Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known-Carl Sagan

1st Museum trip of 2010

We took our 1st trip of the year to the museum yesterday. We didn't spend a lot of time in the space area this time. The boys were much more excited about the relatively new exhibit. We got to ride some bikes, and walk across rivers, rock climb and see how important it is to wear sunscreen. We also checked out the dinos, to see how we measure up. We also got to spend some time with the wolves. Very cool. Also got a couple cheesy pictures.

Who's this?

My parents were awesome.....

I found this very cool website the other day, and as the pictures i submitted have not been posted yet. I will post mine here. Check it out http://www.myparentswereawesome.tumblr.com/

Could you just....

So last night after dinner I ask the boys if they want a snack. Aragorn happily shouts YES!! And promptly requests cookies. I tell him we have some in the cupboard. His reply?

"Could you just bake us some? "

Wait…..what?

Itsy Bitsy Spider

Horse and buggy.....

Throughout my day I think of a lot of things. They range from extremely important to "really? why is that even in my head?" A lot of times, I can answer these things easily and move on. What are we having for dinner tonight? Who's birthday is coming up next? What should we do this weekend? But there are some things I cannot answer at all. And that bugs me. Most of the time they are things I have no control over. The devestation in Haiti, the current issues with our country. One of those most recent things is the recent diagnosis of my sister. I have done some research (as reliable as the internet can be) and I am disturbed by the lack of support metastic breast cancer receives. I realize it is not a top killer of women (Heart Disease holds that honor, followed by Breast Cancer, Osteoporosis and Depression) but it is still a HUGE issue. Cancer is one of those things that if you personally have not been affected by it (meaning if YOU have not had it) odds are, someone close to you has.

My sister and I have never been close, this is no secret. I do not know her favorite color, or her favorite food. I do not know what school she went to, or what she wanted to be when she grew up. I don't know what she likes to do in her spare time, or if she even has spare time. But I do know this, the ties that hold sisters together, although sometimes strained, are unbreakable. There has never been a day that has gone by that I have not thought about my sister. Even before her diagnosis, I always wished we could be closer. There is always time I tell myself. No matter what is happening, I try to let her know I am thinking of her and love her. It is too difficult for me to call her right now, I fear the sound of her voice may send me into uncontrollable crying. But I try to stop time when she signs online. I want for nothing else at that moment then to talk to her and get to know her. To let her know that I am here if she needs me. My immediate reaction to her diagnosis was unfairness, I barley know her, how can this be happening?. But then I realize, that it's life, and it's the way it is. I have to remind myself that most of the time no one chooses the path they take, more often than not the path has been decided. I like to think, the mode of transportation is what you choose. Do you Wisk through life like a bat out of hell in your new Corvette GT convertible never really seeing what you have? Just wanting to make it to the end. Or do you take the ride using the horse and buggy route, enjoying the scenery as it passes?

I am rethinking my mode. And I have decided. I want the buggy, and a REALLY old horse. Life is too short to go to fast. I hope you rethink yours too.

The kid's got skills......

Another picture taken by Aragorn....on my camera phone........

Go Rouge.....

You have to get under what God has put over you so that you can get over what he has put under you.

Had a wonderful service today, Pastor Ryan spoke about Courageous living. He spoke of Caleb and Joshua and how it's amazing how 2 people can see the exact same situation, and react to it differently. This is part two of his series MAN UP. As always, Gena rocked the room, getting into her more rock side for the final song, LOVED it!!

Don't forget You can visit the edge church at

http://www.edgecommunity.net/

Or visit Pastor Heller's blog

http://www.ryanheller.org/

Date night at the rodeo

For the last couple of years i have gotten Eric tickets to the rodeo at the stock show. It's held every year here at the stock show complex. They have the animals being sold/auctioned vendor's, food, and a petting zoo for the kids. Eric loves the rodeo, it lets him go home to Kansas (if only for a few hours). I love to watch him, he is a kid again every time we go, letting go of the normally reserved person, and letting the excited kid shine through. We went to dinner before this time (last year we ate at the stock show). For Christmas this year we we got a gift certificate to Rioja a restaurant here in downtown Denver. It was amazing!! A total 5 star adventure. We started with a cocktail at the bar, toasting Eric's birthday and a fun night out. When we were seated we enjoyed different types of bread, i chose the lavender infused sourdough. Eric and i each picked an appetizer, he chose Real bacon, I got hand made mozzarella. For dinner Eric chose seared sea scallops while i had the spaghettini. I passed on desert, but the restaurant as a gift to Eric gave him the house specialty. Hazelnut Tortamisu. It was a wonderful experience. After dinner we headed to the stock show. It's always so much fun to get a drink and walk around. Just look at the exhibits and talk. At the rodeo, we got to see the usual Barrel racing, team roping, bareback riding and bull riding. We also got to see one of the broncing bucks retired last night after her 26th year. It was very cool. All in all we had a very good date night.

