Opening Day Link Up: the Importance of Baseball, Love, & Fashion

I'm linking up today for a special Baseball Opening Day Party with Venus Trapped in Mars and Marty with the Party and I thought I would share some all to often overlooked important Fashion Tips for your above average fans. I mean those fans who know that Opening Day is Christmas Morning! I also am sharing with you my love of the game so guys, skip to the bottom!













For the occasion today, I am sporting my team colors although this is not the all important Opening Day shirt. That one will not make it's appearance until Monday.









And the mandatory "I'm going to Opening Day!" Ticket shot. These tickets are almost impossible to come by! I get them with my season plan.







A few things about proper fan accessories: too much is just enough!







I Ranger-ify every part of my life!







From my Christmas







To my office.







And when it comes to being a fan, I am nothing but a big kid!







I even sport my colors at concerts.







This was Rascal Flatts 2 summers ago and one of my Rangers blankets and handbags went with me!







People know I am a big fan so they give me stuff, like baseball dinnerware!

















I have been known to bake special Rangers Opening Day cupcakes. They are the BOMB! (Alcohol infused, naturally!)







Of course I have shoes that I painted. I actually have a new pair planned for this season but they won't make an appearance for Opening Day this year because I haven't started on them yet. :(

And hats (with my buddy Trish).



For baseball fans there is no day more exciting than Opening Day. Everything is new and fresh and every team has hope, even the Cubs! The grass smells a little nicer, the tailgate party is a little louder and the fans all love one another. (Unless Phillies fans show up. We won't love them.)



I started out a Cubs fan when I was a kid and my first game was at Wrigley when I was about 8. I have always loved baseball better. When I was little, I would go into my grandfathers bedroom and watch the Cubs play on a black and white TV with rabbit ears while the rest of the family would watch the Fighting Irish play football on fall Saturday afternoons. I didn't care that the Cubs were out of the race, I just wanted to see the game!



We moved to Texas in 1980 but before we moved, we visited at spring break. My first memory was of Buddy Bell bat night at the old Arlington Stadium (RIP). I still have the bat and if you look really hard you can still see the signature. It has been by my bed for years for "home security".



My Rangers love really took off during the V-ball days when Bobby Valentine was manager. That was the late 80's when names like Ruben Sierra, Nolan Ryan and Julio Franco dotted the lineup card. I was obsessed. When I left for the University of Texas, one of the last things I did was drive to Arlington, where the new Ballpark was going up, and try to decide if Austin was the place for me or I should stay closer to home. To decide I had to be with my current love, the Rangers to help me through it. Tough call but I left and they stayed faithful and pretty awful!



Luckily, I could get most games in Austin and I watched and sometimes I drove home to see the Rangers...oh and my family.



My brother gave me my first mini-plan 10-game pack in 1996. I cried. For most of the time since I have had a 10 or usually 20 game pack of tickets. These tickets get me Opening Day and post season options. In the last few years I have averaged well over 30 games a season, not including Post-season. The Ballpark is my second home.



I have sat at the Ballpark and cried over a stupid man who broke my fragile heart, celebrated winning our 1st playoff game ever, celebrated winning our AL Championships, and several World Series games. This season I get to go to Opening Day with the love of my life on his birthday!



This game, this team has been a better friend than some of my long gone friends and a better lover than all but one. Can you be romantic about baseball? Sure you can. At one point I had a baseball themed wedding planned. I don't think that will happen now but I am going to hold out for a Rangers wedding cake should the day come.





My life has become full of a lot of things in the 35 years since I was first introduced to the game at Wrigley Field. People have come and gone. Homes have changed. The world has changed in ways I can't describe. (Microwaves, cell phones, laptops, iPads, GPS, and who knows what else?) but baseball has always been there just like James Earl Jones said!













So, I hope to see you at Rangers Ballpark this summer! Come say hi, and invite me to your tailgate! I'll bring the cupcakes!



Go Rangers!!



XO









Simply,

Laura

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Enjoy the Ride!

Simply,
Laura