Mother's Day

Kevin is a wonderful husband. He is so understanding and supportive. I've been wanting a sewing machine for a long time and with all the other things we "need" for the house right now, all I asked for for Mother's Day was a little bit of money put away to get a sewing machine some day. A couple days before Mother's Day a package arrived from Proflowers.com with a beautiful Bonzai-Azalea plant (see post below for picture). I thought that was a perfect gift for our new home. It's time I start taking care of real plants. :) I didn't expect anything else but breakfast on Sunday morning, but when I went down to the family room there was a large bump of something underneath a blanket...and low and behold...a sewing machine!!!!! What a sweet husband. He works so hard for our family and always does things to make us happy. Emery and I went to JoAnn's yesterday to buy some thread to finish her dress I started at my mom's last week. I spent the afternoon while she slept reading my sewing machine manual and putting white and yellow thread on bobbins. Then I got to finishing her dress without too much stress or trauma. I'm still slow and learning, but it is sooooo fun to work on something and have a final project to show for it. Here's the dress:

I found the material and ribbon at Wal-mart. Ended up being an $8 dress - pretty good deal!

Emery's Room

So two weeks ago I went to IKEA with my mom to purchase a list of things I needed for the house and found some light pink sheets for Emery at $3 a piece. I bought a set for her bedding, two to make a bedspread out of, and one full-size one to make a curtain for her closet. So, for about $12 I got complete bedding and a curtain for her room! Hooray! I went to my mom's last week to make the curtain and covered my own buttons with material I had left over from making her blocks (see below on the shelf). I also found some more of that same material I bought last year at full-price for 1/2 price at mormon handicraft to make a curtain for the window. (Haven't done that yet) It feels good to be thrifty and to find cute things for her room. This shelf was at IKEA too - $11. I just had to paint it blue and screw it together. I like it 'cause it's bigger and cheaper than the one I bought at Michaels for the family room ($14 there). The flowers and dragon fly came from Wal-Mart (.50 a piece!) and the string and clothes pins I've had since my first visit to IKEA a year ago. I knew I'd be able to use them sometime!:)

These last two are Emery in her BIG bed. She loves it so much. I put her down around noon and don't hear a peep from her sometimes till 4! I know, I'm spoiled! I'm trying to enjoy the quiet time before the baby comes. I think we're also spoiled because she's a scaredy cat - she won't get off her bed without our help. It's really not that high off the ground! We'll try to coax her off and she'll turn around and start to scoot off. She gets about 3 inches from the floor before she gets scared and pulls herself back on the bed. I was nervous to put her in a big bed 'cause I'd heard of other kids who get out too early in the morning or don't nap long enough...the opposite has occurred. She'll stay in her bed for A LONG time before we hear her to get her out. :) I think she might be my daughter - I was the 2 year old who when told it was bed time, would run up the stairs and climb into my crib on my own. Mmmmm, I've always loved to sleep!:)

I tried for a couple minutes to make her take her Binky out to smile for the camera - she's smiling underneath and is completely content. Who wouldn't be?

New Additions to the House

Just wanted to show you a few new things we've added to the house. This mirror was a great buy at Tai Pan Trading - I love that place! Do we need something else below it? The door on the right is the front door, so you see the mirror sitting on the love seat in the living room... This is our new Living Room furniture. We got it at IM Home in Provo. We think we got a good deal because it was on a Retirement Sale... No matter what kind of deal I think we're getting, I always feel a little swindled at furniture stores. Any one else? We really like the couches though and think they will last us a long time.

A large clock in the kitchen - also from Tai Pan

This is a picture of what the plant Kevin sent me for Mother's Day will look like when it blooms. It's a Bonzai Azalea...I'm really excited to take care of it. I need to find a good spot for it to stay. I'm afraid there isn't anywhere in my yard that gets enough sunshine all day. At this point, I move it around my backyard about three times a day...not sure how long that babying can last:) I can't wait to see it bloom! Isn't it gorgeous?

