As I read over last year’s letter I think I could just copy and paste and change a few details and send it out again! It’s amazing how life keeps moving on and how quickly the years fly by. The kids get older but Jon and I refuse to do so! J
We were fortunate to be able to travel again throughout the year and as usual had a lot of fun doing it. We spent 2 long weekends in Las Vegas in February and October with the family and Jon and I snuck away for a weekend visit without the kids in mid September. We enjoyed seeing lions, tigers and sharks (oh my!) and shows such as King Arthur’s Tournament and Cirque du Soleil’s Mystere.
We had a great time on our Mexican Riviera cruise in March, although by the third port in 3 days, the kids were “tired of Mexico” and stayed on the boat! The weather was perfect and nobody really wanted to go home to the last dregs of Utah winter.
The months of April and May gave us 2 weekends in Moab jeepin’ with the Loveridges. Bindi the chihuahua likes to go on car rides, but wasn’t impressed with 4 hour motor-home trips, and liked the jeep ride even less! The rest of us enjoyed the fun roads and beautiful scenery that we are blessed to live so close to.
In June we took a whirlwind 4 day motor home trip to Mt. Rushmore. Our campsite was in the gorgeous black hills of South Dakota and we made the most of every minute of the journey. Getting the motor-home stuck in the mud was not fun, but the pictures of Jon and Hannah covered in mud after rescuing us are!
Steamboat Springs over the 4th of July is now a tradition and we had a wonderful time as usual. Jon and the kids braved river rafting down the Yampa River again while mom took pictures. Except for Calista’s tube popping within minutes of starting they had a fun and wet time.
Around home things are much simpler, which is why I think we travel so much! In September we found a great deal on a previously owned hot tub and have loved having it on the back patio. And yes, we do use it during the winter-Jon was in it last night! We continue to work on the house and will be getting new carpet and paint downstairs as Jon and my Christmas presents. Now if I could only get Alice from the Brady Bunch to live with us, our life would be complete!
Hannah is now in 8th grade and will soon be 14. She is still dancing and this year got famous for her “jerking” (hip hop) dance at the concerts. She has regained a lot of the brain function she seemed to lose last year and is much more organized and less moody. She has done a super job as the Beehive’s class president at church and is enjoying babysitting for ward members. She loved visiting with her birth family in Jan. and Aug. and will going again this summer too.
Cameron survived 4 weeks in double casts last Christmas and can walk correctly now. He is 12 and was ordained a deacon last July. We are so proud to see him pass the Sacrament each week at church. Cam was very brave and flew by himself, with layovers, to Florida last August. He spent 2 weeks with his birth family and had a good time getting to know them. He is getting more involved with scouting and spent his first night in a tent at the Jamboree. He is now in middle school in 7th grade and is surviving just fine.
Calista is 10 and switched schools to be in my 5th grade class. This is an interesting experience as I didn’t teach the other two. She is doing well and has made some good friends. She is continuing to work on her piano and has really taken off with it. She and Hannah both love lessons with grandma and also love our “new to us” baby grand piano. Although too shy to dance and sing in public, she likes doing both when no one is listening. She reads stories to her rat and likes playing with our new bunny, Mr. Bun, Bun. Her favorite thing this year was riding horses on the beach in Mexico on her birthday!
Jon and I continue with our same steady jobs with no complaints. We have been very blessed with good employment and although the day to day frustrations of them can be hard to deal with, we are grateful for them. We are also thankful for our children, health and our home as well as loving and supportive family, friends and neighbors.
We hope this letter finds you and your family happy and healthy and wish you a Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year! If you haven’t found us already on Facebook please look us up!
Love,
Lynece, Jon, Hannah, Cameron and Calista Rowntree
lynece@yahoo.com
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