Christmas, 2008

Christmas Eve was wonderful this year. We got to participate in one of our favorite traditions- feeding the homeless with our neighborhood. It is always so nice to be able to share a little of what we have with those who have less. For the first time it was COLD while we were out, I mean REALLY COLD, which made passing out the scarves even better, but my heart felt a little sadder (if possible) for the conditions these people live under.

Then we had the annual Brent Stewart taco dinner, nativity and talent show! Brent's taco's were delicious, as always, but I think they tasted a little better this year because of the sacrifice he and Michelle made in being here to cook them.

After dinner the children read the Christmas story and acted out the parts! They looked so CUTE!


Waiting to start the play. Brynley as the angel!


Kenady and Stewart as Mary and Joseph!


Landon was a donkey!


Max a Shepard!



Ellie and Paige were wise men, Sydney was the donkey!

The play was extra special this year with everyone's new costumes, and the talents found a new level as well!
Stewart started us off with playing his cello, and then after dinner played the piano. (I was very impressed)
Then Logan did a great job on the piano as well! (sorry I don't have pictures, I was using the video camera:(.)
Tanner recited the Gettysburg address (all memorized!)
Brynley sang a beautiful song!
Max showed some karate moves!


The Brent Stewart family, a new addition this year, did some sychronized swimming! THEY WERE GOOD!!!



The Bunker girls made an appearance as the Jackson 5!




Jon Wayne sang a song!


And then we finished it off with a little "twelve days of christmas" singing and opening presents!
A special shout out to all the wonderful spectators who enjoyed the play and talents (or at least sat there and pretended to enjoy)!









Christmas Day we slept in a little, for us, and opened our few gifts and then went to Grandpa and Grandma's for traditional breakfast. Yummy sausage, bacon, eggs, waffles, cinnamon rolls, and hot chocolate! After watching while they opened their gifts we made a plan to go see the movie Benjamin Buttons at the Red Rock! I have never seen such a mess as it was trying to leave the theatre after our movie. A SEA OF PEOPLE!

note to self: make a different plan for next year!

It was a wonderful holiday! I loved spending so much time, with so much of the family! Until next year...

(i wish all my decorations were down and put away...i don't really feel like doing it though. maybe tomorow:)

top five things i liked about cancun

lauren:
1- unlimited amounts of ice cream
2- swimming in the pool
3- getting buried in the sand
4- jumping over the waves in the ocean
5- watching "curious george" in bed


hailey:
1- FREE FOOD!
2- the good ocean days with pretty water and sun
3- church
4- tulum and s--t-ha :)
5- being with my family and laughing and making memories


megan:
1- free food, 24/7
2- cute boys from houston, tx
3- bikini's, 24/7
4- forced family fun :)
5- giant bathtub w/syd for good company


sadie:
1- pina coladas
2- the sun
3- the ocean
4- good company
5- bikini's


tod:
1- the sunshine, humidity and ocean breeze all wrapped into one
2- the temperature of the ocean
3- the fact that drinks and food were unlimited because of our "special" wristbands
4- being with all the family...especially with all of the boys while being manicured and pedicured
5- having the cowboys from hiko, nevada with us


kristen:
1-laying in the sun
2- the beautiful white sand and BLUE water
3- getting a plate of fries from room service:) -all inclusive:)
4- when the lady giving me my massage fell asleep
5- seeing my dad get a mani/pedi
6- good company


mike:
1- the sun and warmth
2- the company
3- ocean and soft, white sand
4- tulum & xel ha
5- sleeping with lauren


jon:
1- having all my family together, every day, all day, for eight days, seven nights, in 82 degree weather
2- warm, clear, turquoise blue, ocean water
3- great body surfing waves
4- the feeling that i had in tulum that ancient apostles and prophets had lived and visited there
5- brent & michelle stewart



it was really, very fun to be away for a week with the family. it didn't feel much like christmas, laying in the sun, at the ocean, but i didn't miss the craziness i feel this time of year. we did miss not going christmas caroling, and not being able to make sack lunches for the homeless, but we were home in time to deliver them, and immediately upon return, it felt like christmas again!

in addition to all the top ten ideas everyone else said, i loved going to church, like hailey. i didn't understand a word from the speakers, but the MUSIC was wonderful. they didn't have an organist, and when it was time to sing, the chorister would walk up, sing the first line so we all knew what pitch to start on, and off we'd go. they sang out loudly and beautifully, and it just made my heart happy to feel the joy in their singing! As the musical number, the primary children sang a few songs, and they were joyful singers as well. i love feeling the same feelings wherever i attend church meetings.

