Sand...

Help! My sand is running out!

I am just blown away by how fast the time has flown by the last few months! Every Monday morning when I show up to work I can't believe that it's already been another week. As of today, I have 6 weeks until I report to the MTC, less than 4 weeks until I report back to the UT, and 2 weeks until I become part of the DC (day club).

I'm so excited to go; I don't really have any sad feelings or anything like that... so that's good! But I've loved my experience in California so much - I think the day I leave might be similar to that of Summer 2008: Sob Fest from Huntington Beach to San Bernardino.

I feel like such an emo kid with all of these exercises in nostalgic therapy, (I'm not that poetic. Stolen from a love letter, circa Oct. 2008. Thanks, Mike.), but I can't help myself! The last few months have been especially AMAZING for me and it is becoming easier and easier for me to see how when the gospel becomes the most central thing in your life, everything else falls into place.

#iamtheluckiest
#ilovejustinbieber

when I have grown a foot or two...

Err body has been all up in my grill about how I'm being such a bad blogger. My apologies! Unfortunately, our house has been under attack and people think it's okay to steal our belongings (aka laptops)... so my circumstances of being computer-less have set me back a little bit. I'll try to catch up in the next little while!!

I know I've told just about everyone (in the entire world), but I'll mention it again. I GOT MY MISSION CALL!! That's right. Come July 28, 2010, I'll be Sister Perry -- called to serve in the Belgium Brussels/Netherlands mission, Dutch speaking. My little brother got his call the same day I did! How cool is that? He also reports on July 28, and he'll be going to the Ukraine Donetsk mission, Russian speaking. Isn't that just perfect?! Keith has been such a good example to me and I am looking forward to sharing this experience with him!



I couldn't be happier about my call. I've told a lot of you this already, but even if I didn't end up actually going, merely deciding to serve a mission has been the best thing that's ever happened to me. I've learned more in the last 8 months about the gospel through mission prep efforts than ever before, and my testimony has been strengthened so much through study/prep/working often with local priesthood leaders. I am so anxious to serve and to testify of all the things I know to be true. I know that the Gospel blesses lives and I am so grateful that I have the opportunity to spread some joy!

LONG LIVE BELGIAN WAFFLES AND EUROPEAN CHOCOLATE!!

dooo you canooooe?

"What about you, Jaime? Have you ever camped before?"

"Uh.... I don't think so."

"Did you ever go to Girl's Camp for Young Womens?"

"Uh.... Yes. But we had Olive Garden/Cafe Rio for our meals and hot showers, so..."

"Oh. Weird. So what about with your family?"

"Uh.... Well, kinda I guess. But it was at Cherry Hill. And they had waterslides, so..."

Given my history, I impressed myself with my outdoorsiness at the Pierside Canoe Trip down the Colorado River a la Hoover Dam this last weekend. But let's be honest. I always impress myself. bahaha - just kidding!! Good joke, Jaim.... Ope... There I go again... Being funny and impressive and stuff...

Just love me, okay?

Tiffani and Grant (the "light canoe") and Daile and I started the trip out right by driving to Boulder City, NV and checking into the 5-diamond Hacienda Hotel, where we met up with the rest of the par-tay.

Friday morning started out early. We were shuttled down to the Hoover Dam launch point where I paired up with my life, ahem, I mean CANOE partner: Brother Richard K. Miller, ward clerk extraordinaire. I'll be stuck on a boat with him ANY day of the week. Richard will be receiving many blessings due to his many hours of practiced patience regarding my paddle technique (or lack of technique). He put his shoulder to the wheel and I am so lucky that I had such an awesome companion down the river. I'm smarter now, merely due to high volume of Richard K. Miller exposure. Go ahead. Ask me a question.

We went exploring in sauna-caves, hiked around the hot springs, sang Italian songs while steering the canoe like a Gondola, and enjoyed a ward-size session of cliff jumping. I may have plugged my nose, but I jumped. Put that on my review! (Below: See my main man, Richard K. Miller: diving expert.



The rest of the trip consisted of campfires, group naps on rocks, bed time on rocks, hanging out with the YMCA "Indian Princess" group next to our campsite, enjoying a study sesh with the beautiful and wise Rhyll Smith, and spending QT (my fave) with all of the ward members I've been so fortunate to meet and love.



Colorado River? Check.

attention, fellow addicts...

I love Reese's. My roommate Britney pronounces it ree-sees and I laugh every time... So Madyson and I went on a delicious outing to Sankai sushi today and thought we should swing by the market to get some dessert, and this is what I found:



Holy. Crap.

Reese's has done it again and I could not be more thrilled. This candy bar has about 600 calories and 36 grams of fat. But once you look past the nutritional facts label, you'll find the most delicious thing since the Reese's fast break. For those of you with any sense of self-control, this candy bar could be a blessing. It comes in break-apart squares, similar to your traditional Hershey's bar. For me, this makes no difference because I ate the entire thing in one breath.

