David Shield

When I started this blog a few months back I decided I wanted something fun in the header. I looked at a lot of blogs and every one was unique to the author of that blog that I couldn't decide what I wanted to do. I thought a goofy picture of the family, or maybe the one of Levi and I watching the sunset on our honeymoon, or maybe just a cute one of our three little guys hanging out together, but I couldn't decide which I liked most and thus I created our collage.

It just so happened that while I was creating our collage Levi was creating a little something of his own. He was creating what we now call our family shield. He sent me a few different versions to choose from (you can see a different black and white one in Deuces Wild)...and I wanted to put them in our header...but I had just worked on that collage...and since I have been the blogger....his lost out. :{

So with the new year, comes a new header. Our new header is one of the shields that he created. It is the Aries Ram and the Taurus Bull. (And yes we do lock horns at times.)

Happy New Year!

Holiday Blues

Christmas Cards

I'd hoped to get out Christmas cards,
Especially since we missed last year.
But family pictures were delayed,
And now the holiday is all to near.

So there will be no happy greetings
There is no merry cheer.
Because our time is fleeting
There's no Christmas cards this year.

I have no family picture
To show how the kids have grown
There is no 2009 update letter
With a comedic undertone.

So Merry Christmas everyone
Love to all we hold dear
This is your only greeting
Because there are no Christmas cards this year.

--Aimee David

LOL and Love with all your Heart!
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year :)

Become your own superhero

Doubt is easy. The consequence of doubt is a given. Faith is hard, there is no reassurance, no material item received or substantial evidence that faith is well placed. I'm not speaking of one's religious belief, but rather to the doubt that festers within the mind - the faith or doubt in one's self, in one's ability.

How can you know that the doubt lingering at the edges of your mind is not sound advice? When do you turn away from doubt to know that your faith will prevail? How do you dispose of the seeds of doubt making room for the blossoms of faith? Is doubt a sounding board that reigns us in when our aspirations are above our reach? Or is it a menace that should be locked away with all the other detrimental negativity?

Doubt pursues like a villain in the night: haunting your heart, persuading your mind. It coils like a snake and strangles that which could push us to something far better than ever imagined. It weighs you down, siphoning the air from your lungs, essentially stealing the breath of your faith.

Yes, doubt is easy. With doubt there is no action required. Simply give in and the darkness of doubt will shroud you. Faith, though, requires more. It requires you remove the blinders of doubt, eliminate the shackles of fear and contain the villain that pursues. With faith you can make bold your beliefs and shine when others would see you dimmed. Doubt will come in many forms from many people, even the people least suspected; those that you love (and they have no idea they are planting the seeds) just as easily as from those you respect the least. Doubt does not discriminate, it simply smiles eagerly at its intended victim knowing if their faith is not sound it can and will wound quickly.

Hold fast to your faith. Stand bold when doubt positions itself for attack. Persevere. Let faith broaden. Let doubt shrink. Reinforce your foundation of faith with every strike that doubt deals because as surely are you will persevere, so will doubt.

Tis the Season!

I love this time of year! I absolutely adore the weeks that follow Thanksgiving before Christmas. The lights around town, the Christmas music, the joyful feeling you have when shopping. Sometimes I meet a new friend in the long line I am waiting in - a friend for the minute, if you will. It is a connection with another person, trying to make their way through this crazy, upside down, joyous, and funny life. Life is so much better with a friend, even if it is a friend for the moment. This time of year truly is amazing and if you look closely you will see miracles all around you. They are subtle and small but they exist.

I thank God that I know love, feel love and that I am capable of giving love because there is far too much hate in this world and people who are incapable of knowing, accepting and feeling love. I try to spread that gift even on a small level with every person I meet because you never know when your momentary friendship will be someone's life line.

With joyful hearts experience the love we were created to know and spread the wealth! Don't look at life through the goggles of obstruction, enjoy it with the heart of love. Laugh too much - I am going to earn every one of my wrinkles from laughter and not from frowns. Love fully - there is no limit to the abundance of love we are capable of giving or receiving. Live with every breath you take - you never know when it will be your last.

