Sweet Escape

 

Mr. Stannix and I decided it was time to get out of the city

so he brought me home for the weekend.

On the way home we passed by a field full of animals and Camilla asked, "Mom, what are those?"

I answered, "Those are buffalo."

Camilla then (in a fake scared voice) said, "Oh...I don't like Gruffalo's..."

The Gruffalo was her favorite book for a long time.

It made my day.



Help Yourself

We had some friends over for the afternoon and enjoyed the park and a chick flick. While we were all watching the movie I said, "If you guys get thirsty or anything, just help yourself". Soon Camilla requested cheese and crackers so we paused the movie while I made some up. She was really good about sharing and gave one to everyone. She then came back and sat by me on the couch and said, "If you guys want some more just help yourself and get a plate and make some". The three of us laughed pretty hard. She said it so politely too!

Picnic With the Littles

 This morning was cloudy and cold, but around noon the clouds parted and blue sky appeared! We all needed some fresh air. When I announced that we were going to have a picnic lunch Camilla exclaimed, "Oh! That's ensighten!" (exciting). She set up the blanket in the front yard beneath my favorite tree while Hyrum and I brought out the food.

 We enjoyed grill cheese (cut in triangles of course), tuna and crackers, and grapes for dessert. 

 Many a laugh was had...

 And lots of snuggles too!

And after Camilla tackled us both over with a massive hug, this was my view.

Life is sweet.

Mommy's Little Helpers

After dinner today we took off to the grocery store to pick up some water and fruit. 

The kids happily insisted on carrying the water jugs.

We got a lot of smiles and laughs as we walked through the parking lot.

Such awesome little helpers I've got!

Quiet Time

I love Sunday afternoons. It's so great to take some time to reflect and set new goals and rest up. When Hyrum and I woke up from our nap we came downstairs to Daddy and Camilla snoozing on the couch. After a quick bum change we snuck out the balcony door and played outside for an hour on our own. I relaxed in the cool breeze on the monkey swing and watched Hyrum dump the rain water from his buckets and scoop leaves with his shovel. As I relaxed, baby moved non-stop in my tummy. My bump is getting rounder and I actually had people congratulate me who just noticed it for the first time today. Imagine their shock when I told them I was due in two more months!

As I watched my little boy play, I couldn't believe how big he was getting. He's starting to say a few words like "done", "bike", and "bird". He prefers a cup to his sippy and is almost done with bottles. It's crazy how fast this last 16 months has gone! I adore his blonde, wavy hair but it's getting pretty long and will soon need to be trimmed up.

When the backyard got boring, we went around to the front yard and watched the cars and bikes zoom by. Hyrum could sit and watch cars go by forever. He would point at each one and the odd time I would get an excited scream. I loved spending the afternoon with my not so little man. Those baby blue eyes of his are so sparkly and noticeable outside in the sun.

After dinner and a visit with friends at an open house the kids were pretty tired. Mr. Stannix took Hyrum up to bed which left Camilla and I on our own downstairs. She came up and curled up on my lap and put her head on my tummy. She wanted the baby to kick her head like it did the other night during our movie. We sat and snuggled together for quite a while giggling quietly and feeling the baby move. I will always cherish our evenings together.

Morning Cheerios

Our little man visited our bed a couple of times last night (serves me right for bragging about how well he sleeps). I'll never complain about the extra cuddles though! He slept until 7:00am and then we went downstairs, just the two of us, and enjoyed our morning Cheerios. 

This kid is a big fan of his cheerios and will eat every last one and drink all of the milk. I just love his big stretches, sleepy smiles and chubby toes first thing in the morning. The extra milk dribbling down his chin always ups the cuteness factor too.

