, Bill the Goat came up to hang out in the stadium. Gabrielle is too lucky to have a dad like hers. He picked her right up out of her seat, and carried her (boots, coat, gloves and all) to get a picture with him. That really made her day. For the first time since coming with kids, we actually managed to stay for the entire game. They survived just fine with a couple of breaks indoors (we had club seats, so the corridor was indoor and heated). And no one even slept! In the past, they have both slept throught the fly-bys as well as other parts of the game. But by the time we started walking home, sleep finally hit Leila like a brick wall. Before we even made it out of the stadium, she was passed out! And sadly for my back, that's how she remained all the way to the hotel room.
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