July 2017 - 10 on 10

July was filled with a short vacation in Moab, Utah, at the beginning of the month, baseball, mini-golf, fishing, hiking and summer reading.

July 1- Dead Horse Point State Park. The rock scrambling and the arrow point knife from the Visitor Center were Michael’s favorite parts of the park.

July 1- The townhome unit we rent in Moab has a ping pong table in the garage.

July 2- We went canyoneering and rappelling in Entrajo Canyon with Tiffany of Moab Canyon Tours.

July 2- More ping pong and time at the swimming pool this afternoon.

July 7- Michael (left) and teammate Austin were at the top of the batting lineup. White @ Wisner 6-4.

July 8- We hiked the Boulder Open Space Red Rocks Trail today. We also did some rock scrambling. (This photo was featured in 16 photo grid by @ thecandidclass on Instagram.)

July 14- Michael’s reading J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Two Towers for his summer reading assignment.

July 25- Michael and Dad caught some blue gill at Palmer Lake- none big enough to keep though.

July 26- Baseball practice at Iron Horse Elementary.

July 30- We played mini golf at Family Fun before lunch today.

Thanks for reading! See you next month.

June 2017 - 10 on 10

June went by incredibly fast! Jeannie, Randy and I took a trip to northern Germany from June 3 to June 15. Michael attended two ½ day camps the last two weeks of the month. We celebrated Father’s Day and our 13^th wedding anniversary and Michael’s playing baseball (one game and two practices a week.) Phew!

June 1- Before dinner walk. Chris and I are doing the Cigna Fitness Challenge again this year (06/01-07/13). We need to log an average of 30 minutes of exercise per day at least three days per week for the duration of the six-week challenge to get the monetary incentive. Walking is a fun and easy way to do this and Michael likes to go with us! He and Chris typically toss some type of ball back and forth as we walk.

June 3- Randy, Jeannie and I at our gate at DIA on our way to northern Germany for 12 days! (photo by Jeannie)

June 12- Beach on Langeoog- the third largest East Frisian island. The best way to get around is by bicycle as no cars are allowed on the island.

June 14- Town Hall market square in Bremen

June 14- Jeannie and the Knollennasen sculpture- Loriotplatz near Wallanlagen Park, Bremen

June 17- Michael playing the 18^th hole at Boondocks Parker- the skull gives commentary on your skill (or lack thereof) after you sink your ball. We’ve been playing a lot of mini-golf this summer.

June 18- Happy Father’s Day to this guy! We walked to Panera to pick up some breakfast, spent the afternoon buying a couch, got salads from Woody Creek at the mall for lunch and wrapped up the day with grilled hamburgers and strawberry shortcake for dinner and phone calls with our own dads. Chris snuck in a nap too 😊.

June 19- Us on our 13^th anniversary. Photo by Michael.

June 23- Their prototype noodle bridge held 3.5 pounds and their redesigned bridge held 5.1 pounds. Michael spent this week at Inside/Out- a gifted and talented camp. The half day class he chose was Noodle Bridge Company. (Photos by Chris. I was shooting video. Teamwork!)

June 24- Warming up before this morning’s double header. First game- 16 to 4. Second game 24-0. Michael has been playing short stop and he’s second on the batting line-up. As of last Friday, his team is undefeated!

June 30- Michael’s team won the mock math competition on his last day of Math Camp.

Thanks for reading! See you next month...

May 2017 - 10 on 10

May is one of our two birthday months. Chris' birthday is the 8th, mine is the 12th and Kyle's is the 13th. This year was a special birthday year to me because Kyle turned the age I was when I had him.

May is also always a whirlwind of end of the school year activities. This was Michael's last year of elementary school. He's been at Red Hawk Ridge since kindergarten and we both had a little bit of a hard time saying goodbye.

May 1- Michael received his class’ Respect Award at the High Flyer Assembly this morning. This was his last Red Hawk Ridge assembly. # dster_5th1617

May 8- Happy birthday to Chris! We had dinner at Parry’s Pizza to celebrate.

May 13- Campbell vs Blocher 4-0 and Michael scored! # dstersports2017

May 14- Michael decorated the flower pot and planted the pansy in Sunday School for Mother’s Day.

