bunkerlove

An Extraordinarily Ordinary 2010

2011-01-01T09:03:00.002-07:00

An Extraordinarily Ordinary 2010

Happy New Year, Friends and Family!

New Year’s Eve 2010 finds our little family huddled in a dark hotel room in Salina, Kansas as the boys go to sleep after a long adventure on our way home to Saratoga Springs, Utah from visiting Jacquie’s parents and family in St. Louis for Christmas. These long drives across our amazingly beautiful (and mostly boring (Kansas)) country create an opportunity for us pause, reflect, talk, laugh, cry, and evaluate our lives.

Upon reviewing our 2010, we realized that it was incredibly and amazingly ordinary: nothing too dramatic, critical, or surprising – except for one little thing. We are going to have a little girl! After making the same sojourn to Oma and Papa’s house in July, Jacquie announced that she was expecting. Given Jacquie’s young-looking 36 years, we were hesitant to tell everybody right away because of some previous miscarriages. Happily, Mommy and Baby are currently healthy, and we are looking forward to Katelynn Grace’s (or Kathleen Elizabeth’s) arrival sometime in late February or early March.

Being pregnant has occupied Jacquie’s life for the last half of 2010, but the daily stwrangling of Jackson and William have been with her all year. They keep her absolutely occupied, but are incredibly sweet, smart, and splendid little squirts. Her job as Mother is the most time-intensive occupation. I marvel at her ability to turn these tender and rambunctious boys into beautiful souls who are capable of so much. She is my hero! I am grateful my boys have such a mother! In addition to all of this, Jacquie also finds time to be the Primary Chorister, where she teaches all of the kids (ages 4-11) in our LDS congregation songs about Christ, gospel principles, and fun. Plus, she continues to be a master at cake decorating and cooking. My enlarged tummy can certainly attest to that!

Jackson is growing up too fast, but not fast enough! The daddy in me wants him to stay little forever so he will always want to give hugs, pretend that I’m Bullseye the Horse, or hear my off-the-wall stories about Jack the Kid and Will the Kid and their trusty dogs Charlie and Rufus; but the father in me cannot wait until this remarkable little fella becomes a man so we can have the same meaningful discussions I have with my dad and father-in-law. Each stage in his and his brother’s lives have been miraculous!

He started to pre-school this year and loves it! He loves learning from his teachers, making friends, and playing. He loved being a Sunbeam, a class for all of the four-year olds in the LDS Church, where his great teachers patiently taught him to love Jesus and let he and his buddies make messes with Playdough every Sunday. He especially loved learning all of the songs his mommy taught him and the other children in Primary and can sing them word for word. But, if you mess up only one word, watch out! He’ll getcha.

After Jacquie and I got home from finding out the sex of our baby, we told Jack that he would be having a sister. He confidently and a bit condescendingly said, “I know. I told you it was going to be a girl.”

William, in his quiet and mischievous way, continues to captivate our hearts. He turned two years old this year and has loved all that he has learned so far. He is tirelessly trying to master the alphabet, numbers, and all of the songs that Jack is learning from Mommy. He, I fear, has his dad’s lack of memory for words to songs. The melodies he has no problem with, but when it comes to the lyrics they usually are “la la las”…then the chorus.

Jacquie and I are convinced that he will become a world-class gymnast or acrobat because of how well he can land complex jumps. He sticks them every time – much to the chagrin of his grandma and her heebie-jeebies. He is slowly weaning his way into his own big boy bed in the room he will share with Jackson to make way for his baby sister. But, I’m not holding my breath because I usually wake up every morning with a foot in my face of one or both of my boys who trundled their way into our room in the middle of the night.

Will and Jack have both learned the wrath of the tickle monster this year. They know that whining awakens the tickle monster that lives inside their daddy. Will, however, in his sneaky way, fakes whining just so he can get tickled and express his inner Ernie. I admit I indulge him in this as any decent father would who likes to hear his boy laugh.