probably the only bad things about the trip were:
1- not having baby beau with us, we missed him!
(thanks grammie pammie and pop for taking such good care of him!)
2- our VERY LONG bus ride to xel-ha and tulum and back again! can i say "LONG DAY"?
3- the lady sitting next to hailey on the the plane from phoenix to cancun...eucalyptus oil and xanex.

we were blessed to have no delays on our way home on the 23rd. we missed the snow storm of the century in las vegas. in all of my 48 years i have never heard of school being cancelled because of snow...may wonders never cease! if possible, i think i would love to get away at christmas, with my family, as a tradition, every year! we'll see:)

the slide show could be out of control, but i had 435 pictures to choose from!

top ten happenings of the second week of december!

1- the twelve days of Christmas fairy found out we were leaving town and ruined her plans of bringing over our "very cute", "very perfect" bunker/gardineer family one person at a time, so she came over in person yesterday, and delivered them all at once! i soooo, sooooo very much love these cute little people. i introduced them to lauren last night, and she went over and over who everyone was. this adorable little family will be a treasure forever! thank you so much suzanne!!!!


this picture shows a few more details of the hairlines (: there are such cute details on them!

i am hesitant to list all of the miraculous things that have occurred for me this past week for fear others will be jealous or feel behind. but, since we leave town tuesday morning and don't return until the 23rd, late, i have to be ready. and when you have to be ready, things seem to fall into place. any other december though, and all of these happenings would be nothing short of miraculous!

2- i am finished with my shopping! my gifts are wrapped and under the tree!

3- my salsa is made and delivered!

4- my christmas cards have been mailed!

5- it was open house at the dance studio this past week. i was able to go and video megan in an amazing lyrical and jazz class. i am always stunned at what my girls know, and what their bodies can do, and how strong they are (the lyrical warm-up was totally HARD, i have never seen an ab workout like it!), and how quickly they can learn a combination, and how much i love to watch them express themselves thru their dance! (that was a long sentence:)!)

6- i went with the priests and laurels to an assisted living center to share carols, talents, a story and some visiting! i love elderly people! a person gets a lot in return, when they try to give something of themselves to the elderly. it was such a fun evening. a couple of the young men played a great piano duet and the residents could hardly believe two boys could be so talented. all of the kids were great with the old folks:). it is a very happy memory!

7- my mother gave me some of her delicious peanut brittle! one of my favorite things about christmas!



8- i got to hear my favorite singer of all time, my husband, sing friday night at the ward christmas party! another christmas favorite! (he can still bring it!, even though he is fifty!)

9- hailey's health and p.e. teacher called jon. it was to tell him what a great student and person hailey is, and how much he loves being able to teach her. i was impressed with mr. hill when i met him at open house. i felt comfortable that he would be teaching my daughter about 8th grade sex education, and he didn't let me down. he has helped hailey love this first semester of 8th grade. i'm thinking i should call the school, and give someone there a good report about him, if he took the time to call us and give us a good report about our daughter! hmmm...things to do monday...

10- i am happy. i haven't really felt stressed. i have actually really enjoyed this past week! last week's note to self must have really worked. i truly believe this was a christmas miracle! i think i am almost ready to leave for cancun, and enjoy a week of being with my family...i can't wait...it is supposed to snow in las vegas...can you believe we will be sitting on the beach getting sunburned? don't be too jealous!

it's beginning to feel a Lot like CHRISTMAS!

this week has pretty much been a blur.

i have found myself wishing more than once, that thanksgiving and christmas were a little farther apart. maybe a month in between? just so a person could have a little time to recover from one, before the beginning of the next. sometimes it is difficult for me to fully embrace the wonder of the "gratitude weekend", without feeling pressure to get "decorated and organized" for all that needs to happen for christmas to be "perfect".
(conclusion: christmas will be perfect if i am happy (not stressed), kind, giving, thoughtful and sharing. it is about feeling and sharing the love of our Savior. whatever our family can do to lift others during this season will be what makes christmas feel "perfect". note to self: try to remember this!)

best happenings of week one of december:

1- hailey's violin concert season began.


we got to hear their first concert monday night. they are performing with the darling northwest choir (our cousin brynley is in it)...and no matter how much stress i am feeling, when i sit down, the music washes over me and the joy of the children fills my heart! we got to travel to st. george on friday so they could provide a concert in the tabernacle that night! they sounded really, really wonderful! it was fun to get away with hailey for a short while. going to these concerts is REALLY one of the best parts of the season for me!



2- we celebrated jon's birthday!


pie on fire!

