Skiing on Ajax Mountain

Aspen, Colorado - USA

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to all.

Frohe Weihnachten an alle.

Geseende Kersfees aan almal.

All up the hill for some sledding now :)



Keeya - Queen of the hill :)

My Christmas Presents included a HUGE shipment of South African Food - Yummy.
Also: Books, SOCKS :), a Balloon Necklace, and a bonus - Thank You,
and from my Lance - A Hand held navigator (GPS).

Time to open the presents from Ilse...

I guess Christmas can wear some kids out...

It was a wonderful Christmas. Thank You.

I can't sleep...

Keeya snuggled in my Bed this morning with her froggie.

It's about 4am in the morning, and I am having trouble sleeping... I've got Keeya (my friend Heather's dog) snuggled next to me, well she's totally lying diagonally pushing me into the corner and she's hogging the blanket too... but she is sooooo cute, that I won't complain.

Today is Christmas Eve and I'm missing home a little. Everybody will be going to Church together and opening their presents after dinner. I have such great childhood memories, with Grandpa handing out presents and eating Oma's yummy home made foods. Papa laughing about another pear of socks he got and so on. Froge Weihnachten an alle!!!

Lance is also sick and far away in Salt Lake City. He's doing much better now - I believe, but I wish I could do more than just send him get well soon wishes every day. He did like the flower arrangement I sent him, so that was good! "Lance, Please get well soon". I'm off course very excited to visit him this coming weekend again, when I will meet his parents and sister.

I also have a prayer request for my friend Fernando. His Appendix erupted and he is in the hospital. He almost died, and is not doing to well. Recovery is slow, so please include him in you prayers today.

On a more delightful note, I received my grades about two days ago... It was a good semester and these are the results:

• Mathematics - A (Almost a full 100%, actually)
• Early Childhood Education - A
• ECE Lab & Field Work - A
• Sociology - B+

My total GPA is currently 3.8 (The best is 4 points).
The new semester stats in January again. I'm registered for 3 Early Childhood ed. classes, and 1 business class. It will be fun, I just know it.

I have some pictures in my camera I will upload later.. But yesterday I played with Jack for a few hours, and we build an amazing train track. I think I like building tracks a lot. I had so much fun figuring out different ways to lay them.

Let's see what else has been going on... I have been working at the Roaring Fork Club to distract myself a little from the holiday season mainly... It has been great doing many kid activities. On Saturday was Breakfast with Santa, and decorating your own Christmas Tree. That was fun!!! Yesterday they decorated Gingerbread houses. We had 40 houses prepared, and unimaginable amounts of candy... I ended up doing flower arrangements for the center pieces I made - will take picture today - And today I will head there again and I'm in charge of Cookie decorating while Dinner for about 200 people is served...

All my friends are out of town :(

Alyson I hope you are having a great time with your family! And I also hope your coffee meeting went good.. CALL ME!!!

Heather & Mark - Keeya is loving spending time with me. She's doing great and I promise to not spoil her... Enjoy Chicago & Orlando - be safe.

Brad - Merry Christmas to you too. Enjoy the family get together!

Kate - Wherever you are this time, have fun!!!

An alle meine Deutsche Freunde - Frohe Weihanchten and alle und viel Spass mit Freunde und Familie.

En aan al my Afrikaanse vriende - Geseende Kersfees aan almal. Met Familie en vriende wens ek almal die beste tye.

I'll think of you and everybody else too when I hit the slopes tomorrow to go skiing. I hope I make it... with breakfast at the house, Church and a long call home.

Well, Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night :) - I'm gonna try and go to sleep again...

Mwah

Love, Ilse Louise, Zigi & Zulu

Happy Holidays

Well I was supposed to fly home today... I promise everybody I will come visit in my Spring Break, then at least I know for sure I'll see everybody, where as now so many are on vacation spread out across the country.

I light of the season, I decorated a little tree too and placed them around Joy & Olga's pictures. Wish you could be in person, but this will do for now. Ich Liebe Euch sehr!!!



Driving home from work I just had to capture the full moon over the mountains.
One thing is true... The moon you see is the one I see too.

Happy Holidays to all & Lots of Love

Some exciting news :)

The first time we met, I could see, That you and I, were meant to be. Your eyes were so gentle, your smile so true, When you first held my hand, I just knew.



I would like you all to meet Lance Wilson.

Lance and I met a while ago through a "mutual acquaintance"... and at first talked up a storm over the phone (sometimes while playing chess too), in the end a meeting just had to be and I flew to Salt Lake City in Utah this past weekend to meet Lance in person. And I am so glad I did!!! I can officially announce that I am finally no longer single, and am perusing a relationship with this wonderful man. It has been a whirlwind adventure, and I am sitting here typing with the biggest smile on my face. I truly can't even remember that last time I felt this entirely, all -over giddy happy.


