spring...

so this time of year is absolutely the best in arizona. the weather is perfect, the skies are as blue as they possibly can be and the sound of baseball is in the air. it is spring training season and here we have the diamondbacks. i grew up with a love for baseball but one that is not easily satisfied by sitting so far away that you cannot see the names on the back of the jerseys. i grew up with the blessing of grandparents with season tickets to the houston astros. their seats were the best there were. they were the first two seats behind home plate. i grew up being able to see and hear baseball up close and personal. that being said, i have come to love spring training time around here.

last saturday after we had breakfast we headed down to the fields. of course since it was the first day that all players were to report the practice didn't start till 1pm. that being the case we ran a couple of errands, picked up lunch at in and out burger (the best burger joint in existence) and then had a picnic next to the baseball fields. while we were waiting we could see some pitchers and some of the pitching staff out in the outfield warming up. anna was just sitting in her stroller enjoying a tasty burger when a coach started crossing the field. i didn't think anything of it until he walked right up to anna and handed her a baseball. it was really sweet. it isn't like we were the only ones there either. the funny thing is- the monday before ross, the girls and i all went over to the fields while henry was at school (ross has president's day off) and jeff francis gave her a baseball too. she is pretty cute and i think attention like she had last week is going to definitely instill in her a love of baseball.earlier in the month i was able to go on a field trip with henry's class. i have this strange desire to go to factories where things are made so that i can see how it is all done. well our state is not really one that hosts many such places. however there is a local dairy farm about and hour and a half away that we visited.

**side note- when driving through the lower portion on new mexico there are many dairy farms that made me want to boycott such products. they were too crowded and they smelled foul. the idea of visiting a dairy farm (pregnant, none the less) was a bit daunting.

shamrock farms is phenomenal! it was clean and well organized. i was really impressed by the set up that had and i am now a buyer of shamrock farms dairy products. on the tour of the farm we stopped at the calf nursery so that the kids could meet some of the calves. henry enjoyed feeding one but when the calf would try to nurse on his fingers he'd get a little freaked out. the kids even had the priveledge of naming one of the girls. shamrock farms is now the care giver and owner of one cow named Cherry Rose.
ross was the brave one who put daph's hair in pig tails for the very first time and once again he braved it with anna. here is the evidence. sorry it is blurry but that child doesn't sit still for long!
we are sure to have some new pics next week. ross and henry are heading north this weekend to see texas ranger spring training up in surprise! henry is already packed and ready to go. they are calling it their "man's weekend". there won't be pics of our "girl's weekend" since they will have the camera but we plan to go get pedicures and ice cream and then watch a little cinderella.
fun times are sure to be had by all!! have a great weekend!