​This year was a very German Halloween. We borrowed dirndls from a friend so that Madeline and I could dress up as German girls and we put something together for Mike to coordinate with us. Madeline looked like the cutest little German girl ever. I had to really suck it in to fit into my dirndl but once it was on it all came together. Abby was Max from Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas movie. Emma wasn't able to join us this year as she was out on a date. Such is life when you are 17 years old. We took our photos at our traditional section behind our house. Then we came home and grabbed a quick dinner before heading out to go trick or treating with Easton and his family. Madeline and Easton loved being together and we made it to most of the houses in our neighborhood. It was cold like every year, but we managed to stay warm. The kids wanted to go to the house down the street to do the haunted house but once we got there Madeline got really scared and started to cry. That was our cue to head home and call it a night. After Easton finished with the haunted house he came out and gave Madeline the biggest hug. It was so sweet. 

​Homecoming is always such a fun time of year for the girls. Both of the girls looked beautiful in their new dresses. Emma went with her friend and teammate, John. They went just as friends and had the best time with some of their fellow teammates. Abby went with her group of girlfriends and had a blast. Apparently Homecoming this year was a step up from last year’s dance. Their biggest complaint – not enough slow songs.

The older you get the more you dread the first day of school. Madeline, on the other hand, was so excited to head back to school so that she could be with her friends all day. Mike and I along with my parents all headed to the elementary school to wish Madeline off on her first day of school. I love how the elementary school has all the kids line up on the playground in their classes for the first day. It is a time for the parents to see which kids are in their class and to be part of a fun send off. It was a real treat to have Grandma Anne and Grandpa Franz there this year. The older girls choose to sleep in. Surprise Surprise! So, naturally we took a group photo the next day when the older girls had to go to school. 

ABBY
10th grade, Sophomore, Theatre Club, HS Musical, Honors World Literature, Chemistry, German 2, AP US Government, Geometry, Lifelong Sports, Study Hall, Seminary
​
Excited about being part of the theatre club
Most concerned about tests
Favorite class is Theatre 3 and AP Gov

Abby has spent the last year falling in love with a relatively new band called, "Ritchie Mitch and the Coal Miners." Coincidentally 3 of the 4 band members graduated from Pine Creek High School the year before Andrew. She even got me listening to them and when she found out that they would be playing at the Dusty Boots concert in Denver, we quickly bought tickets as part of her birthday gift. We had so much fun bouncing from the different concerts that were playing at the Civic Center Park, eating snacks from the park vendors and drink water from a gigantic can. The best concert, however, was definitely Ritchie Mitch and the Coal Miners. They were even better in person and since we got to the stage before they started we had front row views of them. I loved watching Abby's excitement as this was her very first concert!

Girl’s camp was a good time, and I was able to have fun and spiritual experiences. My absolute
favorite part of camp was the high adventure stuff. The first day we did the high ropes course.
Last girls camp I didn’t do it but this year I wanted to face my fear of heights and decided to do
it. It was super fun, and the trees were scary. The second day we did the catwalk and leap of
faith. This was my favorite because I ended up front flipping, back flipping, and doing a spider
man pose off of the catwalk. The third day we did the zip-line and with the zip-line you could go
upside down, and I did. Girl’s camp was a time I was able to be adventurous, have fun and face
fears that I didn’t know I had.

Written by Abby

There is nothing better than spending a pleasant Colorado evening outside with the girls. Mike and I sat on the porch while Abby entertained Madeline by blowing bubbles so that she could pop them. Madeline was excited by the bubbles but also by showing us her amazing cartwheels. She was right in her element jumping from one activity to another. She loved riding on her belly on the longboard. These are the moments I savor. The innocence and simplicity of it all makes me smile. One thing is for sure…summer evenings in Colorado are simply the best.

​Abby has really enjoyed being part of her high school musical, Bye Bye Birdie. She was the only freshman that made it into the main cast. She played Randolph, the little brother to Kim, who is a major character and was played by her friend Kastyn. She loved every rehearsal and came home tired but excited to tell us all about what they were doing. Musicals is where Abby shines. Her voice is amazing, and we were so happy that we got to see her act not only as Randolph, but also as part of the girl’s ensemble. She had a tiny solo singing part as Randolph near the end of the show and she knocked it out of the park both times we saw her perform. During the intermission, the main characters came out into the hallway so that audience members could get Conrad Birdie’s autograph and take photos with him. Madeline was so excited to do that. It was fun to have Andrew and Grandpa Al in town for the weekend so they could watch Abby perform! 

