Jude getting set to start refereeing

For some time now we have looked forward to when Jude could referee youth games for the Rapids. It is a way to earn money doing something he enjoys. So, he completed a training session with the Colorado Rapids and yesterday was his first day on the job. He had three soccer games back to back in the hot sun. The first game he was shadowing a grownup referee but games 2 and 3 he did by himself with the referee watching. He did really well and most importantly he enjoyed it.

Jude playing with Olive at Anna’s soccer game

After a quick lunch it was on to Anna’s soccer game where her team played really well to win the game. Jude spent most of the game playing with Olive while also cheering on Anna.

At the top of the Manitou Incline

Today, Jude and I were going to do another 14er with one of his friends but the weather looked a bit iffy so we canceled those plans. So, we had a free Sunday and decided to do a family hike. Marcy had been wanting to do the Manitou Incline, a very steep climb just outside Colorado Springs. This was an old cable car track that has been converted into a challenging hike.

Basically, this is a 2,768 step staircase, going up 2,000 feet in about a mile. It was a great workout and we all made it to the top with no problems. We then hiked the 4-mile trail back down to the base. We walked through the really cute town of Manitou Springs where we had a snack before heading home. We all loved it and vowed to make this an annual trip.

In the meantime, since we were going to be gone more than four hours we needed someone to check in on Olive, as that is the longest we like to leave her in her crate during the day. So our neighbors agreed to come get her after her four hour crate time and let her play with their dog. Olive enjoyed her play time, but they told us it took quite a while for her to warm to the idea of staying there. It’s a good experience for her though, as we want her to be comfortable in different settings.