And We're Off...

Yep. It's finally happening.

Less Than Twenty Hours Until Departure...

After this week's toil, all that remains between me and Christmas break is tomorrow morning's Spanish final. The other finals have gone well, and the hard work is almost done.
Today we began packing to head out tomorrow afternoon, and after school will be the big push to load the car before Dad gets home from work. Please pray for traveling safety and peace in the close quarters during the long drive. We are so excited to see everyone soon!

Finals Week

All,

I have posted a few pictures from Christmas, but I don't have much time to write. Katie and I have finals this week, and I had to turn down a hike this afternoon to study. :(

If all goes as planned, we'll be heading out on Friday afternoon to make the long trek to Indy.
Keep Elissa in your prayers as she begins her travels to the States today!

"Christmas" (The early version)

Dad and Mom arrived home Saturday afternoon; that evening, most of us bundled up against the cold to go see the annual Christmas parade in downtown Colorado Springs. Despite the bitter temperatures, we had fun watching the floats (including a Chick-fil-a truck and trailer full of dancing cows! That's for you, Aunt Christine!) and visiting with the Anderson family.
By 7:30 this morning, the stairs were populated by the waiting kids, eager to begin the morning's festivities. As a new twist in the tradition of the early Christmas with Grandpa and Grandma Paige, we began the celebration in the morning. Breakfast was a delicious bacon, egg, and cheese pie, completed by a side of rolls with cinnamon sugar and pecans. Before heading to the family room for presents, we had our second advent reading of the Christmas season. Everyone had fun giving and receiving presents to and from Grandpa and Grandma, and we finished with enough time to not feel rushed while getting ready for church. Tonight, we're having our "Christmas dinner"!
We're excited to see Elissa (she arrives in the States in one week) and everyone else back in Indy soon!
I'll post pictures soon...

Snow: A Perfect Beginning to December

Last night, the snow began falling stealthily. By morning, the ground had not been completely covered, but a light frosting coated the world. The mountains have been shrouded in cold, gray clouds, but inside has been warm, looking, sounding, and smelling more like Christmas. Yesterday, Christie made the sugar cookie dough; we ate the test batch of cookies. This afternoon, the majority of the decorating was completed, so never fear, I captured some pictures before the goodness was devoured!
Dad and Mom have been having a good time skiing in Breckenridge, while Grandpa, Grandma, and the rest of us have held down the fort. School has been very busy, gearing up for finals, but I think we can make it one last day. I've begun driving Katie and myself to school, a new experience, but a welcome one. I apologize for posting the Christmas tree photo a week later, so I took some other ones to make up for it.
This Sunday, we'll have our early Christmas celebration with Grandpa and Grandma before they go back to Indy. All the preparation has made the official Christmas that much closer!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

Even though this was our first Thanksgiving away from most of our family, we had a great celebration with Grandpa and Grandma Paige, as well as the Lindsey family (who work at Challenger Homes). 

Last night, we began the Christmas preparation around the house: the tree was set up and decorated, the Christmas chest was raided for garlands and lights, and the nativity was assembled. I didn't get any pictures, as the camera was not charged. I'll take some this afternoon and post them once we get back from our family library trip...

Christmas is just around the corner!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I didn't post an update this weekend, so now is as good a time as any...

Exciting News From Last Week:

Friday morning, Dad, Mom, and I drove to the DMV. I took the driver's license test...
... and passed! That is a huge burden lifted from Mom, as I can now drive Katie and myself
and from school. So, Friday afternoon, Katie and I took the maiden voyage without an adult
 in the car. And I'm here to tell about it! ;)

Saturday, the healthy members of the family drove to Wal-Mart to do our annual Operation Christmas
Child shoebox shopping. A neat thing about this year is the option to track your box. That way, we'll be able to find what country our gift goes to!

Today, Katie and I did not have to go to DCC for school, as we have the entire week off from school! But, we do have some work from home, and the other kids will have school through tomorrow. Grandpa and Grandma Paige arrive on Wednesday for Thanksgiving! We'll also celebrate an early Christmas with them, as they'll be spending the official Christmastime in Florida while we're in Indy.

So, have a Happy Thanksgiving!  Salvation; freedom to worship God in this country; family; friends; the Church body; and the provision of shelter, food, and modern medicine are just a few things we have to be grateful for. May you take this time to thank our Heavenly Father for all that we have been blessed with.

Saturday Update

Well, the mountain biking this morning was exhilarating... and windy. The gusts had to be around 40-50 mph. It was so windy that we were able to coast up the first big hill (I'll put up a picture that looks down from the top). I then was blindsided by an eastward-rocketing tumbleweed. Tonight we had homemade pizzas for Christie's birthday dinner with Dairy Queen cake for dessert! I'll also put up some pictures of Christie's birthday breakfast... 

The Weekend!

 Finally... the weekend is here; with it comes some special events:
Today is Christie's 14th birthday! We had the bagel breakfast this morning before school, (The dominant flavor, of course, being chocolate chip!) and we'll celebrate with her birthday dinner tomorrow night. Tonight, she gets to go to a church retreat with one of her friends; the fun will keep happening all week.
Tomorrow morning, Dad, Luke, and I are planning on mountain biking at Ute Valley. You can bet that there'll be an update for that!
But wait! There's more... on Monday, Becca turns 11! So, Sunday night, for a joint birthday meal, the Tribe is heading to one of our favorites: Texas Roadhouse. (I'm getting excited just thinking about the steak, rolls, and cinnamon butter. Mmmmm.)
School has been busy, and the workload hasn't showed any sign of slowing down, but only one week remains until our Thanksgiving break! Katie and I have the whole week off, and we'll enjoy every minute of the total 9 days... AND, Christmas is just around the corner.

Quote of the the Week + Pictures

I forgot to mention this, but Will had the quote of the week. We were trick-or-treating, and we had gone to about 10 houses. Will turned to Christie and asked, "Wait... do we get to keep this candy?"

I've posted the pictures of our costumes, too!

Yahoooooooooo!!!!!!!

I can't believe it. This is my first snow day ever. (Surprisingly, school was still in session for homeschool, even in horrible weather...) :) So, today I get to stay at home and work on revising some papers and not tack on more homework. YAY!!!!! I may just go back to bed for a while...

Blizzard?! We'll see...

If the forecast is correct (but how often is it?), then we are in for some snow of generous proportions. Three to five inches are predicted tonight and two to four could come tomorrow. This past Saturday was Becca, Anna, and Ben's last soccer game for their season. They had a good time playing this fall, as it was unexpected that they would have the chance. Yesterday, for Halloween, our family decided to do something different (since we couldn't go to Castleview's Fall Festival). After taking the kids trick-or-treating in the neighborhood, on our front porch we set up a table complete with candy and hot chocolate (for the chilly parents). We also handed out Gospel tracts with the candy and tried to be a light in a holiday that has such huge connotations with evil and darkness. It is our hope that God will choose to work in the lives of the people that visited our house on "All Saints Evening". School seems to be going well for all, and we've seemed to settle in to our respective academic surroundings. Continued prayer for our church search would be greatly appreciated. We love you all and are thankful for your prayers!

Snow! (but not enough...)

