Camera Pictures of the Spring Training Trip to Arizona

These are the camera pictures.  I didn't try and combine the cell phone pictures I took, the cell phone pictures Keri and Kristin took and shared with me.  Too confusing! Some of the pictures could be close to duplicates.  

The pool was the place to be during the day because it was over 100 degrees.  Lay in the sun then jump in the pool. Layne and Lucy.

Lucy.  I asked her why in pictures young people stick their tongue out.  No real answer from Lucy on that.  

Kristin!  She has to be hot.  I bet those clothes were changed quickly. 

Game time!

Here we are at Camelback Ranch. 

The family minus Mark.

Being silly. 

This was on the tour of Camelback Ranch.  The Dodgers stadium, empty. 

The pitcher on the practice field. Justin Wrolbleski

This was also on the tour Keri and I took.  A banner for every year the Dodgers have won the World Series.  9 times. 

A Dodger practice field. 

I will mention Shoemaker a Dodger minor league coach in another post.  He has been with the Dodgers since 1977. He played in the minor leagues for the Dodger and eventually was a coach. 

The lake!  We were told sometimes the players fish in this lake.  It is so blue because they dye it blue.  The tour guide said it was so the green algae didn't show but I think they wanted it Dodger Blue. 

Keri in the shadows. 

MVP Clayton Kershaw.  

Dodger all stars! Some of them.  There were a lot more, I just took one picture. 

While we are at the house we got to see the Blue Angels practicing for an air show they were having on Saturday.  It was pretty spectacular seeing how close the planes got to each other.  

These are camera pictures of Camelback Ranch at the Dodger game Friday night.  Lots of people for sure. 

Frank Tomas.  The Dodgers and the White Sox share this stadium. 

There was talk about getting tickets out here but Keri got better ones. 

Here we are!  Dodgers vs. Padres

Teoscar Hernadez

Max Muncy

Yamamoto was the starting pitcher.

Kyle Tucker a new Dodger

Freddie Freeman!

Mookie Betts

Freddie again. 

Will Smith

Max Muncy

Well, you see the name!

Edwin Diaz in relief also a new Dodger!

Dave Roberts out for a pitching change. 

While in Arizona I felt like I need to take at least one picture of a cactus.  Here it is!  This is at the home in Fountain Hills that Keri and Mark own at least for now. 

 

On Our Way to Spring Training in Arizona

These are all cell phone pictures.  It is too complicated to try and merge the cell phone pictures and the camera pictures.  

I had always wanted to go to spring training for baseball.  I had forgotten about it because of the timing of spring training when I was teaching.  It just didn't work.  Then this happened.  I asked Keri for dates to come visit. She gave them to me and then mentioned they were going to look at a couple of colleges and then go to spring training.  I was invited to come along and I jumped on the invitation.  Bonus! Kristin, Layne and Lucy joined too! On Monday we headed to the Spokane Airport. Layne and Lucy are doing homework the airport. Good job girls.  

This is a picture Keri took.  

Tuesday night was a college softball night.  In-N-Out burger was our dinner menu.  I'm not really sure why IN-N-Out is so popular!  Not my thing but obviously I am a minority.  So serious!

Grand Canyon University had won 30 games, no losses.  We were excited to watch the ladies play softball. 

Here we go! 

I needed to get a picture with the antelope.  

I rushed up to him before all the little kids noticed him and got my picture.  

Kristin and Keri were sitting behind me.  Keri was sitting next to a little girl that looked about 7 or 8.  Her younger sister was also sitting with her.  A ball came our direction and it hit the younger sister and she started to cry.  Keri asked the lady next to her if she was the little girl's mom.  She wasn't.  Her parents were two rows behind and made no move to come to their daughter.  Her dad had a few words for Keri. Keri was looking for the ball to give to the little girl and she found it.  He shouted out, THAT'S HER BALL.  Keri had no intention of keeping a Grand Canyon softball.  Keri asked if the little girl wanted her parents and of course she did.  The parents never moved.  Her older sister stayed next to Keri and talked to her constantly throughout the whole game.  Keri was a picture of patience.  

We did watch GCU get their first loss!  Sad!
 

Cross Country Skiing 49 Degrees North and Mt. Spokane

What a beautiful day for a cross country ski lesson! We arrived at the nordic area on 49 degrees north ski area bright and early.  We couldn't have had a more fabulous day.  Mariane and I decided to take a lesson instead of trying to figure things out ourselves.  Good move on our part. We learned a lot. 

Scott was our instructor.  He was so good! He just met us where we were and went from there.  

Mariane and Scott.  I didn't want to disrupt lessons too much to take pictures.  I got a few in!

There is a special area for lessons.  

Scott said he would stay with us as long as we wanted him too.  No time limit.  I think our lesson lasted almost two hours.  Scott headed up to downhill ski and we played around and practiced. Then we headed home.  So, so, so much fun when you somewhat know what you are doing.  The lesson was amazing for sure.  So was Scott. 

Here we are again almost a week later. On our own at Mt. Spokane.  It was windy and cloudy with a couple of inches of new snow.  I started out with a challenge.  I forgot how to put my skis on.  Mariane to the rescue.  I was putting my toe in the wrong spot. 

Practice, practice, practice!

Another great day in God's creation!

Even though the wind was blowing a bit it was just the right temperature for cross country skiing. 

Snow covered trees! Beautiful!

We made it to this clearing and had a snack.  We didn't have a map of the trails so we decided to turn around and go back.  We wanted to avoid getting on a trail we couldn't navigate. 

It was another great day in our journey to learn cross country skiing.  Thank you God for what you created for us to experience! Next week we will go again.