It's a Christmas miracle!

Last week, after our big trip to Salt Lake (pictures to come later), I was sick and tired of not having a camera. I begged Daniel for one the week before but our agreement was to buy a trip instead of a camera. So on Monday while our friends Skyler and Danielle were over I asked Skyler to try to fix my old camera. I felt like I had tried everything possible already. He didn't do much but then when he handed it back to me I turned it on and it worked! I looked through the pictures and realized the last picture I took was on February 28 and it was of Daniel golfing. I am so happy to have a camera again and I hope it lasts at least until I can get one for Christmas! Hopefully the blog will be updated a little more often now also!

Office Wedding Dance

Video Recaps | Full Episodes | Webisodes

School = Life the past month!

So I have been wanting to do a post lately but my camera is still broken so I've had to use my mom's to take all the pictures of my classroom so it's been a long time coming but here it is!

First and foremost the big news is that due to the Vista charter school's enrollment I was transfered from Red Mountain Elementary to Bloomington Elementary a week before school started. You might be thinking "Wholy cow! How could they do that to you!?" And I agree with you 100%, but the move went smoothly and I wouldn't have it any other way. Bloomington has been a great school with great teachers, principal, and kids.

My class is adorable. I now have 26 students in my class rather than the 16 I had at Red Mountain but they are pretty good little buggers. We have a lot of fun. I would say the toughest thing about being a teacher right now would be all the preparations that go into every single day. I feel like I'm there until dark a lot of days and it's hard. Daniel is going to school full time so he's busy too but I miss our summer of relaxation. Christmas break sounds pretty good right about now.

Other things that have been going on besides school - hard to imagine I could fit anything else into my life but we have managed. We went to the Corn Fest in Enterprise with our good friends Skyler and Danielle and their cute kids which is always a good time. Daniel has been playing a lot of softball. My family has been in town a lot too so that means barbeques and shopping trips.

Last but not least - our apartment is almost finished! Daniel has been working really hard on laying tile and once it's finished we get new carpet! Yes! It has been kinda tough living in a place that looks dirty all the time but it's finally almost done and it has been nice of our landlords to pay for the update!

Well...that's all. I'm tired of typing.

The classroom finished product.
My mom, dad, and Daniel helped me out so much! Here my mom is sewing some stuff for my classroom.

My class library. Probably one of my favorite parts.

Daniel and Danielle at the Cornfest. Danielle is picking corn out of her teeth I think :)

Annie Goes to "Annie"

I was so fortunate to get to go with my mom to see "Annie" at Tuachan last week. I have been wanting to see it but didn't think it would be a sacrifice Daniel would want to make. Anyway, my parents callings in church are advisors for the Special Needs Mutual and Tuachan donated a bunch of tickets so I got to go in my dad's place.
Little did you all know that I was in the play "Annie" when I was in fourth grade. I couldn't sing then and still can't so I didn't make the lead - but I was still one of the orphans.
This play was really fun for me because I knew all the songs and it was just me and my mom. I loved it!

Carpenter Family Camping Trip

Over Pioneer Day weekend we went with Daniel's family to Panguitch Lake. It was awesome because his whole family was able to go (with one exception) which rarely happens because his brothers and sisters are kinda scattered in different places. We did take the camera with us - then we realized the memory card wasn't in it! So the only picture I have of Daniel and I is this one I stole off of Kylene's Facebook page. :)

It was fun to relax for probably that last time this summer. We played Skip-Bo, ate, went on a hike, tried to fish but caught nothing, then ate some more. Daniel and I even slept in the back of a truck under a shade thing, but technically under the stars. It was a great time. I really love my in-laws and I'm happy that we can do stuff like this with them.Todd, Katherine, Daniel, Annie, Angela, Milissa, and Colby Carpenter

Jordan & Brook's Wedding

Today we welcomed Brook and her son Rylan into our family. Jordan and Brook have been dating for over a year, and have known each other for about 15 years. They were able to have the ceremony and luncheon at my parents new house and everything went really well. My sister and her friend made the cake and it was really good. A lot of my family was able to come from far away so that was neat to see them all there.

Daniel and I. He is so cute! I love seeing him all dressed up. My brother in-law Aaron fell asleep right after the ceremony

so we took a ton of funny pictures of him. Jordan and Aaron "spooning". :)I love my dad! So handsome!
Jordan has to start his new job with North Las Vegas Police on Monday so they left on a quick honeymoon and they are going to be living there from now on. We will miss seeing them all the time but I think it will be good for them. Congratulations Jordan and Brook!

Jordan's Academy Graduation

On Thursday my parents, my brother Taylor, and I drove to Vegas for my brother Jordan's graduation for the police academy. He has already gone through the academy once in Salt Lake but because he's working for North Las Vegas now they require him to go through again there. We even got to watch a video of him getting tasered and pepper sprayed.
It was neat for me to see what goes on in the police academy since Daniel will be going through it all, hopefully within the next year!

