Anticipation

All the details are contained within the pages of this notebook.

(Room layouts, decorating ideas, furniture dreams, color schemes)

I've been sketching and gathering ideas for probably close to 3 years.

I've been anticipating, planning, shopping and daydreaming

about this event that is getting underway right NOW!!

The excitement is too much!!

This is a fantastic thing that will be so GREAT for our family!!

I'm so excited to document pictures and details on this blog.

In a nutshell, we are:

1. changing our garage into a family room.

2. adding on a bedroom upstairs.

3. going to be using our current T.V room as an office.

4. going to be using our current family room as our main eating area.

I can't wait to share pictures as the project progresses.

She's been busy

She's just graduated from Middle School,

received a Presidential Scholar certificate,

nominated as Choir Student of the Year,

has almost finished a 10 hour Young Women's project for the Women's Shelter,

enrolled in a Brigham Young University Independent Study course,

Started a 6 week color guard class,

followed by a choir class,

has a regular paying job,

and just left for Girl's Camp.

All that on top of being AMAZING!

(Almost) 4 months!!

At (almost) 4 months old, Emma loves

ME

being held by me

me feeding her

me talking to her

me carrying her around in the baby Bjorn (thanks Amy this has been an absolute LIFESAVER)

me giving her a bath

and occasionally, if the stars are aligned and she's feeling in just the right mood someone else can do all those things and be completely content for 5 minutes

She's a TRUE mommy's girl :)

Oh yes, and don't turn your back when your baby

is hanging from a door frame in her bouncy chair

when there's a 2 year old nearby.

YIKES!!

Hotel for Cats

Exhibit A:
Strudel: The feline that joined our family last summer.

Exhibit B:

Sydney: the kitten we kept after Strudel had kittens a few days after arriving.

Exhibit C:

Sawyer, my parents cat that we are currently cat sitting.

He is one of the cats that Strudel in Exhibit A birthed.

Exhibit D:

The unnamed cat that showed up at our house a few weeks ago.

Surprise!!!, she was expecting.

(The shelter wouldn't take her because we do not

live within the city limits.)

Exhibit E:

Five little kittens that unnamed cat in Exhibit D

birthed in our bushes this past weekend.

That's 9!!!

NINE!!

NUEVE!!!!!!!!!!!

con-fi-dent

-adjective

Sure of oneself; having no uncertainty about one's own abilities.

Auditioning and performing solos at the school choir concert proved to me,

once again, that my children do not lack the confidence that I do.

Kenley sang the introduction to Ordinary Miracle &

Elizabeth sang the introduction to Popular from Wicked.

The next day Dallin "rocked out" with his recorder at the end of the year performance.

Awe

-noun

An overwhelming feeling of admiration,

produced by that which is grand,

extremely powerful or the like.

The Spurgeon Family first swim session of the season went just as expected:

Brushing up on skills,

Diving Board tricks,

Blue lips, (the water was a bit nippy)

Breaking in those new goggles,

...and the most paranoid life guard imaginable (me)

Happy Swimming!

We'll be at the pool if you need us.

What've we been up to?

Kitchen mishaps

Dallin's Lemon Bars still tasted great,

despite the egg on the counter.

Itchy noses

Cameron held on tight to the horse,

even though his nose needed a good scratch.

Ridin' cousins

Wouldn't these two be so adorable

galloping through the meadows.

Amazing zoo adventures

This sea lion was amazing,

it was one of our favorites.

Train riding.

Leopard gazing,

Cameron was amazed at the Leopard, which

happens to be his school mascot.

Memorial Day Observances

Brent's grandparents are buried at

Willamette National Cemetery.

It was a spectacular sight on Memorial Day.

School Plays

Kenley and her friend Carson diligently

practiced and performed their parts in the play

A Thousand Cranes.

It was acting at it's finest.