Spring Training

Until this year we've never taken in a Spring Training game...I hate to even admit that the last time we went to the team activities was in 2002! This year we decided since Lorene (Ryan's mom) was visiting that we'd treat her to a game with her favorite team The Colorado Rockies! We had the kids skip out a little early from school last Friday and we loaded the van with Ryan, Bailey, Collin, Lorene, Debbie, Giles and myself and headed to the Peoria Sports Complex, home of the Seattle Mariners and San Diego Padres. Today's game would feature the Padres and the Rockies in what would turn out to be a nearly perfect day at the ballpark! Our seats were only a few rows from the Rockies dugout and as a few of us non-Rockies fans admitted we were clueless as to who the players were Lorene said with great pride and enthusiasm that she "knew 'em all!"

For Ryan, the kids and I this would be our first experience watching a MLB game so to make it special I made sure everyone had a fresh box of CrackerJack and a shiney new pack of baseball cards to enjoy as we spent a day in the sunshine and watching the Rockies beat the Padres 13-11!
Bailey was given a Rockies practice ball by their stats keeper (it nearly killed Collin not to get one) and Giles had a pop fly graze his fingers as it came rocketing to the row behind us. I think it's safe to say we'll be itching for another game next year...I'm thinking Mariners all the way!
After the game we all headed back to our house for an All American Hot Dog Picnic...well an indoor picnic because it did get a little chilly outside.

Last but not least, here's a few pictures "from the vault" of our first time at the Sports Complex with the kids, you'll notice they've grown just a bit!
Bailey is just about to turn 4 years old in this picture. Gramma K and Grandpa came for a visit and we headed to see the Mariners and Ichiro for the first time.
Gramma and Grandpa never visit without bringing a little something for the kids so they both had new Mariners outfits to show our Seattle pride! Collin would only have been just over 2 months old...man how time really does fly!