Star Wars Skating

Since the new Star Wars movie, The Rise of Skywalker, opens tomorrow, there have been a lot of Star Wars themed events. Tonight was Star Wars Night at the Colorado Avalanche game. Marina decided she wanted to wear her Princess Leia Bespin dress. Fortunately, the hairstyle was easier to recreate than it looked.

We arrived early to pick up our tshirts and get photos with cosplayers. Unfortunately, there weren’t many cosplayers this year. We figured most of them were probably at sneak previews of the new movie. So it didn’t take long for us to get photos with them.

As we got our shirts, we saw Santa was set up nearby. I managed to convince Marina to get a quick photo with him. We picked up drinks and snacks and headed to our seats. We were excited to see that Bernie, the mascot, was wearing a Baby Yoda costume!

At the first intermission we looked around for cosplayers but only saw the same two groups as before the game. We did run into Bernie and took a quick photo with him before going to our seats.

At the second intermission we went to Bernie’s doghouse for pictures. We took a young man sitting next to us, along. He was very excited for a picture. We got there a bit later than we hoped, so we missed quite a bit of the third period. The Avalanche scored as we walked back to our seats, so we all cheered as we walked. Unfortunately, the Avalanche let their lead slip away and they lost 4-2.

Star Wars and Basketball

Tonight was the Denver Nuggets Star Wars Night. Marina was wearing her Chewbacca onesie. I had on my Vice Admiral Holdo dress. We arrived early for the game, so we went in search of cosplayers. We found a group right in the lobby. We also saw groups of Nuggets dancers. So we got photos with all of them.

We walked around looking for cosplayers. We also picked up our Star Wars tumblers. They had ones with either the symbol of the Rebellion or the Empire. We decided to get one of each.

We picked up drinks and went to our seats. The Nuggets played really well in the first half and were up by a large margin at halftime.

During halftime, we took photos with more cosplayers. We found the woman dressed as Ray, who Marina had seen on screen before the game started. We asked around and found that Rocky the mascot usually does a meet and greet, so we waited to see him. Unfortunately, he never showed up.

We missed most of the third period waiting for Rocky, so we went back to our seats for the rest of the game. It had become a closer game and the Nuggets eventually lost their lead. Fortunately they were able to come back and win the game 111 to 105.

After the game we were ready to go home. It had been a very long day!

The Science of Pixar

Marina had the day off from school, so we went to the nature and science museum. We had tickets to see the Science of Pixar exhibit. We arrived a bit early, so we checked out the other temporary exhibit – Beyond Human Limits. This one contained examples of extreme sports. The activities included a paragliding simulation, copying a cat’s movements and a Ninja obstacle course. Marina enjoyed trying these activities.

We had a little time before our Pixar entry, so we wandered through the animal dioramas, we especially liked the African animals.

When it was our time to enter the Pixar exhibit, we got in line. It started with a short video explaining the process of making a Pixar film. Then we entered the exhibit. It contained many activities which demonstrated the many steps it takes to make the movies. Since the exhibit wasn’t too crowded, Marina got a chance to try most of them. She also enjoyed posing with the life size models of the Pixar characters.

Star Wars and Soccer

Marina and I have been interested in attending a Colorado Rapids game for a while. Tonight was Star Wars Night. So, even though it was a school night, we decided to go. Marina wore her Rey costume and I had a Star Wars inspired dress.

When we arrived we found a parking place easily but then learned we had to walk around the whole stadium to pick up our tickets. Once inside we picked up our Star Wars blankets and went looking for our seats, which were on the side of the stadium where we parked. The temperatures were staring to drop and a strong wind was blowing.

As we walked we came across a group of cosplayers, so we took photos with them. When we arrived at our section, we found another group of cosplayers, including Kylo Ren. Marina always loves to exchange banter with him!

We bought drinks and found our seats. Shortly after we sat down, we saw another group of cosplayers nearby, so we went to take pictures with them. One of them was a Harley Quinn inspired Jedi which Marina loved!
We verified that we had seen all the cosplayers so we settled back into our seats. Just as the game began it started to rain. Fortunately there were empty seats in a cove section near us, so we moved there for the rest of the game. Marina used her new Star Wars blanket to stay warm.

Despite not ever having seen an MLS game before, Marina and I really enjoyed it. The first half was scoreless, but with only ten minutes left in the game, the Rapids scored the first goal. It wasn’t long afterwards that the LA Galaxy came back and score to tie the game. As time was winding down, the Rapids got a penalty shot. There was a lot of build up to the kick and it went into the goal. It was very exciting. In the end, the Rapids won 2 to 1.

Fortunately, the park isn’t too far from home. So it didn’t take long to get there. Marina went right to bed since she has school tomorrow.

Baseball and Stranger Things

Marina is a fan of the TV show Stranger Things. When she found out the Rockies were having a Stranger Things Night, she wanted to go. Unfortunately I was not able to get us the package which included the t-shirt. But she wanted to go anyway. She dressed up as her favorite character, Eleven.

