Fourth = Family, Fireworks, Fun, & Freedom!!!

We had a totally terrific Independence Day 2008! It started on Thursday with the parade in Salmon. The boys took their buckets and got some candy and several Otter Pops thrown to them! It was a nice, hot day and at the end of the parade, a Fire Truck hosed everyone down, and Ammon LOVED that!


Josh's sister Tiffany arrived with her family on Thursday night. We all went to eat at the Baldwin's who were hosting the Batz family reunion (they are Josh's cousins). On Friday, Josh's brother Gideon arrived with his friends Joe and Alyssa. Now that everyone was here, the Tolman Sibling Reunion was ready to begin! A huge game of Lightning (or as Joe and Alyssa like to call it "Knock-Out") lasted for a couple hours. We had a lot of people play! Grandpa, Josh, Kala, Gideon, Joe, Alyssa, Malachi, Jessalyn, and Ammon. Wow! We all sweat and ran and laughed and enjoyed it! Sorry, there's no picture of it-this is a photo from a round we played in May with just Josh, Gid, Mal, & Ammon.

Grandpa borrowed the Harris' (more cousins) barrel train, and pulled the grandkids around in it with the 4-wheeler all afternoon.

That night we watched the Salmon fireworks from Dump Hill. I think it's strange that that's the location where they set them off, but hey, what do I know? I'm from Utah where they set them off at a park so everyone can see them comfortably! It was an excellent 15 minute display, probably the best I've seen here. This is a shot of one of the "bombs bursting in air".

On Saturday, we had a nice lunch together with Malachi's friends the Whittiers. Then the adults played "Cranium" and "Taboo". I'm sad to say that the boys creamed the girls at Cranium!

All the grandkids had their photo taken together before Tiffany's family left. We decided to take it just as they were: dirty, wet, and happy to be at Grandma's!!!

Then Josh and I took our 3 older boys and Joe to see the BIG event: the demolition derby!!! The twins thought it was too loud! Ammon loved it, of course! Our neighbor Brian won the beer heat, and got a cooler of beer! Yeah for Brian! (His is the black car on the left backing into the beastly pink car)


We returned from the demo derby to have our own fireworks in Grandma's yard. Josh and Mal were the official lighters!

Everyone got to bed very late after night games. The next morning, this was the display. It looks like a big hangover of what took place the night before!

Happy Fourth of July! Hip Hip Hooray for Freedom and Independence! Like Joe said at the reunion, "we should celebrate this cause every day, well, minus the fireworks"!!! We are so lucky to live in this wonderful country, and I am so grateful for all the men and women who have made this country a free one. I am ecstatic to celebrate that!

My First TAG

Thanks to my sister Tawna for tagging me for the first time! I will get you back! This was very interesting and very thought-provoking for me. Instead of just making it about me, I'm doing it on behalf of my family! Well, here goes:

THEN & NOW TAG

20 Years Ago:
1. Kala just finished 4th grade in Tremonton, which was the first year she lived there.
2. Kala's family got a new car: a GMC Astro Van. This was a big event for the Perkins family because they traded the orange VW Bus to get it, a car that my family had owned for YEARS and was fondly called the "Perkins Pumpkin" by the neighborhood!
3. Josh completed the 6th grade and took band for the first time, learning to play the trumpet.

10 Years Ago:
1. Kala completed two semesters of college at SUU in Cedar City and then subsequently quit--after getting two scholarships to get there: theatrical and academic!
2. Josh bought his first home in Tremonton, and worked two jobs to pay for it: fertilizer and diesel mechanic.
3. Kala and Josh were married in the Logan Temple.

5 Years Ago:
1. Kala was driving the 2 1/2 hours quite frequently to visit the OB/GYN in Idaho Falls to have many ultrasounds of the twins' pregnancy.
2. Josh went to Yellowstone National Park for the first time, even though he's lived in Idaho his entire life!
3. Ammon was going to daycare while mommy worked at the credit union full-time, and his best friends were Dillon, Kaitlyn, and Evie.

3 Years Ago:
1. Kala went to Seattle for the first time to see her brother Cody get married. She visited the SpaceNeedle and Pike's Market while there.
2. Josh coached High School Cross Country by himself - the previous 2 years he had assistant coaches.
3. Ammon was getting ready to start Kindergarten in the afternoons. Jonah and Micah were just learning to walk.

