Weekend at Gordon's Pond - Thanks Sharon!

6 months later... I tried to post this back in June and something happened with my computer. Anyway with the horrible weather we are having I decided to update this draft. Oh to have sunshine and warm weather again! Originally drafted on 6-21-2008.

This past weekend we spent our time at "Lake Illusion". This is a man made water ski lake created by Ryan's boss Tom. Tom hosted a sanctioned water ski tournament. He had thirteen skiers from Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, and South Dakota. I did not ski but I did play the role of amateur photographer. I took over 400 some pictures. Here are just a few samples...

" Sunset Jump"

(Picture by Ryan Eskeli)

"Leap of Faith"

"Reflections and Isaac"


"Spray"

"Crash"


"Walter and a Few of His Favorite Things"

Awesome! Grab some tissues!

I do not need to say anything just watch!

Please push pause on playlist below!

Song #3 Grandpa Tell Me Bout the Good Ol Days

My tribute to Grandpa Hadden! This song should be a daily anthem in this crazy world. Please listen closely to the words of this song (in my playlist below). I especially like the following phrases.

Grandpa, take me back to yesterday
When the line between right and wrong
Didn't seem so hazy

Did families really bow their heads to pray

Did lovers really fall in love to stay
And stand beside each other, come what may

Grandpa is great with telling stories about the past. In fact I heard some of the best ones this past summer when we were down there. Like the ones of how mice and lizards just love him. I love his stories. I hope I will be able to be the "story teller" that he is someday with my grandkids.

Song of the Week #2

Put a Little Holiday in Your Heart(find it in my playlist below)


One more chance for a Christmas song. This song will make you just put a smile on your face. It is a great message that we should all follow. I prefer to listen to this song when I home alone so I can belt it out and dance around a bit (don't tell my husband). So I hope you all put a little Holiday in your Heart and enjoy everything about this week. Merry Christmas to everyone! I love all the members of my family and friends. Lets all try to keep this world in one piece. Happy Holidays and have a Healthy new Year!!!



Feel the cold wind blowing-
winter's coming on
'tis the season, so they say
If you need help believing
'cause your spirit ain't too strong
Hold my hand--we'll push that cloud away


Chorus - Put a little holiday in your heart
It'll put a little shuffle in your step
Give you a song that you can sing
With a melody you can't forget
And if you wanna join in a little harmony
To keep the world from tearin' apart
Well you know where to look- Yeah
-you gotta put a little holiday in your heart


There's a man on the corner

who doesn't have a name
People pass and turn their heads away
But to share a simple kindness would set your heart aflame
And you'll get more than you'll ever give away


Chorus


It starts with you,
it starts with me
That ain't no stranger,
he's family
and it don't matter if we agree

Chorus


It all comes down to love

Screw Up

Okay I did not realize if you have something saved in a draft that it would post to the original date. So please go back to June posts and check out "Weekend at Gordon's Pond". I will get this whole blog thing figured out one of these days!

Song of the week

Alright I know I am kinda stealing this idea from my bro., but it's different. I have been asked many times why I choose the songs that are on my playlist. So I am going to try to pick one song a week and explain the "why". Here we go...

Week #1 Where Are You Christmas.
Of course I picked this for the season. I absolutely love this song. I often wonder if people have ever truly listened to the words of this song. My interpretation is that some of us (including myself) get so wrapped up in our lives and the day to day grind that we forget what Christmas is. I love the ending of the song if you keep Christmas in your heart and mind it will always be there.

I found myself slightly disappointed in my Primary class a couple of Sunday's ago. I asked my four and five year-olds why we celebrate Christmas. They all began screaming presents and Santa!! I have worked very hard the past two weeks to instill in their little minds the "true" meaning of Christmas. My mom has a tiny Nativity scene that I brought to my class and I explained each piece. This past week I let each child pick a character and they had to tell me why it is included in the Nativity. They got all of the characters correct and it made me feel such peace. They were so excited to be the teachers and teach me the story.

I encourage you to play this song from my playlist and listen carefully to its message. I have included the lyrics below. Enjoy and Merry Christmas!

Where are you Christmas
Why can't I find you
Why have you gone away
Where is the laughter
You used to bring me
Why can't I hear music play

My world is changing
I'm rearranging
Does that mean Christmas changes too

Where are you Christmas
Do you remember
The one you used to know
I'm not the same one
See what the time's done
Is that why you have let me go

Christmas is here
Everywhere, oh
Christmas is here
If you care, oh

If there is love in your heart and your mind
You will feel like Christmas all the time

I feel you Christmas
I know I've found you
You never fade away
The joy of Christmas
Stays here inside us
Fills each and every heart with love

Where are you Christmas
Fill your heart with love

Do we have any relatives that live in Hawaii?

Or does anyone have some extra space heaters they can send?
Cody Wyoming forecast through Tuesday. It is currently -11 degrees.

Tonight: A 20 percent chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a low around -13. Wind chill values as low as -30. East northeast wind between 7 and 9 mph. Monday: A 20 percent chance of snow after 11am. Mostly cloudy and cold, with a high near 0. Wind chill values as low as -25. East northeast wind between 5 and 8 mph. Monday Night: A 30 percent chance of snow, mainly before 11pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around -11. Wind chill values as low as -25. Northeast wind around 6 mph. New snow accumulation of less than one inch possible. Tuesday: A 20 percent chance of snow. Partly sunny and cold, with a high near 8. Wind chill values as low as
-18. North wind around 6 mph. Tuesday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around -5. North northwest wind between 3 and 10 mph. Wednesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 20. Wednesday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 5.