I'd recommend it. Neil, this may be a way to get your fix without having to purchase a bag of Reese's Eggs...

wuuuut?

Today, I had a total out-of-body experience.

"My mind was telling me no, but my body was telling me yes."
--R. Kelly

Does this ever happen to anyone else? Cassidy?

yellow mustard

I thought I'd let you in on some of the good quotes that have come from recent GChat sessions. Sometimes I don't realize how, um, unintelligible <--- (is that even a word?) my daily conversation is. But whatever. Here it is:

Jaime: "Yellow mustard is totally underrated"
Cassidy: "Amen"

Cassidy: "Give me that filet o' fish. Give me that fish."
Jaime: "Ew. What? Don't."

In reference to her unborn baby girl:
Cassidy: "I will even name her after you."
Jaime: "Okay"
Cassidy: "Like middle name or something"

In reference to PetVille (FB app):
Cassidy: "I am creating a pet right now."
Katie Dahl: "Good. Be my neighbor."
Jaime: "Stop it"

Cassidy: "Do you want to hear something great?"
Jaime: "Nah"
Cassidy: "Screw you"

AND NOW FOR MY FAVORITE QUOTE OF ALL TIME: (drumroll, yo)

Cassidy: "I just figured out how to track where an email originated from the IP address.. I am going to figure out where those emails came from"

team harry potter - champions and scholars.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire? I DON'T THINK SO!! Try, Harry Potter and the Golden Globes of Dodgeball! I don't mean to boast (and really, I can't, because I didn't even touch a dodgeball the entire night-- cheering is apparantly my thing), but our team dominated at the ward dodge ball tournament a few weeks ago.

It all started Friday night with a team dinner at BJ's pizza where we talked strategy and bonded over a delicious carbo-loading feast. We went to our team captain, Meredith "Luna Lovegood" Conroy's house and made Gryffindor crests and pipe-cleaner glasses for our costumes. "Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Azkaban" was the background noise and we had a great night! (Please note my unbelievably posh 'Gryffindor' themed fingernails. I am such an artist.)



Saturday night, we all hopped on our brooms and headed over to the church to begin this night of sportsmanship. There were some fierce competitors with some great costumes; I just knew it in my heart that our team looked too good not to win. Seriously though. We looked REALLY good.



After many rounds of intense catch-throw-deflect-dodge-athleticism, Team Harry Potter was deemed CHAMPION.

Wizards: 1
Muggles: 0

go disney...

(Sorry that some of the pictures are teensy-tiny. Just squint or somesing.)



I feel like I do a fairly good job at expressing my love for Disneyland on a regular basis, but I don't want Mickey to think I'm an ingrate, so I'll express it again...



If I'm ever having a less-than-optimal day, all I need is a little bit of Space Mountain and a visit to the Hollywood Tower of Terror and I am set! (It helps that Madyson and I always have the BEST ghetto jam sessions on the drive to Anaheim...)



Speaking of Madyson: I love her. I spend 40+ hours a week with this lovely lady and she is LEGIT. Here's a picture of her on crack. HAHAHA!!! Just kidding. I chose this pic because I feel like it accurately displays her shared enthusiasm for D-Land.



Please notice Chelsea's face, on the left. That is pure terror, yo.



P.S. I'm watching a show on HGTV right now and the boyfriend is about 5'6" and the girlfriend is probably 5'11". I'm not exaggerating. And they have a mean looking little puppy. A bit of a mismatch. I don't know what to think right now.

leaky faucet...

I'm going to ask for handkerchiefs for my next birthday. Seriously, what is going on here? I have been tearing up over everything lately!! I have to apologize to Jen and Jimmy. Haha-- while we were skyping yesterday I had tears running down my face probably 60% of the time. Ha! And the thing is, I'm not sad. Not one little bit. Maybe lately I just feel extra... touched... haha-- whatever it is, make it stop!

I have found so much happiness in so many little things. I get all emotional when I drive to work because I like how pretty the trees are in the road median. I'm grateful to the state of California for going into further debt to maintain the flower beds in the middle of the streets. They are amazing.

Fast and Testimony meeting yesterday was a joke. I wept the entire time.

I had a conversation with a friend the other day who said, "How do you like your house? How are your roommates?" and how embarrassing-- I just cried and told him how much I loved my amazing roomies; I was like, overwhelmed with love.

Sometimes a song on Pandora will pop up that I really like and I just get so happy my eyes start to get misty. What the freak?

DO THEY PRESCRIBE A PILL FOR THIS?! I swear I didn't cry for like a solid two years in college. I was this phenomenal stone heart. I should've been at the center of someone's psych study because I was so.... not sensitive? Anyway, there has GOT to be a happy median... Hopefully I'll find it before I flood the streets with my tears of joy.

