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July Celebrations


We returned from Europe and it's been nonstop since.  Fortunately, for whatever reason, we did not have jet lag on this trip so we were able to hit the ground running as soon as we returned.  Nick came home with us from Spain because he had planned to attend the MLB All-Star game since Seattle hosted this year.   It's a huge event in town that lasted five days. But before all that began, he headed to Oregon to attend a golf tournament with eight other college baseball friends for four days of marathon golfing.  (118 holes of golf, to be exact).


They are a pretty tight group of friends from their college baseball days together at George Fox University in Oregon.   They ended up being a Hall of Fame group of guys, actually.  They were inducted into their college's Hall of Fame in 2021, a very prestigious award. 


Nick returned from Oregon just in time to celebrate his birthday, the first of many in July for our family.  Sometimes it gets hard fitting in our birthday celebrations because so much is always happening in July but we seem to manage.  This year is no exception. 


By this time, the MLB All-Star events had already begun in town and we were out everyday participating in the festivities.




Everybody in our family was attending at least one event of the many, many events. We could actually see some of the activities occurring from our house such as all the small jets landing at Boeing Field bringing in the All-Stars and their families.  Bruce was watching the air traffic activity on his FlightAware on his phone.  He'd never seen so much activity going on.  As we were celebrating Nick’s birthday and eating his favorite barbecued baby back ribs, Bruce would announce each plane and where it was coming from.  They were coming from all major league cities from around the country.  Then Nick,  Jeff, and Bruce would rattle off which All-Star player was on each plane.  That was a fun game to play during Nick's birthday.  Lauren and I just observed. 


I only know of maybe five of the All-Stars... I just don't keep up with it anymore like in 1979 when Seattle also hosted the game.  I knew everyone back then and even got their autographs.  Seattle also hosted in 2001 and I was also into it then because the Mariners had eight players on the team that year, it was a stellar year.  Nick did not mind playing this game on this birthday; a good thing since it basically took up the whole evening because they just kept coming and Bruce kept being amazed at the traffic. 



I'm just glad Bruce was able to pull away from his phone long enough to serve up the ribs!  I'm not exaggerating when I say these guys are slightly obsessed with the All-Stars.  




That night was the MLB drone show which we could see from our house.  That was an amazing show and fun to watch. It went on for about ten minutes and really lite up the sky.  


The next day was the Home Run Derby which again, was another huge event. Bruce and Nick were mainly excited about it because one of Nick's college coaches, Randy Rutschman, was pitching to his son, Adley Rutschman, in the Home Run Derby.  Adley was around 10 years old when Nick played in college and he was the team's bat boy.  All the players were his idols back then.  Well, he grew up and he became a MLB All-Star!  Nick was able to connect with his coach at the All-Star game and they talked for about 10 minutes before he got pulled away.  He's quite the famous guy now because of his son.


                                  

He was so happy to see Nick and they just wanted to keep talking. 


Nick told him about the golf tournament in Oregon and showed him photos of all the players and he loved seeing those. 



Anyway, that was definitely a highlight of the All-Star game.  


Adley Rutschman  did really well during the Home Run Derby even though he was eliminated in the first round because he surprised everyone by switch hitting and then hit seven more home runs from the other side for a total of 27 home runs.  That was a first in the derby.   Everyone was talking about it.  Our Mariner All-Star, Julio Rodriguez, hit 41 home runs in the first round which was also a first but he didn't win, either.  But it was quite the show none-the-less and a very memorable baseball weekend.


And then there was my birthday, not quite the highlight of everything else going on around here but we still managed to squeeze in a celebration at one of my favorite restaurants, Salty's, that is right near our house.  They have my favorite cake that is complimentary on birthdays so this is where I always want to head to on my birthday.  It is a white chocolate mousse cake with raspberry coulis.  Heavenly.


Lauren couldn't make it for my celebration because of work but we are getting together tonight for my birthday present she gave me to see Six, the Broadway musical.   I am really looking forward that.  My sister and her husband celebrated with us at Salty's and it's always such a nice time there and this year it was another beautiful day.  


                                               Happy Birthday to me!



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