1 year ago:
1. Kala gave birth to Kanyon, and after her first real attempt with breast feeding, she quit after 4 months because he was allergic to milk.
2. Josh was finally released from being the Scout Master after 5 years, and got called to the Young Men's Presidency instead.
3. Ammon completed his first year of Little League Baseball (a step-up from T-Ball). Jonah and Micah finished their first year of Preschool at the Child Development Center.

So far this year:
1. Kala has hit her ultimate latest time at group scrapbooking of 5:00 am.
2. Josh took Kala to England and visited people that he met on his mission there 11 years ago.
3. Ammon was baptized by his dad. Jonah and Micah found more eggs at the annual Easter Egg Hunt than their older brother and cousin-an absolute first for them! Kanyon turned 1, and we celebrated with a giant sheet of brownies made by Grandma.

Yesterday:
1. Kala lost at a game of Cranium at the Tolman party (it was boys versus girls).
2. Josh lit all the family's fireworks for our entertainment when it got dark.
3. Ammon played Wii with his cousins. Jonah and Micah went to their first demolition derby. Kanyon liked watching a water fight.

Today:
1. Kala skipped church because the boys all went to bed late and Micah's face was completely swollen from mosquito bites.
2. Josh helped his dad work on the Swather.
3. Ammon, Jonah, Micah all drove 4-wheelers this evening. Kanyon took a long nap during the day.

Tomorrow:
1. Kala will be doing laundry, chauffering the kids, making breakfast lunch and dinner, and checking her email a couple of times.
2. Josh will go to work at 5 am, come home in the afternoon, cut hay with the swather for several hours, and change sprinkler pipe in the evening.
3. Ammon will start his second round of swimming lessons for the summer. Jonah and Micah's chore is vacuuming the living room. Kanyon will be happy when dad comes home from work.

In the next year:
1. Kala will be the elementary school's PTO President.
2. Josh will serve his first year of a 3 year term on the School Board.
3. Ammon will start playing in state jr. golf tournaments. Jonah and Micah will be working on another year of preschool since they have September birthdays and can't start Kindergarten just yet. Kanyon will be speaking in sentences (well, we hope he will at least start using more words!)

TAG: D'Neill, Emily H., and Heather C.

365 days ago

My mom took this photo of My dad, Uncle Fred, Grandma Perkins, Grandpa Perkins, and sisters: Tabbi, Lisa, Tawna, Katrina, and Kala with Kanyon.

Last year at this time, I was visiting my Grandma and Grandpa Perkins in Spokane. My grandparents birthdays are July 4 and July 6; they turned 90 and 91. That is so amazing in itself. My dad did something so neat: he paid for my sister to fly in from Virginia, he paid for my gas to drive up, and my other sisters and my parents all came. We surprised my grandparents for their birthdays! It was SOOO awesome! I hadn't visited them at their house for 9 years, and I hadn't seen my sister Lisa for 12 years. It was so special to see my grandparents, and to have all of us sisters be together for it. We had a great time eating, visiting, and being together. Uncle Fred was there from Virginia as well, and Cody and BreAnne stopped by for a bit on their way to Utah. A real treat was when I went shopping with my Grandma and Tawna just like old times. Another great event was seeing the fireworks over the Lake Coeur d'Alene. It was a very memorable trip that I am so grateful to have been able to be a part of, and I will treasure the memories forever.
But, that meant that I was gone for the 4th of July festivities with my own family. The three older boys stayed home with Josh and were taken care of during the day by family and friends. It was the second time since moving to Salmon that we missed the Demolition Derby - a HUGE event in Salmon! (Side note: the only other time was when my brother got married in Seattle in 2005.) All last summer, Ammon kept asking when we were going to it, and we never had the heart to tell him that it was already over. Today we went to the parade, tomorrow we will play with the cousins and visit family, tomorrow night we will see the fireworks, and Saturday night we will go to the Demo Derby! I can't wait! It will be the first time that Jonah and Micah get to go, and they are so excited! And of course, Ammon is definitely planning on attending it! Our neighbor Bryan enters the Derby every year, and we have already checked out his very loud, spray-painted, beast of a car! Hooray for good old-fashioned fun! Aren't traditions great?!

P.S. I realized after I posted this blog that I incorrectly titled it. Duh, Kala, it's Leap Year. So, the correct title should be "366 days ago"! But I am choosing to not correct it, because it sounds better the way it incorrectly is!

