May- Two worlds collide

May was our last month in the states.

We worked really hard until the final moments on our house and it finished really well. It rented in only three weeks! Yay! My mom drove by our CA home last night and said everything looks great! They had even decorated with Christmas lights! I am in contact with the neighbor there and she says all is well too! That is a comfort!

We were able to store all of our stuff in the second garage! We were so blessed with a whole house of free furniture and supplies last year- Thank you Lord. It will be so nice to have our things stored when we return, we won't have to recollect everything!

My parents helped us clean up and pack on our last day. It was also Weston's birthday and Peter's parents took the kids to California Adventure for Weston's 5th birthday. It was nice to have the children have a great day, and not be there for all the tears and WORK and packing!

Then we flew back to Mongolia, our other home- we painted MORE here in the living room. We also remodeled this kitchen and afterward--- Peter got SICK! He had to stay home for two weeks and lay in bed. Enough work is enough! Poor man!

Let me take this moment again to brag about my great husband-
In 2000, he could change oil in the car and maybe a belt or two. He was mostly an office man.

In 2010, he can rewire electronics, fix plumbing, build closets, install coolers, fix heaters and install thermostats, take apart our car down to the bottom of the engine, walk a round a foreign city looking for the car part, find it, install it in the car and put the engine back together again and start it right up. He can install sinks and countertops and fix water heaters, rake and haul 2 tons of weeds, He can chop wood, build fires, install pumps--- the list goes on and on.

I keep wondering what God has for us in the future if these are the skills he needs! Hmmm? One thing I know- he is the perfect person to buy a fixer upper and get it rent worthy in 6 weeks! Thank you God for my wonderful husband!

Peter's Disney birthday! We are on the submarines!

Auntie Julie and Megan swinging a VERY happy Weston!

A picture of a picture-- love the screams! Weston is between me and Mom Bunnell- brave boy.

Still working- the garage door project! I spent the whole day before this sanding that plywood and distressing it with an old chain. I looked like a crazy woman in the front yard hitting this wood with all my might. It was a good way to make it looks all distressed, instead of just dinged in a few places! The lovely pink paint faces the inside of the garage now!

Garage after-

The final shot of the kitchen. I am amazed how different this room looked and felt. For a couple hundred dollars, it was transformed with new faucet, new sink facing, new tile grout, new light fixture, "new" used stove, new cabinet hardware-- it's so much nicer to cook there now!

My sister and I went to Victoria Gardens, think beautiful outdoor mall! ad a GREAT TIME with this fountain. Logan waiting to get a drink!! :)

Here's Abby carefree and LOVING the water.
Weston cracking up!

Sierra more careful than usual!

Auntie Shauna helping Sierra at the playground.

The kids warming up after the fountain

We took a vacation overnight to San Diego right before our last week.

Our last day at Sea World- we also had passes there! I love Sea World!

Our neighborhood- this is a common sight it the summer!

Sukhbaatar from afar!

Playing with the neighbors, lots of dirt

Thanks for reading. I have really had a good time looking through my photos and reminiscing on last year's fun and excitement!

HOW COLD IS COLD? -60

This morning it was -60. During the day it warmed to -40.

(DID I MENTION, WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO THAILAND-- 26 more days!)

It is our friend's birthday today and we went to wish her a happy birthday and took her out to lunch.

Then we decided to get our haircut. We sat and waited in the salon, which was warm. Each time the door opened for someone to come in, the air turned to steam as it hit the frigid air outside- it looks like a dry ice cooler when you open it, except for the puff of "smoke" is as big as the doorway. Then the person enters through the steam and appears as if by a magic trick! It is strange to watch!

My feet were so cold after our outing, that I sat here with my feet on a hot water bottle.

When they thawed enough, I got on Peter's work clothes and went out to chop wood. Our first load of wood we got this year was green. Did you know that green wood burns (kind of) but doesn't make heat!

We had a new load of dry wood delivered last week. It is too cold to mess with green wood. Peter is back to work again and left me with dry firewood, but it was dwindling fast, so I went out to split logs. I had never chopped wood before. It's kind of scary and kind of fun. A good activity if you are angry, I think! I just kept thinking, "OK wide stance, ax up, and HIT as HARD as YOU can!!!!" And it worked!!! It is also a good full body workout! I chopped as fast as I could and came back in to put some dry wood on the fire---

Ahh nice and warm, that's better!

April 2009- a walk down memory lane

More great memories...

April 1, 2009 we got the keys to our house and were homeowners! We said, "Boy I hope we aren't the April fools getting this house!"

Now we know it was really the perfect low market to buy in and during the summer and last fall the prices began to rise slowly.

Now we had to clean up so we could move into our new home!!! We worked tirelessly and were able to move in after NINE days of working morning to late night!

The kids were with us for the first few days and then Grandma came and saved them and took them to Lake Havasu so that they could play and eat shrimp daily, while we worked like dogs.

We were so thankful to have that time to get things ready and move in.

