Opening Day and Anna Holly's Birthday

Yesterday was a really fun and exciting day. 

It was Opening Day for Major League Baseball and for me, it marks the beginning of spring. Sadly, Mother Nature didn't get the memo because it was snowing like crazy! I guess winter will be sticking around Utah for a bit longer. But, at least we got to enjoy some baseball and dream of warmer days to come.

Opening Day is the most grandiose day of the regular baseball season. It's like no other day because everything that happens on this day is magnified. Fans remember players who do something special on this day for years to come. It's a day filled with optimism, hope, and excitement because fans of every team can dream of their team winning the World Series. The sight of a ballpark decked out for Opening Day is something else, with bunting hung and the diamond meticulously manicured. No other day of the regular season can even come close to matching the sense of anticipation.

The Yankees played at 1 pm Eastern time, and as much as we both would have liked to blow work off to watch the game, Alison and I both decided to work. I did manage to block out a few hours for the game, though, so I didn't have any meetings scheduled during that time. I sat at my desk, working while listening to John Sterling and Suzy Waldman describe the game. What a game it was! The Yankees beat the Giants 5-0, with Gerrit Cole striking out 11 and not allowing any runs. Aaron Judge even hit a homer in his first at-bat of the game! Our exciting new shortstop, Anthony Volpe, made his debut, too, and although he didn't do much in the game, he looked like he belonged on the field. MLB also debuted some new rules, including the pitch clock. I gotta say, our household is a big fan of the pitch clock because it kept the game moving at a nice pace. Plus, the Yankees game was only 2 hours and 33 minutes long! It always feels good when the Yankees win on Opening Day.

Later that evening, Alison's family came over to celebrate Anna Holly's 4th birthday (and Opening Day) with a barbecue. She is such an adorable little kid and was so excited to open her presents. Alison and I made Skittles Rainbow Sherbet Salt & Straw ice cream for her birthday, which was a huge hit! It was a lot of work because we had to split up the different Skittle colors, melt them down, and make five separate batches of ice cream. But, the end product looked really cool and tasted amazing. The kiddo loved it, and it was a smashing success! Overall, it was a fantastic way to help Anna Holly celebrate her special day.

I ordered specialty M&Ms for our Opening Day festivities

The animals got to show their Yankee spirit, even Ms. Kitty

Salt & Straw Skittles Rainbow Sherbet