The Marquis Family Blog

Marquis Family Retreat Service Project

2010-08-30T21:12:00.001-07:00

While being on our family retreat, we were able to take a couple hours out and put together some hygiene and school supply kits for the Children's Hunger Fund. It was fun to see everyone get involved (even the babies). I think everyone enjoyed serving.

Merrick Adam Marquis is growing up...

2010-04-15T16:11:00.000-07:00

1st Birthday Party Bash!

Bubbles, bubbles, bubbles...

Merrick's first Gee-tar:)

The grom has skills (first surfboard)

Outdoor Adventures with Mommy & Daddy...

The Taffetas

2009-09-13T21:01:00.001-07:00

Michelle is performing in "The Taffetas" for the next couple of weeks. The show opened last week and was a big success. Michelle loves being on stage again and has loved working with some great women! Sept. 2009.

Who's that Boy?

2009-08-08T14:43:00.000-07:00

James started playing violin this summer and let me tell you it can be a challenge. But, one day he decided to practice in his underwear with ski goggles on. That's James for you!

July 2009.

Happy 4th Of July

2009-07-08T13:13:00.001-07:00

We spent the fourth of July at Tom and Karissa's home with all of our Gardner cousins. We had a BBQ and then ate ice cream and trifle. Later that night we set off fireworks in the street and the kid's thought they were really cool, even though they never went off higher than 3 feet! We even had background music going during the celebration. We had a blast!

2009.

Amanda's the Little Dancer

2009-07-08T12:47:00.001-07:00

Amanda had her Spring Dance recital in April. I personally think she is a gifted dancer, but I have to think that because I'm her mother! We loved watching her perform.

Santa Barbara Fun

2009-07-08T12:41:00.000-07:00

In May, we spent some time in Santa Barbara. We got to be a part of Merrick's blessing (our newest cousin) and spent time with family, swam in Grandpa's fun pool and just hung out. Oh, how we miss SB!

2009.

Maddy cast as Understudy in Seance on a Wet Afternoon!

2009-06-02T08:36:00.000-07:00

The other night Ann got word from Michael Jackowitz the Producer for Seance on a Wet Afternoon, that they have offered the role of Understudy of Adriana to Maddy! We are so proud of all the hard work and long hours she has put into to work on her music and singing. We are so excited for her to be part of this important world premier opera written by Stephen Schwartz and directed by his son Scott. It should be a very interesting Fall for Maddy. Additionally, Madeline will also be attending 2 weeks of the Electric Youth singing and acting camp put on by former popstar Debbie Gibson. She also heard that she made the Outburst singing group at La Colina Junior Highschool. All in all, it was a good couple of weeks for Maddy! Congrats Mad, we are so proud of you!

The Promo Video for the Camp

Maddy's Audition Video - Electric Youth Camp

2009-05-16T08:11:00.000-07:00

Robert Gardner Dedication

2009-05-13T08:49:00.000-07:00

In Spring of 2009, my family and I travelled down to St. George for the Robert Gardner Memorial Dedication. Now, I don't mean my Robert Gardner, but his great, great, great Grandpa, Robert Gardner. A statue of this relative was being dedicated by Elder Holland and revealed in the town square. It was a neat experience to see so many decedents of Robert Gardner, about 1000. The kids loved playing with their 2nd cousins and being involved in the experience.

Easter 2009

2009-05-13T08:46:00.000-07:00

Here is just a recent photo of me and the kids on Easter. So cute!

April 2009

Broadway: Celebrating the Human Spirit

2009-05-13T08:39:00.000-07:00

Recently, I produced a Broadway revue for my Stake in Utah. It has been a long time coming-about a year, but it was worth it. The revue consisted of 16 Broadway songs tied together with the theme of the Human Spirit. The show had over 100 people involved and was full each night it performed. I choreographed and directed many of the numbers and was also the producer. Reed was one of the performers. He was in "I Won't Grow Up" and "Circle of Life." His inner actor was coming out and he loved the whole process. It was a fantastic experience! Thanks to my family and friends for their support.

April 2009

Jesusita Fire - Another Fire in Santa Barbara

2009-05-09T13:31:00.000-07:00

We have had a couple of hectic fire days with the Jesusita Fire in Santa Barbara. We are being told this is one of the largest fires ever in the area. At one point during the fire, there were evacuation orders from San Ysidro Road in Montecito to Farview Avenue in Goleta. The fire was huge and amazing in its feriocity. We are grateful that our home and family are safe. We unfortunately had some friends who lost their homes, Santa Barbara is beautiful, but you have to hate those fires. It is still amazing that we have had 3 major fires in the last 9 months - two of which we had to evacuate from and the third we put up evacuated friends - crazy fire times!

Maddy, Ann, and...Debbie??

2009-05-09T12:51:00.000-07:00

Recently, Maddy was given a referral of a great music and performance camp down in LA from Michael Jackowitz (the executive producer of "Seance"), the camp is called Camp "Electric Youth" (named after one of her teen idol songs). Maddy and Ann went to a benefit to meet Debbie Gibson and to see some of the camp kids perform. They were very impressed and Maddy thinks it may be fun to try this camp sometime in the future...

Daddy-Daughter Date at Disneyland

2009-05-05T20:18:00.000-07:00

The other day Daddy and Mary Jane decided it was time to visit the Magic Kingdom again. We were lucky to go on a day that wasn't too bad for crowds. We spent 10 hours there and went on most rides, it was a great time and we had so much fun on our special day!

Marquis' with Merrick

2009-03-21T17:09:00.000-07:00

Here are some more photos of the Little Man with family members who have visited:

Auntie Courtney

Uncle Cristobol

Auntie Kim & Chris

The OC Cousins

Uncle Chad

Cuz cuddling

SB Cousins

Uncle Matt

Auntie Ann

The World Welcomes "Merrick Adam Marquis"

2009-03-20T17:29:00.000-07:00

Adam & Melissa were blessed with their first baby boy who entered the world on Mon - March 16, 2009 at 6:51pm. Weighing in at 8lbs 5 ounces with a 19.5-in reach, this little guy came after a mere 4-hrs after Mommy was admitted at Good Samaritan's Hospital in Downtown L.A.