As for me, I’m still working at Salt Lake Community College as the Alumni Director and as an adjunct writing instructor. Plus, I continue to consult on the side. I have also been writing my mom’s life story, which has been a pilgrimage for me into her and her family’s past. I have learned, discovered, and dug-up some incredible facts, stories, and photos that have brought me closer to my mom, her parents and grandparents, and my own existence for which I will be eternally grateful. Of course, there is nothing greater in life to me than being a dad and a husband. I’m incredibly blessed with a family that loves me!

Traditionally, this is where most family annual updates include testimonies of Christ, affirmations of love for those who will read this letter, and wishes for a happy and successful New Year. And, being a traditionalist, I will not stray from the format.

We are grateful everyday for the life and peace that is afforded to us by our Savior and for the knowledge that we are an eternal family. We love you all so very much and wish you an extraordinarily boring 2011. May happiness find you and, more importantly, may it seldom leave you.

Please do your best to keep in touch. We know life is hectic, but we love and value our friendship with each one of you very much.

2009-12-23T14:29:00.000-07:00

Christmas 2009

2009-12-23T13:59:00.001-07:00

2009 has been an adventurous year for us. Late last year, we welcomed our second little boy into the family – William David. Will was born on December 13, 2008. A year later, he is learning to walk, talk, dance, sing, and play. He loves playing with his older brother in the toy room, playing Godzilla with the shampoo bottles in the bathtub, teasing Mommy and Daddy by turning the TV on and off, and warming our hearts with his giggle.

Jackson has also had a great year. He’s quickly learning how to read, he loves playing with his friends, and loves being a big brother. Jack Jack loves nursery at church, Handy Manny, Mickey Mouse, and anything involving a ball, puck, court, field, hoop, or goal. Pretty soon, he’ll start learning how to play the piano.

Jacquie and I moved from American Fork, Utah to Saratoga Springs, Utah – about 10 miles west. We are now officially homebuyers (we won’t own it for another 29 years and 5 months). We love it! It is nice to put some roots down after having moved so often over the past four years.

Jacquie also took up cake decorating. She has quickly learned the finer points behind rolling fondant, mixing colors, and forming frosting flowers. In fact, when she is in cake-decorating mode we have some kind of cake around the house for about four months at a time. Anytime you want to bring us brownies or ice cream, you’re welcome to! We’re a little tired of cake.

I am still working for Salt Lake Community College as the Alumni Director. In addition, I am teaching freshman writing for the College and working for my dad’s company as a web developer and editor.

Life is busy, but it’s really good. During the times of great happiness and during the occasional struggle, I reflect on the Christmas hymn, “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen.” As a nerdy grammarian, I find the title hymn to be very poignant. Notice the comma following ‘merry.’ The title of this song speaks about resting happily, not about merry men. And, why should we be able to merrily rest? Because Christ the Savior was born on Christmas day. Because of His birth, life, and sacrifice, our burdens can be eased and made lighter. He will save us from Satan’s power if we let Him. It is because of His love and the promise of peace way that the whole world rejoices at this time of year.

From Will, Jack, Jacquie, and me, may you have tidings of comfort and joy!

Merry Christmas!

2008-07-06T15:56:00.000-06:00

July 2008 Update

2008-07-06T15:53:00.000-06:00

Happy 4th of July! It’s been far too long since our last post and much has happened in the last six months.

Jackson is growing and learning like crazy. He is becoming a little dynamo. His favorite word, SHOT!, is by far his favorite pastime. He can be found playing basketball all day long and making his shots. He has found his hook shot, his backwards slam, and of course, his cute little jump shot. He’s also fallen in love with baseball and pretty much anything that involves a ball. He is well on his way to becoming the greatest tight end, third baseman, and power forward BYU will ever see.

He is also quickly learning his ABCs and many other words. Some of the funniest things he says are actually while he is asleep. The other night, he woke Jacquie and me up when he yelled from his crib, “YAY, PIZZA!” We just laughed, rolled over, and went back to sleep.

We’re excited to announce that Jack is going to be a big brother in December -- yes, Bunkers, December. With this new little person the time between December 21 and January 18 will bring the number of Bunker family birthdays up to seven. Jennifer and Jill might get really lucky if the little one is born on December 30.

