Today was the home meet of the Rain City Flyers! Veronica & Étienne are very familiar with the course in Woodland Park, since they run it at least twice a week.

Since it is five days until Halloween, there were lots of costumes, pumpkins, and decorations. Étienne on the starting line in a pink t-shirt & Rain City Flyers jersey!

Étienne running his 2K, and crossing the finish line!

Steve took the boys to a concert at Benaroya Hall that our neighbor Erin was playing in right after Étienne's race, and he took the camera so I don't have any photos of Veronica. However, she was the first Rain City Flyer 13/14 girl to finish, and seventh overall, so she received an individual ribbon! Étienne did not finish in the top 8 of 7/8 boys, but the Rain City Flyer boys took first place, so he got a team ribbon. Final times: Veronica 4K, 17:13. Étienne 2K, 11:17.

This was the last regular meet of the season, but in three weeks is the Pacific Northwest Junior Olympic Championships so Veronica & Étienne will keep practicing!

If you follow this post at all, you recognize the style, subject, and form in the following wall picture:

Guess the artist and win a second dessert after dinner tonight. You can win as many time as you want, just be sure to finish your dinner first.

On Saturday, Étienne lost his left canine tooth, and on Monday, he lost his right. So the Tooth Fairy has been busy and Étienne has been raking in the dough!

On Saturday, October 19, Carlton received an award for Honesty. Each cabin at summer camp nominated one member for each of the four core values. Over 800 parents and campers filled Town Hall. Directors of both Orkila and Coleman presented an inspirational program detailing the mission and core values of the local Y.

Each recipient wore a nametag with their award. Some campers dressed up. The Y Board of Directors walked about talking to the campers about their experience at camp.
The hosts peppered the presentation with great stories, video, and a few camp songs. Do you know the Jellyfish song? Ask Carl. Here is a camper talking about Honesty.

Reading of Carl's name.

Good job Carl.

Yesterday was the second true cross-country race of the season (the Glider Miler wasn't a full-distance race) and the first one Veronica got to do as last week she was on a church retreat. I was still recovering from the creeping crud that has been going around work the last two weeks so Steve took everyone, and Cousin Jane joined them.

Yesterday's meet was hosted by the Cascade Striders in Bellevue. Here, Étienne checks out the course before the start.

Lining up at the start... with the rabbit out in front.

Étienne running!

Crossing the finish line, and final results for 7 & 8 year-olds.

Veronica lined up at the start (first white jersey on the left, with pink shoes!)

Running down the chute!

Crossing the finish line, and results for 13 & 14 year-olds.

The Rain City Flyers 7&8 year-old boys team placed first, so Étienne got a medal!

After the race was Uncle Carroll & Aunt Carol-Ann's annual cider press. Here Carl and Veronica add apples to the hopper to be shredded.

Veronica operates the press!

Uncle Carroll and the Easter Bunny! (Why?)

Carl watches cousins Mark and Dan juggling balls.

Steve brought home a gallon of apple cider for us to enjoy!

Today at Ballard First Lutheran we celebrated the Festival of St Francis, and for the second year in a row people were invited to bring their pets into the church for worship. There were a few more exotic pets last year, but certainly plenty of animals this year. Here is the choir in the narthex before the service.

First the Sunday School children sang "All God's Creatures Got a Place in the Choir." Étienne is on the far left, with his stuffed dinosaur Rover, and our friend Maddie is next to him. Maddie's mom was out of town this weekend so we took her to church with us. Carlton is still technically a Sunday School child, but he towers over the first and second graders so I don't make him go up and sing. He will start confirmation classes next year.

Pastor Laurie then invited everyone who had brought a pet to go back to the narthex and process in. Here you can see Pastor Laurie, Rover, and Étienne. Also, there was a Burnese Mountain Dog sitting in front of us. She barked enthusiastically after the choir sang!

Before the final hymn, everyone with a pet came forward for a blessing. You can see Pastor Erik is blessing all the pets. Everyone received a certificate attesting that their pet had been officially blessed!

Guess what instrument Carlton decided to play for 5th grade band?