More Utah

WARNING really long post, tons of pictures!!!

Sunday June 28th

After church we decided for tradition we would all drive over to Cascade Springs for the day. We grew up going there. It was beautiful!! All the greenery has come back so much since the fire, it's finally looking like we remembered it. The kids just had fun being there together and it's always a good time trying to keep that many little kids from falling or JUMPING in to the springs by accident!! It was the perfect way to spend the day. We wrapped it up by enjoying a nice Sunday dinner back at the cabin and of coarse playing games!!!

Monday June, 29th

Today Missi (my sister) and my mom planned a day of games for the kids. Probably the funnest day of games ever!!! We laughed so hard and I hope it's a day my kids remember for a looong time!! The first game was a "fear factor" relay there were three teams of 3 kids. The first kid on each team had to stick their face in a pan of RED jello and with only their mouth pull out 10 little marble things, when they had all 10 the next kid could go and they had to do the same thing but they had cholcolate pudding, the last kid had a bucket of COLD water. I really didn't think they would do it but they LOVED it and us parents were laughing hysterically!!! Keaton had the jello and he was an animal, when he was done his entire was was bright red!! Braydon and Kiley versed each other with the chocolate pudding, they were really good and flinging the pudding EVERYWHERE, not so much at finding the stones!! Malerie had the bucket of water and she did awesome!! She was totally soaked when she was done!!

I'm not sure what the next game is called but it involved sugar so it was perfect for this crowd. We had 4 teams of 5 people. Every person was given a brown lunch sack with some sort of food item in it. The first person on each team had to open their bag and completely consume the item in their bag then the next person could go and so on!! I think the items were 5 pieces of bubble gum, 3 packs of pop rocks, 5 pixie stixs, a baby bottle with water (they had to drink it), and 3 or 4 of the big marshmallows!! With this group it could be anybody's game?? I loved Dysons face they dumped all five pixie sticks in at once. My cheeks hurt just think about it!! The adults eneded up with the bottles. The girls bit the top of the nipples off, Steve just squoze the bottle as hard as he could. Good times!!!Looking good Steve your policeman friends would be so proud!!WINNERS!!!WINNERS (Braydon was thrilled-sorry bud!!)

THE BEST GAME EVER !!
CRACKER WACKER!!
Pictures could never do this game justice!!
My mom strung a saltine cracker on a piece of thread and tied one to each persons back side! We had to play it by age or it would have been brutal!!
We made a big square in the grass that you had to stay inside of. Each person got a rolled up newspaper and the idea was to wack everyone elses cracker while trying to keep yours from getting "whacked". The little kids just ran in one big circle chasing each other, laughing their heads off! The bigger girls meant business and I think Malerie was the winner. That girl is fast and she can hit!! Keaton may have won out of the little boys, it's all a blur! The best was playing with my mom and sisters. NO MERCY!!! We were beating the tar out of each other and loved every minute of it! It was hard hitting each other and laughing so hard. Carli got the rest of my cracker and won!! The boys were equally as brutal but they hit even harder!! This ones going down as a new famiy favorite though!! Thanks mom!!
We also played the sawdust dig game, a couple relay games, swang on the rope swing and clothes line swings, and played human knot. To much fun for one day!!

After a great dinner and getting kiddos settled, my sisters, mom, Kiley and I snuck out to see the Proposal. Love that movie a sweet ending to an awesoem day!!

Decisions, Decisions

A few months back I heard a rumor that my grandparents were going to be having a 60th Wedding Anniversary party the end of June. We really had no intentions of going to Utah for the 4th like we usually have, due to girls camp being so close. In every way it just wasn't practical for us to go at this time. As hard as I was trying to be ok with not going it was killing me to miss out on an opportunity for not only my immediate family to be back together in Utah but also all of our extended family, some I haven't seen in waaay to long!! The closer the date got the harder it was becoming to dismiss. I was really determined to have as many of my camp responsibilities under control on the off chance we could make it happen, and I'm not going to lie I was REALLY due for a distraction. The party/reunion was going to be Saturday June 27th so realistically we needed to leave Friday. I think we finally made a decision on TUESDAY that we were going (just the kids and I). Because Eric had just taken off work to go on our Stakes Pioneer Trek and he was taking off again to come to camp. There was just no way he was going to be able to come, BUUMMER! Needless to say it was a little crazy getting ready to go!!

