Christmas Card and Year in Review 2021

You can Click on the Photos to Enlarge

Click here for the Stenbakken Christmas Music Video

We hope you were entertained for 79 seconds! You might have to watch it again to figure out what just happened there. That's a lot like 2021 itself, isn't it? "What just happened?" seems to be a theme these days. 

We enjoy a bit of levity -- but the whole year was not amusing. The pandemic continues to weigh heavily on us. Gelerie lost several family members to Covid. Just last week we lost a friend from college we've known for 30 years. Again, Covid. Sad things, and we are aware of the pain of many. But our year has not been all bummer either. 

Spring break we went to Sanibel Island, Fla., with our family, Erik's folks, and Erik's sister, Rikki Welch and family. After Aubrey's graduation from high school (yay!) we kicked off summer with a trip to Maui where we did the Maui things. We visited Grand Lake, Colo. over Gelerie's birthday. Grand Lake is where we have two of our vacation rental homes. Then we did a road trip to Collegedale, Tenn. to see Aubrey off for her first year of college -- Southern Adventist University. She's taking Business Finance. The times between all those highlights was … mostly boring work, study, and such. 

Speaking of "study" -- Erik finished his course requirements for a real estate license and passed the national and state-level exam this spring. That skill set is used to grow and manage our vacation rental home business. Stenbakken Media is taking a smaller role. The "Adventure Through the Bible" podcast that Erik is on just recorded its 100th episode! Gelerie works three days a week with the same group she's been with 15 years. Aubrey is enjoying the non-class parts of college (while still doing well in classes). Finn is (mostly) enjoying 7th grade. He really likes distance learning, and we've had several brief periods of that this year. 

It's impossible to adequately express our faith and hope as Christians in a brief post. It's a daily part of our lives. It's personal, not political. And it's even more real during hard times. Christmas is ostensibly to celebrate the first coming of Christ (for the record, didn't resemble much of today's holiday). But that's history. The future has hope because Jesus has promised to come again. Not as a baby next time. Not quietly to a manger. Every passing day brings that 2nd Coming sooner and sooner. It's my hope that we -- and you -- will be ready for that day.  

You can Click on the Photos to Enlarge

Fishing on Sanibel Island

We paid someone else to take photos for us!

We rented a house with a pool. Yeah. 
A pool *right at the house!*
It was a huge hit.

Sanibel is famous for shells... and we found some!

Erik just minutes after finding out he
had passed both the national and state
real estate exams (roughly 8 months of study)

Aubrey graduated!!! (from HS)

National Donut Day happened while we were on Maui.
One free donut per person at Krispy Kreme!

Our first ever luau. Even living in Hawai'i for a few years (Erik)
and visiting often, this was our first! It was amazing.

We got passes to await the sunrise from the top of 
Haleakala's Summit. It's over 10,000 ft elevation
and even for Hawaii, it gets cold! 

Cousins and grandparents joined us at Grand Lake, Colo

Early morning, Grand Lake.

Aubrey goes to college.
We went to help move :)

Christmas 2020

Pandemic Christmas 2020

Sorry, apparently I forgot to post this one!!! Stay tuned for 2021 Christmas card and video. Coming soon!!

With love from our family to yours, Erik, Gelerie, Aubrey, and Finn.

PANDEMIC 2020

Wow. What a year, eh? But you knew that already. 

Here's an overview of our year. It won't take long. We didn't go far!

We did visit the mountains in February with our friends the Aakkos. Eric and Erik got to do some cross-country skiing there in Rocky Mountain National Park which is always fun. Erik and Eric also went on a hut-to-hut ski trip in Feb (that's like backpacking on skis, except instead of a tent, it's a really nice log cabin with real mattresses and cook stoves!). 

In mid-March, I (Erik) went down to Tennessee to do some flooring work on our short term rental property there. Between when I left Denver and when I returned, almost everything changed. That's when 2020 really kicked into gear for us too. 

Travel and vacation plans got shelved. Visits got postponed, and even simple things like going out to lunch with friends was impacted. That was only the beginning. 

