The Knotwell Family Blog

We decided to head over to Vernal, UT for a fun weekend of Dinosaur hunting. John, my Dad, and I got up early on Saturday and did a session in the temple while my Mom played with the kids. After the temple, we got in the car and started our hunt.

We were at the Quarry and Charlotte wanted to be a Jr. Paleontologist and a Jr Ranger at the Dinosaur Monument. She had a packet of activities she needed to complete before she could be sworn in. She got two badges and a certificate.

After the Quarry, we drove the museum with the bones and other displays. They had a movie to watch and they had digging stations for the kids to play in.

All around the museum, in and out, they had prehistoric mammals displayed. We all loved to see how life like they really were.

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In third grade the students have been working on their biography's. Emily chose Nancy Reagan. She was so excited that she was the wife of John's favorite President. She had alot of fun preparing her presentation in class and preparing herself for the Wax Museum. The students got to dress up like their subject and prepare a 20 second speech for the parents and other students. She did such a great job and I'm sure she got a perfect grade on it.

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This week in Preschool the kids have been learning about butterflies. They talked about how they become butterflies, what they eat, and they talked about the different types of butterflies. She came home with her face painted and she looked so cute. I just LOVE her preschool teacher, Miss Amy, and highly recommend her if anyone is looking.

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Charlotte loves to cut her own hair. I told her the last time she did it that I would cut her hair like a boy. Well, she got scissors for her birthday and she hid under the table and had a hay day. We took her on Monday and had it cut into this bob. It looks so cute on her and it reminds me of her sister when she got her hair cut the same way at her same age. Charlotte thought she was going to look so ugly with her new hair. She told me she was going to go to school and say, "I everyone I am ugly and look at my new hair." Well she ran into school and was so excited about how cute she was.

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Cinderella came to Charlotte's party and it was so much fun. The girls were in awe. She did some really cute magic tricks with a black bunny and a white dove. She even put the dove on Charlotte's head so she could have a hat on. The girls loved every second with her and they were all really good. She had the girls dance in the bubbles and asked the girls to dance different dances. Those girls are really a crack up.

Cinderella made balloon animals for the kids. She made whatever the girls wanted and they were a hit!

After the bubbles and ballooon animals, she painted the girls faces. Some girls had their faces painted while we were waiting for all of the princesses to show up. The girls loved the glitter and jewels she put on them.

Even the big girls wanted their faces painted.

We had Charlotte blow out her candles and we sang to her. I think the girls had a good time with Charlotte and Cinderella. We sure did!

Here is my Sweet Charlotte Rose with Cinderella. We had a great day and can't wait for next year when we have NO birthday parties across the board.

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Emily and Charlotte wanted to sleep in the tent the night before Char's Birthday. Probably not the best idea due to the fact that Char didn't get very much sleep, but they had fun anyway.

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On June 13th, 2005, Miss Charlotte Rose was born. I remember the day like it was yesterday, but somehow it seems so long ago. Charlotte is the sweetest little girl. Whenever I come home from work, she's the first one to run to the door to give her daddy a hug. She surprises us everyday with some of the spunky things she says and does. I remember her falling asleep on my arm as a baby (we called her a monkey on a branch) and she still does this today - although not on my arm so much as in my arms. My favorite memories of our little girl are those where she is a great big sister and a wonderful daughter. Happy birthday sweet baby girl!

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My cute girls.

I know some of you are getting update emails and you can't find the updates. I have changed the dates so the events are chronological. I have also added a new item to my Vinyl Girl Blog. You can become a follower of my blog and when I update you will be notified.

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For Charlotte's year end party we got to go to Bouncin Off The Walls. It was so fun and the kids keep begging me to take them there again. William found the ball and pretty much stayed there until it was time to go. He did venture off a few times to go down the big slide with Char.

This is Lexi, Char's good friend from school. She was having a ball going from bouncey thingy to bouncy thingy.

I know this picture is not the best of Will and Char, but I wanted you to see their faces when they were going down the hungo slide.

Char and Aubrey played together alot while there.

What a great Big Sister Char is. She made sure that Will got up the slide and she held his hand when they went down too.

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I know this is the dumbest post EVER, but this was the first time William went to the Dentist. He was so good, at first, he got in the chair and Char made sure he had headphones for the TV. He loved that and even let us put the bib on him. Once the assistant got near him he wasn't so keen on her touching him. We finally were able to bribe him enough to open his mouth and get it somewhat clean. The Dentist checked him out and he got a clean bill of health. As for the girls, not so much. We head into the Dentist on Thursday for Charlotte to get 1 of her 2 cavities filled. Maybe next time we can say we have no cavities.