The name "Merrick" was given as a tribute to the ocean as in English it signifies - "Ruler of the Sea". He was also named after the renown "Al Merrick" - innovative surfboard shaper and owner of Channel Islands Surf Co. located in Santa Barbara, CA. He is truly a joy to have in our lives...enjoy these photos:

Merrick - "The Little Brand"

Grandpa Visit (Day after Hospital)

Grandma Love (Thanks Mom for all your support & help!)

Melissa the "Al-Natural" Laborer (10 painful pushes)

The Eternal Unit - Together at Last!

Christmas in Midway, UT

2009-01-31T10:40:00.000-08:00

For 2008, Matt and Ann and kids decided to go to Grandma Cheryl's for Christmas! It was a great time and we had a very "White Christmas" as we got 8-10 inches of snow on Christmas day. The kids had a ball skiing, sledding, snow mobiling, snow ball fights, and hanging with cousins and family. Grandma and Mike really were great hosts and we couldn't have asked for a more fun Christmas.

Thanks!Marcus covered with lots of powder!

Alex looks like Racer X in his ski gear!

Marcus loved playing in the snow, he never complained of being cold...

Matt and Ann had a good time cuddling in the snow....

NYC Seance Workshop Performance

2009-01-31T10:03:00.000-08:00

Back in November, Maddy had the chance to go to New York for a couple of weeks and work with Stephen Schwartz, Lauren Flanigan, and other amazing opera talents for the American Opera Projects (AOP) workshop of Seance on a Wet Afternoon. This was a full reading and performance of the music of the opera. It was the world premier showcasing Mr. Schwartz first opera project to the public. In the two performances at the end of the two week workshop, the public and many opera affianados were invited to hear the new work.

Maddy was again cast as Adriana. She had a wonderful time meeting new people in New York City and working with some amazingly supportive professionals. Maddy again really grew as she had to learn Act 1 of the production and relearn the changes that Stephen made in Act 2. She had solo and duet rehersal time with Charity Wicks one of the accompianists who is also a musical director of the Broadway show, "Spring Awakenings", a popular show featuring music written by Duncan Sheik (a Marquis family favorite).

The family was so excited about Maddy's performace that everyone who could attend the performances did. Joining Maddy in New York were Dad (Matt) and Mom (Ann), Grandpa Ron and Grandma Susan, Mike and Grandma Cheryl, Grandpa Dale and Aunt Michelle, Uncle Adam and Aunt Rachel. It was so fun to have so many wonderful family members joining us for Maddy's New York premier.

The first performance was at the Orentz Theatre. This couldn't have been a better setting for the performance. It was erie and chilling, unfortunately for the performers it was cold in the building which hampered some of the voices for the performance. The second performance was set in Brooklyn and was probably a better musical performance but didn't have nearly the setting as the Orentz performance.

Maddy was amazing in both performances. She was dressed in PJs during the performance as the "kidnapped" Adriana. We were really proud of her and her efforts in NY. It really was an amazing opportunity for her and we are so grateful for everyone who supported her and helped her during the workshop and performances.

M

"Seance on a Wet Afternoon"

2008-12-03T09:03:00.001-08:00

In November of 2008 several of the Marquis members went out to NY to support Maddy in her workshop of the new Stephen Schwartz's opera, "Seance on a Wet Afternoon." It was very exciting to watch her perform with such a high caliber of actors and singers. We were all tearing eyed and beaming with pride as we watched Maddy perform.

1st Marquis Family Education Retreat Fall 2008

2008-12-03T08:53:00.000-08:00

In the Fall of 2008 the Marquis Family has their first Marquis Family Education Retreat. We met in Marina Del Ray at one of the hotels and listened to special guests and had some pretty good discussions. It was a good and fun experience.

Maddy's New Blog

2008-11-11T14:25:00.000-08:00

For her NYC experience Maddy had to create a web page for herself, so she made a blog about herself to showcase her talents and provide information. Enjoy!

http://madeline-marquis.blogspot.com/

Sophie

2008-11-10T15:38:00.001-08:00

I can't seem to get enough pictures of our cute Sophie. So here are the latest.

November 2008

Ouch!

2008-11-10T15:24:00.000-08:00

Last Thursday Reed got his tonsils out. For three months he was so excited to get his get them out, miss school, and eat ice cream for a week, but when the day came he was scared. But, he made it through and the surgery went well. He then spent four days with pain and a barf bowl by his bed. I think the experience was a little different from what he had built up in his head the three months before. Now, he's on the mend and is almost back to our same old Reed.

nov 2008

Halloween 2008

2008-10-29T09:45:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween 2008!

On a Sunday Afternoon

2008-10-29T09:21:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday we went to the temple for a Sunday activity. The kids loved playing near the fountains and rolling down the huge hill.

October 2008

Oh Boy, Oh Boy!

2008-10-28T12:51:00.000-07:00

It seems that the blog is one of the last places the Marquis Kids check, except maybe for Matt, but I thought I would post that we are having a BOY!
A tap-dancin', popeye smokin', guitar playin' mini Adam!
I've been feeling him kick so I think he is getting his surfing legs ready!

Marcus Singing "For Good" from Wicked

2008-10-19T08:36:00.001-07:00

The other night we were messing around with the studio stuff on the computer and doing a little singing on the microphone. Of course, Marcus, who has an interest in all things electronic and computer decided he wanted to hog the mic a while - well he is a Marquis, and that is what we do! The only track I had that he might know was the "For Good" track from Wicked. So I put the track on (with no lyrics) and let him rip. He was amazing. Ann and I were thinking there was no way he would have been able to do this a year ago. We are so blessed that Marcus has had such amazing therapy with his Autism over the last year. Enjoy Marcus' first recorded solo (he only sang the first verse and then he wanted to be the camera man!).

Growing up too fast...

2008-10-13T20:53:00.000-07:00

Sometimes your kids just seem to be growing up right before your eyes. Alex recently got a couple new suits for Cotillion and a wedding (pics to follow). He is really turning into a very handsome young man and seems to be getting older and more mature each and every day.

