the cheerleaders in action at the homecoming football game

This was homecoming week at South High School and there were all kinds of festivities. The big homecoming games were on Friday night. First, the varsity soccer team played at 5pm. They had an easy win, 5-2. But what was really cool, for us at least, is that the cheerleaders came by in the second half to cheer them on. So, Jude was on the field with Anna and her team cheering them on.

Taking a break at the football game

The main event, of course, was the football game. Marcy and I volunteered to work at the concession stand but they let us out just before halftime so we could watch the cheerleaders perform. They were great.

About to head out for the Homecoming Dance

On Saturday night was the homecoming dance. Anna was really looking forward to it and we bought her a new dress for the occasion. Jude was less enthusiastic (and he declined to have his photo taken) but they went together at around 7:30pm. Anna had a good time but was home by 9:30pm, Jude about half an hour later. Marcy and I used our free night to play backgammon for the first time in decades.

Jude’s official soccer photo

The official photos of the soccer team came out this week. Jude looks great in his varsity uniform.

Jude on the move in the South Varsity game against Eaglecrest

We are in the thick of high school sports season. Jude has one or two soccer games every week. Anna has to cheer a football game every week and of course, she has both high school and Cheer Athletics practice almost every day. It is a busy time for the kids but they are both keeping up with schoolwork and getting good grades.

First family pickleball game at Gates

I have been curious about pickleball for a while and after watching the Blue Zones documentary that featured pickleball as a way to help longevity I decided it was time to give it a try. So, I bought some racquets (paddles?) and we booked a court at our local tennis/pickleball center. All four of us went and while Anna was not all that into it the rest of us enjoyed it. I want to see if it is something we can start to play more often.

Marcy about to do battle under the deck

We discovered a leak in a sprinkler line that ran under the deck. The ground was sinking in one area so Marcy went under to assess the damage today. Under the deck has been a breeding ground for wasps so she got fully geared up for battle. Thankfully, the pest control we did a few weeks back appears to be holding, no wasps were encountered.

On our anniversary hike at Staunton State Park

Today was our 19th wedding anniversary. As we have done the last several years we went into the mountains for a hike. We decided on Staunton State Park this year and we were up bright and early and on the trail by 8:25am. It was a glorious sunny day and we were happy to be at altitude (8,500 – 9,500 feet) to make it a little cooler. We were back home by 2:30pm and then we went for a family sushi dinner. Delicious.

The South cheerleading team at the East vs South football game

On Saturday, it was a full-on South High School sports day. At 11am the South varsity football game vs East was on. But Marcy volunteered to provide refreshments for the cheerleaders on what was a hot day. So, we delivered water bottles, refills and watermelon to the team before they started. It ended up being a bummer of a game but the cheerleaders stayed strong and cheering to the end.

Sunset over the mountains in Colorado Springs for the South vs Rampart varsity soccer game

That evening we drove down to Colorado Springs for the South vs Rampart varsity soccer game. Marcy and I managed a quick Mexican dinner after we dropped Jude off and we were back at the stadium before the 7pm kickoff. It was a great game, in the second half South played the best they had all season but they were unable to score so it was a 1-0 defeat.