Enough Rain!

Okay so seriously stop with the rain already! This week M-F we were to have a total of 10 home games. Well today is Thursday and we have not played a game yet! And good news it is over cast and starting to sprinkle again. We had big plans to go on a over night trip to D.L. this weekend but that is looking like a bust because all these games are going to be Friday and Saturday. The area schools are going to have a meeting next Tuesday to decide what we can do to get all these kids back out on the diamonds and tracks. Today , Tanner is going to Maple River for track and Bubba & Dalton are at home vs. Maple River.

The Dish Gala

Papa Cargill called on Tuesday and requested Darin attend the the Second Harvest "Dish Gala" in St. Paul. I thought "OH wonderful a evening out~ Yahoo" then reality set in when we hear it was a formal event. (Yikes, new suit here we come)
Well it turned out to be a wonderful evening. Cargill sponsor the entertainment so we sat front and center for Comedian Tom Papa {host of Marriage Ref & various movies} Hilarious is the only word to describe him. Cargill had three tables for the event with different business units being represented for their work with Second Harvest Food Self.
We sampled foods from 12 executive chefs from the cities. All types of great food from braised short ribs over polenta to crepes with salmon. On each end of the ballroom were ice sculptures that they poured either pomegranate martini's or lemon drop martini's.
Interesting group of people at the Gala and naturally it was fun to people watch. Ladies the small evening handbags are no longer in at these formal events............everyone needs to get huge loud colored bags to go with their little black dresses. They also had a live auction that had 10 items on it and they received $5,000.00 for 2 (yes only 2) tickets to see Tim McGraw in concert with a meet & greet. Once again very lucky to work for Cargill and I hope I remember that the next time the Mill calls at 3 am........... Have a blessed Good Friday!

Sunday at the Lake!

Well we took the plunge......no the water is still too cold! We took the boyz to see our new lake place on Ballintyne Lake we leased. 20 miles for door step to door step and a great view with a large sand beach. Ballintyne Lake is about 12 miles from Mankato. When we were there we saw just one boat out fishing. This week they will get the dock & fire pit set up. Once the dock is in we will be able to take the boat out. It's hard to believe these trailers come with AC /Satellite/Showers and Bedrooms. Long cry from the old pop up camper we use to have! With graduation coming we probably won't get to the lake too much before the 1st of June. But enough times the boyz can figure out where the fish are biting before the Grandparents come to check it out.

Some more images from Dad's auction last week. Not often you can go to a water front auction and purchase high quality farm equipment. Can you believe the old basketball hop from the farm could only bring 2 bucks and a car caddy with some misc tools made in China could bring $15. They obviously didn't realize the Elliott boys used that basket ball rim. The top was worn, but the paint on the inside of the rim (where the ball should wear the paint as it goes through) looked brand new.

Baseball Season got into FULL swing last Thursday with Tabor and the varsity hanging 15 runs on LeCenter/Cleveland and Dalton and the 8th grade team hanging on in the last inning for a 6 to 5 victory. Tabor wears double zero and will be patrolling the outfield for the Raiders this spring. Tabor was 2 for 3 in the opener with a walk, 2 RBI's and 3 runs scored. He was lifted int he 4th inning so the freshman could get some varsity playing time (with no JV game coach brought the freshmen/sophomore with).

Dalton wears #7, just like his favorite baseball player (Joe Mauer) and plays catcher. Dalton will be playing with the 8th grade team and the JV this year, there are seven 8th graders that will be playing up to help fill out the JV along with the 3 freshmen and 1 sophomore, needless to say they will take a few lumps this year on the JV squad, but with 8 seniors on the varsity, these 8th graders will need that JV experience as they will be called upon to play varsity next year.

Tanner has 2 track meets in so far this season and he is enjoying himself. He runs the 800 and what ever relay the coaches ask him to. He ran in the 4X400 relay on Friday and declares anyone that enjoys the 400 as crazy (After telling him his grandpa and uncle John both ran the 400 he was sure he was correct) but it may have had something to do with running the 800 10 minutes before the relay and missing a week of practice due to the Chicago trip and the auction. Looking forward to outdoor track meets as Tanner has been practicing for the pole vault and has been waiting to unleash his new skills after getting some outdoor practice in a real pole vault pit.

Grandpa Elliott's Auction!

Today Grandpa Elliott had his auction sale in Grandin, ND. The weather warmed up to 45* and the people came out!

Darin got the last registered number#220. It will be nice to have Grandpa enjoy retirement! We will post more photos later! Congratulations Grandpa!

Lake Shore property!

Lake shore view.......... okay probably for another week or two. The snow is almost gone and the low spot in the back yard has turned into a lake. Today we got up to 57* but as the day went on it quickly got over cast and windy.

We have added to our hunting family as you can see. Can't wait for the boyz to get home to help name her. Her papered dam name is Bella. But the males in this house think that it is not a good hunting name when we are out in the field. Pete is just tickled to have a friend to chase around. She is a silver weimarnier and has to learn how to be a outside dog in a kennel. She came from a home where they let her sit in on your lap. She gets a bit irritated that every time she sets her rawhide down Pete chows it down. But she's learning and she loves to sit on the deck and watch all the Canadian geese fly by.