My dad got to visit us at the end of March. My parents took turns, since they both work for a church in Iowa they couldn't be away at the same time. Of course, now that they've been, they're determined to come together next year for a winter vacation for, like, two weeks.

Michael had a lot of fun with his Papa, but I'm still hearing about how he and Papa went to the baseball game and the park. Before Clark came home, my dad, Michael, and I went to a Cubs vs. White Sox spring training game. Michael had SO much fun. Playtime with Papa was pretty much the center of his world.




As for the park, my dad watched Michael while Clark and I got a movie-date in and they went to the park for a very long time.

Other than that, we all had a lot of fun. We got to go hiking, just hang out, and try some of the local foods that we hadn't just yet... and some that we had. I mean, who can come out West and not go to In-N-Out?

If you hadn't noticed on Instagram or with previous posts, we've been enjoying some baseball. The great thing about where we now live is we are in the midst of spring training and just 30 minutes or so from Chase Field.

Clark and I both grew up loving baseball. He played when he was younger, and my dad took me to Rigley Field (and I played softball as a child). But I wasn't one to watch the games on TV (a little boring if you ask me), and I just didn't see following sports as a priority otherwise (I still don't, if I'm being honest). But now that we're here, there's really no excuse not to enjoy the game up close. Tickets are so reasonably priced and we're so close. Why not make it family fun?

The last day Clark left Michael had been asking to go to a baseball game after looking at pictures of him and Papa at the Cubs game we went to. Sadly, spring training was over, and we're not Diamondbacks fans, but then I remembered that the SF Giants were still playing in Phoenix. The Giants, thanks to my sister and her husband, is our new "family team". It was Clark and Michael's first pro-baseball game, even if it was spring training. While I know the Giants have a WAY better chance at going all this way than the Cubs (since the Cubs haven't won a world series in, like, over 100 years), I'm still a Cubs fan at heart. It was a my first game, and something special I always got to share with my dad.

I digress.

I bought last minute tickets to the SF Giants at Diamondbacks game. Even last minute the tickets were reasonably priced and we were on the First Base line and everything! It was so exciting, and Michael made it to the seventh inning stretch, which was the goal since it was a PM game.

Now, what you've been waiting for, the pictures. By the way... the Giants won... go figure.

" A portrait of my child, once a week, every week in 2014. "
My dad is visiting this week and we got to take him to the Cubs vs. White Sox spring training game. Michael loved being at the ball game with his Papa. After getting ice cream, pistachios (we brought them in place of peanuts), and popcorn, the boy was set. Did I mention Papa bought him the shirt and the hat? He's trying to bread a Cubs fan, considering when the See You There crowd was here we were rooting for the Giants. Sadly, I think Clark is stuck on rooting for the Giants. Something about the Cubs and my first game being at Rigley field, though, has me hoping that Michael might just root for both of them.

Part of Practising Simplicity's 52 Project.

One reason I'm so thankful for our move is we're clearly in a prime spot for family to visit right now. I mean, they're all facing snow... and here we are in our own little oasis.

At the end of February/beginning of March my sister from See You There and her family came to visit. We had the best time possible. I'm so thankful Michael is going to grow up being BFF's with his cousin, Maile.






Sadly, the only group picture we got was at the zoo, and my scanner is being dumb. But I promise, my sister was there. I can prove it, because she took all these pictures except the one of me and Maile.

We had a lot of adventures, but my favorite was definitely the baseball game. We saw the SF Giants play the Arizona Diamondbacks, and let's just say the Giants may have some new fans.

" A portrait of my child, once a week, every week in 2014. "
Last week my sister (author of See You There) and her family were visiting. We all went to a SF Giants Spring Training game against the AZ Diamondbacks. Michael and Maile took their turns napping throughout the game, and when they were awake at the same time near the end-- they held hands. Perfect picture op, even if it was with my iPhone.

Part of Practising Simplicity's 52 Project.