This midweek update is brought to you by: Snow. Lots of it. Denver was supposed to get 7 to 17 inches, but I'm not sure where the current levels are. We are still getting hit with it, although it was not enough to cancel school for today. The rest of the visit with the cousins was fun, and I've put up some pictures of that. I took a few shots of the snow before leaving for school, and the latest ones are of the front of the house. It's dark in my room right now, as snow has covered the window well covering... I may go out and kick it off to have some more light. As I do my homework this afternoon, I'll be playing some Relient K Christmas music... oh yeah.

Cousins...

Late Wednesday night, the Uncle Jon & Family landed in Denver; the welcoming party brought them back home to crash. It's been a good visit so far, and I'm glad that the weekend is here! I'm almost done with the week's homework, so it'll be time to hang out.
Today the cousins were able to visit Focus on the Family and Garden of the Gods, and then pick Katie and me up from school. This evening, we're watching "Thor" (who also happens to be our school mascot), and tomorrow should include a good deal of hiking. The weather has gradually warmed up the past few days, turning out to be quite pleasant this afternoon.
I have posted more pictures from my birthday week and the Abells' visit... more from this week will come soon!

Concert Pictures

Even though I forgot the camera in the hotel room when Dad and I went to the Switchfoot and Anberlin concert, we still took a couple pictures with his phone. They are up for your enjoyment...

Back to School Tomorrow...

For once, I am glad for parent teacher conferences (they were never that big of a deal with homeschool!). Why? Because I like three day weekends. Friday was off for DCC, so we all made the most of it with a guys' mountain biking trip and a girls' mall excursion in the morning, and the whole group visit to the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in the afternoon. It was a great week with the Abells, and school did not send us off with unbearable amounts of homework (thank you, God!) I had an amazing 17th birthday; even my soccer coach unknowingly gave me a birthday present by canceling practice for the day! We had steak, cinnamon rolls, twice baked potatoes, and more for dinner, and concluded the evening with presents and Dairy Queen ice cream cake. Grandpa and Grandma Paige arrived on Tuesday, and left for Florida with Christie and Luke on Thursday. The PSAT on Wednesday went well (I think?), but we'll receive the results in December. Saturday morning, Dad, Katie and I brought the Abells to the airport; the rest of the weekend has been fairly uneventful. I'll put up the pictures from the week soon...

Switchfoot & Anberlin, the Abells, and Snow!

The weekend began Friday afternoon as Dad and I inched our way through the traffic to Boulder. Over two and a half hours later (rather than the normal 1 1/2), we arrived at our hotel. Shortly after, we again battled the maze of of cars to the Boulder Theater. Anberlin and Switchfoot put on a great show, and wow, it was packed. Most of the converted concert venue was standing room only; the admission line wrapped around the outside of the buildings for over two blocks when we first arrived. It turned out that we were in the  the middle of the line. Switchfoot played some of their older hits, as well as new songs from Vice Verses: Stars, This Is Your Life, Dare You to Move, Meant to Live, Selling the News, Where I Belong, Restless, The War Inside, and Dark Horses.
 Saturday morning, we drove around a bit in Boulder; I took some pictures of the slightly frosted scenery. As the day progressed, the rain turned to snow, and by the time that we picked up the Abells, it was coming down somethin' fierce. Yesterday, we loaded everyone into the white van and spent the majority of the day in the mountains at Mueller State Park. I believe that it was many of ours' first time having a picnic in the snow, but despite the cold (and the snow falling from the trees) we had a good time. After lunch we hiked a couple of miles in the snow that proved to soak most everyone's shoes, socks, and pant legs. The snow covered landscape was beautiful; I've posted the pictures that I took. Tonight is my soccer match against Wasson High School, Thurdsay evening holds the first Crossover Game (one of three pre-playoff games).
All the snow on the ground at our house has melted, but Pike's Peak is still coated, as the rest of the range is. The only remaining trace of the weather here is a nearly melted snowman...

The City Harmonic!

Dad, Katie, Christie, Luke, and I just returned home from seeing The City Harmonic in concert. It was a great show, and they did a fantastic job even in the face of technical difficulties. I'm putting up some pictures now...

October!

I feel at rest (temporarily) as I now sit down to write this update. For the moment, reality is suspended and the deadlines, reading assignments, and vocabulary lists are pushed away. Well, the past week has been busy. That may be an understatement, but it suffices.
    Katie's softball season came to a close on Friday night, unfortunately with a loss. However, the team did well overall; through the ups and downs, Katie made some good school friends.
    Soccer is still going strong. Thursday night, we were definitely the underdogs in the matchup against Lewis Palmer. It was a tough game that tested everyone's skills and endurance to the limit. By the end of the night, we had done what had not happened before in our school's existence. Our 1-0 win was the first ever against LP, as our school is now five years old, and it had never previously prevailed. Saturday was another story- a bitter 0-4 loss in the grudge match against Rampart who beat us 2-3 in overtime earlier this season. Next Thursday night, the playoff-determining Crossover games begin.
     Sunday afternoon, Dad took us hiking to The Crags (near Woodland Park). The aspens were turning colors, the mountain air was crisp, and we enjoyed the getaway (we had not been on a hike for a few weeks.) Pictures of that are up, as well as the ones that I promised last weekend.
    This Friday, Dad and I are going up to Boulder, CO, to see Switchfoot and Anberlin in concert. YEAAHHHHHH!!!! (I'm mildly excited.) :) Saturday, the two of us will go from our hotel to the airport and pick up the Abells, who are staying with us until the 15th! In a few weeks, the South Carolina cousins are coming out West and staying for a few days. So all in all, it's going to be a great month! Well, it's time to get back to the books and prepare for a full day of school tomorrow... Happy October!

So sorry!

All,

I said last weekend that I would post the latest pictures, and then I ran out of time. This weekend, I didn't even have time to post anything due to my school workload. So, I promise an update before the weekend (I hope it will be tonight) with last time's pictures and the new ones from this weekend. Thanks for understanding!

Happy Birthday Josh!

Today was the second of one of the "back to back" birthdays (Christie and Becca's being the November pair)... Josh! The wee lit'l lad turned 1 this morn, and we've had a good day of celebration and soccer. My game was another disappointing 2-3 loss in overtime, but we had fun watching Becca, Anna, and Ben's game, where Becca scored an amazing left side upper 90 goal. Our birthday picnic at the game was delicious, and the Lindsey family joined us for the fun. I'm planning on putting up the week's pictures tomorrow afternoon...

Happy Birthday Will!

Today is Will's fourth birthday, and we started it off with the customary donut breakfast (yum!) Katie and I had our half day at school; afterwards, she had a softball game, winning 12-2. Mom and most of the kids are at AWANA tonight, Dad is taking Will and Matt for dinner at Chick-fil-a, and Katie, Christie, Josh, and I are chillin' at home, so it should be a quiet evening...

The Latest Addition to Our Spiritual Warfare Armory...

Tonight at the dinner table, Dad read from a missionary biography that we've been going through; the main theme was spiritual warfare. He posed the question, "What weapons has God given us to use in Spiritual warfare?" The first two responses were "Prayer" and "the Bible". Mark then piped up, "Chainsaws?"

