Fall Fun

October 30 I ran a 5K with my buddy, Jeff. I ran it in 26:10. I think that's my best race time yet.

On Columbus Day, Brittney and I went down to the Garden of the Gods in southern Illinois and hiked 7 miles with our friends Denise, Becca and Spencer. Those of you who have been to the Garden of the Gods may be wondering why we hiked 7 miles when you can drive right up to the beautiful scenic overlook...yeah, so am I. I guess that is what happens when you are married to someone who is young and ambitious and has young and ambitious friends :)

Here we are near the beginning of the trail.

Along the way we found respite in an old fashioned horse town.

Brittney thought she was going to die. (You may be wondering who else besides Brittney would lay down in a cemetary, the answer is her dad. Every year when they go to the cemetary on Memorial Day, he lays down on his plot to try it out.)

Brittney quickly revived when she heard there was gold diggin to be done.

Finally we arrived at the Garden of the Gods.

We felt like we were on top of the world.

It was a beautiful view with amazing rock formations that pictures can't do justice.

Brittney's basketball team scheduled an Orange and Blue game on her birthday. Brittney and the head coach, Jeremy Richards (distant cousin whose ancestors didn't go out west with the Saints), divided their players into two teams with Brittney coaching one team and Jeremy the other. I thought it was a great opportunity to invite our friends to come watch her coach and see her school. I secretly sent out invitations to many of our friends and arranged for our cake decorating friend to make a cake to surprise Brittney with at the game. I was pleasantly surprised at how many people responded and said they would come, 19! I lay awake at night dreaming of Brittney's surprise when so many of her friends walked into the game. She would really wonder what was going on. It was so exciting!

The day before the game arrived and I was busy working in my office when I got a text from Brittney saying that 23 of her 53 students had either stayed home sick or gone home sick during the day. I immediately responded and asked if the game was still on. (Brittney later told me she wondered why I was so concerned about the game and not her sick students.) The health department ended up closing the school for the day and consequently the game was cancelled. Nothing like a plague to ruin a birthday party!

We ended up having everyone come to our house instead and we enjoyed an amazing basketball birthday cake and basketball court brownies.