3- the young woman had a night of favorites! we all learned a little about each other and what a few of our favorite things were, and then we were able to "share" or "give" one of our favorite things to each other. i loved learning about everyone, (i have a new book i want to read...highly recommended) and i loved having them all at my home. i am grateful that i was able to get the house decorated and cleaned for them to come over. sometimes i need a little push to get me going! i wish i had taken some pictures...

4- as a belated birthday gift for sadie, and a birthday gift for me; kristen, sadie, hailey and i went to see "O".


jon, again, was absent. but for a good reason. he was home being the babysitter, mike was out of town. he became lauren's "new" best friend, and he still has the touch with the babies. thanks dad. the show was pretty amazing and definitely entertaining! we had great seats, and a fun time being together! we're going to have to go back to check out the flowers at the bellagio...i have a plan:).

here's hoping i can remember my note to self for the second wonderful week of december.

could it be?
is it so?
Jon Wayne is FIFTY?
WAY TO GO!

a little poem for the love of my life:

over the years,
and through the days,
you have brought a lot of sunshine,
in so many ways!


your quiet chuckle,
your beautiful smile,
many kind words
and thoughts to make a mile.


ears that "really" listen,
a heart that "really" feels,
gentleness and tenderness-
yet your strength made the deal.


your family adores you.
you're the life of the party!
a half a century? heck,
we're hoping for lots more from your heart-y:).


i think i better stop.
i've never been good at the rhymes.
but we need you to know, we love you!
and thanks for all the "good times"!


JON, like good wine (i am told), only gets better with age!!!!!



HAPPY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY you OLD FART!
WE LOVE YOU!!!

1st Christmas Miracle!

i know it's not decorated, but it was up nov. 30. thank you sooooo much sadie! your mother loves you!

F.A.M.I.L.Y.

yes, it has been awhile since i have written anything, but let it be known, we had a fun, family weekend!


it all started wednesday...i had a wonderful birthday! every minute of the whole day was happy! jon invited my parents, and all the family went to fleming's for dinner. i probably had the very best steak EVER (and that is saying something for a cattle rancher's daughter:) and then the family decided to put ALL the candles on my cake and start the house on fire! holy nellie! i blew them ALL out, so of course, i got my wish! and then we finished it off with the new "bond" movie.

thursday was a delicious "turkey day"! unfortunately, i have no pictures to share, but all of brent's family, our family, rhonda, larry and molly, and mom and dad enjoyed our feast. as always, we had way to much food, but lots of enjoyable conversation, and a movie to finish that night off as well. no one really enjoyed "four christmases", but megan and i. i have decided any movie with dry heaving in it...really gets me laughing. pretty lame huh?

friday was a big golf day for the boys. ian came to town, bearing many gifts (thank you SO much!), and the girls cleaned up a little from "turkey day" and got ready for the big rebel game. unfortunately the rebels didn't work their magic, but i got a darn cute picture of beau in his rebel hat (thanks jan!)


saturday, more golf for tod and ian, a bunker reunion, christmas lights, and don and dina giancursio's wedding! the whole family was in attendance, because we have adopted don and now dina, whether they like it or not.


it was a catholic ceremony, with mass, so everything was a little different for us. we were on the front row, because jon was his best man, and i kept wondering if people were wondering who this huge family was that didn't know the things to say or the signs or anything, but i loved being able to see them both, up close, as they went through their ceremony. dina was radiant, and they were both so happy!


i know they will have a wonderful life together! after the wedding we went up to the red rock country club for the reception. cocktails started at 7, dinner to follow around 8. my people were starving...but it was beautiful there, the views were spectacular, and the dancing even better. it was so fun to watch jon and his girls getting down on the dance floor together. after his toast to the happy couple, jon asked the band to play some ojay's or ewf, for his kids. after that the party started to rock. even kristen got in on the action with a little "running man" and some of her other cool moves. as for me, i've decided i love to listen to music and "rock out" with my head or even my hands, but to try to dance to multiple songs, or even a whole song, i run out of things to do. so, i concluded i enjoy watching, laughing, and taking pictures! the girls, most definitely got their talent from their father!


note: for tod's wedding i have decided i am taking some ballroom classes, and we will be unbelievable when we dance:)...this is not an announcement!

sunday was beau's blessing day. he had great grandparents from his gardineer, petty-john and stewart families there. and his uncles and his grandfathers all participated as his father gave him a beautiful blessing. hopefully kristen will post some pictures on her blog, grama susie didn't get any:(.

it was a wonderful weekend. family, food, laughter...MEMORIES!!!

we have much to be grateful for.