From the Crouse House

Happy Birthday Shauna (aka Chooch)

2012-01-25T06:00:00.000-06:00

A very special Happy Birthday wish to Shauna on her 34th birthday!

This picture is soo Shauna as a little girl. She would sit for hours by herself with her doll tucked under her arm, playing school or library.

Today she is a 34 year old wife, mother of two and runs her own business. Most of all we are thankful that she is a dedicated Christ-follower and shares her faith with all those around her.

Happy Birthday Chooch. We love you!

Home Sweet Home

2012-01-24T06:00:00.000-06:00

A short while back we spent the weekend helping Melissa and David move into their new home. This was the second time they had moved in the last month but this time was more exciting in that this was not a temporary move to an apartment, but one that was long anticipated. The weekend went surprisingly smooth with the new homeowners and two sets of parents/in-laws all there to help. I was reminded of Proverbs 15:22 “Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.” Melissa and David were not lacking counsel….maybe too much sometimes, but the end result was success. Before the two sets of parents left, not only were nearly all the boxes unpacked, bookcases and shelves were styled and pictures were hung!

Steve took this photo of the front of their home while taking James for a walk. All the homes in the neighborhood have gas lamps in their front yards….beautiful at night.

I hope to spend some time here in the back yard when the summer heat is here. I am not much for public pools or lakes but love to float in a private pool.

So thankful that David and Melissa were led to a home that is just right for them and were able to get settled in before baby boy number two arrives in May.

Adventures with the Boys

2012-01-11T06:00:00.000-06:00

Just sharing a few photos taken when the Hodge boys spent a few days with us. Mom and Dad were off on a cruise!

Steve and I were both taken on separate “adventures” in the woods.

We had a great time with the guys. Didn’t get many photos of Austin….he was off learning to drive! Steve is giving him some driving time as he will be taking driver’s education this spring and needs the practice.

Special Birthday Celebration

2012-01-06T06:00:00.000-06:00

The whole weekend was dedicated to whatever Steve wanted to do to celebrate his 60th. His request was to have all his family here and spend the day with them. His first request was a Cracker Barrel brunch. Next he and some of the guys when shooting for a few hours. Then back to watch the Aggies actually win a bowl game…Whoop! Later we all went together to Café Eccel for a wonderful dinner and delicious strawberry tarts. We had planned to go to a movie but instead we decided to play games until almost the New Year.

A few pics from his 60th…

It was a great day and a birthday that Steve will remember fondly.

Our Christmas

2012-01-04T06:35:00.000-06:00

We celebrated Christmas together as a family a little late this year. It was the Hollon’s turn to spend Christmas in Lubbock….so we celebrated on December 30th and continued the celebration right on into the New Year!

Christmas at the Crouse House means……:

Brunch with homemade cinnamon rolls mmmmm!

Reading the Christmas story from the Bible and remembering Jesus’ birth.

Opening gifts.

Shooting limes from Steve’s “potato gun”. The kids enjoy this.

Wearing our matching pajamas all day long.

The evening meal is always homemade lasagna, garlic bread, salad and cookies and candies too numerous to mention. We missed Andrew and Mark that day as Andrew recovered from an ear infection. So thankful they were able to come the next day to celebrate Steve’s birthday.

Happy Birthday Steve!

2011-12-31T06:00:00.000-06:00

I don’t think I will mention his age (60) but I do want to wish you a very happy birthday!

Steve (6 mo)

Steve (18) senior year.

My prayers for good health and many more years on this earth until the Lord calls you home.

Christmas Eve

2011-12-29T06:00:00.000-06:00

We enjoyed a relatively quiet Christmas Eve. We went with the Hodge family to a movie, watched some football, had a ham dinner and worshipped together at the Christmas Eve service at Central.

So thankful for this family. We are looking forward to later this week when the rest of the family arrives to celebrate Christmas together and Steve’s birthday.

Christmas Tree Bokeh

2011-12-28T06:00:00.000-06:00

We have enjoyed our tree this year.

I had fun trying some new techniques with my camera.

Belated Birthday Party

2011-12-26T06:00:00.000-06:00

We finally were able to find a date to celebrate Heather and Nathan’s birthdays. December is so busy.

Heather with her new Kindle Fire. She says she loves it!

Nathan got video games…..

Action figures….

And a plasma car.

Still has one of his “guys” in his hands while blowing out candles.

Cute Nathan face!

We also grabbed Austin while we could to get a pic with his mom and his Nanie.

