16 going on 17 - Davin and Bri

Well, this week is a neat one for us! Our little man is 16 months old, AND our future little lady is 16 weeks along! For those of you who haven't heard, we are expecting and due on July 15th! We are struggling to come up with a name (we had a hatful of boy ones we loved, but are having a hard time nailing down one for a girl).

Elias is learning new words all the time and is understanding more and more. Some of his favorite things to do is laugh after he hears other people laugh and to "dance". Dancing for him consists of a series of deep squats followed by as many tight spins as he can get in before he loses his balance :) He also had a first this week of interlocking his fingers for prayer. He loves reading and will bring you book after book after book for you to read to him. His lovely locks are getting really long, but we can't bring ourselves to cut them for fear those darling curls will be gone forever. Some days he really looks homeless, but most days his curls bring ooo's and aaa's from fellow shoppers. He also is learning to enjoy sporting sunglasses...

Davin is doing well, loving his 3 day work weeks for the most part (to clarify, he loves the 4 day weekend part at least). He is enjoying spending time with the scouts and is looking forward to the Klondike this weekend. I am so glad that is something only the guys have to do! While we were in Minnesota he was trying to find a good outfit to wear for his Klondike campout... None were tall enough for him unfortunately ;) Didn't stop him from testing it out, just to be sure! His opera glasses business is doing well and is enabling us to go on a getaway to Oahu in only 11 more days! We are staying near Waimea Bay and Haleiwa and I couldn't be more excited! North Shore was my favorite while I lived on Oahu. We have plans for hiking, PCCing, beaching, snorkeling, tanning, sightseeing, sushi-ing, and just relaxing all around :)

Grandpa's Big Birthday Bash and Other Fun!

Well, its been another busy week.  Scott spent the week in Cedar City working on a store reset.  I  babysat Becki on Monday, did some shopping on Tuesday, worked on Wednesday, worked and went to book club on Thursday, met with my flea.o.logy partners for a working lunch on Friday (3 hours worth) and went to see Breaking Dawn with Dad (his idea) on Saturday.

All week I have been working on getting my craft and scrapbooking stuff out of the guest room as Spencer is on his way home with Seth, who will be living with us until summer.  We expect them tomorrow.

In other notable news, on Thursday we had a shoplifter at Treasures who cut the locks off cases, stealing jewelry and two Roseville vases from me. (ouch!)  Kathy saw him leave with something apparently under his jacket and followed him out, but he was quick.  We called Confetti antiques when I saw my open case and knew what was missing.  He had already been there trying to sell the Roseville.  We got to visit with a nice Springville Policeman for a while.  Ah the memories.

But the MOST notable news is that my dear husband of 37 years turned 59.  We all gathered at Brady and Becca's to celebrate and had a wonderful planned potluck Mexican Meal.  Yummm.

Oh and I have to show you how my grandchildren are learning and growing.  Today Becki discovered her tongue and spent the whole day sticking it out.  So, so cute. 

Elias found out that he could give 'crusties' and practiced them on us all at Grandpa's birthday party, oh so priceless.

Such smart grand babies we have in this family.

 

 

 Here are more pictures of the whole crew holding babies, talking, holding babies, laying
down to rest, talking,  AND holding babies while talking and laying down to rest.

And this picture is my favorite of the whole evening.  Eleanor is just entranced with her Uncle Brady, who is obviously entertaining her very well.

Thanks to all of you who came and helped Dad pass another milestone.  I know he loved that you all came.  Brady even made arrangements to get off work so he could be there.  Dad loves you all so much and your presence was the very best gift he could have received.

Unraveling the Mitko Mysteries

Well, just in case you were wondering, Brittany is addicted to Pinterest.  She is having lots of fun repinnning  all kinds of goodies, including a great recipe for split pea Curry soup, I can't wait to try it.

In other news, Kai, who got glasses last month, got braces this month.  Pretty cute, don't you think? Hmmm I wonder what February will bring?

