Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Girly girl!

It is so incredibly fun having a little girl around that I can help do her hair!  So far we have painted nails and curled Mckenzie’s gorgeous strawberry blond hair!

IMG_4220

IMG_4222

IMG_4223

Every night she loves taking a big bubble bath!  In the morning she comes into the bathroom when I am putting my makeup on and insists that I put my sparkly eye shadow on her…..oh how can I say no!

IMG_4212

Here she is already for bed! 

Auntie Alisa

For six weeks I have the opportunity to watch my cousin’s adorable children!  It is so fun to have playmates for Charlie and to be called Auntie Alisa!

The original plan was that I would watch them in Oregon on the ranch, however to unforeseen circumstances we came back to Utah! 

We had a gorgeous day recently so we just had to go to the park!  I think it is possible to practically go to a different park every day here in Orem/Provo if I wanted to be that ambitious!  lol

This is one of my favorite parks

IMG_4106

IMG_4099

IMG_4098

Just a swing’n!

IMG_4104

IMG_4108

Mckenzie practicing going across the monkey bars!

IMG_4112

Pine cone scavenger hunt.  Practicing for our Easter egg hunt this coming weekend! 

IMG_4114

We then decided to have a rollie pollie round up!  The kids had a great time looking for these interesting little creatures and then observing.  I love these pictures it is such a precious memory!

IMG_4118

IMG_4119

IMG_4130

IMG_4121

IMG_4123

IMG_4124

IMG_4125

IMG_4127

IMG_4117

After playing, having a picnic, enjoying nature and getting a round of disk golf in we decided to call it a day and go home.   These kidos have endless energy!

Charlie with his baby!

At Costco they had a bunch of watermelons and so how could we resist such a temptation!  Thank you Chile for delicious produce!

IMG_4090

IMG_4089

Whenever Charlie notices that a grocery store has watermelons he exclaims, “Oh look at all my babies", and then he proceeds to hug and kiss as many as he can!  Here Charlie is with one of his babies!

My Abi is getting married!!!

Recently my adorable cousin was proposed to by her sweetheart Dave!  Congratulations to the both of them!

Now Abi is a very busy bride to be getting ready for her wedding.  She has the greatest theme; a 1940’s church social.  Her reception is going to be in the gorgeous Provo Library.

header

The other evening all the girls were invited for a girls night out were we had fun making decorations and enjoyed lots of delicious CostaVida food!

IMG_3968

I think she looks a little stressed out!  lol

Making silk peonies!  IMG_3964

This fabric is just yummy; I love these colors

IMG_3978IMG_3993

IMG_3989IMG_3990IMG_3991

IMG_3966

Shirley folding lace dollies for the chandeliers! 

IMG_3967

IMG_3963

This lady designs and makes the costumes for the T.V. show Dancing With the Stars; she is incredibly talented!

IMG_3984

Aunt Lynn making ties for the groomsmen! 

IMG_3985IMG_3994

Every girl dreams of being a bride some day! 

IMG_3971

The flower girl dress my Aunt Marianne is making!  Adorable

IMG_3976

IMG_3970

Everyone busy; just call us wedding elves! 

Thursday, April 7, 2011

In memory of my Grandfather!!!

IMG_5641

Eugene Perkins Jr.
Eugene Brent Perkins Jr., 82, died March 20, 2011, at St Alphonsus Medical Center-Baker City.
His memorial service will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Gray’s, West & Co. There will be a memorial celebration after the service.
Eugene was born at Baker City on Nov. 16, 1928, to Eugene Brent Perkins and Francis Dora Love Perkins.
His legacy is primarily in the providing, protection, and love of his family, family members said. He was a very competent rancher throughout his life. The Komiza Ranch on Chandler Lane was homesteaded by his great-grandfather, in 1874.
His great-grandfather was a part of the Oregon Trail migration. He traveled with four other brothers in what has been designated as the Perkins train in many documents. At this point, there have been vie generations of continued ranch operation by the Perkins family.
Eugene graduated from Baker High School in 1946. He was drafted into the Army in 1951 and was stationed for two years at San Pedro, Calif., which is where he met and married his wife, Annie.
Upon his honorable discharge from the Army, he brought his wife back to the ranch, raised a family and continued operation of the ranch until his death. Over the years, it was important to him to maintain a relationship with many of his Army buddies.
Eugene had many interests: Dancing (he met Annie at a dance club in Los Angeles and they went on to amaze many people with their graceful and skilled dancing for more than 50 years), fishing, hunting and anything outdoors. He taught himself to play the fiddle and steel guitar. As a child, he danced in exhibitions along with some square dancing with his parents and eventually with his wife as well.
Eugene belonged to the Oregon Cattlemen’s Association, Baker County Cattlemen’s Association, and the Baker County Wool Board. He was involved in his community whenever needed.
For a number of years, he was the chairman of the annual cattlemen’s picnic where he was responsible for all of the food being provided.
Eugene was not a “cowboy‚” as much as being a diligent, livestock-loving, outdoor-based rancher, his family said. His daily routines included: monitoring and maintaining livestock health, feeding, caring for newborn calves, compassion for the sickness in any of his animals, haying in the summer, irrigating his empire, and the use of either motorcycles or quad ATVs in the fields, rather than horses.
He always had horses but decided that motorized ranching was easier. In spite of not being a “cowboy” he still enjoyed his Stetson cowboy hat and boots when getting out on the town.
Eugene loved to tell stories and had a good recall of jokes. He felt very comfortable in social situations. Talking to Eugene was very enjoyable and could last from a few minutes to many hours.
His childhood recollections were very interesting. He collected dozens of different types of bird eggs (his collection is still intact today). He raised a baby porcupine whose mother had been injured, raised a Canada goose from an egg (it was the only one left in a nest that had been raided by a predator), and he always had a dog or two for a companion while out in the fields and around his livestock.
He will be greatly missed by friends from all walks of life, relatives, children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and just about anybody who had the privilege to be in his company, his family said.
Survivors include his wife of 58 years, Annie Felando Perkins; four children, Gary, Shirley (Dinger), Frank, and Steve Perkins; his sister, Delores Perkins Gilmore of La Grande; 10 grandchildren, Nathan, Nicole (Lyon), Rebecca, and Mathew Dinger, Alisa Perkins Boulter, Steven Perkins, Natalie and Brian Perkins, Jeffrey Perkins and Logan Perkins; and four great-grandchildren, Maxwell and Mckenzie Lyon, Charlie Boulter, and Brynn Dinger.
He was preceded in death by his parents and one granddaughter, Jessica Perkins, who died in 2008.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association through Gray’s West & Co. Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave., Baker City, OR 97814

IMG_5630

100_0529

Grandpa with is Sweetheart! 

100_0549

100_0602

Dancing with Grandpa at my reception! 

100_0524

IMG_1342

Grandpa holding his great grandson Charlie!

IMG_4391

Grandpa with his grandchildren!

IMG_4393

100_0163

IMG_6330

Steve, Eugene, Frank and Gary.  All of Grandpa’s boys…..we are missing his daughter Shirley in this picture.

100_0496100_0684

Grandpa in Croatia!

IMG_2752

This is an endearing picture to me.  Whenever I go to visit the ranch you will find my Grandpa out in the fields riding his Trail 90 and checking the cattle!

I love this dear man and will miss him greatly. 

You left an incredible legacy for your family Grandpa.  I attribute my hard work ethics to your example!   Thank you for your selflessness and Christ like service to your family. 

God be with you until we meet again!