The benefits of knowing a season ticket holder....

Our friend Keith has season tickets to the Stanley Cup winning Chicago Blackhawks. A benefit of being a season ticket holder is fun special events, many with opportunities to see the cup. A benefit of being friends with a season ticket holder is to latch on and beg to attend these cup-meeting opportunites.

Just kidding, we didn't beg. But we latched on for dear life!

Kidding. Kinda.


So. Anyway. This weekend we went to see the Stanley Cup. My main goal was to kiss it - germs be damned - and to not get in trouble for doing so. Turns out, they actually don't care if you kiss it! Score one for me!

{we waited in a long line}

{the boys eventually wandered up..hehe}

{3 of my favorites}

{aren't we adorable?}

{oooohhh fancy}

{i found the ice girls for keith, and like any good friend, brought them back so he could chat 'em up a bit}

{as i said before...probably the only girls that wanted a picture with them...but this is as close as hubby's getting to the tilted kilt, so he'll have to take it!}

{love, love, love this picture!}

{keith, kissing up the ice chick picture...}

{holy hell! check out that ring! the lady checking 'the list' was rocking this, and gladly showed it off to us. it was seriously and completely crazy huge...hard to believe that the player rings are even bigger!}

{oooohhh....we're almost there!}

{muah!}

{now, let me say that I gave the cup a big, huge kiss, full lips. Keith actually kissed the cup cup, which makes me cringe a little...i figured that the rings were at least a *little* less germy. Erin went for the fake kiss and Hubby just laughed at all of us.

{aww....hello there!}

{the case}

{check out the gloves! that's Howie the cup handler. He's been with the cup since this all began, and told us some pretty good stories. He is from Canada, apparently pretty close to where Erin's family is from, and they quickly bonded like the friendly little Canadians that they are. We chatted with Howie for quite a bit and he was super nice. One day, we plan to take Howie out for drinks...he asked us to keep in touch and we totally will!}

{Isn't this picture great? Too bad I didn't take a picture of Keith's face when he tried to pick it up. He learned that it was heavy, got yelled at just a little and a shake of the head from his terribly understanding girlfriend}

{check out our cute little pin! isn't is great?}

{and when we got back to my parent's house, we had one cute little man waiting to hear all about our trip. He was totally in love with Daddy in his jersey, which I will admit, Momma is too!}

Thank you Keith and Erin for taking us! It was so super fun and something we'll never forget!