For this season and every, if you are reading this know you are loved. :)

The Twilight Saga: New Moon

This morning at 12:01, after what seemed like a half hour of previews, we saw New Moon. We got to the theater at 9, waited in a line that had already wound itself through the theater building and were allowed into the theater around 10:30. After all the wait and anticipation finally the movie began!

Definitely worth the wait and so much fun to go and see one of the first screenings. I don't want to give my review because I don't want to sway any one's perception of the movie before they have the chance to see it. I will say that the graphics, as you have probably seen in trailers with the wolves, really are amazing. The soundtrack is great too. I need to see it again because there were so many swoons or screams at certain scenes that I missed lines. If you are a big fan of the books it is worth seeing in the theater. If you have the patience it's worth waiting for it to come out on DVD. As with anything when there is a lot of hype, the chance that your expectations will not be met is there. I left the theater having a small amount of that feeling, but I have also been so excited, following the fans sites, and soaking in every interview the stars had for such a long time that my excitement was beyond control. Still a great movie, still a movie I will see again and still a movie I will buy on DVD when it comes out.

Two Days!

In exactly 54 hours and 11 minutes I will be seated in a movie theater watching New Moon! I am such a dork I am following all the cast appearances this week on the shows, watching the fans sites like crazy and starting to countdown (I am turning into my mom!) to showtime. I am so excited and I absolutely cannot wait. I think I will be on such a high from the anticipation that I will probably fall asleep when the movie is about to start. Wouldn't that be my luck. Now we just have to make sure we all get to sit together. :/

This one's for the boys

The new "Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2" XBox game came out on Tuesday. Levi has been so excited for this new game for so long that I had to give a little shout out to the boys. I've tried playing a version similar to this before with Levi and find that I can only make my guy turn in circles starring at the floor. Needless to say, I don't play this game with Levi anymore. This has been a highly anticipated and much coveted game. So, in recognition of the game and Levi's excitement, I am inserting a link to the trailer. You have been officially called to arms.

Dueces wild!

Two years ago, I married my love. Levi was like no other man I dated. He was different. We had that kinship of the heart that comes when you find a true friend. Sara will tell you that after our first date I said he was "the one." I knew it in the depths of my soul, the confines of my heart. What ever happened from that point forward I was forever changed because he stirred my heart as no other. He is my match in every way. I am stubborn and passionate, I love to laugh at inappropriate times because in the chaos of life I find humor. He laughs with me. He plays silly hand games with me in the hospital while we are waiting for our niece to be born. He endures an argument even if the argument is silly and inconsequential. He listens. He is patient. He is kind. He is so intelligent. He is honest to a fault. He is the love of my life.

I pray you all have felt that kind of love. It may be from the love of your life, or the unconditional love from a mother or friend. But it's a love that occurs when there are no expectations, when there are no secrets, when we reveal every side of our self to another and they accept everything without keeping score. Love occurs every day, in every shape and every form. Grab hold of your love and foster it, because "Where there is love, there is life." Mahatma Gandhi.

Added little tidbit:

Last year, Levi read an excerpt from Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom at his mom's wedding. I think it is the most appropriate passage for any married couple. While I have only been married two years, I do know that above every other piece of advice we received, this one is the one we both hold close. It is from the chapter, "The Tenth Tuesday We Talk About Marriage," Page 149. Morrie is telling the author, Mitch, that for a marriage to succeed you need to respect one another, be able to compromise, be able to talk openly about what goes on between the two of you, and finally, have a common set of values. Morrie goes on to say that of all the values, the most important one is your belief in the importance of your marriage. If you both do not put your marriage as a priority, then you're going to have a lot of problems. If you have not read this book, I highly suggest it. It's a great read and has great life lessons.

Happy Anniversary my love!

Snow Days

Denver had an October storm blow in Wednesday and brought with it a heap of snow. I remember getting snow in October, but I can't remember a time when we had a storm like this so early in the season. I took a couple of pics with my camera phone (so the quality is not that great) of all the snow in our backyard.

