Busy Bees for sure!

Well the first full week of September was super-crazy and super-busy for me (which makes it that way for Ben, too, ha). We got back Monday night, I worked Tuesday night, attended a mountain bike meeting that evening, left on a ladie's trip to Crested Butte Wednesday morning and got back from that Thursday night, then unpacked/repacked for Friday, left Friday morning (after mowing lawns) to Nathrop (we had to take the longer 4-hour drive due to expected road closures), camped that night, on Saturday watched the boys at their high school mountain bike race, and then drove the shorter 2 1/2 hours home that evening. It was crazy. I was and am still exhausted. But it was all good stuff. I just wish it wasn't all the same week! Ben thought he had to leave Friday evening for his Army drill weekend, but found out he was supposed to be there on Friday at 6:45am. So, while I was away in Crested Butte, he had to arrange his schedule, the girls' schedule, etc. and head out a day early. So it was a bit wild for him, too. But all went well and it was pretty darn enjoyable - just a bit too much all crammed in, but that's just how it had to be!

The girls ended up being quarantined the whole week. :( Boohoo. Both due to possible exposures. We actually got a home rapid test for Emmy and it was negative (so she was able to participate in, at least, her extracurriculars that week). So at least the girls had each other to be bored with all day?! They are excited to go back tomorrow (Monday). I was glad, in some ways, that Emmy was home all week because I was gone every day and it would have been a bit hard on Lucy, I think. So it all worked out, but was still a bummer. 

Lucy is loving middle school and her friends there! It's been really great and definitely feels right to have her there. Emmy is dealing with friend-stuff and it's been a little rough, but it's part of life - especially for middle school girls - and hopefully all will work out and she'll be happy with her school (she does really like her teachers) and her friends! Jonas is liking school. Especially the social part of it. :) I just found out camping with them and their mountain biking friends on Friday, that Jonas tried to take our rooster, on a leash at least, into school on Friday morning. There's so much to this story (like how I saw them driving to seminary on Friday morning in the truck - I was out on my run . . .  and they were acting a bit weird. Turns out they had the rooster with them . . . Jonas can literally hypnotize our chickens and so was showing this off at seminary I guess . . . Jonas actually bought a leash for our rooster . . . While outside at the high school, after seminary, a counselor came out and asked Jonas if he was planning on taking the rooster inside the school . . . Which, this is THE BEST PART, Jonas put his finger to his mouth and went "Shhhhh." To the high school counselor!!!! Hahaha. His friend, who ratted him out on Friday night, could not understand why Jonas just didn't answer "no." Hahaha. Then security or somebody was called . . . They asked for Jonas' name and when there was a slight hesitation, they reminded Jonas that there are cameras all around . . . Jonas said his name and the security person apparently heard "Otis." Jonas didn't correct him. Oh man. While I do not endorse this behavior, I am glad it was just a stupid prank and not something really bad or dangerous or illegal. Okay, now you got most of the story. Oh, the security person just asked Jonas to take the rooster home and he did and I don't think anything else was done because I received no call from the school. Even if they tried to find out who this "Otis" kid was, the camera would have showed Jonas and the principal, who knows and actually likes Jonas, would have figured out the right name. I have no doubt Jonas and Miles - who was his side-kick - will have fun telling their kids this story one day. It totally makes me laugh.)

Okay, back to my post . . . Miles is taking two classes at the high school (project unify and english) and is trying to finish up his junior classes. :( It's such a bummer that he's so behind, but I don't know what to do at this point really, except to concede that he will not be done with school in May nor even August . . . I think we're looking at the end of 2022.

Okay, so I don't even know where I am going with this post. But on Wednesday I headed out to Crested Butte with some friends (after heading out for a road-bike ride and getting a flat tire . . . long story, but I ended up running 3 miles to Ben's work and borrowing a co-worker's car to go and get my bike. I got back home at 8:45 and we were meeting at 9:00 at my house. I made it on time but it was a crazy, crazy morning!) We had this tripped planned a month ago and it went great! We drove up to Lake Irwin on Wednesday and enjoyed the day paddle boarding and chatting. Then we went to the Oh Be Joyful campground where I had made reservations at the exact site I had gone the month before with my girls and their friends. We set up camp and then went to town for dinner. Dinner was a slight disaster as it took forever (short-staff as is everywhere around here) and one gal's dinner was totally forgotten, etc. But we had fun anyways. We had a nice evening around the campfire and slept well that night. We got up on Thursday and headed out by about 8:30 on our long hike - the Oh Be Joyful trail. I had done a little bit of it with Emmy and her friends, but I wanted to do the whole thing. So we hiked 13.5 miles that day, round-trip, and made it to the lake and back. It was a beautiful hike and fairly flat - until the last two miles. It was great weather, albeit a bit too warm. We got back to our campsite and packed up and headed home. It was a great time with great gals.

