I love that Mike is always looking out for me when it comes to my running and biking.  He knew I was looking for some fast girls to bike with.  After talking with some of the guys that he works with at Evans, he put me in touch with a few girls that live down by Cheyenne Mountain that love to go mountain biking.  It has been really fun biking with Bridget and Amelia.  Today we biked up Captain Jacks and had a great time.  I can't wait to go on more rides with these girls.  

Mike makes the best Chicago pizzas.  He started making them 5 years ago when he stumbled upon a great recipe from the Cooks Illustrated magazine.  It is a no fail, delicious homemade Chicago style pizza with a buttery crust and homemade sauce.  I love watching him make it because he is so silly when he rolls out the dough.  He throws it in the air and makes silly faces at the kids while he does it.  I love this man.

I love how Abby lays her clothes out the night before school.  She doesn't just pick out an outfit and through it at the foot of her bed.  She lays out her outfit so it looks like a person.  It is absolutely the funniest thing I have ever seen.  

I took Andrew down to Evans Army Medical Center at Ft. Carson to get his cast taken off so he could get some more x-rays done on his arm.  After two and a half weeks in his cast we were all a little curious to see how his arm was healing.  Taking the cast off didn't hurt but as soon as the cast was off he was not very comfortable.  Taking x-rays this time seemed to hurt him more than when he first broke his arm.  I felt so bad for him.  He got a fresh cast on with good news that he would only need to wear it for another 2 weeks.

I love it when the girls want to go outside and throw the ball around with Mike.  He is always happy to teach the girls how to play ball and they just love the time he spends with them.

Emma loves to play the piano and has recently taken an interest in learning "Heart and Soul."  She finally got good enough to play the left hand while Mike played the right hand.  It was so sweet to watch them play it together.  

I bought Mike tickets to go and see the Pearl Jam concert for his birthday this year.  He was so surprised and SUPER excited because he had tried to go to this concert 4 times in the past 20 years and every time something always prevented him from going.  I was actually surprised to see so many people our age at the concert.  I had expected there to be a much younger crowd. I'm glad that I recognized many of the songs and was super impressed by what a good concert they gave.  It is always fun to feel young again!

I purchased a new wig for my witch costume this year.  Being a witch seems to be the easiest costume to put together last minute for Halloween.  I had someone at the elementary school if that was my real hair.  I guess I picked out a good wig!

Halloween was so much fun this year, especially after I convinced Andrew to dress up.  It just won't be the same when he stops dressing up for Halloween.  As an official teenager, he is not really into dressing up anymore but agreed to wear the cool gangster costume I got him.    Between our church Halloween party, a fun dinner at home with the kids, the girls' class parties, and a teenager party, it was a very busy week.   Abby was so excited to wear her Hermione costume to school because her friend Paige was also going to be Hermione.  Emma was excited that she and I would be witches together.  The boys were just happy to be getting candy while dressed up as Gandalf the Grey and a 20's gangster. We were all proud of Abby for trick or treating all the way around our neighborhood this year without getting too scared and wanting to go home after three houses.  The younger three had fun trick or treating with some of their friends while Andrew had a blast trick or treating with some of his teenage friends.  

The boys decided to play Pride Soccer again this year.  Peter was able to play with his team from last year and was excited to have coach Stenhaug again.  He especially liked having Dallin on his team again.  The season started out well for Peter but by the end he was happy to be done playing with his team.  There were lots of kids who didn't know how to play soccer well and their team seemed to lose almost every game.  Even though he was frustrated with his team he still had moments where he was really enjoying playing soccer.  He played center midfield most of the season.  Most people underestimate what Peter can do because he is small.  Many parents were surprised by how fast he was and how aggressive he played against players twice his size. 

We decided to put Andrew on a different team this year since his coach last year was not our favorite.  He had a pretty good team this year and really seemed to like coach Zaccaria.  Andrew played mostly defense this year and showed some real improvement in his aggressiveness.  He was having such a great season until game 3.  It was a beautiful day and he started the game as right defender.  In the 10 minutes I got to see him play he had some beautiful plays.  It seemed to happen so fast as he fell over one of his players who had fallen right behind him.  As he fell he slammed his elbow against the ground and heard a crack.  He immediately knew it was broken.  I took him to the ER right away and sure enough...he broke his arm.  He was out for the rest of the season, which was a total bummer.  

