2019 Christmas Card and Year Highlights!

Whew! What a year! 

We worked through four Real Estate deals (more sales than purchases). 

We played hooky the entire month of June and drove ≈4000 miles through Wyoming, Utah, Nevada, California, Oregon, Washington, Canada, Montana, Wyoming and then to home -- and we did it all while living in our 15-foot-long VW Vanagon. Highlights are on instagram under the hashtag #northwestloop2019

Then we hosted family from California and spent a fantastic week in Grand Lake, Colo. 

Then there was the International Pathfinder Camporee where Erik worked making the Day in Review videos for screening each night. Finn went on that adventure and stayed with Aunt Rikki and cousins Elise and Elliot. 

Everybody's health is good. Gelerie celebrated with Erik her 5 year milestone for breast cancer post diagnosis and surgery with a summit on Mt. Quandary (14,265 ft elevation) Work is … work, but good. And school keeps Aubrey and Finn busy (11th and 5th grade, respectively). 

This year's card holds some elements of truth… and some total fiction. Erik and Gelerie really *did* try a 100% plant-based diet all through October after watching the documentary "The Game Changers" (now on Netflix) about vegan athletes and the benefits of eating plant-based. We did it for a month and it went really well. As a result, we are beginning to lean more toward plant-based eating, but are still "flexitarians" as of now. Gelerie is not selling MLM soap. Sadly, that means you cannot become a distributor. Aubrey really IS into music… but more along the lines of honor choir at school and worship music at church (she's not really as pictured in our card). Finn… well, we didn't have to buy any props for him this year. He's active for sure, but he's also become a great reader and is doing well in school. 

Behind the Scenes Video

We continue the insanity of our annual family Christmas card as much for ourselves as for our friends and family. Why? Because real life has plenty of sadness, challenges, and regular ol' work. We do not find our hope in politics or even a diet. Our hope is solidly in the Gospel and person of Jesus (same thing!). However your 2019 was, we wish you the best of 2020. 

Yosemite National Park

Humboldt Redwood State Park

Moran State Park, Orcas Island

Bertha Lake Hike, Waterton Lakes National Park

Yellowstone National Park

Moraine Lake, Banff National Park, Alberta Canada

Arafiles Family Reunion, Grand Lake, Colorado

4th of July Fireworks over Grand Lake

Hike in Rocky Mountain National Park

43 mph wind and 3˚F at Summit with windchill

On Mt. Quandary Trail

2018 Christmas Card and Year Highlights!!

2018 Christmas Card!! 2018 Highlights!

He did it! No he didn’t! North Korea has turned a new page. Or not. The Russians meddled. The Russians don’t care. You can always trust CNN. Or FOX -- depending on what you want to believe. Basically this year has been a lot like one of those Choose Your Adventure games… but more like “choose your own truth.” If you haven’t already made up you mind before looking at an issue, it’s confusing, isn’t it? Some are calling this a “post-truth” era. In spite of that dim assessment of our times, some things are true, even if the waters are muddied. Family matters. Health matters. Friendships matter. Spirituality matters. What we invest into each of those has an impact on us, those around us, and in turn, shapes the world.

This year, we’ve chosen to invest heavily in family, health, friendships, and spirituality. Though that journey has not always been smooth, we believe it’s worthwhile.

Christmas is called the Advent Season in many circles. We believe that story of the first advent: Immanuel (God with us). We believe the Bible hope/warning that there will be another advent, the second one being no small affair in a manger. In a world filled with post-truth sentiment, we hold the promise of second advent as just that: a promise. We find great hope and direction in that. We want the same for you.

The 2018 summary:

Gelerie is still working for her group in the Fort Collins doing 2/3 time. There will be a new hospital opening in 2019 just down the road from us, so she will spend some time there is our guess. Erik continues working in commercial photography and video. We’re both still heavily involved in managing both short- and long-term rentals.

Aubrey is a sophomore at Dayspring Christian Academy here in Greeley and enjoying it. She’s in honor choir, a NASA project class and was inducted into National Honor Society this fall. Aubrey got her braces off this year. Driving is the next milestone. She’s confident. Parents are nervous.

Finn is enjoying fourth grade at the local Adventist elementary school. He’s constantly busy with either Legos, duct tape, hot glue, popsicle sticks and rubber bands. Sometimes a combination of all those. Yes. Bare feet beware. He got braces on this year. He continues in piano lessons and is doing well.

Aubrey and Finn with Erik also participated in audio drama program Discovery Mountain Season 5 by Voice of Prophecy. It is similar to Adventures in Odyssey. Finn and Aubrey played two of the main characters and they really enjoyed it. You can listen here. 

