September 2017 - 10 on 10

In September, we spent Labor Day weekend in Durango, Colorado, picked apples in Longmont and saw fall leaves in Georgetown. Michael was made captain of his soccer team and Chris’ parents came for a weekend visit.

Friday, September 1- Michael ran 44 laps at the Wolf Run (Challenge School's version of the Fun Run.) He raised $80 for Teacher's Assistants!

Sunday, September 3- We toured the Old Hundred Gold Mine in Silverton, Colorado, and our guide was a former miner! We rode the electric mine train for the 1/3 mile ride 1,600 feet deep into the heart of Galena Mountain. Here we saw the gold vein with tunnels and shafts built by hard-rock miners between 1907 and 1972.

Sunday, September 3- After the mine tour, Michael tried his hand at panning for gold and silver.

Sunday, September 3- Then we rode the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad’s steam train back to Durango. These are the same rails gold and silver ore took on its way to the smelter back in the 1880s. The views in the Animas River Canyon were breathtaking.

Monday, September 4- Michael and I took the ranger led Cliff Palace tour at Mesa Verde.

Monday, September 11- Michael and I stopped by Dad’s on our way home from school and Michael helped harvest some veggies that we got to take home and eat.

Saturday, September 16- Throw in. Atha at Langheinrich 5-1.

Sunday, September 17- We had a 9:30 appointment for apple picking at Ya Ya Farm & Orchard in Longmont. It’s an annual visit we look forward to every year.

Saturday, September 23- We went to see fall leaves at Georgetown’s Guanella Pass. It rained (and snowed!) the entire time which made for interesting pictures and a not so fun drive home.

Friday, September 29- Michael had his first ever student led parent/teacher conference. He did a great job!

Saturday, September 30- All four grandparents were at Michael’s soccer game today!

Thanks for looking! See you next month…

August 2017 - 10 on 10

August saw the end of baseball season and the beginning of fall! soccer season. August was also the beginning of a new school year for Michael- 6th grade (middle school!) at Challenge School.

Tuesday, August 1- Challenge School check in day. School starts on August 14th. I can’t believe summer is almost over!

Thursday, August 3- My nephew Ben with a turtle he, Dad and Michael unintentionally caught in a pond just south of Loveland. Dad said every time they tried to get the hook out of the turtle’s mouth he would pull his head back into his shell so Dad just cut the line and let him keep the hook. (Photos taken by Ben and Dad with Dad’s flip phone.)

Tuesday, August 8- Dad and Michael planned to go fishing at Jefferson Lake (just on the other side of Kenosha Pass) this morning but as they were walking looking for a spot on the lake part of the path gave way sending Dad down a 15-20 foot rock strewn hill. He has severe facial/head lacerations and needed 8 staples, 12 sutures inside, 36 sutures outside plus 1 stitch on his left index finger. Michael said they went back to the ranger station and a search and rescue team helped until paramedics arrived. The paramedics did what they could and then Dad drove himself to the ER at Littleton Adventist Hospital. Michael called me at 12:46 from Dad’s phone in the ER room. As horrible as this is, I’m incredibly grateful as it could easily have been so much worse. He’s going to have one heck of a scar though. Michael is the bravest boy. He kept his stuff together and helped his grandpa. *Note- I saw Dad yesterday (September 9) and his scar actually doesn’t look too bad! It seems to have healed really nicely.

Thursday, August 10- Popsicles with Teachers. We met Michael’s teachers, figured out where he lines up before school and how Before & After care works after school. School starts Monday!

Friday, August 11- 11-year checkup- 4’ 11”, 80 pounds and 3 vaccinations. Michael’s old enough to fill out his own questionnaire.

Sunday, August 13- Michael’s baseball banquet/pool party was tonight at the Creekside Rec Center in Stroh Ranch (Parker).

Monday, August 14- Michael’s first day of 6th grade and his first day at Challenge School. It went well. He had a group of kids to eat lunch with and then they played basketball.

Wednesday, August 16- Back to school night.

Sunday, August 20- If there’s a rock (real or manmade), Michael will climb it. We continued to play mini golf this month. This is one of the holes at the Family Fun course.

Saturday, August 26- Atha @ Lewis 7-1. Michael was disappointed he didn’t get to play any offense.

Thanks for reading. See you next month!

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...