2015 Year-End Review

Well, it's already 2 weeks into 2016, but still worth the time to pause and capture some of the highlights from last year.

In addition to the early summer vacation I posted about, here are some other majors trips and events:

In March, I drove with Sarah to Fountain Hills to visit grandma and grandpa.  (And Maggie joined us, too, from Chile.)  Grandma passed away later in the spring--before our return visit in June--so this was our last chance to spend time with her.  Here's a crappy picture of me and Grandma:

In March I also made a trip to Chicago for the Higher Learning Commission conference.

In April, Maggie and I went with friends to a Gregory Alan Isakov/Iron & Wine concert here in town.

In May, I was awarded the college's extraordinary merit for teaching award.  Since Maggie and I were out of town, though, I missed the award ceremony.

In June and July, I participated in the Wyoming Writing Project's Summer Institute.  And I facilitated a talkback session for a local reading of The Lion in Winter, too.

Maggie and I also made a trip out to Milwaukee to celebrate her dad Terry's retirement.  And right after that, her folks and sister came out to visit.  A photo from their visit, of Maggie's mom and dad when we toured the Wyoming Territorial Prison:

In late July/early August, Maggie and I made a trip out to Oregon.  We stayed in a VRBO place right on the coast, and Walter got his first taste of salt water.  Here's the photographic evidence of that trip:

On the way back, we passed through Crater Lake National Park, just as the Cable Creek fire was getting going.

In August I took over as interim director of the Writing Center.

In August we also went to an Oh Hellos concert at Mishawaka, in Poudre Canyon.  I can't believe I'd never been to this venue before this.

Over Labor Day we hung out with Craig and Shannon at the Brooklyn Lake Cabin.  A rainy, windy night!  Here's a photo from the next day, poking around the lakes trail.  (I think you can find all 6 Dutchers in the picture, though a couple of the boys might've still been hiding out in the rocks.)

In July, we got a kayak, so our fall included exploring the local surroundings from a new perspective.  We kayaked on Sodergreen Lake, Lake Hattie, and North Crow Reservoir.  A photo from our camping/kayaking excursion to North Crow; Maggie's the little spot out in the water:

For the holidays we were in Newcastle for Thanksgiving and Estes Park with brother-in-law Joel's family after Christmas.

This fall we did a good bit of hanging out with friends old and new: Julia and Nevin, Katie and Bryon, new colleagues Kelly and Scott, neighbors Mike and Evelyn, Katie and Joel, Joe and Hayley, Pat and Nate, Sylvia, Ammon and Brooke, all kinds of good people--at community dinners, book clubs, and game nights.  

Finally: we celebrated New Years overseas.  More about that in the next post.