Jack’s really excited for his new little brother or sister. He really likes to kiss his mommy’s tummy and say, “Baby.” Sometimes he kisses my tummy and says baby, but unfortunately, I’m just fat. Auntie Jen bought him a great book about what it’s like to be a big brother and he loves reading it at night right before Andrea Bocelli and Elmo sing “Time to Say Goodnight” (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BgUnYzXU-Fo).

Other than that, things are pretty much the same. Jacquie and I are super grateful to my parents for letting us live in their basement rent-free while we save up money for a house. I’m still working at Salt Lake Community College as the Alumni and Annual Gifts Director. I am looking for ways to supplement my income, which is why I’ll be teaching a political science course this fall. Plus, I hope to do some consulting and freelance writing on the side.

Jacquie is a full-time mom of a 40 lb two-year old and a part-time nurse at a Vet Clinic in American Fork. She loves being a mom, especially when Jack does cute stuff like grabbing both her cheeks and giving her a slobbery, affectionate kiss. She enjoys being a vet nurse, especially when she successfully draws blood from a really tough vein. Beyond those responsibilities, she is my full-time best friend, counsellor, financial advisor, and many other things. She’s also doing a great job not puking. Zofran is her friend.

We hope everyone is great. We would like to keep in touch with you as much as is possible. If you are in Utah and would like to get together, please email or call us. We live downtown and can basically get anywhere in about an hour. If you live outside of Utah, we’re just a phone call or text away. By the way, we switched to a Mac last year so if you have a Mac and want to IChat, our AIM ID is mattandjacquie or mattbunker12.

Christmas Picture

2008-01-01T09:54:00.001-07:00

2007-12-27T01:23:00.000-07:00

Merry Christmas Family and Friends!

We have had a typical adventurous year full of the completion of life goals, major changes in location and jobs, and the enjoyment of the entertaining antics of the Jackermunchkin.

Jackson (a.k.a., Jackermunchkin, Jackerdactyl, Jack Jack) had a year full of firsts; but, what do you expect from a one-year old? He celebrated el Cinco de Mayo by crawling for the first time. Nothing salutes solidarity with Mexico like an chubby infant crawling across a living room floor for the first time!

On August 14, Jack experienced another monumental first: one year of life. He was joined by his family to celebrate a birthday party where Jack was unleashed on a defenseless Spaceship...Chocolate Cake (those poor donut-hole aliens!) After ravaging the little green men with licorice legs, the Jackerdactyl was turned loose on his presents, which he tore into with dauntless force.

Later on in September, Jack became a man when he took his first step and fell in love with BYU football. His agility on the playground will undoubtedly serve him well later when he plays for the Cougars as the greatest tight end and/or linebacker the school will have ever seen. He is currently learning the BYU Fight Song. His version only consists of grunts and laughs right now, but he's got the clapping and the rah-rah-rah down just fine.

Jackson is such a tender, clever, and curious little boy. We love having him as a part of our family.

At the beginning of 2007, Matt and Jacquie were living in Columbia, Missouri as Matt was finishing up his Masters of Public Affairs degree at the University of Missouri. Jacquie was serving in the Young Women's organization in the LDS congregation in Columbia. She developed some incredible relationships that will last a very long time. Matt was asked to serve in the best calling in the church as primary chorister. The little kids cracked him up every Sunday and also had a keen ability to teach him more about the Savior's love than almost anything else.

In May, Matt graduated with his MPA and accepted a job as the Alumni Director at Salt Lake Community College. So, at the end of the month, we packed up our lives in Missouri and headed back to Utah.

Matt started his job on June 1 and really loves it. He loves the college and sees incredible potential to improve people's lives. Jacquie also started to work again. She works part-time at Country View Veterinary Hospital in American Fork, Utah (her old office). She loves caring for the animals and retaining her skills, even if it is for only 12 hours a week.

Currently, we are living with Matt's parents in Salt Lake City but will likely be moving to our own home in the coming months. We love our neighborhood and our church responsibilities. Jacquie is the Primary Secretary and Matt serves as the Elders Quorum Secretary and 11-year old Scoutmaster.

We are constantly reminded of how blessed we are. We are grateful to have lived in different places where we have gained incredible friends. We are grateful to have a little one who gives us such joy. But, most of all, we are grateful for the knowledge that Jesus Christ is our Savior and loves us.

