Breakfast at Chelsa's

So I, Chris, am trying to learn video.  This is my very first, so don't judge too harshly.  Anyway, I had to do an "everyday occurrence" kind of video.  Chelsa was kind enough to help.

Chris's Billboard Project

Since most of you weren't able to see Chris's prints displayed on campus for his fine art class, I thought I would post the photographs from his most recent project.  A project that took a lot of time and a lot of driving around Utah and Nevada.  Chris's prints turned out great and it was neat for me to see them on display in the HFAC building.  His teacher was also very excited with his photographs and wants Chris to enter them into a contest.

Most people probably think that fine art is just landscape shots, but the art movement we are in today is called post-modernism.  One major aspect of post-modernism is agenda driven photographs/projects.  Below is Chris's artist statement....

During a recent drive home to visit my parents I saw a series of billboards that first made me laugh and then caused me to think about just where we are today as a society.  In many ways the world isn’t too much different today than it was hundreds of years ago:  As the saying goes prostitution is the oldest profession.  The difference is what we considered wrong, sinful, and immoral in the past is now held as commonplace, accepted, and in some circumstances even right by our society.

The purpose of my project is not to debate whether or not each specific topic is right or wrong.  My purpose is show the whole, to see society as it is now.  Is the world in which we now live better?  Is this progress?  What will the future be like?

In reality the actions and habits of mankind haven’t changed all that much and probably won’t in the future.  The trend is though, that as a society, what we deem immoral and wrong today could easily be defined as normal and good tomorrow.

Chris Bunker

Thanksgiving and a Birthday

I know that I am way behind on the blogging, so I thought I would do a couple make-up posts, starting with Thanksgiving....

We spent the week of Thanksgiving in Vegas, where it was nice and warm...even getting up into the 70's.  The girls were in heaven and played outside LOTS.  Chandra came down with Nicole and Josh (we actually drove down the Saturday before Turkey day for an extra long week) and she spent most of the week with us.  Chris was super busy working on a couple of school projects, but he did find some time to play with us.  The whole Bunker clan visited the Springs Preserve, a natural museum of sorts one day and later Dad B. took us big kids to Fremont Street....the original Vegas strip.

Thanksgiving day was fun.  We played some basketball in the morning, baked pies, ate yummy food and went to see a movie.  Chris photographed a wedding the day after Thanksgiving and since there were plenty of babysitters, I got to tag-a-long and help.  My favorite day during the break was when we all went outside to play a little croquet and bocce ball.  Chris won croquet, but Josh and I creamed everyone in bocce ball!

And finally, on Sunday, Chris turned 30!  Unfortunately, we had to make the long drive back to Provo on his birthday, but I think the day still turned out well, especially since it included some presents and pumpkin sheet cake.

 As I said before, the girls loved, loved, loved being outside.  Running, jumping on the tramp, going for walks, collecting pinecones, whatever.  Oh, and playing with Cazador of course.  Ellie even enjoyed the occasional snuggle with him.  

                                 Chelsa                                                 Casey       

Chris

Josh just relaxing.  Can you guess who he cheers for?

                         Ellie wants to play!                                      Benson

Dad measuring......not that we were competitive at all :)

Kylie was super excited that she got to pick out a balloon for Daddy!

For Chris's main gift I put together a basket full (more like overflowing) with 30 of Chris's favorites!

He got some clothes as well!

A close-up of his "basket of favorite things"  Hopefully those snacks will last him a while!

Happy 30th Chris/Daddy.  We sure do love you!

Our Fifth Anniversary

I know that I am very far behind on my posts.  It has been a busy couple of months!  Sorry family!

Back in August Chris and I celebrated our fifth anniversary!  We were able to spend some time together (almost 30 whole hours!) thanks to Casey and then Nicole and Josh for watching our girls.  Over the past year or so, Chris and I have talked about hiking Mt. Timpanogos.  Chris has never done it and both of us wanted to do it before we potentially leave Utah.  Since we didn't have the time or money for an anniversary "get-a-way", I suggested that we go on a hike.  Chris agreed, but 5 hours into our hike, I am not sure he was very happy he did.  J/K.  We had a great time together and both the hike and the views were amazing.
 

It was a beautiful day to hike....not too hot, not too cool. A little hazy though.

There were some pretty cool waterfalls along the hike. 

At the top!

