Thursday, March 27, 2008

The Greatest Easter!!

We had a fabulous Easter! We went to Mesquite to celebrate with my family. My brother and his wife were there with their kids, my sister and her husband with their daughter, and my grandma! We arrived in Mesquite on Friday evening and enjoyed a Spaghetti dinner, decorated Easter Eggs (and my nephew, Baby James) and watched the kids zoom all over the neighborhood on their scooters.







On Saturday we went to Johnson's Farm, which is a dinosaur museum. Apparently this farmer was digging sandstone slabs on some of his property to sell for landscaping. One of the slabs rolled off his tractor revealing what looked like a footprint. From there, it ended up being one of the largest places in the world where they have found actual dinosaur footprints. There are THOUSANDS of them. The discovery has led to many more groundbreaking discoveries. They built the museum right around the dig site so you can see the intensive process of cleaning and "restoring" these fossils. It's incredible. If you're ever in St. George, you have to check that place out!
Also on Saturday we went to Zion's Ntl Park. We absolutely fell in love with that place. I think I've mentioned that only a few hundred times. We had a picnic at the visitor's center there and then took a shuttle up into the park. One of the stops was the trailhead to the Emerald Pools. It was breathtaking. If you've never been to Zion's, you've got to see it!!




On Sunday, the kids had an Easter Egg Hunt at my parent's house. We got some way cute pics. Then we attended my parent's ward where my mother sang in the choir. She also preformed a beautiful musical number called "His Hands." My mother is extremely talented and has a gorgeous voice. She doesn't just sing a song, she tells a story with it. Needless to say, I bawled like a baby thru her whole song.
The Easter program was lovely. There were four speakers who gave accounts and testimonies of the different stages of Christ's life and ministry, his atonement and death, and his resurrection. When we returned to my parent's house, my cousin Brad was there with his wife Kenda and three of their five kids. We had an awesome BBQ and then sadly had to leave for home. It was 85 degrees when we left Nevada. I have to say that it was hard to come home!!











I have to add that I was so proud of my kids for remembering the reason we celebrate Easter. I'm sure it didn't hurt that the Savior was the focus of all our FHE's and our scripture study. Nonetheless, they knew that Easter isn't all about eggs and new clothes. The First Baptist Church in Lindon had this saying on their marquee : "After all, the Easter Bunny isn't the one who died for us." My kids repeated that over and over. One of the precious and rewarding moments for a mother is when her kids repeat something they've been taught.

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Montrose Family


This pic was taken on our Easter Vacation. We went to Mesquite to visit my parents. During our trip, we went on a shuttle ride up thru Zions Ntl Park. It was breathtaking!! This picture was taken on a hike to the Emerald Pools. Gorgeous, Gorgeous!!

Carter



Carter is stuck between wanting to be Mommy's baby and wanting to be a big kid! He stopped letting me hug him when I pick him up from school, however whenever we walk into an unfamiliar place, he grabs my hand for support. When he gets really tired he'll cuddle with us but if his brothers are home, he's bound and determined to do whatever they do! He's conveniently too little when it's time to clean his room and too big when it's time to be tucked into bed. Carter started Pre-K last fall. He is 4, turning 5 in July. He gets to attend the same school as the other kids so he thinks he's hot stuff. He just started bringing home reading books that he has to read every night like his brothers and sister. He gets to spend the afternoons along with Mom. I have to say that he is very helpful around the house. He loves to spray cleaner and wipe things down. He used to love to vacuum till he sucked up one of his toys. It was very traumatic. Carter is stubborn and strong willed (gee... wonder where he gets that from.) But all he has to do is look at us with those huge blue eyes with his ridiculously long lashes and we melt. No wonder he's spoiled!! He is very excited to turn 5 so he can start Karate and play baseball.

Mckenzie



Mckenzie is 6, turing 7 in July. Being the only girl, she is very spoiled and very strong willed.

She is very precise, she likes routine and control. She doesn't like to be surprised with unpleasant things like substitute teachers or family members sleeping in on weekends.....