Britt took the boys swimming at the local YMCA and is looking for a place that's not quite as expensive.  They had a ball, but spent a wad.

Keep having fun you all Idahoans.

Those Happy Halls

This month I am going to do the blog entry about the Halls, from now on its going to be Kim who will write it.  I stopped by tonight to visit and to see what is happening with our Happy Halls.

Kim and Ian showed me the new kitten that Kim's little cat had in December.  They named her Athena, and she is adorable and chubby.  She definitely has a Maine Coon Cat for a father, as she looks nothing like her mother, besides her coloring.

In Other News of the Halls, Andy has been out of town all week, Monday to Friday every week this month, as he is working on a big project in Las Vegas.

And now for a cute saying, and we all know how Gram loves cute sayings.

Ashley is driving through a parking lot with Zach in his car seat when she goes over a speed bump Zach says "Careful with the baby Mom."

Darby and Dolce

Darby is keeping busy and even stressing a bit over the time and energy it takes to work, do school and find time for Dolce.  According to her facebook posts for January she is feeling stressed.  This week she even had the worst customer she has ever had to wait on. 

She also said that her time with Dolce is worth the expense and that her "Favorite part of the day? Getting to go see my four-legged best friend. :)"

These are some pictures a friend took of them last October and posted on FB where I could 'borrow' them.

More Moving Furniture, Valentines Kits, Flea.o.logy and Seeing My Girls!

Yes indeed, another week has gone by and here is what happened.

On Monday we managed to get the rooms arranged and finished up moving around the furniture we had moved the end of the week before.  The Piano looks just right in its old place. Thanks Spencer.

 

The 'amazing' table looks great in the corner, decorator Scott's choice.  (And that will make setting a second table in the parlor for family dinners so much easier.) The narrower cupboard in the family room, where the piano was, makes the room seem larger.  I love the trunks I finally selected (and which Dad moved) for more functional storage in the family room.

Then yesterday, Dad was at it again.  He moved my huge scrapbook desk out of the guest room, by himself, and into our room, as Spencer will be living in this room when Seth comes next week, and he will need the drawer space.  I love the funky shabby chest of drawers.  Dad Hauled it up from the garage single handed.  Super Dad strikes again. 

Also on Monday, I was working on getting items together for my Valentine kits.  It was off to see Briahnna to get our jointly owned Cricut machine.  Unfortunately our adorable Elias was having a nap, bad timing I guess.  I also went to Becca's and she taught me to cut on her Cricut, and in so doing I was able to get the dye cut hearts for the kits.

Tuesday I put 11 kits together, and listed two on Etsy.  I took the rest to Treasures the next day.  I had lots of time to do it because Dad was doing his shift at the Provo Temple.  It took hours, but I loved doing it.

Wednesday morning I found out that one of the kits has sold.  I was so excited, because that was my first sale on Etsy.  Yeah!  It was also a work day for me.  Dad worked too, as always, and took his Dad out to dinner afterward, since he knew he would be out of town on Thursday and Friday.

Thursday was another work day, of course, and my friend Nikki shared some craft store coupons with me.  Since Dad was in Cedar City, I went craft and book shopping after work.

Friday I spent a lot of the day straightening the upstairs and changing beds.  Since we had flea.o.logy the next day, I knew that my good friend Cathie and her husband would be spending the night.  (Just remember I love having guests, so be sure to let me know when you want to stay!!) Now that I no longer had a double bed guest room, that meant getting my room ready. (We slept in Spencers room, as he was babysitting for Trevor and Nell, and found out that his bed is pretty darn comfy!)

Of course I spent a lot of time finishing up odd projects for the sale, and since I was in the mood, I did a few other projects I have been putting off.

