Last week was the kids first week of summer vacation. Monday we spent the day in our PJ’s because we could. We played games, built Legos and lounged around all day. Tuesday morning the kids needed an activity so we loaded up the car and headed to the beach. We buried our feet in the sand, built sand turtles, and watched Aidan boogie board. Three hours later the whining began so we headed home.
Wednesday Lauren had a play date so Aidan and I went to lunch. I let Aidan pick the spot so we ended up at a pizza place called Shakey’s, if it’s not pancakes it’s pizza with this kid. Thursday we decided to go back to the LA Zoo. It’s amazing to go to a zoo when it’s not 110 degrees outside, because the animals are actually active, and not just lying there in the heat hoping for death. The tiger was roaring, the giraffes were eating, the gorillas were playing, the hippo was awake and swimming, the hyenas were running, you get the picture.
Saturday Aidan had his first of four pottery classes. For about six months now Aidan has told us he wants to be a sculpture. I found this shop in Venice that has classes on how to “throw pottery”. Since Aidan wasn’t old enough to be in a group class, I set him up for a private lesson. He was very excited, but I was very nervous. I was afraid it might be too hard for him, and he would get frustrated. I was totally amazed at what happened. He listened to all the instructions, and made two amazing pieces of pottery. The first piece was a small cup, and the second was what he likes to refer to as “an Ice Cream bowl.” I was expecting a totally misshapen, unrecognizable piece of pottery, and what I got was two totally usable pieces. We go back to glaze and fire the pieces later this month, but in the mean time he has two more classes to make more pottery.
Sunday Daddie and Aidan went to a movie, Night of the Musuem 2, while Lauren and I hung out at the house. The kids have been harassing me about going to the pool, but June Gloom is still here in southern california, and I HATE to get into a pool that is not warm, and when I say warm I mean bath water warm. Easing into a pool is not my idea of fun! You can check out all the pictures in Summer Fun_2009 iMac.
First Week of Summer. June 30, 2009
Graduation and the Beach June 20, 2009
On Thursday Aidan had his kindergarten graduation ceremony. It was really cute. They sang a couple of songs, and even did sign language to I Believe I Can Fly. Then they walked across the stage to receive their diplomas. After the ceremony Aidan got to choose where the Bundschuh Family was going to eat for lunch. He chose his favorite restaurant, iHop. Later that day Lauren had her end of school party, and it was on the beach. We cooked hot dogs and smores over an open fire, and swam in the ocean. Check out all the pictures in iMac.
California Grey Whale June 14, 2009
Can you spot the whale?
A California Grey whale has decided to take a break from his long migration up the coast to Alaska, and stop in Marina Del Ray. He has been swimming around in the cove for about a week now. Marina Del Ray is right by our house so this morning we decided to head down and see him. He was just hanging out, not even swimming around. He did pop his head up a time or two, but since he gave no me no warning I had a tough time getting a good picture. Lauren and I are going back tomorrow, maybe I will have better luck then. I did get a good picture of a house on our way to the beach that had a pirate theme going on.
Pirate House
Rock the Mullet June 14, 2009
Lauren had her Summer Celebration party on Saturday, and since she is leaving California in August they included her in the preschool graduation ceremony as well. You can check out all the pictures in Graduation_2009 iMac.
Last Friday June 14, 2009
Last Friday was Aidan’s last performance of The Wiz, and to celebrate, we let him pick the restaurant for dinner. He chose Bubba Gump’s Shrimp, because he said “Afterwards we can ride the rides on the Santa Monica Pier!” Aidan surprised us all when he said he wanted to ride what could only be described as a “throw up machine.”
After a few turns around with Daddie he was content to ride the kiddie rides with Lauren, but Aaron and I were still impressed he got on and rode it. The Bundschuh Family ended the night by riding the ferris wheel once again, but this time there was a sunset. You can see all the pictures under The Wiz and The Pier in iMac.
Off To See The Wizard.. June 4, 2009
Aidan’s school is putting on a play, The Wiz, and the kindergartners are the munchkins. He performed on Wednesday and then again on Friday. The play was extremely painful cute to watch. He was so proud of himself.
Take Time… May 31, 2009
to stop and smell the flowers. One of Lauren’s first words was “flower” and to this day she still can’t resist them.
So Big… May 29, 2009
Last night was Parent-Teacher Open House at Aidan’s school. Aidan was very excited about showing me around his school and classroom. I thought it was cute, he wanted to be a tour guide for a facility I have dropped him off at every day for the last 9 months. In the classroom he had his own portfolio, which included artwork, a writing journal, his daily math workbook, and stories that Aidan wrote. The stories were all about Legos, no surprise, the kid is obsessed. The class also had a butterfly habitat where they have been able to watch the caterpillars turn into butterflies. The class is releasing them today at lunch, because the butterflies have started to mate. The teachers also measured the kids height at the start of the school year and then again yesterday. I’m sure no one will be surprised when I tell you that Aidan has grown, but you might be surprised when I tell you he has grown 3 inches in 9 months! When Aidan was a baby the doctor kept telling me his growth would slow down. Well it’s 6 years later, and I am still waiting. I can barely keep this kid in clothes and food now, what am I going to do when he is a teenager!
Happy Memorial Day Weekend May 25, 2009
The Bundschuh Family headed to the beach today, where there was boogie boarding, body surfing and sand castle building. It was the longest outing to the beach to date, 2 1/2 hrs. Aidan is really getting good on the board as well as body surfing. Lauren laid belly down in the shallow surf and thought she was body surfing as well. It’s hard to believe that almost exactly a year ago today we hit the beach for the first time and Lauren would barely put her feet in the water. Tomorrow we plan to spend a relaxing day in. These are the weekends I really miss Tex-Mex and BBQ. 
You can see all the pictures in Beach_2009 in iMac. In Video_flickr there are a couple of videos of Aidan on the boogie board.
Today was also Lauren’s last ballerina class here in California. The rule of the studio is no pictures, but since we weren’t coming back I decided “to hell with their stupid rules!” You’ll notice that Lauren LOVES to look at herself in the mirror and in most of the pictures she is making a silly face while doing her ballerina moves. You can check out all the pictures in Ballerina Class_iMac.
Eaarrrtthhhqquakkke May 21, 2009
Well the Bundschuh Family has experienced yet another earthquake. On Tuesday around 3:40 a 4.0 shook the Long Beach area again. Aidan, Lauren and I were hanging out in our family room when we felt it. I felt it first. I then turned to Aidan to see if he was feeling what I was feeling, and sure enough we made eye contact and he yelled “EARTHQUAKE!” I stood up to get the kids out of the house, and it was over. Aidan was fine afterwards. I think he was proud of himself that he realized what it was, but Lauren has had it with the earthquakes. She is really shaken. She won’t leave my side now when we are in the house and she doesn’t want to sleep in her bed. Last night I went up to check on the kids and she had crawled into bed with Aidan, and around 4 am she came down to our bed. She told me she doesn’t like earthquakes and “wants them to go back to outer space.” I told her Mommie doesn’t like them either.
