Firsts & Fun

READY TO FACE THE DAY: This morning, I asked the kids to get what they needed to be ready for the trip to West Seattle for their programming class. As we walked out to the car, I couldn't help but do a double take at CJ.

This photo really does capture his essence. He's got his Favorite Book Ever, his favorite pony, and the Guy Fawkes mask he loves to wear. So this is CJ, ready for school.

ANNIVERSARIES: April 12 has a big circle on the space history calendar. It was on this day in 1961 that Yuri Gagarin became the first human to leave the Earth's gravitational pull behind, floating weightless in his capsule as he orbited our planet.

We watched a short video about the historic event.

We also visited the Yuri's Night Web site, and found some fun Yuri finger puppets to make. In case you were wondering, yes, Yuri can do the can can.

April 12 also marks the day the first ever space shuttle launched, in 1981, marking the return to manned spaceflight for the United States in the post-Apollo era. Columbia lifted off from Cape Canaveral with astronauts John Young and Robert Crippen on board. The revolutionary shuttle was the world's first reusable spacecraft.

   PHOTO: NASA

We watched a great NASA documentary from 1981 called "Space Shuttle: A Remarkable Flying Machine."

Looking at the photos and video of the first launch, we were struck by how shiny and new Columbia looked pre-launch. She never looked that way again, as launch, spaceflight and re-entry all take their toll on the shuttle's tiles.

GAME RECAP: Last night we spent 5+ hours at Safeco Field. It was cold and the Mariners lost, but we managed to have lots of fun anyway.

We visited the Moose in his den ...

We went out and said 'hi' to Dave ...

Annabelle saved a run by snagging a long ball over the fence ...

and CJ danced on tables, with the twinkling lights of the city all around.

Too bad the best part of the on field action was the honorary first pitch thrown out by Seahawks superstar Richard Sherman.

Dude threw a perfect strike. The way the Ms' starting rotation is looking, the team might want to think about signing Sherman.