Anna and Marcy get ready for their bike ride over the Golden Gate Bridge

Anna turned 9 a couple of weeks ago and like we did with Jude, Anna got to go on a big trip to celebrate. She decided on San Francisco. So, on Friday right after school Marcy and Anna headed to the airport. Anna wanted to ride a bike over the Golden Gate Bridge, so on Saturday morning they rented bikes and did just that.

Anna kicking back on their tandem bike

They ended up on this epic 22 mile bike ride from Fisherman’s Wharf, across the Golden Gate Bridge to Sausalito and around to Tiburon. There they caught the ferry right at sunset back to Pier 41.

Sunset behind the Golden Gate Bridge from the ferry

Today, they walked to Chinatown where they saw how fortune cookies were made, had freshly made pot stickers and enjoyed the shops. And then they caught the open air bus to see many of the other sites of the city.

Anna with her Chinatown purchases in Golden Gate Park

Meanwhile, Jude had a sleepover with a school friend on Friday night. It was strange having the whole house to myself for the first time in over a decade. Saturday, after I picked Jude up we played some soccer in the park and then went to play mini golf.

Jude at the Halloween-themed Colorado Journey mini golf course

Today, was all about sports. Jude and I watched Arsenal play soccer in the morning. Then he had his soccer match, where he played really well even though his team lost. We came home and watched the Broncos game and then this evening went to our local sports bar to watch the first half of Sunday night football. Jude loved it.

Anna and Jude with their giant fortune cookies from San Francisco

Anna and Marcy returned home tonight from their trip. Anna loved telling us about her adventures and showing off the things she bought including these huge fortune cookies.

Anna doing her daily cello practice with a great morning hairdo.

It was a short school week with the kids on a four day weekend for Fall break. I was in London for our annual Europe conference and I missed the first snowfall of the season with a couple of inches falling on Monday. We decided not to go away for the long weekend and just have some time at home. But before the weekend, on Thursday night, we went to see Jude’s fifth grade play, The Ramayana. They have been working on it for over a month and it came together quite well. Jude did great. He nailed all his lines and was confident throughout.

Jude doing a monologue in his school play

On Friday the kids had a busy day. They went to the zoo in the morning and out to Chatfield Botanic Gardens for the corn maze in the afternoon where they also had some other fun activities. Saturday was soccer day with Jude playing early and Anna playing late. By the time Anna’s game came around it was cold and very windy. I think it was the windiest it has ever been for a soccer game so Anna was dressed for it, while the parents all froze on the sidelines.

Anna playing soccer on a cold and windy day

Sunday was a beautiful day, although it started off quite chilly. We had decided to go for a hike but we waited until the afternoon when it was warmer. We found this beautiful hike, less than 30 minutes from our house. It was a solid 5+ mile hike gaining over 1,000 feet of vertical that took over three hours. The kids did great and I found myself not even able to keep up with them on the way down.

Hiking at Mt. Galbraith Park in Golden

We promised the kids ice cream if they completed the hike. So, after dinner we went to Glacier where Jude had his new favorite: a root beer float.

Jude enjoying his root beer float at Glacier

Reed and Jude singing Happy Birthday to Anna

As usual we had been building up to Anna’s birthday as soon as the month turned to October, Anna’s birthday month. We got an early start to the real celebrations as Marcy baked a carrot cake yesterday and with Reed doing a sleepover at our house we decided to start on cake last night. It was delicious.

Anna woke up early on her birthday and was greeted with lots of presents (it is still dark outside)

We wanted to get an early start on Anna’s birthday because Jude had a soccer game at 9am and Anna wanted to do go-kart racing which also started at 9am. Anna and Reed were up well before dawn with Anna understandably excited. She opened her presents and then it was off to “berries and cream” (Original Pancake House) for breakfast. We used to go here for birthdays when the kids were little but it has been a few years.

Blowing out her pancake candles at breakfast

After breakfast we went our separate ways with Anna and Reed heading to Unger Racing for a morning of go-kart racing. They have both done this several times before and it is what Anna really wanted to do on her birthday. They had a blast going around in four different races.

Anna leading with Reed in hot pursuit

Unfortunately, I had to leave around lunch time to head to the airport. We have our Europe conference starting in London on Monday and I had to leave. Anna and I were both pretty sad about it but I was grateful to celebrate at least half her birthday with her.

[From Marcy]: In the afternoon Anna had her soccer game where they won the game, and then she got to go home with a teammate for an impromptu playdate.

On Sunday the celebration continued for Anna when a friend invited her to go zip-lining in Castle Rock. It worked out very well, since Jude’s team made it to the tournament final and had a game at 1pm. They played a great game, but lost to come in second place. We went out for ice cream after the game though, and the kids really did have a great time.

Anna makes pancakes now all by herself

Anna has been mixing the batter on pancakes for years. But today she did all the steps by herself – she got out all the ingredients, plugged in the griddle and poured the batter on. And of course she flipped. The end result: delicious. Anna likes to cook and we love this newfound skill.