The snowfield we slid down instead of hiking down...faster (and more fun)

 

We of course were quite tired after hiking Timp, but it felt so good as well (and dinner never tasted so delicious).  My legs were sore for a few days, but the memory of our anniversary hike will last forever!  :)

Provo Parade

We attended the Provo 4th of July parade again this year and both Kylie and Ellie LOVED IT!  Kylie was standing the whole time and got so excited with each float, banner and marching band that came our way.  I actually was surprised at how attentive Ellie was the whole time.  She clapped and danced and waved her little American flag.

 

Kylie loved the fire trucks and the "sparkly motorcycles" (the police motorcycles had their lights on.)

 

Kylie moving her flag like the marching band's flag girls!  It was so funny/cute.

 

Daddy was taking pictures for the newspaper of course.....here, the girls spied him.

Here are my favorites of what Chris shot....

Oh, and for those of you wondering about the Stadium of Fire this year....there were't any skydivers gliding in carrying American flags with long poles that would hit barracades and make a certain photographer (and his camera) go flying.  I am glad Chris came home unscathed.  

Spring Skiing

Skiing with Chris was one of the best days of the year so far!  We headed up to Brighton yesterday with my sisters to get a few hours of skiing in.  This was the second time Chris went skiing with me this season...yes he loves me a lot!  But it also took a lot of convincing. :)  It was so fun to spend some alone time together....  and Chris admitted that he even enjoyed it (the skiing that is...he always enjoys spending alone time with me!)  For spring skiing, it was pretty nice if you kept to the groomed stuff, but by the time we were leaving at 2pm, it was getting pretty slushy.  All in al,l it was a wonderful day.

 

My proof that Chris indeed went skiing.

 

The typical lift ride picture!  I enjoyed the amount of uninterrupted talk time we got. :)

The girls had a fun day as well.  Nicole and Josh watched them in the morning and the Casey in the afternoon.  When we got home, Kylie went on and on about all the fun things they did.  As I was getting things ready to go yesterday, the girls were playing in their room.  They had been quiet for a little while, so I went to check on them, half expecting all the clothes out of the dressers again, but this is what I saw....

 

  

It was so cute to see them both sitting quietly, reading their own books.  Lately, Ellie has started to take a real interest to books.  She likes to pull them off the shelf and then bring one to me to read to her as she sits on my lap.  The only problem now is the whole sharing my lap and taking turns picking the books.  Ellie of course doesn't have the attention span for a whole book and Kylie needs me to read each page.  We are still working on figuring this all out. :)

And the winner is....

Thanks for playing the who's who challenge!  It was fun for me and hopefully for you too.  Everybody did super, but only two got a perfect score.  And the winners are.....Pa Bunker and Chandra & Josh!  Congrats, your prizes will be arriving shortly. :)  2nd place was another tie...Nicole and Gma Bunker & Ben.  3rd place....Gma Abe and 4th place...Gma and Gpa Jensen.  Yeah!

I have labeled the girls' pictures if you want to have a look-see...maybe to see which ones you mixed up. :) http://bunkerfamilysnapshots.blogspot.com/2012/02/whos-who.html

I know everyone has been dying to see pictures of the girls in Brooke's and Nicole's weddings.  Chris seriously hasn't even had time to sit down to look at any of them.  He currently is in L.A. with the photography department right now.  They are meeting with lots of photographers there, touring studios and learning more about the photography industry/ business.  He gets home Sunday and I think I will make him find a couple of pics of the girls so I can post them!

We have been trying to stay busy without Chris around this week.  Having full reign of the car has been nice, but I must say it is a lot nicer (and more fun) to have Daddy home!

 

BYU's dinosaur museum.  Kylie loved the triceratops the best.  She kept giving the little one (aka Sarah from The Land Before Time) a hug.  "She's my friend Mommy."  Kylie also told me, "I don't want to meet a T-Rex."  Me either!  Of course right after we got done with the dinosaur museum, Kylie wanted to go to the animal museum!  Too bad it was nap time, but we did end up going there later....it was definitely a day centered around what Kylie wanted to do!

 

At Chucky Cheese.  I told Kylie that we could go to play for a little while if she was good while I ran a couple errands.  The girls did a couple rides/games, but mostly just ran around.  Kylie enjoyed the play area and Ellie liked playing/banging on all the lights of the arcade games. 

 

Just playing at home.  Isn't it a wonderful sight when your kids are actually playing nicely together, without any refereeing on mom's part?  Pure joy.  Kylie was being so cute while making "lunch" for Ellie.

 

And Kylie dressing up with all her jewelry.