BRACES

It's a landmark for us! Ammon got braces on June 9. It's been in the works for a while, like 2 years!!! After his front two teeth fell out in Kindergarten, and the adult teeth came in, there wasn't enough room in his mouth for the other adult teeth to grow in after the other baby teeth fell out. The two teeth next to the front were out for over a year and a half before they finally came in, and now the ones next to those are having difficulties. So.....Ammon got phase 1 braces just on the top row of teeth. I can already see a huge difference in his teeth, and so can he! Because the teeth next to the front teeth were out for so long, his front teeth were spreading apart and there was a very noticeable gap. The gap is now almost gone, as proof in the pictures!

He likes his braces, and the Orthodontist says he will have them on for 6 months - 1 year depending on how well it goes, and after that he will have a retainer to help his overbite. Josh and I have never had braces ourselves growing up, so this is something new to us. Needless to say, we haven't had popcorn friday movie night since then! The whole list of un-eatable food surprised me and we've had to adjust a little bit, but it will all be worth it! The morning after he got braces, Ammon woke up and said "Mom, I feel like a whole new me!" Sometimes change can be hard, but Ammon gets two thumbs up for his positive attitude!

Cool Car Show

Micah, Ammon, & Jonah checking out a bright blue 38 Chevy Coupe.


Every Father's Day Weekend in Salmon, a local organization hosts an awesome car show. We have gone every year for the past several years and the boys are finally old enough now that it was actually very enjoyable! They loved to see all the cars, and this year there was nobody crying, no strollers to push or kids to fall asleep in, and only twice did we have to say "DONT TOUCH"! Hooray for growing kids! The weather was warm and it was a super nice day! Everyone got thirsty, so we treated the kids (and Josh too) to ice cream afterwards.

Josh and the boys by an old delivery truck/wagon.


My favorite car was the red Cadillac, and Josh's favorite was the black Chevy Camaro with the painted flames and skull.














Ammon got to sit behind the wheel!

















Jonah being a cool car driver!

They were sitting in a:

Micah also got to be a "truck" driver (he said he didn't want to drive a car!)


















This is what he was in:

When I was uploading all the car show pics I took today, I showed Josh and Ammon my favorite photo I took. It was of a unique dashboard of a Corvette. I loved the odometer because you could see the numbers in reverse from the front of the car. So I got a close up look, and shot the photo. Josh said it was a terrible picture. There was a lot of sunglare, so it didn't turn out as good as it would've on an overcast day, but it's still my favorite. So tell me what you honestly think, do you think it's as awesome as I do or terrible like Josh does?

Timpanogos Cave

We hiked to Timpanogos Cave and took a tour of it this past Sunday. It was a mile and a half hike up to it. In spots it's really steep, but the nice part about it is that it is all paved!

There are some really cool sights along the hike, including these hand-made tunnels and this peculiar-shaped tree.
























It took us an hour to get to the cave entrance, another hour to tour the cave, and forty-five minutes to walk back to the visitor center. It was grueling on all the muscles in the legs!!

It was so neat to see all the different rock formations in the three adjoining caves. The boys thought it was so coooool!

This is a photo of a stalactite and a stalagmite that haven't quite yet formed together.

This is a photo of cave popcorn and helectites (formations that look like worms).

The weather was absolutely perfect, and we had a great time together. This is yet another cool rock on the hike, and the only photo of all of us together.

Tolman Reunion 2008

This past weekend we went to Crystal Hot Springs in Honeyville, Utah for the annual Tolman Reunion.

Josh's Grandpa Rex had 10 brothers and sisters, and each year they alternate turns hosting the reunion and choosing a location for it. This year it was Uncle Gerald's family's turn to host. I always laugh at Josh because every year he sits by and visits with his own immediate family!

His parents came, and his sister Tiffany and three of her children, and his brother Gideon with good friend Alyssa, and his brother Malachi. There's always ample food at the Tolman Reunion! Some of the people set out their salads and desserts early and all the little children noticed and took several rounds of desserts before dinner even started!

One of the families who camped there brought bikes and a little four-wheeler, which was a magnet for Kanyon. He loves 4-wheelers and spent half the time on that battery-operated ATV. The other half the time, the little girl who owned it realized he was on it and she would come and push him off to declare her rightful spot!

The weather was a little blustery, but the warm pools at the vacation spot felt great!

Jonah and Micah spent most of the time on the pool's sidelines even though the pool was pretty shallow!

The water tasted salty and Kanyon had a sour face whenever he accidentally swallowed some. Kanyon loved to be in the inflatable mini-boat and enjoyed being pushed around by Ammon and Dad.