Sugar covered mint leaves-Better than chocolate

Eric's dessert-Hazelnut tortimasu

My dinner- spaghettini

Eric's dinner-Seared Scallops

My appetizer-Hand made mozzarella

Eric's appetizer-Fresh bacon

i loved the salt and pepper

Space....the final.........

Amber has achieved the goal of every writer. She is getting published. She has given those of us with dreams of seeing our name on the cover hope. Her story will be in Pill Hill Press' upcoming anthology The Four Horseman: An Anthology of Conquest, War, Famine, and Death. Scheduled for release June 2010. As an amateur writer myself I have nothing but complete admiration for her (and just a teensy bit of jealousy). I can only hope this is the beginning for her and soon A.R. Norris will be the author of the next big thing!! Be sure to check out her blog

http://sci-fiadventures.blogspot.com/

Friends are relatives you make for yourself.

I hold my friendships very close refusing most of time to let go. I try my hardest to be the glue that sticks everyone together. My family is mostly friends, people that have stuck by me through thick and thin. They have been there for the tears and laughs, joys and heartbreaks. And although I consider all of my friends to be dear to me. There are 2 that no matter what will I always love and cherish. Amber and Lisa. We met in middle school, quit possibly the most inhumane torture a parent can legally put their child through. We met by fate, and it was fate that kept us together for so many years. Through middle school and my move to Arkansas, we always managed to stay in touch. We even managed to maintained our friendship into high school were the pressure to fit in is always nagging, we stood our ground and remained true to eachother. But fate can sometimes be a mean women and made decisions for us that we had no control over. Amber was forced to leave Colorado and moved away from us. Leaving Lisa and I to fend for ourselves. We managed, and remained friends, but Amber got lost in the shuffle. Her life having taken a different role than mine and Lisa's, that of mother. Sadly, Lisa and I lost contact with Amber. I can honestly say I felt as though a piece of my heart had been ripped away. As it seems my heart is not really mine, but belongs to everyone I love. There was not a day that went by that I did not think of Amber and how we were missing each other's lives. Graduation came, and Lisa moved to Texas, and fell in love, marrying her now husband. I married too, and along came our children. Aragorn born in November and her daughter Miranda in December. We celebrated these times with e-mails and pictures. All the while both of us wondering what Amber was doing, had she married? did she have more kids? what did she decide to do with her life? we always thought the best for her, that she had become famous with her writing, or drawing, we often joked, that it would be great to walk into a store and see something by her on the shelf. Every time we talked, there was always a slight sigh of sadness, when we each had to say "No, not yet" to the question if we had heard from her. Then in October of '09, Lisa sent me and e-mail

"Hey I got a friend request on face book for an Amber……do you think it's her?"
"I don't know, but god I hope so" I replied

Lisa and I stayed up late that night her until 11pm and myself until well after midnight, in hopes that this Amber would log on and answer our burning question. Lisa sent me an e-mail early that morning
"If you hear from her, let me know as soon as you can"
"I will, I promise" was my response

I do not think ever in my life I have had a day seem to last as long as that day. I waited and watched. The day was half over when she accepted my friend request and all I could do was cry. My life, was now 100% complete. I e-mailed Lisa immediately

"It's HER oh my god!!!"

We have fallen right back into a friendship that although missing for so many years, was never erased. We have decided to try and do a family trip this summer, Lisa, Amber, myself and the family's we have created. I look forward to many many years of growing up together…………again.