Happy belated birthday to Heather and Nathan. We love you!

Merry Christmas to All!

2011-12-25T06:00:00.000-06:00

Happy Birthday Heather!

2011-12-15T06:00:00.000-06:00

Daddy and Heather a few days after birth.

Happy 36th Birthday. We love you!

God Bless America

2011-12-13T06:00:00.000-06:00

In November we attended Ty’s music program at school. It was a wonderful tribute to America and to our service men and women.

All decked out in red, white and blue and waving their flags.

Ty’s in the back row with the red with white stripes shirt.

The children expressing their thanks to our military personnel.

God Bless America! So thankful that we live in a community and state where people are not afraid to speak about God. Ty and the other 3rd graders did a great job and we really enjoyed the concert.

Nathan is Six!

2011-12-12T06:00:00.000-06:00

Nathan had a kissable chubby newborn face!

You still have a very kissable face. Happy 6th birthday Nathan Ryan. We love you most first!

Family Photos

2011-12-10T06:00:00.000-06:00

We took our family photos on Thanksgiving Day. It is our tradition but makes for a busy day. We were a little rushed by the time we got around to taking photos. Steve and I were needing to leave for the Aggie football game. As we add to our family it gets a little more difficult to catch everyone looking good at the same time but well worth the effort.

This is the one for the Christmas card…..at least everyone is looking somewhat toward the camera.

Hodge family. This is my favorite….pretty sure it won’t be Heather’s favorite….but I love it!

Like this one too….it is more traditional pose.

Alexander family.

The kids are growing so fast…they look so much bigger than last year.

The Hollon’s had recently had family photos with a professional photographer so we just took a quick couple of photos.

My absolute favorite of the day was this photo my girls. This one is going on canvas.

Steve took this of all “his girls”.

And while the turkey was cooking in the morning we went out and took a few of James in one of his Christmas outfits.

I am glad I got this one because I heard he got his first haircut this past week and the curls in the back are gone .

James at 14 months.

I love the family photos and am thankful that my family indulges my photography so that we can capture some of the memories from each year. God has truly blessed us!

Austin’s 15th Birthday

2011-12-08T06:00:00.000-06:00

We celebrated Austin’s birthday by going out to dinner and then back to his house for cake and ice cream. Lots of family were able to attend. So much fun!

Austin at Carinos.

He read every card.

Enjoyed his gifts.

We are never too old for singing “Happy Birthday”, cake and ice cream.

Austin has a really good time.

This is a photo I took right before his birthday. One handsome young man. We are so proud of the young man you are becoming. Love you!

Way Late Thanksgiving Post

2011-12-06T12:00:00.000-06:00

Thanksgiving was really special this year for many reasons. Most importantly we hosted lots of family. It was our year to have all three girls and their families and this year my brother and sister-in-law brought my Aunt Guyla from Chicago and my sister’s family joined as usual. Aunt Guyla had never been to my house and had never been to Texas! We had a great week together with lots of reminiscing and visiting…..and lots of chaos with all the grandkids around.

I was so busy with preparing the dinner that there are no photos of that….only of the aftermath.

Napping…..

Ty and Kevin…..climbing and throwing

Nathan and Kayden climbing.

The little turkey.

Aunt Guyla, me and Kay……lots of visiting.

Sweet cousin time.

We had a memorable and fun time together as family. So thankful.

Happy 15th Austin

2011-12-02T05:00:00.000-06:00

Happy Birthday to Austin! We are so thankful to have you as our grandson and as such an important part of our lives. You continue to amaze us with your positive attitude in adversity, your perseverance and your faith in God.

Austin age 2.

Age 8.

Age 14

I plan to be the first to get a picture of you at age 15…..

Austin you will always be in our prayers. May your 15th year be awesome!

He Gives More Than We Ask

2011-11-30T18:00:00.000-06:00

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine…” Ephesians 3:20a

Praise God that he knows what is best for us and blesses us with more than we are able to even realize that we need. Praise Him for his perfect timing!

Baby Boy #2 at 15 weeks.

So thankful for this baby boy for David and Melissa due mid-May 2012. Two little boys born close together means many years of play together.

Number one prayer: for a healthy baby.

Number two: Lord, maybe as an infant he could be a little easier to manage for Melissa…..as in….less colic, no reflux, longer than 30 minute naps, and a calmer disposition.

Happy Anniversary to Mark and Shauna

2011-11-26T05:00:00.000-06:00

Happy Anniversary to Mark and Shauna. God is soooo good. We knew you were a good match since you were teenagers and it is such a joy to watch you navigate together through life.