At the beginning of the trail . . . we literally walk right out of our campsite onto the trail. It's awesome. Me, Sarah, Jody, Heather, and Sherri.

A lady running with a burro met us on the trail. Yes, apparently it's a thing and there are all sorts of burro races (humans running with them). This lady just retired from running in races, but was training this wild burro, Guapo. He was very sweet. :)

 

Then Friday, after the boys' rooster escapade and me taking Jonas mowing, we packed up the car and headed out for the boys' high school mountain bike race. We got up to the race venue and the boys and their team went out for a pre-ride. This is where they scope out the trail and learn about it so they can make the most of their race-ride. After that, the team all came to the campground - which was literally right across the highway from the racing venue. Police were there to stop traffic to allow the racers and family to cross back and forth between the campground and venue area. It was super convenient. We had a delicious and fun pasta dinner. That evening I chilled with a few other families and kids around the fire and had a fun evening. This is when I found out about the rooster thing. :) I slept with the boys in our big tent and had a great night's sleep (probably thanks to being so exhausted and to Benadryl!).

On Saturday Miles raced at 8:30 and Jonas raced at 12:30. The teammates were pretty close to those times - they let about 4 kids go every minute. Both boys did well. I think Miles did as he expected and was happy with his race. It looks like Miles was 52nd out of 102 boys (with a time of about 1:06). Pretty good - especially since it's only his 2nd race ever. Jonas seemed to struggle a bit more. I think he was a little surprised at how hard it was. He thought he maybe went too fast on the first lap and slowed down on his second lap quite a bit. I don't think he performed as well as he wanted to, but it was his first race and hopefully he'll do better next time! He placed 40th out of 60, so pretty good (with a time of about 1:14). We waited for everyone to finish and then headed home. It was a good time, but it would have been nice to have Ben there, too! Next time maybe!

Here are a bunch of photos taken mainly by other coaches and parents. Miles, for some reason, isn't in a ton of them. Bummer, but at least we have some! They are completely out of order.

Jonas on the left starting out on his race.

Miles finishing his race!

Jonas out on the trail somewhere.

Jonas in the "staging" area, waiting with some of his teammates to start. Jack, Jonas, I don't know, and I don't know. Stupid masks.

Still in line waiting . . . 

Jonas again.

This area was called the feed zone. The riders could ride up next to volunteers and attempt to grab their second water bottle. Most kids were able to successfully grab it, but many dropped it. I was glad my boys didn't do it, ha. This was after lap 1 - with just 1 more to go.

Jonas and Miles at the dinner. Javi and Connor are in the bottom of the picture. I am in the top with my back to the photo. :)

Jonas and Quinn, now I can tell who that is.

I love this - Jonas, since a little boy, always sticks his tongue out while doing sports, etc. It's so great.

Jonas finishing.

I just got this photo from online. Miles racing on the course.

Another one of Miles finishing.

This was at our campground before Miles headed out for his morning warm-up before his race.

The next two pics are taken along the race trail. It's so telling on how different my boys are as riders! Miles hardly looks like he's racing at all, ha. Jonas looks more into it. Miles is a very strong uphill racer, but takes his time on the downhill. Jonas is slower on the uphill, but cruises fast on the downhill. 

Cool stuff.

And what did the girls do all weekend?! They had their first sleepover at a friend's house (we don't allow for sleepovers, but this was a special circumstance . . . :) ). They really didn't want to go with me as they wanted to hang out with their friends. So I asked a friend (two of her girls are my girls' best friends) and she agreed to let my girls stay over on Friday. The girls had fun and even came to our house on Saturday to hang out with those same two girls plus another one of Emmy's friends. Emmy was excited to show her friends her room. :) So the girls had a great weekend, too.

Long post. The end.