So Now What?

Yes, we're still moving to New York! And we thoroughly enjoyed our trip to the Salt Lake Temple Grounds and hope to make quite a few more of those trips in the next few months. As we sat and looked at the temple, and the gorgeous flowers, we couldn't help but feel like Heavenly Father was blessing us with this great opportunity. Here are some pictures from that gorgeous day:


So now, we are trying to live up the time we have left so close to our families.

This weekend we walked in the March for Babies, in honor of cousin Smc. We're very grateful for the research that the March has funded in the past, as Smc wouldn't have survived without it! Aunt Swc took all the pictures, so we have to get them from her.

We also attended Aunt Cse's quartet recital. She did a stellar job, especially loved Schubert's c-minor quartet! Way to go Cse!

And now we are just trying to decide how to find a place to live, whether to buy or rent, how to save up for the move, etc. etc.

Syracuse, New York

Because this is the best way to make sure I didn't miss telling anyone important, we have another announcement to make.

We are moving to Syracuse, New York, come early August. Okay, actually we are only 98% sure of this decision. We are headed down to the temple this afternoon to pray for confirmation of that choice. Pmc got a phone call Tuesday morning with an offer for a Full Assistantship from the University. We are SO EXCITED.

Most of all though, I am very very proud of Pmc. He worked very hard for this offer, and did quite a few things he was a little uncomfortable with. But he sure is being rewarded for it. What a great early birthday present to him. Which reminds me we didn't take any pictures on his birthday yesterday....ugh. Oh well, you'll hear about his birthday in our Sunday post.

For now, here's some awesomeness about where we're headed.

The University: <--that's a link, check it out! Sweet info

Just try to tell me that isn't gorgeous!

His assistantship covers all of tuition, plus a stipend. He won't be allowed to hold any other job, but it looks like it's a good area for Suzuki Violin, so we'll get by. We get benefits too, although we're still trying to get the details on what exactly that means. And they'll let me take 3 credits each semester too! If I can find time amidst being a mom and teacher, I would LOVE to keep getting some edumacation! Yahoo!

We have yet to find a place to live, but we're working on that. We expect lots of visitors, especially if you're coming to visit Palmyra, which is only a 75-minute drive! We're so excited to be so close to so many places we want to visit.

Walking

Cpc has some exciting news:

In anticipation of dad walking at commencement, Cpc has learned how to walk along with him!

He started off on Monday night when we went to visit Great Grandma Rvse (who just went through surgery to take out a bunch of gall stones!). I guess Cpc thought it would cheer her up to show her his first steps. So he started taking 2-3 steps at a time! It worked, Grandma was definitely happy (although she was actually in pretty good spirits anyway!).

Then on Tuesday night, we just let him go for it for almost an hour. He was up to 10-12 steps before he got tired! We have totally enjoyed this week watching his determination, and patience in developing this skill. It's so interesting to say that he's walking, because it's not like he's walking all over the house yet. I adore this stage where he's still figuring out how to re-balance himself when he wobbles, and not get frustrated when he falls, especially when he doesn't go down very gracefully. Plus it gives us a little more time to gear up for toddlerhood.

On that same note, cpc has made himself exhibit 1 in the case for changing the phrase "terrible twos" to "terrible ten months"... he's very good at throwing mini-tantrums. Of course, they're mostly quite manageable at this age, but they're tantrums nonetheless. (It's really kinda cute actually...) He's so willful and insists that things be done his way or no way at all. Some days he likes a particular food, the next day he doesn't. And when he doesn't, there's really very little we can do to change his mind. Walking has been the same way. On Tuesday, he was walking SO WELL. Ever since then, we've really had to help him a lot just to get 4 or 5 steps in. He's now proven that he CAN do it, but he makes sure that we know that the decision of whether or not he WILL do it is his, not ours. On a more positive note, the past two or three weeks have been much better sleep-wise on the whole. Cpc is deciding for himself that sleeping is not so bad. He's now doing a pretty good job of trying to let himself fall asleep when we put him down. He's usually not very good at staying still long enough to actually fall asleep the first time, but at least we can tell he's trying to fall asleep. Good for him! We (especially atec) really appreciate this big step!

As for everything else, it's been a pretty typical work week. We are so excited that the end of the school semester is approaching. Pmc will have a huge relief of stress with an official Bachelor's degree. I will get to cut back a bit on the number of lessons I teach. We will both have a chance to start planning our move. It looks like we'll be moving to Logan, unless by some miracle someone who received an offer from Syracuse turns it down and it falls to Pmc. We will of course enjoy Logan and USU, especially with Pmc assisting for a class my Aunt & Uncle set up there!

MOMS

To any of you who are moms, or would like to pass this on to other moms:

Many of you know that my Aunt Linda is the famous "Linda Eyre" of parenting book fame. She and my cousin (her daughter) recently published a new book, which I just received my own copy of last night and I LOVE IT! It has their "Secrets of Motherhood" along with GORGEOUS photography that Shawni does, which you can see more of here.

You can purchase the book here at Deseret Book. Also, my other cousin (Linda's other daughter) recently started a new website for Moms. They're still finalizing things on it, but your welcome to check it out and they'd love feedback: http://www.powerofmoms.com

Easter Week

Since today is clearly Monday, rather than Sunday, Pmc is at work and I am doing the post alone. Also, I have to get Cpc and I lunch and walk out the door in 30 minutes. So I have minimal time. Therfore you will mostly just get pictures.

