Ella popped the question, "Are we dating?" after only 3 weeks of courting. Unfortunately for her, it was Valentine's day, and Straten made her wait twenty-four hours before answering.

Ella! She is the Trash (and Recycling) Queen. Because we love sustainability!

Type 2 Activities like skiing and mountain biking. If it's difficult, unconventional, or life-threatening, we are doing it.

Ireland with Janice, Ella's mom. We hopped the pond to visit Janice during her 2 month stay in Dublin. One night we went to a farmhouse restaurant with a Michelin recognition. Heaven!

COVID. What a trip. Somehow we came out even more in love. 🥰

To leave the world a better place than how we found it.

Supporting folks with disabilities. Straten goes home to WV every summer to help with the International Sports Jamboree, a special olympics event, and Ella volunteers with Acheive Tahoe, a group that enables people with disabilities to participate in outdoor activities.

(The ski mountain formerly known as) Squaw Valley and Paco's Bike Shop

Backcountry skiing. We've taken the intro courses and have enjoyed a few trips out to some snowy peaks and fresh lines. It's an amazing world, but each time we realize how little we know about it!

Our homemade pizza. Straten makes amazing dough and Ella preps the toppings. We have all our friends over and pump pizzas out until everyone is full and happy.

Hiking! Straten is "a runner, not a walker." But we've turned it into a peak-bagging competition and he seems to like that!

CATS! Meow.