Slow Down

Today I had multiple reminders of the importance of slowing down and savoring the moment. We got a crazy ice storm just before dinner followed by a downpour of rain. As soon as it started the children both rushed to me, one clinging onto my leg and the other grabbing my hand. I was reminded how much they rely on me for safety and security. We pushed the backs of the couches close together and put a blanket over top to make a fort in the living room and distract the children from the storm. Hyrum ran under it like it was a tunnel, in one side and out the other, over and over again. Camilla begged me to come inside and play with her. It wasn't an easy feat with my baby bump, but I am glad I did. We giggled and laughed until Daddy came home and joined us. I let Daddy take over while I finished up dinner. He hung out in the fort, tickled and wrestled with the children. The giggles were priceless. At one point I went into the living room and watched Camilla come up to her Daddy and wrap herself in his arms as she asked for a cuddle. It was such a sweet moment.

We ended up having a late dinner after enjoying visitors morning and afternoon. Camilla surprised us all by eating her plate all gone! Dessert was in order and ice cream sundae's were served to everyone following dinner. We then had family prayers and let Daddy get to work while I jammied the little man and tucked him into bed. 

After he was fast asleep Camilla and I went out to grab a few groceries. Having one vehicle has been tricky with Mr. Stannix working out of the office more and more. Camilla was excited to get out of the house though and gathered up the spare change that Grampa had given her earlier that day into her little wallet. She was pleased to have her own money. We talked about checking out the dollar store so that she could pick out a new toy. She needed some special one on one time.

As we made our way to the car, I went around the front to unlock the doors and Camilla went around the back. Behind the car was a huge puddle from the rain earlier. As I was waiting for Camilla I heard, "This is a GREAT puddle mum!"  I smiled to myself as I opened up her door. She splashed her way through it and to her door and  then we were off. We finally made it and parked. I was in a hurry to get in and hit up the places we needed to and get back home. As we ran through the parking lot, her hand in mine, I found myself being pulled all over the parking lot just so she could splash in every puddle. I laughed, partly out of enjoyment, and partly out of frustration. Then I caught myself and remembered that she will only be this way for a very short time. So we splashed and danced and jumped our way through the parking lot, hitting every puddle we could. 

As we walked through the mall she talked non-stop. My favorite was her never ending question of "why?". She's become so inquisitive as of late and I bet I hear the word "why" at least a million times a day. We hit up the toy cars for a few minutes and then continued on our way. As we made our way down the mall she jumped on every floor tile she could. Soon she grabbed my hand and started jumping over the pink ones to stay on the white colored ones. 

When we got to the Dollar store the first toy she fell in love with was a water gun. I tried explaining that there was lots of toys and that we should look at everything before she decided what she wanted to spend her money on. She then found another toy that interested her and thought for sure it was the one she wanted, only to run put it back a few minutes later when she found yet another fun toy. We took our time and I let her make her own decision. She finally decided on two smaller toys. As we headed to the check out she spotted the lollipops and said, "I should get a lollipop for doing such a good job at picking these out". I laughed. She has a sweet tooth like me. We added up her money and decided that she had enough to buy herself a lollipop. She put everything on the counter and payed all by herself. She was so proud of herself. 

We jumped tiles, zigged and zagged all the way back to the other end of the mall to get groceries. When we got to the stairs Camilla went up the ramp and I went up the stairs. We raced all the way to the top where I popped out and scared her. We giggled the rest of the way as we walked hand in hand into the grocery store. At the check out I answered a lot more "why's". She asks the funniest questions. Then it was time to go home. 

Before bed my thoughts were consumed with this idea of slowing down and enjoying the moment. I was reminded of this video where President Uchtdorf says, "We would do well to slow down a little, focus on the significant, lift up our eyes, and truly see the things that matter most." Camilla's puddle jumping, smiles, and laughs replayed over and over in my head. Spending time with my children and family is definitely what matters most. It was a good reminder for when Camilla comes in and asks me to play, or grabs my hand for the millionth time to show me something. I want her to know how important she is, and how much I love her. And when she asks "why?" for the hundredth time that day, I will try my very best to come up with an answer. It was a good reminder for when Hyrum is demanding my attention, or just wants a little hug. The dishes and house cleaning will always be there, but my children won't stay this way forever and I want to savor every moment!

