Camp Lomia...how we love you!!

Nicole went to girls camp for the first time this year and had a blast! It seems like yesterday I was a beehive at Camp Lomia for the first time and I remember being just as excited as she was. She has sung the songs she learned at camp ever since she got home (after her 4 hour nap of course) and loved everything about camp. She even said the "capers" (camp chores) weren't bad. I'm so grateful she had the opportunity to go and for the great leaders who took time to go making this memory possible. I've been a leader at camp and it's not near as fun as being a first year beehive -but without great leaders like she has it would be impossible. There are 26beehives in her class- with 3 more to come before the year ends!! I had 22 when I was in and that is A LOT of screaming girls. This picture was taken at the stake center before they headed out with "one" of her beloved cousins...Cami Perk
Nicole, Aunt Jenet, and cousin Cami. My sister Jenet was up there the four days prior to our stake and they were coming home on the buses we arrived on so she was able to see the girls before she headed home. So fun- all the nieces love Aunt Jenet! Whenever she sees you she makes you feel like a hundred bucks!!
On the first years hike...isn't she cute
The last day waiting for the buses to arrive...which were an hour and a half late!!

We're back from the beach and all though it is a sticky 109 outside...I must say it is good to be home!! We had a great time spending the first week with my whole family (minus a few due to work, school, and missions) and then a second-little quieter week with just my brother David and his family. We played on the beach and in the sand, read the new book by Stephanie Meyer "The Host" and loved it, went to Lego Land, Sea World, and went to the Zoo (where my purse was stolen thank goodness I had taken my wallet out and put it in my backpack...but a bummer none the less). It was a very busy but amazing something we look forward to the entire year. We have 10 beach front condos where the kids run from one unit to the other the entire time - even if it is 11 o'clock at night and never seem to tire until the drive home...which is nice! I have a great family and feel blessed to have the opportunity to live close to them and have such great relationships with them all.
Todd and I are beach lovers...therefore our children are falling in love with it as well. We have started a tradition that will last for many years. Thanks Todd for working hard so the kids and I could stay an extra week while you came home and sweated it out here in the heat!! We love you
Cousin Amy was "AMAZING"! Everyday she would help the kids build some kind of sand castle allowing me the "beached whale" to sit and watch. She won the hearts of so many younger cousins who I'm sure idolize her now for being the "sand castle queen"! Thanks Amy
Despite the fact that I have no pictures of Nicole...she was there she was just never around to be in a picture- she is our most social child earning the nickname of "Social Butterfly" by her 4th grade teacher. This is her with cousins Camille and Emma heading out for a little body surfing.
Gunner loves the ocean!! The first day on the beach he stayed in for 8 solid hours...I'm not kidding!! He got in the ocean every day we were there (except for the two Sundays of coarse) and could stay forever despite the freezing water! The last day he stayed in and boogie boarded by himself for 5 hours- he's a maniac!!
Courtney with cousin Kirkie

The evenings were amazing!! After a fun day in the sun we would unwind to a view like this...I actually took this picture! It was gorgeous
There is a Yacht Club that gathers on Wednesday evenings straight out from our door and Bridget got so excited to see the boats. She would not come in!!! She just keep yelling "see the boats mom...see them" over and over about every minute. I would respond with "yes Bridge I see them" but that was never good enough!! She would yell "look mom look...boats see them" it was so sweet!
See those 3 little heads popping up over the back of the chairs...that's Gunner, Bridget and Courtney in the early evening watching the waves crash on the shore. Something they did often. They would sit there together for 30 minutes or more and just watch in amazement and I would hear "Holy Cow that was a huge one!" or "Wow that one was awesome!" I loved listening to their conversations as much as they loved watching the waves!!

