Clearwater Threshers Game

Tonight we went to baseball game of the Single A Affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies, the Clearwater Threshers. What started out as struggling to get 20 people, suddenly turned into a group of 60 plus people in our group. And we not?

For $13, we got all the food and drink we could eat for 3 hours, seats practically on the field, and an amazing fireworks show at the end of the game. (I ate 4 hot dogs in case you were wondering.)

A Shocking Night

I got an unusual phone call on my way home from my softball game last night. Actually, I got three unusual phone calls all saying the same thing. It went something like this;

"Everything is fine, and Melissa is OK, but we she is in the emergency room."

Of course, my mind started to race to a thousand different places, none of which were right. The reason for the ER trip was not one that I expected; Electrocution.

Melissa was working at the pottery studio we own, and using a mixer that mixes up the glaze for the pottery. She went to turn the switch off, and unknown to her, there was a loose wire next to the switch. With one hand on the metal handle and another on the exposed electrical wire, she spent a very scary 30 seconds being electrocuted my the mixer.

She never lost consciousness or blacked out, but with her muscles locked up and unable to let go of the mixer, it was frightening. The ambulance was called and she sat in the ER for several hours. There were no side effects and we were released very late at night.

Melissa will hopefully have plenty of time to rest and recover today. We are going to a baseball game later tonight with a group of 60 plus friends. I am sure the electrical jokes will be flying.

Here was the paramedics coming to pick her up.

First Tooth

It is about time. We have been saying that Braydon will be getting his first tooth "any day" for months. Turns out that "any day" was today. We can feel it and see it coming in on the bottom left. Good times ahead.

Getting Big

Braydon turned eight months old today. We cannot believe it. How is he eight months old already. It will be a year before we know it.

And how is it that he can do this already?

Jimmy Buffett Brings Out the Best In People

I have seen Jimmy Buffett in concert more than 20 times, and have had heavy duty tailgating for the majority of those shows, and it never gets old. We of course brought Braydon to experience his first Buffett Tailgate (which he somehow spelt through), and although it was not the plan, we brought him into the concert as well (which he slept through half of).

The tailgate was memorable as usual, at least for the few sober people there. Good thing we got pictures.

Fruit soaked in vodka and then served with a straw. Only at Buffett.

Although this person will remain nameless, it was that kind on day.

The head band was to keep his ear plugs in.

Sunset and Sangria Kayak Trip

This picture pretty sums up the night pretty well.

(Even though it is not Melissa and I)

As you know, I have been looking forward to this all week, and it did not disappoint. The weather was perfect for a night paddle, the sunset was beautiful and the company was everything we could have asked for.

We had a short paddle to get to a small spoil island and within minutes, the brats were cooking and the sangria was flowing. The only problem with the night was that it didn't last long enough. I could have stayed on that island all night. It was well past dark when we paddled back with three empty bottles of Sangria, so I suppose it all worked out ok.

I cannot wait until we can do this again. In fact, I am going to search for a kayak on Craig's List right now.

Workin' for the Weekend

I have not even started work on Monday, and I am already looking forward to the weekend. Part of it has to do with this being long, tough week at work. More so, it has to do with what should be a great weekend coming up.

Friday night we are going on a Sunset and Sangria Kayak trip to a small key off the coast. This is the pre-party for Saturday's Jimmy Buffett concert. As expected the tailgate group is bigger then last year, which should make for another great time.

Only five more workdays.

Seven Years

Seven Years Ago Today...

Present Day...

To the most amazing, beautiful, brilliant, wonderful, beautiful and caring woman I know,

Thank you for the most amazing seven years I could have ever asked for. They have been everything I could have hoped for and more. I can only hope that our future holds as many great memories as our past.

Arizona: Day 5

Camelback

It was another early morning, but today it was just me. I was up before sunrise for a solo, speed ascent of Camelback Mountain. Camelback is a very popular hike right within the city limits of Phoenix. It is a short 1.2 miles to the summit, and almost all of it on a steep uphill and very rocky trail.

I was glad I got there early seeing as how I got the last parking spot in the parking lot, and I was there before 6:00 AM. By the time I got back to the car around 9, there were literally hundreds of people beginning the hike. I only saw a few dozen on my way up.

Here are a few pictures of the hike.

Only the moon was out when I started the hike.

A beautiful sunrise from the trail.

This is part of the actual trail. Like I said. It was not easy.

On the summit.

Heading back down hill.

This was the scene at the trailhead parking lot. Someone's day didn't start well.

Arizona: Day 3

The Grand Canyon

It was an early wake up call with the alarm going off at 5:00 AM local time, and a long 4 hour drive to the Grand Canyon, but the moment I saw the Canyon, it was all worth it.

The Grand Canyon is known as the Eight Wonder of the World and any hike into the canyon is an iconic one, and The Bright Angel Trail is perhaps more than any other. With an 18 pound baby strapped to my back, a rim-to-rim or river and back trip was out of the question. We left the trailhead at Bright Angel and tried to see how far we could go.

Moving going down was actually slower than coming back up, which is usually the opposite. The reason being that it had just snowed the week before and 75% of the trail we hiked on was covered in snow and ice. The unsure footing while walking on ice with a baby on your back and 300 foot cliffs to your side made for a slow pace. We were able to make it to the mile and a half rest house and decided that would be our turn around point.

Somehow, Braydon gained at least 10 pounds while we were resting because he felt a heck of a lot heavier walking up then he did coming down. Still, we made it back up to the trailhead in just over and hour.

My only wish is that we had more time to explore the canyon. I could fill pages with pictures, but here are some of the better ones.

Arizona: Day 2

Rest and Recovery

After a relatively strenuous day on the trails yesterday, today was a relax by the pool day. It felt good to rest and relax. It was a beautiful day and scorching hot in the sun (but it's a "dry heat", as if that makes it any better), and cool enough that we needed sweatshirts in the shade.

THe highlight of the day however, was visiting my 95 year-old grandmother who lives in Mesa. This is the first time she had met Braydon, and she couldn't have been more excited. Braydon was great and really hammed it up for her.

Here are a few pics from the visit.

Arizona: Day 1

Sedona

We got in pretty late last night, but the three hour time difference worked in our favor. We were able to be up and out by 7 and into Sedona by 9:00.

With Braydon strapped to my back in our new Kelty Baby Backpack, we managed to get in two moderately strenuous hikes. The first to a natural stone arch, and the second to a vortex point.

Here are a few pictures from today.

Ready for the hike.

You can't see it, but there is a 100 foot drop to her left.

Melissa under the arch.

Nice panoramic view.

Braydon and I walking across the top of the arch.

I did all the hiking, and he is the tired one?

A few with Cathedral Rock in the background.