​Abby has loved being part of the spring musical with her theatre friends. She comes home exhausted after every rehearsal, but she is also glowing with excitement and joy. She has really had a great time bonding with the other theatre kids, and she has learned so much about being part of an amazing production. And yes, there is a little bit of drama within the drama kids but most of the time they are all laughing and having a good time doing what they love! 

Abby is the third of our kids to go through the swim program at Pine Creek High School. We have gone through several coaches and this year was no different. Most of the girls were relieved that coach Mark was not going to be the head coach this season. He was the worst during Peter’s senior year. He yelled at the kids and was just not a nice person at all. Coach Ken who is currently the head coach for the Rapids club team came on to be the head coach this year. He had a lot going for him because he genuinely seemed to care about the swimmers. However, his communication skills was severally lacking this season. Add that onto the fact that the Rampart pool shut down for a period of time because it was so chemically imbalanced, and he actually encouraged his athletes to attend club practices if they wanted at any time during the season. The entire dynamic of this team seemed way off and very different from when the boys swam at the high school. Even with all of that, the depth of the girls’ team was so deep and so talented that it didn’t matter that the coach wasn’t that great because those girls carried the team. The only problem with that is the fact that the slower athletes didn’t get challenged very much. Abby loved being part of a team that wasn’t her club team, and she did like swimming with the other girls. I wouldn’t say she got the best training with this team because her swim times were slower than they were when she was swimming with her club team. For Abby it wasn’t really about the times but more about the experience of being on a high school team. She made really great friends and learned a few things about her form and what she truly thinks about swimming. Abby swims because she enjoys the exercise and the camaraderie and that is just fine by me. I am so happy that she swam her very best during the entire season. She mostly swam the 50 and 100 free this season and loved those shorter events. Abby was able to swim in most of the meets but had to stop near the end of the season due to getting cast in a role for the HS musical Bye-Bye Birdie. Theatre is where her true passion lies! 
  
50 Freestyle
36.40 8th out of 12 vs FFC
35.43 158th out of 224 at Cheyenne Mtn Invite
36.08 13th out of 16 vs Doherty
 
100 Freestyle
1:25.58 5th out of 7 vs DCC
1:18.58 8th out of 9 vs Liberty
1:21.90 140th out of 140 at Cheyenne Mtn Invite
1:203.27 9th out of 13 vs Air Academy
 
100 Breaststroke
1:56.35 11th out of 11 at Lewis Palmer
 
200 Freestyle Relay
35.78 split time vs Liberty
36.76 split time vs FFC
35.73 split time vs Air Academy
 

​Every time it snows outside the first thing Madeline asks is if she can go outside to play in the snow and build a snowman. Up until this recent snowstorm it had always been so cold that going out to play in the snow was not a possibility. So, she convinced Andrew to go out with her to play. Then I joined them for a little while. We tried to build a snowman on the first day, but the snow was so light and airy that we could not pack it very well. So, we just made snow angels, pulled Madeline in the sled, and threw snowballs at each other. One time when Andrew was pulling Madeline in the sled, he whipped it around so fast that she flew right out and landed face first in the snow. We picked her up and brushed her off and just laughed it off. She is such a good sport! The next day the snow was still around so Abby went out with Madeline and built a snowman and pulled her in the sled. Sometimes it just takes having a little one in the house to get the rest of us to go out and enjoy the snow!  

​After a long time of not swimming in any meets, Abby participated in the Harvest Festival swim meet with her club team at PPA. She swam in the 100 breaststroke and the 100 freestyle. It was so nice to be able to be inside the building watching the swim meet this time instead of standing outside watching from the outer windows. Most of the girls in Abby’s heat for the breaststroke missed their heat as it was not announced correctly. Luckily, they were able to jump into the following heat. After feeling a little flustered, Abby still swam as hard as she could and finished her 100 breaststroke in 1:57.04. Breaststroke is not her favorite stroke, but she did her best and for that I am really proud of her. Abby later swam in the 100 freestyle event and finished in 1:20.42 which is a PR by 4 seconds. I loved being able to watch Abby swim again. I can’t wait for more swim meets in her future!

​Abby’s second meet with PPA occurred over the weekend. On Friday night she swam the 100 freestyle and did great. I was able to watch her swim from the outside window on Friday evening. She had a really great start, and she was in the top 3 in her heat until the last 25 where she lost a bit of steam. Abby is a really strong freestyler and would be more competitive if she improved her starts and turns. 
 
