Check out this cool tilt-shifted video from the new Disney Parks blog. Can’t wait to go back to WDW in March 2010 (and see some Atlanata Braves Spring Training as well).

The painting looks awesome, but wait until you see how large it is. That’s the even more amazing thing. Check out more of Robert Burden’s work at his site. It’s amazing looking stuff that any geek from the 80’s and 90’s will enjoy.

Carter came home from school and he had pulled out his first lose tooth – September 1, 2009.

One day it’s loose and the next day he pulls it as school. Luckily he made it home with the tooth.

Which do you like better? On the second one, the large image at the top flips/dissolves between several different images.

Get Your Monster Name

Made it to our second Atlanta Braves game this past Sunday. It’s was a great game (Braves won). Close all the way until the end with both teams playing great.

Carter ran the bases once again after the game and I managed to capture it on video.

On a side note—I think it’s time for a new glove. That one is starting to look small.

He was attentive, fast and ready for every hit. He knew where to take the ball every time and if he got an out, he’d turn around and check the other bases.

Here’s a video of him getting an out at first and then running home to try and get another:

Our regular first baseman had left for vacation (since school was out) or Carter could have thrown it to first, like he did at a previous game:

I couldn’t be more proud of him. He loves playing ball and wants to play (and practice). I won’t push him to play, but I do encourage him – because he’s good.

I’m looking forward to Fall Ball. I’ll be stepping up as head coach and hopefully we’ll have another fun season.

However, there is one act that has pushed the Braves into a class all by themselves.

My grandmother (Granny) recently passed away. She passed on the day I purchased tickets for myself, my mother, my wife and our oldest son to attend our first ever Braves game at Turner Field. She was a Braves fan and she, in turn, got the rest of the family watching baseball.

Shortly before the game, I fired off a quick email to the Atlanta Braves organization with a note telling them about my grandmother and our upcoming trip. I asked if they could possibly dedicate the game we would be attending in her memory.

I figured nothing would come of it. The game came and went and we had a great time—described here and here. The Monday after we returned, I received a phone call from the Atlanta Braves office. They had read my email and were apologetic they didn’t get to it in time to catch us on our visit. We talked for a few minutes and I gave them my address.

A few days later, this arrived in the mail (Click to enlarge):

And that is why the Atlanta Braves are the best team in the MLB—at least to our family.

Check out that photo from the game. That’s how great our seats were. Section #113 tickets thanks to StubHub.com. I had a small zoom lens on the camera, but we were directly over the Braves dugout. Every inning  when they came in from the field, Carter would run down to the railing overlooking the dugout, in hopes of catching a ball.

Aside from our great seats, Turner Field is incredibly nice. There’s a great Cartoon Network kids area, a few great restaurants (Bar-B-Q is the best), a kids only merchandise shop, and a Braves museum. The biggest surprise came from the entire staff at Turner Field. They were amazingly friendly.

While walking to our seats, if we passed a concession vendor not waiting on a customer, they would wave as you walked by. Everyone at the ballpark actually made the effort to converse with you. Several times I was asked if I (we) were having a good time or if this was our first game.

The usher to our section offered to answer any question we had. We I asked a question she didn’t know the answer to, she radioed a supervisor and informed me of the answer.

Even the the Braves didn’t win the game, it was a great game nonetheless. The game was full of great plays, close calls and was all-around entertaining.

After the game, we went to the Kids Run the Bases area and Carter got to run the bases on the field (see the photo in the previous Braves post). They even had a photographer on the field and we found Carter’s image online when we returned home and ordered a few photos.

All in all, we had a great time and we definitely plan on returning as soon as our busy schedule allows. We hope to make it in June for Brian McCann bat day, especially now the McCann is back in great form.

Check out the rest of the photos from our first Atlanta Braves game.