Well, this was my first experience at an NFL game. I spent a few hours during the afternoon making this cool sign, but our seats were in the only part of the stadium (just behind the goal posts on the "closed" end of the stadium---the other end opens up to the river---that was dark. I tried to hold up my sign before and after the commercial breaks but I'm not sure there was enough light to attract the attention of the TV cameras. The first 2.5 quarters of the game were rough. The Steelers only scored 3 points. The Ravens were killing us when we were on offense. The fans around us were ugly, screaming epithats at each other. We finally decided to leave. As we were making our way out of our row one fan said, "So you're taking your sign and going home?" When we left the stadium we started to walk back to our car. We had about a 30 minute walk. Suddenly we heard the stadium roar. We saw the play on a big screen TV outside the stadium. The Steelers were scoring their first touchdown of the game and we were MISSING IT. We turned our backs and walked away from the stadium again. This time it erupted in an even bigger roar. It turns out the Steelers were scoring a defensive touchdown from a turnover on the first play of the Raven's new drive. AND WE MISSED IT. The Steelers did, fortunately, win the game. And so the lesson here, is, don't leave early. But it's also: get tickets for day games. It was a long night, and a tough way to start our week.
Josh took a lot of pictures at this particular meal, and both kids hammed it up. Jacob and Casey are really enjoying "daddy days" (which are mainly on Thursdays). They usually take mommy to work and then go do something fun. Yesterday they went to the zoo. They were the first people there and had the animals all to themselves! Casey especially loved the monkeys. She got to watch an elephant get hosed off, which she loved too (although she clung tightly to daddy the whole time). She asked dad to make the elephant noise as well :).