Sleepy

Hyrum has adjusted super well to his big boy bed. Every morning when we go upstairs to get dressed I turn on the iPod to Camilla's newest favorite song "Do you Believe in Magic". Camilla jumps and dances on her bed in her undies full of smiles and giggles. Hyrum joins in on his smaller, less bouncy bed, jumping and doing bum drops. It's a great way to start off the day. Nap times are a breeze. He climbs the stairs and runs to his bed, grabbing his special blanket. I hang out next door in our room for a few minutes until he gets comfy and falls asleep. So far I haven't had to lift him back into bed once. Bed time's rock. He hops into his bed, gives kisses and I go downstairs while he falls asleep. The one downside about the bed arrangements is that Camilla can turn on the bedroom light by herself now. I went upstairs the other night and she had it on so that she could see her teddies better. I don't know how long it was on for, but Hyrum stayed fast asleep through the whole ordeal. The only problem we've had is that he's such an active sleeper. So far we've only had one rough night due to him falling out of bed. When I went up to bed I found him on the floor sleeping away. I called Mr. Stannix to see and we both giggled before I scooped him back into bed. In the middle of the night he started to cry and once I woke up I registered it as a "help me" cry. He was wedged between his bed and the wall somehow and I had to physically move the bed to get him out. He's such a funny boy. I am so proud of him and how well he's made the switch though! I was anticipating much worse.

After a night of being up three times I was feeling pretty tired yesterday. Hyrum went down for his nap, but woke crying a half hour later because of his teeth. He eventually calmed down and went back to sleep. Camilla didn't want a nap, but I needed a quick snooze. I may or may not have left my three year old unattended for a short time while I napped upstairs. 

 

Last night Mr. Stannix was away late at Hockey. When I went up to bed I did my nightly check on the kiddos. Camilla was fast asleep with all of her covers kicked off and her bare little legs sticking out of the bottom of her nighty. I brushed the hair out of her face with my hand and kissed her on the cheek. I then went to check Mr. Hyrum who was sleeping sideways on his bed. I pulled his covers back up onto his cool little body. I ran my fingers through his hair and rubbed his narrow little back. I was overwhelmed with gratitude for my children and the joy that they bring to our family. I sat on the edge of Hyrum's bed for a few minutes just soaking in the moment. The house was quiet and dark and so peaceful. I knelt by my bed and said a special prayer of thanks to Heavenly Father. 

Sadly, the house wasn't peaceful and quiet all night. As soon as I began falling asleep the rain started to pour. Soon it was accompanied by shaking thunder and lots of lightning. We had a little body visit our bed a few times last night. I would take her back to her own bed during the breaks in the storm, but it never lasted long. I don't think I got to sleep until after 3:00am. Hyrum, well, he slept through it all until his regular 6:00am this morning. After some cheerios for breakfast he decided to use my baby bump as a race track. It was pretty funny.

That's Love

Yesterday we took advantage of the summer heat and went to the park. 

Camilla asked if she could ride her tricycle, so we went and got it from the garage.

She jumped in the drivers seat and her little brother hopped on behind.

I smiled as I watched her peddle away down the sidewalk with her little brother in tow. 

So much love was being shown.

When her legs got tired she would take a break and look at the scenery.

Then she would take off again (with a little help) causing her brother to burst into giggles.

It made my day to see them enjoying each other so much.

Camilla would sing as she peddled.

Hyrum would buzz his lips and make car noises in the back.

When a flower was spotted the tricycle was stopped and the flower picked. 

I had a whole bouquet of dandelions by the time we made it to the park.

I felt like the luckiest Mum in the whole world. 

After some sliding, splashing, swinging and monkeying around we headed home for lunch.

Camilla climbed onto her tricycle and waited patiently for her brother to climb onto the back.

 She peddled her little heart out most of the way home.

During the last stretch of sidewalk I hoisted Hyrum up on my shoulders.

Camilla rode like the wind to our house and up our front walk.

I learned so much about love that morning.

Camilla sure made her brother happy.

Package from Chile

We got a special package in the mail today from Elder Hudkins. 

He sent some awesome belated birthday gifts from Chile. It came in a cereal box with lots of tape and inside the box each package was delicately wrapped in bags with our names taped to the top.

Hyrum opened his first. It was a darling little llama peluche. He loves it!

