Making the best of a baseball weekend

Alex's baseball team was having a double header on Saturday, May 31st on Orcas Island. With the ferry schedule and the waits, we decided to make the most of it and go over Friday night and stay for two nights. The Sager Family did the same thing and we booked two condos at Smuggler's Villa Resort. The resort itself is great, just across a canal from a small airport and right on the water it was a great place to stay. A nice pool area, a communal fire pit for roasting smores, and condos with their own decks.

We kind of got a late start to dinner so by the time we got back from dinner this was all of the sunset we got Friday night. This is the view from our deck of the condo.

Hanging out on the deck of our condo.

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Saturday, May 31st the team had two games against the Orcas Island team. Even though we won the first game the Orcas team provided lunch for all of the players and their families. Perhaps it was the turkey dogs that slowed our boys down because they got whooped in the second game.
Kevin pitching.
Alex playing 1st base while Kevin pitched.
Alex usually plays 3rd base.

Steve was the unofficial scoreboard keeper.

After spending all day at the baseball field watching Alex play, Nicole was ready for some fun in the pool.

Kevin, Kelsey and Alex played "ball" in the pool, while the parents watched on. The water was too cold for the parents to go in. But the kids had fun.

Having missed the sunset the night before we made it back from dinner in time to sit at the tip of the breakwater and watch the sunset. It was gorgeous.

Nicole and the setting sun.

I took so many sunset pictures, it was just beautiful!!

Alex
Alex waving to a plane coming in for a landing.

Kevin, Alex, Kelsey, Korey and Nicole watching the last of the sun.

After a long day of playing baseball, playing in the pool, and having smores by the fire, the kids weren't done. They decided to sleep outside. Here they are taking all the cushions from the deck chairs and setting up a "bed".
Nicole helped.

Nicole so badly wanted to sleep out there too, she didn't last 10 minutes.

Kelsey and Alex, getting ready to brave the elements and sleep outside. They raided every blanket and comforter in the condos.

Sunday morning------ I can't believe they made it all night, and it didn't rain.
I thought for sure they would eventually come inside, but they didn't. They were a lot hardier than I gave them credit for. The evening cloud cover kept the dew away too.

Our baseball kids

Waiting her turn to bat.
Swing and a miss.......

Nice hit Nicole.

She runs just like Marcus did.
So cute.

Watching a ball go by.
Waiting for a good pitch.
Chatting with his good friend Kevin.

Last band concert of the year

Every year in May the Mount Vernon Schools get together for an all school band concert. Since Alex was in 5th grade playing the trumpet we have been going to these concerts. In the 6th grade he played the trumpet and the saxaphone. In 7th grade it was back to only the trumpet. Then in 8th grade, when the wonderful Mr. Wagner came to the school he shook things up a bit and asked Alex to play the tuba. He played the tuba in concert band, but kept up the trumpet in jazz band. Now what all those band kids strive for has come.....playing in the high school band.

Snappy dresser.

The Mount Vernon High School concert band. It is always fun to hear the 5th graders start, and end with the high school band. It really shows what great progress they all make, and can strive for.

The tuba section. Alex is using the borrowed "piece of crap". They only have two concert tubas, so had to borrow this third one for the concert.
Hey, he's gotten taller! He doesn't have to stretch his neck out to reach the mouth piece anymore.
Our tuba player.

Birthday BBQ at Rick's

Rick's birthday is May 25th, so he had a BBQ at his house for himself and several other people who's birthday was around that time too. The weather was awesome!

Josh, Alex and Jacqui. Alex and Jacqui look like their having such a good time!
"How's that burger, Josh?"
Rick and Barbie cooking the hamburgers.

Me and my brother.
Bruno and Jerry Dronen
Rick
The original gang, all hung out together in high school. Vince Stone, Rick, Jerry Dronen, and Bruno. I met Bruno, almost 24 years ago (in Sept) at Jerry Dronen's house. He was having a house party and I went with Rick. The rest is history.

Alex and Kailah playing Boingo Ball. (or whatever it's called)
Look at that girls form!
Josh, Bruno playing Bocci Ball.
Bruno explains to Nicole how the game works. Josh and Rick concentrate.

Nicole wanted in the yard to play with Jacqui's goats. I thought that was very brave of her, until I realized she just really wanted to play on the toys.
A boar goat and a pygmy goat butt heads. Jacqui has about 40+ goats, with more expected to be born the next month or so. I have to say, they are awfully cute when their little.
The bigger boar goats followed Nicole around.

Working around the house

Bruno and Marcus worked on Marcus' car. His car went up in steam on the 10th on his way down to Everett for his Saturday aviation class. Once home it was determined a belt for the cooling system broke, along with a tensioner wheel. New parts ordered.
Three Satruday's later it's still not working. The breaking of the belt was only one thing of a chain reaction. We are currently on our third parts order and are hoping a new expansion tank and radiator cap fixes everything. Marcus is wanting his car back!

Forecast called for some showers over Memorial Day weekend, but all we got was sunshine! So on Saturday before we went down to my brother's, we did stuff around the house.
I planted my sweet peas, which I'm hoping will grow well there and the sweet smell will come in through the open kitchen windows. I love sweet peas!

Aviation Academy Graduation

Marcus has been talking with interest in flying for the Navy or Air Force. Paine Field in Everett puts on an Aviation Academy for young kids. It's a first-come first-serve basis so you get your application in quick and hope you get picked. Marcus signed up, and got in the program. It was a six week program where he had class two nights a week in Everett, and special tours on Saturdays. At the end of the program they get to fly up in a small plane. May 17th was graduation.

Here is Marcus getting his certificate. Bruno went with him, it was a beautiful sunny day. (We haven't had many of those this spring!) There were other things going on at Paine Field that day, it was a big "Aviation Day". There were lots of other planes, car shows, and people getting rides in planes.

Here's Marcus getting ready for his flight. This plane was 40 years old, but in great shape. It was a Beechcraft something-or-other.

There they go.

Landing.

Marcus did get to take control of the plane for a little while up in the air. He got to make some turns.

On the ground.

What's next Marcus? He's sending for additional information to a college called Embry/Riddle in Prescott, Arizona. It's the top Aeronautical University in the country, and it has an Air Force ROTC program. Closer to home, Central Washington University also has a great Aeronautical Program. He's studying hard for his SAT's, so we'll see what happens.

Junior Prom Night

Wow! It's hard to believe our "little" boy is going to Prom. Marcus and his date, Jana, are meeting 8 other kids and going together to Prom. The Prom is in Bellingham at the Majestic Dance Hall.
You can't even see his eyes, his hair is so long.

Off he goes. Have fun Marcus!!