Mike spent this last year feverishly working on preparing for our Stake Family History Fair.  Since he was over the entire production he spent a great deal of time coming up with what he thought would benefit not only members of our church but those in the community.  His vision of what he wanted to do was bigger than anyone had ever imagined.  It took a lot of planning and the right people to help him carry out it all out.  Last year the Family History Fair was a small affair put on by only a few LDS wards.  This year the idea was to make it bigger and better and to redo the Family History Center and make it into a Discovery Center.  The Discovery Center was designed to be a place where families could bring their children and their friends to learn about and participate in Family History work.  The entire project was a huge undertaking and many people were involved to make it so successful.   People from all over the North Stake brought items from their family history to display.  Many people with experience doing Family History work volunteered to run the different classes held throughout the day.  There were even classes geared towards the youth.  People from all faiths and walks of life came to participate in this amazing day.

We had our family photos taken on one of the last nice weekends in the fall.  We had a girl from the Northgate ward take our photos this year.  She did a great job getting the kids attention.  We ended up taking our photos in a wooded area on the backside of the Air Force Academy.  I really wanted to take photos near some Aspen trees this year.  Although there were a few aspen trees where we were, it was not like I had pictured.  Still, I was pretty happy with the way the group photos turned out.   I just can't believe how much the kids have grown this year.  My favorite photos ended up being the photos of me and Mike.   I am the luckiest woman in the world to have such a great family.

One day while my parents were visiting we decided to head up to Mueller State Park in Divide, CO to go hiking.  It was about an hour drive away but the weather was gorgeous and some of the fall colors were still out so the drive was quite nice.  There were still a few colorful trees when we got to the park but we missed the height of the fall colors that were in full bloom the end of September.  We decided to start hiking along the Outlook Ridge trail and wandered along that for awhile until we came to a short jet off the trail to the Red Tail Overlook.  The view from that overlook was amazing.  The kids had fun climbing up onto the big rocks.  We nervously stood close to the kids to make sure they didn't fall off.  

After leaving the overlook we decided to get back on the Outlook Ridge trail and head towards the Lost Pond loop so as to make a big loop back to the Visitor Center.  There were some pretty steep parts on the Lost Pond Loop and at one point I had to hold Abby's hand because she thought she wouldn't be able to get up the hill without falling backwards.  Our favorite part of the trail was definitely through the woods.  The moss on the ground reminded us of hiking in the Olympic Mountains in Washington State.  This was a great hike for the kids with a variety of different terrains.  Mike and I can't wait to come back in the winter when we can go snowshoeing along these trails.  

This fall we decided that it was time to get rid of the play set and put a trampoline in its place.  Everyone pitched in to help dissemble and take down the play set.  We were able to burn most of the wood in our fire pit and put the other pieces into a pile under the deck to be taken to the trash.  As soon as the play set was gone we moved all the rocks closer together so that Mike could make the box where the play set was on smaller to fit the trampoline.  Then we hired someone to come in and fill in the empty spaces with new grass.  Mike even took out two of the bushes so that the workers could move the rock out of the way and plant grass there as well.  When the trampoline finally arrived, Mike and my dad put the trampoline together.  With all of the extra rocks under the trampoline Mike was able secure the trampoline nicely in place so it wouldn't blow away.  The kids LOVED having a trampoline again.  Even Abby wasn't frightened to jump on the trampoline anymore.  Ever since she broke her leg at the age of 2 from jumping on the trampoline she has been fearful of trampolines.  Even Mike and I enjoyed jumping on the trampoline with the kids.  