Sunday Afternoon Outing

This morning, we again visited Pulpit Rock Church, and visited the adult Sunday School class, too. After a quick clothes change at home, we drove three minutes away to Rampart Park. Beautiful weather, a delicious picnic lunch, and a competitive soccer game filled the afternoon. Before we left, Luke tried out the BMX park with no injury, (his first run was a close call!); Christie wasn't fortunate enough. Past the initial hill, she took a spill on the jump, ending up with some scrapes and scratched up elbows, nothing serious. I have put up some pictures of Becca, Anna, and Ben's game, our picnic, and the BMX track. Only 8 days until Grandpa and Grandma Paige move out on the 27th! (The same day that Switchfoot's album comes out, for all you fans!)

Soccer (and Sun!)

    After a few days of very foggy/rainy weather, it's nice to have the sun back! Thursday was the worst of the weather; visibility was severely reduced. I'll post a picture of it today, as well as one of the creek at the end of our court. When I took it, the water had greatly subsided, but at its fullest level, it was over all the rocks you can see.
    Tuesday's soccer match against Woodland Park was our first win, putting us at 1-1-1. The 6-2 victory was the reward for all the practice we've been putting in, and it was well earned! Thursday, despite the weather, we still got our game in, with only a 45 minute delay due to lightening. Sand Creek is a very fast team with good ball skills, and we went down early 0-2, with one of the goals being an excellent shot; the other was a tramp goal we could have prevented. After the first ten minutes, though, we buckled down and shut down their offense, getting many opportunities of our own. Fifteen minutes to go in the second half, we scored, bringing it to 1-2. By now our opponents were getting mad, and they showed it. With 2 yellow cards and numerous other fouls, (I drew one of the yellows and three others!) they vented their frustration. One minute thirty seconds to go, one of our captains had an incredible shot to tie it up! We went into over time and had a great chance to score, but didn't convert. Sand Creek had a beautiful shot from in between midfield and the 18 to win it 2-3. But as a team, we really persevered, much improved over last year's 2-8 loss. I've included a link to the Gazette article on the game, (as well as a couple pictures from the game) so be sure to check it out!
     Today, Becca, Anna, and Ben have their first official soccer game (they all got to be on the same team), and Katie is down in Pueblo with her softball team for the day.
     Lastly, I'll put up two pictures from the hike at Stanley Canyon that Dad, Mom, and I took last week. Well, that's all for now, as I must work on AP Language & Composition homework (blah!).


Gazette article:
http://www.gazettepreps.com/articles/tired-4628-through-canyon.html

We have not forgotten...

Today, on the ten year remembrance of the tragedy on 9/11, we remember all those who displayed the ultimate sacrifice of giving their lives, so that others might live. For the first responders who laid down their lives to save those trapped in the destruction, the airline passengers who rallied to force their plane down to avert even more death, and the soldiers who now put aside their own safety that we might have freedom and peace in this country, we have not forgotten. May God continue to be praised, for He gives and takes away. May we never take for granted the liberty that we have been granted, for freedom is not free. Psalm 46 states,"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling." Never forget.

Friday Night!

     Well, I don't know about all of you, but I'm glad it's the weekend! After a long week of school and soccer, a break is very much appreciated. Thursday night, Dad left for the airport to pick up Mr. Abell and Mr. Beaverson, two of his good friends. Right now, they're camping out in Rocky Mountain National Park, and have been able to do some hiking. 

      Ben, Anna, and Becca have their first soccer practice tomorrow afternoon, and due to the fact that their head coach will be absent, I'm leading their team for part of the day. 

      Later this month, Grandpa and Grandma Paige will finally be moving out to join us in the Springs! We're so excited to have them here and involved in life's daily interactions. 

      Tonight, we had roasted hot dogs and s'mores with our neighbors, the Stravettes (who have five children, homeschool most of them, are also believers!). 

       Sorry that there haven't been any pictures recently, but I'll eventually get some soccer ones to put up. I may post some more as the weekend progresses, so, stay tuned!

Labor Day Update

     Happy Labor Day! I know I'm grateful for the three day weekend- 90% of Saturday, I was doing homework. Peter, Becki, and the girls left on that morning, and the majority of the kids went to drop them off, as the destination after the airport was the Denver Lego store. Katie had a softball tournament on Friday and Saturday; I'm putting up some pictures from one of her games.
      It was still dark when we got up this morning to participate in on of America's top 100 events: the ballon launching at Memorial Park. Thirty hot air balloons take off every thirty minutes, and there were some very creative designs. Fear not, I got plenty of pictures of that as well! We just had a delicious pancake breakfast, and Mom did something that is very unlike herself: we were allowed to use chocolate syrup!
      I have another soccer game on Thursday, to which we'll be taking the bus. Once I get my new jersey, I'll put up some pictures; the rest of the family will try to remember to take some pictures at one of my games. (Right, guys?) ;)
     The funny quotes of the week would be from Matthew (of course!). As we were walking closer to the park where the balloons were being launched, he told Dad that he wanted to hold one. Some people were handing out Gospel tracts, and we were talking about them while watching balloons. As the first ones began to rise into the air, Matt piped up, "What is Jesus doing with the balloons?!"
      (Haha, as I was uploading the pictures, I'm noticed a picture that has a man who appears to have two balloons stacked on his head!)

Wednesday Rolls Around...

Here it is, already Wednesday evening. The next couple days are going to fly by, as I get out of school early to bus down to the season opener for DCC Soccer. Fridays are ALWAYS anticipated, and then it's already the weekend! Katie has a softball tournament on Friday and Saturday; she's continuing to improve her skills and abilities. Tomorrow is also the third meeting for the bible study I'm leading on Silver Day lunch periods, for which I'm really excited! The original student who I was going to meet with had a schedule change that switched his lunch period, too, but we're still trying to work something out. So, last Friday, I started the book of John with Michael (from baseball). Shortly after beginning, Tristan, a fellow soccer player joined us. Another guy from the soccer team, Jordan, had indicated that he would be interested in coming as well; yesterday after lunch, he studied with us as well. This time, I sent the New Testaments with them (thank you Troy!) to prepare for tomorrow, and I also covered the "Swedish Method" of analyzing and studying that we have learned in the Castleview youth group. For those reading this post that wish they could know where to start with studying the Bible with a neighbor, friend, coworker, or family member, I recommend One-to-One Bible Reading by David Helm. It's an excellent book that we read at Castleview, and it has very practical and relevant tips and plans for studying the Bible with others.
      We've had a lot of fun with Peter, Becki, Charlotte, and Gwen here; they've been able to get in some hikes and another zoo trip with those at home. Tonight is also the first night of AWANA, so Luke down through Mark are there as I type. That's all for now folks... dinner time!

Hey Mom, lawn ornaments!