Peace be with you during this happy season and throughout the coming year.

Sincerely,

Matt, Jacquie, and Jackson Bunker

P.S. If you know of anyone who would be interested in this letter, please forward the link to them.

2007-04-16T08:49:00.000-06:00

This is my Missi. She's really great. She came and visited me, Mommy, and Daddy a few weeks ago and we had a great time.

Someone bought me these neat pants. Grandma says Daddy had pants like these when he was my age. I guess I am destined to be a tacky (aka really good) golfer.

2007-03-22T22:32:00.000-06:00

More Photos

2007-03-22T22:26:00.000-06:00

Jack, Jacquie, and I played Chocolate Cake Indians for Family Home Evening the other night. I think the squaw and the brave look a lot better than the chief. Also, Cheddar the Warrior was stalking dust bunnies in the entertainment center.

The Chubbier Little One

2007-03-12T21:44:00.000-06:00

Well Folks, a lot has happened since January. The Jackermunchkin has gotten two new teeth and loves showing them off. He also discovered how to clap his hands. So, his new favorite things are to smile by sticking out his little teeth or clap his hands and smile by sticking out his little teeth. Another very evident thing that happened to our little buddy is that he put on a little weight and took on a few inches. He's now 18 lbs 5 oz and 26 inches tall (as of Feb. 21 -- he's probably up to 20 lbs by now). He turns 7-months old on Thursday, but he's almost grown out of 9-month old clothes. It's really fun to watch him go through all of his stages and wake up every day to see what he does next.

Jackermunchkin 3

2007-01-05T22:38:00.000-07:00

More Jackermunchkin

2007-01-05T22:32:00.000-07:00

More photos...

The Jackermunchkin

2007-01-05T22:08:00.000-07:00

Over the past two months, Jack has gone from a slender newborn to a chunky monkey. He has taken on an alter-ego known as "The Jackermunchkin!." It's a combination of his name - Jack; curmudgeon - what he reminds Mom and Dad of late at night when he is really tired, but won't go to bed; and munchkin - small, greenish midgets with orange hair that hang around with a wiry and kinda scary candy maker. Thus is spawned the Jackermunchkin.

He also convinced Mom and Dad to get a doggy named Brie. They rescued Brie from the animal shelter. Aunt Missi jokes around that Mommy and Daddy are "cheesy" because they're lovey dovey all the time. It's true that we Bunkers are pretty cheesy. My cat's name is cheddar, my dog's name is Brie, and I'm Jack! So there, Aunt Missi!

You might notice some of the best photos of the last couple of months that we posted above. They're really cute, but hey, they're all of me.

Jackson Matthew Bunker

2006-10-31T23:42:00.000-07:00

Hi! I'm Jackson. You can call me Jack, Jack Jack, Your Majesty, or whatever else you think is cute. I was born on August 14, 2006 at 7:04 pm in Columbia, Missouri. I was 10 lbs 7 oz and was 23 inches long -- Mommy was really tough. The doctor who delivered me was really nice. Her name is Dr. Puckett. My nurse was really nice, too. Her name was Courtney.

Mommy and Daddy were really excited to see me when I arrived. They'd waited a long time for me. Daddy was really lucky because he got to hang out with me for my first half hour. He keeps telling me it was really special to him. Mommy was so excited I was here. She keeps calling me her little buddy. I'm not sure what that means, but she says it so nice it has to be a good thing.

There's a lot more to talk about, but I'm pretty sleepy. I think I'll go to bed right now and add some more tomorrow.

Welcome to BunkerLove!

2006-10-31T23:33:00.000-07:00

Welcome Friends, Family and Wonderers to the Bunker family website! Here you will find all things Bunker (but most things Jackson). Actually, this is just the best idea of a place where you can check out the latest pictures of Jack, hear about his daily adventures, and occassionally catch up with Jacquie and Matt.

We hope you all enjoy this new experiment of ours. Of course, if you feel so inclined to post a comment, start a string of discussions, or ask us any questions, go ahead...just refrain from any profanity, vulgarity, or reference to the Utes or Yankees.