Walking by the Australian Embassy in Washington DC

I was on a business trip this week to Washington DC and San Francisco speaking at two different events. It is the first time I have ever flown coast to coast, the funniest thing was I flew right over Denver on my way to SF.

Anna getting a cute new look

This weekend Jude’s soccer was canceled but Anna had her game and her team had another good win. Then I took Anna to get her haircut where she got a bit of a new look. Very cute in my opinion. Saturday night Marcy and I had a date night – we went to a “Grease” themed school fundraiser at a garage. It was actually really cool with a lot of old 50’s, 60’s and 70’s cars.

Jude and me going through his lines for his fifth grade play

Today was a quiet day. we stayed home and I even got to read the newspaper. I made some green chili, we went to the gym and watched the Broncos game. Jude had to learn his lines for his school play but, ever the procrastinator, he left it until Sunday night. But we spent an hour helping him practice his lines and by the end of it all he had pretty much memorized everything. Their play is in 10 days.

Anna showing Marcy all the little people and creatures she has made out of clay

Fall has arrived here in Colorado. We have had snow in the high country and it has been a cold and grey weekend here in Denver. The kids got off school at lunch time on Friday and Jude was invited to a sleepover birthday party so we were a three person household on Friday night.

Both kids had soccer on Saturday morning and it felt like winter sitting there watching them play. We had to split up again as the times clashed so I took Jude this time and Marcy took Anna. They both had good games with Anna setting up a goal and Jude scoring one for the third game in a row.

By the time we got home from soccer it was raining and it pretty much stayed that way for the rest of the weekend. It didn’t really bother us. It was nice to hang out at home and not do much. Anna was into her crafts this weekend spending several hours creating little people and creatures and playing imaginary games with them.

Anna jumping in the rain

Anna had her friend Reed over for a playdate and they put together this big Halloween house that Marcy had bought at Michaels. That took them most of the afternoon, then they decided to play in the rain. After Reed went home Anna continued to splash to in the rain. Somehow she pulled out the old paddling pool and put it under the gutter so it filled with water. Then she had a blast just jumping up and down for a few minutes. Needless to say it was straight inside for a hot bath shortly thereafter.

Today, we went to the gym and then watched some football. Jude and Anna both had another playdate this afternoon and I had to go to the airport for a flight to DC.

Anna’s soccer team celebration with their trophies

For the second Saturday in a row we had a conflict with the kids soccer. So, this time I went with Anna and Marcy went with Jude. Anna’s team had a hard-fought 1-0 win and then the team went out for a team lunch. The coaches of Anna’s team are awesome. They organized trophies and certificates for all the kids on the team and they had a lovely presentation where each kid was made to feel special.

Anna’s soccer team playing on the DU soccer field

That night Anna’s team was invited to be ball girls at the DU Women’s soccer game. They were also able to have a short scrimmage on the field during half time. The girls all thought this was really cool and they enjoyed being part of the action. But in the end being a ball girl was not that much fun. It was cold and most of the time they just stood there as the action was elsewhere on the field.

Anna and Reed enjoy the resurrection of the hammock

Today, we did some work around the house. We organized the garage and then put the hammock up – it has been sitting in our garage since we moved in.

Jude riding the mechanical bull at Jumpstreet

This afternoon I met up with my good friend Rich to watch the Broncos game while Marcy took the kids (including Reed who was over for a play date) to Jumpstreet where they have all kinds of fun activities for kids.

The top of Castle Rock

On Monday it was our 13th wedding anniversary. Given that it was Labor Day and therefore a public holiday we decided to go for a drive down to where our wedding was held – about 30 minutes south of home. The place was closed so we decided to drive on down to Castle Rock. We had never climbed the rock there despite having driven past in dozens of times.

It was a short hike to the base of the rock and then you had to climb up the rock to get to the flat top. They had a relatively easy route up the rock although it was for the faint of heart. You were really rock climbing for a portion of it. The kids did great and made it to the top easily. The view from the top wasn’t great because of multiple forest fires burning in the west, but we still enjoyed the climb.

Yesterday was the first soccer game for both Jude and Anna this season. Their games were on at the same times unfortunately so we had to split up. I took Jude to his soccer match which was, funnily enough, in Castle Rock, right next to the big rock we all climbed on Monday. Jude had a great game and scored the game winning goal for his team to win 3-2. Anna’s team also won and she had a good game too.

Today, we went to the Farmers Market on South Pearl street. The food there is fantastic and we stocked up on all kinds of things. Then this afternoon Marcy went for a long hike, Anna went on a play date at a friend’s house and Jude and I watched the Packers game. It was a nice relaxing day for all.

The kids playing a game of telephone at the campsite

As we did last year, this Labor Day weekend we went up into the mountains to go camping with some other school families. This time we had four families, eight adults and six kids: four fifth graders and two third graders. We went to Estes Park this year which is about 75 miles northwest of Denver and at the gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park. We stayed at a campground just outside town.