Praying that you will have a long and healthy life together.

A Visit to Houston

2011-11-17T06:00:00.000-06:00

I traveled last week to Houston to visit James and Melissa. I was supposed to help Melissa begin packing….but we just never got around to it. We had other things to do like playing outside with James and taking him to the children’s museum.

Playing outside.

James and his little friend Lillian.

This was a cool giant “Lite Brite”.

Loved the mirrors.

Looking forward to all the kids coming for Thanksgiving!

Rangers Soccer

2011-11-14T06:00:00.000-06:00

We recently had the pleasure of spending some time with Shauna, Andrew and Kylie over in Austin. Mark was in L.A. working with his new exercise studio there….exciting for him! Kylie plays club soccer and we went to her game on Saturday. Her team, the Rangers dominated! It was fun to see how much Kylie and her team have improved over the past months. The have gotten so much more aggressive. Here are some photos:

You can’t tell from this photo, but she made a goal with this shot!

Kylie is a very good athlete and really enjoys challenging herself in sports. I hope she always loves to keep her body healthy!

Andrew is signed up for Upward basketball so we will be back to Austin to watch him compete soon.

So thankful for these healthy energetic grandkids.

11th Anniversary on 11-11-11

2011-11-11T05:33:00.000-06:00

Happy 11th anniversary to Heather and Kevin. 11th Anniversary on 11-11-11! The Lord has certainly blessed you.

And may He continue to bless your marriage!

Flag Football Comes to a Close

2011-11-09T05:00:00.000-06:00

This past week was the last game this fall for Ty’s flag football team. The Jets had a so-so season but showed improvement and good sportsmanship. Ty loved playing and that is the most important thing.

A couple of cell phone pictures is the best I could do but wanted to document Ty’s accomplishments this fall.

Baseball League Winners

2011-11-07T17:00:00.000-06:00

Congratulations to Ty, Kevin and the 9U Twelve baseball team for winning the Seven Sports fall baseball league. Ty has been playing two games every weekend for about the past 8 weeks and his team came away with the trophy.

Ty receiving his medal from his dad who is also the coach!

Twelve 9U Team.

Boys just goofing around.

Ty and Kevin with the trophy. Congratulations to Ty (and Kevin)!

News Flash

2011-11-04T06:00:00.000-05:00

I can’t believe that Kevin is 35! We have seen him grow up, date and marry Heather, have kids and build a business. We are looking forward to what the Lord has in store for Kevin in the years to come.

Kevin just loves me taking photos. We enjoyed a nice meal and watched the World Series together with the Hodge family. Happy Birthday Kevin!

Weekend with James

2011-11-02T06:00:00.000-05:00

Melissa and David went out-of-town overnight without James for the first time since he was born! They took a trip to New York City while Grammy Donna, then Nanie and Papa took care of James. We were just a little apprehensive about how James would do without his Mommy and Daddy…..but to our surprise he did great! Following are a few pictures from our time with James.

James loves to ride in his red wagon…

……he loves anything with wheels!

Also loves his little car!

We took him outside a lot and he loved it.

Sweet boy

Enjoys his bathtime.

And we had fun at the park.

Swinging…..

Climbing….

And sliding.

James was such a good boy for us and we thoroughly enjoy spending time with him.

James at One Year

2011-10-31T06:00:00.000-05:00

Thought I’d share some professional photos of James and family from his one year photo shoot.

I think the photographer did a great job and really captured his personality. So excited to watch you grow in year two!

Jets Flag Football

2011-10-21T06:00:00.000-05:00

Ty is playing flag football this fall as well as baseball with the Twelve. Most of his games have been at 8:00pm so I have not been able to get many photo opportunities! This week he had a game at 6:00pm so here are some photos of Ty playing flag football.

In the huddle and getting the play called from the coach.

Above: On defense pulling the flag.

Ty loves to compete and his team has done pretty well. Keep up the good work Ty!

Nick and Zinka’s Wedding

2011-10-11T06:00:00.000-05:00

We recently made the trip back to Iowa for our nephew’s wedding. Nick and Zinka are obviously in love and we are so happy that they were married. The occasion was a great family time as well. As usual I would rather tell the story in pictures.

The parents of the groom, Dennis and Kay.

The anxious groom waiting for his bride.

My nieces, Ashley and Stephanie. Their dresses were the most beautiful color.

My great-nephew, Kayden, was the “flowerboy”.

