YES MACALESTER

Kira got a GREAT letter in the mail on Friday. The envelope said YES Macalester. This school is probably her "dream" school. She is still waiting on a Carleton, College Decision, but boy we were very excited to get this affirmation, as little did we know that Mac was on Newsweek's list of 12 Hottestest college and was #1 in Hottestest Liberal Arts school.HOTTEST FOR LIBERAL ARTS from the website: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8939242/ "Macalester College, St. Paul, Minn. The 1,900-student campus in the middle of a vibrant metropolis has become a key recipient of the growing number of Harvard, Yale and Princeton applicants who are rejected for no other reason than that those schools don't have space for all the A-plus applicants. Macalester has one faculty member for every 11 students and an emphasis on international affairs, symbolized by one of its most famous alumni, U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan. The college has six language residences: Chinese, French, German, Japanese, Russian and Spanish. It offers the intimacy of the archetypal small-town campus—in the middle of the Twin Cities. Applications have increased 60 percent since 1995." The acceptance letter said they had 4800 applications for 477 slots. Congrats to our Kira!

Connor reads Harry Potter to mom while he gets over his cold. Some Spring Break! 

So fast she is a blurr. Kira at the Iowa Indoor running the 800. 

Connor giving his NARNIA booktalk 

Just a Little news and GET WELL LINDA JEANNE!!!

Well March is upon us and this "which college thing for Kira" must be coming to a close soon, as we are all on pins and needles. Must wait for Macalester and Carleton admit decisions (by April 1). Then shewill have 30 days to give her FINAL answer. Whooo baby. Other news...the grant Linda works for looks to be favorable to get funded again, and if so this is good news, with 5 more years of work. Dissertation defense is on course for an early August date...more on that in early April. Nathan starts coaching Jr. High Track in two weeks. Connor is still working on clarinet and chess club. Trevor's back is much better and he is in the thick of "core strengthening" and endurance training. Linda's laptop is in the shop with a broken AC connection. Finally Linda Jean's dear friend Linda Jeanne Pierson-Newall is hospitalized and underwent a nearly 8 hour surgery for Pancreatic cancer, undergoing a Whipple procedure. We are all praying for her swift recovery and have had her on our minds.
You are now up to date!

Holiday Party Time! Nathan is "tired" before it starts. You would be too if you went to bed at 2am every night. 

Connor practices to be the next Benny Goodman with his RED clarinet 

Rudolph Beans Spencer, Birthday Dog. Rudy was born on 2-2-02 and turned 4 yesterday. Happy Birthday puppy! 

Rudy under the table (Trevor's leg on his left) 

Another year, another Cake Walk. Horn Fun Night 06. The theme is "Into the Future" Kira helped Connor design this UFO cake.

Winter Band Concert 

Linda and a Cousin circa 1962...but is it Sean? 

Appeared in the Iowa City Press Citizen

http://www.press-citizen.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051223/NEWS01/512230304/1079/NEWSBack in 1984, my husband and I were celebrating our first Christmas as a married couple. We were both still in graduate school and were poor as dirt -- in fact, we saved aluminum cans to help pay for our wedding rings. That year, the Hawkeyes were going to the inaugural Freedom Bowl in Anaheim, Calif. My uncle happened to live in Los Angles and he surprised us by sending us tickets to fly out to the game. On Christmas Eve, my husband and I were driving to Lake City to spend the evening with his parents before driving to Omaha, Neb. Somewhere between Iowa City and Lake City, our car, "Old Blue," broke down. We were stranded on a cold December night, literally in the middle of nowhere. Luckily, a family stopped by, took us to their house and let us use their phone. (Remember the days before cell phones?) We were stranded at these people's house for several hours until my father-in-law and brother-in-law could drive the 100 or so miles to fetch us and tow "Old Blue" to Lake City. Of course, it was right in the middle of the family's Christmas Eve celebration. They were in the middle of making homemade pizza and were having a very nice evening. It had the potential for being a very awkward situation, but the family was so gracious. They invited us right into the happenings and we made pizzas with them, and it was such a warm joyous event we felt just at home. To this day, we don't know their names, nor do we even know what town we were in, but my husband and I established a new tradition. Every Christmas Eve, we make homemade pizza with our three children, and we say a blessing for that kind family that warmed our hearts all those years ago!
Linda Spencer, Iowa City

Kira turned 18 on Thursday! Despite having been a little on the peaked sideearlier in the day, she recovered and we had a nice family evening, with a roast, "sweet" potatoes and cake to boot! Happy Birthday sweetie. 

He is entertaining questions after the presentation. He did a REALLY great job...check out his poster and the sparkling graphics! 

Connor gives his STAR WARS book talk. 

Five years and you are OUT...we move on.

Five years, and you are out…we move on.

So you know I have an obsession with cacti of the Easter type and the Christmas type. I bought my mom and my sister plants several years ago, and they bloom faithfully. I got an Easter Cactus for our family five years ago IN BLOOM, and we have NEVER seen the darn thing bloom since. SO, this year we go ourselves a fully blooming Christmas Cactus. Lets see if this sucker will bloom next year! It sure looks pretty THIS year!

So the Christmas Cactus Blooms!

Nathan celebrates his birthday! A perfect day, really. XC skiing, nice amount of snow, a dinner at Red Lobster, and cake to boot. YIppee! 

The Birthday boy turns 46!