August continued to be another busy month and it was crazy to think about the kids having to go back to school soon. Simon and I were also very busy getting everything set up for our own Youth Cross Country Running Club. To get the club team going we had to put together a great website, get everything in place with the USATF with the help of Megan (our other partner), we found permission with the right folks to host practice in Clement Park and at Powell Middle school, and most importantly we started advertising and getting the word spread about our team. Last, but not least we chose our mascot and club name (Colorado Coyotes) and got all the singlets ordered just in time...
...for Ava and Dylan to wear them in a 5K race down in Castle Rock on August 5th. We were thrilled to start our own club team and were hoping to get a handful of kids to join in on the fun. While the kids ran in the 5K race, Simon and I both ran the 10K race. It was a perfect evening with a beer garden and festive music after the race. We also enjoyed getting to hangout with a few of our other friends who had come down south to run in the race that evening too. The race was also put on by the kids cross country team from last year so they were so excited to run with and hang out with some of their Kokopelli buddies.
The next evening on Sunday the 6th, there was a gorgeous double rainbow outside our home. Rainbows never look as spectacular in a photo as they do in person.
We went ahead and started another home remodel project in August of getting hardwood floors installed in Dylan's room on Monday the 7th. Dylan's room was the last little section to be completed on the main floor of our home to now all be in wood floors (except for our master bedroom). Yippi. No more carpet. To get this project completed we had to move all of Dylan's room into the family room for a few days and the drawers of his dresser were neatly in one area of the room until Dylan apparently couldn't find a pair of shorts he needed. I don't think he even tried to be neat.
August 10th was time for another one of our favorite races of the year and it gave the kids a chance to wear their new Colorado Coyote singlets again. The Pearl Street Mile in Boulder! It was a rainy start to the race but, it was a fun race with lots of our friends out racing in the rain too. Which made it much easier on the kids to get out and race their best.
Ava ran a crazy fast time of a 6:31 mile and..
...Dylan ran a smokin' fast 6:55 mile for being only 7 (almost 8).
My time was a 5:47 for the mile. No PR but, starting to get just a little faster with all the training workouts I've put in for Toronto. However, when you race in Boulder, you pretty much always feel extremely slow. There are so many amazing, fast runners who always come out to race the Pearl Street Mile.
After the race we headed to our friend Wayde's restaurant, Zeal's, on Pearl Street. Both healthy, organic and delicious.
Such a fun evening with great company.
That next weekend, I headed up to the mountains on Friday to help my mother finalize all the set up as well as last minute plans for Jennifer's bridal shower. The kids stayed home with Simon because 1) it was easier for me to not have to worry about the kids while helping my mom host Jen's bridal shower and 2) Ava had a back-to-school sleepover party with some of her girl friends that she didn't want to miss out on.
My mom did an amazing job hosting Jen's bridal shower and I was so thankful for all her help. I had some of my own duties and projects leading up to the shower as well but, my mom went above and beyond to make it a special day for Jen.
Delicious food and perfect company.
The weather turned out great and we could tell Jen had a wonderful day.
We had such a great turn out too.
We made sure to play a few fun games. Some were to see how well we all knew Jen and Scott and other games were played just for some fun laughs.
Happy bridal shower to a beautiful bride-to-be. We're so excited for Jen and Scott.
I was home from the shower by Saturday evening because Sunday morning Simon had to time some races so needed to be home for the kids. The next morning, August 14th, the kids enjoyed a summer Sunday with their neighborhood buddies.
The slip'n slide always ruins our grass but, the kids have hours of fun with them so it was worth it.
We're lucky the kids have such great friends in the neighborhood that play together all summer long.
Summer went fast however, and it was time to go back to school before we knew it. As an incoming 6th grader, Ava went back to school for a few hours on Wednesday the 17th and then by...
...Thursday the 18th, Ava had a full day of school as a 6th grader (how is it possible that Ava's a Middle Schooler) while...
...Dylan had a half day back for his first day as a...
...2nd grader at Mark Twain.
Looking so grown up.
Both kids were able to report they had an "awesome" first day back to school.
