We have a very busy long weekend that started on Thursday evening. Six of us (me and five of the 10-and-under kids) went to Seattle. Most of my pictures are from Friday, after N's dentist appointment. That's when the fun started. We had some time to spend together in Seattle before going to the Mariners game that evening. We stopped at the Seattle Aquarium, but I was too cheap to buy admission and go to a baseball game, so we walked around and saw the free sights and had a snack instead.
Since we were in the neighborhood so early, we parked in front of QWest field and ran around the steps and played catch in the grass. We had the whole place almost to ourselves for more than an hour.
Then we walked to Safeco field and waited patiently for the gates to open.
Once inside we went down to the edge of the right field. We spent the first hour or so with a group of fans trying to capture baseballs during batting practice. I have been to very few major league games and have never snagged a ball. Now I know at least two of the secrets to it. The first came to K-man after he correctly answered a quiz. The line guard couldn't pick between the two boys begging for a ball, so he asked them the average life of a baseball (in number of pitches). Whoever was closest would get it. K-man guessed right - five. His reasoning is a post of its own on his mom's blog.
Another secret is to take N. or another very cute little one. At one point a big guy (the one with the glove in the picture) got a ball while N was standing right next to him waiting and watching. One of the ladies in the nearby stands yelled, "let the little kid have the ball". Must have made the guy feel guilty, because a couple of balls later after we had gone toward the dugout and came back, the big guy found N and gave him a ball.
The third one rolled to my feet after bouncing off of a nice lady behind us. I gave it to So So. Later when N saw that So's ball was cleaner and whiter, he wanted it instead. When I tried to convince him that he got whatever he got, he looked at his ball and said something like, "this stupid." I guess he didn't realize that dozens of other little boys were there coveting his ball while he was coveting So So's. But this was a fleeting moment, and we soon got caught up again in the fun.
The weather was perfect: warm and sunny. Going early was great. It was very relaxing and fun.
Before long, Grandpam, E, UB, and cousins showed up to meet us. We walked up top and found our seats on the third level. I had never been up there. I like heights, but I thought it felt pretty steep when looking down. Since it was still early, we left our seats and got right to business - eating. UB snagged a table and we spent our allowances on hot dogs, pizza, and fish and chips.
The rest of the evening we talked to friends, ate more food, chanted ICHIRO, enjoyed the view, picked up our free hats and t-shirts for family night at the ballpark, and watched an exciting game with a very dramatic ending.
I think this was my second game at Safeco field since it opened 10 years ago, so it was definitely a treat. I would like to take the big kids sometime. I really enjoyed spending time with my little kids on this adventure. Next time I'll hope for a day game, so we don't have to stay up quite so late.
Since we were in the neighborhood so early, we parked in front of QWest field and ran around the steps and played catch in the grass. We had the whole place almost to ourselves for more than an hour.
Then we walked to Safeco field and waited patiently for the gates to open.
Once inside we went down to the edge of the right field. We spent the first hour or so with a group of fans trying to capture baseballs during batting practice. I have been to very few major league games and have never snagged a ball. Now I know at least two of the secrets to it. The first came to K-man after he correctly answered a quiz. The line guard couldn't pick between the two boys begging for a ball, so he asked them the average life of a baseball (in number of pitches). Whoever was closest would get it. K-man guessed right - five. His reasoning is a post of its own on his mom's blog.
Another secret is to take N. or another very cute little one. At one point a big guy (the one with the glove in the picture) got a ball while N was standing right next to him waiting and watching. One of the ladies in the nearby stands yelled, "let the little kid have the ball". Must have made the guy feel guilty, because a couple of balls later after we had gone toward the dugout and came back, the big guy found N and gave him a ball.
The third one rolled to my feet after bouncing off of a nice lady behind us. I gave it to So So. Later when N saw that So's ball was cleaner and whiter, he wanted it instead. When I tried to convince him that he got whatever he got, he looked at his ball and said something like, "this stupid." I guess he didn't realize that dozens of other little boys were there coveting his ball while he was coveting So So's. But this was a fleeting moment, and we soon got caught up again in the fun.
The weather was perfect: warm and sunny. Going early was great. It was very relaxing and fun.
Before long, Grandpam, E, UB, and cousins showed up to meet us. We walked up top and found our seats on the third level. I had never been up there. I like heights, but I thought it felt pretty steep when looking down. Since it was still early, we left our seats and got right to business - eating. UB snagged a table and we spent our allowances on hot dogs, pizza, and fish and chips.
The rest of the evening we talked to friends, ate more food, chanted ICHIRO, enjoyed the view, picked up our free hats and t-shirts for family night at the ballpark, and watched an exciting game with a very dramatic ending.
I think this was my second game at Safeco field since it opened 10 years ago, so it was definitely a treat. I would like to take the big kids sometime. I really enjoyed spending time with my little kids on this adventure. Next time I'll hope for a day game, so we don't have to stay up quite so late.
No comments:
Post a Comment