The day and venue were beautiful. The bride and groom were stunning.

So happy…..they are married!

Ashley and her fiance, Cory.

My brother Scott and I.

We were so excited to see our Aunt Guyla, my dad’s sister. Me, Guyla and sister Kay.

Scott and my cousin, David.

Another great-nephew, Hudson.

Kay and Stephanie.

Steve and I with the bride and groom.

We were so happy to witness Nick and Zinka’s special day and enjoyed spending time with family.

Pitcher

2011-10-09T06:00:00.000-05:00

Ty pitched at a recent game. I think I have a few photos of his dad pitching in minor league baseball…..a little comparison.

Interesting….Like father, like son.

James’ Birthday Bash

2011-10-07T06:00:00.000-05:00

Following are photos of all the fun we had at James’ 1st birthday party!

Hello and welcome to my party!

Austin and Kylie

Nathan

Lots of hanging out by the pool……Mark and Shauna

Ty and Andrew

Liam and Luke in the background

David and James

Hostess Melissa

Fun on the jet skis

Hollon family

Lindsay and James Thomas

My girls

Cupcake time

He was not too sure at first

He enjoyed a few bites

And then was signing “all done” and daddy took away the cupcake

James had fun opening gifts

Then I just had to get the grandkids together for a photo……

We all had a great weekend together with the Hollons and are thanking God for a blessed first year of life for James. We love you little buddy!

Party Preparation

2011-10-06T06:00:00.000-05:00

Melissa chose the theme and the colors, the location and the food and we put our heads together for the decorations. Everything turned out better than expected.

Welcome to James 1st Birthday Party! (Guest sign in table)

Beach towel party favors.

James monthly photos display

Tissue pom-poms….fun to make.

Melissa made the cupcakes and Shauna decorated them.

Shauna is so talented at cake-decorating.

High chair banner

Decorated fish cookies

Almost ready

Ready to dig into lunch.

Now that I have set the stage, the next post will show all the fun at the party!

The First of Many

2011-09-23T06:00:00.000-05:00

This is the first of many posts that I foresee that involve Ty and playing baseball. He was held off a long time as he never played Little League or any sort of organized baseball before this fall. At age 8 he is playing on a select tournament team with his daddy as coach and he loves it! Following are a few pics from last week’s games.

Next week I will try to find somewhere to take photos other than through the chainlink fence. It is hard to get action shots when trying to avoid the fence!

Happy 1st Birthday James!

2011-09-21T13:48:00.001-05:00

One year ago today this was your chubby little self just minutes after you were born.

And 12 months later…

Actually these were taken when you were 11 months, but my how you have grown and changed. We can’t wait to celebrate with you this weekend. You have added so much to our family with your spunky personality. We pray all God’s best for you.

Grandparents Day

2011-09-14T06:00:00.000-05:00

We didn’t even know it was Grandparent’s Day until Heather called to invite us to dinner. Of course we said yes and enjoyed an evening with our in-town grandchildren. They are so busy with football, school, baseball etc. it was nice to see them all in one place at one time. I guess we did have lunch with them that day as well! My one request on Grandparent’s Day was a photo of Steve and I with the Hodge boys….Thanks guys!

I also took a picture of the boys with the other grandparents.

Billy, Betty Ruth and their grandchildren.

Mimi and Noah.

We enjoy spending time with the Hodge and Brown families.

Super Soccer Player

2011-09-08T06:00:00.000-05:00

While in Austin we attended Kylie’s soccer scrimmage….from 11:30am – 1pm, in 108 degree heat! Kylie and the other soccer girls are tough. Following are some photos from the scrimmage.

Kylie was all over the field playing several positions including goalie. She is a great soccer player!

When we came home she showered, had a snack and was talking to Shauna and I as we were going through some boxes and next thing we knew she was sound asleep…..a well deserved nap.

Housewarming

2011-09-05T19:34:00.001-05:00

Not exactly a housewarming as yet, but by next weekend everything should be ready to entertain guests at the new Alexander home. I did not see the “before” state except in a few pictures but I can imagine all the changes that Shauna and Mark made so that their home would be updated and the layout would serve their family’s needs. They did an awesome job with their remodel! Last weekend Steve helped Mark put together and repair some furniture and I helped Shauna organize each room. I didn’t take photos of the house but I did take a couple of the grandkids.

I think the kids would probably say that their favorite feature of their new home is the pool. Andrew spent hours after school and on Saturday in the pool. Steve and Mark loved cooling off every evening in the pool with the kids. Next time I come I am going to take advantage of the pool as well. Enjoy your new home!

