Dr. Kenley, PhD.

Kenley was chosen by her teachers to receive training in Peer Mediation. They meet and discuss problem solving skills so in the event there is an dispute, she can sit in on the discussion and help them solve the problems. Quite impressive if you ask me. Well, today she was involved in her first mediation. Psychologists office, couch, small table, the works. No details shared because of the confidentality agreement she signed, but I asked her a few questions about the event.


How did you get involved with Peer Mediation?
I have it as an exploratory this semester. My Language Arts teacher recommended me for the class.


What have you done to prepare for mediating a dispute?
We've done practice mediations and we've watched movies and took notes and we have done activities that relate to different techniques in mediation.


How did you feel today going into your first mediation?
Excited because I had never done a real one before.


How do you feel about the outcome?
I feel good about it.


When are you going to practice some of those skills in disputes you have with your siblings?
I would rather not answer that question.

2:55 a.m.

It really was that time.

It happens to me every time during the last few weeks of pregnancy:

Eyes pop open in the wee hours,

a mind racing with things I did the previous day,

and full of things I need to do.

What was it last night?

My brand new iron,

ironing board,

and spray bottle

that desperately need to be used.

Bedroom curtains ready to be ironed and hung?


Mountains of clean, folded laundry to put away?

Baby things to organize and prepare?



Hunger pangs?




The rousing bowling game we had for Family Home Evening?

It was fun, but a little awkward with a BUMP.

(I had to include this picture of these gorgeous girls who make everything fun)

The home addition plans that Brent is currently drawing

up so we can add a family room and two more bedrooms?

It was probably all these things and more.

My alarm at 6:10 a.m. came around way too quickly after that,

but I enjoyed my 45 min of a quiet house, after all, it's not something I'm used to.

I hope you're kidding!!!!

We're in the market for a new automobile. We've outgrown our current one and taking two cars everywhere we want to go as a family doesn't sound like fun. So we've been looking, mostly at 8 seater minivans or a suburban or something of the sort. Every now and again though I'll catch Brent on the Internet looking at vans. Not your cute little minivan or stylish SUV, I mean the 12-15 passenger, beeps when it's put into reverse type.

I AM NOT DRIVING THAT AROUND TOWN!

He must have a secret passion to become scoutmaster one day because he often makes the argument that one like that would be so convenient for camping trips and if the kids were acting up they'd get an entire row of seats to themselves. I usually just roll my eyes.

Well, today I caught him just in time just before placing a bid on a "Shuttle Bus."

I was speechless as he was gushing over this BUS telling me all the positive features such as no carpet to get dirty, already has a built in T.V, we could change the outside lettering to include our name on it, and a built in microphone feature so I'd never have to yell into the back. (Ok, so this would be useful) But the real clencher was when he said I'd have to get a commercial licence to operate it.

Taking two cars is sounding better all the time. I'll keep you posted to what we end up getting, but as for now we are not flying to Houston, TX to pick up this SHUTTLE BUS.

35 days and counting

I thought it was time to document a little pregnancy news. I've talked about my cravings and preparing for baby, but do you know what I'm really thinking?

I always announce being pregnant the second it's confirmed. I can't stand it. There are some very patient, fabulous women who can keep it to themselves for months. That's admirable. Some say the longer you keep it to yourself, the faster it goes. For me, this pregnancy has gone incredibly quick.

Other than the large rotund feature that's speedily growing, the increased food intake and my sweet kids that constantly make comments like, "Wow, you're tummy is getting SO big," I have felt fantastic. Baby Emma has been doing her thing, and I've been doing mine.

I'm probably going to eat my words in about three weeks, but I can't believe that I only have about 35 days until "BABY DAY." I have never uttered these words before. I'm not uncomfortable and I still sleep great ( a few more trips to the bathroom, but no complaints here.)

I am sure that in my previous pregnancies at this point I was so done and so uncomfortable and ready to go to desperate measures to get this show on the road.

I Feel Great

and I am so grateful. A sweet little Hispanic teenager stopped my in Wal-mart the other day and told me how cute my tummy was. I could have hugged her.

Yesterday I even ran to the car in the school parking lot. Not wobbled, RAN!!

My favorite part is watching my kids be so exited. They have plans for who will hold her first, can they carry her standing up, can they babysit while I run errands. According to me, (others may feel differently) I feel wiser, more aware, more grateful, more excited than ever before. Having older kids to be excited too is a whole new world, we feel as though this is for all of us and we're all in it together.

59 seconds flat!!!!!!

What on earth would we be doing on a Monday evening with a

size 1 diaper,

onesie,

pajamas

and a teddy bear?

Having our traditional

"Dress the baby"

competition, of course.

When the Spurgeon's are expecting a new addition, we brush up on our diapering skills. We noted the time it took to diaper and dress the bear. I paid particular attention not only to speed, but also to how careful everyone was.

Kenley went first.

An upside down baby with it's face planted in the table ain't going to cut it!

Not too bad Elizabeth.

Never mind the time. Dallin was definitely the most gentle.

Good job Dallin.

Brent was the first to change Elizabeth's diaper in the hospital.

He's good, but to win he's going to have to pick up the pace a little.

Those darn snaps get you every time.I was really feeling the pressure to do well.

59 seconds, thank you.
Victory again!!!
We are so weird!!!

A Lazy Tuesday

I'm a simple person.

I love my job.

I'm satisfied to stay home and clean up.

Sometimes though, a little break is nice.

On Tuesday my Dr. Appointment turned into a 5 hour hospital stay.
I enjoyed every minute.
My good Dr. T has signed me up for weekly NST's (non-stress tests) to check on baby. On Tuesday during a contraction, the baby's heart rate dropped and I knew instantly what that meant: A little visit to Labor and Delivery.

"Go on over, they're expecting you."

A quick trip through the drive through for food, a stop by the hospital gift shop for magazines and gum and I was hooked up with some monitoring straps. My boys were safe and sound at home with Brent and so I took complete advantage of the fact that I was alone and had to stay put.

Nurse Debbie, who has been there for at least 2 of my children's deliveries, commented how this was routine for me ( I was in several times before Britton was born) and she was sure that I would get to 38 or 39 weeks with this baby too and how she was excited I was having a girl so we would have three and three. She must be a quick chart reader because there's no way she could remember this.

The second she left the room I scanned cable TV. It didn't take me long to find a show which was just what I was looking for (home improvement and then wedding cake designs)

After a super ultrasound scan and long term monitoring, they let me go home. I knew everything was just fine, but I was now craving cake. I about called Kenley to ask if she could whip me something fancy up, but settled on making Chocolate Bran Muffins for dinner to have with our soup.

Ok, baby girl, during next week's test, just a little cooperation please. Don't get me wrong: once was enjoyable, but it's just not practical to spend 5 hours a week in the hospital just so I can watch a little cable TV.

Our 12 Days of Christmas

12 family pictures to try and get Elizabeth to keep her eyes open.

11,000 hours of snow fun.

10 min. after seeing his stocking, Cameron wrote a special Thank you.

900 miles of snow trails around our house.

8 family games played over and over.

7 min. vacuuming water after our pipes froze and leaked onto the floor.

6 family members who love this little boy.

5 man conga line through the house????

4 Christmas Choir concerts for us to attend.

3 girls anxiously waiting for number 4 to even out our numbers.

2 pregnant bumps, (one considerably larger.)

and 1 snow angel.

We hope you had as much fun as we did this Holiday Season.

Happy 2009 friends and family.