June 2022

Summertime!!

We picked the hottest day ever to go fishing with Jeremy and Timothy who were staying with us for the weekend, and the boot wasn't just cooling me off. (I should admit that I got a pretty sweet scooter that became my best friend for this first six nonweightbearing weeks.)

I think Timothy's got the right idea, though not likely to lead to many fish.

Naomi did get a couple of these little guys so it was obviously totally worth it.

And off to the pool to cool off!

I got to see J play basketball while he was staying with us which was really fun. I'm glad to see some things haven't changed. Like licking your hand and then wiping the bottom of your shoe for traction. And all the squeaks. Man, I love those squeaks.

Sarah, Annika and their friends did a soccer camp at University of Colorado for a week.

And then, because a broken foot wasn't a bad enough start to my summer, after two and a half years of dodging COVID, I finally got COVID. It was mostly profound fatigue and achiness that I initially attributed to my broken foot and using crutches and rheumatoid arthritis. But when a co-worker tested positive I put the pieces together... The worst part of it was needing to keep Naomi healthy since she was leaving for her ballet intensive one week later.

So we masked up for everything. Including our annual anniversary of our engagement picnic dinner in Boulder. 

I love that we can come back to this place year after year.

Packing up for Naomi to be gone for almost two weeks -- I hung in my room and just helpfully kept telling her what not to forget as she made her list. It was great. She loved it.

Fortunately we were both testing negative so I was able to go to drop her off at the dorms at University of Denver.

This is where she and Lucy stayed with the other dancers for the intensive.

First taste of dorm life!

They had this kitchen in their four person suite, which is way nicer than anything I ever had in the dorms. The microwave did spark and threaten to start fires, so at least that part hasn't changed.

An almost tearless goodbye. We both did good. :)

Every morning, after hitting the cafeteria for breakfast, they took the light rail from the DU campus...

...to Colorado Ballet where they danced six hours a day, six days a week.

And then back home again on the light rail (could go maskless as the intensive went on).

Evenings at the dorm with ice they carried home from the cafeteria.

They had some outings around Denver.

Including seeing Moulin Rouge at the Buell Theater

She loved it -- what is there not to love about shows at the Buell?

Meanwhile this happened to poor Luna. These before and after collages will never get old for me. 

And I'll never understand the things they do to her tail.

Back home these girls made their traditional Father's Day fruit pizza.

So much love for this guy!

Sarah found these socks and Clifton made his sock dreams come true immediately.

And then Annika was off to Maranatha, the annual middle school church camp.

Two kids out of town, one kid at a science camp, two parents with a day off... We started at Snooze, one of our favorite breakfast places.

And then to our first movie in years. Literally. Apparently no one is at the theater on a Thursday matinee. So much fun and nostalgia to watch Maverick.

Meanwhile Sarah lived it up as an only child with a sushi picnic dinner...

...and Culvers for a concrete.

Meanwhile Annika was having fun with her friends at red carpet night at camp

And Naomi waited up til midnight with her friends to hear Taylor Swift's release of her new song Carolina.

I think this is the first time I've ever seen a full double rainbow. Too bad the backdrop is the Walmart parking lot :)

We became serious hockey fans this year because what else do you do when you are sitting around and your home team wins the whole thing? So fun!

Post-Maranatha, post all nighter and six hour car ride from Nebraska... So much love for middle school youth group leaders.

The same day that Annika came home from Maranatha, Naomi wrapped up her intensive with a performance for parents.

These three were inseparable during those weeks.

And if you can't get enough of Noami's pics, she and her friend made this slideshow:  link

Together again!!

We picked up the girls from their trips and went directly to a USNWT soccer game, in part because USWNT!

And in part because Sarah and her soccer team were invited to be escorts for the US and the Colombian teams.

So they got to hang out in the locker room before the game.

And watch warm ups from the side.

Sarah got a high five from Megan Rapinoe which was the highlight of her summer.

Annika was psyched to see Alex Morgan so up close and personal.

Sarah escorted one of the Colombian players onto the field at the start of the game.

And then stood with her for the national anthem.

And made her TV debut (far left on screen)!

The US played a great game -- Annika's celebrating a goal.

Sarah with her buds doing the same

Definitely won't forget this fun night.

And as much fun as it is to see your babies go do new and brave things all on their own, it's also amazing to all be together again.