     Okay, it's been too long in between posts. I'm getting adjusted to how my schedule with school and everything else, so this also means I'm working on how to fit in blogging. We just got back from hiking Waldo Canyon with Peter and Becki, who are here for the week. We had a great time with Grandpa and Grandma Paige; an answer to prayer for this visit was that they found a house! Pray that the rest of the moving process continues smoothly, and praise God for His provision! Katie and I are finally getting used to the new school environment, although there are always new, difficult, or exciting things going on. On Thursday, I found out that I have made varsity for the soccer team! Our first scrimmage against another school is tomorrow; the first official match is Thursday. Katie has played her first two softball games that have included some great hits! I'm enjoying the challenge of Physics, Spanish II is getting better, Anatomy & Physiology is off to a good start, and FST (Functions, Statistics, and Trigonometry) is good when I know what I'm doing. (Which fortunately is happening right now!)
      Tomorrow is the beginning of my AP Language & Comp. class. I'd appreciate prayer for the adding in of another class with a large amount of homework, and that I'd be trusting God with all the details of my schedule and time management. The past two weeks, we've visited Pulpit Rock Church and gotten to know a family there. Our crew has gone to their house to swim twice, and yesterday, during the drive, the kids noticed some "lawn ornaments" that you would only see out west. These were just in a person's yard in the neighborhood. So... after you finish this post, check out the new photos to see what is keeping you in suspense. And yes, it is all real.
     Tonight is dinner out at The Mason Jar restaurant. I'm looking forward to some cornbread muffins and home-style cookin'! We're getting ready to go now, so I'll have to end this post for now. (But not before I post those pictures!) Thanks for your prayers!

New Visitors!

    Last night, Grandpa and Grandma Paige arrived at our home after spending the day looking at different houses. They're hoping to find one to rent or buy by the end of this stay. If you would be praying for this, we would greatly appreciate it! Another church visit today; I'll have to let ya'll know how it fares. Yesterday, Katie and I had our team practices in the morning. She made the JV team for softball, and I'll find out what I'm doing after we finish evaluations on Wednesday of this week. I'm so thankful that I've slowly acclimated to the altitude... especially since we had a two mile run for warmups! We have yet to have a scrimmage and the majority of practices have been running, so I'm wondering if I'm in the wrong place... who switched the signs for soccer and cross country? ;)

School's Beginnings

Ok, two days complete for the 2011-2012 school year... but who's counting, right? For me, tomorrow holds the thrilling trio- Function, Statistics, Trigonometry; Physics; and to top it all off, Anatomy and Physiology. (Compare that with my other usual day that only has Spanish II!) Soccer evaluations continue to the end of the week, and then we'll see what happens from there. Katie and I both agree that it has been very helpful to play a sport, as we then know people in our classes and lunch period to be with. Even though it has only been two days, we also can feel the love for our family growing exponentially... it is such a blessing to regroup in a peaceful, loving "home base" each night. I love every minute of relief from the foul language and inappropriate conversations that go on all day in school; it's not hard to get stressed by the worldliness that pervades the majority of what goes on. Please, please, please, pray for Katie and myself, that more than just ignoring or not participating in the sin goes on, we would stand up for what we know is right. Pray that we make the hard choices to stand out, not blending in with the "norm". Lastly, pray for our conversations: 1) With those who are Christians, that we would be as iron sharpening iron, (Proverbs 26:17) as there are those who claim Christianity, yet their lives are no different than those around them, 2) With the unsaved, that we would take the first step in talking to them, being open about our faith, and not picking and choosing those that we share the Gospel with. God has allowed us to be here for a reason, a purpose that is so much bigger than we are. In the span of all eternity, this infinitesimal flash of life is drowned out in the comparison, but we will live forever - either with our Creator or apart from Him. This life on earth is the only chance we have to share the Gospel with unbelievers. Why would we choose to live in "comfort" and choose to not offend others at the cost of their soul? We are so grateful for your love and prayer; I want to plea one last time (in this post!) for us to have an opportunity to share the Gospel with our fellow students.
    Alright, that's enough for now... I'll be getting pictures of Anna's birthday celebration up soon!

Happy Birthday Anna!!!

Today is Anna's 9th birthday! We are still mid-celebration, but I wanted to honor her with a birthday post. ;) We just cut into the Dairy Queen ice cream cake; the scavenger hunt for her presents has been completed, and the big gift was the choice of a chameleon or a guitar... the guitar won out in about 1.7 seconds. (To my delight! A real-life committed student, huzzah!) We're out of candles, so instead we used matches! No smoke alarms were set off, thankfully.
    The first day of public school went well; it looks like it should be a very fun dynamic. I am thankful that I don't have to go in full time, as even the mostly full day seemed pretty long. We met lots of new people, including some other Believers; I'm excited for what will come! Please continue to wage war in prayer for us! Petition God for boldness and grace in our witness for Christ at Discovery Canyon. Thank you!

Downtown and back to school shopping...

      I can't believe it's that time already, but school is upon us. In our last day of summer break, Katie, Christie and I went to do some back to school shopping; for some fun (no, clothes shopping does't fall into that category!) Grandpa, Rachel, and the three of us took a jaunt to downtown Colorado Springs. We took a stroll down Tejon Street, looking for the crêperie that we had found with Chris, Susie, and Amy, when we first moved out here. To my horror, dismay, and perturbation, they are closed on Mondays. All the dreams of sweet, warm crêpes filled with Nutella, dark chocolate, and whipped cream, vanished from my heart. So, instead, we enjoyed some delicious subs at the Jimmy Johns a few blocks away. I put up a few pictures, too.
    This afternoon, Katie and I have tryouts for softball and soccer, which means I have some more running to look forward to! I feel a huge difference in my lung function compared to last Monday, so it should all be good.
     As the last hours of summer freedom wave farewell, slipping over the mountains to join the sun in the distant horizon, a moment of reflection brings contentment from all the memories. Reading outside with the warm sun above, blue skies on a hike, vistas from the Peak or another mountain trail, hours of strumming away on the guitar, serving on the hottest week of the summer at Camp Ray Bird, visiting with best friends and family, growing closer to God and one other as a family, and all the rest of the parts that have made this time what it was - it has been an incredible summer.

Church Search

    This Sunday, our hunt for a church home continued with a visit to New Life Church. Please continue to pray for us in our search, specifically that we would not be discouraged, as it is easy to feel like this process could be indefinite. Tomorrow, some of us are planning on going to downtown Colorado Springs, so I should have some new pictures for that! (Not many other photo-worthy events have happened in the past day or two.)

The Advent of the Noel(s)

No, it's not Christmas, but the Noels are here! (Friends from the Purdue days and now live in St. Louis) They'll only be here through tomorrow, but we'll still be showing them the good 'ol "Colorado Hospitality" and take them for a hike tomorrow. Soccer and softball conditioning are almost over, and so comes are last weekend of Summer Vacation. It's been a good one...

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo- Round 2!

     Okay, sorry, it's been since Saturday that I've had a post, and so I'll catch you up to date with what's current. Monday, Grandpa Jarrett and Aunt Rachel arrived at the airport; while Mom was picking them up, Katie and I had softball and soccer conditioning, respectively. For me, all we've done is run. Yeah, it's been couple mile runs, suicides, and sprints, and stair running... times a lot. As bad as it feels when I'm actually doing it, it's nice to be getting in shape (despite the soreness). Katie has had two a day practices, it's been fun for her to get to know the other girls. Today we ventured back to Cheyenne Mountain, my first trip to the zoo there. It was really nice facility! (And quite the experience of being on a zoo on the side of a mountain!) We saw plenty of giraffe, zebra, some grizzlies, wallabies, and more. No more chipmunks trying to make friends with Luke, however. ;) (See first zoo trip post and pictures.) I'll put up the pictures tonight, so be looking for them!