(I'm pretty sure it's real llama fur too)

Camilla opened hers next and discovered this adorable little bolsa. She was super excited and immediately put it to good use filling it with teddies and things. 

I am pretty sure my little brother is the best souvenir shopper I know. But, with all his previous travel experience, he should be a pro by now! I got a pretty little wallet. It will go awesome with my bag from Costa Rica. Mr. Stannix will open his when he gets home, I can hardly wait.

Big Boy Bed

 On Saturday night we made the switch to a toddler bed. I had Mr. Stannix bring it up stairs for me during one of his study breaks. We ended up vacuuming all the cob webs, bugs and creepy crawlies while we were down there. I am no longer as afraid to do laundry and happy to say that my messy bun won't be taking cob webs off the roof anymore. I washed up the bed and freshened it all up and then we took it upstairs. The room looks so cozy with Camilla's big bed, the toddler bed and our little crib. I'm actually quite happy with how it all turned out, and even more excited to fill that crib with a newborn!  I know it seems like Hyrum is too little for the switch to the big boy bed, but this wasn't a last minute decision. The poor guy was getting too long for our little apartment size crib. It also gives me peace of mind knowing that he will be well adjusted to the big bed before baby arrives (I know, it's a long ways away still). 

I had a Primary meeting that night, so we rushed through baths and prayers in order to leave lots of time to get him to fall asleep in the new bed. After goodnight kisses, he climbed the stairs and made his way to the big green chair for snuggles and his bottle. When he finished I put him down and asked him to go find his bed. He went to the toddler bed, grabbed his favorite blanket and started across the room to his crib. I giggled as I led him to his new big boy bed and tucked him in. I whispered "night night" and gave him one last kiss. He clicked his tongue twice (his way of saying "night night") and pulled his fuzzy blanket close. I sat on Camilla's bed by the door and prepared myself for the worst. I was envisioning having to lug him back to bed 122938 times. After about a minute I moved closer to the door and more out of sight. He made himself comfy as I took one more step onto the landing outside the door. I then waited a few more minutes, peeked in and was pretty sure his eyes were closed. 

I made my way down the stairs dodging as many of the creaky parts as I could and giggled with Mr. Stannix about how adorable our boy is. I had time to tidy the house, snap a picture, and hang out with Camilla before I had to leave to my meeting. It seriously took less than five minutes to wait for him to fall asleep. I was in heaven! Camilla had a harder time with the transition and it took a good week for her to finally fall asleep without us having our fingers visible through the door.

Before bed I snuck in to check on him and he was sleeping soundly. I touched his soft little baby cheeks and chubby little fingers. They are so peaceful when they sleep. I snapped one more picture of him off in dreamland and then pulled Camilla's covers back up on my way out. I smiled as I left the room and felt so blessed!

The first sounds I heard from Hyrum were this morning at his usual 6:00am. Shrieks of joy accompanied by belly laughs. I listened as his feet hit the floor and pitter-pattered across the landing and into our room. He looked so darn cute with his bed head and fuzzy blanket in tow. I got a quick hug and smooch and then he was off. He loves the freedom of being able to get himself out of bed. 

Tonight went much the same as last night. I tucked him in, he gave me his two clicks of the tongue to say "night night", I smooched his cheeks and left the room. It was 7:35pm when I left and by 7:40 I was making my way downstairs! Piece of cake! 

We just won't mention the 3 1/2 hours I spent on Camilla's bed in the heat with one eye open waiting for him to nap this afternoon... At least he knows he has to stay in his bed. When he thought I wasn't looking he would chuck his teddy off the side, jump out to pick him up, and scramble quickly back into bed. After a poopy diaper, some tears from mamma, and 30 more minutes upstairs, I gave up. There's always tomorrow! I am still so proud of him.

A Hat Trick

This week  Mr. Stannix went to his final game of Hockey for the season. It was a play-off game and in his league you only get one shot. If you lose you are out for the rest of the season.   He wasn't sure how his team would do. He came home late after the game pretty excited and let me in on all the details. He said that right off the whistle in the first period his team scored 2 goals!  Both goals were scored when Mike's line was out on the ice so after the first period they were feeling pretty good.  Then the second period hit and the other team scored two goals, tying the game up.  As the game went on each side scored a goal right after the other.  Mike scored one of these goals on a breakaway.  He said he came in really fast at the goalie and cut across the crease beating the goalie bad! 