A Visit from James

2011-08-29T18:00:00.000-05:00

James and Melissa came to our house while David was out-of-town. We loved having them! James is changing so much right now….he understands so much of what we are saying, including “no!”. Following are a few photos from his visit.

He bear-crawls and is very fast!

He loved the “new to him” toys.

Loves spinning the wheels on any toy that he can.

Stands alone and takes a few steps and then goes back to crawling….walking is just too slow for him right now!

Hurricane James in my pantry.

Enjoying some “face-time” on the iphone with Daddy.

Nothing sweeter than a baby after his bath.

We are looking forward to spending the weekend with the family for James’ first birthday coming up in September.

Lily Pad Lake Hike

2011-08-19T06:00:00.000-05:00

On one of our last mornings in Summit County we took a short hike that we had taken about four years ago. It is an easy hike back to Lily Pad Lake.

The views on the way to the trailhead.

Yellow was the flower color of the day.

We will miss the cool days and all the outdoor activities. It was a great month spent in Colorado and the weather could not have been better. It is always good to be home in Texas…..but we will be ready next year to go back to our summer home away from home.

Mt. Evans–Elevation 14, 264 Feet

2011-08-17T06:00:00.000-05:00

After our Quandary Peak hike we wanted a day to take it easy so we invited the Terrals to drive the Mt. Evans Scenic Byway which is the highest paved road in North America.

We stopped for a picnic lunch. Mike was a trooper carrying his oxygen at the high altitude.

Steve climbed up to a over-hanging rock and was showing off.

More mountain goats.

And we finally saw bighorn sheep. This was a younger herd.

Conquering Quandary Peak–Elevation 14,265 Feet

2011-08-13T06:00:00.000-05:00

I don’t really know what came over us, but we decided we wanted to climb a 14,000 foot mountain while we were young enough and healthy enough to do so. We did not know entirely what to expect, but in short, it was pretty difficult. There is not much oxygen at this elevation!

A photo of Quandary Peak in early winter that I found online.

We start our hike about 6:15am. The first mile of the hike was forested and we enjoyed the sunrise creeping over the peaks.

The second two plus miles were above tree line, very rocky and steep.

Parts of the last mile were a 30% grade!

Steve and I on the summit. Our feet and legs were so tired. Actually, the 3.2 mile hike back down was difficult as well because of all the rocks.

Gorgeous views from the summit….it felt like we were literally on top of the world!

We encountered lots of mountain goats along the trail. We even had to leave the trail a couple of times to let them pass by.

Photo of Blue Lake taken on the hike back down.

This is not a hike I feel that I need to repeat, but Steve may tackle it again sometime. I am just excited to say we hiked to 14,265 feet!

Wildlife Day

2011-08-12T06:00:00.000-05:00

We took a trip to Rocky Mountain National Park and to see our friends, the Potts at their ranch near Grand Lake. We were hoping to see a lot of wildlife and we were not disappointed.

On the way to RMNP we spotted this osprey nest with at least three young osprey. The mother was away from the nest at this time.

Near Granby, where we lived about 34 years ago, the Continental Divide has this unusual formation. What do you think it looks like? We have always said Abraham Lincoln lying in repose.

We traveled to the top of Trail Ridge Road where we came upon a herd of elk.

The Alexanders at the top of Trail Ridge.

At the west end of RMNP we spotted this young moose.

Steve and I went on to Grand Lake and hiked to Adams Falls.

A pretty striped chipmunk on the rocks near the falls.

We stopped by the Potts ranch to visit. The views from their house are fantastic.

They raise llamas on the ranch.

Hummingbirds at their feeder on the deck.

This gorgeous red fox walked just beyond their deck in the meadow.

And a buck deer was strolling through the willows near the stream on the ranch. We saw so many different wildlife while on this day trip…so fun!

Shrine Pass Family Hike

2011-08-11T06:00:00.000-05:00

This was the second time Steve and I have enjoyed this particular hike in the past couple of weeks. This time there was less snow but more wildflowers.

Andrew and his Papa led the hikers all the way up the trail.

Kylie and the kids loved the snow field.

Gorgeous views.

Steve and the Hollons snacking out on the rocks.

James absolutely loved his first hiking experience.

The wildflowers were plentiful all along the trail.

White Water Rafting

2011-08-09T06:00:00.001-05:00

The post title is a little deceiving, in that Steve and I did not go rafting but instead we watched James, Kylie and Andrew while their parents went rafting. We had a fun day while they were gone.

