RACE DAY!!!!

Growing up in this area has made Eric and I natural race fans. He enjoys it more than I do and definitely knows more about Indy Cars than I do but I DO like it and have enjoyed going to the race the past two years (and listening to it for the 31 years prior to that.) This year was hotter than most (record breaking temperatures actually) but me and my SPF 50 sunscreen made it through the day and had a wonderful time. The kids hung out with my mom and step-dad and were happy with the t-shirts that we brought home for them. Eric is already figuring out where he wants to sit next year (I request shade and pit-action, but we'll see what he decides on). We were in the Northwest Vista this year, right as you enter turn 4. If you watched the race and saw that huge crash on the final lap - that was just a few yards down from our seats. I saw it happen - Eric was watching the finish line and hoping Dario would run out of fuel. We aren't huge Target-Chip Ganassi fans. But they do have one thing going for them - they aren't Penske. (We like Andretti Auto Sports.) Anyway, here are some pictures of the day. We tailgated with my brothers, my cousin, and some of their friends. It was HOT and so the pictures will embarrass the daylights out of them but, oh well. That's what you get when you hang out with a blogger :)


Oh my word - my husband is actually smiling. I'm pretty sure it was something somebody said. The cantaloupe WAS pretty good though!


Amanda was the main chef for the day - excellent marinated pork loin and yummy veggie packets. Eric and I snitched some of her food as well as our buffalo chicken. It was really too hot to eat much but it was soooo good.


My brothers and I. There aren't many pictures of us together over the age of about 9 years old. I'm sure my mom will be pleased to see this one - maybe I should have photo-shopped out the beer can. He's legal, just still her baby. :)


The guys playing a rousing game of corn hole. I'm pretty sure my husband was victorious - that's because he kept his shirt on. The glare off of the other 3's pale white bellies was distracting them.


This was the view from our seats. The only time they were slow enough for me to get a decent shot was during cautions and of course the stupid truck got in my shot. Grrr...


This shot is of a group of my friends from high school who have been getting together at my friend Billy's parent's house to celebrate the race for about 16 or 17 years. How can I possibly be that old and who keeps having all these kids? P.S. photo credit for this goes to my friend Corie - although actually I think it was Beth who took it since Corie is in the shot but I stole it off of her fa.ce.bo.ok page....