Alex is really wishing on this one...not yet little buddy!

Just too dang hot for October...

2008-10-10T21:20:00.001-07:00

Last weekend Chad and Kim came up for Chad's 20th high school reunion (yes, he is that old!). On Sunday we had a fish bbq from some of dad's salmon and halibut that he caught on his fishing trip up north. It was really hot that day and so Marcus decided it was time to go swimming...in grandpa's fountain. The kids had fun watching him "nude it up" in the front fountain. Young Chris Marquis got so caught up watching Marcus that he missed a step while walking on the fountain wall, and you guessed it, he fell in too. Good times!

New Facebook Group on Seance....

2008-10-07T08:39:00.000-07:00

Executive Producer, Michael Jackowitz, started a new Facebook group on Seance on a Wet Afternoon (just click the hyperlink). Check it out, there should be videos coming soon from this summer. We are so excited that Maddy is going to New York to work on the project again!

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=28783363957

Just Say No....!

2008-09-29T21:32:00.000-07:00

The Marquis Family has a "just say no to drugs" motto. Marcus wanted to give us a visual so that we could imprint it in our minds!

JUST SAY NO TO CRACK!

New York, New York...Again

2008-09-25T16:15:00.001-07:00

Robert and I went to New York again! When I say we can't seem to get enough of this city, I really mean it! We were there with our friends the Acors and we spent a lot of time sight-seeing, eating, and watching some great theatre. We were really busy and barely had time to just enjoy our hotel. But, we loved it and plan on going again in the near future. September 2008. Pictures from top left: Robert on the Brooklyn Bridge, Michelle close to the Stature of Liberty, Michelle and friend, Shannon getting ready to see the show "In the Heights", Michelle and Robert chowing down at Katz's deli. Yummy!

Reed's Baptism

2008-09-25T16:07:00.001-07:00

It doesn't seem possible that our

oldest child got baptized. I know it's a cliche, but time really does fly. Reed was baptized on September 6th. We had several guests including Grandpa Dale, Grandma Cheryl and Grandpa Mike, Uncle Matt and Alex, Grandma Connie and Shaunna, Grandpa Gardner, Uncle Stewy, Uncle Geeto, Uncle Tom and Aunt Karissa, Ella, Ruby, Enoch, and all of Reed's siblings. It was a nice day and we were so proud of Reed.

Is it more official being on the blog?

2008-09-23T15:44:00.000-07:00

I made a post on our blog so I thought I would do the same on the family's.
Baby Marquis (lil' hobbit) is now 15 weeks and the heart sounds great!
Oct. 28th "it" will be a he or she...I had a dream it was a he.

Maddy makes "Seance" news in the News Press

2008-09-05T08:38:00.000-07:00

Seance Continued...

2008-08-26T20:55:00.000-07:00

Maddy continued to have an amazing week of practice while working with the cast and creative team of the new Stephen Schwartz opera, Seance on a Wet Afternoon. She had the opportunity to sing with some of the great opera singers in the county - Lauren Flanigan and Kim Josephson - who play the kidnappers in the opera.

The culmination of the week's work was a closed performance for the creative team at the Music Academy in Montecito. The reading and performance of the second act was for Stephen and the production team to review the music and score of the opera thus far. As "flies on the wall" the few of us who were lucky to attend were treated to an amazing operatic performance. The workshop chorus with the few principals already cast for the world premier were amazing in their performance on a hot, "wet" evening. It was decided to shut the windows and doors of the music hall (probably to prevent the public to overhearing too much of the still being written work). Finally one pair of french doors were opened to let a little air flow in the hot chamber. The story and music of this opera is amazing. It has a dark side as opera seems to lend itself to flair for the dramatic. But there is an air of hope and sympathy for the antagonists in the story. You can read more about the story online or rent the 1964 video.

This was truly a once in a lifetime opportunity for Maddy to work with some amazing professionals in the industry. Stephen, Lauren, Kim, and Heyla were all wonderful to her as was the rest of the production team and chorus. We are truly grateful for our wonderfully talented daughter to have such a great experience at such a young age.

Thanks to all!

Maddy's Summer Opera Workshop

2008-08-21T15:41:00.000-07:00

This summer Maddy has had an amazing experience working with many opera professionals and renown composer Stephen Schwartz on his new opera, Seance on a Wet Afternoon. This opera will premier in Santa Barbara at the Granada Theater in the Fall of 2009. In the workshop Maddy had the part of Adriana, a girl who is kidnapped by a couple and held for ransom. More about the opera can be found on Stephen's website at

http://www.musicalschwartz.com/schwartz-opera.htm

We are so fortunate that Maddy has been able to have this experience. The producers and opera professionals have been so wonderfully supportive and helpful to her in her first experience at this level. We are so proud of how hard she has worked and how amazingly professional she has been during the workshop. Bravo Maddy!

Here are some excerpts from Stephen's website on the opera...

From The Schwartz Scene newsletter 24 - Summer 2006

Stephen Schwartz: "Some of you may know I have taken on an exciting and terrifying new project; I have accepted a commission from Opera Santa Barbara to write an opera for them for their 2009 season, which sounds like a long way away but is actually the day after tomorrow. I've found a project, a book and movie from the 1960s called Seance On A Wet Afternoon. I've always been an opera aficionado, but the opera world is completely foreign to me, so needless to say I am finding the whole project a scary proposition. But I am eager to get started, get writing, and enter this terra incognita...."

From The Schwartz Scene newsletter 25 - Fall 2006

Stephen Schwartz: "I'm looking forward to meeting while out here with the folks from Opera Santa Barbara to cement the schedule for the opera I am writing for them, SÉANCE ON A WET AFTERNOON...."

From The Schwartz Scene newsletter 26 - Winter 2007

Stephen Schwartz: "...Work continues on the opera I am writing, SÉANCE ON A WET AFTERNOON. Its premiere is scheduled for October 2009 at the newly renovated Granada Theatre in Santa Barbara, California (assuming the renovation of the Granada is actually completed by then.)"

