November

Happy 1st Birthday Little Guy :) Jeff, Kelly and Sierra made the trip up from Denver on the 2nd to have a little birthday dinner celebration.

Interesting method... but effective:)

Our little "wall flower" didn't have any trouble digging in :)

We celebrated with friends and family a few weeks later. What a fun party! :)

YEA for Rodie!!

Both walking now. SO fun!

LOVE fall raking!

Playing at the park with Owen

Sledding at the park after the big snow ... wee!

Swim lessons with Daddy

We spent Thanksgiving in Arizona. What a wonderful week of family fun:). We all ran/walked in a 5K/10K Thursday morning.

Uncle Ryan, Caleb and D

Ansley and Caleb

Uncle, Caleb and Auntie :)

Dancin' with Ansley

Breakfast with Grandpa

Grandma snuggles

Great Grandma and Grandpa Rollins

I've had so much free time this year to think about Thanksgiving... how very blessed we are. I am so grateful for so many things! Some topping the list:

- Jesus... His intimate love, mercy, faithfulness and spectacular plan for the lives of all of His kids

- Dustin and God's plan for marriage. Thank you Lord for giving me such a wonderful teammate to share life with, learn with, play with, grow with and love:)

- Caleb - I struggle putting into words the deep love and adoration I have for our sweet boy... for the gift that he is, parenthood...thank you Lord SO much

- Family - everywhere we turn we've got gobs of love pouring out on us from parents, sisters, brothers, cousins... I often wonder how in the world we got so lucky - I feel so undeserving... SO GRATEFUL for every second we get to spend with family whether in person or over the phone

- Friends - Lord, you've blessed us with absolutely AMAZING friends... again, I feel so undeserving... SO VERY BLESSED!

- Health (in general, but specifically the ability to walk and use both arms) and the health of family members

- Financial provision. Thank you Lord!

- Ft. Collins/Colorado - to live in a state with SO MUCH beauty, and opportunities to play outside!!

- Our Country - while having grown up in a generation seemingly seperated from the understanding of the true gift we have in freedom, I've spent a lot of time this year thinking about America... in awe of the structures that were set in place hundreds of years ago giving us the gift of freedom, voice and equality. Words really cannot express the gratitude I feel to all the men and women who have given their lives for my freedom... and to the present men and women risking their lives every day to protect mine... wow - what a sacrifice. Lord, bless them for their selfless devotion to others.

Happy Thanksgiving! :)

The Grand Canyon

We've always wanted to visit the Grand Canyon while visiting family in Arizona, and have never "had enough time" on our quick trips home for holidays during the school year to make the trip 4 hours north. This week we had the opportunity to made it happen. Dustin's grandparents have a cabin in Flagstaff, so we headed up to Flagstaff Sunday evening (leaving Caleb with Grandma and Grandpa for a few days), and spent the night at the cabin. Monday morning we woke up early and headed an hour north to the Grand Canyon... a life-long dream of mine - again (Alaska, too, a few months ago) coming true. What a year! Thank you Jesus:)

We took off from the South Kiabab trailhead at 8:00 a.m. Our plan was to make a day of it... take the South Kiabab trail 9 miles down to the bottom of the canyon, eat lunch on the Colorado River, then make the 9 mile trek back up 5,000 ft. using the Bright Angel trail.

I was absolutely overwhelmed with the grandeur and majesty of the Canyon...

If you look closely you can see our lunch destination at the bottom of the canyon: the Colorado River

"I love you, O Lord, my strength. The lord is my rock, my fortress and may deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold." - Psalm 18:1-2

...Happy, happy, happy girl:)

Getting closer to the river... SO beautiful!

Nothin' like chucking rocks over the side of a cliff into water! :)

Love you Bro!!! :) ... will always and forever fulfill our childhood bridge duties! :)

Starting the ascent back up

The way up was wonderful!!! Rivers and waterfalls kept us company;)

What a surprise! Fall in the Grand Canyon? Who knew!! ... I was SO EXCITED to see yellow leaves!! :)

What a fun journey! We thoroughly enjoyed time playing, laughing, chatting, singing:) and hanging out together! After 7 hours and 18 miles of hiking, we made our way out of the canyon a little after 2... happy as could be:)

"For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities - His eternal power and divine nature - have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made." - Romans 1:20

We stuck around to watch the sun set over the canyon... wow!

"Let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sign for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you. For surely, O Lord, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield." - Psalm 5:11 - 12

Today's the Day :)

Halloween Fun

The whole gang came over for chili, trick-or-treating and a little candy :)



My most favorite "smarty-pants" EVER!, Miss Alyssa :)


Lion - elephant staredown :)

Trick-or-treating with Daddy

The Cherry family has some exchange students from Norway, Italy and Germany. They came trick-or-treating with us:)


Door to door with Miss Alyssa :)

Nothing better than sorting and trading candy afterwards:)

rooooar:)

OUR costume: balla-lion-pumpkin totum pole

My good friends from college (we played ball together at CSU) came over with their kids to carve pumpkins a few nights ago. What fun:)



CARVING time!


... hummm



We got DUMPED on (snow) last week. We had so much fun playing outside in the snow for the first time with our little one:)

Sledding at Fossil Creek park