Kenzie started dance classes last fall. She still isn't sure she likes dance. We think it's because she's not the best, she says it's because she's the smallest girl in the class, even though she's one of the oldest. She has her first, and probably last recital in May. We'll have to see how it goes. We used to describe her as shy, but I think it's more that she likes her privacy. The only way I can get her to show me her dance is to purposely do a move wrong so she'll show me how to do it the right way.

She has become obsessed with the BYU gymnastics team. Who knows, maybe she'll be the first 7 year old to make the college team!!

She is doing well in school. She likes her teacher and her teacher loves her. However she informed me that she's ready for second grade. She has very little patience with kids her own age. She loves to play with little kids, like her cousins. She's such a little mother. And she likes to play with older kids, like our neighbors. Don't ask me why. It may be a control thing.

She's a good kid and we love her like crazy.

Chase




Chase is the sweetest kid you will ever meet. He is 6, turning 7 in July. He tries so hard to be a good kid, often reminding us that he is in trouble in case we forget that he's grounded from the Xbox or whatever.

He was taking Karate with Garrett but decided that it wasn't his thing. Now he is taking an art class from Ethan's teacher, but he's in a different class. He is a very good artist and is so excited about his upcoming art show in May.

Chase has struggled in school but he is doing so much better! We got his report card today and his teacher sent a little note saying how thrilled she is with his progress. Chase often does his homework without being asked and tries so hard to be responsible.

He loves to collect things and he is very observant about life around him. He's very shy, but more and more he's been asking if friends can come over and visit. However, Garrett will always be his best friend.

Garrett



Garrett is 6, he'll be 7 in July. He is the craziest kid, just when we think we have him figured out, he surprises us!! He is an extremely active kid and he is so friendly to everyone. He's hilarious!! He keeps us laughing with his booty shaking and funny jokes.

Garrett just earned his Yellow Stripe belt in Karate. He is so proud of himself and we're proud of him too for doing something that takes discipline, which he doesn't seem to have!! He was so proud of himself for being able to break a board in class last night.

When he was in preschool we thought for sure that he would have a learning disability. I was concerned about some brain damage because he would hit his head against walls when he got mad.... so we're absolutely thrilled that he is doing so well in school. It doesn't seem like his has to try. He is reading at high level and his math skills are great! His handwriting is atrocious, but so is Doug's so it must be an inherited trait. His teacher loves him which is wonderful for us! However, he does try to divert her attention by pointing out someone else's wrong doing so he can be the class clown.

Ethan




Ethan will be 9 yrs old on May 16th! I can't believe it. He is so tall and very handsome and too smart. He was baptized last May by his Dad. And since he turned 8, he has started scouting. He really loves it and he adores his scout leader, Sister Tanner. He has earned lots of awards and belt loops. He came in 2nd at the Pinewood Derby. But best of all he won Grand Prize for his camping themed cake at the blue and Gold Banquet. Ethan also started an art class last fall. As most of you know, he is a very good artist, he has an eye for color and detail. He had his first art show in December and another is coming up in May. This past January, he started Basketball. He tried very hard and his team won a couple games. He's excited to try again next year. But he's focused on playing baseball this summer which he seems to have a talent for. He has quite an arm! Ethan is in third grade, his teacher is Miss Morgan. She just adores him. In fact, today Ethan had to come home sick because he threw up at school and Miss Morgan felt so bad that she waited in the office with him until I could pick him up. She told us at parent teacher conferences that if she could have a whole class of Ethan's, she would be in Heaven! We feel the same way about him. He is such a good kid!

Our blog




So... this is our first family blog. At the moment I'm excited to be creating this, and I'll probably add things for days and then forget about it.... I have such a short attention span. However, I think it's a fund way to stay in touch with people. Now maybe my Christmas letters won't be so long!

What is the Montrose Family up to? We're living in Orem! We love our house, our neighborhood, our ward and the kid's school. Although... the principal is leaving so the verdict will be out on the school till we get acquainted with the new principal.

Anyway... the kids are getting bigger and busier!! And we're having a blast exploring Southern Utah and Nevada now that Nanna and Papa live in Mesquite. Doug and I have TOTALLY fallen in love with Zion's Ntl Park. We're half tempted to move down there!!! Maybe we will if the new principal doesn't work out for us!! :)

Read on, I've posted an update on each of the kids.