On Saturday, Mike went and watched Abby swim in her other events. Abby was confident and swam well in the 100 IM, 50 breaststroke and 50 freestyle. She had a strong stroke in the water and only seemed to lose time on her turns. What was interesting to watch was how the other parents acted. Mike was so disappointed to hear such crazy rambling from some parents who were swearing outside the windows at their kids who were swimming. We are so glad that Abby loves to swim and that she has a good attitude about it. She always tries hard and that is good enough for us. We don’t care if she is the fastest in the water. The only thing that matters to us is that she does her best. At the end of the day, parents who go so far as to swear at their children because they aren’t swimming fast enough are missing out on truly supporting their kids who are working hard. 

It was so fun to watch Abby in her swim meet with her new swim club, Pikes Peak Athletics. Due to the new restrictions with COVID we weren't able to watch from inside the building but rather watched from the windows on the side of the building. Abby has had such a good experience swimming with Group 3 at PPA, partially because her friends are in that group but mostly because she has been challenged and had to swim up a little bit. She comes home from practice exhausted but so happy. Abby loves to swim and although she isn't the fastest swimmer, she has pretty good form and is a hard worker. At this meet she swam in the 200 IM, 50Y Butterfly (52.79) and the 50 Backstroke (47.67). I missed her 200 IM but was able to see both of her other events and was so proud of her for pushing hard even when she wasn't having the best swim day. Abby's best event is definitely freestyle, but those events were only being held on Sunday. Hopefully next meet she will be able to swim in the freestyle events.

One of my favorite things to do in life is go hiking.  So it was a great day to be able to get up early and hike with my best friend up Y mountain. Bonus fact, it was also the place of our first date. It was fun to hike up the switchbacks, take in the views and just sit and talk and look over the world. Plus, we did it all before anyone else really got up in the morning. There’s something great about being up in the mountains and watching the sun come up on the world. Makes you grateful that you were around for another year to take it all in. Later on that day, we had doughnuts and opened presents. I’m always happy when I get a surprise for my birthday. For years, I have been coveting a new Taylor guitar. It was pretty great to be surprised with a new guitar for my birthday, super fun to play with great sound and great action. Abby was a sport because her birthday got delayed until we got to Utah. I think it paid off for her in the end and it was worth the wait. Great food and good times. Birthdays are about being with family, laughing, and eating too much frosting.

written by Mike

​Emma and Abby both had a great cross-country season and worked really hard to finish out this season stronger than they started.  Of the 5 meets that were scheduled, only one was canceled due to bad weather.  Abby choose to do cross country this year not because she loves to run but because she wanted to do something active with her friends.  She worked hard in her practices and never gave up even when it was hard for her.  Every race she ran she did it knowing that it would be hard, but she still finished strong. On the other hand, Emma was excited to run cross country this season because running is her best sport.  She really started to turn up the heat in her running during track season in the spring. After a good experience at BYU cross country camp this summer she was ready to take on the challenge of pushing herself a little harder than last year. 
 
ELIZABETH HS - MEET #1 
1.5 miles, trail with hills
Abby - 19:30
Emma - 10:30 (2nd place)
 
Emma had a fantastic race at Elizabeth HS.  It was an unusually hot day and the meet was about an hour away.  I got there about 15 min before her race started and tried to look for the best spot to take photos.  After walking off the beaten path Madeline and I found a spot right off the trail.  As we watched the start of the race Emma had already pushed herself to the front of the pack and was sitting nicely in 3rdplace behind Bethany and Jade.  As we waited for the girls to make their loop and come back, I was shocked when I saw Emma and Jade running down the trail not too far behind Bethany.  Emma looked strong and I knew that she could grab 2ndplace if she pushed it at the end of the race.  We cheered her on and I could see her starting to pass Jade and pick up the pace. I handed Madeline to a nice man over the chain link fence while I climbed up and over to hurry and make my way to the finish.  Sure enough, Emma had pushed it hard enough to not only beat Jade by a sec or two but by 10-15 sec.  Emma came in 2ndplace for 7thand 8thgrade girls.  
 
Abby had a pretty good race considering the extremely unpleasant conditions.  With her recent growth spurt and maturity, it has become harder for Abby to run fast like she was able to do in ES.  However, there is nothing I like to see more than a kid who pushes themselves to their limit just to prove that they can do hard things. This was exactly what Abby did at this meet.  She wasn’t in the front or even the middle of the pack when we saw her on the trail but was closer to the back of the pack of 6thgraders.  As Madeline and I waited at the finish area for Abby, I was getting a little nervous when I didn’t see her come in.  Eventually she made her way into the stadium and pushed hard that last 100m.  She may not have had a top finishing time but in my book, she was a top finisher in how she persevered through a tough race. She was a bit emotional at the end because it was so hard for her.  I couldn’t have been prouder of her for not stopping and just finishing the race.  
​