Cheyenne Mountain & Pulpit Rock

The pictures for the aforementioned events are up!

Return to Cheyenne Mountain...

    It sounds like an epic movie name, I know. ;) This AM, Dad and I took off to take on the (although we did not know how formidable it would be!) Talon trail on our bikes. This was the same one we went on our last visit time, but it was so much harder to tackle this beast on wheels. It was grueling, wearying toil up to the top; this was the first time out here on a hike/bike that I thought there was a chance I couldn't force myself to do it. On the ascent, I had to fight the nausea, resisting the urge to lose my breakfast. So, this might be more information than you wanted, but it's the necessary truth.
    Oh. My. Goodness. The ride down was the most exhilarating thing I've done out here. Flying down the mountainside, whipping around turns, jumping over bumps, rocks, roots, careening towards imminent destruction, and yet living to tell about it. I never once doubted that our physical safety was not guaranteed, and at the speed I was going, there was all the likelihood of an untimely demise.
     So yes, it was worth pushing past the burning lungs and legs, gritting the teeth to the top of the next climb, and ignoring the pain. Exerting oneself to the breaking point and a new level of ability... that's where it's at.
    Dad and I also stopped at Pulpit Rock for a quick hike to the top of the outcrop. I'll get today's pictures up after a reading break... and ice cream.

It's a Double Rainbow!... All across the sky!

Full on! It's so vivid! Ok, for those of you who haven't seen the Double Rainbow viral video... this doesn't make much sense, does it? So, check out today's pictures to see it! What does it mean?!

Air force Academy!

    This was our last day with the Heldenbrands, and they just headed off to Denver to visit more friends. Before they left, this morning, Luke, Ben, and I joined the guys for a trip to the Air force Academy. It covers over 18,000 acres, and we only saw some of what is open to the public.
     The coolest part was definitely the Cadet Chapel. I got some good pictures, and the ones you see are from the Protestant Chapel, which is upstairs, and the Jewish chapel which is on the lower level. The majority of Cadets that go there to worship fall into the Protestant category, and so that part is the largest; due to the mix of faiths, there are also Catholic, Jewish, and Buddhist chapels, as well as a couple multi-faith rooms on the lower level. It's encouraging to know that the Academy recognizes spiritual growth is crucial to producing strong and balanced officers, and that they still support religious freedom; at the same time, we need to pray for the Christians on campus, that they would be bold in their witness to their fellow cadets of other religions, as eternal life and forgiveness is only found in Jesus.
      A very interesting part of the Jewish chapel was a handwritten Torah (the one in today's pictures) on display, found after being hidden in World War II. You might think that it was hidden by the Jews to keep it from the Nazis, but in actuality, the opposite was true. It was being saved with other artifacts for after the war, to be put in a museum that would be constructed commemorating the annihilation of all Jewish people. This torah was then given by the Israeli armed forces to the Air force Academy to be put in the Jewish chapel.
      The Protestant Chapel was very beautiful, and in the back, a huge pipe organ filled the loft. Today it is worth over  $2 million, and has thousands of pipes. You can see from the pictures a bit of how massive it is. That's all for now folks!

Cripple Creek

     As promised, here be the afternoon post! Grandpa and Grandma Paige left today, and last I heard, made it safely to the airport.
     This morning, I went on a drive with the Heldenbrands to Cripple Creek, a town up in the mountains. We had a great time checking out the town, which was a huge gold mining camp back the late 18 and early 1900s, producing many millions of dollars of gold. We had lunch, went on a short hike, and visited a jail -turned-museum. The Cripple Creek jail was in use even into 1992, and was capable of holding (and often did hold) 100 inmates. I got a good number of pictures, and I'll be putting up ones from our Grandparents' visit, too. Enjoy the pictures!

Latest Elissa Update

Hey ya'll! Elissa's latest is that she'll have internet to be able to post in about two weeks. Until then, I'll be posting her messages here and on her blog as well. If you have any messages for her, the easiest way to relay them is to send them to me at farfromhome412@gmail.com. Thanks!

Palmer Trail Addiction?

This morning, Dad, Mom, Mr. Heldenbrand, Andrew, Derrick, and I took a hike at Palmer Park. It's become one of our favorite places to go in the 15 minute radius, so chances are, when you come to visit... you'll be hiking there! I'll post some more and put up pictures from the week this afternoon...

Elissa Has Arrived!

I got an e-mail from Elissa this afternoon, and wasn't able to get onto her blog, but she made it safely to Uganda, and had met up with Shannon Hurley. The flights went fine, and she had no trouble with the potential ticket problems. Continue your prayers! Thanks!

And so August begins...

     It's hard to believe all that had transpired from the beginning of the summer to now, the second day of August. God has been incredibly gracious in this move and transition (how many times I've heard that word this year, I can't begin to recall.), and He continues to be our Rock, Redeemer, and Provider. Amen!
     Yesterday, Grandpa and Grandma Paige, along with the older crew, were able to help Mom out in her school planning. We took the little ones to Cottonwood Creek Park, and then to lunch, while the schoolteacher worked on lesson plans and curriculum purchasing for the upcoming year. Katie and I will start school at Discovery Canyon High School on August 16th, (Anna's birthday!) and the ones at home will follow suit the day after.
     Through all the twists and turns of change, a tangible way I've seen God working is through the tightening of family bonds. As siblings, we've grown closer and continue to become better friends. Please be praying for Katie and me, that we would be witnesses for Christ at DCC, and for the family as a whole, as we go through this (yes, once more) transition. This Wednesday, we'll be saying "See you soon!" to Grandpa and Grandma, and welcoming the round of guests, the Heldenbrands (missionary friends in Spain).
     I'll be updating soon...

Sent off...

This morning, after a big breakfast and worship through music, reading from God's Word, and prayer, we tearfully sent Elissa off to the airport. She and Dad will fly to the L.A. airport, where they will meet the team from Grace church that she's going to travel with. Dad should get home around 11:30 tonight. Please be praying!

Snakes and Planes!

    Ok, so we're hoping that the two won't be combined, but both are a part of this post. Today, as a family, we and a neighbor family cleared off the brush from quite a few of the empty lots in our neighborhood. We also weeded and cleared the roundabout and entry... tough work! The other neighbors outside were very appreciative, as we don't have an HOA.
    For lunch, we had a cookout with our neighbors who helped us work, some of their friends that are in town, and Chris Grieggo and his boys. Afterwards, most of our kids went down to the creek, where we found two garter snakes! (Be sure to check out the pictures!)
     It's hard to believe, but tomorrow, Elissa leaves for Uganda for six months. To know how you can specifically pray for her, check out her blog: That the World May Know Him. I added it to the blogs I'm following, so simply look to the right (if you're on the Home page).  ------>                                          
     Also be praying for us as a family... it's gonna be very different, and hard at times, too. But we know that God has had this planned for all of eternity, and He works greatly through those willing to follow His calling. I love you, Sis! Dad and Elissa will fly out to L.A. tomorrow, and then he'll return once she's off to the next stop: Dubai.

