Easter in Montana was a blast! We got to Helena on Friday evening with just enough daylight left to go and take a look at Jason's mom's new house. The construction is coming along well and it has a whole first floor all framed in with stairs to the second floor done as well. Ted and Ronna are so excited for the house to be done and showed us all of the carpet, tile, and paint samples while we were there as well. I hope this house has a window that everyone can look out of to watch for people to drive up, as you can see from the picture of Scott and his cute boys, that this one does. We stayed with Jason's brother and his awesome family while we were in town. Amy is the best, treats on our pillows and all when we arrived, it was better than staying at the Hilton!

We were able to spend time with everyone while we were there. Dinner at mom's, church with dad, Easter Sunday lunch with Rex and Linda, it was awesome. It seems like the majority of what we do when we are in Montana is sit around and visit while we wait for the next meal, eat, and then sit around and visit some more. The boys had a great time hanging out and Amy made them Kaleb's favoite snack one evening, Triscuits with melted cheese. Kaden is so cute and talks so well, he follows Zack and Kaleb wherever they go. Cassidy had a slumber party with Grandma Ronna and the girls the first night we were there. Without Madelynn there she gets pretty lonely so we try to make it as fun for her as we can, she missed you Maddy!

Like I said in an earlier blog, Jason's grandma and grandpa were there form Roundup and we had so much fun with them. Grandpa is like a teenager these days and so fun to watch go for walks and play with the kiddos and grandma is up to no good in the kitchen, as always!

Santa Claus was supposed to bring my kids a Wii but he ran out so he asked the Easter bunny to bring one, which he did. I am just hoping that my kids don't get used to being this spoiled on Easter and don't expect a big present like that every year, the Easter Bunny isn't made of money you know (Santa either for that matter). They are having a great time playing it though, it is the first game system we have owned and the only reason I wanted it for the family is because you have to get off your butt to play it. My kids spend too much time on their butts as it is!

We had a fabulous time decorating and hiding/hunting eggs at Grandma Ronna's house as well. Grandpa got pretty excited about the finding part and was racing the kids to the eggs, too funny!

I hope everyone had as great of an easter as we did. We really tried to make sure the kids remembered what Easter is really for this year and to "remember the empty tomb" so we hope that the message got through with all of the excitement.

I am finally back to work on the 31st of March, crazy long spring break for me, and not looking too forward to it. Only one term left! I am trying to decide what to do next year so if anyone has advice for me, please help. My job share partner got a job teaching full time so her and her husband could afford a house, this leaves me without a job share partner yet again. So, I am thinking this would be a good year for a grade change, 2nd grade is wearing me out a bit. Unfortunately my prinicipal doesn't want a job share in 4th grade, the opening I want. So, long story short, my options are to stay in 2nd grade full time or find a new partner or get a grade change and teach 4th grade full time. Zack will be in all day Kindergarten next year but I was hoping to have time for me this year, to shop, clean, relax, volunteer in the kids' classrooms, etc. Any advice anyone has would be greatly apprecaited.

We are really anticipating warm spring days here, it keeps switching back and forth between cold and warm. I have been running a lot again this spring and trying to decide if I want to run the 5K or half marathon in Ogden City in May. I know I can do a 5K, but 13 miles scares the heck outta me, I ran about 5 1/2-6 miles on Tuesday and that kicked my butt. We'll just have to see what happens. We are signing Zack up for T-ball for the spring/summer and Cassidy is trying to decide if she wants to do coach pitch. She is for sure done dancing and doesn't want to do that next year but she still wants to play soccer and so does Zack, he will finally be old enough this fall. So, getting busy here.

Wow, that is a lot of info. Hope everyone is doing well and Spring has Sprung where you are.