"Danke Papa, ich weiss das du immer auf mich aufpasst, und glaube mit meine ganze Seele das du Ihm in mein Leben geschickt hast. Besser gibts nicht, und ich Danke dir!"

Beneath are some pictures I took at Temple Square with all the Christmas light lit.

Babysitting little Tess

I was babysitting little Tess this morning, and walking through town I had so many comments on how beautiful "my daughter" is. Looking at this picture I took though, we really have matching blue eyes. It was a fun morning and she really is just the cutest little baby.

My first ski day

December 2nd and there is a lot of snow. Two feet to be exact at the top of the mountains. In true Colorado tradition the sun was out and blue skies reigned. It was gorgeous, and I headed to the slopes!!!

I was at the mountain at 9am and did a few runs, before Brad joined. Off course we had heard that powder days are the best, so decidedly so took on a black powder run... Not so good. We got stuck - badly. In the end it took us an hour to get down, with Mark's help. I was quite shaken once I got down, but faced the world by taking on the slopes yet again, and skiing my heart out.

These Video are from my third run of the day, before Heather, Mark and Brad joined.

Enjoy!!!

Viele Liebe Grusse an alle zuhause. Joy & Olga (und alle andere auch) ich vermisse euch sehr, und habe euch ganz dolle Lieb!!!

Lyla was in town :)

On Friday night I went down valley to babysit Lyla, and her cousins and the Camp's... Anyway it was sooooo good to see her and fun to hang with her. We sat on the couch taking pictures and pulling funny faces :) that was the best.

I Love You Lyla Honey!!!

African Dream

I painted this table cloth for a friends about two years ago, and this morning I was just thinking/dreaming about it and thought I'd put it up. This truly was one of my best work, well including the illustrations for my books :)

Jury Duty

So this is rather funny. I received a Jury summons in the mail... I've always wanted to get one, but knew that I wouldn't, but I guess if you have a drivers license you get summons for jury duty. I sadly still can't go because I'm not a citizen, but it was cool to get it in the mail. I'm gonna put it in my scrapbook :)

Crash

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Ra6uehvngg

I had an assignment for my sociology class, and with so much discrimination in our world felt the need to share my paper...

The plot of this incredible movie is that several stories interweave during two days in Los Angeles involving a collection of inter-related characters, a police detective with a drugged out mother and a thieving younger brother, two car thieves who are constantly theorizing on society and race, the white district attorney and his irritated and pampered wife, a racist white veteran cop (caring for a sick father at home) who disgusts his more idealistic younger partner, a successful Hollywood director and his wife who must deal with the racist cop, a Persian-immigrant father who buys a gun to protect his shop, a Hispanic locksmith and his young daughter who is afraid of bullets, and more. (Imdb)

When I first saw this movie in a cinema while visiting New York City, I remember walking out into the streets after an intense two hours and looking at others around me differently. I didn’t know where they come from, what makes them who they are, or why they crossed my path at hat particular point in time. In the end reflecting on the entwined lives of all these characteristics, I couldn’t help but notice how we affect other people’s lives without knowing it. Race is such a derogatory factor in this motion picture, that it shook me to the core. I have always believed myself that one should not judge another, as one does not know them. In the end one sees in this Oscar winning depiction such a great example of the unknown aspects out there that changes so many others lives every single day. The heartbreaking moment when the little girls runs outside to protect her father, because he did not have his impenetrable cloak on; and possibly could have been shot had the shop owner’s daughter not bought blank bullets, made me shiver. This eye opening scene together with all the other events that unfolded in this depiction of life as we know it, simply shows the imperative need for change. I would suggest we look at the way we raise our children!

The moral of this movie for me was certainly that one should not discriminate. Every day someone dies because of discrimination, so one should really think about the next time one discriminates against anybody else, because one simple thought can lead to possible unfathomably horrible events.

The Many Errors in Thinking About Mistakes

New York Times

By ALINA TUGEND

Published: November 24, 2007

As children we’re taught that everyone makes mistakes and that the great thinkers and inventors embraced them. Thomas Edison’s famous quote is often inscribed in schools and children’s museums: “I have not failed. I have just found ten thousand ways that won’t work.”

On the other hand, good grades are usually a reward for doing things right, not making errors. Compliments are given for having the correct answer and, in fact, the wrong one may elicit scorn from classmates.

We grow up with a mixed message: making mistakes is a necessary learning tool, but we should avoid them.

Carol S. Dweck, a psychology professor at Stanford University, has studied this and related issues for decades.

“Studies with children and adults show that a large percentage cannot tolerate mistakes or setbacks,” she said. In particular, those who believe that intelligence is fixed and cannot change tend to avoid taking chances that may lead to errors.

Often parents and teachers unwittingly encourage this mind-set by praising children for being smart rather than for trying hard or struggling with the process.

For example, in a study that Professor Dweck and her researchers did with 400 fifth graders, half were randomly praised as being “really smart” for doing well on a test; the others were praised for their effort.