This sign is above my pantry in the kitchen. My sister lives on a farm and found some old barn wood that she has started making signs out of. Quiz of the day- What does the quote come from? I think it just looks perfect in this spot. Thanks Kourt!

Random question: Does anyone know the protocol on how to label pictures? I mean, is it more natural to read the label above the picture, or read the label below it? Hmmmm...

BYU Graduation

The week after we moved Kevin graduated from BYU with a Master's degree in Computer Engineering. We are all so proud of him and his accomplishment. Go Kev!Just wanted to add this picture here in honor of our family's love for BYU. The first letter Emery recognized was "Y" and every time she sees it she says, "Y-U-Y-U". We catch her saying it anytime she sees a "Y" - like in "Toyota" and "Honey". Pretty cute. Pretty brain-washed. We will miss Provo so much...but we'll be back for football games every year!

New House

We're finally up and running! Just a couple days ago we finally got our internet and phone set-up. I had forgotten how much I depend on "being connected" with the world. I think I thought about looking something up on the internet at least a dozen times a day. I love to have so much information at my fingertips! Emery and I spent all week catching up on your blogs and I think we finally feel normal again. :) I started today by straightening up the whole house so I could video it for your viewing pleasure. When I got to the end of videoing, I realized it was over 10 minutes long and when I watched it over I decided I said WAY too many obvious things...so I re-did the video and it's less than half as long as the first one:) (See video at end of post)

Well, just to give you a run-down of the last few weeks, we spent the week of April 14th packing boxes, saying goodbye to good friends, cleaning our apartment, and finishing finals (Well, just Kevin did that part, I guess. Just a side note - one of his finals was supposed to have taken him 20-30 hours! Can professors really get away with that!? Of, course he refused to spend that much time and he still did really well-he's a genius!). Saturday, April 18th was moving day. Thanks to all those who came to help and offered cleaning power, muscle power and horse power to make the operation run smoothly. We were done moving and cleaning by 11:30 am!!! That left us with plenty of time that afternoon to move into our new house. Thanks again to those who helped there - you can probably breath for a while - I don't think we'll move from here for a really long time. (Another side note - this is the 6th time we've moved in less than 4 years of marriage! It better not happen again for a while!)

The week of April 21st brought lots of unpacking and organizing. Kevin's sister, Kristy (expert Interior Designer) came to help arrange furniture and help me decide where to hang pictures. She is so good and gave me some really good ideas. As you can see from the video, we need more...of just about everything to make it just perfect, but we'll start small - getting the living room furniture here is a first. (It came yesterday!) By the end of the week we headed back to Provo for Kevin's graduation. He even got to wear one of those really cool cape thingy's. He said before we left, "I'm supposed to look smart and I feel like an idiot!" I think he's glad he only has to do that once. It was a great occassion and we are all so proud of his hard work and dedication. Congrats Kev!!

With all the excitement of the previous weeks, this one has kind of been boring and "ho-hum". I always get in a slump when Kevin has to start working full-time in the summer and this "starting to work full-time" will never end! Luckily, he does get good vacation and hopefully he'll be able to save some up so we can go to a couple family reunions this summer. I think I get bored when I feel do-less (yes, that is a word...I think) and don't have activities to plan on every week. (I miss you Koutne and Will!) I just have to get to know people in my ward and start getting ready for this new baby. I don't think I'll be bored when she gets here and I'll start wishing for those long-lost quiet afternoons:) I feel so selfish when I start feeling down, because I really have soooo many things to be grateful for and really should have NO reason to complain or be unhappy. My wise Stake Relief Society President said, "Happiness is finding peace with the stage of life you are in." Life really is wonderful and I'm loving trying to find peace with this stage. Emery is growing up so fast and I try everyday to enjoy getting to know her and getting prepared to know the next adorable Lundgreen to grace the planet!


I know this is a long post, but hopefully you're updated enough. I'll take some still pictures as we get things decorated and furniture appears. Thanks for being so supportive and a part of our lives. We love you all!