We played Candyland and Life on the deck while James napped.

We swam in the condo community pool.

And we even let James climb the stairs to the loft.
The Alexanders and the Hollons had a fantastic time white water rafting and Steve and I had a great day with the grandkids.

Frisco Park

2011-08-07T06:00:00.000-05:00

We took the grandkids to the Frisco Park to play on a gorgeous afternoon.

Andrew found a music area and played a tune.

James was laughing at his Uncle Mark who was playing peek-a-boo with him. I know we will be back to play in this park in the next couple of weeks. The kids had so much fun there.

Breckenridge

2011-08-06T06:00:00.000-05:00

The family went to Breckenridge to attend the art show, eat crepes at our favorite crepe cart and generally enjoy the town.

Eating crepes.

Handsome guys in hats.

Vail Pass Family Bike Ride

2011-08-05T06:00:00.000-05:00

After the Hollons and the Alexanders arrived in Summit County, one of the first activities was to ride down Vail Pass to Frisco stopping at Copper Mountain for coffee and snacks. Following are a few photos of our adventure.

James cried in the bike trailer during the first half of the ride but went sound to sleep from Copper Mountain to Frisco.

Enjoying coffee and snacks in Copper.

James loves his Uncle Mark.

Yet another beautiful morning in Colorado.

Dillon Farmers Market

2011-08-04T06:00:00.000-05:00

Steve and I have attended the Dillon Farmers Market three Fridays in a row, sometimes biking over to Dillon and sometimes driving. This past week we took our family that is visiting to enjoy the artisans as well as the various cuisine. The group chose a great variety of food for lunch including kettle corn, snow cones, spicy soft tacos, crepes, brats, sauerkraut and gyros. The food is delicious, plentiful and diverse.

We found a shady spot to enjoy our lunch.

James loved the snow cones.

Happy Birthday David!

2011-08-03T06:00:00.001-05:00

Rainbow Lake Family Hike

2011-08-03T06:00:00.000-05:00

The first morning after Shauna and Melissa’s families arrive in Colorado we decided to take the short hike to Rainbow Lake.

The hike proved that James enjoys the backpack and that everyone was ready for a more challenging and scenic hike.

Mountain Goats on Webster Pass

2011-08-02T06:00:00.000-05:00

The Taylor’s so kindly offered to take us in their four wheel drive pickup over Webster pass in the quest to see some mountain goats. We were successful! It was a long bumpy road to get above tree line.

We hiked on the alpine tundra in search of the mountain goats.

We crested the hill and there they were on the snow bank.

We spent quite a long time watching the mountain goats. It was amazing to see them climb the rock and sheer cliffs. It was truly a blessing to be able to see these beautiful animals.

Shrine Ridge Trail-Shrine Pass

2011-08-01T18:00:00.000-05:00

Another gorgeous morning in Colorado! This day we took the Shrine Ridge Trail and afterwards drove over Shrine Pass to Red Cliff and back to Frisco via Vail.

Steve; Scott and Jan

Beautiful views.

More snow than usual up high on the trail.

Wildflowers!

The following photos were taken as we went over Shrine Pass just past Red Cliff.

A fun and active day in Colorado.

Vail Pass to Frisco and Peaks Trail

2011-07-31T06:00:00.000-05:00

The day Scott and Jan arrived from Iowa we biked from Vail Pass to Frisco.

The 14 miles downhill went pretty fast so the Huntington’s and the Crouses’ decided to take a hike on Peak’s Trail.

The columbine along the trail were so beautiful that Steve and I took the trail early the next morning to enjoy the light in the forest.

It was hard to choose just a couple of photos……the flowers were especially beautiful this year.

God’s Promise

2011-07-30T06:00:00.000-05:00

Coming out from a restaurant after enjoying dinner we were greeted by this beautiful double rainbow. Enjoy the reminder of God’s promise to never again flood the earth.

Loveland Pass

2011-07-29T06:00:00.000-05:00

We drove up to Loveland Pass and then hiked on up above tree line to nearly 13,000 feet! The view from the top was fantastic. I will let the photos speak for themselves.

The air was a bit thin at that altitude but the walk was manageable and we were so glad that we had yet another new Colorado hiking experience.

Sapphire Point

2011-07-27T06:00:00.000-05:00

Last year we experienced a beautiful sunset at Sapphire Point. This year the sunset was not as spectacular but so peaceful and fun to go with friends and sit until the stars appear.

