Christmas at the Feltys

Posted on January 25, 2011 by clare

The Felty family

This year we spent Christmas at Grandma and Grandpa Feltys’ house. Spencer and Sadie had lots of fun playing together. We also got the chance to do the now traditional soup with the Gallagher’s on Christmas Eve. On Christmas we visited with Keith and Gary Felty et alia, and on boxing day, we saw the van Kampen’s and the Moore’s.

: Sadie and Rob checking out the camera

: Spencer helps Sadie play with her racetrack

: Sadie got an easel

: Spencer got big boy underwear

: Clare shows Spencer his new digger

: Erika opens her new camera

: Clare checks out her new computer

: Sadie shows Spencer how to use his kitchen utensils

: Spencer and Sadie hiding under the desk

: Harold, Rob, and Spencer playing with cars

: Spencer shows Grandpa Felty some cars

: Spencer and Sadie playing

: Rob, Spencer, and Harold playing cars

: Spence and Grandpa Felty playing cars

: Sadie and Grandpa Felty playing cars

: Grandpa Felty smiling

: Sadie and Spencer playing with diggers

: Spencer and Sadie looking at fish

: Eagle at the nature center

: Sadie and Grandma at the Nature Center

: Sadie, Rob, and Spencer investigate the muskrat lodge at the nature center

: Spencer playing at the airport waiting to go home

: Spencer likes watching the airplanes at the airport

: Spencer tries to give a stranger Clare’s bookmark

Blackhawk

Posted on January 25, 2011 by clare

Clare, Spencer, Mekayla, and Greg hiking near Blackhawk, CO

Several weeks ago we went up to visit Greg and Mekayla in Mekalya’s mom’s cabin near Blackhawk. We had a very relaxing time. I tried out our new point and shoot camera a bit, a Canon SD1300. It is pretty nice and fits in my pocket, but as is evident in the picture with Mekalya, it does not perform very well at high ISO. Oh well, live and learn.

Spencer and Mekayla playing guitar

Spencer watching truck videos with Greg

Zoo

Posted on November 27, 2010 by clare

Clare, Rob, and Spencer in Bird World

Last weekend we went to the zoo with some friends. It ended up being much colder than we had expected, so we bought Spencer a hat and mittens from the gift shop, which he ended up liking. Lately Spencer seems to be getting very attached to certain toys, books, or blankets. Interestingly though, he seems to switch attachments every 12-36 hours or so. Some days it is a blanket, other days some hot wheels cars, and some days it is a book. Last weekend he would not put his Trucks book down. He took it in the car to the zoo, and when he got there, he would not let go of it. He ended up carrying the book around the zoo for over an hour. He did still enjoy looking at the elephants and the birds, but it is pretty hard to compete with trucks.

: The Fedibbletys at the zoo (with elephants)

: Elephants looking for food

: Elephants having a snack

: Some birds in bird world at the zoo

: Spencer carrying his truck book around bird world

: Clare and Spencer relax on a bench in bird world

: Plastic sheeting over chicken coop

: Side view of chicken coop with plastic sheeting for winter

: Spencer and Melissa

Indiana labor day

Posted on September 19, 2010 by clare

Ben and Spencer playing in the sandbox

For labor day this year we took a trip to visit friends in Indiana. We spent one night in the old house in Spencer, then went on to visit some other friends.

We spent one night with Tim and Phil in Brown County. Highlights there included Spencer getting to ride on the toy tractor Tim had for his son. Tim also tried to give Spencer a ride on the real tractor, but he seemed to be frightened by how loud it was. He did enjoy sitting on it while it was not running though.

We spent Sunday night at Sam and Charlie’s in Nobelsville. We got to meet Alex, who was born in February, and see how big Ben is getting. Spencer particularly enjoyed playing with Ben’s many cars. Sam and Clare even made a special trip for me to get some Indiana sweet corn. It was tasty. Charlie made a scrumptious apple pie for dessert.

It was good to see our Indiana friends again. Thanks for the hospitality!
more pictures follow

Spencer in Spencer

Posted on September 14, 2010 by clare

Clare and Spencer up at the pond

Over Labor Day weekend we took a trip to Indiana to visit some friends, and to check on the Twin Springs property. Since Clare and I left in 2008, Tanya and Shane DeFord had been staying there (Tanya is the eldest daughter of Angie and Lewis Fender). They decided to buy a place of their own, so Ellen met us there to see how the place was and to find someone to rent it. Unlike some other occupants, Tanya and Shane left the place in great shape. In fact, they left it even cleaner than they found it. We only stayed there one night, since we had other friends to visit as well. It was very nice to see the place again. I’m looking forward to Ellen and Dave retiring there so we can go visit them.