Indy Trip Update, Pt. 2

     Besides the teaching times, there many activities that most of these kids would never have an opportunity to do otherwise. Archery, a water slide, bikes, low ropes, pontoon boat rides, canoeing, fishing, go carts, and the challenge course are just some of the few things we were able to do. My cabin even got to camp out in the woods one night! (A first for many of the guys.)
    The week's theme was "Long Live the King"; we had medieval-esque teams formed by the cabins, as well as the evening games and activities.
    God really provided a neat group of guys in the cabin that I was co-counselor of along with David Wesner (shout out to you, brother!). We had the oldest age range, mostly 14 year olds, with one camper who was fifteen. A huge blessing was that we had next to no discipline issues! Thank you for your prayers!! It was incredible to be able to really focus on the teaching and talking about it with the campers instead of having to constantly be correcting behavior. I had several good conversations throughout the week, including sharing the Gospel outside of the teaching and small group time. Something that I really was taught that week, (and am being reaffirmed in another part of life right now) is that it is not up to us to who we are to share the Gospel with, based on those that we think will or won't accept it. It's not our work that saves them, but by Jesus alone! Praise God! Often, those we think the most unlikely to even being open to talking about such matters are just waiting for us to start talking to them.
     Katie also had many opportunities to share the Gospel with the girls in her cabin, and was used by God in a situation that was very serious, but by God's grace, all turned out fine. Please pray for Nikki, that camper who has had some extremely hard events in her life (as many of these kids have), and desperately needs Christ in her life.
     After returning to Indy, the next few days were a joyous time spent visiting family and friends. We'd like to thank everyone who was a part of our time back in the Midwest: Aaron and Debbye, Abells (thank you again so much for doing the stanky camp laundry... such a gift!), Maakestads, Amy, Peter and Becki, Barges, Weavers (thank you for hosting the get-together!), Tom and Christine (I dream of that amazing lunch now! AHHH!), Troy, and everyone else not above mentioned.
     This Wednesday, Katie, Luke, Grandpa and Grandma Paige, Chris Grieggo (a family friend who also happened to be flying out), and I flew out of the Indy airport for "the Springs". We arrived without event, and are unpacked and getting used to family life again. Thank you so much for your prayers during this trip; it was so good to see God working around the country. I think that's about it, so, farewell for now!

Indy Trip Update, Pt. 1

    Ah... finally a moment of quiet to work on some blogging. Many of you know now that there were three of us that left Colorado Springs, Katie, myself, and Luke. The latest addition to our traveling trio spent the majority of his time with our cousins, and had a very fun time.
    Katie and I left with the others for Camp Ray Bird after church on the Sunday the 17th, and our team reached South Bend later that afternoon. Sunday night, we had the chance to get to know the full time summer staff, and for the first timers, tour some of the camp. Already, we could tell that it was going to be a hot week, and swimming in the lake that night felt really good!
    Monday was Purple day, about which I'll explain here. At Ray Bird, the week is themed mainly from the wordless book colors. There were also verses of the day (I'll give those as well). Purple used to be a color that exclusively represented royalty, and so the kids learned of the Kingdom of God and His creation.    Psalm 47:2 "How wonderful is the Lord Most High! He is the great King over the whole earth."
    Tuesday brought bad news, as on Dark day, the focus is our sin, and how we as humans ruined our relationship with God, and caused death to enter the world. We were then separated from our Creator, with no hope of living with him after this life, because all have sinned. Sin (anything that we do to go our own way rather than God's way) that we have done makes us deserve eternal life in Hell, away from God.    Isaiah 53:6a "All of us are like sheep. We have wandered away from God. All of us have turned to our own way."
     Good news came on Wednesday, the Red and White day. Jesus, God's Son, came to earth to take our  just punishment for sin, and died in our place after living a perfect life. He shed His blood for us, and allowed us to be free from our sin; our hearts would be cleansed from our sin, becoming white as snow.
   Matthew 9:35 "Jesus went through all the towns and villages. He taught in their synagogues. He preached the good news of the kingdom. And He healed every illness and sickness."
      Hope of our eternal life with God after this earthly one was shared on Thursday, Gold day. If we have given our life over to God, one day, we will walk the golden streets of Heaven. We can be assured of our eternal life if we accept Jesus' free gift of Salvation.
  Romans 10:9 "Say with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, then you will be saved."
       Friday, Purple and Dark day, had a very serious theme. Every person will make a choice to either follow God's Kingdom or Satan's kingdom, there is no middle ground. If we just try to go our own way, that is going against God, which puts us in Satan's kingdom. Some people will think that by doing good things we can earn our Salvation, but only through Jesus can we be saved.
   Matthew 7:21 "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord! Lord!', will enter the kingdom of Heaven. Only those who do what My Father in Heaven wants will enter."
       Our last day at camp, Saturday, was Blue day. It was a sad time, knowing many of us would not see one another again, but that all those in God's kingdom will be together again one day. It is also sobering to think of the many that will not choose to follow God, as the Bible says it will be. It is a hard path on this earth to follow Him, and very easy to do our own thing. But we must enter through the only way to God: Jesus.
    Matthew 7:13 "Enter God's kingdom through the narrow gate. The gate is large and the road is wide that leads to death and hell. Many people will go that way."

    Ok, this is a long post, so I'll continue in at least one (maybe two) more.

We're back!

All,

I am about to drop from exhaustion, but I just wanted to tell you that we made it home safely, and I will be posting very soon about our time in Indy! So much to tell!

PHOTOS! :)

Hey All,
While Nathan is in Indy this week, I've been appointed the task of uploading some of our recent photos. :) Sorry there is no witty post to go with them... I couldn't follow up an act like Nate's on any occasion, so I won't try. :) You'll have to wait for his return to get the fun spin on our life here!

- Elissa

Arrived in Indy

I'm just about to get ready for church, (CAN'T WAIT TO SEE EVERYONE!!!!) but just wanted to  say we got in last night on time and have sorted out our bags for camp. WE'RE HEREEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!

Last post for now...

We're on our way!

Weekend Update

     It's been since Wednesday morning that I've posted anything, and that one didn't tell you much. So...
Wednesday night (or was it Thursday morning?), Mom got home safely, albeit late, due to inclement weather that made national news. Blake Dias also got in that night, and we've had a lot of fun doing hiking and other things around the Springs with him. In fact, if I had not waited a few minutes to write this post, I might have damaged my keyboard with a slight shower of sweat... he and I just went on a run, and we threw in a sprint at the end there. Thursday, we (Blake, Elissa, Katie, and I) went to Palmer Lake, where Katie and I were nearly driven mad by the seemingly infinite supply of flies that wanted to eat us as they persisted in landing on us. The high points of the hike were seeing a beaver and a chipmunk who wanted to run around us while we ate lunch. I named him Douglas, a rather proper English name. I might not be able to get those pictures up soon, unless Elissa is able to do so, because.......... TODAY IS THE DAY! Katie and I are leaving for the airport a little before 2:00, and we should arrive in Indy shortly after 9:00 tonight (as will Blake and his brother, Seth, who also happened to be in Denver and on the same flight as us!). I can't wait to see many of you at church tomorrow, and then it will be off to Camp Ray Bird for the week. We'll stick around until Wednesday the 27th, before flying back with our grandparents. We're packed, primed, and rarin' to go (after a farewell hike to Colorado with the family this morning).   :)  I'll have to give Dad the crash course on posting here on the blog, otherwise, you might see no activity until I get back.
     Last night, Katie, Christie, and I went to the last evening of the Desperation Conference, put on by New Life and the Desperation band. It was like a mini-Passion conference, and was packed with a few thousand teens and adults. It was a neat time of worship through song, prayer, and teaching.
     Next week: one of Christie's best friends and her mom are coming out. Needless to say, she's excited about that. (Wait a minute... WHY do we even say it if it's needless to say?! It's a self-contradiction!! Thank you for humoring me and putting up with my humor.) Please be praying for our time at Camp Ray Bird, (South Bend, Indiana) as we will be serving as camp counselors for inner-city kids who otherwise would not get this kind of experience. Pray for the preparing of their hearts, and that we would show God's love toward them as we lead.
    Signing off....