 Face off

Near the end of the third period the score was tied at 4.  There was three minutes left and a scramble in the other teams end for the puck.  Mike said everyone was throwing the puck on net but nobody could get it in!  Then the puck came loose and Mike picked it up. Just as the goalie located where the puck was he shot it through the defense into the net, scoring his second for the night.  The game was now 5-4 looking pretty good for his team with two minutes left when the other team scored to tie it up at 5.  The officials then blew their whistle, stopped the game and told each team there would be a shoot out with 5 players from each team.  Mike was chosen as one of the 5 players.  The other team started the shoot out scoring with their first player.  Then Mike's team went and the first shooter missed!  Then a few more from each side went and each missed.  Then it was Mike's turn.  He went hard at the goalie and faked to the left then went right faking the goalie out and scoring, his third goal of the night, making it his first hat-trick ever!  Unfortunately the other team scored again and Mike's team was unable tie it up and they lost.  Mike said it was a great way to end the hockey season and is excited for the next season which starts up in 2 more weeks!

Bringing the puck down the ice

The Team

I dare say he looks mighty handsome in all his hockey gear. I'm very proud of him! I'm glad he's back playing something he loves and look forward to next season!

Twenty-Six Weeks

Dear Little One,

I woke up this morning thinking of you. We have officially made it to twenty-six weeks. Time is going by so quickly. Each day it seems my belly gets rounder and rounder as you continue to grow.  You are starting to become a very active baby and I can now feel your sharp elbows and tiny feet stick out as you move around. Your big sister likes to sit beside me at night and put her hands on my tummy while we read stories. She giggles when she feels you kick and roll around. Your big brother will sometimes come up to me and lift up my shirt and put his chubby little hands on my bare tummy and pat it gently as he smiles up at me. I have a feeling the three of you will get along very well. You get the hiccups a lot, but mostly at night when I am trying to fall asleep. Other than that you are a very good baby and I get a full nights rest almost every night. When I snuggle with your brother each morning at the crack of dawn, you are awake too doing somersaults. Sometimes your brother will giggle if he feels your tumbling on his back.

Today while we were out running errands somebody commented on how both of your siblings have blonde hair. It made me wonder if you will have those same fine, whispy blonde locks that your brother and sister have. I also wondered if you'll have the same blue eyes. 

With just fourteen weeks to go until you join our family we are all getting really excited! I am looking forward to seeing Hyrum cover your chubby cheeks with smooches just like he does to every other baby we meet. I am excited to see your big sister cradle you in her arms. I can't wait to count your toes and fingers and touch your soft, sweet baby skin. I am already dreaming of our evenings together on the big green chair. It might be a little tricky sharing a bed room with an older brother and sister, but I promise it will make you closer as time goes on.

Love,
Mum

Best Buds

This morning the children and I went to the park for a while.

I love that Hyrum gets more independent each time we visit the park. 

Camilla and Hyrum were good buds all morning.

(Which made for a happy Mamma)

Siblings are the best!

Craving Autumn

There has been a chill in the air today and I am pretty sure I even saw three yellow leaves beneath my favorite tree in the front yard. I recently caved and joined the world of Pinterest. I stayed away as long as I could because I knew I would spend way too much time on there. While I was browsing I came across some delicious looking apple cider cookies stuffed with caramels, lots of soups, lots of baking ideas with pumpkin, and lots of crafts. It was like I could smell Fall coming and I have been so excited for it ever since. 

This morning while Hyrum was napping I got to spend some special time with my girl on the front steps. We drew chalk together, blew bubbles, and giggled lots. It was so nice to hear her giggle as she ran around the yard trying to pop every single bubble. She would scribble out drawings in chalk and then tell me what they were. I love her imagination.