The card from the boys-

Stuff You Ask Mom: What’s for dinner? What time is it? How come? Why not? When is it my turn? Can I have more? Where is it? Will you read this to me? Can I watch TV? Can I play with this? Do I have to go to bed?

Stuff You Ask Dad: Where’s Mom?

Flowers from Keila and a wonderful text from Kyle rounded out a lovely Mother's Day!

May 17- Michael ran 63 laps at the Fun Run today! # dster_5th1617

May 19- Third Annual Red Hawk Ridge Spring Art Show. The theme this year was A Parisian Salon. The 5th grade G.T. students presented facts about Luxembourg Palace (Michael), the Eiffel Tower, Louvre Palace, Mont Saint Michel, Notre Dame Cathedral, Picasso Museum and Random Facts. After listening to the student's presentation your "passport" was stamped with a potato stamp designed by the student.  # dster_5th1617

May 23- Before dinner walk #ise_walk

May 24- Field Day grand finale is always the tug of war. Michael’s class won their first round but lost in the final. # dster_5th1617

May 26- Today was Michael’s last day of 5th grade and his last day of elementary school. His classroom teacher was Mrs. Risley and his G.T. teacher was Ms. Carlson. # dster_5th1617

May 29- We played the Kennedy Golf Course mini golf Castle Course this afternoon and Michael made his first ever hole in one. # ise_summer

Thanks for reading! Until next month...

April 2017- 10 on 10

Hello again! Here's a quick summary of our April.

April 1- #dsterwithabook The book store was really busy. It’s rainy today- rainy/snowy enough to cancel Michael’s soccer game.

April 8- #ise_walk There were lots of photo opportunities on our walk today.

April 9- #lovebugmax The sun highlighting Max’s lashes

April 15- #dstersports2017 soccer Campbell vs Hossack 2-1

April 16- #SPYlegojerusalem Christian Ed students built a model of Jerusalem as they moved through the Lenten season. Michael’s building was Herod’s Palace (front left).

April 19- Young Ameritowne (Headquarters). Michael ended up being the accountant for the Snack Shop (310 Success Street) instead of the Investment Company & he was super happy.

Young Ameritowne is a “hands-on” lesson in free enterprise including lessons on topics such as: free enterprise, economics, banking, money management, government, communications and philanthropy, how to behave during a job interview (and actually experience one!), job training, ways to save and handle money to make it work for you, become an expert at writing checks.

There are 17 businesses: bank, college, containers, fitness center, investment company, market, medical center, newspaper, parcel service, parts and service shop, radio station, sign and print shop, snack shop, television station, Towne Hall (with elected positions of Mayor and Judge), utility company, warehouse.

April 23- Getting ready for SPY. I don’t think he can live without YouTube and his over the ear headphones.

April 23- SPY Mission Escapes (Room). The boys did the Treasure Hunt room and the girls did the Lunar Escape room.

April 24- Target selfie. I was in a Monday funk so the guys indulged my request for a photo. Cheers me up every time!

April 26- A haircut, dinner from Good Times and Ponyo on DVD for Michael and I as Chris was on a business trip.

Thanks for looking! See you next month...

March 2017 - 10 on 10

Hello there! Here's a brief recap of our March.

March 3- #lovebugmax On the way to the vet. We added a second pain med and he seems to be feeling better.

March 10- Chris and Michael proofing Michael’s weekly letter to his teacher.

March 12- #dsterwithabook On the way to Sunday School

March 14- This bird of prey chose our backyard to eat his breakfast in!

March 16- Musical talent showcase in music class. Working from home makes is super easy for me to pop over to school for fun things like this.

March 16- #ise_walk The baby llama was curious about us. So cute!

March 18- #dstersports2017 Corner kick. Campbell vs Carey. Tie game 1-1.

March 19- Michael's Sunday School class has been constructing Jerusalem out of Legos. His building is Herod's Palace.

March 22- I love how the rhubarb leaves look before they unfurl.

March 29- Target bunny ears headband shenanigans part 1

March 25- Chris' Grandpa Don turned 90 on March 28th and the family had a surprise birthday party for him. (Photo by Jonathan Martz.) I made a short slideshow/video of the party.

Thanks for reading! See you next month!