Cpc enjoying spaghetti:

The Cundick family trip to the Bee's game. We had all of Pmc's family there, excepting Uncle Sdc the missionary. We took up a whole row and had a blast. The bee's did well, the kids enjoyed riding the train, and we even saw our favorite family friend Liz. Alas, we only got our own family picture:

Easter egg dying (the B is for Boston Red Sox, the P for the Pirates, and the A is for USU Aggies):

I picked up my wedding dress from my dad's house this week. I have been meaning to try to sell it for the past two years, but we just haven't had it around to take pictures. So we decided to see if I could fit in it. YAHOO, I could! It was definitely a bit tighter, but not even uncomfortable.  The picture was taken on Paul's 2 megapixel phone, so it's not great.

Pictures

We have a few behind-the-times photos to share:

My little sister Cse's birthday party at my mom's house - 

The family-favorite Marzipan cake. I sure love those, although the bakery my mom got them at while we were growing up went out of business. Dan's had one, and it was good, but not nearly as delightful as previous years.

Cpc enjoying the vaulted ceilings...

Next we have what kept Cpc entertained at Stake Conference a few weeks ago.

And last but not least, one of my favorite views:

I was very lucky to grow up on the east bench of Salt Lake City. We are currently living about a block from the home I grew up in, so we see pretty much the same sunset now that I loved growing up. We had a balcony that I spent many an evening sitting on while crying and watching the sunset. Whenever I was unhappy about my parents' arguing, or my teenage emotions, or some combination of the two, I always found comfort in watching the sun sink behind the mountains. I think it reminded me that the world was created by Heavenly Father & Jesus Christ, and they were my eternal family, and they would love me no matter what happened with my earthly family.

Update of the week next...

The new semi-annual greatest moment of our lives!

This Little Cundick Family is ready for Winter to be gone and Spring to come and stay a while!  However, at least someone is still getting something out of the snow... free meal! (Imagine that 'free meal' is being shouted Cafe Rio style!...)

We are excited to announce that Cpc learned how to say "Da-da" this week. He has also learned to shake his head "no," which has made me feel like I must be telling him "no" too much, and not telling him "yes" enough. We'll have to work on that. OR maybe he'll have to work on that and stop doing the things which prompt such a response.

I am also pleased to announce that Pmc and I are here at the computer TOGETHER! It feels nice to be recording our family history together! Goal number 1 ---> ACCOMPLISHED!

Atec just pushed the keyboard over to me, as if to say 'here, impart some wisdom honey.'  What does she expect?  I'll just add my new favorite saying... I'm sure most of you have heard it and I was slow to learn it, but any way, here it goes... ahem, ahem... "All the water in all the world, no matter how hard it tried, could never sink the smallest ship unless it got inside!" There, wisdom imparted.

Pmc says this because we heard it in our Family Home Evening lesson this week, and there are many reasons it helps him out right now. I'm personally grateful to know that our family won't sink unless we let the water inside.

We very much enjoyed listening to and watching LDS General Conference this weekend, and are sad that it has ended. We do have a few favorite thoughts we'd like to record:

Pmc - Elder Hales' talk about financial wellness and debt was awesome.  Very timely help for us.  I'm so grateful that our marriage has been guided by smart financial decisions. If we had not followed the counsel of the prophets we'd be much worse off right now with trying to handle our sudden car situation. I'm so grateful to recognize that we've been blessed for our obedience.

 Elder Ballard estutely noted that "you can't do a google search to gain a testimony."  (I hope the good folks at google don't hear that... they seem to be up to any challenge and I'm almost scared to see what they could come up with...)

 Favorite line from President Monson: "The future is as bright as your faith."  With so much negative press being almost constanly thrown at us, it's nice to remember that our own attitudes and faith ultimately determine where we're going personally and in our own families.

  From President Monson's Priesthood Session address: "Now is a time to be your best self."

Atec - The first two talks in conference were my favorite this year, so I'm glad I was in gear. I don't remember exactly what was said, but during Elder Hales' talk I was impressed with the thought that the satisfaction of worldly things ends soon after it begins, but the satisfaction of living God's commandments will last forever.

I particularly needed the second talk given by a member of the Primary Presidency. I hate to admit it, but I have a harder time controlling my anger as a mother than I thought I would. I learned that I need to do so though to teach my children respect. I also felt this during Elder Stevenson's talk about the temple. I can make my home a house of the Lord if I have self-control. I want to have the same spirit in our home that I feel when I attend the temple.

Today we enjoyed dinner at Momsey's home and Cpc got his first chance to play the violin. As I'm teaching lessons he definitely shows the desire to do so. So since my mom still has the violin I first played on, we thought we'd let him try it out. This violin is a 1/16th size, and it is 14 inches long. Yes, that was my violin when I started at age 3 1/2!

Pmc gave himself a [much needed] haircut, sorry no pictures....but he looks WAY HOT. Okay, sorry to all those who think that's too mushy. But I really think so! He's quite talented with those clippers, I only had to help him with one little part where his hair grows funny. Pay attention in upcoming pictures. For those of you looking to save a little money during these tough times, self-grooming is an excellent corner to cut!

Okay, we're done! (you probably couldn't wait right?)

p.s. We recently watched Disney's Bolt and loved it, loved the music too... the title of this post comes from one of the best lines in the whole movie... if you haven't seen the movies, see it!  If you don't remember the line, see it again! We liked Rhino, funny dude!