“Our favorite season is fall,” says Chelsea Church. She resides here in Hilltop with her three daughters, Brynn (8), Annika (5), and Ava (4) and partner, Ray Stein. As the season ushers in cooler, crisper temperatures, they look forward to watching the leaves changing colors, visiting pumpkin patches, gathering around bonfires and roasting marshmallows, and of course – Halloween. 

“We all love to go trick-or-treating,” says Chelsea. Wearing themed and coordinated costumes has been a big hit with the girls, and typically include their beloved cat, Morty. “The girls put costumes on him, and while he is an exceptionally good sport, they usually don’t stay on very long,” laughs Chelsea. 

In past years, they have enjoyed participating in the Hilltop Halloween Parade and dressing up for various parties in the neighborhood. The family’s favorite Halloween tradition is pumpkin decorating. “We usually do a combination of carving, stickers, and glitter paint,” explains Chelsea. With three girls, expect a lot of glitter paint! 

Meet Chelsea and Ray 

Chelsea and Ray met in Denver. “It was a classic first-date scenario,” explains Chelsea. “We had met earlier in the afternoon and were both having such a great time we kept extending the date. We had 2-3 different stops before extending through dinner, and have been enjoying dinners together ever since.” They share a love for all things Colorado including skiing, hiking and camping. They have also recently taken up playing pickleball and love the community at Gates Tennis Center (Hi Evan!) where they play most often.

Chelsea is originally from Canada, and lived abroad (in the Caribbean, Europe and Middle East) for several years before settling in Denver and moving into Hilltop in 2017. She is a Managing Director & Partner at Boston Consulting Group (BCG) where she advises clients on various Technology and Digital topics.

Ray is originally from Denver and attended both CU and CSU (Go Rams!). He owns several small Denver-based businesses, including a digital marketing agency where he spends most of his time. Both Ray and Chelsea feel incredibly lucky to have extended family also living in Denver, and enjoy family BBQs and frequent trips to the mountains together. 

When not enjoying Robinson Park or on a bike ride to High Point for ice cream, Brynn and Annika attend Carson Elementary in 3rd grade and Kindergarten, respectively. Ava attends pre-school at Crestmoor Learning Center and can’t wait to join her sisters at Carson next year. 

All three girls enjoy playing sports year-round from soccer and swimming to skiing and gymnastics. Brynn is especially interested in art and math, Annika loves painting and piano, and Ava enjoys all forms of singing and dancing. The girls are completely in love with their “brother” Morty, the family cat, who provides much needed gender balance in the home for Ray. 

The girls also take after Chelsea and Ray in their growing love for travel, which the family has been fortunate to do a lot of this year. They travelled to Arizona and Virginia in the spring, Spain and Austria over the summer, and recently returned from Hawaii. “Although we love and enjoy all aspects of Colorado, exploring new places and cultures as a family, with the new experiences and perspective-shaping that happens, is a priority for us,” shares Chelsea.  

The family also greatly appreciates the sense of community in Hilltop. “We have an awesome community, especially on our block. We have really close friends and kids who are similar ages, also going to Carson Elementary together. It’s a very special bond and we are so grateful for our Grape Street family,” Chelsea shares. 

If you see the family out and about, be sure to say hello. They are always looking to meet more friendly folks this fall in Hilltop (and that means you!).