This year I've seen a lot of snakes while running on the High Line Canal. I always tell Dylan when I've seen one slither off the side of the trail or when I've nearly jumped over one and he rarely believes me. So of course the one day I brought my phone with me on my run to capture a snake I only ran into just a tiny baby snake. At least Dylan still believed me that I've been "running" into snakes.
After school on Tuesday, August 23rd we thought it would be fun to drive up north to Ft. Collins for the Mountain Avenue Mile race because it's not often that anyone hosts a mile race, let alone one that's for kids to race in too. It was a fast and flat course. Ava ran her fastest mile ever of 6:23 (wow) and...
...Dylan ran an amazing PR too of 6:34! So awesome!
Great job Ava and Dylan. We're so proud of your hard work.
After the race, the kids got their faces painted and the lady did the best job I've ever seen.
Then we headed to old down town Ft. Collins for dinner and after dinner we checked out a delicious cookie factory for some of the largest cookies we've ever had. Yum. It was such a great evening.
Two days later on Thursday, August 25th, I headed back up to the mountains to help Jen and Scott get ready for their big wedding day celebration. Thursday, I helped Jen, her mom and Michelle Dhanda (Jen's other bridesmaid and owner of Colorado River Ranch) with whatever they needed help with and then later that evening the girls all went to get our nails done. I stayed at my parent's house that night and by, Friday morning I was back out at the ranch where we did a lot more work on the flower arrangements and unloading of vehicles with deliveries full of lots of beer, soda, water, food, serving dishes, plates, utensils and so much more. Later that afternoon we were ready for...
...the wedding rehearsal.
After rehearsal Sharona brought Ava and Dylan out to the ranch. With school being back in session it was too hard for the kids to miss school during their first week back (especially Ava with being in Middle school now). My mom was so wonderful and helpful to be willing to meet Cathie in Georgetown for me to pick up the kids and then she drove them back up to the ranch where they were so excited to jump right into feeding the new baby goats. Ava was also very happy to see Adele who is the daughter of Michelle and Raj (owners of Colorado River Ranch and good friends to Scott and Jen. They also have two other twin boys).
After a successful rehearsal and delicious rehearsal dinner at the big barn (a stunning big barn), it was time to head back to the cabin for a good night's rest.
Saturday, August 27th, the kids and I woke to a gorgeous view on the river.
Jen and Scott were so gracious enough to have asked their friends to let me and the kids stay in a cabin that was very close to the Dhanda's ranch so that I didn't have to drive back and forth from my parents house.
That morning we were greeted by a few friendly humming birds.
Dylan was mesmerized by their fast wings and went outside to see how close he could get to them.
Ava had to jump out of the shower to see what all the excitement was about.
After lots more wedding work that morning of setting up chairs and tables, and table clothes etc, it was finally time to get fancy (I was also very proud of both Ava and Dylan who were such big helpers both the night before the wedding after rehearsal dinner and the morning before the wedding). Jen had myself and Michelle as bridesmaids with Adele and Ava's as junior bridesmaids.
Jen wore her mother's wedding dress with some modern updates. So pretty.
Myself and one of Scott's groomsmen.
Ava and another groomsmen.
Jen and her dad.
Adele and Ava looking way to old for their age.
Dylan did so awesome at the wedding considering how much he had to deal with a all of us girls getting ready for a long while and there was also so much going on that morning. It was also hard because Simon wasn't able to make the wedding either. At the last minute, work became to hectic and stressful for Simon to leave town and so Dylan didn't have dad to hang with but, luckily Grampy and Sharona were there to step in to help. Dylan also quickly made friends with some other little boys and was also very happy to find water and dirt to play in after the ceremony and during the reception. He always enjoys being on the ranch.
A gorgeous day and a beautiful ranch for pictures.
So happy for Jen and Scott.
Ava looking way too grown up, mature and very pretty.
Their first dance and Mr. and Mrs. Jones.
Time for some dancing fun.
Fireworks to end a spectacular wedding celebration.
It was a busy, but amazing weekend and we're so excited for Jen and Scott that everything went so well and turned out just the way they wanted it too. We loved getting to celebrate Jen and Scott.
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