Michelle and Maddy go over 10,000 views on youtube!

2008-08-21T15:07:00.000-07:00

Congrats to Michelle and Maddy for their video/musical rendition of the duet "For Good" from Wicked going over 10,000 viewers on youtube.com! They are a very "popular" Wicked performance! Nice going girls! (yes Chris, we know that lurksquad is still dominating the views!)

IMM Jr.

2008-08-21T10:43:00.000-07:00

Who is this studly guy?

Cousin Time

2008-07-31T18:56:00.001-07:00

Here are some more pics of the cousins in SB. July 2008.

Jackson Hole

2008-07-30T08:04:00.000-07:00

Our last vacation was in Jackson Hole, WY. The place, where in fact, Robert and I first met. It's always fun to go back there. We spent about five days there hiking, swimming, river rafting, fishing, eating, and shopping. We shared our house with a family of marmots and some of Robert's siblings. It was a beautiful place to stay (thanks Dale) and great company.

July 2008.

Summer Vacations

2008-07-30T07:55:00.000-07:00

Well, July happened to be our month of vacations-three in fact. One of which was in Santa Barbara for the wedding of Chris and Courtney. It was a beautiful event and a fun week of swimming and playing afterwards. The kids are always excited to be with with their CA cousins. We went to the beach, swam in Grandpas cool pool, deep sea fished, and just hung out. It was nice to be all together.

Deer Valley 4th of July

2008-07-30T07:49:00.000-07:00

This 4th of July, we spent in Deer Valley. The kids love it because we've stashed an old Nintendo there. But, Robert and I love it for the scenery, weather and peace. We went to the Park City 4th of July parade (always entertaining) and watched fireworks at Grandmas home. The kids swam and went down the alpine coaster and of course played and played video games.

Boys Trip in Cabo - Super Dads!

2008-06-15T18:01:00.000-07:00

I thought on Father's Day today I would celebrate some "super dads" in our family with some of the Cabo "crock" pics! Enjoy!

Adam likes to "crock"...

Living the dream...

Salt... I am almost to the finals...

What, we aren't going to Charlie Trotter's???

Feelin' groovey!

I am a bullet...

I'm too sexy for my shorts...

Superman...dude, what is up with the tights???

Boys Trip in Cabo - House #77

2008-06-10T19:27:00.000-07:00

I thought I would post some pictures of the house in Cabo. It is really a treat to be able to stay at these wonderful Quintess homes.

This is the outdoor living space, which is really amazing here at the house. There are all kinds of beautiful dining areas, sitting and reading areas, and Robert even found a nice couch for a nap.

The views are pretty nice in pretty much every direction you look when you are in the backyard of the house.

Unfortunately, it spoils us for almost any other kind of traveling! This home is right on the golf course and we have a view of the ocean out back. The pool and jacuzzi are very nice and a later post will have some interesting pool pictures. Stay tuned!

Boys' Trip in Cabo - The Arrival

2008-06-10T18:45:00.001-07:00

We arrived in Cabo and checked out our Quintess home at Palmilla just outside of Cabo San Lucas. Adam and I arrived early (after flying first class with our $50 upgrade) and immediately hit Club 96 which is the "members only" club here at Palmilla. It has a couple pools, small restaurant, and beach activities area. Adam and I enjoyed a quick dip in the pool and then walked over to the neighboring hotel for our massage and spa time. The "One and Only" hotel is one of the nicest hotels in the area and very exclusive. We saw Reggie Miller and Jessica Biel at the hotel and beach areas. The spa time was fantastic! Adam and I then proceeded to do stand-up paddle board, swimming, Hobie Cat sailing and even a little beach volleyball. We really enjoyed catching an extra half a day with the earlier flight.

Everyone arrived at about five in the afternoon, we unpacked, got sorted out with the room situation and went to dinner at Agua at the One and Only Hotel. It was an amazing dinner and Robert and I were finally able to sample the elusive "parrot fish" that I had heard so much about in Hawaii. It didn't taste like lobster (which is what I had heard), but it was still very good. After dinner we came back to the house and swam a little bit, some went in the jacuzzi and then we went to bed. It was a great first day in Cabo.

Maddy in "Once Upon A Mattress"

2008-06-04T21:18:00.000-07:00

Here is a rough cut of the opening night of the 6th Grade play at Cold Springs School of "Once Upon A Mattress", this is Maddy's highlights. We will be putting up some of the good video when we get it! She and her classmates did amazing. At the dress rehersal they had a surprise visit from local celebrity, Carol Burnett, who played the leading role in the original Broadway show. She was very complimentary and gracious with the young thespians and sent them 3 boxes of cupcakes that were served after the play opening night. What a great experience for Maddy and her classmates, they put on a first rate play!

Mother's Day in Santa Barbara

2008-05-12T17:40:00.000-07:00

We had a wonderful time on Sunday celebrating Ann as the mother of our four somewhat angelic children. We started the day off with Daddy and the kids making mom Mickey Mouse "gluten-free" pancakes and having her open her Mother's Day gifts before church. We went to church and got to see the two middle kids (Maddy is now too old as a YM) sing the great Primary Mother's Day songs. Mary Jane really had her coming out party during the first song where she belted out the song for her mom while smiling at her the whole time. It was great, even the Bishopric was looking down at our family and smiling at Mary Jane's exuberance.

After church we went back home and let Ann have a nice big Sunday nap (which she probably hasn't enjoyed since last Mother's Day!). We got ready at around 5 pm to go to dinner at the club and enjoy a wonderful Mother's Day buffet in our own private room. We thought that would keep Marcus better under control, but he decided it being Mother's Day, to walk around the club and talk to all the older ladies and families enjoying their dinner. We had a great time.

We are so grateful for our wonderful Mothers that we enjoy in our family. Ann has done such amazing things with our children and has devoted so much time and energy in helping Marcus push through some of the challenges that he faces with his Autism that she rarely has time to do much for herself. She takes such good care and gives so much love to her 4 kids (5 if you include her biggest kid - Daddy). We are so honored to have her as the mother of our family. We are also grateful for Grandma Cheryl and the love and support she is to our family. We had so much fun visiting her home in Midway on our ski trip. It was like staying in a 4-Star bed and breakfast with the most loving hostess! Thanks so much! We are so lucky to have such wonderful women in our lives.