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I love Memorial Weekend! It is the start of the summer and that means TONS of time at the cabin. Our cabin has been in our family for more than 100 years and it is so fun for me to see the love my kids have for the cabin. I remember as a child coming to the cabin and feeling like we were there for the whole summer, we weren't, but it felt like it. My kids get so excited when we say we are going to the cabin, it makes my heart melt. They love to ride scooters, ride bikes, play tennis, basketball, play in the water, and play on the playground. It is the most relaxing place and I think I get just as excited to go as my kids.

We love to have fires in the pit behind the cabin. We roast marshmallows and just visit with each other. We have some good friends that live there and they always come up to roast with us, we love it!

She seriously fell asleep like this.

On Sunday we went to ride Thomas. William has seen the commercials and the billboards for this and hasn't talked about anything else. He has been so excited to do this. The kids were able to talk to the Conductor and ask him questions. They loved every moment of this day.

Oh the Beautiful Heber Valley

Playing tennis is always good family fun.

My dad has built a sitting area back by the creek that runs behind our cabin. The kids love to go out there and throw rocks in the water. John and William were spending some much needed male bonding time.

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We headed to St. George/Zion for another adventure with John's National Parks Passport. He has taken us all over to visit some N.P. and it has actually been quite fun and interesting. The kids get so excited when we tell them we are going on vacation and staying in a hotel. The first question the girls ask "Is there a swimming pool?". Why on earth would we stay in a hotel without a pool on purpose? We got to the room and the kids dropped their bags and changed into their suits. We swam for a bit and then they cozied up in bed and watched some long awaited Disney Channel.

The next morning we decided it best to hit Zion because Saturday it was going to be in the high 90's. We ate breakfast, got our water supply and snacks and packed up the backpack and headed out on our first adventure.

Each time we stopped Charlotte had to pose for Daddy to take her picture. This is what having a nice camera and someone who uses it non stop will do to your kids. William has even learned that when he sees Daddy with the camera to stop and smile.

We hiked up to a waterfall

and at the bottom of the trail the girls found a pond with billions of tadpoles.

Isn't he so cute?

The day after visiting Zion we wanted to go see the temple (Emily's request) and visit some church sites. We really had no idea of all of the sites there in St. George. We first went to the temple and got to see all of the beautiful brides getting their pictures taken. We played on the grounds while John got his "shots" of the temple. Emily is growing into such a gorgeous young women. I am so proud of her growing knowledge of the gospel and her yearning to do what is right so she can go to the temple one day.

We went into the visitors center and watched the movie and saw the displays they had. Its been such a great teaching tool for us to show our kids the importance of family and the blessings we receive from our Heavenly Father.

Our next stop was Brigham Young's summer home. There was the cutest little arbor on the property and kids loved playing in it. The property has the coolest plants and trees on it. They had a Pomegranate Tree, Walnut Tree, Grapes, Cotton, and an Almond Tree to name a few.

Then off to the Tabernacle. We took the tour with a Sister Missionary and learned some awesome things about the settlers of St. George. Seems to me that the people back in the day were alot harder workers than us in this day. They sacrificed so much to do the Lord's work and it made me so grateful for all we have now today.

Inside the Tabernacle

Mitt Romney's Great Grandfather (I think Great, maybe Great Great) built this staircase in the Tabernacle all as one piece. It was spectacular. And the little girl at the bottom was pretty cute too. :)

After the "boring tour" the kids were ready for some fun. Next to the Tabernacle was a splash park for us to play in.

William was not interested in sprinklers and wanted to sit on the grass instead of cooling off.

On the other side of the splash pad there was a waterfall that fed into this "creek" and ALL of us enjoyed that. The water was so refreshing and its always fun to play in water.

Even Emily can find the good spots to take pictures. She was so funny this trip, she would take John by the hand and lead him to the spot where she wanted to pose.

The rest of the day consisted of swimming and eating and just relaxing. The pool was so crowded and lots of fun for the kids because they each found friends to play with.

Have Dad throw the girls in the water became John's work out on the trip.

On our way home we stopped at Cedar Breaks and drove the 5 mile scenic route to the look out point. It was so pretty up there and a nice place to end our trip.

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