In March Erik and Gelerie took their 25^th anniversary trip (one year late) and went to New Zealand for two weeks. Kids stayed with Grandpa and Grandma Stenbakken. We had a great time. Fantastic sights. Delicious food. Lots of adventure. Tasty chocolate. Good weather. And lots of driving. The left-hand driving (aka “the wrong way”) was a challenge at first, but Erik got pretty good at it and had to adjust once we got home.

We spent a week on Sanibel Island, Fla., with Erik’s folks, his sister, and her whole family. Lots of beach walking, biking, and generally relaxing with family. It was a true vacation.

Erik finished a major 2 year+ (anti)pornography project this summer. It's called New Freedom to Love. You can see the work at newfreedomtolove.org.

We also spent a few weekends in the mountains in Grand Lake, Colorado. Although there were no fireworks due to fires this year, we still enjoyed 4th of July there with family and friends.

May you have a great new year filled with many blessings. Thank you for being a part of our lives. 2018 Photo Highlights below. Not pictured: about 300 days of boring, hard work. But you don't want to see that. So here's the fun stuff! 

Kayaking in the world's largest sea cave, Rikoriko Cave in Poor Knights Islands
Tutakaka Coast, North Island, New Zealand

Waipu Caves, North Island, New Zealand
Glow worms can be seen deeper in the cave with self-guided tour

A Room with A View
Sandstone House, Ruby Bay, South Island, New Zealand

Tutea Falls, the world's highest commercially rafted waterfall, 7 meter drop.
We are underneath the boat, breathing in the air pocket after flipped over

We Survived!!

Split Apple Rock, Abel-Tasman National Park

Abel-Tasman National Park

Inner tube adventure, Greymouth

Basket of Dreams, Queenstown Hill over looking Queenstown

We did an overnight cruise in Doubtful Sound, South Island, New Zealand 

Sanibel Island, Florida

Stenbakken/Welch Family

Cousins!

Recording for Discovery Mountain, Voice of Prophecy

July 4th in Grand Lake

New Freedom to Love Speakers

2017 Christmas Card and Past Year Highlights!

2017 was a busy year! After cutting our Country Christmas album, it was all work and play. The work part is mostly boring to tell, although we do both enjoy our jobs. Erik's still doing commercial photography and video. Gelerie is an anesthesiologist working in Fort Collins/Loveland area. Finn is in the middle of 3rd grade and Aubrey has transitioned into high school. Photos tell the story of the fun stuff we did. 

This is also the place for our annual reflection. I (Erik) am finishing a year-long experiment with a group of friends: we're reading the Bible across the span of the year. The whole Bible, a few chapters at a time, day by day, then we get together once a week and discuss what we've found. I've read through it several times in the past on my own, journaling my way through it. But discussing it week by week has been a great experience. And you know what we found? We've found the story of a gracious, wildly generous Creator God who wants us to be in relationship with Him. If you'd like to read the story for yourself, you can. Find an easy-to-read Bible, and start. Here is a link to the day-by-day reading plan I used, and Here is the intro/how-to. 

It's our prayer that you find the peace and hope in a God of love who is returning some day to set this mess of a world right. If you know things are not as they should be and we as humans have done a poor job of fixing things ourselves, I invite you to come and see for yourself. Peace and hope await. 

  

2017 Highlights

Snow tubes for Christmas 2016

Rocky Mountain National Park - Building a Snow Cave

Tubing down the Grand Lake Nordic Center Sled Run

In May, Aubrey's Eighth Grade Graduation from Adventist Christian School.
Both grandmothers were able to attend.

Aubrey turned 14 this year in August. She is a couple inches taller than Gelerie now.

Erik is the BIG 50!

In June, we soaked up the sun in Maui with Gelerie's mom.

Napili Beach

Nakalele Blowhole

Enjoyed spending time in San Diego celebrating Gelerie's cousin Diane and Kevin Montondo's wedding

Kids enjoyed spending time with their cousins who were in Colorado for the summer

First backpacking trip for Finn. Went with our friends, the Aakkos.

After a brutal hike of approximately 1 mile we arrived at our destination.

Pathfinder Camporee in Custer, South Dakota with lots of rain in August

Erik receives Master Guide, the highest Pathfinder rank at Camporee

Erik and Gelerie celebrated their 25th Anniversary in August, always the day after Aubrey's birthday.
Erik decided to recycle Aubrey's cake. 

Aubrey's first Homecoming at her new school, Dayspring Christian Academy in Greeley

Lonetree Reservoir trying out the new kayak. Hurray for Craigslist!

Late summer in Grand Lake, Colorado

In October, Erik and his dad were fishing in Grand Lake, Colorado

We do enjoy hearing from you so please feel free to comment and we will be in touch! Visit when you can! If you give us a heads up, we could spend time in the mountains together.