Happy Mothers Day!

"Angelic" Kittens

2008-05-12T17:28:00.000-07:00

It was discovered a little over a week ago (in Matt's closet) that Angel (our cat) had indeed not just been fat, but had been pregnant! She had 4 cute little kittens that are really doing well. Surprisingly, Angel's maternal instincts did kick in and she is a wonderful mother to her babies. Already there is somewhere online a waiting list for the kittens, the list was started by Maddy's friends. Here are the kittens - Yogurt, Perry, Jessie and Daphne.

Friday Night Fever

2008-05-10T13:46:00.000-07:00

Here is our night at the Cold Springs auction and fundraiser. Ann did such an incredible job, her hard work definitely showed! Here are some pictures from last night - Matt as one of the auctioneers, Chad in his lovely red wig, Adam in his thrift store suit and Dale looking a little like Rod Stewart. Way to go Ann and thanks for the great night!

some of the pictures duplicated themselves...sorry about that.

2008-05-08T18:02:00.001-07:00

Funny Video from LURKSQUAD:

Sophie

2008-04-24T13:12:00.000-07:00

Here are some recent pictures of our Sophie. She now weighs almost 12 lbs, smiles a lot and still loves to cuddles. We love her!

April 24, 2008.

Brooklyn and Manhattan Revisted...

2008-04-24T13:05:00.001-07:00

Maddy and I decided not to sleep this morning after arriving in Manhattan at our gorgeous place at Quintess in Times Square (separate blog to follow). We decided to do a little sight seeing and visit some of the former Marquis history in NYC.

We started with breakfast at Carnagie Deli near Times Square. Maddy wasn't quite as excited as about the Challah French Toast as I was, but she did eat half of the huge "side" of bacon they brought us...must have been at least a pound!

After breakfast we joined the morning commute on the Subway and went to Brooklyn Heights to see Ann and Matt's first apartment out of college. We walked the "Heights" and enjoyed a hot chocolate at Starbucks on Montague Street. We saw the Eastern Athletic Club that Matt and his friend John Stone learned how to play "real" basketball. We visited our old street and took some pictures in front of our old brownstone.

After visiting Brooklyn we took the Subway to the financial district and visited Wall Street, the NYSE, and the site of the World Trade Center towers. They are currently rebuilding the site and we were amazed at the tourists and people visiting the site of this great tragedy. We visited the World Financial Center and then jumped on the subway to return to Time Square.

Off to NYC and Broadway!

2008-04-24T12:59:00.000-07:00

Maddy and I left yesterday to take the red-eye to JFK airport for our New York trip where Maddy is going to participate in YPO's Youth on Broadway program where she will immerse herself in the musical theater life. We arrived early this morning to find that Maddy's bag had been sent to Ft. Lauderdale. We are still waiting for the bag which was supposed to be here by noon (its later afternoon now). We may have to go shopping for some new clothes for Maddy and charge it back to Jet Blue.

Matt's Underwater Adventure in Kauai

2008-04-12T09:06:00.000-07:00

Ok, no one is going to read this blog, but I was pretty proud of some of my pictures so I thought I would post some. I may make a slideshow, so stayed tuned since I know you are all dying to watch it!

Swimming at the Marriott in Kauai

2008-04-12T08:45:00.000-07:00

We had a great time at the Waiohai Marriott Beach on Kauai during spring break. The kids had a great time playing in the pool and swimming in the ocean. Matt and Mary Jane went snorkeling every day (more on those pics to come!). We ate at Keioki's 3x across the street, it was really fun fun and Marcus liked to wander around the restaurant and try and sneak into the little stream in the garden. We met a really nice family from Seattle. Washington named the Lopez family. They had two boys around Alex's age, a girl Maddy's age and a younger girl around 5. After the first day, Maddy and Kelsey were inseparable.

Ann and Matt got to sneak out to Roy's one night for a nice romantic dinner and then enjoyed walking along the beach and pool area getting caught up on life. All in all we had a great, relaxing vacation on the "garden" island. Daddy even rented a soft-top board and went surfing one afternoon. We are really blessed to be able to vacation in such wonderful places with our family.

Bon Jovi and Ann

2008-04-10T15:08:00.000-07:00

Ann and I went to the Bon Jovi concert on April 10, 2008 at Staples Center. It was really a great concert with Chris Daughtry from American Idol fame opening the show. Ann made some new friends in the suite and she joined the line of women dancing to John Bon Jovi's classic and more modern tunes. Here is a clip from youtube.com of my favorite song that was in the first encore. It was a great show and we had a ton of fun!

Marcus swimming in Hawaii

2008-04-06T20:57:00.000-07:00

The first of a few of blogs detailing our great Spring Break vacation at the Marriott timeshare in Kauai, Hawaii. We had a great time and did a lot of swimming. Marcus got really into going underwater and holding his breath. Here is a short video we got of him goofing off in the pool.

More pictures of Sophie

2008-03-12T16:57:00.001-07:00

Here are some more pictures of our cute, little Sophie Gardner. She is now three weeks and healthy and happy! We love having her in our family.

March 12, 2008

2008 Cold Springs School Talent Show

2008-02-24T09:28:00.000-08:00

On Friday night the three older Marquis kids - Maddy, Alex, and Mary Jane - all participated in the Cold Springs Elementary School Talent Show. For the second straight year, they named the show after one of the kid's acts (last year was "A Moment Like This" which Maddy sang). This year the show name was "We Will Rock You" which of course was performed by Alex and his three friends - Perry, TJ and Lucas. Mary Jane performed her piano piece and then Maddy sang "Hero" by Mariah Carey which she dedicated to her brother Marcus who has autism. If was a lot of fun! Chris and Courtney came up to watch and help. Courtney is responsible for Maddy's amazing hair and Chris videoed the kids with his HD camera. It was a great night of music and fun!

