This past weekend I was excited to be able to get away with my husband, even though technically he would be working.  Some people might think it’s odd that I would jump at the chance to drive over 5 hours after work on a Friday to go watch him coach baseball, but these weekends are some of my favorite trips!

I have always been a pretty independent girl, which is why I think our marriage works so well for us. Jeff travels and works a lot, especially this time of year. I don’t get to see him as often as I would obviously like (thankfully, we work in the same building so that helps).  Even when the kids and I join him, he’s there for his team. I’m sure this lifestyle isn’t for everyone, but part of the reason I love him so much is that we share a passion for coaching, our sports, and our teams. Watching him coach is fun for me. Being around his team, the other coaches, and their families is one of my favorite places to be.

I decided to keep the kids home this past weekend. I’m really lucky that my family is so supportive and will take them in for a whole weekend while we get some time together. February can be tough for us. My swim season gets busy, his baseball season takes over, and the rest of the time is left for focusing on the kids, work, and all of the usual life responsibilities. This weekend was such a refresher for our relationship. I honestly feel that couples need that time to strengthen their marriage and that is what makes them better parents and a better example for their children. Plus my kids love being spoiled by their grandparents.

So what exactly happens on these weekends? Here’s some of the highlights from this past weekend in Charlottesville, Virginia.

I feel like the best way to explore a new place is to run through it! Both mornings, while Jeff was at his team breakfast I laced up and set out to see what was around. I’ve kind of felt like I was in a slump with running the same route lately so this really helped me get back to loving my runs. The town and campus were hilly, but I hardly noticed with all the new scenery and historic buildings. Our hotel was about a mile and a half from the campus of the University of Virginia so I ran around there. I was able to run almost 18 miles over the 2 days and if I wasn’t running a half marathon this weekend, would have done more. Saturday Jeff was able to meet me halfway through and gave me a better tour; we hadn’t ran together in a while so that was really nice too.

I also knew that there weren’t any weights in the hotel gym, so decided this would be a great time to try out my new toy…a kettle bell. It was super easy to just pack it in the car and I got in a short, full body workout each morning after my run. It was so easy to just have it in the car just in case, and I plan on bringing it from now on. You really don’t need a huge space to get in a quick workout, which is perfect in the hotel room.

 

 

There’s a good amount of down time between when the team leaves for the game and when it actually starts. I am very lucky that the head coach’s wife and I are great friends and enjoy a lot of the same interests. So we usually work out together and sneak in a little shopping and lunch too. They had some great stores and restaurants around, and it’s fun to make the trip into a little bit of a girls weekend as well. I don’t have a lot of time to hang with friends, so I really look forward to it. Plus, she is an excellent co-pilot and we keep ourselves amused on the long car rides.

After the games, we usually go out with the whole coaching staff for dinner. This is always a lot of fun. Saturday night we headed to downtown Charlottesville and walked around, it was a really cute place I would like to be able to explore a little more someday. We ate at a place called Millers Downtown, which is where Dave Matthews got his start. It had a great vibe and my black and blue burger was pretty good too.

Let’s not forget the real reason we are there…baseball! Even before Jeff and I dated, I always loved the sport. There are weekends where we are at the stadiums for hours, and I love everything about it. Saturday was chilly, but that meant the hot chocolate was free…score! The games this weekend were really exciting and on Sunday they beat the defending national champions. I loved seeing how excited they were! When I’m home during the season, I watch the games on the computer and follow along. I hate not being there and at the end of that game especially I knew I made the right choice to be there in person.

It’s hard to explain sometimes why I look forward to these trips so much. When I say I am driving hours and hours to go watch my husband play baseball I get some weird looks and reactions sometimes. But I love sharing these memories with him. My kids have been able to visit some really neat places, and although we sometimes get a little sleep deprived and I am not the biggest fan of packing, it is absolutely worth it in my book.

We will be traveling  the next two weekends as well. I’m excited the kids will be joining us for these! They are really excited, especially my daughter, who is finally at the age where she remembers previous seasons and loves going to these games and watching daddy. I love that we are able to have these experiences as a family and that they have him as a role model. I can only hope they always want to come and spend this time together. Next stop, Washington DC! (In case you missed it, here’s how I survive these trips )

“One travels to escape routine, that dreadful routine that kills all imagination and all our capacity for enthusiasm”-Ella Mailart

Happy Travels,

Heather