Spencer had a fun time running around the big house and exploring, and then likewise in the big space outside. We were lucky enough to have warm, not humid weather.
more pictures follow

Reunion – oldtime photos

Posted on August 5, 2010 by clare

Old time photo from Estes Park of the family

Another fun thing we did at the reunion was get an old time photo. We went to Memories Old Time Portraits. They were very nice, and did a good job. I’m posting my two favorites here.

Smiling old time photo from Estes Park

Reunion – Elkhorn Lodge

Posted on August 5, 2010 by clare

Spencer on a toy horse, Dave, Clare, and mountains

On the last day of the reunion, we took a tour of the Elkhorn Lodge in Estes Park. It is one of the oldest lodges in Estes Park. It was a very interesting mixture of new old, with several large buildings as well as some smaller cabins. They still rent out many of them. After the tour we had a chuckwagon lunch there with cowboy entertainment. Spencer really enjoyed the cowboy music. There were also some spectacular views of the mountains from the lodge, including some beautiful wispy cloud formations.

: Spencer drives a golf cart at the Elkhorn Lodge

: Jackie and Grant with mountain view from the Elkhorn Lodge

: Spencer inspects the old tires at the Elkhorn Lodge

: The Elkhorn Lodge in Estes Park

: Interesting bathtub in one cabin at the Elkhorn Lodge

: Green shag carpet in the Elkhorn Lodge

: Spencer and Clare at the old golf course at the Elkhorn Lodge

: Mountains and clouds in Estes Park

: Wispy clouds

: Dave and Spencer at the Elkhorn Lodge

: Spencer is strong! He can hold a horseshoe in each hand

: Clare helps Spencer climb the jungle gym at the Elkhorn Lodge

: Spencer likes it when Dave makes the horse bounce

: Rob pushes Spencer on a swing

: Spencer and Dave enjoy the swings at the Elkhorn Lodge in Estes Park

: Spencer liked the cowboy band during lunch at the Elkhorn Lodge

Reunion – Aspen Brook

Posted on August 3, 2010 by clare

Spencer also likes playing with the big fuzzy bear at the cabin

In addition to hiking and touring Rocky Mountain National Park, we spent much of the reunion just hanging out in the beautiful cabins that Ellen rented. Here are some more photos from around theh cabins at Aspen Brook.
more pictures follow

Reunion – hiking

Posted on August 3, 2010 by clare

We hiked to Adams Falls near Grand Lake

Since we were staying right near Rocky Mountain National Park, we had the chance to do some hiking at the recent reunion. Jenny and Thad did some long hikes, but we only did a few short hikes since Spencer had to nap in the middle of the day. On Monday and Friday we hiked a bit straight from the cabin (but forgot our camera both times). On Tuesday we drove through the Park on Trail Ridge Road all the way to Grand Lake. It was a very beautiful drive (though there was some construction). We had lunch in Grand Lake, then hiked to Adams Falls. On Wednesday we attempted to hike around Lily Lake, but it started raining. We had a great time hiking.

more pictures follow

Estes Park Reunion

Posted on August 2, 2010 by clare

Top: Dave, Ellen, Tommy, Gretchen, Bill; Middle-top: Drew, Geebi, Jean, Kristin, Jenny, Thadeus; Middle-bottom: Bret, John, Jean Ann, Billy; Bottom: Rob, Clare, Spencer, Grant, Jackie, Shannon

Last week we spent the whole week near Estes Park, Colorado for the von Brunk family reunion. Every family there had a member of the von Brunk family, though no one actually has that name. Dorothy Wolfe was originally a von Brunk. We could have called it the Wolfe family reunion, since most people have a Wolfe connection, but Jackie does not, being a cousin of the Wolfe children. There were 21 of us total. Ellen found two large cabins for us to stay in near Rocky Mountain National Park called Aspen Brook. The cabins were right on the Big Thompson River, and were beautiful and well-stocked. There was even a small playground, which Spencer enjoyed quite a bit. During the day we split up some for hiking, rafting, shopping, and sightseeing, and all got together for dinner. It was a very nice time. We’re looking forward to the next one.

As the owner of a fancy camera and tripod, I was asked to take some group photos. We also took an old-time photo at a place in Estes Park, which I will post soon. Though I was much quicker than the old-time photo place, I still need some work on posing. I apologize for not noticing Billy was hiding behind Jackie.
more pictures follow