Oceanside, CA

We're off to the beach for 2 weeks for a much needed vacation!! Happy 4th of July

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY

Happy Father's Day to all the dads we know...but especially to these three great men in my life. First to my amazing husband whom I love and adore more than I could ever express. He is such a great dad to our kids and I tell him all the time he should have been the mother because he has more patients then I do. Our kids adore him and look up to him so much. I'm not sure who is more excited when daddy comes home...me or the kids!! Todd is patient, kind, and loving...I don't deserve him but I am grateful he loves me so much! Thanks Todd for who you are and making me a better person. I love you!!
To my own dad for loving me unconditionally even when he wanted to kill me or at least kick me out. He has devoted his life to the Lord's work and I respect and love him dearly. I am blessed to live so close to him and for the relationship we share.
And last but not least to Todd's dad for raising such an amazing son to be my husband. I am grateful for the values he and my mother-in-law taught their children and for all they continue to do for our family.

Happy Birthday Gunner!!

Happy Birthday Gunner...we love you so much!! It's crazy to think he is already ten!! I remember bringing him home from the Hospital on Father's Day weekend and it was just the four of us. When Gunner was a baby he had colic pretty bad until he was about nine months old and then after that he was the sweetest baby and child and still is today. He is very easy to have around and his personality is such that he attracks people to him. For the most part his a calming force among our kids- except for the fact that with age he is turning into some what of a tease- but the girls do love him and enjoy playing with him. It was so sweet the other night (after some very busy days) Nicole said "Gunner it feels like I haven't seen or talked to you forever...I'm so glad we have a few hours to spend time with each other until we go to bed" I thought my heart might melt. I'm so blessed and grateful they love each other so much! I love the sleepy eyes they all have!!
Gunner wanted to go Ice Skating for his birthday party so Thursday I took 10 boys out to the skating rink in Chandler for a party which turned out to be a great idea!! It was something different than swimming (which is what we usually do since he has a June b-day) and the boys had a blast!! There was one execption...one of his friends, Christian, had litterally been on the ice for 30 seconds when he fell and split his eye open!! I was video taping the boys entering the ice and all of a sudden I hear screaming. I look to see who it was...hoping and praying it wasn't one of mine...only to find my nephew Ben helping Christian to his feet. He was holding his head and when he took his had away we saw the blood. I tried to remain calm for his sake and took him to the first aid room where they cleaned it up and put a butterfly bandaid on it until he could go to the urgent care with his mom. It was a bummer but other than that it turned out to be great!
I ordered a Skateboard cake from Walmart (they didn't have a Hockey one) and it turned out pretty cool.Left to right John, Robbie, Brandon, Ben, Adam, Gunner, Clark, Christian, Jason, and Jay
This is a picture of Christians eye...he had to get nine stitches!!

50th Wedding Anniversary

My mom and dad will celebrate 50 years of "marital bliss" this month so as siblings we decided to throw a party in their honor! My brother John and is wife Verna were so nice to let us use their "amazing" backyard to host the event!! We sent out close to 400 invitations and from the crowd we had- I think they all showed up! We had "yummy" food and the weather was gorgeous so people stayed and visited which is what we wanted. My mom and dad are two of the greatest people I know. They are full of love and compassion for others and it is evident by their actions. They are incredible examples to me and I hope to be half as great as they are!!
Mom and Dad...the greatest parents in the world!!
Left to right...John, Scott, Me, Jenet, Amy, David and Lisa with mom and dad Grandma and Grandpa with a few of their granddaughters...3 of them being mine!! Lucky girls

