Happy Holidays 2025

We kicked off the year, as always, at the cabin with some skiing. Donovan joined the Monarch Devleopment Ski Team this year and Nora did a ski program, so we spent every Saturday and some Sundays on the slopes. The ski team season ended with Donovan taking 3rd place in his first mock competition for freeride skiing. Spring Break was also spent at the cabin and at Monarch, luckily with a huge storm that dumped a ton of powder on Kelly's birthday, when she skiied her first double black after hiking up to Mirkwood Bowl. We enjoyed having friends visit and ski with us and Dono learned how to help with the snow plowing!

This summer we returned to the cabin for the FiBArk Festival (First in Boating the Arkansas River) and entered Hoodoo in the Crazy River Dog competition... and he won first place! He even got in the local newspaper. We had some fun at the lake near the cabin too.

Our main travel event this year was to Santa Rosa for Kelly's nephew Dylan's wedding. Even though it was just a long weekend, we managed to fit in a quick visit with Alex, Ana, and Simona as well. It was so great seeing so much family, and a really beautiful wedding. Our other family vacation this summer was a backpacking trip in the mountains near the cabin. It was 4 nights, 5 days, and about 25 miles. Everyone did great and we are all looking forward to more trips in the future.

Dono turned 12 and started 7th grade this year and he got braces this summer. He still loves skiing, baseball, playing clarinet, reading, and hanging out with his friends. Now that he has his new room in the basement, he plays ping pong every day both before and after school. He made clarinet first chair in the 7th grade band and qualified for the school district Honor band again. Along with a group of friends known as the Ornangitans, he won the Bell Middle School Battle of the Books and competed at the district level. This summer, Dono went to the Woodward ski camp and learned how to ski a rail, so we're looking forward to seeing it on the slopes next season. 

Nora turned 9 in October and is in 4th grade. She started gymnastics this year and regular horse-riding lessons and is loving both, plus skiing, indoor rock climbing, mountain biking, hiking, and playing with horses and Barbies. Her girl friend group from kindergarten is still going strong and are now called the Banana Bunch. Nora still loves to help in the kitchen, reads books non-stop, and never stops talking (unless she's reading). 

Nate changed jobs this year and is now the VP of Product R&D at Q-Cells USA. He keeps busy with skiing, bike riding, hiking, and doing all kinds of great work at the house in Golden and the cabin.

Kelly is still enjoying her job at Colorado Gives Foundation as the Director of Process Excellence and PMO. The work is challenging but so fulfilling to see the difference it makes in the community of Jefferson County and all of Colorado. She still rides horses regularly, skis, and runs as time allows.

Nate and Kelly took a fun weekend trip to NYC this fall. They crammed in several typical tourist sights and took in a Broadway show (The Book of Mormon). 

Hoodoo is 4 years old now and has not slowed down. In addition to being the reigning Crazy River Dog champion, he still loves catching frisbees (and losing them in the river), barking, lying on his back, and just being weird (but cute).