Huntingtons, Steve, Terrals, Taylors

We could see a campground below us with there campfire’s flickering and we watched boaters on the lake. We were humbled by God’s glory.

Ptarmigan Trail

2011-07-26T06:00:00.000-05:00

Steve and I took the Ptarmigan Trail about 2.5 miles up to near the peak.

Following are a few photos from the hike.

This hike has beautiful views of Dillon Reservoir.

This was a beginner to moderate trail and the vistas are worth the hike.

Vail Pass to Vail Bike Ride

2011-07-24T06:00:00.001-05:00

We have ridden from Vail Pass to Frisco many times so we decided to go the opposite direction and ride the nearly 18 miles downhill into Vail. It was a logistical nightmare but we were glad we tried it. The first half of the ride was s0-so because we rode quite a bit along I-70 but the second half was really enjoyable.

We started at Vail Pass and the Black Lakes.

Steve loves to fish in this lake.

Following are a few photos from Vail.

We ate lunch in Vail and browsed around in the stores. It was another beautiful day in Colorado.

Best Hike Ever

2011-07-24T06:00:00.000-05:00

I know I have said this before….but this time I really mean it! We took about a 1.5 hour trip to near Glenwood Springs to take a hike to Hanging Lake. Several people had recommended this hike so we were game.

Notice the caution sign “Trail is Difficult”

Pretty canyon as we were walking up to the lake.

Lots of climbing!

Gorgeous little falls.

Hanging Lake, gorgeous emerald water and two falls over hanging rocks.

We walked up above the lower falls to Sprouting Rock Falls.

It was fun to walk under the falls.

After walking under the Sprouting Rock Falls we sat at the top overlooking Hanging Lake.

No fishing at the lake is allowed, but the water was crystal clear and there were lots of trout swimming around.

It was a bit strenuous hiking up to the lake but only 1.25 miles. We absolutely loved this hike, the lake and the falls.

Montgomery Falls

2011-07-22T06:00:00.000-05:00

On Sunday we went to church….and it was really great by the way…..and then went to Breckenridge for lunch followed by a quick trip up to Montgomery Reservoir. The reservoir has been drained by some reason but the creek and falls coming down from the mountains were running full.

Pretty flowers in Breckenridge

Mike T at the falls

Steve and I

Kind of sad looking at this drained reservoir. Steve and the guys had fished last year in a beautiful full reservoir.

Booth Lake Trail

2011-07-20T06:00:00.000-05:00

This was our second time to hike this trail. We love it! It is one of the few moderate difficulty trails around Vail and has a beautiful waterfall that rewards the hiker after a couple miles of all uphill hiking. We went with friends this time and were so glad they loved the hike as well.

Steve and Coach T

Aspen grove and sunflare

View back toward Vail Ski Resort

And finally the Booth Falls!

Tina, Mike and I.
This was our second day in Frisco. The first day we took a bike ride down from Vail pass to Frisco (14 miles all downhill)…..and then took about a 20 mile round trip bike ride from Frisco to Dillon to enjoy the farmers market and art show there. Tomorrow is Sunday…..church (for sure) and maybe a well deserved rest?

Kansas Crouses

2011-07-18T06:00:00.000-05:00

On the way to our month-long visit to Colorado we made a quick overnight stop to visit Steve’s brother Sam and his family. We didn’t arrive until about 5pm, visited a little bit and then headed over to everyone’s favorite restaurant, “Big Ed’s” in Bird City. We were on our way out of Kansas by 10am the next morning. Following are the few pics I managed to take while we were there.

Farmer Sam

Miss Amy

Will and his Uncle Steve

Ben and Pistol Pete

And this is the newly completed outdoor space that Jan had designed.

Simply beautiful!

Jan went to dinner with us but after that she was a bit of a blur as she runs a catering business and had meetings the morning we left for Colorado. Our thanks to Amy for sharing her room with us and to all the family for their hospitality. It is truly a blessing to see five healthy kids, a happy marriage and a very successful farming operation. God has truly blessed the Kansas Crouse family. We love y’all!

Swim Party

2011-07-12T06:00:00.000-05:00

Before we leave for vacation we had Heather’s family over for dinner and to swim at the neighbor’s pool. I decided to share the real action photos of the kids and just a few group shots. Steve swam as well but I manned the camera in a lounge chair!

Nothing beats a swim with the family on a hot Texas afternoon. We will miss this group when we are gone.