Thanks Chris and Courtney and congrats to the kids for such great performances!

It's a girl

2008-02-21T20:07:00.000-08:00

Sophie was born on 20 February 2008 at 6:41 AM. She weighed 7 lbs and was 20 inches long. Both Mom and baby are doing well.

11 Year Wedding Anniversary! Still Going Strong!

2008-02-14T13:43:00.002-08:00

Robert and I celebrated our eleventh wedding anniversary on December 27th, 2007. We went to Deer Valley for dinner (we do enjoy a nice meal!) at the Mariposa and spent a nice time together.

Happy Birthday Grandma Boo

2008-02-14T13:34:00.000-08:00

On February 7th Grandma Boo turned 84 years old! Wow! We had a little party for her at her place and Mom gave a great tribute to her that was about her growing up, being married to Papa and her life after Papa died. Grandma has done a lot of amazing things in her life. We are blessed to have her in our family!

February 2008

Michelle's Baby Shower 2008

2008-02-14T13:29:00.000-08:00

A couple of weeks ago Mom threw me a baby shower for our soon-to-be-here, little girl, Sophie. It was held at Sundance Resort with about fifteen family members and a couple of friends. It was a great celebration!

Grandma Boo and Santa

2008-02-14T13:00:00.001-08:00

During Christmastime 2007, we went and visited Grandma Boo at her place with Mom and Mike and the kids. We got to visit with Santa and the kids gave him their requests for Christmas presents. We then had a brunch and did some Christmas activities. It was a lot of fun.

Pinewood Derby with Alex - 2008

2008-02-12T20:15:00.000-08:00

Alex and I had a great time putting together his Pinewood Derby car this year. We got an early start on it by painting it early with a chrome paint that Alex picked out. Alex sanded the car (we bought a pre-cut car) and then we added the weight. Alex and I used a "speed kit" to sand the axels to get them ready to race. The evening before we realized that our car didn't have enough clearance and we had to cut out some of the bottom. Dad also kept putting extra coats of paint, so we decided to try speed drying it in the oven. What happened was we got a very interesting bubble texture that we decide looked very "street" cool.

The night before the race we had weigh-ins at the church. The Santa Barbara Stake now does a combined Derby with all 4 Pack units including the weblos units, so there were a lot of cars. Mark Giroux had his laser precision scale that measured digitally into the 1/10,000th of an ounce. Alex's car was probably one of the lightest, but we didn't sweat it.

As it turned out, Alex ended up taking 2nd overall of all of the 30+ cars! He also took 4th in Design in his Pack (no award, but a moral victory!). Alex and I had a great time this year with his car. He was really proud of how he did! Great job Alex!

Marcus Singing...

2008-02-12T19:54:00.000-08:00

Marcus loves the Disney movie "Cars". He probably watches it almost every day. Marcus was diagnosed with Autism back in October of 2007 and we have been working with him through various programs to improve his speech and language. We were watching him the other night watch Cars, and noticed that he is starting to mimic the movie. He is especially cute when he sings along during the songs. This is not uncommon for children with autism to memorize favorite movies or shows. Still, we love the fact that he becoming more verbal!

Marquis Tryout circa 1990...

2008-02-11T16:35:00.000-08:00

Several years ago John Stone made a joke movie from some of the video I sent him from our Jerusalem Study Abroad. I was looking through my work files (on the server) for an old pro forma and found it again.

Enjoy, it is good for a laugh!

Christmas in Midway

2008-02-10T20:22:00.000-08:00

Matt asked for some Midway Christmas photos, there's kind of a lot but we all had a lot of fun enjoying the snow and the very cold weather on the ski slopes!

It's Christmas Once Again in Santa Barbara...

2008-02-07T19:26:00.000-08:00

I thought I would post some of our Christmas pics a little belated since we have some of Dad with gifts from the other kids. It would be fun for someone from the Midway Christmas to post some pictures and Michelle, you should post some from your Christmas morning.

We had a great time pm the 23rd with our friends and Dad, going caroling to some of the single older people in our ward and visiting Papa's former nursing home. The kids and adults (about 20-25 in all) had a great time. We started with a light dinner at our home, went caroling, and then ended with dessert at the Funks. Other families that came were the Smiths, Days, and Kimballs. Lots of fun with all the kids!

For Chirstmas Eve dinner we had a huge feast of Ham and BBQ duck! Yum!

Christmas eve, (before the 13 hour blackout from 8:30 pm to 9:00 am Christmas morning), we decided to have a modified Christmas program. We had singing by the kids, a duet by Grandpa Dale and Ann, and even Matt found some courage to sing at the mic (sarcasm intended). It was a lot of fun and we had Grandpa read the Christmas story from Luke. We had just enough time for the kids to open their traditional gifts of PJs from Mom and Dad. Then the lights went out!

We had a lot of fun on Christmas tho it got a little overwhelming at times (too many gifts this year!). I have included our little youngest to oldest video coming out on Christmas morning. Note there is still no electricity!

Just a little snow in Midway...

2008-02-04T22:07:00.001-08:00

Thanks Mike and Cheryl for our fabulous weekend in Midway!
Some highlights from the weekend:
snowboarding in powder, Michelle's baby shower, wedding dress shopping with Courtney (she found a dress!), Duncan Sheik and David Poe concert, waking up to 17in. of new snow on Sunday, celebrating the Giant's win with the rest of our Jet Blue travelers.
Matt & Ann picked a perfect time to visit UT...have fun in all the snow!

Welcome to the Fam - Courtney!

2008-01-29T18:36:00.000-08:00

We are happy to announce the engagement of our littlest brother and sibling, Chris to his beautiful bride-to-be Courtney. The Marquis family has once again definitely improved itself through marriage. We are so grateful for all our wonderful spouses and in-laws. We are looking forward to hearing when the date is and the big party (potentially and rumored to be at "Dale's House on the Hill")! Stay tuned for more details!

Snow in Santa Barbara

2008-01-28T10:27:00.000-08:00

Karla Serna in our office sent these to me so I don't know who to attribute credit for the beautiful photography, but these are some amazing shots in the mountains of Santa Barbara after it snowed during the last storm at the end of January 2008. Fun times!