Here is day one in the living room-

This is nine days later- the change in real life was HUGE- in the picture it's subtle. It went from filthy and grey yucky walls to warm tones and clean!

We decided to move midday on day nine. It was a work day and so there was no one to call to help. But the kids were at Grandma's and Grandpa's and we were heading out for Easter weekend the next morning.

We were so tired that we just wanted to lay down, but we knew the kids would be better off if everything was at least moved. So we got up, grabbed they yellow pages and when out for a burger.

We called and rented a UHAUL. :) We worked for the rest of the day packing up our rental house and slept in our house for the first time!
The end of move in day in the living room!

The living room at the end of April, all situated and finished!

The kids room day one-
The kids room all set up at the end of day nine-
the carpet's clean,
walls painted,
closet and dressers filled
and dark curtains to help them sleep with a south-eastern window in their room.The kitchen at the beginning of day one- Hasn't been remodeled since 1964 and hasn't been cleaned much in the last two!

This the kitchen at the end of day nine. We wanted to get the cabinets stained before the kids came home too (sticky kids fingers and wet stain don't mix!! Also the fumes were gone before the kids came.)

This picture cracks me up!! It shows priorities--- we have NOTHING in the cupboards but cleaning supplies. But I MUST have a radio so I can listen to music while I work and Peter MUST have coffee-- PRIORITIES YOU KNOW!



This is an egg hunt at Nana and Papa's house, during those first few crazy days of work! It was a fun time together- I must have been tired, because this is the best picture that I have of that day- and it's not so great!


There are so many Disney days that I have skipped over--- last year instead of going on a Peter Bunnell family vacation, I BEGGED for Disney passes!!! We were able to go whenever we wanted to and were able to tuck in so many good Disney days or half days--- sometimes we just went for the evening fireworks after running errands! LOVE IT! I will never live in so cal again with out passes!

When I finally get into Disney- after all the driving, parking lot, stroller arranging, security- I step onto Main Street and for me I am instantly on vacation. Walt knew what he was doing.

Sierra's favorite thing about Disneyland- hanging on the chains while we wait in line.

Here is Abby getting Sierra with a great big hug. LOVE IT!
We went to Disneyland with the girls one day during Nana and Tina's Spring Break, just the girls!
The end of ever Disney day looks like this!!! They are wiped out!!!

Easter morning at Grandma's and Grandpa's- later on we dyed eggs too and looked cute in our church clothes, but again, I must have been tired I don't have many good shots!!

I love this picture of Grandma and Weston making Key Lime Pie. Weston had a ball!


On the way to speak at a church, Peter and I divided and conquered. I drove my dad's old red truck up to Santa Clarita and spent the day in Santa Barbara with my dear friend Tiffany. We ate a beautiful lunch together and we stayed there to chat for a long time. It was a fun time together.

Then I drove to meet my family. We spoke at this supporting church about Mongolia and about the importance of family and how we our family works on the field. They wanted us all up on stage- We bet they regretted that!

Sierra wanted the microphone and Weston crawled around with a water bottle the whole time. Let's just say we won't be asked back to speak at any parenting conferences!!! :)

Did I mention we were a little busy in 2009?

February - March 2009 pictures

I was going through my pictures and realized all my February and March pictures are in the same file, so here are A LOT more pictures and memories.

After our final trip, we had been traveling nearly non-stop since Sept 2008, we were able to start Weston at preschool. He wasn't nervous at all! His teacher and assistant teacher were perfect for him. He loved Mrs. Aranda!
He was even invited to a birthday party on the first weekend. It was so fun!

His class was really interested in Weston's life and where he lived. So we made this picture chart. I asked him questions and then wrote his answers. We added the pictures together. (you can click this picture to make it bigger if you want a close up.)

We also let his teacher know that he would be absent a lot. I let her know our goals for Weston were to learn about how school works and have a great time with his classmates.

So we were absent a lot! It was a perfect fit for us because in March, we went on a vacation to the beach. We rented an RV and stayed RIGHT ON THE BEACH.

Time with grandpa, feeding the birds! What a fun time together!

Time around the campfire after one of Grandma's great breakfasts!

Sierra loved helping Aunt Megan walk the dogs!

The boys loving the fire! They were blowing on it to make it bigger!

Sierra enjoying the sand!

Her name in rocks and shells

Weston dragged this up and down the beach!

See, I told you I NEEDED that stroller- Sierra rides in style...

While Weston runs with Uncle Brian, like a crazy man!
I love how their feet are in sync and their form the same!

His name in sand dollar and rocks.

In early February we made an offer on our house:

Halfway through our vacation, we had to leave and drive 3 hours and back to sign loan papers.
We drove home and VERY nervously read and signed all the documents, praying that we were not making a mistake. We were so nervous!
Our poor loan officer had to wait for us to read them ALL and answer a million questions for us! But you've gotta be throrough, right?
Then we hopped back in the car and drove 3 hours back and enjoyed the rest of our trip.