Trevor Kicks Pneumonia's Butt

With the help of a Z-pak

Letter to the Editor

I was so nostalgic for Rapid City that I sent a letter to the editor. It was published on May 22, but here it is...
Both have grown through Rapid City experiences

I said good-bye to Rapid City in the fall of 1980 to go to college at the University of Iowa. I was armed with support from this wonderful community such as: a solid education from the Rapid City Schools from K-12, scholarships from generous local branches of national organizations such as PEO and the Elks Lodge, a rich high-school band experience from Jack Knowles of Rapid City Central and optimism fueled by a community of forward-thinkers.Returning for a visit in 2007, I am now armed with a doctorate degree, a beautiful family and many fond memories. Now I see in his beautiful city that great changes have taken place, yet core things can be depended upon. Now Pat Jones is running Central High for real, a brown-haired Paluch kid is still cleaning up on the tennis courts, and there are wonderful facilities for our retired parents such as Holiday Hills. Storybook Island is going strong. Also, your high schools are still churning out well-prepared students ready to conquer the world.Thank You Rapid City. My, how we both have grown. LINDA J. SPENCER Iowa City, Iowa

Our Spring Trip

Began on Saturday May 12. Connor and I made it to St.Paul,just in time to see Macalester Graduates lining up to the tune of Bagpipes. We loaded up all of Kira's belongings from her dorm room and started on our way to Collegeville, MN to watch the finals of the Conference track meet at ST. JOHNS college. After that, we drove to Willmar,MN and spent the night. Started out for Rapid at 8:00 on Mother's day. Windy, HOT and Dry conditions met us as we hit I-90. Prairie Home Companion on the radio and we were set until....KADOKA. Just outside of Kadoka, at the 1880 town, the spedometer plummets to ZERO, then fluctuates between Zero and 180 mph. YIKES. As the RPMs hit 6,7,then 8, I slow her down and pull into the 1880 TOWN, where there is no help available. Cool off the vehicle and think. What could this be??? Transmission? Hmmm. We got back on the road, called my brother-in-law in Rapid and got his advice to put 'er in third gear and ride her into Rapid (about 90 miles) that way. We made it, two hours later, hot and very tired. The temperatures were in the low 90's and the vehicle was strained. Alas, we got Gramma, went to Sue and Bob's and had a great, mother's day dinner. Come to find, we had a relay that went bad, and it took about $140 bucks to fix. Could have been a lot worse! (like it could have happened before MURDO or even at PUKWANA).

Connor illustrates that the average 5th grader was
knee high to a Mammoth.








This knee-biter is a cutie












The Ladies and Connor
This Buffalo was really rooting for something...

Crazy Horse is coming along

Markey, Connor, Kira, Grams, Linda
Connor holds a Wooly Mammoth Mandible

A Mammoth

Black Hills, Rapid City, we LOVE you!

GG(Great-Gramma), Steph and Amelia
Connor exuberates











Kira, Connor and President Ford
Kira plants one on William Henry Harrison

Connor and Uncle Mark.

We be seeing ya!

Buffalo? There are NO Buffalo in them hills? The heck you say. Homeward bound. This is just the beginning of what is going to be the BEST summer EVER!

Another year, another Oto party

Nathan stayed awake the whole party this time! February's ice storm resulted in a postponement of the Oto holiday party but despite the timing, a good time was had by all.

Linda and Brian in Sea Grove

This is me with my most favorite cousin B for Brian. He was sweet enough to drive to SeaGrove, NC from his home and we had a day of browsing. The BEST day of the trip!

Hoppy Easter from the Spencer and Finkenstaedt Households!

Another Easter, another Bunny Cake

Easter in Eau Claire

Is Connor making Solaire "speak?"










Counting the eggs before they are hatched.















Busy Baking and decorating

The Do-rag for the little bro

NEW things

Connor and his new glasses , which are very simlar to his OLD glasses,
but side bows are an aqua blue. Here Connor tought he covered his face for the photo, but Linda caught him just AFTER he did the dirty deed.

Trevor's new Digs. New bed, re-arrangement, new floor and rugs. Now in HIS mind if the place had a wide screen TV, all would be copasetic.

the house up the street

Wow it was a big tree, too

February Storm

Connor triumphs over sticks and broken tree limbs. The tree limb was a near miss to the playhouse.



There was some beauty with the storm, however

February Fun

At least the dress got worn to an Oscar party! Dahling it was a gala event! Beth and I took home the best dressed female trophy!

Kira competes in the U of M Fieldhouse

Running a very strong indoor 5K, Kira competed well this Saturday at the U of Minnesota. Her time of 20.12.72 placed her tenth overall in the race AND won her a spot on the Macalester all-time indoor honor-roll. In this photo, she is overtaking a fellow team-mate and who has a common family name (Emily Dunn!) (Nathan's mother's name was Beverly Dunn). See the link below for the school article. Kira told us that she wasn't sure how to run the race as it was her first indoor 5K. This meant she ran around the track over 20-some times. I am not sure if we will get to see her run a 5K or a 3K indoors, but we hope the outdoor season treats her well! Good job Kiki!
http://www.macalester.edu/athletics/wtrack/news02/07_0217_parents_day.html

Sundown

A week of turmoil
Learning
Realizing
Disappointment
Seeing true colors
Streak through
Brings focus
Crisp, cold air
Burning muscles
Deflect
Ugly reality
Transforming
Rearranging
Perspective

Baby Cakes!

Well if a real cake didn't do the trick, try some of these!

Amelia Awesome's first superbowl, My cousin's twins, Olivia (in the tee-shirt), and Louis with the cheeky grin.

The Cake Walk Contest FOILS the Spencers once again

For the FIFTEENTH year in a row, the Spencer family has entered a cake in the Horn Elementary Cake Decorating/Cake walk contest. And, for the FIFTEENTH year we have been shut out. This year took the cake, however. The original flyers that came out stated that the theme this year was "Into the Future." While we felt this was a familiar theme, we dismissed the critizism. So for the last four weeks, Connor has been planning his cake design, as that flyer hung on the bulletin board. Friday evening we baked the cake with said design in mind. Saturday morning, I am reading the paper and see that the Theme for the Horn Frickin' Fun night is "BEACH PARTY." Seems the original flyer that was distributed, was incorrect and somebody reprinted the paragraph from the LAST YEAR flyer. As subsequent flyers came home, we ignored the packets and recycled them. So to fit the theme, you can see our "alien" guy has a balloon, and quote in the balloon says, "I'm invading your beach party!" As Connor would say,
"Suckers...."

Baby it's COLD outside

Rudy has had a difficult time of it lately with the subzero temps and windchills. He has resigned himself that this is the only way to keep warm...to snuggle into the blankets and laundry.