The most beautiful discovery true friends make is that they can grow separately without growing apart. ~Elisabeth Foley

If you're alone, I'll be your shadow. If you want to cry, I'll be your shoulder. If you want a hug, I'll be your pillow. If you need to be happy, I'll be your smile. But anytime you need a friend, I'll just be me. ~Author Unknown

The things my kids say

So last week the boys and I are driving home from Mrs. Rena's. I have an eclectic taste in music, and I like to change it up every now and then. I have found that Aragorn follows in my footsteps appreciating just about all kinds of music, country, hip-hop, pop, classic, show tunes. He can dig them all. Rohan is more his daddy's boy his taste tends to stick with country and old school rock and roll. So as usual I am flipping between channels on the radio and Justin Timberlake's "Sexy Back" comes on. This is a POP song, and as every other pop song these days the lyrics are…….questionable at best. Anyway, the song comes on the beat starts, and from the back seat I hear

"HEY mom I like this song!!"

I smile at first……and then say

Wait……What?!?!?

Maybe time to change the station……….

To the future me......

I heard about this website on the radio the other day and decided to check it out. You can write a letter to yourself and set it to be deliverd to you as far in the future as you want. I know we did this in highschool, and the idea was to see how life had changed since you had written the letter. Check it out, and write something to yourself……..I did :-)

http://www.futureme.org/

Aragorns buddy Easton

Asks.......

Help me be a Heart Hero!



Dear Friends and Family,I'm joining millions of other kids to help save lives with the American Heart Association's Jump Rope For Heart Program! Will you help me?I'm doing Jump Rope For Heart at my school and learning about kids with special hearts. I'm also learning about my own heart, and how to take care of it. And I'm getting active and jumping rope!Some kids have special hearts and need our help! I'm raising money to help kids like them. The money I raise will help pay for education and for new medicines and treatments to be discovered. It could help cure heart disease for everybody! You can help too! Will you make a donation? It's fast and easy to do on my personal Web page! Just use the link below. Or you can mail your donation to me my address is below. Thank you for helping me save lives and be a Heart Hero!To make a donation online, visit my personal page

http://honor.americanheart.org/site/TR/JumpforHeart/JRFH-PMA?px=1653006&pg=personal&fr_id=1285

Then click the button that says Support Easton. Very easy!While there you can also meet some of the kids we can help! You can also mail me your donation to:


200 Grant Street
Frederick, CO 80530


Sincerely,
EastonWillyard

Special Notes :

*All donations are tax deductible.
*You can learn more about Jump Rope For Heart, kids and cardiovascular disease and kids' health by visiting americanheart.org/jump.


If you can help Easton make his goal of $100 that would be great!!

Honey?

Have you seen Rohan?

A sledding we will go......

Argorn was invited to his friend Noble's birthday party today, and he had a blast!! He got to go sledding for the 1st time ever, and didn't have a single problem with it at all. He's a natural!! After coming in from all the fun, he enjoyed hot cocoa and cake. We had a very good time helping Nobel celebrate!! I just wish i could have gone sledding too!!

We hope you are all well

~~The Spillman's~~

Aragorn sledding for the 1st time

It is with a heavy heart.....

That I share this news with you......

Nikki has been diagnosed with metastic breast cancer. There is no cure, it can only be treated. I have no speech for how i am feeling at this time. I can only hope she knows I love her and i am here if she needs me.

Taken by Aragorn, on my phone.

Happy Birthday Rohan!!!

WOW, it's been 2 years since our pudge joined us on this crazy adventure we call life, and I have to say it has certainly been more fun with him!! Rohan helped mend our little family, and learn to truly appreciate each other. He has grown so much this past year. He is so much fun to watch, and talk to, I know Salli is with us every time i look at Rohan. His facial expressions and lack of fear show me that she has a sense of humor!! He will talk your ear off if you let him, and his favorite phrase "Know how?" which means, he doesn't know how, and needs help. He loves to climb, and play with trucks and dance!! Just some things about Rohan

• Elmo is the coolest EVER!!


• Mickey comes in a close 2nd


• Cereal eaten from a zip lock baggie is better than anything else, well, maybe not


• Hot dogs


• If it is a high surface he can jump from, he will try


• He loves to be outside


• Prefers clothes (unlike his brother)


• Eating his is favorite pass time, followed closely by tormenting his brother.


• For now he is his momma's baby, preferring me over Eric (which is just fine with me, as Aragorn prefers Eric right now)


• Everyday is a new adventure with him, he learns something new, and keeps us on our toes

So here's to new discoveries, new adventures and all kinds of fun in 2010. Happy Birthday Baby bug!!!