Champ and Butch are absolutely loving the snow. In fact, I can't manage to get them inside. When Champ finally obeys, he walks so slow, with his head down like I am the Grinch that just stole his Christmas. I dry them off, go back to work, and within ten minutes Champ is laying his head in my lap because he wants to go back out. "Ah, come on mom!" This is the same dog that every winter goes outside, quickly gets so cold he tries to balance all his weight on his butt (all 120 pounds of him) and then trades off which foot touches the ground to support his weight. (Back left, front right, front left...) It really is funny to see. :D

So raise a mug of hot chocolate. Here is to all my snow bound friends or those in warmer climates missing the snow! Happy Snow Days!

Wicked

Friday night the girls and I went to see the Broadway rave Wicked at the Buell. It was absolutely fabulous and so cleverly written! If you have not seen this fantastic show you need to see it. (If you enjoy the theater.) It was tied so well to the movie and gave a new depth to the characters. I truly enjoyed this production, not to mention the cast was phenomenal - absolutely amazing! It was such a good show that the entire audience was on their feet before the leads even made their curtain call. This is a must see!

my munchkins

Arianna and Antonio are getting so big and growing into their own unique personalities. I love hearing the stories about the funny, crazy, shocking and frustrating things they do to my sister and Alcides and then I fall in love with them all over again. They are such special little persons in my life that have taken hold of my heart and carved out their own little caverns all their own.

I thought I would share a couple of the recent pics my sister sent. I talk to them all the time on the web cam but there is nothing that can replace the energy and love that fills a room from being right there next to a person. I miss these little guys all the time and cannot wait until the next time I will see them. Until then I will continue to use technology to get my full doses of the greatest little niece and nephew.

Tickets

It is official...we have our tickets for the midnight showing of New Moon. (When I say we, I mean the girls and I - Levi does not get nor want to be a part of my obsession.) We are braving the possible weather and the crazy tween and teen mob to see the midnight showing. While I am not looking forward to the overzealous crowd I do know the bar just happens to be right next to the theater - this could be a pretty entertaining night. You're only as old as you feel! ;)

Shackles

Fear holds us back. It wraps its manacles firmly around you, restricting the reach for higher goals. It weaves a seam across your lips, cutting off the voice that shouts for something better. It is a stealth operative, creeping into the depths of our minds disengaging our senses, poisoning us to believe we are incapable of the success we seek. Why is fear so easy to give in to? Why do we allow the obstacles that intercept our roads to become road blocks? Instead we should maneuver the road, always keeping our eye on the final destination. The boulders that crowd the journey can be large, astonishing even the strongest of wills. But they can be overcome. They can be left on the shoulder as we pursue what we set out to achieve. Too easily, though, a littered highway distracts us. Our destination no longer visible. Detours have lead us astray rather than back to the main course. When those pebbles of doubt begin to grow into the boulders of fear cluttering the carefully mapped out road to success we have charted in our minds it is time to accelerate. Escape the evil of fear that pursues your dreams. Break free from the icy manacles that restrain. Fear cannot be an option.

Easier said than done. Easier to give advice than take it. If only the advice we give so many were so easy to swallow ourselves. Fear is individual and unique. We carefully place the shackles ourselves. We quickly tuck away the key that would release us from this bondage, sometimes forgetting entirely where we even placed it.

Today is the day I break free. Today is the day I push ahead. Today is the day fear falls behind, only a distant reminder in my rear view mirror. Today is the day. I'll start on it tomorrow. ;)

Unexpected

Last night I was in bed thinking about the day when I heard some strange noises outside. I was scared someone was trying to break in or steal Levi's truck. So, I crept from my bed careful not to disturb my family (all four of them) sleeping in the same room. I tiptoed toward the door, the floor creaked, I winched looking back to Levi hoping I'm not waking him. He has to be up in five hours. Whew! He is dead to the world with his sleep apnea mask on, I breath a sigh of relief. I hear the pups move and I scurry without a backward glance out of the room. I made it! I'm in the front room and peek out the front window to see my neighbors moving cars, opening and shutting doors as if they are preparing to move in the middle of the night. Ah, it was nothing. OK, back to bed, I don't have to confront an intruder. I sneak back toward the room, round the corner and find this, my 120 pound pup squished up against the bed. There is another two feet to his left for him to sprawl out. I couldn't help but laugh, the picture doesn't do it justice! I cracked up and grabbed my phone to take this pic before he moved.