Well, it is the first day of Spring but colder than it was yesterday. Oh well, that is the weather in Utah for you. Spring Break for the kiddos is Friday through Tuesday so we are headed up to Montana to see Jason's family for Easter weekend, we are all very excited for that. We will leave on Friday after I get done with report cards, it is a teacher work day, and head home on Monday. We are excited to stay with Jason's brother Scott and his cute family. Zack and Kaleb have a great time playing when we are there so he has been asking almost everyday when he gets to go see Kaleb. Jason's grandma and grandpa will also be in town from Roundup, Montana. I love Jason's grandpa so much, he is like my adopted grandpa since I don't have any living, he calls me "woman" and is so funny. His grandma makes sure NO ONE goes hungry and is a little firecracker of energy. We haven't been up to see Jason's family since Thanksgiving so it should be lots of fun.
Tomorrow will be my last day of work until March 31st, that makes me GIDDY! I switched the schedule around with my job share partner so I wouldn't have to go in next Wednesday so I have a over a week off. I have lots to do around the house and I'm sure loads of laundry after the trip so I won't be bored by any means.
I am sure we will take lots of pictures over the Easter Break so I will try to get some posted next week, don't hold me to that though!

Zack had his Kindergarten check up today, can you belive it! Registration is on April 9th so I figured I would take him to the doctor BEFORE the mad rush of kids were all there. I didn't even tell him where we were going, even after we got there I just played dumb with him. The doctor came in and did the ol' nose, ear, and throat check then he sent the nurses in. He had to pee in a cup and do a short vision test then the real fun began. He had two picks, one for a TB skin test the other for a blood test, then four shots. The poor kid! He cried so hard! We have the coolest nurse, she totally babied him and got him stickers, a sucker, and plenty of hugs and kisses. After the doctor Zack and mom headed to McDonald's for a Happy Meal and to play in the playground then home to watch his favorite movie Spiderman. The sad thing is that he is still one vaccine shy of being complete so that will be fun.

I love this one with Zack crossing his little legs!

I once caught a fish that was THIS big! That is what Zack can say now. We went ice fishing in East Canyon, where we go boating during the summer, and had a greatime. It was a beautiful day and we were able to stay nice, toasty, and comfortable as we fished for the afternoon. Zack used his new Spiderman fishing pole that he got from Grandpa Rex and Grandma Linda for Christmas and it proved to be the best, he is the only one who caught anything. I should take a picture of my family today because they are all so sunburnt! Their poor little faces are so red. Good thing I am an old woman worried about their skin now so I wear a moisterizer with SPF 15 of greater everyday, chalk one up for Mary Kay.

We decided to put all of this snow to good use and go sledding. We went to a hill right next to the golf course on Hill Air Force Base and it proved to be just perfect. The walk back up was very tiring but we got a few good runs in before we were pooped out. Cassidy even went so fast one time that she hit the chain link fence at the bottom of the hill, no bumps or bruises though.

We went to Jazz game last week and they had mascots there from all over the NBA to celebrate the Jazz Bear's birthday. We had so much fun getting autographs from all of the mascots and snapping pictures with and of them. They did incredible and funny stunts throughout the entire game and the Jazz beat the Knicks as well so it was really cool.

Look how cute my boys are! Jason and Zack went and got haircuts together so I had a post a picture of how good they looked.

Happy 60th Birthday Dad! We spent Martin Luther King Day weekend visiting my parents and throwing my dad a surprise party at his favorite Mexican restaurant. The waiters always put frosting on your face and a sombrero on your head for your special day but they went over the top for the big guy. It was really fun seeing some of my family and family friends over the long weekend.

My mom's dog, Patches, died last month. So, while she was in Phoenix helping Monte and Crista with the new baby she decided to get a new puppy. Miley, named after Hannah Montana's counterpart by my children, is a toy fox terrier and so cute. The kids had a great time playing with her while we were in town.

We also had the opportunity to visit with Grandpa Rudy and Grandma Barbara while we were down south. We stayed a night with them and had a great visit. They both looked so good and grandma was cooking up a storm, as usual. We met Slade's (Jason's cousin) wife, Tarah, and had a fun time getting to know her and taking a tour of their new home. All in all it was a nice visit and a fun trip.

Oh the beauty of Temple Square during the holidays! I forgot that was one of the other things that we did during the Winter Break, go to Temple Square to look at the lights. It was freezing cold but so beautiful to look at. This was the first time we had taken the kids inside the visitor's center to see the Christus statue, they thought that was pretty cool.

