School out for the summer! Schools out forever!

I kept singing that song to my kids this morning and every time I said "forever" I would get objections. Not from the graduating kindergartener, but from Emma, "It's not out forever, Mom!" :)

Ah, remember this post and how cute he was, and little ;). Look at how big he is now. I had to take his picture in the same spot so we could see the difference :).

He liked his spikey hair. He said it looked like a motorcycle? I don't know. Anyways- Emma had to get in on the action. Her hair is...well, not done...but curly. :) Her official last day of school was yesterday, but we are having a "last day of pre-school picnic" tomorrow that all the kids are invited to. It should be fun.
And last I got Fox in a few pictures. I absolutely adore these last two pictures. Look at how stinkin' cute my kids are! I know you're a little bit jealous at there cuteness. ;)

I'm super excited for the summer! June is going to be an explosion of stuff going on, we have swimming lessons, birthday parties, scout day camp for the 1st counselor in the Primary (that'd be me), kids to watch, church lessons to teach (one week I am the only member of the Primary presidency that will be there...YIKES!!), friends coming into town (Bryan and Leah, Tony's so excited I think he could cry ;)), and lots of other summery fun. And then we go to Utah!! I'm super duper excited!! We leave on the 2nd of July (Emma's birthday) and drive out. Tony will be there that week and then fly back home and then fly back to Utah and pick us up the second week in August. That's right! Me and the kids will be in Utah for a month and a half!! We are ssoooooo excited, I can hardly help myself! We miss our family. The kids miss their fun cousins. I miss my Mama (and siblings and dad and grammy and in-laws and friends in Utah...and the kids, always the kids :)). We are ready for school to be done and get on to the next adventures in our lives!! :)

A rainy day Bundy update

I don't think I ever really appreciated rainstorms until I moved to the midwest. I realize as I write this that those of you in Utah are (and have been for quite a while) getting dumped on by rainstorm after rainstorm, but as cliche as it may sound rainstorms in the midwest are just different. Cooler ;). The drips, plops, and splatters create a symphony so beautiful to hear that it makes me sad when the wind blows and I have to shut my windows. Often times it excels to a great crescendo, that last for hours, of the heaven opening up and crying large tear drops down on us, as a bash of thunder and lighting drum in the background. It's beautiful. And just makes me think of how lucky and appreciative I am of things in my life. I have the best life.

We don't have much, and yet we have everything we need to make us happy and then some. I have found the enjoyment of making much of our own things. Its funny that when I was around those who could teach me to sew and bottle and scrapbook, I never wanted to do it. When I moved many miles away suddenly that appeals to me. I now am slowly learning to craft, and finding the joy that creating something can bring.

We do without some of the things that we had before. We rarely go out to eat, and when we do its a special occasion. I remember my Grandma telling me of how when her Dad took them to get a hamburger it was a big deal; a very special occasion. That's what it is turning into for my kids. I love it. We are finding joy in the simple things, and really I think it makes my kids happier and more pleasant people.

Liam has the innate want to do good. He has so much respect for Tony and I, I love it. Especially for me. He will do anything that I ask him and do it happily. He loves his brother and sister and is the perfect big brother. He usually shares, and will help we watch and play with his siblings. He is tender-hearted and is torn apart if he ever gets in trouble, especially if it is his Dad who is disciplining. He hates to upset or disappoint us, and tries his best not to.

Emma is still my Luna Lovegood. I have loved moving out here and have people get to know her and say things like, "she's different." Not in a "oh dear, she's different" type of a way but a "that's awesome that she's different" way. The way she speaks and tells things is just different. I believe she thinks different than most of us. I hope she never changes, because when things go wrong in the world or lives, sometimes what you need is something different. She's the sweetest and most sassy little sunspot you ever did meet.

Fox is just fun loving. He wants everything to be a game. He loves to walk up to the kids sitting on the ground and teasingly lay against them, while saying "aaahhhh". He loves to be tickled and chased after. He follows his siblings around and is one of them. There is very little that they can do that he doesn't at least think he can do. He has grown to be fearless. He will jump/step of off high places into the arms of me and Tony. He will jump/step off of our couch and face plant it on the floor, laugh, and then stand up and do it again. Really, sometimes I don't know what I am going to do with him.

Tony and I are doing great. I believe that this move has been the best thing for our marriage. We were never in a bad spot before, but now we rely on each other more, we know each other better, and I really feel like we love each other more deeply. I am enchanted by him (sorry for the mushy stuff :)).

I am doing fantastic. I love feeling strong, and like my body is finally (after 5 years) getting back to it's normal self. I'm excited, and nervous (as always) for what lies ahead.

Believe me, my life doesn't always seem this great. There are times when I cry and worry, when I'm furious and just want the day to end. But today it must be the magic of the rainstorm showing me what I have to be grateful for.

A little spring fun

A few days ago, right around dusk, we decided to go play outside in the perfect spring weather. We have TONS of dandelions around our house right now so I taught the kids how to make dandelion jewelry (Tony made the fancy dandelion curly earrings hanging from Emma's ears :))

Tony decided to get a little bit more fancy and make crowns out of...whatever plant that was (at least it wasn't poisonous. I mean, none of us swelled up or anything...)

(Liam's bird nest)

Overall it was a fun night.