Earlier that night I was reading a book and I turned to make sure Champ hadn't wondered off into our room. If I am too quite in the house he thinks no one is home and takes a little nap on our bed. He is not allowed on the bed so it is funny that he decides he can sleep there when he thinks we aren't around. I turned and found him instead on watch with his sister. This was too cute for words and again the picture does not do them justice. Aspen never hangs out that close to the boys, not that they would mind, but it makes her nervous. Last night they were right there next to each other scooping out the neighborhood. I grabbed my phone before they moved and snapped this. Just love those kiddos! [I think Butch was taking the reprieve from these two not bothering him to hide and sleep. :) ]

Two Roads

"Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, and sorry I could not travel both, and been one traveler long I stood, and looked down one as far as I could to where it bent in the undergrowth." --Robert Frost, The Road Less Traveled


Sixth through eighth grade brought with it a teacher who loved to make us do public speaking exercises. One of which was reciting poems in front of the class. She promised that years down the road we would be thanking her because we would remember these epic poems. I vaguely remember any of those poems. A line here or there from a Shakespearean sonnet. I remember a poem about a Tree - I think it was a poem we got to choose our self and it was the shortest one I could find. ("I think I will never see, something as lovely as a Tree.") However, among all we were forced to memorize I remember this, Robert Frost's The Road Less Traveled.


It seems this poem whispers back to me whenever I find myself at a crossroad in life. When I am faced with two roads and wishing fervently that I had hindsight in making my decision. I know the strait and narrow path will never lead me astray, but what if...what if the road less traveled takes me beyond anything I could imagine? Strange that of all the poems, this is the one I remember. One where a decision must be made and looking down the paths laid out ahead there is the road worn and true and there is a road that is grassy and want for wear. I don't want to get to the end of my life wondering what if? What if I would have taken the road less traveled? I know where I'll end up on the road that is worn...everyone ends up there...but what if I take this other road? What then?


Decisions are decisions are decisions. You make the choice, hold firm and know that you must endure the consequences, because unfortunately there is no crystal ball. If only life were so simple. So I sit here looking down the road of my life wondering where the fork splits into my two paths and which path will be want for wear in this journey.


"And I...I took the road less traveled by, and that has made all the difference."

Farewell for now...

Death sucks. It isn't easy. Loosing Curly this week has caused a lot of emotions from my grandma's death to resurface. There hasn't been a week that's gone by these past six years where I haven't thought of her. Where I have not wished I could have one more dinner or conversation, one more movie or sporting event with her. I feel her presence often. I know she is still with me, watching over me. But the pain and selfishness of not having her in the flesh still hurts.

My grandma was amazing, stronger than I will ever know, compassionate and loving. Grandparents are a treasure. They save the Wednesday kids section of the paper for you even though they won't see you for another week. They make you banana cereal with a cut up banana and sugar because you love bananas. They even find special trinkets or rings that have absolutely no value besides the fact that it made them think of you (and they still give you trinkets when you are 16, 21...). My grandmother carved a niche in my spirit, a hole that can never be filled. There are people in life who carve etchings on your soul, and then there are those people who mold and carve you into a better person. They have the ability to truly make you whole. I am better for having her in my life and for the lessons she taught me, but my soul is still missing a piece because she is gone. I wish that Levi could have known her. I wish that my children could have known the beauty of her love. But life is not always fair. I have learned how to breath with the hollowed holes that loosing a loved one leaves. I pray that my cousins find peace in God's embrace as they deal with the heartache of loosing a beloved grandparent. So farewell for now Curly, we'll meet you again in the presence of His love. Would you say hello to my grandparents for me? Tell them I love them.