Then they were given two tasks to choose from: an easy one that they would learn little from but do well, or a more challenging one that might be more interesting but induce more mistakes.

The majority of those praised for being smart chose the simple task, while 90 percent of those commended for trying hard selected the more difficult one.

The difference was surprising, Professor Dweck said, especially because it came from one sentence of praise.

They were then given another test, above their grade level, on which many performed poorly. Afterward, they were asked to write anonymously about their experience to another school and report their scores. Thirty-seven percent of those who were told they were smart lied about their scores, while only 13 percent of the other group did.

“One thing I’ve learned is that kids are exquisitely attuned to the real message, and the real message is, ‘Be smart,’” Professor Dweck said. “It’s not, ‘We love it when you struggle, or when you learn and make mistakes.’”

As we get older, many of us invest a great deal in being right. When things go wrong, as they inevitably do, we focus on flagellating ourselves, blaming someone else or covering it up. Or we rationalize it by saying others make even more mistakes.

What we do not want to do, most of the time, is learn from the experience.

Some funnies :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5P6UU6m3cqk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3Rw_3ky-uo

Happy Thanksgiving to all.

What a great Thanksgiving Day I had. In short Alyson & I joined the rest of the gang at Heather's Townhouse in Basalt, where we all pitched in and cooked. Now, even though I did not know that you do NOT eat salad in a traditional Thanksgiving meal, everybody did seem to like that little extra dish I prepared. I tell you the food was amazing!!! We had Brad's Mac & Cheese, Mark's Potatoes and Schwetty Balls, Heather's sweet potato dish, green bean casserole, Alyson's Pineapple stuffing, the best Turkey ever... and the forgotten cranberry sauce. AND for desert, Heather made the most amazing Kentucky Derby pie with chocolate chips, and off course the very traditional Pumpkin Pie. For 6 people there were 5 pies made... We have so many left overs, and I sure hope it lasts a while, because I can't see food right now...
After the delicious meal, and good old South African wine, we all relaxed and started playing catch phrase for almost 5 hours... I had so much fun, it was a blast. Thank you all for making this the best and memorable Thanksgiving in my life so far, even though it was only my 4th ever...

The pictures below are in now particular order, there were so many I just put them in randomly... enjoy!


The team - Mark, Heather, Brad, Alyson & I (Stave took the pic)

Checking on all the food... That's a lot!!!

Heather hard at work on the Sweet Potato Pie

Okay, I have to say this was the best all night... Mark and his Schwetty Balls

Chef Brad, hard at work.

CHEERS EVERYBODY!!

Alyson & Heather checking on the pies...

Well, we've got to have some wine now.

Brad & Steve coming back from Jeff's house with the fabulous Turkey in hand!

Alyson set out wonderful table, with decorative leaves and all.

The girls smelling the cranberry mix - which we forgot to eat in the end...

The Football was on...

Mark doing his part as the Potato mixer

All the girls need a break too... Heather, Alyson, Jenn & I relaxing for a moment or two

Everybody hard at work here. Mark's cooking, Steve's washing the dishes, Brad is preparing his Mac & Cheese, Heather & Alyson counting dinner plates and I take pictures :)

And then we all sat on the couch (or Chairs) to play Catch phrase until 12:30 am. Keyah sat and looked on with her ball too.


Thank you all, this was the best Thanksgiving ever for me!!!

Three Cups of Tea

A must read to everybody!!!

List night I went to my first ever book signing, and met Greg Mortensen. He is amazing, in his mission to Promote Peace... One school a a time.

Visit his website at http://www.threecupsoftea.com/

Sunset over the Rockies

The Game is on

On Saturday Kate, Alyson and I got together and started to play Cranium. Well, the game evolved to the point where we only did the cameo's, because you see - It's fun to laugh.... Alyson took the game very seriously, and even though Kate & I stopped rolling the dice half way through, Alyson kept on trying to pass us... needless to say without success, apart form the fact it provided for even more laughter. I had such a great time and really enjoyed it very much!

Thanx Guys

Let's do this again some time soon!

Hot Air Ballooning over the Rocky Mountains :)

7 am on Sunday Morning and my birthday present awaits. A Hot Air Balloon ride over the Rockie Mountains!!! It was amazing. Maureen got to go with me and we lifted to the air, flew over our house and across the valley to Old Snowmass where we landed in a horse range. Then it was champagne breakfast with Chocolate covered strawberries...

That's me up there flying over the roof tops

Before you view the next video, be cautioned... Willow was not quite ready for mommy to fly in the hot air balloon unlike Isabella, who very calmly said: "Bye, Bye Mommy" I simply had to put this in my Blog, because even though it's heartbreaking to watch, it's also a little funny. They are two years old... and within a few minutes she was back to her old self again!!!

Another Absolutely Amazing Adventure.