Opening Day Baseball

No more T-ball.  Jaymin is moving up into the big league :)  This year all but one of his teammates returned from last year and Team Red Sox got three new players.  It is so fun watching them grow up and play together.  Especially since all but three are in the same class. 

The league needed a few more parents to coach different teams and they begged several of our parent volunteer's to take their kid and go coach a different team but it wasn't going to happen!  Nobody wanted to leave and rightfully so.  We have the best parent coaching staff around.  Lots of experience, professionally and in college.

Thanks to our Coach Mom, Shoshana Joyce, we got last names on their jersey's and first names on their hats.  Don't they look so cute?

Opening day, March 30th.  Coach Andy's son holding the flag for the Pledge of Allegiance.

Coach Renfro is always helping the kids or snapping awesome pictures.  We had a double header this day and his camera wasn't charge for the first game so he let me use his big 400mm lens.  I had fun.  And next up on the wish list is an updated camera (Cannon 5D or 7D) and new lens to be used for all the kids sporting events.

And for the record, Jaymin does know how to tie is own shoe laces but those darn laces NEVER stayed tied, even with a double knot.

Jaymin waiting patiently.  Never easy for 6 year olds ;)

Most of the time they are climbing the fences, playing with dogs, or getting distracted with something while waiting their turn to bat or get back on the field.

There is nothing more amazing then to watch Jaymin hit the ball.  We have been waiting for this year to come so that he could hit coach pitch vs off the T.  Since he's been two years old, he's been hitting waffle balls from Tyler pitching at him and he's always had great hand-eye coordination.  We need to work on his form a bit on keeping the back arm up but Coach Dad doesn't want to change it too much right now because he is hitting "BOMBS."  And when I say bombs, I'm saying he is hitting them far past any of the outfielders.  In fact, he had "home runs" the second game that he received the Player of the Game Ball :)

Jaymin, Jake, & Trey.

Coach Dad reading off positions.

One of the new positions this year with coach pitch is that there is a catcher.  Jaymin got to play catcher one inning and after he told me that that is the position he wants to play when he gets older.  I asked him if that was because it liked playing catcher or if it was because he gets to wear all the cool gear and admittedly it was because he got to wear all the gear.  

Player of the Game!  Red Sox v. Mariners - Jaymin Kerlee - Age 6.5

Renaissance Festival

We took a break from Spring Training and Grammy and Papa took us to the Renaissance Festival.  It was so cool and the kids had loads of fun!  Lots of activities and different rides and very  interesting people who go all out and dress up for the festivities.

Spring Training Snow Birds and Vacation

We finally got to make it down to Tyler's grandfather's house in Apache Junction, AZ!  Gramma Bet's and Papa Lark were staying down there for several months and we were long overdue from seeing them so we all booked a trip down to visit and hit up some Spring Training games.  Little did we know that we would run into my Aunt Karine and Uncle Larry at the first game we were at.  Thanks to Facebook, my sister saw that Aunt Karine checked in at the Stadium and then sent me a text to tell me that she thinks we are at the same game and sure enough, we found them!  The weather could not have been any better.  It was about 90 everyday, a bit hot for the kids, but nice, nonetheless.

Merlin Culver 1924 - 2013

Merlin Eugene Culver passed away in his sleep on January 17, 2013. He was 88 years old.

Merlin was born on June 18, 1924 in Mount Vernon, Washington. He lived his entire life in the Burlington-Edison area. He was a member of the last graduating class of the historic Edison High School in 1942.

He served in the U. S. Marine Corp as an aircraft mechanic from 1942 to 1945 and was stationed in the Solomon Islands in the South Pacific.

He met and married the love of his life Sheila (Sally) Louise Billinge on February 20, 1948. They were married for 56 years.

After the war, he went to work as a truck driver for Skagit County. Then in 1955, he was part of the very first set of employees hired at the then brand new Shell Oil refinery. He retired from the refinery in 1982 at the age of 58. In his retirement life, he and Sally began traveling. They were longtime snowbirds to Arizona (18 years). They also RV'd to Alaska for several fishing trips and visited Hawaii on several occasions as well.

Merlin enjoyed hunting, fishing, golf, basketball, bowling, and baseball. He both shot a "Hole in One" and bowled a perfect 300 game! In his later years, he could always be found watching some sporting event on TV. He was always very well informed about current sports. He very much enjoyed watching his grandchildren and great-grandchildren perform in sporting events.

Above all, he loved his family very much. Merlin and Sally's home at the mouth of the Samish River was the place the family always congregated for holidays, birthdays, and to play on the river during the summer.

He is survived by his son David Culver (Gail), and daughters Vicky Bishop (Malcolm), and Debbie Clark (Larry). Grand children Peter Bishop (Julie), Amy Kelley (Eldon), Tami Karchesky (Chris), Jame Witzel (Ken), Matthew Bishop (Sonia), Tyler Kerlee (Tracey). Great grandchildren: Ken, Beth, and Paul Kelley; Colby and Macy Bishop; Michael, Malcolm, and Nathan Karchesky; Kyle and Dylan Witzel; Mason and Kaleb Bishop; and Jaymin and Rilyn Kerlee.

He was preceded in death by his wife Sally; his parents Leo and Esther Culver; and his siblings Leland, Lloyd, Marjorie, and Robert.

In lieu of flowers donations can be made to Disabled Veterans of America.

Graveside services with full military honors at Bow Cemetery January 24th at 1:30 PM followed by a celebration of life at Burlington Golf and Country Club at 3 PM.

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We celebrated Papa GG / Gramps life last week.  Papa GG was Tyler last living grandparent and he was very close to his Papa.  Growing up, he spent lots of time on the golf course, playing out at their house on the Sammish River, and going to lunch with him. 

The kids and I had planned on going up to visit him the weekend after he passed away so they kids were pretty saddened that the didn't get to spend a bit more time with him.   Feelings aside, the family could not have scripted a better way to go be with the Lord.  He peacefully passed away in his house, in his bed, and in his sleep.  Just the way he wanted.  He is now reunited with the love of his life, Gramma Sally. 

We love you Papa GG and will miss you dearly.

Papa GG loved his roses.  All the great grandkids laid long stem roses on his casket.

All of Tyler's cousins and spouses.  Each and everyone of them are very special and sweet. 

And all the great-grandbabies / second cousins.  The boys out number the girls :) 

Rilyn loves her cousin, Kyle.  I remember when he was Jaymin's age.  How time flies!

These two and their electronics.  Every family gathering they are hip to hip. Caleb and Jaymin