Hit the Sand

Sand volleyball has arrived! Well, it has already been here, but our league is starting back up tonight. My last league ended six weeks ago and I am going crazy for a game. This league is so much fun because while it offers the competitive edge, it is really laid back...like you're playing at the beach, drinking a beer with your buddies. [Some people really do play better with the booze. Scary :\ ] After such a long week from work and a headache that won't quit I think some volleyball is called for. In another two weeks I'll be playing three nights a week when my indoor women's and coed leagues start up. You might be saying to yourself right about now, "Wow, that is one crazy chick!" Oh I'm crazy all right, crazy for volleyball!

Kitty Kompanion

Frequently, as I am sitting at my desk working during the day I get a visitor. Usually she wants me to shake her food bowl (she has food but needs someone to move it around). Occasionally she wants to go outside. Mostly she just wants to annoy me. However, there are those special days when all she really wants is to be a cuddle bug and sit with me while I work. If I don't make room for her between my forearms she either continues moving around my desk until I give in, or she stares at me until I make the room. (That is a little creepy. : ) Today is one of those days when all she wants is to cuddle and purr. I'll take it!

Let me count the ways

10 Reasons why I love my husband

(not an all inclusive list)

10.He lets me win at chess when he has beaten me every night.

9. He makes me dinner when all I have made myself is cookies.

8. He always kisses me good bye when he leaves for work, even if I am still sleeping.

7. He believes in me.

6. He laughs with me at the funny and not so funny, but really it's funny things.

5. He recites movie lines with me.

(Good luck Losing with these Losers in Las Vegas LaFluer. - Alliteration aside, I think I'll take my chances.)

4. He has tears in his eyes after movies about old couples still in love but dying.

(And we're not allowed to talk about us getting old. - i.e. Notebook, Up)

3. He holds me when I need to cry, even if I don't realize the tears are coming.

2. He is a man of integrity and honor.

1. His heart.

He is my match in every way. He is strong enough to counter my strong personality [yes, it is strong if you really know me - maybe passionate is a better word]. He challenges me to be a better person. He is excited for me to take part in his interests (i.e. motocross). And mostly he accepts me as I am: flawed and far from perfect.

Checkmate

For a long time I wanted to learn how to play chess. I wasn't sure if I would enjoy it or if I would even make it through a full game, but it seemed like such a smart game that I wanted to at least try. Levi had played before and had a chess set. So, Sunday night we sat down to play my first game of chess. The game took an hour and in the end I lost. But I absolutely loved it...the strategy of the game captivated me, I was hooked.

Last night my loving husband agreed to sit down for another game. I was ahead for a good portion, then he caught me. I had him in check more times then I can remember. I even flaunted, "I am going to win! I hope you realize that." I did not win. One faulty move and the entire game changed.

Now, I am a competitor and when it comes to games I get very competitive even when I tell myself, "it's just a game." I do not like losing but I can be a graceful looser. Levi is just as competitive when it comes to races or games. However, when he wins he likes to instruct me on how I could have beaten him. I do not want the other team to coach me after they have just beaten me. There is something very conflicting in this. We no longer play racquetball, nor do we play his X Box games because of this quirky quality he posses. (For those of you who know us well, you know that we even debate the correct use and meaning of words. Yes, a dictionary is never far.) So farewell dear chess. I fear I have been put in check...or have I?

Blog here, Blog there, Blog everywhere

So my good friend Tiffany has been blogging for a while now. (I say awhile when in reality it has been over a year if not longer.) After reading her blog for the past year and listening to her speak about her new zeal for life with this blog I have given in and started one of my own. I apologize ahead of time that for the most part this blog will consist of the crazy, funny, laughable things my kids do...yes by kids I mean our two pups and kitty. But I do know that it will also serve to document the new adventures Levi and I take on as we continue our journey through life. So here's to the many adventures, no matter how big or small, we all have everyday!