TURBO

I don't know any of the specifics but we promised people pictures. This is the latest Turbo built by Ryan and Tom at work. This is so awesome. I will have Ryan post all of the "manly" details later!

Chrstmas Tag

Christmas Tag

Thanks Shannon...I stole this from her!! Well is it stealing if you admit to it?? Jasi's responses in RED and Ryan's responses in GREEN!



CHRISTMAS TAG



1. Do you like hot chocolate or egg nog? Chocolate..hot or cold. I just have one rule no semi-sweet, dark, or white. Only milk chocolate for this girl. Egg Nog.



2. Does Santa wrap presents or just put them under the tree? Wrapped. I think it just creates a sense of mystery. Both but mostly wrapped.



3. Colored or white lights on tree/house? White. Although I have given in a bit with the colored lights on the outside of our house (see pic's below), but only white lights are allowed on the tree. It's kinda funny I cannot stand my white walls but insist on white lights on the tree. I would perfer color on everything.



4. When do you put up your decorations? No reservations...the day after Thanksgiving. If we are out of town for some reason I put them up before I leave. I try for the last warm day before Thanksgiving - for once we lucked out this year. (I do outside decorations only)



5. What is your favorite holiday dish? Wow that's a tough one! I guess anything but fruit cake. Fried oysters (Eskeli family tradition).



6. What is your favorite holiday memory from your childhood? This memory is a little fuzzy because I was very young. But I remember when almost all of the Hadden side of the family were at Grandma and Granpa's house in Powell. I am pretty sure all of Pat's kids were there along with Rusty's kids. I just remember having us all together. Christmas' at my Grandparents.



7. Do you open a gift on Christmas eve? Our families rule was always just one and the same goes for Ryan's side of the family (for the most part). As a child we opened all of our gifts on Christmas Eve...but now it is the same as Jasi said.



8. How do you decorate your Christmas tree? I always do a theme. Most of the time I choose one color. I also have a set of wooden decorations that are mittens, bows, hearts, etc but my new smaller tree will not hold them up. This year I chose a brass/rust color (see pic's below). I like my tree to be very simple. This is Jasi's job...you do not mess with her tree.



9. Snow! Love it or dread it? LOVE IT! The other morning I woke up to huge sparkly flakes falling straight out of the sky. Here we very rarely see snow falling straight out of the sky. It usually comes in sideways and at a hundred miles an hour at 20 degrees below zero. I still love it no matter what way it comes in! Diddo.



10. Do you remember your favorite gift? I have received so many gifts in my life. I think I would have to say life, family, and friends. Golf Clubs from Jasi.



11. What is the most important thing about the holidays for you? FAMILY and FRIENDS. Same!



12. What is your favorite Holiday dessert? The amaretto cheesecakes Aunt Kendy gets! My Mothers Pecan Pie.



13. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Everything about the holidays. Oysters Christmas morning.



14. What tops your tree? Nothing this year...haven't found anything I like. Like I said the tree is Jasi;s.



15. Which do you prefer: giving or receiving? I am not going to lie...both! I second that.



16. What is your favorite Christmas song? The First Noel. Little Drummer Boy.



17.Candy canes? No Thanks. Yes. Especially Candy Cane flavored Marshmellows that my wife orders for me.



18. Secret Santa? No Thanks. Never done it.



19. Favorite Christmas movie? 3 way tie -> Elf, Christmas Story, and Christmas Vacation. Christmas Vacation ("Don't throw me down Clark").



20. Can you ice skate? I think I still can. Same Here.

Get Well Mom/Di

Sorry I am a little delayed with pictures. I finally downloaded the ones of Anneli's last visit. So I thought I would use one for a Get Well wish for Ryan's Mom. She had surgery on Wednesday and is doing well. I thought this may just help the healing process along. Hopefully you will be back to bubble blowing very soon! Love you and let us know if you need anything!

"Clark is you're house on fire?"

Name that movie...

Well we finally got another snow storm and I was able to snap some shots. I refused to take pictures of our Christmas lights without snow. For some reason I just don't think brown grass and empty trees are that attractive. I have always thought our lights look like a gingerbread house. I also took a few pic.'s of our tree. I changed the colors this year. I know it is very simple but I like it that way. Hope you all enjoy!

Kristin Dawn

Here is a salute to Kristin Dawn! She is the most famous person I personally know! She called her mama today at work - so it made me think of her. For those of you who don't know who Kristin is... She is the daughter of my chicken Leslie. She is going to school in New York. She is the best female hockey player I know. She is out in NY living the life and skating her heart out. I just want to let her know how much we all miss her. I hope you are having a great time. Please never forget the people that love you in Cody. Take care of yourself. You are in my prayers - just in a different way than you remember (inside joke - do you remember Kristin?)! Love you and can't wait to see you around Christmas. Also remember - you only have one mother and she loves you very much!

Above is a picture I took of Kristin this summer. If the hockey thing does not work out she should try modeling. notice the beautiful sunset behind her...Thanks to Johanna and Tom for that excellent background.

Maybe next year...

Nov. 22, 2008vs. Colorado State
L, 31-20
Day: Saturday
Date: Nov. 22, 2008
Location: Laramie, Wyo.