Dad got home just in time to help me load the van for the sale. (I love this man, did you all know that?)  Then we headed over to Olson's Garden Shoppe, a store in Payson that had invited our flea.o.logy crew to have a winter sale there. It was our first time to use the flea.o.logy sign I worked so hard on last week. Jenn brought a great old ladder to work as a stand, and Dad added the chain.  I LOVE it and so did a lot of customers.

Nell, her friend and Becca all sold at the sale.  Emily came by just for fun, and we got to visit a bit.  With seeing Briahnna on Monday, I got to see four of my eight girls this week, and that was a real treat.

Unbelievably, after the sale, leaving Cathie and Jenn to finish up the accounting, Dad and I went to the HCT with the Moes and Heuers to see a very fast paced and funny play called 39 Steps.  It was great to get together again, as always.  We adore these friends, and miss getting together as much as we used to. (No Sunday night cards for months!)

Sunday, today, was a pretty normal one.   Dad sang in the choir for ward conference and their song brought tears to my eyes.  After church Dad and I got our temple recommends renewed, and Dad was told by the stake president that he sees our family as 'pillars of the stake'.  That made Dad feel good I think.

Last of all Dad and I had dinner, played Scrabble and watched a show we had Tivoed.  The End.

The Great Eva Goat, Glass Glitter, French Food and Moving the Piano!

So here is our week again.  Lots of fun, creativity, food and rubbing shoulders with people we love!

Monday - I had my We Can group and spent the morning tying a quilt to be given to the Shumway family. (Whose house burned down the week of Christmas) That night Scott and I had our monthly Family Home Evening group where we study Preach My Gospel.

Tuesday - I picked up Eva and we headed north.  First we got glitter stars on our cheeks at Dear Lizzie in Highland.  The last time I went there I got one, and then stopped by Trevor and Nell's on an errand.  Eva was impressed with my star and I promised her a glitter star the next time we went out.  

Then we headed north again.  Eva started talking in a funny staccato voice that sounded like a goat.  Since I was telling her we were on our way to see Great Aunt Cheryl, I ended up calling her Great Eva Goat.  She didn't like being called 'Great' until I told her it means wonderful, fabulous, and amazing, then she liked it.   

Here we are visiting with Aunt Cheryl.  We also played a horse shoe toss game and had ice cream too!

I went visiting teaching after I got home and spent the night crafting because Scott had his shift at the temple.

Wednesday I  worked, as always and made bags and bags and bags of glass glitter.  Very Pretty.  Scott took his Dad to dinner that night because he would be out of town the next two days.

Thursday I worked again, this time making heart banners with glittered edges from copied 30's Valentines.  After work I stopped to grocery shop, then Spencer and I got to have dinner at Sam and Emily's.  Emily had texted earlier in the day inviting me to dinner and asking me to choose a country.  I chose France and we had some lovely French Meat Balls with rice and asparagus and an amazing layered dessert. Yummmmmy!

Friday, before heading home, Scott went to lunch with his brother Rick, where he found out that Rick and Wendi had put their house on the market for a test run, and it had sold within 24 hours.  Now they have to decide whether to buy an exisiting home, or build.  Not a situation that happens much anymore. 

As for me, I finished up making the junk flea.o.logy sign I had been working on for a month or so, and took it to a girls' 'night in' at Jennifer Reed's home.  We had a great time crafting and watching movies. 

                                                                                                                                           

 Saturday was moving day, in the literal sense of the word.  We moved the piano back to the living room, then moved the huge and heavy oak angel desk to the opposite corner.  Next we brought in a large cupboard to occupy the space where the piano had been in the family room.  Spencer was pivotal in these operations, and we are appreciative of his brawn.   That night we went to see Hugo with the Kews and then to dinner at Wingers.  

Sunday was a normal church day.  After church Todd Ekins, our former bishop and current first counselor grabbed me and dragged me into an empty classroom where he set me apart.  The room light works on motion sensors and half way through the prayer the lights went out.  It was pretty funny, really, but I am now officially serving as the Humanitarian Leader in the Relief Society here.