Beloved Church President, Gordon B. Hinckley, Dies at 97

2008-01-27T20:27:00.000-08:00

SALT LAKE CITY 27 January 2008 President Gordon B. Hinckley, who led The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints through twelve years of global expansion, has died at the age of 97.

President Hinckley was the 15th president in the 177-year history of the Church and had served as its president since 12 March 1995.

The Church president died at his apartment in downtown Salt Lake City at 7:00 p.m. Sunday night from causes incident to age. Members of his family were at his bedside. A successor is not expected to be formally chosen by the Church’s Quorum of the Twelve Apostles until after President Hinckley’s funeral within the next few days.

From LDS.org

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

What a great prophet of the Church! He was such a great man and so inclusive of all types of people. One of the great communicators in our modern media about the message of the Gospel and of our mission as a Church. I had the great opportunity to meet him at John Stone's wedding and talk to him for a short period of time, what an amazing man. He will be missed!

Youtube Video Gets 2,000+ views!

2008-01-27T19:15:00.000-08:00

Michelle and Maddy have lots of fans on Youtube.com. They have lots of very positive comments on their hit duet from Wicked!

Big Wednesday at Sandspit - 12/5

2008-01-02T14:14:00.000-08:00

Thought all the Marquis boys would like this video that someone forwarded to me. Got to love "Sandbar" and its hollow tube! I went out to this spot with John Lund and Travis Beifuss that day, but we passed as it was a little too crowded (and a little nasty). We ended up surfing the backside of Stern's Wharf! It was overhead there....crazy!

Maddy, Alex, and Mary Jane Piano Recital

2007-12-26T17:33:00.001-08:00

Here are the videos of the performances...great job kids!

House Remodel - Part 1

2007-12-26T16:54:00.000-08:00

Ann and I have been working on the house. We have been working with some great craftsmen - cabinets, stone, tile, electricians, carpenters, plumbers - to update our house and make our home cozier. So far we have tackled the kitchen, guest bathroom, all the cabinets and countertops in the other bathrooms (except the powder room). Our stone guy is named Javier and he and Ann have been working together to transform our outdated bathrooms to some special places to have quiet time (haha). The guest bathroom is fantastic! We have also installed LCD TVs in the guest bedroom, master and the toy room. So come and visit, stay a while, we will leave a light on for ya!

Mary Jane's 6th Birthday Party

2007-12-26T16:45:00.000-08:00

After turning six and having her first party date rained out (like that happens a lot in Santa Barbara, sheesh!). Mary Jane had a big birthday blow out complete with a huge Jumper with a slide that Marcus couldn't seem to get enough of. Mary Jane invited all the kids from both Kindergarten classes at Cold Springs and some of her friends from church and pre-K. What a great time she had with her friends. It was a gorgeous day and we had lots of fun jumping in the Jumper and playing on the sport court. She had a gorgeous flower cake with flower cupcakes! Mary Jane received lots of Polly Pocket presents from family and friends!

Happy 6th Birthday Mary Jane!

Alex and the Patriots (7-0)

2007-11-25T18:37:00.000-08:00

Alex getting a sack on the QB...

This year Alex decided he wanted to try a new sport. So instead of playing soccer he decided that he would like to try flag football. Alex got put on a team that included about 5-6 boys from his school, Colds Springs Elementary School. It has been a lot of fun for him to play closely with several of his friends and together learn a new sport. I believe that only one player on the team ever played competitive football in a league before this year. Coach Paul, Alex's friend Ryan's dad, has done an amazing job teaching these boys the fundementals of football and learning how to practice and play hard. His goal this year was to get to the point where there didn't need to be a coach on the field to help the kids call plays and get into formation. In the last game, they ran several plays at the end on their own.

Did I mention that Alex's team plays an option offense? It is really great to see how all the kids have learned how to play this year. In the last game, the coach had a bunch of the kids who have blocked and played on the line all year carry the football. Two of the kids scored who have never carried before that game. What a great experience!

We have really enjoyed watching Alex and his friends play this year. Alex has played fullback, receiver and lineman. He has done a great job. Currently, his team is 7-0 with two more games to finish.

Go Patriots!

Thanksgiving - Dana Point

2007-11-25T18:10:00.001-08:00

We had a great Thanksgiving holiday down in the OC, while staying at Mom's condo in Dana Point. Grandpa Ron and Grandma Susan joined us for Thanksgiving dinner (well, Susan and Ann did most of the cooking) and we had a great time with the kids. We had the traditional combo of turkey and ham with mashed potatoes, yams smothered in marshmellows, stuffing, gravy, the whole works. Susan made this amazing chocolate cake (both cake and frosting were homemade!) that Matt ate probably 2/3rds of by Friday!

We also got to see Chad and Kim and kids while we were down in OC. We tried fishing at a local lake but were shut out due to there being no room on the shore to fish! Grandpa Dale and Matt took all the kids to see Mr. Morgium's Wonder Emporium which was very cute and the kids enjoyed it. Later that night Chad and I snuck off to go see Bewoulf, which was pretty good - the animations are really amazing.

Probably the BEST movie we saw was Saturday night, Maddy, Alex and Mary Jane and Daddy saw August Rush which is a really great, "Feel Good" movie.

It is definitely a must see!

We had a great time down in the OC for Thanksgiving, thanks to all the family that we had such a wonderful time.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

2007-11-22T20:58:00.001-08:00

Studio Session & Soccer Games

2007-10-03T15:49:00.001-07:00

Last Friday Adam was in need of some studio time so we drove down to the O.C.
Normally these sessions can last all night but not when there are soccer games early in the morning. It was fun to watch Kate & Christopher show off their soccer skills. Next, we will have to go cheer on Alex at his football games. We love being close to family!

