Returning Home, Return to Family

After being on East Coast time, we had some children waking up at better times, so we wanted to document that they were up before we went to work!

Making Hello Fresh dinner with Qi'ra taking great interest.

We had just washed and dried these clothes before we realized we would need to do it all over again...Wrecker!

Garrett is ready to go to his EMT class in Turlock.

 

The Ghost Arrives

The HasLab project the Ghost was long anticipated and often delayed, but finally the finished project arrived mid January when Joy stayed home to sign for the package, which was QUITE LARGE.  Brett saved the opening until the boys were all home.

The inside details are amazing!

That is a big ship.

Putting it together from all the separate parts.

So where you going to put it...

 

Ignite '25

This year, Bryce was at the Training Center for PI orientation, Griffin was there for Ignite Media Prep, and Garrett was there as one of the liaisons for the Intern Team and preparing to be Staff Coordinator at Ignite.  So Brett and Joy had four nights with no kids at home before flying together to Tennessee to be with the boys at the Cedine Conference Center.  It was a great 4 days of watching Bryce bond with the PI team, Griffin work wonderfully with the tech team, and Garrett lead and grow.  We brought Bryce and Griffin home with us at the end of the conference.  Garrett would come home 5 days later.

Bryce was the Scuba Diver MC for the Student Leader Party.  Brett's wetsuit from HS lives on!

Bryce and Elijah co-MC the party.

Brett was asked to share in the 10x10.

Kelsea and Garrett share about their interns.

The whole lineup of 10x10s that Brett was asked to be a part of.

Snow flurries made some of us nervous of a repeat of the year before.

Bryce and the PI team presented, "I hate to wait."

Kelsea and Garrett talk to the PI parents.

A moment to take a picture in the middle of the Western themed party.

The whole family collected.

Brett was volunteered into the Dad skit where he played the hero.

Joy successfully lassoed the cow, Maciah.

The ORAD team:  Griffin, Jake, Bryce.

Ok it is a little cold out, but we are moving on to the tournament.

Griffin working on the tech team.

Emily, Bryce, and Lydia present their RTS stories.

Stars of the tech team.

Griffin taking b-roll during the event with Garrett on the right.

Joy and the ladies:  Anna, Carrie, Linda, Stephanie, and Gosia.

We found our son, Bryce, had to take a picture.

Joy gives her evaluator orientation.

Sunset over the lake.

Jonah, Bryce, David, and Abram.

Tech team bonding.

PI team bonding:  David, Averi, Bryce, Kate, Lydia, Emily, and Priscilla

Bryce with his traditional PI scarf.

Game night at the Training Center in TN.

Snow day in TN with the team.

Madeline talks while Garrett and Bryce are listening to the instructions.

Bryce and Kate listen as the PI team listens to each share.

Bryce, Lydia, and David ponder the PI question.

Team bonding.

We got to the Training Center for PI orientation and then we found out we had a surprise tournament?

 

Big League Coaching Camp

The Athletics cancelled their fantasy camp this January which left the players as free agents and old friend Bill Laskey, whose camp Brett had gone to with the Giants in San Francisco a few years back, stepped in and offered to take any A's refugees at his non-denominational camp.  Brett helped recruit three other A's refugees to join him at camp and then they were blessed with Shooty Babitt coming down to coach their mixed team.  Brett's team started out well, winning their first six games of the week, only to lose the final game.  Brett mostly played third base at camp this year, making quite a few plays, including one charging off-balance throw to get an out at first.  He pitched a couple of games, played shortstop, and also spent some time in centerfield where he robbed a loud hit in the right centerfield gap.  At the plate, he took a couple of at-bats from the left side which included a single up the middle and a pop out to third.  A highlight was scoring from first base on a hit in the gap with Tim Flannery (Giants third base coach during 2010-2014), waiving him home and running to the plate with him.  

A picture with the coaches:  Steve Scarsone, Mark Davis, Bill Laskey, Brian Harper, Scott Garrelts
Rob Deer, Shooty Babitt, Joel Youngblood, Brett, Tim Flannery, Mike Felder, Gary Davenport

Solo batting pose picture.

Fielding form.

Bob Brenly was a special guest on Tuesday.

Willie Wilson was a special guest on Wednesday.

Stirring some controversy, Brett wore his Giants jersey for game 3.

Meeting time with all the campers.

Lining a ball up the middle.

Discussing strategy with Bruce before going up to bat.

Robbing a long drive in centerfield.

After a sliding catch in the infield, Brett tries to double up the runner at first.

Backing up Chris at 3rd who made the play.

Tim Flannery gave a concert on Wednesday night with Rob Deer playing harmonica.

It was inevitable that Brett would be brought up in Kangaroo Court...

Putting sunscreen on before the game.

Our mixed team with A's, Giants, Bluejays, and non-denominational others.

Lacing a single to left-center.

Fielding a ball at third and making the throw across the diamond.

Pitching with a battle to win.

Swinging it left-handed.

Scoring from first on a dapper with Tim Flannery waiving him home.

Line drive to center.

Slapping the tag down at third base.

Stealing second base.

Catching a pop up at third.

Rounding third and heading home.

Clutch Joe walked off one of our wins for us.

Coach Steve Scarsone.

Captain Joe H, our reliable first baseman.

Hard hitting Chris Cotone.

Sometimes distracted with job interviews during the week, Dan B.

Fellow valley folk and ROY for camp, Jeff.

Previous A's teammate and champion, Arne.

Had a visit from Gino at camp and got a picture with Shooty before our night out.

A's refugee picture:  Gino, Shooty, Arne, Jeff, Brett.

Talking memories of years past with Gino and Arne.

Our catcher and Georgia native, Rich.

The four A's refugees:  Brett, Arne, Bruce, and Jeff.  Often the anchor of our defense.