Homecoming 2008

Homecoming's spirit week started out with mustache Monday...Johnny looked the stylish part until about forth hour when it started to peel off.
On Friday the sophomores made their annual trek up the side of the mountain to light the "B". Johnny said they had a record number of kids show up, over 80 this year! Once they got to the top they had all drank their water and so one of the supervisor ran for more. After a 45 minute wait the water on the four wheeler arrived only to be knocked over by an anxious student. They were thirsty but had a great time.
I don't know who was more excited to get ready for the dance Natalie or A'leese. It is so great to watch how much their relationship has progressed. A'leese is trying to be taller than Natalie in this picture. I don't have the heart to tell her that wearing the heels disqualifies her from the competition.
The dress was fantastic and Tyler looked great in his matching tie. Tyler was soooo sweet he made A'leese a corsage for her wrist. She wore it with such pride that a lot of the girls she told asked their dates why they hadn't made them one. How cool is that? It was his first date. He said it was the greatest!!!!!!
A'leese and Tyler have known each other sense they were quiet young. He lived next to us when we lived on 3rd West. He played with Johnny and the Crapse boys. I was so happy when they came in after the dance and told me all about it. Homecoming was a huge success!

Four Wheeling to Camp Cumorah

On September 11th we took a four wheel ride up to Camp Cumorah, up Willard Peak Road. When we got there we had lunch.
The ride was beautiful...we saw a couple of moose and lots of gorgeous terrain. The day was breath taking. The sun was shining but there was just a hint of an autumn breeze in the air. My mind kept reflecting to the anniversary of this particular day and how grievous the circumstances were seven short years ago. Life is precious. Things can change in an instant, but for here and now it was serene, uplifting, and remarkably spiritual. If you ever wonder if there is a God take a walk in the mountains.
My father, "the great white hunter", found a long stick that looked like a rifle....so I laided down and pretended to be a dead deer. What a bunch of dorks!!!
On the way home we took a side path and where we could see Mantua tucked away safe in the mountians. What a beautiful view it was from up there.
Of course, while we were at Camp Cumorah we had to take a "remote". We stratigically placed the camera on a rock on the four wheeler, dad pressed the button, then sprinted to the designated location, and after all this work proceeded to hide behind mom.... why didn't he just take the picture if he was just going to hide in it anyway?

FRIENDS

Friends. . . . . are one of lifes greatest blessings. These are the people who will do anything for you. Even make themselves canvas. This is Janna being a art project for everyone.

Katy and I have been friends longer than anyone else I have ever known. We don't see each other very often these days. However, if I needed her she'd be there in a minute.
Some friends you are born with. They are the ones you know will be there in your hour of need. They are also the ones who will be the most annoying... your entire life. This is my brother, Daniel and my sister, Stephanie sharing a delicious item of food.
Some friends are younger than you and teach you more than you will ever want to know. Or they will help you remember the pains of growing up. They allow you to mentor while they grow up and struggling to do so...This is my daughter, A'leese, my mom, Karolyn and my other daughter, Natalie.
Some friends God just gives you from the very beginning. These are the friends who guide and direct you, support and cheer you on, but mostly these are the friends who stand by you through every trial and every success in your life...these are my folks, Karolyn and Leland.

Some friends are so much like you, you can only take them in little doses. But when you are together the moments are magical!!!!
Some friends are so different than you they stretch you and cause you to grow far out of the comfort zone you had created for yourself. This is my sweetheart and husband, John.
Some friends are as warm and inviting as the untouched beach. Friends like Joe only come around once in life time. He is always someone I can talk to, share laughter with, and feel safe around, especially when life isn't all it's suppose to be.
Some friends just make you laugh....and laugh....and laugh. Johnny, my son, A'leese, my daughter and Zak. When these guys are together I feel nothing but happy. They are FUN!
Some friends you just don't see as much as you want to but you know they are always there and that they always love you. Me, Michelle, and Shelly.

Some friends will stand the duration of time. Growing with one another. Experiencing life and every faucet of it....together.... and that is what makes life worth living. Friends like this only come around once in awhile.
Some friends just compliment each other so well that it seems so natural they are friends.
And some friends are just so out of this world you never know when or where they will pop up but you do know they will.....soon.

Friends come in all shapes, sizes, and ages. They help and hinder, they love and laugh with us. We are who we are because of the many attributes our friends help us find in ourselves. I am so lucky to have the fantastic friends that I do. Thank you people for being my friend.

Peach Days Parade 2008

It just doesn't get better than this!!! The 2008 Peach Day Parade was up and swinging. Johnny was an enthusiastic example of how much fun this parade can really be. Showing his new friend (from California) Jordan how it is done in the small city of Brigham.

One more parade under our belts...Cierra, K'Lee, and Morgan( a new-bee) enjoying from the sidelines.
Dawnell and Doug made their annual voyage from Provo to have a scuba burger and watch the parade... It wouldn't be Peach Days without them. I am glad they have traditions and we are a part of them.



Natalie and Emily enjoy the atmosphere of the parade and all the goodies thrown their way! It is really quite amazing to me how childeren can make the simplest things entertaining.

A BBQ with the Ropers

When the Ropers come over we always have so much fun!!! We play games (with some pretty terrific "Losers"). We eat great food. We listen to Brandon play his guitar and sing. But most of all we just enjoy one another! We LOVE the Ropers!!!!

"Let them EAT cake."

Eating cake is one of the oddest things for Ropers and Perrys to do together. For some reason when a cake and the the aboved mentioned are involved we seem to forget how to get the cake into our mouths. We end up wearing it, sticking foreign objects in it, and decorating it with hot dogs (Happy Hot dog) ....but then of course, we eat it. Cake is never as fun to eat as it is with the Ropers.