He graduated second in his class, we were so proud of him!

Rylan, Brook, Jordan, Mom, Dad, and me. Taylor was taking the picture.

Fourth of July means it's Bundy Reunion time!

Let me just tell you how excited I was about going to the ranch this year. I couldn't sleep the night before - like a little kid! I don't know if I was just excited about getting to the ranch for the first time in a year or going on a vacation for the first time since Christmas.

This year by far was one of the greatest because it was Daniel's first time going to the "Big Reunion". He adjusted quite well to the Bundy Life and even got a double ringer in the horseshoe tournament. Way to go Daniel! It rained on and off so it wasn't as dusty as usual which was nice for fourwheeling and I love the smell of rain!

One thing I was really looking forward to was dancing with Daniel at the dances they have on Friday night and Saturday night. Yes...cousins dancing with cousins.... we are all related. 1,200 people came this year! Anyway, Daniel and I got to the dance Friday night, he took one look at the couples swing dancing and doing "the pretzel" and said "They are dancing too fast!" I thought it was so funny. That's just how they dance in Bundyville. He humored me and we had a blast dancing to "Cotton Eye Joe".

On Sunday we were able to go to the reminiscing meeting which was neat because it was all about my great grandpa James Bundy. I learned some neat things about him that I have never taken the time to find out.

I'm so proud of my Bundy heritage and love that side of my family so much. It's cool coming from cowboys!!
My cowboy! :) The only good picture I got of us the whole trip.
Yes, Taylor and Bethany did bring Sadie to church with them. :) And Taylor drank a Pepsi the whole meeting. That's allowed out there.

Jordan and Brook. Getting married next weekend!

All the people at church. This cement slab is also where they have the dances.
The view from our trailer. Can you see why I love this place?

I was sad that more of my family wasn't able to come, but the seven of us had a blast. Most of my fourth of July's have been without fireworks (obviously) but I made up for it this year by winning a game of Pit and Pinochle! Jealous?

Day at Gammas

So as I mentioned previously we are staying in my parents basement until our tile is finished. This week my mom has been watching my sister Jana's kids while she has been at girls camp. Since I have only been working until noon everyday I had the pleasure to play with the kids everyday. It was fun and I got some really cute pictures of the playroom in my parents new house out of it.

Hanna, Chloe, and I in front of the Mt. Trumbull Schoolhouse mural. Check out the cute ABC carpet.

Hanna going down the slide. There has to be a pillow at the bottom because you pick up speed pretty quick!

Hunter with his Lincoln Logs.

Chloe picking her nose in front of the mural of my mom's Aunt Maime's house.
******Yes, I have resorted to posting pictures of other people's children because I have no life. At least Jana will enjoy this post. ******

Photography memories

I got onto Flickr tonight to see if my photos are still on there from my photography class I took my first semester of college.
Some of them turned out pretty cool and I would like to hang them somewhere in our apartment. Each photo has a theme, so don't think I am totally random.

This guy thought I was crazy for wanting to take his picture. Entitled "Dirty Old Man".

I actually had to take this picture multiple times to get right. "Frozen Foot"

I love this picture. It took me like thirty hours to do the special effects but it's still cool. Properly titled "Dead Sexy".

This one is called "Back to my Roots". I actually Photoshopped my love handles out!

Maybe when I can afford a camera I'll get back into it.

Is this weekend being serious?

Okay, so, on Thursday Daniel didn't have work so he decided to pull up the carpet in our dining room and the linoleum in the kitchen in our apartment. Keep in mind we don't own this place but Daniel is so nice that he has offered to do the labor in updating the place.

I was pretty excited to go pick out the carpet and he was excited to lay the tile when out of nowhere on Friday our water heater went out. Aah crud.

So we are currently in my parents basement in their brand new house for the time being. I will post pictures later because it is a gorgeous house. But there is just something about your own house and bed that you miss.

Just had to vent. Thank you for reading.

Daniel is 24!

So my camera still isn't working but I took a few pictures on my phone trying to capture some memories of Daniel's birthday. Since the whole kidney stone incident Daniel's birthday wasn't very well planned out. This was the best I could do!



There was actually fireworks going on at the baseball game by our apartment that night. My favorite was when Daniel said "Fireworks on my birthday? This is the best birthday ever!"

The birthday boy brushing his teeth. I am really desperate for pics at this point.

Daniel's Birthday Pie. Sour cream lemon from Croshaws. Yum!!!

Taylor's wedding, Memorial Weekend and a kidney stone to top it off!

My family's newest family picture. Below is the explaination on why Daniel looks miserable. (P.S. My bro. Jordan on the far left proposed to his fiance Brook on the 2nd. They are getting married July 17, and she is holding her little boy, my future nephew, Rylan.) The fam is certainly growing.

