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.

Anna and Jude in a paddleboat on Keystone lake

We have had a great time up in Keystone. For our second vacation week the kids did all kinds of activities. There was more camp, hiking, tennis, a golf lesson, some time on the lake and just relaxing at the condo. It was a work week for me so Marcy spent time with the kids during the day. We put the kids in camp on Monday and Friday and to our surprise Jude liked it almost as much as Anna.

Anna showing her form after her golf lesson

The golf lesson on Wednesday was a big hit and not just because of the donuts at the end (although that helped). When I arrived to pick them up they begged to stay and hit more balls. Jude went off to the putting green and Anna showed me what she had learned on the driving range.

Anna took a stand up paddle boarding lesson on Lake Dillon

Saturday was a big day at least for Jude and I. While Marcy and Anna had stand up paddle boarding lessons Jude and I decided to tackle two 14ers in one day. We got up early and were at the trail head at 7:20am. We hiked up the lightly traveled south route to Grays. This was Jude’s first 14er he did exactly two years ago but we did the very popular north route that time. This time we virtually had the trail to ourselves.

On the top of Grays Peak, the first time we summited

It was a tough climb to the top of Grays but we did it in 3 1/2 hours. Then it was on to Torreys. This 14er lies only 0.8 miles from the top of Grays and it is popular for people looking to do two 14ers in one day. Which is exactly what we did. We arrived at the top of Torreys at 11:50am. It was hard work but we were both doing ok. We sat down and had a quick lunch looking out over what seemed like hundreds of miles of mountains.

On top of Torreys Peak, our second 14er of the day

What I didn’t think about much was that to do Grays and Torreys by the south route, we had to summit Grays on the way back. This was hard. I was already pretty tired and it was a hard slog back up to the top of Grays. Jude on the other hand was doing great and he had to wait for me on the way back up Grays. It was slow going on the way down, particularly the steepest part near the summit. And then the last hour I was really hurting and we had to go slowly. We made it back to the car around 4:30pm and my watch said we had been hiking for 8 hours 45 minutes. I was completely exhausted but happy to have done it. Jude was fine although his feet were a little sore.

Anna during her record breaking 1,000 pogo stick jumps

We were sad to leave when we packed everything up this morning. It was a great couple of weeks and we will miss the mild weather, the lack of traffic, the peace and quiet as well as the beautiful mountains. As I was packing the car Anna decided to get out her pogo stick and she made it to 1,000 jumps for the first time.

Jude teeing off at Harvard Gulch

Jude and Anna have been really into golf after their lesson. They both wanted to play after we got home so I took them to our local par 3, Harvard Gulch, and they had some fun before a thunderstorm ended our round early. Then it was back home to watch the final major of the year.

All the kids outside our place in Keystone

We have had a great week in Keystone with the Dahlens visiting from Iowa. Nathan and I played golf most days and out of five rounds we only had one that did not get interrupted by rain or hail. The weather was not good at all but we made do and still had a good time.

Nathan teeing off amidst the hail at #15 at the River Course (he stuck it to 10 feet)

The kids were in camp all week. Anna, Lily, Ella and Chloe were at the Keystone Science School while Jude did another Challenger Sports soccer camp. Everyone enjoyed their camps but it did mean we only got one day for all us to hang out.

All the girl cousins get in a paddle boat on Keystone Lake

Saturday morning most of us went over to River Run for a little shopping and then in the afternoon we walked down to Keystone Lake. The kids played at the “beach” there and we rented paddle boats. Anna also decided she wanted to try stand up paddle boarding. She just scraped over the high limit and was very excited to give it a try on the lake. She did great and had to be dragged in after her time was up.

Anna trying stand up paddle boarding for the first time

On the Dahlens last night we all went to the now traditional Mexican Dinner at Dos Locos which is right next door to the condo.

The kids enjoying their Mexican food

This morning we said our goodbyes to the Dahlens. It was a great week and everyone is already looking forward to next year. With just the four of us left we decided to do a hike. Anna had been wanting to try Revenue Mountain which is the first major hike that Jude did when he was 8. Anna also wanted to do the difficult way, the same way that Jude went, and it was tough. It consisted of a rocky scramble on hands and feet up a steep slope towards the end. After some challenges we all made it to the top. We also saw some amazing mining ruins along the way, and mountain goats on the trail on our way down.

Enjoying the view and a snack at the top of Revenue Mountain

Jude racing towards the finish line in the 10-12 year old triathlon (photo taken by Anna)

Our weekend started bright and early. The kids had a triathlon down in Lone Tree and they had to be there to check in for their race by 6:45am. So, we were out the door around 6:25am.