This is kinda bizarre.

melk.

I love when people call milk "MELK"... stoopid idjuts... Just kidding. Kinda...

So. There are a few things in life that make me sick to my stomach:

1. Watching someone else's neck being super exposed (Example: Phantom of the Opera, right as they're getting into the "Past the Point of No Return" before the medley... If you have sung the medley with me before, you know exactly where this is. Christine's head is tilted back and the Phantom goes to touch it...) Gives me the shivers just thinking about it. Seriously.

2. The smell of browning hamburger.

3. Watching people drink the leftover milk at the bottom of their cereal bowl.




The last is what I would like to comment on today. MILK.

I know better than anyone that I am doomed for osteoporosis. I've never been a milk drinker and all the calcium has been leached out of my bones due to a minor diet coke addiction from 2004-2009. I'm assuming the occassional strawberry/chocolate Nestle Quik experiences don't count. I don't like how milk coats the glass. I don't like how elementary kids smell like milk. I just don't like it at all.

The only time I really consume milk is in a shake or over cereal. However, I do eat my cereal with a fork so all the milk gets strained... so maybe that doesn't qualify as "consumption".

MELK. Yuk city.

It's BIRTHDAY season!!!

On Sunday I sat in front of my computer and watched my family on the other end celebrating their birthdays... Thank you, Skype, for bringing us close together to sing the "birthday song", even if there's a time delay and a speaker/echo/sound quality imbalance.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, FAMILY!! This week there are three birthday kids at the Perry house...

February 2nd: Happy Birthday, Dad!!





I have the best dad in the whole world. He is SO funny, kind, generous, loving, caring, and everything else that's good. I'm my dad's favorite child. I love dancing in the kitchen, singing James Taylor, eating sushi, and learning more about the gospel from my papa. He is the greatest example of how a man should love a woman and he treats my mom like gold. He has more patience than any other male I know. He has helped me through my toughest times. My dad is one of my shiniest examples and he is my hero. I always feel supported by my dad. I love the sound of his voice whenever I come home... "Jaibers?!" My dad gives the best back rubs and foot rubs. He is the best!! Happy Birthday, Dad!!

February 3rd: Happy Birthday, Mom!!





I have the best mom in the whole world. She is beautiful, fit, stylish, sweet, charismatic, loving, hilarious, and everything else that's good. I'm my mom's favorite child. I love Zumba-ing (shakin the salt shaker), having long talks, laying out in the summer, snuggling, and learning more about the gospel from my mama. She is the smartest woman in the world and gets along with everybody. She has helped me through my toughest times. My mom will drop anything if you are in need and will help you. She has listened to me cry for 22 years and the one time I tried to be tough, she said, "Sometimes a girl just needs her mommy"... and then of course, I cried. I am so lucky to have my mom. She encourages me to be independent, but is always there if I need someone to lean on. My mom is the best. Happy Birthday, Mom!!

February 5th: Happy Birthday, Jen!!





I have the best big sister in the whole world. She is bubbly, friendly, funny, a great missionary, beautiful, sensitive, and everything else that's good. I'm my sister's favorite sister. I love getting pedicures, talking on the phone, making ugly faces in the mirror, dancing like freak shows, talking with small lips, eating Zupas, and learning more about the gospel from my sister. I've always looked up to my big sister. She's always included me and has given me a righteous example to follow. When I grow up, I want to be just like Jen. She is the best mom and she gave me the gifts of an awesome older brother and a beautiful Perry Pie (which I'm very grateful for). Jen is ALWAYS positive and never says a bad thing about anyone. She is gorgeous inside and out. My sister is an amazing country dancer and she looks good with every hair color and style. She has always been willing to lend a listening ear and I think she's the best. Happy Birthday, Sissy!

Am I SO lucky to have this family? Yes, I am.
Did I cry the entire time I wrote this? Yes, I did.

ode to Jaycub.

Real quick: Just gotta give a birthday shout out to my great friend, Jake Cutler.


Jake, a handsome young man from Sandy, UT. He served a mission in Chicago, espanol speaking. Jake is one of the finest people I know. He is an absolute ten. I've known him since first grade-- just little Eagles in our Lone Peak nest. From there, we spent 3 years as savages at Indian Hills Middle School, followed by 3 soaring years as Alta Hawks. Jake is handsome and kind and a true gentleman. He is a sweetheart to every person he meets. He treats me like gold and I love him dearly.


Jake is a super athlete. I stalked the sophomore basketball team in high school so I got to cheer loud and watch Jake at every game. He continued to amaze the world with his fast running and amazing catching skill as he worked the football field. He has a nice body. Just sayin.