Ammon could touch the bottom just fine and played with his Dad and some of his cousins..

Four Generations

We are so lucky that our children have the opportunity to know their great-grandparents. Between Josh and I, we have six grandparents still on this earth. How great is that?! It is amazing to think of the link between each generation, and the different lives that each generation have lived--our grandparents, our parents, ourselves, and our children. We have been given a legacy: the heritage of our last names, the value of family history and the knowledge of our ancestors to appreciate and honor, the opportunity to continue many loved traditions, and the teachings of life and love and truth that we have received that we will teach to our children. I am so grateful for the lives that my parents, grandparents, great-grandparents (and so on) lived! We feel proud to be a part of our Perkins and Tolman families, which includes the great last names of Perkins, Rose, Tolman, Parsons, Sorensen, Rigby, Corbett, Stockham, and many others.

Kanyon, Mom Kala, Great Grandma Rose, and Grandma Perkins. June 2008


Grandpa Perkins, Mom Kala, Kanyon, Great Grandma and Great Grandpa Perkins. July 2007


Great Grandma Tolman, Jonah, Dad Josh, Kanyon, Uncle Gideon, Ammon, Micah, Grandpa Tolman, and Uncle Malachi. April 2007


This photo was taken after Kanyon's baby blessing of Dad Josh and Great Grandma Parsons. May 2007

Happy Sons Day!

Happy Sons Day to my fantastic four: Ammon, Kanyon, Jonah, and Micah!

Last year on Mother's Day, Ammon asked when "Sons Day" was. I told him that Sons Day is Every Day, 365 days a year! Well, this year on Mother's Day, he asked again.

"When is Sons Day?" he asked me.
"There is no such day" I told him.
"Well, if Mothers have a day and Fathers have a day, then I think Sons should have a day."
Hmmmmm, I thought about it for a minute and replied "Okay, we'll have a Sons Day."

At the beginning of summer, I usually buy the boys their summer sandals. So I decided that this year, instead of "Let's go buy our summer sandals today Day", I would make it be the occasion of "Sons Day". So the day after school got out, and it was officially summer, I told them it was "Sons Day". Ammon thought that was perfect, since it was in between Mothers and Fathers Day. He got to go golfing with dad, Jonah and Micah got to play at a friend's house, and Kanyon got to spend some time alone with me. I purchased the 3 older boys a new set of Crocs in the color they wanted. They also got a candy bar of their choice. So there we have it: Sons Day 2008. Although, to me, it still sounds like every other day of the 365 days a year!!!

Another year bites the dust!

The end of the school year was this past week. Here's photos of Ammon, Micah, and Jonah by their school cubbies:


We went to Jonah and Micah's Preschool Graduation on Wednesday. They presented a very cute musical program. I knew Jonah wouldn't participate because he doesn't like to sing. But the night before the performance, Micah sang every song to me. He was so excited about graduation. He wanted me, dad, Ammon, Grandma and Grandpa T, Grandma and Grandpa P., and our friends Roberta & Tina to all come watch him. Me, dad, and Roberta went to the graduation, and Josh said it's probably a good thing nobody else did and I'll tell you why. There were 17 kids graduating. Jonah and Micah were in the center. They did not sing or do any actions the ENTIRE time. They are SOOO shy, especially Micah. When he saw all those parents and people he didn't know, he didn't want to sing anymore. And, like I said, Jonah doesn't like singing. So much for bragging about my kids at graduation! I was so embarrassed, but several parents came up after and told me how adorable my twins were. They were all probably thinking "at least it wasn't my kid"! In this photo, Micah and Jonah are the ones toward the middle in the green and blue shirts sitting quietly while everyone else is following their teacher doing the "Mean as a Shark" movement with their hands.

Ammon's second grade class ended their year on Thursday with a Readers' Theater. They performed four short plays in their classroom for their parents. He was the narrator in two of the plays. He doesn't like to be in front of people either, and chose the part of narrator so that he could just read without trying to act as well. He is an excellent reader and it was so fun to see their little productions! This is a photo of him when he was narrating "The Reluctant Dragon".

This past school year went by in a flash! It still doesn't even feel like school is out, although we are all very excited for the summer! (refer to the top ten list of summer activites on our blogsite) Congrats to Jonah and Micah for completing their second year of PreSchool! And Three Cheers to Ammon for completing the second grade, finishing at the top of his class, and also receiving 100% attendance for the entire year as well!!