The 10-12 year old age group went off first. Jude did really well. He loves to compete and the triathlon provides a great place to do that. He was towards the back of the pack out of the pool but he had a strong bike leg and by the end of the run he was in 6th place (out of 26 kids). A great effort considering most of the kids were older than he was.

Anna on the bike leg of the 8-9 year old triathlon

Anna’s age group went in the race after Jude’s. Anna had a strong swim and a solid bike ride. She found the mile run a challenge and by the end was having some breathing issues. But she still finished strong and was the second girl across the line. Most importantly, Jude and Anna both loved it and want to do it again next year.

Marcy giving Jude a boost after his triathlon

This past week Anna had bank camp and Jude had robotics camp. Jude loved his camp mostly because they got to play video games for a good chunk of the day. He said he learned a little about programming but he was clearly more interested in the fun aspects. Anna had bank camp and one of the thing she was most excited about was getting selected for a “job”. She wanted to be a doctor and this is what she was given after her interview. She had another great camp week.

Anna won a job as a doctor in her bank camp

We have just arrived up in Keystone with the Dahlens and we are looking forward to a nice week up here. The kids are all in camp and so we will have some time for golf and other fun things.

On a hike near Genessee

I had a long business trip these past couple of weeks. We had a conference in Shanghai and then I spent a week in London last week returning home late on Friday night. So, Marcy has been a single mom for most of the last two weeks. She organized lots of fun activities for the kids. They went hiking on this great hike by a river 30 minutes from home and the kids stopped to play in the water and check out the wildlife along the way. They also played mini golf with Anna’s school friend, Reed to celebrate his 9th birthday.

Playing mini golf with Reed

This weekend we had a quiet day yesterday. Anna and Marcy rode their bikes to the farmers market while I stayed home with Jude and watched the British Open golf. In the afternoon we went kayaking and canoeing in the Wash Park lake.

Canoeing and kayaking in Wash Park lake

After dinner last night Anna decided to go skateboarding down our street in her pajamas.

Anna skateboarding in front of our house

Today we decided to go hiking again. We went down to a beautiful park southwest of Denver called Roxborough Park. We hiked to the top of Carpenter Peak, the highest point in the park. It was a solid hike, over six miles round trip and both kids did well.

Jude and me atop Carpenter Peak in Roxborough Park

An iconic canal in Copenhagen

It has been quite a busy three weeks in the Renton household. We drove to Iowa over two weeks ago right after the kids finished camp on Friday afternoon. Well, we actually spent the night in Kearney, Nebraska on our way. Then I was in Iowa less than a day because on Sunday morning I flew out to Copenhagen where I was attending a conference. I was there for three days and then flew to England where I met up with Marcy.

Near the summit of Mt Snowdon, the tallest mountain in Wales

She flew out of Iowa on Tuesday and met up with me in Cambridge on Wednesday night. I had a conference at the University of Cambridge and we had a dinner there and then a conference on Thursday. On Thursday night we drove to Wales where we stayed at a B&B for a couple of nights. We hiked around the coast of Wales on Friday and then on Saturday we climbed Mt Snowdon, the tallest mountain in Wales at 3,400 feet. Given that you start the hike from close to sea level it was quite a challenging day.

Marcy outside Buckingham Palace in London

After the hike we drove to London where we stayed right near Trafalgar Square for a couple of nights. Sunday we wandered all over London, visiting many of the major sights. We took in Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, the Houses of Parliament, Tower Bridge, Tower of London and we walked along the Thames for most of the afternoon. It was an unusually beautiful day in London, warm and sunny so we made the most of it.

Near Tower Bridge

Monday morning we flew back to Des Moines to rejoin the kids. While they had had a great time with their grandparents and cousins they were really happy to see us. The weather was warm so we spent a lot of time in the backyard by the pool as we normally do and the kids staged a serious water balloon fight one day.

A cousins water balloon fight

I played some golf with Nathan on July 4 we had some sparklers in the backyard then we went and saw some of the local fireworks. On our last full day Baba and Grandpa took all five grandkids to Perkins for breakfast. This is a treat for Jude and Anna as they are order “Rainbow Pancakes” which is basically pancakes with whipped cream and sprinkles.

The kids love to go to Perkins for breakfast, look at those pancakes!

It was over all too quickly and on Thursday we were driving back home. After so much time away we had a pretty low key weekend here. We spent a lot of time at home but today we did venture up to the mountains for a hike which was fun. And this afternoon we all went to the local putt putt for some golf.

Hiking near Conifer, a solid 4+ mile hike

Anna showing off her new haircut

This week was another full week of camps for the kids. Jude had another Challenger Sports soccer camp, this time it was all day and the coaches were all visiting from Brazil. Anna had a half day soccer camp and then art camp in the afternoon. I asked Jude after two full weeks of soccer camps if he was sick of soccer and he said no. He would happily do it all summer long I think. Anna really enjoyed both her camps as well.