Covid Home Haircut

When the US hoarded toilet paper

Finn and Aubrey's schools switched to online learning. Finn loved it and thrived with the ability to work at his own pace (fast). Aubrey is more social and it was much harder for her. Besides, as a high school senior, her classes are substantially more challenging than Finn's 6th grade subjects ;-). As a senior, Aubrey has begun checking out colleges. She gets more mail than we do these days from colleges near and far trying to recruit her. She's visited Union College (with Mom last spring) and Southern Adventist University (with dad this fall). No decision yet there. Yes, Gelerie and I have fond memories of Union College and think highly of it now, but we're leaving the choice to Aubrey. 

January, Finn's 11th Birthday!

August, Aubrey's 17th Birthday!

Gelerie had about a month of days off (unpaid) because of shutdown, and when there was work, there was very little of it because nearly all non-emergency surgeries were cancelled. Yes, she did have to intubate COVID patients. It is unsettling to launch a human into an intubated semi-coma so that they can fight for their lives with the help of a machine -- especially when they are a decade younger than us and were healthy till that point. As of now, she is back at work almost close to her normal 60% time (which is still about 30 hours/week). She has to wear an N-95 mask and face shield all day, every day. On arrival at home, she changes and showers immediately.

For those still wondering if the pandemic is real: yes it is. She's been a doctor for 21 years and been through 21 flu seasons. This is not "like the flu"; it is not a hoax. 

Erik's work has all but disappeared. There is one client I still serve by doing a production once every other month. But other than that, my photo & video work has gone to about 5% of what it was. It wasn't even this bad in 2008-9. It was in the last recession of 2009-11 that we bought rental properties and I began rehabbing them.

In the spring of this year, I sat and took a hard look at the viability of photo/ video work in slow economic times and made a decision: I'm going to lean into real estate investing hard. Yes. I will continue to serve existing clients or new ones that fit my skillset (one acquires skills and gear in 24 years). But my time this year has been spent studying for my real estate license exam, analyzing potential investments, reading, and networking. This represents a major shift in focus for me and is not something that will end when the pandemic turns a corner. You can follow my journey on Instagram at @reiforthewin (rei = Real Estate Investing).

Our short term rentals took a major hit in the spring, then rebounded well over the summer and fall. Long-term rentals are holding on ok. Grand Lake area was devastated by the 2nd largest Colorado fire in history (193,812 acre fire). We are very fortunate that our houses were not damaged. The fires got to within 1/4 mile of our properties. 

What does 2021 have in store? All we can say for sure is that we for sure do not know. We know how it ALL ends (see Revelation 21 for that). But between then and now, so many unknowns. 

This has been a watershed year for us in many ways. Not just shifting how school works, losing work, refocusing careers, but also in our personal journey. We've seen things in our country, friends, and faith community we thought we'd never see. Some of them good things, some of them not. 

We have chosen to seek an even deeper, more personal relationship with Jesus through all this. We believe that's the only trustworthy bearing for navigation. We invite you to a deeper personal relationship with Him too. If you don't know where to start, the book of John is a great one to see how God works relationally. Watch how Jesus interacts with people. If you'd like to see what God's idea of a kingdom looks like, the book of Matthew paints an amazing contrast between His kingdom and the kingdoms we think of and champion. 

We cannot wait to re-connect with our friends again. Literally. We can not wait. Why wait? Drop us a line or call! 

Instagram: @onlygelerie @erik.stenbakken

Other highlights this year.

Gelerie hit her half century mark!

Gelerie's Birthday Week spent in Grand Lake, Colorado

Plenty of the outdoors to socially distance.

Moose on East Inlet Trail, Grand Lake

Online Song Service and Sermon-- We sing at 7:23 and at the end of Erik's Message

Erik perfecting his homemade Pizza

Erik Tossing Dough for Pizza

Gelerie trying to perfect macarons

Upcycled Cashmere Sweater Blanket made by Gelerie

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