Scottsdale Spring Training CHAMPIONS!!!

Back in the fall of 2023 Tyler threw out the option for the Braves to go Scottsdale for a spring training baseball tournament.  He kinda threw it out there thinking not everyone would want to spend their spring break playing baseball.  To our surprise everyone was 100% on board and I'm so thankful they were!  We just came back from the most incredible week with our Braves family in Scottsdale!!!

The Braves are the 10U D1 Scottsdale Spring Champions!!!  The 10U division had teams from California, Utah, Oregon, Colorado and Oklahoma.  The Braves came to play and they went undefeated to win the Scottsdale Spring Championship!  Beyond proud of these boys for having a goal, working hard and getting it done!  This was an experience of a lifetime for the boys and families.   We all headed back to Oklahoma on a baseball high with the biggest smiles, hearts so full and memories for a lifetime!  I sure hope this is a memory that Mason tells his kids and grandkids ALL about!  He deserves to be talking about this accomplishment for years and years to come!

We made a few stops along the way!  First stop was the Petrified Forrest National Park.  Mason is now a National Parks card carrying 4th grader.  He received a free pass for being in 4th grade and we put that pass to good use!

 

Pretty amazing to think about how long it has taken this wood to become crystalized! 

We couldn't get to our house soon enough!  The kids had been counting down the days until their week long slumber party with friends for months!  When we arrived the kids quickly checked everything out and hit up the pickleball courts and pool immediately!  The house was absolutely AMAZING!!!  Pool, hot tub, 2 pickleball courts, basketball court, putt putt, game room, theatre room, endless orange picking in the orchard, bunkroom for the boys, a separate casita for the sisters . . . seriously SO perfect!

After a long drive the dads all chilled by the fire!  This spot was by far my favorite!

We kicked off our first full day in Scottsdale with the Rangers/Cubs game on St. Pattys day at Sloan Park!  Last time we were at spring training we were sitting in pods in the outfield, with masks on, during Covid.  We were so excited to be back and experience a "normal" spring training!

What a fun day for the Braves and their families!

The best baseball sister group around!!!

And the moms are just as amazing!  

Mason caught the most amazing homerun ball in batting practice!  The center fielder hopped the fence to give him a high five for making the catch!  I knew he was going to have a great week of baseball after making that catch! 

The Winslow family rolled out to Scottsdale to cheer on Mason!  So grateful for extended family that makes the effort to see our busy family!  Love love love the Jacobs and Eschens!

The boys met Don Mitchell in downtown Scottsdale leaving dinner.  He won a World Series with the 1995 Braves as a team scout.  Another sign of an amazing week ahead!  He gave the boys a pep talk going into the tournament and it sure did get them going!

The boys played at Cactus Yards in Gilbert, AZ.   By far the most amazing baseball complex we've played at.  Each field was a replica of an MLB stadium, had stadium seating with seat back chairs, real dugouts and a restaurant with 360 views of all the fields.  

Having both Uncle Scotts at the games was such a treat but Uncle Scott J was so special!  He always coached my cousins in baseball and is so passionate about coaching and developing young athletes into great humans.  In just two short days he invested so much heart into the Braves.  He knew every players name and their families after the first game.  He encouraged the boys and cheered them on like they were his own.  He would ask Tyler a set of questions after each game.  A few of those questions being 1) what was your most challenging decision during that game? 2) what was the easiest decision?  It was so great to see him mentor Tyler and Tyler soak it all in!  I wish he lived closer and could come cheer on the Braves more often!  We ALL loved having him and the rest of the family in Scottsdale!

Love that little booty tap after a strikeout!

After the first pool game win we went to the Diamondbacks/Athletics game at Salt River Fields.  Another fun and beautiful day at the ballpark!

This might be my favorite Braves shirt to date!!!

Every Braves player and most siblings got a MLB ball between the two games!

The boys had a little baseball game of their own going on using a water bottle as a bat . . .

Love Mason's dramatic strikeout call!

Love these Braves boys!!!  They sure can ball, are so dang cute and are the best of friends!

A brief rain shower moved through during our team BBQ and when it rolled out we were left with a full rainbow!  Another sign of a great week ahead!

No Braves gathering is complete until there is a round of mini beer shots!

There was an empty lot next to our airbnb that made for the perfect wiffle ball field!

Braves, baseball and birthdays . . . happy birthday to Parks and Jake!

Coolest little league ballpark facility . . . the boys and families were spoiled getting to watch games and cool off inside when the Braves weren't playing

Mason's fan squad filled up almost entire section!

Bottom of the 6th, game tied 6-6, Mason is up to bat, Sky was the runner on 2nd, Sky steals 3rd  . . . Tyler pulled Mason aside and told him you are going to sacrifice bunt and win the game.  On the third pitch Mason makes the perfect bunt and WINS the game!!!  It was one of the highlights of his week! 

MVP of the game for his perfect game winning bunt!

The Eschens and Jacbos might have been our lucky charms!  Loved having them in town and so grateful they wanted to cheer Mason along on their vacation!

Love this cousin crew of mine!

Tyler's cousin, Micah, who lives in the Scottsdale area also came to watch Mason!  It was so great seeing her!

Won the semis and heading to the ship!!!

Mason caught the game winning pop fly in the bottom of the 6th to win the game!!!  The final score was 7-4, the Colorado Sky Sox had 2 runners on base with 2 outs, when Mason made the last out!  Seeing the boys excitment, smiles and pride was so special!!!  I had tears flowing for them!  Could not be more proud of these boys and coaches!

I barely caught Tyler and Mason's hug but thankful I at least got a portion of it!

CHAMPIONS!!!

This group of boys and their families are SO special!!!   We have so much fun together, go through tough times together, support each other, understand each other and have become the best of friends!  So thankful for this baseball family!

Mason and Parks bought dianmond studded bass necklaces at the ballpark!  As they were buying them a group of 14U baseball players from Utah walked up and said they bought the same necklaces the year before and the necklaces brought them a lot of luck!  That sealed the deal on buying the lucky bass necklaces!

Post celebration relaxing . . .

And the coaches were out . . .

The BEST week full of baseball, family, friends, adventures and so many fun times!!!