I have been calling my mom a lot lately for details as to how baby Samuel is doing, my brother and sister-in-law's new baby (born almost a month early). My mom has been down in Phoenix for the past two weeks helping out. When I talk to my mom I relay info on just how much snow we have been getting lately, we got a FOOT on Wednesday, but she doesn't seem to believe me. These pictures are mostly for her benefit so she can see that the drifts on the side of my house are indeed as tall as my children. I am about ready to move back to Arizona and leave all of this winter behind, better yet how about Hawaii. I am literally sick and sick of it. It was festive for the holidays but give me a break. The mountains are already at 100% snowpack. Any friends or family that have been thinking about coming to Utah to visit now would be a great time to hit the slopes, i.e. Craft family, Monte, Jenny O., and various others. We have plenty of room so just give us a call. Maybe you are more like me and would rather come in summer and go out on the boat, that is fine too. :)

Christmas at home was a beautiful thing. We really loved being able to stay home and have a nice little Christmas morning, just the four of us. It was the Christmas of Spiderman for Zack, but he also got a Gameboy that he just can't put down, in fact he has been caught up at 5:00am playing the dang thing and threatening to take it away has been a great way to get him to obey mom and dad lately. It is crazy to see how grown-up Cassidy is becoming with the presents she gets and enjoys. She recieved a lot of Hannah Montana stuff and a new digital camera. Jason surprised Allison with a wetsuit top so she will stop shivering on the boat and the latest in running technology, a wrist GPS system so she can for a run then not have to drive the path she ran later to figure out how far she went. She also got a gift card to Old Navy, thanks Rex and Linda, and some cash from various donators. Jason scored big with more Cabella's gift cards in addition to the ones he had from his birthday, yes he has already used them (don't even ask me what he bought, it is still a tender subject but I will give you a hint; it rhymes with tussleloader), some wet suit bottoms (now he can be warm EVERYWHERE when he skis) and even more itunes cash. All in all we realized after all the gift unwrapping that we are a very spoiled bunch and should probably begin to scale down Christmases before my kids start to expect a big Chritmas every year. The best part was staying home, we haven't been able to do this but one other time the ten Christmases Jason and I have been married. Though we enjoy spending the holidays with our families, there is something to be said for a Chritmas at home. The rest of Winter Break was spend hanging out as a family. Going bowling, to movies, looking at lights, and eating all of the yummy holiday treats.

Our spoiled kids had two "Christmases". This is the first one with my mom and dad the Saturday before Christmas. They got to open presents from Grandma Lora Lee and Papa Allen as well as Aunt Crista and Uncle Monte and Aunt Kim. After all of that it was hard to believe that they still had more coming on Christmas Day. Cassidy got new Heelies, a pillow diary, Junie B. Jones book, Hannah Montana Doll, and a paint set and girlie stuff. Zack opened a dress up trunk, Spiderman shirt, soft Spiderman friend to sleep with, and Spiderman Gameboy game (prematurely). Allison was excited to open a "Seriously?...Seriously?" shirt from her sister (straight from their favorite show Grey's Anantomy) and a new blowdrier and Jason got a bunch of itunes money for his new ipod. Grandma and Granpa got gifts that Cassidy and Zack shopped for at the Santa's Secret Shop at Cassidy's school. It was such a nice visit with Grandma and Grandpa and the kids are so thankful for the gifts they recieved.

Cassidy had her Christmas recital in December and was quite the little dancer. She is turning out to be a beautiful little girl with so many talents. There is a picture of her and her friend Stacey, my friend Dalyce's little girl that she takes dance lessons with, her class waiting backstage to get started, Cassidy with one of her teachers, and Cassidy with mom and dad (picture taken by Zack) and Zack. Her rectials have been sceduled for very late in the evenening, starting at 7:30, but Cassidy and Zack are so well behaved even for such a late night. She is trying to decide if she wants to dance next year or not but she for sure wants to play soccer again.

Here are some pictures of Zack's Christmas recital where they sang songs, recited a little poem and did their ABC's in sign language. In one picture Zack is with his friend Ben. He did such a great job and sang his songs for us well after his recital whenever he heard them on the radio, Jingle Bell Rock and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.