Rocky Mountain Adventure, Pictures

I'm working on getting the pictures up from our trip, and some have been already posted. I hope to have them done by Saturday, for by then, Katie and I will be traveling back to join the STM team from Castleview to Camp Ray Bird for this summer's mission trip.

Rocky Mountain Adventure, Pt. 3

     Here I am, writing the latest and final update from our trip. Today was our last day away from home, and we dropped Mom off at the Denver airport around midday. On our way to Denver from Fraser, we also got to see two moose on the side of the road. As for our surprise, Dad took us to the Water World park! The next hours were spent in wave pools, water slides, raft rides, and the like. Just as the we left, a storm was incoming and the park was closing, so, we got out just in time! I cant' wait for all of you to see the pictures; stay tuned!

Rocky Mountain Adventure, Pt. 2

Once again, I'm glad for the chance to be back and filling you in on our happenings. Let's see... Saturday. We took officially longest hike in our family history: 7 miles. It was a beautiful piece of God's artwork, and we were fortunate enough to see plenty of wildlife: squirrels, yellow-bellied marmots, pikas, deer, and even a moose! I have plenty of pictures to post, so, savor the anticipation while you can (it's a valuable lesson applicable to the rest of life!). We reached the end of our trail at a waterfall, enjoying our lunch as we watched the water plunge and storm past. Then, it was back  down the path and across the log bridges... oh! and even across a rock face! A certain part of the path had been overflowed by the swollen creek, making it necessary to inch along foothold to foothold over the water below to the dry ground. That night, Dad, Mom, Elissa, Katie, Will, Matt, and I had the fun of an impromptu trip to a local Saturday night rodeo, where we cheered on the the roping, barrel racing, and bull riding.
     Today was the scenic drive day, and although we were in the car almost the whole time, you hardly knew it from the views. Again, I can't wait to post the pictures, even if they can't come close compared to viewing them in person. Consider them our travel brochure to you, beckoning out to the West to stay with us! We did take a short hike to Alberta falls, an even prettier waterfall. One of my highlights from that hike was a beautiful Aspen grove that the trail ran through... God's love for beauty is just evident in His creation! The main feature of wildlife for today's trip was definitely the elk, which were in abundance. Before we started home, Dad read us Psalm 104, a truly descriptive passage that correlated perfectly with what we were beholding. (This is also the Psalm that the song "Indescribable" was written from.)
    Well, some of us are going swimming now, and I'm going to take on some opponents in racquetball. :)

Rocky Mountain Adventure, Pt. 1

     Ahhhh... finally, some time to sit down and write. Our grand adventure into the mountains began with an eventful three hour drive on Thursday night. Almost there, we encountered some of the infamous mountain weather- treacherous lightning, rain, and the aftermath of a hail storm. Upon our arrival in Fraser, Colorado, we had scant ten minutes to unload the whole van, and we did it.
     Today, our next exciting experience was at the Sombrero Stables, where Dad, Elissa, Katie, Christie, Luke, Becca, Anna, and I went for a two hour trail ride in the mountains. I had Tanto- the "airiest" horse on this side of the Ohio river. What he eats to produce that effect, I have no idea. The views from the hills over the lake were incredible, and God held off the rain (the clouds were very dark and threatening).
       This afternoon, some of us went to the pool (part of the fitness center, 5 minutes away) and then Dad, Christie, and I went to play racquetball this evening after dinner.
       When I have enough energy (it's time to hit hit the hay!)I'll see how many pictures I can get up from Thursday's hike (from Elissa's camera) at Palmer Park (yeah, it's a city park!), today's horse ride, and tomorrow's hike... all dependent on how fast our internet connection is. If I can't get it to work, then they'll be up by Tuesday.

Vacation!

    I wish that I had time to post the pictures and tell of this morning's events, but it will have to wait. Right now, we're finishing packing and cleaning before we head to the Rockies for vacation until Monday! I might be able to squeeze in time to upload the pictures before we get on the road, and once we arrive, I'll be able to write out a post as well.

Good Tidings!

I have some great news (especially for those with slower web browsers or anyone like me who thought that the picture viewing design of Blogger is annoying)! I now have a new page up on our blog, and on it is a link to ALL of the pictures that have been uploaded. Plus, you can view it in a more linear fashion or as a slideshow! Huzzah! I'm working out some issues, but if you would, please try out the new web album, and  either post to that page or e-mail me with how you like it... really. Even if everyone did so, that would be great to know if and how it works compared to what I was doing previously. Thanks!

Happy 4th of July!

     There's a lot that's got to fit in this post, so here we go... At breakfast, we celebrated Mom's birthday with a special Einstein bagel meal. Afterwards, we hurried to get ready for the parade in Monument. Once parked at Lewis-Palmer high school, the buses shuttled everyone to where we could set up our chairs and blankets. Throughout the parade, we saw quite the spectrum of people: from the cotton candy vendor with carabiner earrings to Captain Jack Sparrow (a pretty good imitation, I might add), they were all there.
      Now, to dispel any notions you may have, believe it (or not), we don't live at Chick-fil-a out here (though most of us would not be dismayed at such a situation). However, we did go for lunch today, and will be going on Friday, dressed as cows, for our free meals! Tonight we're planning on going to view the Airforce Academy fireworks from Dad's office, and of course, more celebrating of our wonderful Mom! Added today are pictures of both the neighborhood and today's parade, and Mom's birthday breakfast. Enjoy, and Happy Independence Day!

Cheyenne Mountain

This fine Saturday morning, Mom, Dad, and I took a hike on the Talon trail at the Cheyenne Mountain State Park... and I'm totally ready to go back. The trail we went on was PERFECT for mountain biking. Needless to say, that's been something I've really wanted to do more of, and so we're going to try to get back soon to do so. On our trek, we also saw some prairie dogs! Tonight, the neighborhood is having it's annual 4th of July Parade, so most of the kids are decorating their bikes for the trip around the block; afterwards we'll all have root beer floats at the cul de sac. Enjoy the hike pictures! (And if you haven't seen my new stop-motion film, check the previous post for how to do so! Yes, this is a shameless plug- one of the perks of being the writer and editor for the family blog!) :)

New Film has been posted!

Check out my blog (link in the sidebar) to check out my latest film, "Tab". Be sure to read its description on the Home page...