Our CRAFTy Night

2007-10-03T15:24:00.001-07:00

Last night to celebrate Adam's birthday we met Dale at the restaurant Craft which is Chef Tom Colicchio's place. There was plenty to choose from on the menu and they serve it family style so we were able to sample each other's selections. Craft has their own pastry chef so we had to sample some desserts. I chose the blueberry waffle with maple bacon ice cream, Adam had some lemon thyme donuts and Dale picked an ice cream, fudge and caramel parfait...this was our "cheat" night as you can tell.

Happy Birthday Adam

2007-10-02T11:21:00.001-07:00

I just wanted to wish Adam a happy 29th birthday today.
He is such a wonderful husband and I'm so lucky to be married to an amazingly talented, loving, hilarious, hard-working guy!
Love You

Sick kid drummer!

2007-09-08T09:13:00.001-07:00

I was poking around youtube and found this....I had to post it for Chad.

A & M's blog...

2007-09-03T21:34:00.000-07:00

Since Matt pointed out that we were stealth about our new blog, here it is:
www.marquismafia.blogspot.com
We have a bunch of friends that have blogs too but we will try and post some of the same pictures on both.

New York, New York

2007-08-30T12:55:00.000-07:00

Ok, I know I'm now blogging a bunch of my family stuff, but it's better now than never. Here are some pics of Robert and I in New York City for our 10 year anniversary. We had so much fun. We stayed at the Trump Towers which was right across from Central Park. It was a beautiful view. We also shopped, ate some of the best food ever, and just enjoyed each others company. We even took a carriage ride through the park. I've always wanted to do that. It was one of our favorite vacations of all time.

April 2007.

Happy Birthday to Reed

2007-08-30T12:43:00.000-07:00

Reed just turned 7! And he had a fun family party at Grandma's house with some cousins, Grandmas and a friend. There was a magic show, lot's of food and presents. Reed loved his Nintento and Legos that he got for his birthday. He just started 1st grade and so far he loves it! We love Reed!

August 25, 2007.

The Little Dancer

2007-08-30T12:40:00.000-07:00

At the end of Spring, Amanda Gardner performed in her first dance recital. She loves to dance (just like her mom) and she especially loves the pretty costumes. Her she is all dressed up and with her mom, Michelle.

May 2007

California Here We Come!

2007-08-30T12:26:00.000-07:00

In August the Gardner clan spent over a week in California. This was our summer vacation and we were excited about spending some time at the beach. We were in Dana Point for about a week where we boogie boarded, played and relaxed with friends. We also stopped by Legoland. The kids loved it, especially Reed who is a "Lego Maniac." Then we drove up to SB for a few days to visit our family. We stayed with Matt and Ann and the kids and hung out with Grandpa Dale and swam, had BBQs and did some singing. It was a lot of fun. It's always fun and loud when the Marquis are together!

August 2007.

"For Good" Video

2007-08-19T22:43:00.000-07:00

During this summer we had a great time with Robert and Michelle visiting Santa Barbara and staying with us for a few days. We did a lot of swimming at the house and the club and just enjoyed being together as a family. During that time, Michelle and Maddy recorded "For Good" from Wicked. I did a little video and made a compilation of some pics from the time we were all together. Enjoy!

Marcus Marquis swimming at age 2!

2007-07-16T20:26:00.001-07:00

Here he is....Marcus the swimmer!

The original....

2007-07-16T18:09:00.001-07:00

Thought you might want to compare!

Billy Idol Airband - CDU - BYU 1990

2007-07-16T18:05:00.000-07:00

I know that the family is now barfing into bags at the posting of this video, but I had to get this out on the internet so that Brent, Grant and Shane could see it. Also, they can get caught up on the rest of our family info...and whoever else wanders across this video on the "world wide web"....

Henwood's Hundred!

2007-07-14T12:17:00.000-07:00

Earlier this summer we had the opportunity to travel to Florida with the Henwoods to celebrate Jim's father's 100th birthday. Yes I said 100! James Henwood, Sr. has done many wonderful things in his life, and continues that trend today. He resides in St. Petersberg, FL at a quaint board and care home. He has all of his faculties; he speaks elegantly and can recall most events that have occurred during his long lived life. Originally from Nova Scotia, this self taught tradesman, hotel owner/operator, barber, masseuse, Christmases tree farmer, fisherman - and just a jack of all tradesman has lived between upper state New York, Florida and Nova Scotia. Prior to meeting for his birthday, we spent a few days in Orlando doing the Disney World thing. The kids had a blast seeing all of what Disney could throw at us; early mornings and late nights at all of the parks. The kids also had their first experience with east coast summer storms with heavy rain, thunder and lightning. The latter 4 days were spent in St. Pete's with Thursday being the big 100th celebration. The party was in full festivus at the board and care home. Other residents, staff and family and friends gathered for a lunch, cake, and words spoken by family members about this remarkable man. It was a wonderful opportunity for our children to experience some like James Sr. Chris even got to play the harmonica (or mouth organ and he called it) with James Sr. When intervied for the local paper, James Sr. mentioned that he attributes his long life by continuing to learn as he aged, remaining active and honest in all that he does. Good words to live by.

4th of July Weekend

2007-07-08T14:35:00.000-07:00

Adam and I drove up to S.B. for the holiday week and had such a great time hanging out with family and friends for a few days.
Thanks to Matt, Ann and Dale for giving us a place to stay. Thanks guys, we had so much fun!

Montecito fireman pancake breakfast &
Butterfly Beach

Last day of 5th grade. (Boo hoo)

2007-06-30T10:40:00.000-07:00

I had my last day of school a couple of weeks ago. And I bet a lot of kids did too. Five people are leaving my class and they were all a big part of our class. One of them, Olivia, was my CIMI tent buddy. Blake, is moving to, I don't know how to spell it, but it sounds like this, OhI. And, Alex, is going to SB Middle school. And Daniel and Connor are going to Crane with Olivia. I'm going to miss them all so much! Have fun in 6th grade at your new schools guys! the entire class will miss you!

Reed Debut in Lurksquad!

2007-06-28T22:18:00.000-07:00

The dude is the newest, hottest actor in Hollywood and on the 'Net! Reed has burst onto the scene to show us the true talent in the Marquis family! Great new video! Chris' new camera looks hot...we can't wait to see the HD quality!