I love Jake. I love hearing his stories. I love that he works at the MTC. I love hearing him talk about the gospel. I loved Christmas shopping with him. I love the tights he bought me while we were Christmas shopping. Jake Cutler is one of the reasons I believe in perfect tens. Thanks for being such a great friend to me over all these years, Jakey.


Love you a million.

this is going to be a lame post...

Basically, just telling you to stay posted. I have some fun posts that I want to write!! I have had so many Disney adventures... Fun Saturdays... Weekends with Tro-Jen...

I find myself going to work, coming home tired, yoga-ing, and then studying before finally hitting the lights and going to bed... Every day... It's so funny being in a routine. Day in and day out. Same ol', same ol'. But I'm very blessed to live in a good place with sweet girls with a good job and good friends. Life is too good!!

there's something to be said about the power of chocolate...

Every week when Madyson and I go to DisneyLand we pass all of these popcorn stands-- kettle corn, caramel corn, regular corn, etc. And every week we comment on how sweet the caramel corn smells and how it makes us sick to our stomachs. And then we start talking about sweets... and then we start talking about chocolate... and then Madyson always says, "Ugh, I want to watch Chocolat with Johnny Depp" and then I always reply, "I've never seen that"...

...Anyway...

Chocolate. What makes it so good? Why is it that the female body CRAVES it like an essential nutrient? Why is dark chocolate like a bandaid for hurt feelings? Don't you think that because chocolate is such a vital part of our dietary needs that it should be low-cal, low-fat? I do.

So for New Years from one of our clients we got six beautiful boxes, see below.



These look like fairly legit gifts!! We were thinking staplers, paper weights, highlighters... No, no. What was in the boxes? The very boxes that were wrapped in heavy duty bubble wrap and thermo-packed? CHOCOLATE. That's right. SIX BOXES. And who do you think has eaten nearly 3 boxes by herself? If you guessed me, consider me offended... but whatever. You're right. It is me...



Little devil morsels. So easy to take one every time you walk by... I'm vowing not to eat any more once I finish this last little box in my series of three. Next time you see me, if I look like three boxes of chocolates smashed into one human body, just be kind and don't say anything, okay? Love you.

we wish you a perry christmas...

I love Christmas at the Perry house. Coming home to a fire and snuggling up in the gold chair and playing pictionary and eating snicker pie... Is there anything better?!?! I really love family time and Christmas break was so fun.



And to top things off, Santa came to visit...



Overall, a great little trip back to the arctic. I'm always especially grateful around the holidays to be blessed with such amazing friends and family. QUALITY TIME :)

something to chew on.

King Benjamin and I were talking tonight....
(Mosiah 5:7-9, 15)

7. And now, because of the covenant which ye have made ye shall be called the children of Christ, his sons, and his daughters; for behold, this day he hath spiritually begotten you; for ye say that your hearts are changed through faith on his name; therefore, ye are born of him and have become his sons and his daughters.

8. And under this head ye are made free, and there is no other head whereby ye can be made free. There is no other name given whereby salvation cometh; therefore, I would that ye should take upon you the name of Christ, all you that have entered into the covenant with God that ye should be obedient unto the end of your lives.

9. And it shall come to pass that whosoever doeth this shall be found at the right hand of God, for he shall know the name by which he is called; for he shall be called by the name of Christ.

15. Therefore, I would that ye should be steadfast and immovable, always abounding in good works, that Christ, the Lord God Omnipotent, may seal you his, that you may be brought to heaven, that ye may have everlasting salvation and eternal life, through the wisdom, and power, and justice, and mercy of him who created all things, in heaven, and in earth, who is God above all. Amen.

fail.

Hahaha-- what the crap was I thinking? Why did I believe that I could do 31 posts in the month of December? Foolish...

So now it's a new year, ya'll. 2010. The year I always used to joke about. I am really happy about embarking on a new year; I always am. I love fresh starts and new beginnings and new feelings and new realizations. I feel really positive about this year and everything that is to come... I have some big plans!

Looking back over the last year, I've realized that the best growing experiences are often the most difficult. I've watched many of my close friends endure some big time trials in 2009-- by observing them and also by cruising over a few bumps of my own, I've learned that the most important thing is to put all your trust in the Lord and to go forward everyday with resolve to do better and be something more...

Apparantly, it's all about progress. Apparantly.

ODE TO YEARS GONE BY:
Breaking out alive, 2005. (high school graduation)
Rockin new kicks, 2006. (i don't know)
Shooting for heaven, 2007. (self-explanatory)
It'll be great, 2008. (i thought this would be 'my year')
This year's mine, 2009. (just to make up for 2008)

.......drumroll, please.........

NO MEN IN 2010. hahaha! (but seriously). Let's do this thing.

happy new year!!!