Anna discovered a skeleton of what we think is an elk by the trail

We arrived Friday night around 6pm and put up our tents. Saturday, we went for a hike inside Rocky Mountain National Park. We hiked to a place called Cub Lake which was about a 4.5 mile round roundtrip and almost 1,000 feet of climb. We chose this hike because it said it was lightly trafficked but still a pretty hike. The kids had a good time for the most part although Jude was upset when we said he had to throw back the leech he had caught at Cub Lake.

Hunting for leeches in Cub Lake

Saturday night the kids all went off exploring in the area around the campground. It was great to have some time to chat while the kids were out exploring nature. Today, we and another family had planned to return to Denver, mainly just to get home and a day to relax before school on Tuesday. Before we came home we all went to Lyons to do some tubing. We had never done it on a river before but it was a blast. The water was cold although not unbearably so and it felt great because it was a really hot day today.

Anna tubing along the North Saint Vrain Creek in Lyons

Jude had a great time today, he much prefers tubing to hiking (unless he is doing a 14er) and it made a nice finish to the weekend. He is not a big fan of camping, though, and would prefer we not go again next year. But we want to keep exposing the kids to different experiences and we will continue to go camping.

Watching the eclipse in the local park

The week began with the big solar eclipse. Anna was excited about it and made a little cardboard viewer and one of our neighbors had the special viewing glasses. The kids enjoyed looking at the sun for the first time and I think it is something they will remember for a long time.

The differing views on heading back to school are obvious

The long summer break ended on Tuesday as the kids went back to school, Anna into third grade and Jude into fifth. Anna was so excited to get back to see her friends and to start the school year, Jude was the opposite. He wanted summer break to keep going. But by the end of the week he has back into the swing of things and quite happy to be back.

Anna playing her new cello for the first time

In third grade at the Waldorf school you have to choose a stringed instrument to play. Jude chose viola two years ago and Anna decided on the cello. She was very excited to be learning an instrument for the first time.

Our three competitors getting ready for their Spartan races

On Friday night we drove up to the mountains because on Saturday the kids and Marcy were doing the annual Spartan race at Breckenridge. Marcy was doing the Spartan Beast, this incredibly grueling 12.5-mile race held mostly above 10,000 feet with 33+ obstacles along the way. The kids did a one mile race, twice as far as they did last year. The kids did great for the most part both finishing their race well.

With their medals after their Spartan Race

Afterwards, though, Anna was complaining that she couldn’t breathe so we took her to the first aid tent where they gave her an Albuterol treatment. I thought that would be it and we would go home but they strongly suggested we go to the ER. So Anna had what we think is her third ambulance ride of her life. Luckily, the respiratory doctor at the ER said that she was ok and so left after about an hour or so.

Anna receiving a nebulizer treatment in the ambulance

We made it back to Breckenridge just in time to meet Marcy after she finished. She did great, she was much quicker than last year and was in great spirits. We had been communicating through texts so she knew what was going on with Anna. Anna was in fact back to her normal self pretty quickly.

At the Broncos-Packer game

We got back to Denver on Saturday in time for Jude and I to head to the Broncos-Packer preseason game. I was able to get tickets from a friend and we had great seats. Jude was thrilled to see Aaron Rodgers play and he was even happy to see the Broncos.

It was a full week, that is for sure, and a bit of a crazy weekend.

Anna showing off her new haircut

This was the last week of summer vacation so Anna decided she wanted a back to school haircut. She had an idea in mind and her hairdresser, who Marcy started using 15 years ago, made it a reality.

The kids did drop-in tennis lessons at Gates most of this week as we had credits that needed to be used up by Friday. They also went up to Keystone for a golf lesson on Wednesday because they enjoyed that too. When I asked them at the end of the week which they liked best, tennis of golf, they both said golf. I am not sure if they really meant that but that makes me happy nonetheless.

Anna and Reed share a paddle board at Bear Creek Lake

On Friday after their tennis lesson Marcy took the kids out to Bear Creek Lake. It was a hot day and it was good to be by the water. Stand up paddle boarding seems to have been the new pastime for this summer as they had another afternoon with it. Anna and Reed shared a paddle board for most of the day while Jude enjoyed fooling around on his own rental board.

Jude doing a cannonball off his paddle board

Saturday we had meetings at the school as the new academic year starts on Tuesday. Then Sunday, Marcy got up bright and early to go for a long hike in the mountains and I took the kids to a Rockies game. This time we all rode our bikes because they had a special giveaway for the first 250 people to ride their bikes to the stadium. We got their early to make sure we made the cut and the kids got their free backpacks and they were also giving away free baseball caps too.

At the Rockies game with our new baseball caps

Marcy rode down to get Anna after 6 innings but Jude wanted to wait to the very end. We rode home at around 5pm. Jude did great on the ride back, he has really gotten a lot stronger as I rode about 90% of my normal pace and he was able to keep up just fine.