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.