Nini's first Blue Jackets game, plus a major 1st!

Our family does everything together, and one thing we do, truthfully, a lot, with our kids is take them to Blue Jackets games.   We are not season ticket holders by any means, but tickets are quite affordable (mainly because they haven't been the best team the last few years) and the boys really seem to enjoy going to the games.   Davey has been going to games since we moved to Columbus, and Oakley started going probably when he was maybe 6 months old or so.   We joke that Oakley has an "entourage" at bedtime because of all the friends he wants to sleep with.   Blanket is always there, but he now has a Blue Jackets Mickey Mouse, aka, Hockey Mick Mouse, also there is "sting sting" who is Stinger, the mascot for the Blue Jackets.   Anyways, so when Nini was in town, the timing was perfect to take her to dinner at one of our favorite pre-hockey restaurants and then walk over to Nationwide to catch a pre-season game.  

 

This season is special too, because we now have to buy Oakley his own seat to every game :(  but he is damn cute, and he loves watching the games, and all the stuff that goes on during the game.   If his attention ever strays... we just tell him we saw sting sting and ask him where he is at.   Well, Nini got to see a hell of a game (last time the jackets won...grrr) but 7 goals, meaning 7 cannon blasts, some fights, the blimp, and of course sting sting. 

Normally, I don't want to miss half a period dragging Crystal around the arena looking for Stinger, but since her mom was there and they were having a good time cheering for more fights to happen, and singing the hockey song, I figured I would take the boys quickly to stinger.   Well, we missed him, and had to wait until after the intermission.   Luckily, Mike Todd, the in-arena emcee saw me watching my kids play in stingers house kid thing at the arena and was nice enough to say hello.   So after I wrangled the kids, I found him and explained we have been trying for probably a dozen plus games to meet Stinger, and he gave me a hot tip when we can find the green bee!

 

Oakley almost shit his pants when he saw stinger up close, then as we got closer, got really scared.   His idol is like 7' tall!   Davey gave Stinger a hug, Oaks gave him a fist bump, but wouldn't stand next to him for a picture (that's why I am in here).   I wasn't going to miss a chance for Oakley and Davey to meet stinger and get a pic with him.

 

Overall, we all had a great time as always.   I love doing stuff with my family, and I was happy that we were able to share this with Nini too!   Hockey is a strange sport to watch if you have never really watched it before.   Between the rules, the line shifts, and the fighting it can be a lot.   But truthfully, its probably one of the most enjoyable sports to watch in person too, because its non-stop action.  I still remember my first Hockey game I ever went to with my dad (Blackhawks game).   My cousin was supposed to meet us with tickets, but he told us the wrong place, and my dad ended up buying great seats for us at the old Chicago stadium in the corner behind the blackhawks goal.   The seats were low, close, and it was amazing.   I hope our boys always remember and love all the times we took them to games too!   Davey has already said he will not be playing hockey (he doesn't like falling on the ice), but Oakley.... well lets just say we know a really good dentist already :)