Visiting Utah - Perkins Style

Our visit to Utah of course was to visit family... but we could never show up without some plans arranged with the Perkins.

Oh how we miss you everyday....
eyeyeyeyeye........
ok... I can't say any more on the matter or else I will be in a flood of tears.

Here are some of our favorite spots where we met up to play.

Gardner Village
It was our first sunny day there and we lived it up.

It started off with a long walk on jordan parkway, follwed by some yummy lunch here and cookies that we did not want to share with the children. After that we did some duck watching...

Wheeler farm
Sunny day, but chilllllly. The kids didn't care though, and neither did the animals :)

my favorite cowboy....

seriously... I love this kid, mood swings and all.


This will be going on their wedding video in 20 years

best buddies 4-eva!


my other half


we felt sorry for this cow and her engorged looking udders


giving Tenley some love

We met up at some other fun places too... including our half way meeting point at McDonalds.
Our other favorite meeting spot is Target. Going there without these peeps is never the same.
Until next time Perkins....

LOVE YOU GUYS!

oh...
I just realized I may have deleted the greatest videos of all time :( I was planning to post them at the end here cause they are hilarious... imagine these kids having their own conversation with a sheep and another one of them pestering a really testy rooster! Not to mention the best laugh you'd ever hear in your life... Kim's got a great one :)

Why.I.Awe.Da!!!

Mother's Day Questionaire

Taryn brought home a mothers day game from sunbeams.

It came with a bag of m&m's, and for each color was a question you would ask each other...
Her answers were awesome...

1. What is one of your favorite things to do with me?
Taryn's answer: HUG

2. Where would you want to go anywhere in the world with me and why?
Taryn's answer: on a trip... on the mickey boat.

3. What do you see us doing in ten years?
Taryn's answer: playing with chalk

4. Name three reasons why you love me
Taryn's answer: you share with me, you make me dinner, and you be nice to me

5. Ask me any question you like!
Taryn's response: Did you and Daddy ride in a carriage at the temple when you got married?
(Robbie was explaining to her that today is our anniversary)

6. Hum a tune and see if I can guess it...
Taryn's response: She hummed the same note and I guessed I am a child of God.

Right now she is standing on a chair at the sink "doing the dishwasher" in her sleeping beauty dress. What a great helper on Mother's Day! I love this girl and I am so grateful to be her mom. Even though there are times I want to shut myself in in my room and escape the chaos of mommy life, I wouldn't trade it for anything.
These girls are my everything.

I love you sweet booga babies!! Thank you for always loving me.


oh and check out my hairdo... I wanted to try something new and I saw this on a blog I regularly stalk...and gave it a try


whatdaya think?

Easter in an eggshell

So we just got back from our trip to Utah.

It sure is weird to say that... our trip to Utah. I kinda want to say we went home to Utah, and now we are back visiting Reno.

Anyway...
before I get to that, I don't want to skip Easter.

So here are pictures from our Easter weekend....

Taryn and I dyed eggs while Tenley and Lexi played with the plastic eggs.


Taryn's outfit for the egg dying...
sweet flight of the concords shirt :)


Mr and Mrs egg


the Easter bunny brought some awesome goodies



then we searched for all the eggs in their silly places....
while Daddy and Tenley slept.


She loves her new jammies!


and her cute Easter dress!!


I finally woke Tenley up ten minutes before we left for church.
Sheesh, I wish I could sleep in and look that cute with ten minutes to get ready!


oh, and look who exists!
Our very busy Daddy!!!


and after church, these girls got into some mischief...

while mommy was busy making this Easter dinner :)

I was very proud of myself!

The next morning I got the girls in our loaded up car at 5 am and we made the long drive "home."

I'm already planning our next trip ;)

remembering today

Today I don't care that I have a muffin top. That muffin top carried two baby girls that I love and adore.

Today I am happy to have a healthy body that can pull those girls along on a bike ride.

Today I feel blessed to see the "popcorn" trees, feel the spring breeze, and hear the birds chirpping.

Today I am letting the little things go, the fingerprints on the glass door, the spills on my kids shirts, the unwashed hair of their mother...

Today I find joy in cooking, baking, and preparing dinner for my family.

Today I am happy picking up toys, loading the dishwasher, switching out the laundry.

Today I smile while I watch my girls play and giggle together. Everyday I get to watch them grow as sisters.

Today I am feeling the spirit.
In my home, in new friends, and in my family.

Today I am living life...
and I love it.

a parade, some pizza, and a toad.

Every week we've been getting to know new friends at playgroup. One of those friends invited us to her previous wards playgroup this past week for a parade. (I am loving playgroups... for reals, it's my saving grace) We brought along Taryn's scooter to decorate and ride around.

By the time everyone showed up, the kids were getting antsy and the wind had picked up.... but we weren't going to let that stop us.

I made sure to stick Taryn in the back of the line.
She's not one for speed.


Here is Taryn with one of her new buddies, Jocelyn. Such a sweet girl!

the line-up

In the meantime, Tenley sat still and quietly doing what she does best... eating.

The next day was Friday. I usually don't make any plans for Friday evening because Robbie's schedule is a little hectic at the moment. I never know what time to expect him home, but I was tired of making dinner, and decided we needed to venture out and eat somewhere new.

I had heard one of the playgroup mom's - a super cool one - mention a fun pizza joint that her kids love. Later, when I was looking through the mail, I came across a coupon for that fun pizza joint. You don't have to give me any more signs... it was decided, we we're out for a night on the town.

I called Robbie and said, "Get your behind home, we're goin' out!!"

Ok, so I don't have that much control, but lucky for us he was almost home and it wasn't even 6!

Loved this place. Cool and classy, yet still kid friendly. They even give the kids some pizza dough to play with and mold into whatever their hearts desire.


this guy was seriously showing off.
He tossed that pizza dough to be so large, it could have fed the entire Duggar family.


So yummmmmmmmy


Me and booga numero uno.


Booga numero dos.


That roll there is Taryn's creation from her pizza dough.
I had the show off guy put it in that big brick oven for a few minutes.


Oh, and I stumbled upon this guy the other night. He was hopping across our sidewalk.

I thought that was a tail.
Nope.

He left that little present behind.

a few more of Taryn's stories....and some interpretive dancing

Taryn's story of "sleeeting udey"