After lunch Camilla went down for a snooze and I got to spend the afternoon with a very goofy boy. My old 3D lenses from Harry Potter became his favorite toy and we would take turns wearing them and laughing.  My favorite part of our afternoon together was snuggling in front of the living room window. He was wearing only a diaper and his naked shoulders could been seen above the afghan my Grandma crocheted for me years ago.  The yellows and browns and the heaviness of the blanket reminded me of cool Autumn afternoons. As I danced and twirled around the living room floor with his little body nestled into mine, those Autumn afternoons were all I could think about.

Afternoon Naps

Saturday afternoon was crazy. Everyone was exhausted including our kiddos, so some afternoon naps were in order for all! I put Camilla down for her snooze and Daddy wasn't far behind. He had already had a busy day full of CASB, talk writing and playing with the kiddos. While the house was quiet, Hyrum crawled up on my lap and fell asleep right there on my baby bump. It was pretty cute. 

I went upstairs and put him on our bed so I could have a quick snooze. He and Mike were too cute sleeping side by side and I just couldn't resist. 

While I was up I checked on Camilla. She had put on Hyrum's baby house coat after I tucked her in and fell asleep in it. There's something about sleeping children that I just adore. She was so sweet and peaceful. 

Finally it was time for me to snuggle in next to my boy. When Camilla woke up, Mr. Stannix got up with her and they went downstairs. She stood on the landing for quite a while. I opened my eyes when I heard Hyrum full out giggle and thought to myself well that didn't last long. When I lifted my head off the pillow to see his opened eyes, they weren't open at all. He let out another big giggle and smiled as he turned his head to the side. I wished I knew what he was dreaming about, it was the cutest thing.

Eskimos vs. Riders

On Thursday Mr. Stannix came home from work and into the kitchen with one hand behind his back. He greeted me with a hug from behind placing one hand on my baby bump and fanning out four tickets to the Eskimo's game in the other. The lucky guy won them in a draw at work, and they were stinkin' good seats! A date night has definitely been in order for a while and I was looking forward to the evening together. The tickets were for the following night so we rounded up some friends and a baby-sitter last minute. It worked out great!

Our friends came up from Red Deer for the night sans their kiddos. We did a quick BBQ and then took off to the Stadium on the LRT.  It was pretty packed, but we got on early and got seats.  It had been a while since I've been in such a big crowd and it was super hot on the train.

Our tickets were pretty amazing. We were eight rows behind the Esks and just high enough to see everything.  We were surrounded by a lot of season ticket holders who knew each other and felt a little out of place, but it was still fun to be there and cheer!

Mr. Stannix had watched an Eskimo's game just the week before with his Nana on TV. It was pretty cool to see it up close and not just on the big screen. There were some pretty sweet plays and awesome touch downs. I must admit I missed a few of them because I was too busy people watching.

It was awesome being there with our old friends. Steph and I were roommates in college and we both met and married our sweethearts around the same time. I always feel blessed to have such great friends and I'm glad we've been able to keep in touch since we've moved up here. I haven't laughed that hard in a long time!

I also loved snuggling up with Mr. Stannix for the evening. It was nice to get out on a date with him and reconnect. It was a much loved evening out and I was so happy to be there with him.

The game got pretty intense at the end, but the Eskimos came back with an awesome touchdown. We left after the last touchdown when the Eskimos were up 28-19. 

We thought that by leaving early we would have a better chance at a seat on the LRT. So we climbed the stairs to the top and snapped one last picture before speed walking to catch the train. Turns out a lot of others had the same idea and the station was packed anyways. I had to grab onto Mr. Stannix's pants pocket just to keep up with him as he dodged and maneuvered his way through the crowds.  Once in a while I'd look back to make sure our friend's were still with us.

When we got on the LRT it was pretty full. Mr. Stannix had found a place to stand by one of the chairs and I squeezed in by the door we came in. Mr. Stannix joined me a few seconds later and said, "If I'm going to have to stand close to somebody it had better be you!". As the train sped down the tracks, jerking back and forth, Mr. Stannix kept me safe and standing.

