Fan Appreciation Night

With nothing really going on today, Jeff suggested, last minute, that we go to a Mariners game this afternoon. We'd been meaning to go all season, and just never got around to it. We didn't know until we got there that it was Fan Appreciation Night! Woo Hoo! The prospect of winning prizes always makes for a fun game.

I had a feeling that some of our friends (who also enjoy Mariners games and winning prizes) would be there tonight, too. I was right! Kristie and Colin were there with their daughters (we saw Kristie and Annie before the game), Nancy was just a section away from us (we got to see her towards the end of the game), and Dustin and Cecily were just across from us. I texted back and forth with Cec, but we didn't actually see them.

We showed up early to buy tickets from the box office and try and catch batting practice, and maybe a stray baseball for Marley. Sure enough, after just a couple of minutes, a ball came our way. Jeff had to fight off a lady and her son, and he woke up Amelia (who was sleeping in the carrier on his back), but he got the ball. Marley was thrilled! Then, we learned that some of the balls used during batting practice had a stamp on them. Ours did!

You could show your stamped ball at the prize counter and get a mystery autographed ball. Marley was super excited about this, too. He ended up with David Aardsma, the Mariner's closer who is out for the season (maybe longer) with an injury.  No Ichiro, but exciting, nonetheless.

Later, we got to meet the Mariner Moose. It was hard to get Amelia to turn around for the picture, because she just wanted to keep getting high-fives from the Moose.

Marley made a special request for cotton candy (and chose blue over pink!).

We gave Amelia a little piece, but she wasn't quite sure what to make of it. She just squished it in her hand for a long time, until she finally decided to give it a little taste, at which point she realized that it was something yummy. She asked for more, but Marley had long since gobbled up the entire bag.  The little girl's gonna have to learn to be faster with him for a brother!

Jeff and Marley donned their "rally caps" in the 9th inning, but it was no use, the Mariners lost to the Rangers, 7 to 6.  We didn't win any prizes, either.  Oh well, we still had fun!

We didn't even mind the walk back to our car in the rain. And both kids were so exhausted that they fell asleep in the car on the short drive home.  Go Mariners!