Grandkids Weekend

2011-06-30T06:00:00.000-05:00

Our annual grandkids weekend was cut short due to a stomach bug that hit both Andrew and Kylie. We had one long night of misery for both of them. We missed out on our last day of fun that was planned but we had a great two days together! We played lots of games, saw the movie “Cars 2”, swam in the neighbors pool and ate lots of food. I even persuaded the kids to indulge me with a quick photo shoot.

Austin–14, James-9 months, Kylie –11, Ty-8, Andrew-7, Nathan-5

I had recent individuals of the Hodge boys and James so I just needed updated individual pics of Andrew and Kylie.

Andrew – Age 7

Kylie – Age 11

Then it was off to the pool for an evening swim.

Andrew

Nathan

Papa and Nathan

Austin

Kylie

And a few photos of James

In spite of the illness we had a great time.

Crouse Family Picnic

2011-06-28T06:00:00.000-05:00

Steve’s brother, Bart, is always so thoughtful to plan a get-together with family when we are back in Iowa. This year many family joined us at Jester Park for a potluck picnic. We enjoyed seeing so many family members from both the Crouse side of the family and also the Ingalls side.

Everyone was so busy visiting and eating that we didn’t stop to get any group pictures this time but I love the candid photos just as well. We are so thankful for our many relatives and the chance to fellowship with them.

Honoring Mom

2011-06-26T06:00:00.000-05:00

Mom’s memorial service was everything that we had prayed for. It honored my mother, honored God and provided an opportunity for family and friends to reconnect and remember the special things about my Mother.

Daisies were my Mom’s favorite flower.

In the evening following the service family gathered at a restaurant in West Des Moines to spend time together and have a good time. Just what my Mom and Dad would have enjoyed.

We enjoyed an excellent meal and fellowship in our own private room.

Left: Nick (nephew) and Zinka Right: Kay (sister) and Dennis

Left: Lizz (niece) and Craig Right: Scott (brother) and Jan

Left: Katie (niece), Hudson and Chris Right: Shauna, Kylie, Heather

Left: Steve and I Right: Kay, Scott and I

Kylie, Shauna, Me, Steve and Heather

The weather was beautiful…..around 80 degrees everyday. It felt great!

Second Visit to Konigsee

2011-06-24T06:00:00.000-05:00

On our way to Salzburg we decided to stop and spend a night in Berchtesgaden and go on the electric boat ride on Konigsee Lake. We did this boat ride in 2006 and it was worth repeating. It is a gorgeous lake similar to a fjord and they take you to St. Bartholomew church and on to the trail to Obersee lake. St. Bartholomew and the southern edge of the lake can only be reach by boat or via hiking trails in the mountains.
I’ll let the photos speak for themselves.

If you look closely you will see a waterfall in the distance in the photo above.

We had a fun day on the lake and hiking. It was well-worth the second visit.

Gmunden-Traunsee

2011-06-22T06:00:00.000-05:00

We took a side-trip on one of the last days we were in Upper Austria before going back to Germany to fly out of Munich. Steve had been to Gmunden when he was in Austria for a church mission trip.

Gmunden is known for the ceramic factory and store. They had several “factory outlet” stores in the complex and the hand painted pottery was beautiful.

The flowers flourish in Austria.

Gmunden is situated along picturesque Traunsee Lake.

Yet another medieval castle, Schloss Orth.

We ate dinner right on the lake on the castle island. We were sad to see the trip and the 75 degree weather coming to an end but were thankful for a safe and wonderful trip.

Bad Schallerbach

2011-06-20T06:00:00.000-05:00

Steve’s research connection was at the Bad Schallerbach Rehabilitation Center in Austria. He worked about eight hours a day and then we had the evenings to stroll around the parks and the city.

The Rehab center borders a river and on the other side is a city park with lots of walking and biking trails, flowers and playgrounds.

Valentino’s was one of our favorite places to go for pizza and ice cream.

This was the view from the floor where we stayed at the Rehab center. I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed our time in Bad Schallerbach even though much of it was spent working, we enjoyed spending leisurely evenings without TV, phones or internet.

Not Enough Words

2011-06-19T06:00:00.000-05:00

There are not enough words to describe what a great Dad that Steve is to his daughters. For a guy who grew up in a family of four boys, he did not hesitate to nurture, protect and love his daughters.

Happy Father’s Day!

Shauna, Steve and Heather at our Father’s Day dinner.

Steve and five of six grandchildren. (We missed you James and Melissa).

Thank you for all you do as a father.