We arrived with plenty of time to look around and find our seats. Lots of people stopped Marina to compliment her on her costume. We had a really good view of the field. We watched the first couple of innings before going to the line to see Dinger. While we were waiting, the game was briefly suspended for lightning. So we had a longer wait than expected. But we made the best of our time by chatting with the people in line with us.

After we got Marina’s photo with Dinger, we picked up drinks and snacks and went back to our seats. The Rockies were not playing well and Marina’s stomach was bothering her, so we left after the eighth inning. The Rockies lost to the Pirates 9 to 4.

Fortunately we were able to leave the parking lot quickly and get home before it was too late.

Star Wars at the Stadium

The Colorado Rockies Star Wars Night is an event Marina and I have enjoyed the past few years. We were looking forward to the game tonight. Marina wore her Rey costume again and I dressed as Qi’ra. We left the house two hours before the game, hoping to get to the stadium early.

By the time we parked the car, rode the shuttle to the stadium and got through security, we weren’t as early as we hoped. We went immediately to the parade staging area so we could take part in that. As we waited for the parade, we talked with the people around us who were all very nice.

The parade was fun. We walked through the inner hallways of the stadium until we arrived at the entryway to the field. We walked all the way around the ballpark. Marina and the kids around her gave high fives to the people in the stands. Marina was so sweet, making sure to greet everyone who reached out to her.

After the parade was over, we walked around the stadium to find cosplayers and take photos with them. We also picked up our t-shirts. Marina was happy that they are purple this year. By then we were a bit hungry, so we got a snack and then got into line to see Dinger. We were early, so we were close to the front. When Dinger arrived, we got through the line quickly.

Marina wanted ice cream, so we picked some up on our way to our seats. By then it was the third inning. The game was a close one, but the Rockies lost 6-5. That was a bit disappointing. We left the game as quickly as we could. The game had been nearly four hours long and we were ready to go home.

A Game of Thrones and Baseballs

I’ve been a fan of the TV show Game of Thrones for years. Marina has never watched it with me, but she was still interested in going to Game of Thrones Night at the Rockies game tonight. We both wanted to dress up, so we got costumes months ago. My costume was Catlyn Stark and Marina dressed as her daughter Arya.

When we arrived we saw that very few people dressed up for the event. But we didn’t really care. We had fun with those who did. And we got lots of compliments on our costumes.


We arrived early so we spent time talking with the people in front of us. They were from Baltimore and like to travel to different cities to see the Orioles play. It was interesting to hear about their experiences.

For the beginning of the game we had the sun shining in our eyes. So we got up in the second inning. We picked up our t-shirts and got in the line to meet Dinger. We were close to the front, so when he arrived at the beginning of the third inning we didn’t have to wait long.


We picked up snacks and drinks before going back to our seats. By then the sun was no longer blinding us. The game, however, wasn’t a great one. There was a lot of scoring, but the Rockies were behind the whole time. After the eighth inning, we decided to go home.

Star Wars Hockey

Tonight was Star Wars Night at the Colorado Avalanche game. Of course, Marina was excited to go. She decided to dress as Rey. Last year she wore Rey’s costume from The Last Jedi. But tonight she wanted to wear the one from The Force Awakens. That meant I had to try and recreate the complex hairstyle. Fortunately I was able to come close.

We left early for the game because we wanted to pick up our t shirts and take photos with as many cosplayers as we could. But it turned out the doors didn’t open as early as we were told, so we had to wait outside for a while.

Once inside we picked up our shirts and then we went out to find the cosplayers. The second group we found include Darth Vader. We were told that Rey and Kylo Ren would be in that spot half an hour later. We definitely wanted to come back for that!

We went to our seats before going out to find more cosplayers and returned to see Rey and Kilo Ren. They were all happy to see her costume. After seeing all the cosplayers, we bought drinks and snacks before going to our seats. Marina wanted the mini donuts, so we got some of those.

The game, unfortunately, wasn’t as much fun as the Star Wars activities. The Avalanche played very sloppily and they lost the game 5 to 1.

After the game it took us a while to walk to the car and drive out of the parking lot. We were both really tired when we finally arrived at home.

A Night of Baseball and Star Wars

This evening was Star Wars Night at the Rockies game. Marina originally wanted to dress as Princess Leia, but at the last minute she changed her mind and decided to wear her Rey costume instead.

We arrived at the stadium early, so we went around the concourse to find as many cosplayers as we could and took pictures with them. When we finally made it to our seats we learned there was a weather delay. We sat and waited for a bit until it started to rain fairly hard. So we decided to pick up our Star Wars t-shirts. By the time we made it back to our seats, the game had finally started.

After the first inning, we headed toward Dinger’s photo spot for a picture. The line had already started to form. Fortunately it moved quickly when Dinger arrived. He was wearing his Jedi robe and had two stormtroopers with him.

On the way back to our seats, we stopped for snacks. Then we settled into our seats for the rest of the game. It was a fun one to watch and the Rockies won 4-1.

