Dallin is 4 months old!

Dallin could be a very serious boy. Ross is a WSU Coug fan hence Dallin's shirt

Father-Daughter trip to the M's game on Saturday
Mama let Emeline and I go the Mariners/Minnesota Twins game on Saturday 28 August 2010. I like to go to at least one game of a different sport each year, which with our busy lives, it's about all I can spare. People who know me probably wouldn't believe that I would write such a thing!
Because it's only one game, I like to make the most of it. Being that the M's are in last place, and were still in a down economy, I like to drive a hard bargain when it comes to tickets from street sellers (read: "scalpers"). This year, I demanded a 2 for 1 deal, at face value. The couple of scalpers I talked to were puzzled at my request, and blew me off. Not to be foiled, I went from one corner of the stadium to another, looking for someone with spare tickets. Just as I was able to give up, and get nose-bleed seats, I saw a youth walking by. He was about 11 or 12 years old, and he had just rebuffed a scalper, who probably wanted him to practically give them his spare pair. I caught up to him, and we negotiated a deal. These box seats, which retail for $130 a pair on game-day, were sold to me for $45. Better than a two for one. Our good fortune didn't end there.
I could see from his description and the specs that these were good seats. Emeline and I eventually arrived there, and found that these were awesome seats! We were on the third base side, first row behind the camera well. The visitor dugout was four seats to our right, and we were close enough to truly heckle the players (While I've always dreamed of this moment, I was caught off-guard. Not only are the Twins in first place in the Central Division, but I hardly know any of the players enough to really get under their skin.)
In the top of the fourth inning, Twins DH Jason Kubel was up to bat (He replaced aging star Jim Thome, out with back tightness). Kubel hit a foul down the third base line, which Twins third base coach Scott Ullger picked up and tossed to Emeline (With Dad assisting in catching, although I dropped it.) Thus, at 3 and a half years, Emeline Tess has her first ever Major League baseball. But, as they say in infomercials: "But wait, there's more!"
Just before the start of the bottom of the seventh inning, Mariners third base coach Lee Tinsley tossed Emeline a practice ball, her second baseball of the game! Most people go their whole lives without getting a baseball during a game, but Emeline manages to get two. (The author managed to snare a foul ball, on the fly, from Mariners back-up catcher Joey Oliver, at a game at the former beloved Kingdome in '98. *Sniff* May the 'Dome rest in peace). I guess when your a gorgeous, blue-eyed girl in a Mariners jersey, these things happen.
Of course, being this close to the action puts you on edge. There were a couple foul balls that whistled over our heads at a high rate of speed. I had to be ready to block a foul ball with my chest, if needed.
It also provided some humorous moments. There were a couple of teenage girls sitting on our row, close to the dugout. A bat boy for the Twins gave them each a ball (I couldn't tell if it had his number or email address on them.) That is a great way to pick up women! I'm not sure this would have worked on Kimberly, though, she's more of a Shakespearean traditionalist.
The Mariner Moose, our fine mascot since his birth in 1990, even waved to Emeline, between dance moves on the dugout. She was a little shy, since she's always asking about "Cool Bird", the mascot for the Seattle Thunderbirds, our semi-pro hockey team.
Even though the M's lost 1-0, it was a very memorable afternoon. Also, the events staff for the M's were great, and one member gave Emeline a Mariner Moose trading card. She loves that card, and likes to show it around. Special thanks go to the coaches mentioned above, for giving a toddler some neat souvenirs to bring home to Mama.

Emeline was thrown 2 balls