Memorial Day

For as long as I can remember my family has gone to the cemetery for Memorial Day where my Grandma and Grandpa Udall along with my Uncle King are buried. We all meet around 9:30 and reacquaint ourselves with cousins we don't see that often and then we have a little program about the importance of this great country we live in and the lives that have been lost in our behalf. We talk about the men and women who have served and those who continue to serve for our freedom. It is a pretty neat tradition that is now caring on down to the next generation. My mom was the youngest of 11 children and I am the youngest grandchild of 64 for my Grandma and Grandpa Udall. 5 of my grandparents sons and 6 of their sons-in-laws have served in the armed forces. It used to be just go to the cemetery take part in the program and head home...but now with our own children we make a day out of it. After we are finished at the cemetery we all head to In -n- Out Burger...poor people...you should see their faces as 64 plus people come walking in at once, then to the movies where we try to divide and conquer the different age groups and then to one of our houses for swimming and pizza. The day begins around 9 and finally comes to an end sometime around 7 or 8. The kids think it should never end...they never seem to get tired of each other. I am so blessed to have such a great family and love living so close to them all.
This is most of my immediate family-minus the nine who were unable to make it. It is something we try to attend every year not only out of respect to my grandparents and Uncle but also for my mom.
Uncle King was my mom's 2nd oldest brother who was killed on May 19, 1944 64 years ago during WW11 when he was struck my lightning. My mom was 9 years old at the time of his death and recalls the day the knock came at the door to inform the family of his death. My grandmother Udall had been sick and when she got the news she fainted at the door. My mom also recalls the white flag that hung in their window which represented that the family had loved ones serving in the war. After the death of my Uncle a gold flag was also hung in the window represented the death of a solider. It was a very sad time for my grandma...I can only imagine!!

Behind us is the flag that was draped over my Uncle King's casket when he returned from World War 11. It's kind of hard to see but it only has 48 stars on it- he died before the two others states where added to make it 50 states...pretty cool!This is a picture of my parents with a few of my aunts and uncles.
On to the next stop... In -n- Out Burger- Yummy Yummy!!


Final destination- Uncle Greg and Aunt Jenet's house for swimming and pizza.




Bridget with her favorite cousin Blair Bowden

Arizona Rain Storm

In Arizona it rains just enough to make a mess of our cars and run all the dirt from the rooftops to our driveways and patios making them nice and dusty!! But the other day as the kids were getting home from school it started to rain and Courtney looked up at me with those beautiful eyes of hers and said..."can I run in it" as you can see the answer was yes and they all had a blast getting just wet enough to have a load of wet dirty clothes to wash! But their happy smiling faces made it all worth it!

Catching Up...

Life got really crazy around the middle of April and I fell way behind on my blog not to mention life! But I wanted to share with you what made it so busy and how much fun we had while losing our minds in the chaos!!! The girls both got to perform in a Gymnastics recital as well as a Dance recital on back to back weekends...with a little 6th grade science camp in between. My in-laws flew in to watch the girls gym recital and my mother-in-law and sister-in-law so kindly stayed the following week so I could attend science camp with Nicole. Which was 3 days and 2 nights just outside of Payson. I was a cabin mom with Lanie Arnett and Tiffany Arnett and we had 9 girls to attend to, hikes to go on, capers to do, classes to attend and nights to SURVIVE!! But it was tons of fun and I'm so grateful my family made it possible for me to go. Needless to say by the time those two weeks were over I was physically exhausted but great memories had been made!!

Nicole and Courtney with some of their Perkinson cousins.

Nicole and I on the hike to the fish hatchery...the hike was definitely the best part!!!
Nicole and her best friend Bailey Arnett
Last day of science camp...picture time!!

Happy Birthday Bridget...Happy Mother's Day

It seems hard to believe Bridget is 2!!! Although she brings joy and happiness to our lives...she is a handful. She is very lively and always on the go. She is my shadow and repeats everything I say- guess I better watch my tongue. We are blessed to have her as part of our family and love her spunky personality (most of the time). She is a ray of Sunshine in our lives- Happy Birthday Bridget!! (the kids kept telling her to smile but to open her eyes...she couldn't grasp the concept)

"Cheesy" is the only smile Bridget knows!!
My mom and Bridget share the same birthday...what a lucky girl Bridget is. My mom is the most amazing women you'll ever meet, I wish I was more like her. She is the most loving, kind, and selfless women and my life has been extremely blessed because of her. Her Christ like attitude is an incredible example to me. My children love her dearly especially Bridget so it seems fitting they share this day together. Even though Bridget loves my mom so much right now...someday she will realize how blessed she was to have Pauli Perkinson for a grandma and that she has a lot to live up to sharing a birthday with her. Happy Birthday and Happy Mother's Day Mom!

The kids and Todd gave me a video ipod for mother's day which will be lots of fun if I can ever learn how to use it!! Todd made dinner for me yesterday and it was great!