Fall Retreat! just a few from game night

family and home. (i did an awful job of documenting this trip.) I was to excited or busy to take pictures most of the time

roy is the sweetest dad ever (you should click on this one. its a beautiful picture)

iris does the best faces for her aunt christy

recent mother and me

iris has the silkiest hair

kate has the poutiest faces

roy and i had on matching shirts

dad grandmother me

brother jereme, baby liam

lily loves to dance

grandmother tan dad

lily in daves hat

elk and pumpkins

bear lake and us

rocky mt national park

elk. (we saw at least 100)

me laura seth ross matt

squirrels ate this within a day of having it out in front of our house. it was a bat with 511 in the wing.

we all carved pumkins!! It was Aprils party idea and i loved it!!

johns was my favorite. "all the way USA" 

climbing and house (these are old, sorry i've been so bad at posting)

me. (you can't tell but i'm wearing like size ten men climbing shoes) I've since been loaned some old ones that are just a little to big from my roommate, but can't wait to be able to buy my own...maybe a christmas present idea? 

these published in reverse order of what i was trying for.... and i forgot to take one of our cute bathroom. BUT here s the house.

things that have been rattling around in my head.

asymmetrical houses. they are lovely really. Most houses have the door in the middle and are pretty similar on opposing sides of the door. Some have a chimeny in the middle and then a window on one side and a door on the other for balance. Not so with the house across the street from mine. I think i really am a fan of this style. Not to say all others are bad, my own house is very symmetrical and i like him quite a bit, but just a thought. Be on the look out for asymmetrical houses.
I really like the squirrels here. They are much redder than ours from home. Perhaps thats why ours were called gray squirrels. Anyways they are very friendly. I often leave my front door wide open during the day. One afternoon as I was walking from the kitchen to my bed room I noticed a darling little fellow on my threshold. He seemed to be intently trying to determine if he should come in or stay out. I took it upon myself to instruct him in the second of his options. As I walked towards him saying, "this isn't really your kind of house lil buddy" he cocked his head to the side almost listening to me and after remaining a while slowly walked off. Hes been back since (perhaps I need to start using the screen door) and i hope to feed him when the ground is frozen and he has a hard time finding his nuts.

On campus the lil guys often stop right in front of me, stand on their haunches with a nut in their mouth and just sit there. I usually have to walk around them. It makes me laugh out loud. I love how such little things can bring such joy to life.

Not quite on such a cheerful side (not even one that you really want to illustrate with a picture) I've been thinking about human nature. It is interesting to me, that when i think i have done something that could in no way hurt someone, I am wrong. When I think I am in the clear-- even then i can cause hurt. Obviously, there are times when I choose to cause hurt and am intentionally harsh--I understand when those actions cause pain. But its truely eye opening when I think I am being kind and that causes suffering too. Ever since I was 11 I have believed very personally that humans (that means me too) are broken even though I'd felt it long before that, I think that was the first time I understood it. My whole belief system is founded on this fact. And yet I am still surprised by how devasted we truely are. I am glad we have a savior that will one day kiss every wound we ever got and every one we ever gave. I am glad he teaches us and enables us to heal now and to grow to love more and harm less, but i can't wait til he makes it to where we are like new, without even the scars from our healed bo-bos.

I found this when i was looking up how to spell squirrels. Sort of ties two posts together and also hits on how we are just broken people running around breaking people. Just turn the animals into people and the light sabers into words.

a month to the day of my arrival, we went climbing!

This is The Pallace, at Poudre canyon. Only a thirty minute drive from the edge of town. Crazy, right?
Wes and Stef (sweet married people)

Matt. I don't know if this looks as stupid/unsafe as it really was or not. The top of that ledge was about two feet across. Maybe more, but I didn't like the idea of free climbing on it, at all. He's alive and well though so thats a plus.
The colors here make me giddy, and then i start running around so fast that i get really light headed (altitude). But man. Evertime I go out to the mountains I come back with a new awe of God, especially His artistry.



more to come. all the computers i get on, are wierd and i can't find my usb to upload the other images from matt. boo!