With that many family members in town I was anxious about where we were going to stay and how that would all work out, and of course when that many of my family-siblings, spouses and kids are together it can be a bit much (UNDERSTATEMENT!!) and making plans and following through with them and everyone getting along, and so on and so forth!! So it was excitement mixed with , stress, anxiety and fear that this was a bad idea but I'm always up for a challenge!

Our kids have always been excellent travelers. Usually my biggest issue is Braydon, and Kiley fighting over the front seat (really guys??? I mean seriously) Luckily this time it was minimal. Malerie and Keaton barely made a peep. I had to keep asking are they awake? We were fortunate to get there quickly and safely. It's hard for me to express the actual physical and emotional changes I feel as I drive into the Utah Valley. It's like my spirit says "YES were home!!" What is even funnnier is the kids have never lived there but they almost experience the same thing.
When we got to town we stopped at Mike and Kelliann's to drop Braydon off and say hi. the boys (my brothers, brother in laws and Braydon were going to some crazy air soft gun course and Braydon was so excited he could hardly stand it. He loves hanging with his older "not always wiser uncles"!!! We gave hugs and kisses to their cute little cousins that we don't see often enough and the rest of us headed up the canyon to Great Grandma's cabin in Midway!!

Saturday I was so giddy in anticiaption of being with all my family again!! I miss the good ol days when we would all gather for Sunday dinners and holidays at grandmas and play games and just have a good time together. The receptin was nice and we got to see a lot of old friends from when we lived here. It was amazing to see how much people have changed and not changed!! The best part was following the reception when it was cousins, aunts, and uncles up the wazoo! Playing games, eating and just catching up!! There is NOTHING better or more important in this world then family!!!
After the party all of my siblings and nieces and nephews went over to the Zermot Resort to watch the play Sound of Music that our dad was playing in. It was so fun sitting on the hillside on blankets with all of our family, under the star in the gorgeous mountains (except it got cold real fast!!) It was a GOOD day!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAL MAL!! (2 weeks ago!!)

We celebrated Maleries 10th birthday July 6th, I'm just a wee bit behind on my posts, so sorry lovey!! Every year poor Maleries birthday has to contend with either our annual Utah trip or girls camp or sometimes both!!
We want you to know how much we LOVE and ADORE you. You keep the Perkins home full of life and entertained with your dancing, funny faces, jokes and sweet spirit (and sometimes theat spitfire attitude that we love so much). I cannot imagine life without you!! I hope some day Heavenly Father will let me in on his little secret of why I got so lucky to have such awesome kids. I love when we have our little mom and daughter dates and look forward to many, many more!! We are so proud of the young woman you are maturing into and are thankful for your example. Don't ever forget who you are and that you ARE loved, Love you long time!!

Happy Birthday Braydon!!!

It really seems like you just had a birthday and therefore I am rejecting the reality that we are celebrating yet another!!! In a lot of ways I am so excited for you to grow up and in others it makes me so sad!! You are growing and maturing into an amazing young man and I feel so blessed to be your mom. Hope you have a great birthday and know that we love you!!!

The CUTEST little metal mouth ever!!

Malerie is an over achiever! She has been going to the Orthodontist for a little over a year in preparation for getting her braces. The Dr had said she would most likely be ready between the age of 11 to 12. She was very obedient about wearing her head gear every night. She lost all of her teeth that she was suppose to loose in record breaking time and on her last check up the Dr. said she was ready to go! You would have thought she won the lottery or something, she was so excited to get her braces on and get on with it!!
On May 26th she had her first appointment to get her top braces on and she is an excellent patient. I was pleasantly surprised that she had no problems adjusting to them. So farshe has been totally compliant with the do's and don'ts of what you can or can't eat with braces, hopefully that will last!
In another month or so she gets the bottom braces and the plan is to be done in 18 months!
We think you are absolutely adorable Mal!! I can't believe how much older it makes you look!!