Memories were made.

As most of those reading this knows... our family are pretty big baseball fans.

If I were posting this 3 years ago... I would have said I HATE baseball.. that it was SO boring .. that I thought it was like watching paint dry... but, that isn't the case anymore.. in fact, today I expressed how I am MAD that I like baseball.... this was due to the fact they were in extra innings so I got excited and into it that sometimes, times like that make me think...  "can't I go back to hating it?"

That being said it is totally something that we as a family enjoy together. Even Abigail at four loves it and has a favorite player (which is the cutest thing to hear EVER because his name is Tuiasosopo )

As some of you also know that Anna is the biggest fan and the one that got us all into it. 

She started watching and listening faithfully and, we couldn't help but get into it too.

So, when I won a contest to go to Comerica Park and have lunch and meet Austin Jackson.. it was a no brainer that I would bring Anna.

She could hardly sleep. She was so excited to get down there. She hadn't been down there since her 10th birthday (see post here).

We got down there and the GPS got us a little lost but, we were able to see a little of the city. Detroit is quite beatiful. Full of old amazing buildings... 

Anna and I fell in LOVE with the windows on this building.

This is Ford Field right next door to Comerica Park.

The Lions play here.. 

Here we are waiting to be let in!!!!!

We are IN!

Our lunch.. grilled burgers and hotdogs, potato salad, cookies and soda (Pepsi of coarse as it was sponsered by them) 

And of coarse, Cracker Jack... 

And here is Anna with PAWS the Tigers Mascott... he is a hoot.

Patiently waiting for Jackson to come out.

FINALLY

Here we had a question and answer session with him and chances to win prizes. They called on Anna but she got the question wrong.. Boo but, still FUN.

Off to tour the park

Anna pitching. Her fast ball is a WHOPPING 23 mph lol

Standing behind homeplate was pretty surreal

These are the seats we have sat the last two games attended... neat looking at them from the field 

The press box which we toured later 

Here is the Tigers dugout. We got to sit next to Austin in the dugout and they printed out pics of us together with him. I don't have a scanner to put these pictures up but, Austin told Anna she was pretty :) he is a really nice guy. 

While waiting to get our picture we got to see the Tigers cubbies. This is where their batting helmets and bats are during games. Anna was ESPECIALLY excited about this for some reason.

Annas Fav

our view from the dugout

Abs fav ..

After meeting Austin (again) 

We were allowed to go out on the field and play catch and walk around. 

after playing catch we headed on up the press box. It was pretty neat.

The view from the pressbox.

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This was the final stop for the day I had won. But, we weren't ready for it to be over!

As we were walking to the car we spotted some Tigers driving in for the game later that evening.

Anna asked if we could stay and so we did.

Anna was succesful in flagging down FOUR players to stop, sign her jersey and take a picture with her! (how could they NOT stop for the prettiest fan around? )

First Doug Fister stopped... she was over the moon with this one.

Then Torii Hunter stopped and while this was her third autograph of Hunter, it was her first picture with him. He is super nice and really great to his fans.

(Torii is a fav of mine and Annas)

patiently waiting for her FAVORITE Prince to drive up

Here she is with Phil Coke who is, my personal favorite. I have been down to Comerica 3 times this year and met him all three times. He is really great to his fans. He even went a step above. He went, parked his car and came out to chat and sign and take pictures. He joked with Anna and made her all shy and I got my third picture with him as well :) I appreciate players that really care about their fans.

Since she had Coke and Hunter twice in her Jersey, she got them to sign her hat this time.

And last, Austin Jackson. Both times we met Austin was for a Pepsi sponsered event and he was not allowed to sign her jersey. She was bummed about that but, he stopped and sighned her jersey and took yet another picture with her.. I swear he is one of the nicest guys in baseball.

Her Jersey is really filling up... and it couldn't happen to a sweeter and more deserving little girl.

She is a true fan and I am so thankful she has had these moments.