Red Sox 2013

I went to my first Red Sox game in the summer of 2007 while I was living and working in Boston for my then boss Steve. I was selling sunglasses at Sunglass Pros and helping to train a few new employees. I was also preparing to serve a mission and needed to get home to Utah to get those things going. Steve bribed me to stay in Boston for weeks longer than originally planned by getting me a pair of Red Sox tickets. With the first taste of those famous Yawkey way Italian sausages I was a fan. As I sat in the cozy stands of Fenway Park wearing my new Red Sox shirt I felt the electricity of those fiercely loyal fans I wanted to be a part of it.

Fast forward a few years and the Dr. and I had the chance to move to Boston and I knew this was a community I wanted to be a part of. I love the patriotism and history here, I love the feeling of unity. We are Boston strong.

This summer was our first as more than just visitors in Boston and we have loved exploring and eating our way around the city. I surprised the Dr. with tickets to the Red Sox v. Mariners game in July. We are Seattle fans in our house- mostly because I have little opinion when it comes to sports- so it was the perfect chance to get to see my favorite team play the Dr.'s. The Sox won (yaaaay!) and Gomes hit a home run over the green monster. It was so great!

The Dr. with his ball glove, just in case a foul ball came our way.

 Fenway Park is such a small stadium, every seat is a great one!

We ended up going to another game later that week when my brother Seth was in town. It was Mormon night at Fenway Park, at least that's what our Stake decided it would be. We sat in the outfield, ate some awesome food before and during the game and got to hang out with a big group of our Ward family. The Sox won again, little did we know that they would do a lot more winning this season!

Hey brother!

Tri-tip with BBQ sauce and melted cheese? Heck yes!

With all the winning they Red Sox did this year it's was very exciting to see them go all the way to the World Series. We watched as the players grew their beards and we crossed our fingers along with everyone else in Boston that they would do it. I woke up on the morning after game 6 to every media outlet bursting with excitement that the Sox had won, at home, for the first time in 97 years! Truly historic!

When the mayor of Boston announced a celebratory duck boat parade through the city I knew it was something I couldn't pass up. I woke up early on Saturday morning drove to the train station and crammed onto the T with about 1 million other people. Seriously, 1 million people turned out to watch the hometown heros ride through the streets. 

With the bombing at the Boston Marathon earlier this year, we really needed this. We needed something that proved we were still strong here- Boston Strong. The crowds erupted with cheers as Gomes, Saltalamacchia, Pedroia, Ellsbury, Uehara and of course the MVP Papi Ortiz waved from the duck boats as they parade made it's way past the Common where I stood.

There were so many fans!

Even the duck boats had beards

Can you see the trophy up there! Jonny Gomes stopped at the Marathon finish line at Copley Square, place the trophy on the pavement and draped it with the special 617 Red Sox jersey as tribute to the victims of the bombing. 

A slightly better view of the trophy

Even Wally, the team mascot sported a beard this year

Big Papi Ortiz

I spent the rest of the day wandering through the city and shopping on Newbury Street. It was sunny, warm and packed with Red Sox fans. Just the way I like it.