Fall.... and winter!

This year's fall colors were so beautiful.... and I tried to take several opportunities to enjoy them!

My favorite hiking partners & I checked out Trappers Lake in mid-September:

Then I made the boys see Trapper's for themselves a week later... much to their chagrin. While not thoroughly interested in hiking, at least we enjoyed a great meal at the Lodge and got to see & hear a couple large herds of elk on the drive

The colors only got better as the weeks passed... so I bribed the boys again with more food to let me take their picture by the river! They're so handsome and so funny - they made a fall photo shoot a lot of fun...

But nothing lasts for long.... and yesterday we got a big snow storm that blanketed the state and left us with freezing temperatures. 

Someone sure was happy about it:

there's always a silver lining

Rifle Creek

Tiara Rado (Grand Junction)

Meeker

Vail

River Run (Carbondale)

Our fall sports schedule was rearranged this year - which was frustrating at first, but it did give Hamp the opportunity to play on the high school golf team in August & September! After spending his summer days working maintenance at the Meeker Golf Course (and spending his summer afternoons playing on the same course!) he was keen to try to play competitively. And he did just that - shooting well enough throughout the season to not only play at the Varsity level but also qualify for the regional tournament! He loved playing golf after school every day (aka “practice”!) and was able to play at some really great courses all over western Colorado - which he likely would have never gotten an opportunity to do! 

Oh yeah - and in true Hamp form he also had a great time with all his buddies on the team!