End of Summer Baseball Weekend

Now that the kids are back in school and the neighborhood routines are shifting, it really feels like summer is winding down. But before we officially packed it in, we managed to squeeze in one more fun summer weekend at the ballpark in 2025—and it was a great one.

The weekend kicked off Friday right after work. Even though it was a scorcher—mid-90s and sticky—we braved the heat and walked over to the park. We knew the walk home later that evening would be much more pleasant, and it really was. That night we had the chance to sit in the premium Terrace Club section. We were offered these seats as a follow-up after we’d given some constructive feedback about a previous premium experience using the Cox Automotive seats. We didn’t complain, but we did share a few ideas on how they might improve things, and to their credit, they invited us back to try their most popular premium setup.

The Terrace Club did not disappoint. Our seats were in the second deck, directly above home plate with a perfect view of the action. Before heading out to the seats, we hung out in the club itself—an air-conditioned lounge with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the field. It’s a great spot to cool down, grab a plate from the buffet (which, honestly, was surprisingly delicious), and still keep an eye on the game. It was a beautiful night at the ballpark. The Bees scored early and went on to win 7–3. We made it through just after the 7th-inning stretch before Madeline let us know she was done. We slipped her into her jammies, strolled home, and by the time we got there, she was fast asleep in the stroller. Honestly, it was one of those perfect summer nights that feels like it should be bottled up and saved.

Saturday was a whirlwind. We started the morning with Madeline’s birthday cake smash photo shoot, which deserves its own post because it was such a blast. In the afternoon, after two solid naps, we headed over to our neighbors’ house for their daughter’s third birthday party. Their little girl actually shares a birthday with Madeline, though they were celebrating a bit early. The party was fantastic—there was a full charcuterie table, a petting zoo in the backyard, a bounce house, and even an ice cream station. Most of the crowd was neighbors, and since many don’t have family nearby, our little block has turned into a kind of built-in support crew. We really do love where we live.

After the party, we changed into our baseball gear and headed back to the ballpark, this time with most of Alison’s family. We picked this game because it was Princess Night—something Anna was over the moon about. When we arrived, she immediately spotted some costumed princesses and jumped right into line to meet them. My grandparents were also at the ballpark with my aunt, uncle, and some cousins, just a few rows behind us. It turned into a full family affair. One of the sweetest moments was watching Madeline and Goldie give each other hugs and kisses—those two were little stars, happily passed from one family member to the next.

Of course, not everyone was equally entertained by baseball. By the 4th inning Anna declared, “Baseball is boring.” So I took her for a walk around the ballpark to mix things up. That solved the problem instantly. We found the Snowie stand and she got a shaved ice, which turned the evening right around. By the time we returned to our seats she was all smiles again. Once again, we lasted until just after the 7th-inning stretch before calling it a night. The Bees pulled out another win, 6–4, while we changed the babies into their pajamas and walked home under the summer night sky.

Sunday kept the streak alive. This time it was a day game, and my buddy Josh joined us. He came over to the house first, and together we walked to the park. It was great catching up with him, and fun to show him the new ballpark—this was his first time experiencing it. Before the game, we grabbed JDawgs. Because, really, what’s a baseball game without a hot dog? The game itself was a bit of a rollercoaster. The Bees hit a grand slam early, which got everyone excited, but things unraveled fast. By the end they were walloped, losing 10–8. It was another hot one, and though Madeline was her usual happy self, we finally tapped out just after the 7th inning stretch.

All in all, it was the perfect baseball weekend. From premium terrace seats to family Princess Night, and even a grand slam on Sunday, it felt like the best way to close out the season. There’s something bittersweet about this time of year—the long summer nights start to slip away, school routines settle in, and suddenly the calendar feels full again. Walking home from the ballpark in the warm evening air, Madeline asleep in the stroller, it hit me that these are the nights we’ll look back on when the days get shorter. It’s hard to believe we only have three Bees games left this season. I’m going to miss this when summer is gone.