We got to Century park and found our car. By the time we got out of the parking lot I was practically peeing my pants because I was laughing so hard. Mr. Stannix was trying to tell everyone infront of him how to drive and push their way in to the line of cars exiting the parking lot. When it was finally his turn to push his way in, there was no body coming. We were all laughing pretty hard about it. We came home to sleeping kids and Mr. Stannix took his cousin home. We then stayed up talking with our friends way too late and got up way too early! Naps are definitely in order for today. What a fun night!

Early Morning Blessings

I woke up shortly after six this morning to a happy little boy. The rooms upstairs were cool and fresh from the rain we received overnight. I pulled back the white bed sheet that was keeping me warm beneath the blowing fan and went across to the children's room. Camilla was still sound asleep. I quietly pulled her covers snug to her chin before scooping up my boy from the crib. I smooched his chubby little cheeks and carried him down the creaky old stairs for his morning bottle. We snuggled on the couch for a few minutes, played a game of peek and exchanged some more smooches. I loved laying beside him on the couch and looking into his blue eyes while he puckered up for another smooch. After each smooch he would let out a grunt of satisfaction, "Mhm!" I love it when he does that. Soon he got wiggly and it was time to let him roam the house. I went into the kitchen to start my day. The cool floor felt good on my bare feet. We had been melting just the day before and it was nice not to wake up sweaty for once. I started on the homemade syrup for breakfast and then whipped up a dozen banana muffins. While they were baking I put the wheat in the wheat grinder for bread. It turned out everyone wanted hot muffins for breakfast so I made up some smoothies to go with them. We devoured seven of the twelve muffins and the rest are still tempting me on the counter. After kissing Mr. Stannix good-bye I got out the bread bowl and made up some bread for the week. I thought I would take advantage of the cool house. When it was finally finished a few hours later and the timer went off a stampede of children, or rather two children stampeding, ran into my kitchen excited for fresh bread and butter for our mid morning snack. The four loaves came out perfect and finally resembled the loaves formed by the hands of my dear mother each week growing up.

I feel so blessed to be a mother. I love being at home with my children and learning more about each of them each day. Lately I've been feeling like every moment I have with them is so precious. I love kneeling at their level and getting hugs, smooches and cuddles. I love looking into their eyes and seeing the love that is there. I love listening to Camilla say morning prayers. I love smooching their soft little cheeks and gently touching their faces. I love feeling baby kick and roll inside of me, reminding me how special these sweet spirits are and that they come from Heavenly Father. I delight so much in the role that I've been given to make our house a home and nurture these little children within the safety of it's walls.

 

 

Hide and Sleep

Saturday was an outside day. The grass needed mowing and trees needed pruning. The mosquitoes were terrible! After dinner we got the kids ready for an earlier bed time. I put Hyrum up to bed and then ran Camilla a quick bath. When I called for her she didn't answer. I figured she was just hiding, but usually she calls me to come find her. I sneakily asked Mr. Stannix where she was and he quietly pointed beside him. I peeked into the little hiding place to find her with her eyes closed. I totally thought she was just pretending to sleep and I told her the bath was ready. She didn't budge. When Mr. Stannix and I realized that she had actually fallen asleep while sitting there we both burst out laughing. She's still adjusting to the time change I guess! 

Airport Adventures

Today was a long and tiring day. We had to be up bright an early to catch our flight home from Moncton. We sure had a good visit with everyone and tried to say our good-byes last night. I packed all of the suitcases and dressed the children in their t-shirts for bed so they could be ready quickly in the morning. The alarm went off at 4:45am and it took both Mr. Stannix and I a good five or ten minutes to actually move. We quickly got ready and lugged the last suit case downstairs. Hyrum popped up bright and cheery in the dark room and made his way for the stairs. Camilla took a little bit of convincing. When I quietly spoke to wake her she peeked open one eye and then said, "It's too dark Mum" and went back to sleep. I explained that we had to go on an airplane ride today and she started to stir. She jumped up off her little bed and stretched her tiny fingers high in the air with a big yawn to accompany it. The pigtails that were left in from the day before added a cute touch to my bed head blonde girl. I then asked if she could do her morning potty time before we left because we had to get a ride to the airport. After she finished her long stretch she sleepily marched her and her cute white pantied tush to the bathroom across the hall. Her pigtails gave a little bounce as she walked. 