CHINOOK MS – MEET #2
Just shy of 1.5 miles, flat and downhill paved course
Abby - 14:10
Emma - 8:40 (2nd place)
 
This was probably Emma’s most exciting race of the season.  Since this was the first time the teams were running up near the new Chinook MS, no one really knew the course.  Luckily, one of the coaches showed me a map of the course so I knew where to stand and cheer on the kids.  I first saw Emma about halfway through the race.  She was sitting in 4thplace behind Bethany, Jade, and some other blond-haired girl.  I wasn’t sure what was going to happen, but she looked strong.  As I made my way to the finish on the track, I was shocked to see Emma come into the track in 4thplace and slowly pick off the girls in front of her.  By the first curve she made her way into 3rdplace and by the last 100m she battled for 2ndplace and won.  Unfortunately, Jade also thought she had won and there was some debate for a bit about it. In the end, Emma’s name was moved to the 2ndplace finish.  It was quite the finish.  It was the first time I realized how awesome of a kick Emma has at the end of her races. She is very similar to her brother Peter.  
 
Abby had a much better race running on the pavement and slightly downhill than she did on the hilly trail during the first meet.  She was in much better spirits when she started the race.  I saw her at the beginning of the run and at the end. She happily ran along near the last half of the pack and when she came into the track at the end, I could see how much she was struggling to keep running.  I could see her stop for a few seconds on the track and then she started back up again.  By the time she rounded the last corner something overtook her, and she turned up the heat and sprinted to the finish.  It was pretty amazing to watch.   ​

BLACK FOREST – MEET #3
1.5 miles, trail and hilly
Emma – 9:58 (3rd place)
 
Only the 7th and 8th graders ran in this race so Abby was off the hook for today’s race.  Today was another unfamiliar course as this was the first time the kids were running at this venue.  The race wasn’t well marked and not even the coaches really understood the course. That being said, Emma had a decent race today.  She ran out and made her way right behind Jade.  She kept a pretty close distance to Jade and I thought for sure that she would pick it up on the downhill so she could overtake her.  However, she wasn’t quite sure how much further she had to run and so it was hard to know when to start picking up the pace.  The moment she realized the finish was up ahead it was too late.  There was no way she could catch up.  She still ended up with a great time and a 3rdplace finish 10 sec behind Jade. ​

UTE VALLEY PARK – MEET #4
1.5 miles, trail and hilly
Abby – 16:05
Emma – 9:40 (3rd place)
 
It was hotter than expected at this meet and both girls were excited to run in the last meet of the season.  Emma had been complaining of shin splints so I was a little unsure of how fast she could run today.  All she wanted to do was beat Jade, but I told her to just run her best and that would be good enough.  She started out so well.  Halfway through the race I cheered her on the uphill portion.  She looked strong and was right behind Jade.  It was anyone’s game.  After getting up and over the hill, she started to pick up the pace and actually passed Jade.  Then, she tripped but luckily caught herself instead of falling on the ground.  It threw her off her game a bit and she struggled to maintain a lead over Jade.  As she came into the track for the finish, I could see that she was done.  There was no strong kick at the end like she normally has.  It was then I just hoped that she would be happy with her efforts and not disappointed in herself.  When I saw her after the finish, she had a smile on her face.  It was such a relief to me.  She said she ran her best and that she was happy with her 3rdplace finish. I couldn’t have been prouder of her for being a good sport about not beating Jade.  Afterall, not every race can be your best race.  All that matters is that you do your very best under the circumstances.  
 
It was fun watching Abby get ready for her race with her friends.  They warmed up and stretched together.  Even Madeline sat and stretched with them.  As the 6thgraders were getting ready to line up I could tell she was not that excited to run.  Bless her heart for finishing out this season.  I was pleasantly surprised after the race started to see that Abby was not at the back of the pack coming up the hill like she normally is.  She looked really strong.  It made me excited for her.  As I made my way towards the finish on the track, I was excited to see her finish.  As she made her way into the track, she finished that race as strong as she had started.  Her time compared to the first meet was 3 minutes quicker.  With both courses similar in terrain, I was so proud of her for improving from the beginning to the end of the season.  After the race she told me that she would not be running next year.  I am totally ok with that.  ​

ABBY
Abby was excited to finally join the ranks of the older kids by joining Emma at Challenger Middle School.  She was the most excited to be starting this adventure with her A-team friends: Addy, Avery, August, Anna, and Olivia and to be on a team with some pretty great teachers.  On the first day of school she was not interested in Mike and I walking her to the bus stop.  She quickly sped down the sidewalk and waved without looking back.  Abby started school the day before the other kids.  