Football and Film

Marina used to be a member of the Broncos Bunch. Unfortunately, she got too old for the club last year. Since then they made some changes and now anyone can buy tickets. This evening they had movie night with the film Coco. We decided to go. Marina dressed in her black lace dress that she wore to the Day of the Dead celebration last year.

We arrived early to make sure we got a good spot on the field. That worked out well because there weren’t lines for many of the activities. We got a photo with Miles on the way in and a couple of cheerleaders as well. There wasn’t a line for face painting, so Marina got a rose on her cheek.

We found a great spot on the field to set up. However, it was a long wait for the movie start. Marina wasn’t interested in any of the crafts, so she played on her phone and ate popcorn until it finally started.

The people around us were pretty noisy, but overall we enjoyed the movie. And fortunately it wasn’t too late when we left.

Mother's Day Baseball

This year for Mother’s Day, Marina and I decided to go to the Rockies game. We slept in a bit and I made breakfast. We left a few hours before the game.

When we arrived at the stadium, we got into the line for the parking lot. As we waited, the man in the car next to us got our attention. He handed us a parking pass for the front lot and wished us a Happy Mother’s Day. We were both amazed at the gift. The pass allowed us to park within a very short walk of the stadium.

Once we got inside the stadium, we were each give a Rockies bracelet as a giveaway. We were hoping to arrive in time to get them! Our seats were on the upper level. It took us a while to get there but once we found our seats we found that our view of the field was great! We had about an hour wait before the game began. We watched videos and participated in the national anthem. We talked with some the people sitting around us while we waited.

We were happy when the game finally started. It was chillier than we expected and we wished we had brought a blanket with us. After the first inning, we went to wait in line to have our picture with Dinger. We were pretty early, so we were close to the front of the line. Dinger showed up with his mom!

After our picture, we picked up hot dogs before going back to our seats. By then, the Rockies were down 4-0. We spent the rest of the game in our seats. The Brewers pitcher has a no hitter into the sixth inning. We cheered when the Rockies finally broke that up. They hit two homeruns before the end of the game, but they still lost 7-3.

We had a quick walk to the car thanks to the parking pass and we arrived home around dinner time. I made us a nice meal and we relaxed for the rest of the day.

Nuggets Night

The Denver Nuggets were playing the San Antonio Spurs tonight. I bought tickets so Marina and I could go. When Marina learned they were giving away Nuggets beanies to the first 5,000 people, she wanted to leave early in hopes of getting one.

We ate a quick dinner at home after school and Marina changed into one of her Nugget’s shirts. We left a bit later than we had planned, but we made really good time on our way downtown. Marina was a bit disheartened when she saw how many people were going in to the Pepsi Center at the same time we were. But as it turned out, they still had plenty of beanies, so we each got one!

We were very early when we got to our seats, so we got up to get some snacks. I was shocked to find my wallet was missing. I decided to go to the car to see if it was there. I found it on the floor in front of the passenger seat, but it took me a while to leave the Pepsi Center and walk to the car and back. In that time Marina got nervous. She texted me a few times. So when I came back she looked very relieved.

When the game started, Marina paid very close attention. I spent more time explaining to her the rules of the game and what the statistics meant. The game itself was very entertaining. It was close throughout, but at the end the Nuggets pulled ahead and won the game.

We got caught in a bit of traffic, but it didn’t take us too long to get home. By them we were both tired and ready to go to sleep.

Star Wars Hockey Night

This evening we had tickets to Star Wars Night at the Colorado Avalanche game. As soon as Marina heard about it she wanted to go. I had picked up the Rey costume for the new Star Wars movie, The Last Jedi. We haven’t seen it yet, but Marina was happy to wear the costume.

I received an email listing all the extra activities for Star Wars Night, so we went to the Pepsi Center early. Once inside, we located three locations with cosplayers. Marina had her photo taken with all of them.

We picked up our collectible Star Wars hockey pucks and wristbands for a photo session on the ice after the game. Then we found our seats and went in search of the last group of cosplayers. Marina was thrilled that this group included Princess Leia.

We picked up some snacks and drinks, then we went back to our seats to watch the hockey game. It was a fun atmosphere and we enjoyed talking with the father and daughter behind us.

The beginning of the game was somewhat dull – there was no scoring and both teams were playing sloppily. So Marina and I went to the Comic Con green screen booth in the middle of the second period. Marina posed with a BB8 toy with a light saber. Two young ladies came by after us and the three of them created some silly photos. Next we went to get in line for photos with Bernie, the mascot. The line was long, but it moved quickly. Bernie was dressed as a stormtrooper for the night.

It was the third period by the time we got back to our seats. In that time the Tampa Bay Lightning had scored 5 goals, the Avalanche only one. The last period was the most exciting. The Avalanche scored three goals in a row, but they were not able to take the lead. The final score was 6-5 for the Lightning.

After the game, we joined the other participants for photos on the ice with cosplayers. It took about half an hour to get it set up. While we waited, Marina played I Spy with the people sitting around us. That definitely helped pass the time. It was after 11:00 pm when we finally had our turn. By then we were really tired and ready to go home. Fortunately our drive home was fast and we went to bed right away.