Scott and I finished up the evening with a game of scrabble, no surprise there.

Keeping up with the Summers

I’d like to pretend that there is a lot to keep up with but the truth is life has been pretty mellow around hear. Which can be nice some days.

I got all four wisdom teeth out last Monday and it wasn’t to bad. One side still hurts, I might have gotten a dry socket. I go back in today to get the stiches cut out. oh joy!

This was taken last night can you tell that my left cheek is still swollen. The sexy wooden glasses are from http://hatcheteyewear.com/

Titan is learning to eat with a spoon and fork. Must say its hard to watch him make such a mess. He also is getting really good at cleaning up his toys. Almost to good he often will put things away in draws that perhaps need not go where he is putting them.

Brady is going in to the chiropractor Wednesday. He loves going but hates spending the money so he goes about once a year. He also need to get into the eye doctor but we just keep putting that off.

Our 37th Anniversary + Trevor's Birthday + Movie Marathon + Glass Glitter!!

This week at Broadstone Manor we barely managed to keep busy!

Monday was our anniversary and Dad and I went to dinner at Los Amigos and then 'red boxed' Larry Crowne, which we liked a lot.

Tuesday I finally painted our kitchen 'tea cart' table black with enameled spray paint, OUTSIDE the temps were in the 50's!  (I decided it need painting two years ago!)  That evening Dad was back at the temple after it reopened, for his regular shift.

Wednesday I made glitter at work.  Glass glitter is tricky to find and can be spendy too .... so I figured out how to make it from old glass Christmas tree ornaments. Hooray!!

Thursday was a normal work day for me, with some DI shopping and Grocery shopping afterwards.  Dad took Grandpa Carlo, Emily, Spencer, and Uncle Kelly to dinner in Salt Lake ... I missed the party!! But when Emily and Spencer got back, and Dad crashed, they played Scrabble with me.  They both beat me, in case you were wondering, but let me just say, it was a lively game.

Friday I spent hours and hours and hours working on organizing my craft room.  Dad and I played scrabble after dinner that night.

Saturday Dad and I joined up with the Moes (and later the Heuers) for Barb's birthday Movie Marathon!!  We saw the New Mission Impossible, Hugo, The Muppet Movie and finished up with the new Sherlock Holmes movie.  Dad and I ran off to a funeral in the middle to Elk Ridge (Judy Dimond from my book club) while Randy and Barb saw the latest Twilight movie.  Lucky Randy, and just when he thought he had dodged that bullet!!

I actually loved Hugo and Dad and I have already made arrangements to go and see it with the Kews this weekend.

Sunday evening we celebrated Trevor's 31st birthday.  We missed Ben and Davin et al, but the rest of us enjoyed English Dinner (Trevor's Choice).  Our gift to Trevor was a pair of eyeglasses from this amazing online wood glasses store.  He loved them!!

Now for just a quick note.  It is so fun to have baby Becki in the basement (sounds like a children's book title eh?)  Anyway, Emily runs her up on and off for quick visits.  In the picture on the left she is waking up Uncle Spencer and is getting a sweet kiss as a thank you for her excellent service.

In the picture below Emily came up to show me how cute the brown polka dot onesie I gave Becki looks with this cute outfit.

That's it for the week.  Hope to hear how some other Perkins' (and Tallys and Halls and Summers and Mitkos) are doing.

Top Events of 2011

January - Scott becomes an ordinance worker at the Provo Temple.

January - Paula and Scott got to see 'Legally Blonde' in Reno with the Moes and Heuers.

February - Britt moves to Twin Falls, Idaho to join Mike who has been managing the Best Buy there.

April - Scott takes up long distance running.

May - Emily graduates from the 'Y'

May - Scott gets a 'new' natural gas car.

May - Sam graduates from the 'U'

May - Paula, along with Jenn Reed and Cathie Cox, hold the first so dubbed 'flea.o.logy' sale.