On Saturday, Anna got a haircut that you can see above, she just loved it and we did too. While Marcy and Anna were at the hairdressers Jude and I were wandering around Cherry Creek. We went to the farmers market and also checked out Restoration Hardware where Jude took a liking to some of the stuffy chairs.

Jude relaxing at Restoration Hardware

Today was Father’s Day and I had a wonderful day. The kids gave me the sweetest cards at breakfast this morning and Anna made a special Happy Father’s Day banner at the bottom of the stairs. Then we went off to play some golf. We played the 9-hole course at CommonGround, where kids golf free. It was nice to enjoy the morning with everyone on the golf course. Jude is so competitive but Anna can hold her own for the most part.

Playing golf at CommonGround on Father’s Day

For the last year or so Jude and Anna have had a strained relationship at times. We are all working on it but it can be tough going some times. So, when they agreed to hold hands for a photo on Father’s Day I had to take them up on it.

Jude and Anna in the back yard on Father’s Day morning

At Jude’s first ever World Cup Qualifying game featuring the US team

The highlight of the week, at least for Jude and I, was seeing the US men’s soccer team play a World Cup Qualifying match in Denver. A couple of weeks ago Jude was looking at the USA team schedule and noticed they were playing in Denver. So, we looked online for tickets and there was some for sale. We purchased two tickets and headed to the game on Thursday night.

I don’t think I have ever seen Jude more excited to see a game. We parked about a quarter mile away from the stadium and Jude wanted us to sprint to get to the stadium in time (we were running a little late). We made it to our seats in five minutes, just as the US team was coming out on to the field. It was a great game with the US winning 2-0 over Trinidad and Tobago and obviously Jude was thrilled. I think it will be an evening he remembers for a long, long time.

This weekend began a little early with Anna’s gymnastic performance. After a week of camp Anna’s group did a performance for parents. Anna did really well, especially considering that for much of the week she was injured with her hand and knee.

Anna playing the bean bag toss at the farm

Yesterday Anna had a birthday party with a school friend and last night we went out to a farm south of Denver. It was Zuma’s Rescue Ranch and they were doing a fundraiser. This is a farm that Anna’s friend Reed has been going to for some time and they invited us along. It was a beautiful ranch and we saw the sun set over the fields and foothills. And we played quite the game of bean bag toss.

Anna giving it a swing as Jude looks on

Today we had a quiet morning but this afternoon I took Jude and Anna to the local par 3 course which is right by their school. We had a surprisingly good time. They both enjoyed it and each had some good hits. Jude, ever the competitive one, won the day but Anna held her own throughout. Anna wants some new clubs now which is fair enough – she only has a putter and a seven iron.

Searching for crawdads in Harvard Gulch

Right next to the golf course is a creek that the kids have been to a few times. Jude really wanted to go looking for crawdads and so they brought their nets and waded through the creek. It is only a five minute walk from school so they have been here a few times with their class. They didn’t find much although did manage to bring home a dead crab.

School’s out for summer! Anna with some classmates on the last day of school

The kids have been literally counting down the days until school got out for over a month. And this past Friday the day finally arrived. Jude and Anna are both very excited about the summer and are happy to be done with school. Anna celebrated with a class party at a neighborhood and Jude’s class had a picnic in the park.

Jude with the team trophy and his medal after winning their soccer tournament

This weekend was mostly about soccer. Jude’s soccer team had a tournament to close their season. They have been improving steadily throughout the year and they really put it together for this tournament. They went through undefeated and dominated their opponent in the final winning 11-0. Jude scored three goals over the weekend including a good penalty kick in the final.

Jude’s team and coaches after their final win

On Saturday afternoon/evening we had a block party. We blocked off the street and everyone contributed food and drink. While we have met a few of the neighbors over the last six months it was good to meet many more. What is good is that pretty much all the kids on our block are between the ages of 5 and 12 so there is a lot of potential for playmates, although there are more boys than girls.

Anna and Jude in a scooter race – they are actually going quite fast

Part of the evening was an impromptu scooter race with some of the neighbor kids. It started off as just a friendly race and became quite competitive as the afternoon wore on. After literally a couple of hours of races, we were about to call it quits and then Anna has a pretty bad fall. She scraped her knee and hand pretty badly and was in considerable pain. It was a bummer of an end to a great day.

Anna wearing the new dress she made in sewing class

Anna has been taking sewing classes for several months now and she loves it. She can operate a sewing machine quite well now and she has made all kinds of great things in her classes. This past week she was very excited because she made her very first dress – she designed and sewed it together. Of course, she showed it off on the second last day of school this week.