Quick Update

This past Wednesday, Katie, Christie, and I helped serve our military through Challenger Homes. There was a military appreciation day at Ft. Carson, and so we joined some others in the sno-cone and balloon tent and served over a thousand treats! Tonight, I had another double-header for DCC, and we split the pair of games, which brings our record to 10-4, a great season so far.
     Sorry there are no pictures for now, but our "film crew" forgot to take pictures at my game tonight, so most likely you'll have to wait until Saturday. If all goes as planned, tomorrow I will finish and release the stop-motion film that I've been working on this summer! It will be up on my Studio 11 blog (there's a link in the side bar), so be ready for the post!

Cottonwood Creek Park

After morning chores and the like, the gang piled into the van, and we headed to Burger King for an early lunch. Thanks to the local library reading program rewards, we've received quite a few freebies!   Afterwards, we went to the Cottonwood park across the street from our house to play for a little while. When we started to leave, heading towards the parking lot exit, Ben wondered aloud, "Where are Becca and Anna?" This was most surprising, considering it's usually Ben (often referred to as the absent minded professor) who is being forgotten or not present at meals. So, fortunately we picked them up before heading home, and we all lived a happily ever afternoon. Enjoy the (yes, only three this time) pictures!

Where's Waldo?

This fine, blue-skyed Saturday saw Katie, Dad, and I traipsing along the Waldo Canyon Trail. We left early this morning, and did the 6.3 mile trek in just under three hours. The best part of the hike: I was the only one who likes ginger snaps... nom, nom.

Ben's Party... Ninja Style!

Yesterday, Ben had a great time with his siblings and some of his new neighbor friends, as we threw a Ninja themed party for him. Luke, Becca, and Anna all had been working hard at planning the bash for him, and they pulled it of well. From "Pin the Throwing Star on the Ninja" to a scavenger hunt to homemade piñatas to pizza and ice cream, we had it all. Enjoy the pictures!

Chalk Paint!

Yesterday, some of the kids were painting with chalk on the sidewalk, and Matthew decided his nose would be just as good. ;) A couple of pictures are up, and there will be another post and lots of pictures after Ben's birthday party this afternoon!

She'll be coming 'round the mountain...

This morning saw us heading to Denver to take Elissa to the airport. We made a day of it, and stopped for a tour at Hammond's Candy Store, which has been open for 90+ years! The feeling was that of, well, kids in a candy store (to borrow the cliché). And then we were off to see Sis to the Departures door...

Ben's Birthday!

Happy Birthday Ben! Today, Ben's festivities continued as we also celebrated Father's Day. We love you, Dad! Pictures of present opening are up for your pleasure...

Two for one!

Okay, you get two events for the price of one post... free. Today was a packed Saturday, with plenty of fun had by all. In the morning, Ben's birthday doughnut breakfast prepared us for the day with an extra healthy (or not) dose of sugar. Tomorrow, he turns seven! He had fun opening some of his presents, and after that, we loaded the gang up to take on Castlewood Park. The auspicious prospect of a leisurely family hike was not foiled, even with Will getting out of the car sporting one shoe in hand... where the other one is, we still don't know. So, Dad carried the barefoot boy in the hiking pack, I took Matt on my shoulders, and Josh got a ride from Mom. We found a few lizards on the hike, and Luke even "caught" one with his rear end. Talk about talent! 'Twas a fun time; the excursion was topped off with a trip to Sonic... ahh, slushies. Check out the pictures!

Zoo Trip (and more pictures!)

This morning, most of the gang too a trip to the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. This week has been full of more unpacking/organizing, baseball, and time outdoors...

Sunday Hike @ Red Rocks

Tonight, we took a family hike at Red Rocks park. More pictures are up for your enjoyment!

Saturday's Explorations... mmm, Chikin!

This week has been good, and today we took a trip to the Focus on the Family's Headquarters here in the Springs. The kids enjoyed checking out the Adventures in Odyssey Whit's End, and we even got to record our own episode. Another favorite highlight was the three story tall slide- fun!
     For lunch, Chick-fil-a was our destination, and what a glorious platter of chicken nuggets awaited! :) Check out the pics of today's fun!

The Incline is conquered!

Wow... that was a workout. Check out the pictures to get an idea of what we did. The stairs are on the ascent, but a more gradual trail led back down. Katie, Christie, and I made in a little under 50 minutes, and Dad and Mom followed a short while after (this is without much acclimation to the altitude). So, who is ready to come visit and tackle the timed trial version? :)

New Photos

Now up: more pictures of our arrival to Colorado, the neighborhood, the Olympic Training Center, and a sign that really makes you wonder...

Baseball and the Incline

This has been our first week "alone" in the wild west, and we are pushing through the last of the unpacked boxes and miscellaneous groups of who knows what. It's our hope to be done with that by the end of this week. Tonight I played with the Discovery Canyon JV team for the first game of their season, and the whole family came out to cheer us on. Tomorrow, Dad, Mom, Katie, Christie, and I *cue dramatic music score* will take on the Incline. While it's only a mile long, the trail is composed of railroad ties forming a stairway with a +60˚ grade. We'll be hiking along with those from Dad's office, and it should be a lot of fun. Please continue to pray as we seek a church home out here, and for our interactions with those that we meet!

Weekend News

Our adventures continued on Friday with a trip to Pike's Peak. We piled into the van and drove to the summit- 14,110 ft above sea level. Visit the Photos page to see some of what we experienced- but pictures just can't do it justice. That night, I had the unexpected surprise of getting to play with the school's varsity baseball team. I might think it was a dream, but the bruise on my arm from that 0-2 fastball reminds me that it was, in fact, real. Saturday, some of the older crew took a hike on the Palmer Trail; there were some sweet hills and boulders that were climbed. Unfortunately, we had to let Grandpa, Chris, Susie, and Amy (shout out to my travel buddy!) leave for Indy and the Amazon. We had a great week with ya'll, and wish you were still with us, exploring Colorado!

The Day's Adventures & the Quote of the Week

Today's adventures began with a visit to Dad's office, where Challenger Homes was able to finally meet the whole family. Our hiking locale this time was Garden of the Gods, but we only started after miscommunication and one of the cars having to drive all the way through the park and back to the rest of the group. Following the trek, some of the older crew drove to Manitou Springs for the afternoon.
     I believe that the quote of the week should go to Will. Last night, he turned to Dad and innocently asked, "Dad, when are we going to Colorado?"

Houses and Hikes

Be sure to check out the "Photos" page to view the pictures of our house and today's hike to Helen Hunt!

Departure and Arrival

     After an early Saturday morning departure from Zionsville, Indiana, the Jarrett Tribe set forth on the path of adventure (known as I-70 to some). The day included visits to friends in Missouri, emergency bathroom breaks, and driving in abundance. We stopped for the night in Topeka, Kansas, continuing Sunday across the long, flat plains. Early that evening, the convoy pulled into Colorado Springs... home at last.

The Rocky Mountain Tribe

Dear Family and Friends,

I am excited to announce the start of our family blog: Rocky Mountain Tribe. We hope you enjoy the posts and pictures, keeping up to date on all of our latest experiences. I'll be doing the majority of the posting, and we'll have some "guest writers" from time to time. :) Thank you all for your prayers as we adjust to this change. We love and miss you!

   -Nate