Book 'em

MATH LESSON:  While many/most kids in the Seattle area are returning to school this week, we decided to return to another 'hall of learning,'  namely, Safeco Field. My oh my, how we love that place. :)
                                          
We caught the bus down to King Street Station, and then walked the few blocks to the field.  

I decided that today the kids were both going to keep books on the game. That was a brilliant move on my part as a) they were both totally into it and b) it required all of their attention to the point where they couldn't eat or drink much. :)

Unfortunately, the game was a tough introduction to keeping book as for some in explicable reason, the Ms ace was pitching batting practice this afternoon. It was painful to watch and hard to score, if you were a rookie.

How bad was it? Well, "King" Felix set a record for his worst ERA performance in a game EVER, that's how bad it was. He was done by the third inning. :/ The poor kids were having a hard time keeping up in the books. It was like a Little League game, scoring wise.

Nonetheless, we managed to have lots of fun.  We abandoned our nosebleed seats around the third inning and walked the concourse. We found lots of action out there.

The offensive highlight of the game was Dustin Ackley's homerun. That's what that looked like, from our poached seats in centerfield.

  I treated the kids to a "Fair Territory" deep fried Twinkie. They thought that was the Best Thing Ever. They might be right. ;)

Of  course, we had to stop by and pay homage to Dave Niehaus.  

 My oh my, miss him as much as ever. :/

 I'm so glad CJ and Annabelle had a chance to get to know him (via the airwaves).

They also spied Captain Plastic and Kid Compost on the concourse

And the Moose, too!

BIG BOY: This morning we kept track of the goings on at launch pad at Vandenberg Air Force Base in Southern California, where a United Launch Alliance Delta IV-Heavy was set to launch at 11:03 a.m.

Though it's nowhere near the size of a good ol' Saturn V, the Delta IV Heavy is America's largest rocket presently. It's formed by strapping three Common Booster Cores (CBC's) together to form a massive and powerful triple-body launch vehicle. Today, for the first time, the rocket was launched with its three main engines ignited in a staggered sequence.

We aren't sure what the payload was for today's launch, as the National Reconnaissance Office had it classified. Suffice it to say, Big Brother is watching you more and better now. Check out this amazing photo of the launch from Gene Blevins/LA Daily News.