6th grade, Team 614, Cross-Country Team, Rapids Swim Team, Voice Lessons, Piano, Make-up wearer, Social Butterfly, Language Arts, Science, Social Studies, Pre-Algebra A, PE, Gateway I, Drama, World Language, and Music.  

​Excited about going on High Trails.        
Most concerned about doing math and having Ms. Murray.         
Favorite class is PE.

​EMMA
Emma was excited to finally be at the top of her school as an 8th grader, get straight A’s, and to gear up for cross-country season.  

8th grade, Team 814, Cross-Country Team, Kokopelli JOXC, Rapids Swim Team, Violin, Piano, Saxophone, HS Orchestra, Silver Tones Choir Group, Advanced Art, Language Arts, Social Studies, Science, Algebra 1, and PE.  
 
Excited about her science class and participating in the HS Orchestra.  
Most concerned about getting straight A’s.        
Favorite class is social studies and language arts because the teachers are great.

PETER
Peter was excited to see his friends and be on the cross-country team again but he wasn’t that thrilled for his hardest year at Pine Creek HS.  As a Junior, Peter will be taking tough classes and preparing himself for the ACT and SAT.  

11th grade, Cross-Country Team, State Running Team, Rapids Swim Team, Varsity Swim Team, Advanced Jazz Ensemble, Seminary, H Pre-Calculs, US History, AP Physics, American Lit & Comp, Weights & Fitness, H German 4, and Programming 2.
 
Excited about Cross-Country and Swim Seasons       
Most concerned about doing well on the ACT and SAT and his AP Physics class         
Favorite class is H German 4

​Abby spent two weeks at a theatre camp with her friend August at the Fine Arts Center. The camp was “Let’s Make a Musical.” They spent the entire two weeks coming up with their own musical, writing the script, taking popular songs and rewriting the words, and then rehearsing for their big performance on the last day of camp.  Abby had so much fun at this camp and came home every day just so excited and happy. The musical ended up being about two softball teams who came together to play a game of softball when a giant cantaloupe struck one of the teams.  Both teams became angry at each other and decided to build a wall in the middle of their town.  Eventually the teams found a way to tear down the wall and become united again.  Some of the songs they sang were pretty great. They rewrote words to the song “Seize the Day” from Newsies and the theme song from Friend, “I’ll Be There for You.” The kids had fun performing and the audience enjoyed the great acting, the fun songs, and the bits of humor.  

​Abby’s 11th birthday fell on a Sunday and since it was a family birthday this year it was the perfect day to celebrate with her. We had a nice pancake breakfast with her before we headed off to church. After church we let her open all her presents. She loved all the things she got. From Grandma Anne and Grandpa Franz she got some kinetic sand in a variety of colors and a panda pajama suit.  She just loved that panda suit.  From us she got a fun journal and Paper Mate flair pens that she had been asking for.  Then we took her outside so that she could see her big present. This year we decided to get Abby her very own red moped mini scooter. She was so surprised and extremely excited. We bought her a fun black helmet with a rainbow on it to match her scooter. She immediately took the scooter out to go for a ride. She didn’t even care that she was still wearing her church dress. The girls had fun riding their mopeds together all afternoon. After dinner we all helped Abby devour her chocolate mint ice-cream cake. It was the perfect day for our sweet 11 year old.

​After Abby’s graduation, Emma, Abby and I headed up to Denver for a very special girls’ weekend to see Wicked and to relax and eat good food at the Four Season Hotel in Denver.  We ate dinner at the hotel and there was a special Wicked Theatre Menu with food named after the musical. The girls thought that was pretty neat. We all enjoyed sharing the chocolate ganache cake. After dinner we headed straight to see Wicked, which was just a short 2 block walk from our hotel. The girls had a blast seeing this amazing musical and spending time together. Afterwards we walked back to our hotel, got on our pjs, and snuggled in bed together while watching movies. It was great to sleep in and order room service for breakfast in the morning. We all ate the most amazing french toast and then headed to the heated outdoor pool for some late morning fun. The girls played in the pool and we all sat in the hot tub. We ordered sliders for lunch and relaxed by the pool for a few hours. After relaxing, we went back to the room and showered. Before heading home we decided to go to the chalk festival a few blocks away. We saw one row before it started to rain. Luckily, we grabbed one of the hotel umbrellas. We didn’t stay out for too long but saw some really great chalk drawings in our short walk from the hotel. It was fun to finally spend some one on one time with both girls. We all needed this girls weekend!