Here's Emma trying to hide her necklace from us. What an extra silly girl :)

Another testament of Jesus Christ

Liam gets to give a talk in primary tomorrow. With a little help from Mom and Dad (and a prayer) he has it planned. For those Grandmas and Grandpa's out there who wish they were here to hear it, here is what he has planned out, to help you feel a little closer :)

This is the Bible. It tells about Jesus. After being written down many times, some of the words got lost or changed. Heavenly Father had a plan. He had Mormon gather words of prophets in the Americas and put them in a book. Many years later Heavenly Father had Joseph Smith translate the book. The book is called the Book of Mormon. Just like the Bible, it has stories and truth about Jesus. The Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ.

Liam gives a talk, I have sharing time, and all of us have colds...pray for us ;)

First swim of the year.

Of course it was in ankle deep water...

Yesterday it was 90+ degrees (geez louise!) So we got out our kiddie swimming pool. We dont have a hose yet so the pool was filled up with buckets and pitchers. I got sick of doing it real fast so the pool only got full to about Fox's ankles, but the kids absolutely loved it! And in our apartment complex having a pool full to ankle deep draws the neighborhood kids like moths to a flame! We had about 6 other kids show up to play, 1/2 of which I didn't know, but it was fun anyways. Here's some pictures of our fun day in the pool.

Best Mothers Day Ever!!

Today I woke up to a flurry of gifts being dumped on my bedside, and three cute little kids (and one hansom husband) jumping around excitedly and telling me, Happy Mothers Day! and to open my presents.

Liam brought home a bag full of stuff on Friday and ran and hid them before I could find it! That little stinker! But I got to open it today! There was a place mat, a book about the ugly duckling (that he wrote and illustrated himself), a picture of him and his class, a few strips of paper, and an "about my mom" picture, all wrapped in a paper bag that he decorated.

This is his "about my Mom" paper. He answered questions about me.
Mom translator:

My mom's name: Kira

My Mom's favorite food is: cookies

In her free time, Mom likes to: Take a nap

Mom like the color: purple

Mom like it when I: clean my room

I like it when my mom: Makes cookies.

This little boy gets me. It's like we are kindred spirits. I especially like that in the picture of me I am wearing socks. I guess I just woke up from my nap and eating my favorite food, cookies...

Emma's preschool class made these awesome "MOM" signs. In the picture of Emma the preschool teacher said that Emma wouldn't stop eating hotdogs, so her mouth/cheeks are stuffed with hotdogs. It's makes me love it all that much more. :)

This is the card that Liam picked out for me for Mothers Day. hehehe
And how they changed it to fit.

And I'm super excited because I got my new favorite movie, Tangled!! (We already watched it this morning :)) And a plant. It's a "coffee" plant. LOL. It's suppose to cleanse/purify the air. Pretty cool.

Mother's Day has been fantastic so far. And why wouldn't it be with being a mother to these three, cute, little hooligans. ;)
And happy Mothers Day to my Mama, Grandma, Mother-in-law, Sisters, Sister-in-laws, Aunties, Cousins, and friends! I love you all!

Memories- Lehi house

This is once again one of those "I want to remember" things, so for all you people who want to read something interesting or see what has happened in our lives, move along, and wait for the next post :)

There's only a few things that I remember from living in "the Lehi house". I was born there-well actually in the hospital, but you get what I'm saying (you have to clarify these things when people you know have their kids at home...), and moved before I started kindergarten. (Which made me sad because I remember my older brother really talking up how in kindergarten you get to walk through the "monkey gate"...my other school had no monkey gates. Lame.)

I remember, at one time, while living there, running up to my mom and having her put her hands on my head and playfully push down while saying, "Oh, I love the age your at. Don't ever grow up. You stop growing." Sorry ma, I tried...okay not really, but I do know that I often think the same things about my kids.

(These memories are incredibly sporadic, I was five and younger, so bare with me)

I remember being sick, with the flu or something like it, and my Grandma Pugh bringing me rolls and gingerale, because, hey, that's what grandma's do. :)

I remember one hot summer's day watching my older brother run out side without his shirt on. So, I proceeded to take my shirt off and started after him, only to be caught by my mom. I was horribly angry that she wouldn't let me outside to play with no shirt on. We finally compromised and she let me outside with a light green tanktop (with some sort of teddy bear on it?) on. It's amazing how things I did when I was littler are coming around to bite me in the bottom :). After hiking on Saturday (well Iowa hiking, aka walking in slightly hilly, woodsy areas), Liam decided to take off his shirt because he was hot. Emma tried to follow suit and got very frustrated when I wouldn't let her. I tried to explain modesty stuff, but it didn't work out and we end up with Emma riding home, crying about being hot and wanting to take her shirt off (Where was my teddy tank top then, hu?).

I remember walking down our stairs (ones that when down so far, then had a landing, then turned and went down the rest of the way), and feeling like I wasn't touching anything. Like I was "floating."

I faintly remember being in our front sitting room and pulling off the eyelashes of my moms porcelain doll. The act, of which, I will never live down.

Okay, I think that's it. ah ha! I covered the first five years of my memories. Brilliant! :)

And just for the record- No, Mom, I don't remember the couch that I cried for hours about when you got rid of it. My kids didn't cry for hours over the couch we got rid of. Perhaps if you would have turned it into a fort for a couple of days, then I would have been able to let it go more easily. ;)

Flooding

Downtown Davenport, Iowa. Spring (April) 2011

This is about a football field-ish length away from where we were playing in it in this post. The road by the river (aka river drive) is flooded and closed.

Crazy hu?