8 September 2013 - Labor Day and Beat Beethoven

For Labor Day weekend we took advantage of our new-found proximity to family and drove to Utah to spend time with everyone in Orem.  We went boating on Saturday but left our phones in the car, so no pictures are available, sorry.  We mostly rode the tube, but when the water calmed down in the evening Phil and I did go out and ski.  It was nice to be back on the water again.

On Monday we went rappelling.

Here's Madeline on a 90 foot decent.

Aunt Jen and Jessica getting ready for a drop.

Here's Phil on his way down the cliff.

It seemed like a short weekend even though it was a long one, but we had a good time and soon were on our way back home.  Fall is definitely arriving here.  The weather has cooled and we've started getting some rain, something very strong rain.  On Thursday we looked out our back window and say this double rainbow after a heavy downpour.

On Saturday the Caldwell Fine Arts Center hosted a 5k.  Before the race, they had a 1/2 mile run for kids and families.  The theme for the event was Beat Beethoven.  The short race was called the Sonatina Scamper, and they played one of Beethoven's sonatinas while we ran.  The objective was to finish the race before the sonatina ended, which we did.  Joanne had volunteered to help with a blood drive so she had to leave, but I stayed and ran the 5k while the girls cheered me on.  Beethoven's 5th Symphony (31 minutes long) played while we ran, and I was the third to the last runner to finish before it ended, completing the race in 29 minutes and 15 seconds.  I think it was my Speedy Gonzales t-shirt that put me over the top.