Usually my family goes to our ranch on the Arizona Strip for Memorial Day weekend but this year my brother Taylor and now wife Bethany were getting married on the 23rd whic is a significant day in our family so we stayed in town.
Little did I know that tragedy would strike the Thursday night before when Daniel called me on his way home from working in Cedar saying that his back was hurting and that I needed to pick him up. When I showed up he was in so much pain that he decided we needed to go to the emergency room. Having no insurance I was a little paniced about that but we went anyway. Once we walked in the door he threw up three times and I knew it was more serious than back spasms. Sure enough, after some tests we found out it was kidney stones due to drinking too much soda. Hate to say I told you so. :) I have never seen Daniel in such bad shape and it was awful to see him in a hospital bed dying.

They sent us home a few hours later, the kidney stone passed the next morning, but the pain and throwing up didn't stop.

My brother's wedding was the next day and Daniel still didn't have the strength to make it to the temple.
While I was at the reception he drove himself to the emergency room again (unbeknowst to me) and had to get an IV because he was so dehydrated.

It was a bittersweet weekend but he's okay now and that's all that matters! My advice, he has given up drinking pop for the most part, and dropped 13 pounds!

P.S. The wedding was flawless and Bethany looked beautiful!

Graduation!!! Woo Hoo!!!

Well, I finally made it. Two years ago I graduated with my Associates and knew that I had to finish, there was no other option for me. So thanks to my wonderful husband who has worked full time and slipped some school in as well I graduated on May 2 with my Bachelor of Science Degree in Elementary Education. It was a great day. My grandparents came down to support me and my brother Jordan drove up from Vegas so we were able to go to dinner as a whole family (minus Judd and Ashlie). Daniel's parents and sister Katherine were able to come too which was so sweet of them.

I got to sit in the very front row next to my two best friends in the program Danielle and Eliza (in the pic. with me) Thanks to all the people who supported me, for your gifts and love, and just being there. It really meant a lot to me!

Well, it's about time!

I GOT MY TEACHING JOB!!! RED MOUNTAIN ELEMENTARY - THIRD GRADE! For those of you who don't know, Red Mountain is in Ivins where my niece Hanna goes to school. I am so happy! I got the call on Monday and have tried to tell everyone but I thought I would formally announce it.
Come to find out, the job was between an experienced teacher and I (who just graduated a week ago) and the principal, who I love now, had to go through a lot with the school district to get me hired. That's why it took about three weeks to make it official.
Daniel and I are so relieved and excited. I have started collecting things for my classroom and I get to meet my students next week. It's crazy that it's all real and I really have it but I'm so happy at the same time!!!

Reflections Tag

My camera is still broken... aaaah.

Dallas posted this tag and it really got me thinking about how I need to stop worrying and enjoy the little things so... here they are!

1. 3 living things you treasure: Family, the Gospel, Friends

2. 3 non-living things that you treasure: The little money we have, time, laughter

3. favorite time of the year and why: Summer, I love to feel the sun on my skin...and do fun things with family like go to the lake or camping. I also love summer clothes!

4. favorite things to wear: heels (I'm so happy Daniel's tall), perfect fit jeans, anything new!, shorts.

5. are you a perfume wearer? Every once in a while when I remember.

6. favorite animal: dogs, but not little dogs so much.

7. top three events in your life(so far): Getting married to my honey, graduating college, spending each day learning more about myself and what Heavenly Father has in store for me.

8. top three favorite small pleasures: Splurging on ice cream dates, watching Daniel dance, getting dressed up on Sunday.

9. top 3 favorite places in the world( you have visited or would like to visit): Have visited: Laguna Beach, Newport Beach, San Fransisco. Want to visit: Hawaii, Greece, England.

10. top 3 favorite sounds: Favorite cd's blaring in the car, Daniel saying anything that starts with the letter "p", my nieces and nephews laughing.

11. top 3 favorite things to eat: Ice cream, steak, and it's a tie between my dad's mashed potatoes and his popcorn.

12. 3 small ways someone has made your day lately: Daniel cleaning the whole house, the kids in my class missing me when I'm gone or the little girls telling me I look cute, Daniel selling back his book that he didn't want to.

13. 3 small habits/quirks you have that make you specifically you! The fear of deer definately sets me apart, watering down pop cause I can't handle it, making sure Daniel has nothing on his face or in his teeth at all times (it drives him crazy!)

14.-Describe your life using 6 words maximum (for each time frame): Past - loud, fun, forgotten Present: Stressful, busy, decisions, love, young, happy. Future: happy, laughter, growing up, babies.

15. .Name 3 words that you can't stand, and 3 that you love: Can't stand "Long time no see",
Love: Honey.