Auntie Sue, Joanne and Tessie followed us to the airport to say good-bye one last time. I hate good-byes. It was such a good visit and so great to meet more of Mike's family. On the way there Camilla chatted everyone's ear off. The cab driver quietly listened as Camilla talked a million miles a minute about flying, airplanes, the airport, bathrooms and her new friends. I wished I had my video Camera, she's such a riot to listen to! The kids did pretty good with the wait, and then we were on our way to Toronto for a connecting flight. When we landed we took our time getting off. We had a four hour lay over and therefor weren't in any hurry to leave the airplane. Just as we were leaving we got to take a peek into the cockpit and say hello to the Captain. It was so fun for the kids and Camilla especially loved driving the plane! I thought it was cool that they let us do that. Hyrum just loved pushing all of the buttons and grunting at the Captain. 

The four hour lay over turned out okay. Camilla fell asleep in the stroller before we made it back up the ramp to the gate and Hyrum toddled behind, refusing to sit in the stroller.Camilla slept almost the whole time which just left Hyrum to entertain. Mr. Stannix had a lot of work to do for CASB which started again this week, so he took the opportunity to plug away at it. I basically followed Hyrum around the airport, letting him stretch his legs and run. He was so glad not to be sitting!

We found a gate that wasn't super busy and planted ourselves there for the whole time. There were those cool walk-way escalator things close by and I'll bet you I rode it back and forth a gazillion times with Hyrum. He loved them! After about round three they almost made me a little motion sick. On a side note, his bed-head today totally cracked me up!

At one point we cruised passed a gift shop and Hyrum fell in love with a toy bus. His lips buzzed and buzzed as he made car noises and drove them around the floor of the shop. We decided to pick on up to keep him occupied. It worked like a charm and I think it's become his new favorite toy! He and I played with it for the next couple of hours, passing it back and forth, winding it up and crashing it into things and chasing after it. I wanted him to stay awake the entire time so that he would sleep on our next flight (four hours long) home. Camilla woke up just in time to eat, play and stretch before we loaded them back into the stroller to find our boarding gate. Our flight was delayed a bit so we just walked and walked to keep everyone happy. Hyrum ended up dozing off, so we woke him back up (cruel I know). 

Finally it was time to board our next flight. As we handed our tickets to the lady at the gate Camilla was telling her how much she likes landing. She slept through both landings on the way there, so the last one was the first one she'd ever experienced and she LOVED it. As we boarded our flight Camilla continued to chat away at the stewardess. As we passed by the stewardess was giggling and said to me, "She's hysterical!". By the end of the flight all of them knew her by name and loved chatting with her. It was pretty cute. Right after take off Hyrum, his fuzzy blanket and I headed to the lavatory. Three minutes later I emerged with a sleeping baby and took my seat next to Mr. Stannix who said, "I bet people think you drugged him or something". We laughed about it. Hyrum slept for almost the entire flight. Easy peasy. Camilla was quietly entertained by the TV and a ring pop. They were so good and I was so proud of them! 

Just before we hit Edmonton Camilla had to use the bathroom. Mike took her to the front where they had to sit and wait their turn. I could hear her little voice all the way back in seat 13D chatting away to the red headed stewardess. She had the whole first four rows cracking up. She told them her name, how old she was, all of her siblings and how her mommy has a baby in her tummy and how she feels the baby kick and other funny things. As we got ready to land Camilla exclaimed, "This is so fun isn't it, Daddy!!" Daddy's not to fond of flying, but went along with it. "I love the landin' Daddy!". As we left the flight she waved good-bye to all of her knew friends. The stewardess's thanked her for flying with them to which she responded energetically, "You're WELCOME!". 

Gramma and Grampa met us at the airport and took us home. The kids were excited to see them. As soon as Camilla spotted Grampa she exclaimed, "I spy Grampa!" The whole drive home Camilla would ask each one of us what our favorite part was. I told her mine was being home and then asked what hers was. She said, "My favorite's the landin'!" I'm pretty sure it's safe to say that Camilla likes the landing the best.

Home sweet home!