June - Flea-o-logists, Paula, Jenn, Cathie and Wendy go to the famous Farm Chicks sale in Spokane.

August - Scott with help from Sam converts the carport into a garage.

August- Brittany and Mike move to Meridian, Idaho after Mike is transferred to the Best Buy there.

September - Rebekah Jane Talley is born to Sam and Emily (Perkins) Talley on the 15th

September - We get a natural gas van to replace Paula's Cavalier Convertible.

October-November - We (Scott, Paula, Darby, Becca and Titan) go to Canada to pick up Spencer from his mission there.

November - Spencer has his Missionary Home Coming. (Shown here with Riley Hine his friend and also a returned missionary from our SL ward)

November-  Paula is released from the Primary Presidency after overseeing the scripture chain for almost a year, and serving with Joleen Rowan as President for three years.

December - Paula does her first Primary Children's Festival of trees in 9 years, with the help of  'We Can' a service organization to which she belongs.

Hatchet Wood Glasses: Handmade Wood Glasses and Sunglasses

I have stumbled upon quite a beauty in fashion. Hatchet Wood Glasses makes and sells these glasses/sunglasses made completely by hand from wood. They offer a few different styles, their flag ship model being the Vancouver model, which features the classic wayfarer look in either red oak, or zebra wood. They are hand made in the USA. These glasses are incredibly light on your heard and are almost form fitted to your nose to feel amazing. I own a pair of their Vancouver wood glasses and they are great! I recommend these to anyone who is a fan of supporting natural beauty.

Visit their website at: www.hatcheteyewear.com

A pair of their Vancouver Model in Red Oak

Sooooo stoked!

So, as many of you might know, I started doing translation work for a company in India. Because there was almost a three month delay from hen I started working to my first, small paycheck (I had started inthe middle of a pay period), at first I was worried about whether it was even legit or not. After getting paid a little, I knew it wasn't a scam and was just worried that I might not be able to translate the monthly required minimum. Then, I got my first real payment, in which I had done a sufficient amount of work. Well, yesterday, I got my invoice for work done in November. I literally had, unbeknownst to me, DOUBLED the amount of work! My first paycheck for the new year is more than five times what I made at Nu Skin in a month, which makes me feel much better about quitting. And the best part. I was able to do all of this while staying home with baby girl, keeping a neat house, being able to make dinner every night and hang out with Spencer. I feel hecka blessed! So sweet!

Belinda and Jared's Visit on New Years Day!

Hi All,  Just wanted to let you know that Belinda and Jared stopped by yesterday.  I've had a bit of a cough, which has gotten worse, so I came home early from church.  Our new block starts at 1:00, but I was home at 3:30 when Belinda and Jared stopped by for a visit.

What a happy surprise.  We visited, and then Spencer and Emily had a chance to visit as well.  It was after five when Dad got home from choir, and then I made dinner while he got caught up on all that is going on in their lives. Emily and Spencer joined us for a nice family dinner and it was fun to get to know Jared better.

Belinda is doing really well, after a week in St. George with Jared getting reacquainted and celebrating Christmas.  She had been in a treatment programs for a few months before that, and is excited about holding on to the commitments and changes she made in the program.  She will continue with outpatient involvement. They live in Murray.

I told Jared that I thank Heavenly Father every day for his support and commitment to Belinda.  He teared up and she cried.  She said she is so grateful for this wonderful, patient and loving companion.  Please remember both of them in your prayers, as we hope that she will be able to continue in this positive direction.

Summers Family

So here is the Summers update. Titan is walking and I just love the way it looks when he walks so cute.

I’m getting my wisdom teeth out tomorrow ya! for me. My mother in law will be taking me in and then watching the baby while I’m loopy. Which also means that I am getting four days off of work.

Brady is loving his job and thinking about becoming and engineer where he works. Or he might just go the supervisor route. We will see all in good time.