16. Was missing.

17. What are a few of the goals you have for your future and how do you plan on making them a reality? Get a teaching job: keep patiently waiting and be willing to go somewhere else. Have a baby: Get insurance and trust in God. Travel: save when we can so I can take Daniel to the Cowboys game. Buy a house: once again, save when we can. Serve a mission with Daniel: get old.

18. What is the best piece of advice you've ever heard? Give your life to God and things will work out.

19. what is your favorite quote and why? "Come what may and love it!" It teaches me to be patient with myself and what is going on in my life. It helps me face that things are going to go wrong and I need to make the best out of it.

Teaching job update!

I interviewed with Red Mountain Elementary today thanks to my sister for the hook-ups! I'll keep you posted! Nothing from Alpine yet. Sorry Salt Lake family!

Busy Week!

In the past week we have celebrated both my birthday and our 2 year anniversary! Both were great thanks to my wonderful husband. Since we are starving students Daniel decided to forgo the present and take me to Red Lobster, where I have been dying to go for months. When we got there and looked at the menu prices I remembered why Daniel kept saying "No!" . Haha. It was really good and fun for it to be just us. He even shaved and got dressed up. It was so cute!
After dinner we headed over to my parents where my family was waiting with my two favorite pies from Croshaws and a cake! Yum! Thanks to all of you for the gifts and funny voicemails! I loved them all! My brother Jordan even made a "special trip" from Vegas to make it in time for my party. I felt so loved to have everyone there. Afterwards we went to Daniel's parents to see the visiting relatives there. It was fun to see you Klint and Kylene!

On Conference Sunday we made breakfast for my parents then headed over to Daniel's parents for dinner/lunch. His mom is such a great cook and it was fun to see almost the whole family around the dinner table. It doesn't happen very much and it was very special. After dinner all the grand kids came into the kitchen singing "Happy Birthday" and Daniel's dad was holding a cake. I was confused to who's birthday it was! Haha! His parents gave me some money for a massage which I am so excited about! Thank you! What a great day with conference and all. My favorite talk had to be President Eyring's talk on Sat. morning. If you missed it, make sure you check it out!

The next day was our anniversary. I had a long Monday at the school and Daniel called a few times telling me to hurry home. Of course I'm irritated but I hurried home anyway. When I walked in our entire downstairs was spotless, all of the leaky ceiling tools I've put up with for two months were put away, and on the set table there were roses and a sweet husband standing next to it. I almost wanted to cry when he pulled out a pizza from the oven. It just melted my heart to think of all the trouble he went to to make my day special and all I got him was a new razor! Thank you Daniel for how much easier you make my life. I promise to love you forever plus two years!

What we have been up to for 2 months!

So....not having Internet at our new apartment has been a killer to the blog. Even as I am writing this post I am sitting outside the computer center at the college using their Internet. I gotta check my e-mail somehow!

I will try to update more now that some big events are starting to take place. I have had a stressful couple of months. I never thought the economy crisis would effect my teaching job but it has. The whole state has been on a hiring freeze and after about 10 or so screening interviews with school districts all over the state I finally spoke with the assistant superintendant of Alpine and he seemed pretty willing to find me a job there. I would love to stay in St. George but my wonderful husband is very willing to go wherever I I find a job and there's a college close by for him. He has decided to go into Criminal Justice and will have his associates in December. He is planning on looking for a police department that will put him through the academy next spring.

One of the main reasons I need to get a teaching job is so we can get insurance so we can start a family. I have had a little niece and a nephew both need heart surgery in infacy and it scares me to death to think of getting pregnant and having a baby without that peace of mind. If I'm not able to get a job then it puts more pressure on Daniel to find an officer job quickly so we can get insurance through his job.

We have been praying for something to work out. We feel like it's a righteous endeavor to want to start a family and Heavenly Father will bless us in those kinds of things. Not to mention I am so tired of being poor! I am just ready for things to turn around and hopefully a teaching job will help us.

So... our last couple of months have been tough but student teaching has been great, my mentor and class are the best, Daniel has been able to play a lot of basketball and softball which he loves, and we have been getting through day to day and paycheck to paycheck. I guess it makes you stronger!

A dedication to my sanity

Some might ask how college students handle the stresses of finals, part time jobs, financial problems, and all the while hours of homework a night. Here's an idea. It's a little show that I have been watching religiously for about 4 or 5 years. It's on it's sixth and possibly final season. One Tree Hill. I started watching this teen into adulthood drama in my freshman year and it has gotten me through! When I went to SUU we would meet and watch it every Tuesday. Here at Dixie we meet to watch it every Monday. It's like stepping into a life that is way more complicated than mine could ever be and it makes me feel less stressed about my life. Here are some pictures to show our little get together last night. P.S. Lucas officially proposed to Peyton!