Nick's Trauma

This Monday, Nick underwent minor "surgery" to remove a cyst on his head. He called as he left the doctor's office, moaning and groaning in pain! I told him next time I'll come to hold his hand! Actually, he did very well and is glad to have that procedure over with! He'll have the stitches removed shortly and will forget the whole ordeal!

Hiking with the Brummers

Early in October, we went on a Saturday morning hike in the Superstitions with our friends, the Brummers. Nick carried Kaden back-pack style, and I carried Makenna as I do every day (my load was a little lighter than Nick's that day!) You can see in one picture that Kaden had to lean around Nick's back to get a good view of the mountains ahead of us. Our friend, Lindsay, caught all of these great pics, including those of our little hiker-in-training. He loved it! (And the weather was amazing!)

Attachment

Kaden is getting more and more attached to people. Grandpa and Grandma Balls left a few months ago to serve as full-time missionaries in San Jose, CA. Soon after they left, I caught Kaden stacking up books to get their pcture from it's normal place and putting it on a shelf that he would have easy access to. Pretty sweet!

The other picture is Nick's return from his big "hunting" trip in September. Ask him about it sometime! :) He came home sunburned, dirty, and smelly, but Kaden didn't care! He just wanted to give Daddy a BIG, long hug!

Visits to Paradise

Kaden loves to play with his cousins, especially if he gets to play outside with them! The last time we visited their house, I couldn't get him to come inside! These pictures are from a few trips to visit them in far-away Paradise Valley (booo!). We miss having them close!

Our Little Dancing Man

Kaden loves to dance (Nick wants me to mention that he loves to play ball, eat dirt, and many other "manly" activities as well). Anytime he hears music, he starts to move. The movement is usually initiated in one arm (which looks somewhat like a one-armed chicken dance), then spreads from there. Before you know it, he's doing circles around the room. One night, just before bedtime, we caught him in the act. Due to the late hour, his orientation was a little off. However, thanks to his "toughness," he got back up and got his groove on again. (As a side note, he wore out the play button on his little Dora CD player, so he's had to look to other musical sources for inspiration!) (Sorry for the dark video! We didn't have all the lights on!)

Curtis and Sharri's wedding

The summer began with a bang (yes, this post is a little out of order) with Curtis' (my brother's) marriage to Sharri in St. George, Utah. We had most of the crew together. All of the nephews had fun trying to figure out if they were playing with Grandpa or the "fake Grandpa" (my dad's twin, Garth)! I didn't get any good pictures of the bride and groom alone, because my camera battery died! Blast!!

Perry Clan and Perry Boys

Here is an up-to-date picture of the whole family. I couldn't leave out this adorable picture of all of the boys!

More reunion pics...

(Sorry, it wouldn't let me put them all on one post!)

Balls Family Reunion

Nick, Kaden, and I traveled up to Idaho for my family's reunion on the 4th of July. It was a blast! Nick loved the small town celebration (and especially appreciated air conditioning when we got back home, as our hotel did not have AC!) We watched the parade, visited the old home where my dad grew up, sampled real soda water from a natural spring (Nick didn't care for it, but thought it was fun!) and rented out the bowling alley, among many other fun activities. Because his outdoor playing time is limited here in AZ in the summer, Kaden LOVED playing outside and exploring new things (like garbage can lids!). Simple pleasures! I've included a picture of our family with my grandparents - very special!

Newest addition

Here's one of the first photos of our newest addition who is due to arrive on Christmas Day! We had confirmation last week that she is a little girl. Kaden was so excited to find out he would have a little sister, he decided to try out the girly fashions. What a supportive big brother!

Pizza, anyone?

Travis and Bryana both love helping me in the kitchen. One night, we had fun making homemade pizzas. Nick was home from work early and wanted to do it the "real" way. It turned into a tossing contest (and a bigger mess!). You can be the judge of who won!

Kaden just looked for a hiding place where he'd be safe from flying pizza dough!

Siblings

Two budding pianists! (One just wants to do anything his big brother is doing!) You know I can't help but post piano pictures! Travis and Bryana were big helpers with their little bro., even putting on his socks for him (his face tells you how long it took to get both socks on!)

Tempe Town Lake

Well, better late than never! Here are some fun pics from this summer with the kids. These first few were taken on a very warm summer day (is there any other kind of day in the AZ summertime?) (June 28th) at Tempe Town Lake. We fed the ducks, fished (but with no success!), paddled across the lake (you'll see how excited my nephew, Matt, was to have his picture taken!) and played at the water park. It's a great place for kiddos of all ages!

Kaden's 1st Birthday

While I don't think Kaden knew why we were celebrating, he sure had a lot of fun on his first birthday! I experimented with some fun cupcakes for Kaden and his counsins to enjoy, which Kaden managed to destroy in a matter of seconds, of course. Kaden seemed a little confused by the candle, the green furry thing on his tray, and the loud singing, as you'll see in his smile-less pictures. He sampled the green furry cupcake, nearly gagged when he took a large bite, then decided it was better as body paint. Grandpa helped him with a quick bath before he opened some gifts.

With the help of his cousins, he was able to open his gifts. I think they were as excited about new toys to play with as he was! Poor Nick was in bed, having suffered from food poisoning just hours before, so you won't see him in many pictures. He made one quick appearance to make sure we were all having a wonderful time while he was suffering in bed! It was a wonderful day for our little Kaden!

Hi Travis and Bryana!

I love to laugh!

Do you need a good laugh? I thought I should share this so everyone else could enjoy what I get to enjoy every day! The kid chuckles at the drop of a hat (or piece of bread, in this case). Isn't it wonderful to be so carefree and cute as could be?!

Christmas in Bethlehem

For our ward Christmas celebration, "Journey to Bethlehem," we were asked to dress like those who lived in the time of Christ. It was a wonderful experience as we reflected on the events that surrounded the birth of the Savior and celebrated that great event with friends and family.

Piano Man

OK, I couldn't resist adding another one! Isn't he cute?!

Music Lover

Here's our little prodigy-in-training :). Whenever I sit at the piano, Kaden is sure to be close by. He puts his little hands on my feet while I pedal. Fairly often, I'll see him scramble off into the living room, hear him climb up to the piano, then plunk way at the keys. Don't worry Dad (Nick), we'll make sure he has plenty of exposure to sports, too!

Flagstaff Snow Adventures

Winter time isn't complete without a trip to the snow! We treked up to Flagstaff with Sean and Rhonda and crew for some way cold fun! Nick an Bryana posed for a pic at the bottom of the hill after a nice run!

Christmas Joys and Boys

Travis loves to help out, whether it's helping his little brother figure out a Christmas gift, helping his cousin get ready for a picture, or helping another cousin learn how to make (and eat!) gingerbread houses.