A New Sport.... Cross Country

After experiencing two concussions last year while playing football, Aaron decided to try another sport.... Cross Country.  Besides sore knees, everything has been going as well as expected.  It has been a lot of fun attending the meets to cheer for all of the runners.  Aaron really doesn't appreciate my loud or should I say screaming words of encouragement along the course.

The boys get ready to start their 4800 meter race in LaCrescent.

 At the start of the race it is all smiles for Aaron.....

 Aaron felt a little differently at the 3000 meter mark :-)

 

 Only 500 meters left!

Summer of 2011 at Big Pine Lake

After the summer baseball season, the Simmons family was able to spend a good chunk of August at the cabin.  Drew and Toby were the lucky ones...spending almost one month at Big Pine Lake.  Drew spent countless hours fishing and playing bean bags while at the lake.  

Grandpa helping Drew take a fish off his hook. 

Drew playing bags with Granny...."Call ElRoy."

 Nothing better than laying on the couch with a beautiful view of the lake!

 Drew caught another fish off of our dock.

 Drew threw at least 25 "patricks" (all 3 bags in the hole) while playing bags this summer.

Aaron and Drew posing with Great Grandma Neuerburg.

A Melon and a Duathlon

In the middle of August, Drew and I ventured to Vining, MN so I could run in the "Run for the Melon" 5K race.  It was a beautiful Saturday morning in central Minnesota. Drew wanted to be my official photographer so I gave him my camera and off I went to run the race.  He took about 50 pictures of the trees and the surrounding area and he did manage to take a couple pictures of me during the race.

 After the race, participants were given watermelon to eat.

 I am almost at the finish line... I finished the race in 27 minutes 10 seconds :-)

My official photographer....

On August 28th, I tried something new... a duathalon.  Not just any duathalon...the world's largest... The Minneapolis Duathalon.   I ran 3.1 miles, biked 18 miles then ran 3.1 miles.  I had two friends from Stewartville who also participated in the race which made the experience a lot of fun.  Diana, Doug & Dan were there to cheer me on!  I finished the race in 2 hours 20 minutes :-)

Here I just finished biking 18 miles. Now I am heading to the transition area. 

All I have left in the race is 3.1 miles. 

Here I am posing with Julie & Julie for a picture.  Both of these ladies kicked my butt in the race.

 Diana and Doug are cheering me on.... just 100 yards left in the race.

The Great Minnesota Get Together

Last week, the Simmons family made their annual pilgrimage to the state fair.  On the opening day of the fair, we went as band parents to assist the marching band in the state fair parade.   Then two days later we went as a family to take in the sites at the fair.   Aaron and Drew were the envy of a lot of people since they got to go to the Big Rush concert at the grandstand.  Before we headed home on Sunday, we stopped at the MN Science Museum to take in the King Tut exhibit.

 Aaron marching at the state fair.

The band performing their "Battle Field" maneuvers.

 Drew enjoying his drink at the fair.

 Teri poses with a former student/athlete who was a runner-up for the Princess Kay of the Milky Way.  

She just had her head carved in butter.

 Aaron, Andrew and Dan took part in the Giant Sing A-long at the fair.

 Aaron and Drew riding the river raft.

Drew and Aaron getting ready to go to the

 Big Time Rush concert.

Aaron and Drew taking part in a Science Museum experiment.