The girls did so well on their first ever cross country season.  I love the Landsharks elementary running program they have here in Colorado.  This program has been a great way to introduce running to the girls.  They spent a few weeks running with the Mountain View ES  team and then they had three meets.  For the younger kids they encourage them to do the shorter half mile race while the older kids are able to choose between the mile or mile and a half race.  Abby was happy she only had to do the half mile race which was one lap around the course.  Emma was so excited to push herself on the mile and a half race.  She ran two laps plus a lap around the track on each lap of the course.  Both girls improved their times over the 3 weeks of racing and Emma even learned a thing or two about pacing and pushing herself during the last stretch.  I was so proud of both of the girls for doing such a great job.  

MEET 1
SEPTEMBER 15, 2014

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Abby (1/2 mile) - 4:54  6th place (tied with 4 other girls)

Emma (1 1/2 miles) - 13:19  5th place for girls

AQUARIUM AND BOTANICAL GARDENS

After warming up and filling our bellies with some yummy breakfast we rested at the hotel before heading to the Aquarium and Botanical Gardens.  The kids loved the aquarium and even though we have been to plenty of aquariums in the past there is always something so miraculous about seeing sea life.  We all liked the shark tank the best and spent a good deal of time pointing out our favorites. Right next to the aquarium was the Botanical Gardens.  We enjoyed the beautiful weather as we walked around the gardens.  Our favorite part was definitely the Japanese Gardens.  I was so excited by the entrance to the Japanese Gardens because it looked EXACTLY like the entrances to most of the shrines in Japan.  There was a tidy path surrounded by a rock landscape, the bell situated up on its own mound and the area where you wash your hands before entering the shrine.  Even the gated entrance was so authentic.  Once inside the gardens there was a beautiful pond filled with carp fish and surrounded by the kind of scenery you would expect to see in Japan.  It was absolutely perfect.  It made me so happy to have a piece of Japan today. 

SANTA FE

After leaving the Botanical Gardens we headed to get ice-cream at Baskin Robbins and to rest some before heading to see some good family friends.  We enjoyed seeing Jean and Mike Meehan who were my neighbors growing up in California.  Their daughter, Katrina, also came with her husband and two kids.  It was fun to catch up and let the kids play. 

On our way home the next day we stopped in Santa Fe to explore Old Town and grab some lunch.  We enjoyed touring the St. Francis Cathedral and walking around looking at the shops and the small vendors along the street.  Lunch was by far the highlight of Santa Fe.  We ate at a quaint little outdoor restaurant called La Casa Sena.  It was nestled in an inner courtyard area with live entertainment.  The atmosphere was pleasant and the weather was perfect.  The food was also delicious.  It couldn't have been a more perfect ending to a wonderful weekend getaway.  

I went with Emma's class on a field trip to the Florissant Fossil Bed National Monument in Florissant, CO.  It was completely different than what I expected.  Near the visitors center we were able to see gigantic petrified redwood stumps nearing 14 ft wide.  We didn't see any other fossils other than what was in the visitors center.  We did, however, get to go on a 3 mile hike with the kids through the most beautiful scenery.  Along the way we got to see the backside of Pike's Peak and enjoyed the beautiful fall colors.  Halfway through the hike the kids got to stop and play around on the rocks.  It was a beautiful day to be outdoors in Colorado and a great field trip to chaperone.  

The boys did well during their Middle School Cross Country season.  This was Peter's first season and Andrew's 2nd season.  Both did well during practices and were in the top 5 for their ages during practice.  The meets were a whole different ball game though.  There were so many schools and so many good runners.  Andrew made it in the top 12 during the first meet and Peter made it in the top 15 almost every meet.  He was so close to 10th place during his last meet at It was fun to watch the boys as they progressed and got stronger with each meet.  I think the thing that I wanted them to learn more than anything was the feeling of pushing themselves.  By the 3rd meet I think they were finally starting to understand that feeling of pushing past comfortable.  


MEET 1
SEPTEMBER 4, 2014
AIR ACADEMY HS (1.5 MILES)

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Andrew - didn't record time 
Peter - didn't record time
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MEET 5
UTE VALLEY PARK
OCTOBER 1, 2014

Andrew - DNR due to a broken arm
​Peter - didn't record time