Golden Autumn

Today has totally been a day of reflection. All of the stress and business that we've been feeling for the last couple of weeks was relieved when Mr. Stannix wrote his exam yesterday. We are feeling much more stress-free today. We relaxed for the afternoon and the children enjoyed running around and playing with Gramma, Grampa and Auntie Emma. In the late afternoon Emma took the children outside to shoot some portraits. When I looked at them on her computer a wave of emotion totally overtook me (we can maybe attribute it to being pregnant). They both looked SO grown up! I couldn't believe how mature their little faces looked and how their personalities shon through.

 

 

Going out to shoot some photo's was actually Camilla's idea. She was totally in the mood to pose for the camera and Emma got some really great shots of our growing girl. I love her giggles, grins and scrunchy nose smile. She's like three going on ten or something. She talks non-stop and loves to make people laugh. Even though we've had some challenges the last couple of weeks, she is such a good little girl deep down and still has that desire to do what is right. When I look at these pictures of her I see a grown up girl who is full of life and love, and it makes me happy.

 

A little while later Emma took Hyrum out into the field at my parents house for some photos. I stood on the back deck and watched them run around giggling together while Auntie Emma captured the moment. It was cute to watch them chase each other around and have fun. It was these pictures that made me a little teary-eyed. My baby is growing up! He looks like such a little man now. His face is filling out and maturing and his personality is really starting to come out now. After a few mini wrestling matches in the living room today Mr. Stannix told me that Hyrum is at a really fun age right now and it's his favorite!

This evening my parents watched our kiddies and Mr. Stannix and I had an opportunity to go on a date. It had been way too long! Before we took off I got my sister to snap a few pre-date pictures of us. We enjoyed window shopping sans kids and dinner at Grillers. We had a pretty awesome waitress I must admit! We asked to be seated in my sisters section and had fun chatting with her while she waited our table for us. We even got seated in an awesome booth and it was nice to enjoy conversation and laughter together. It was great to reconnect and discuss our dreams and plans for our future family. It was a good reminder of who we were before we became so busy. I love dating my husband! The night ended with a massive rain storm! We ran to the car and Mr. Stannix was still kind enough to open my door in the pouring rain. It was totally romantic. I love this season and this time for reflection. I will miss the Golden Autumn come Winter!

Things I'll Miss

I have reached the middle of my thirty-second week of this pregnancy. Because it has gone by so quickly I have been trying to cherish and enjoy these last few weeks before baby comes. I am going to miss all of the time that I get to spend with each of the children. I am going to miss Hyrum's chubby hands rubbing or patting my belly with excitement whenever we have a quiet moment together. I am going to miss Camilla's giggles each time she feels the baby kick or hiccup. I am going to miss her snuggling up to me in the morning in hopes that the baby will kick her back. And I am going to miss feeling the closeness that I have with this little one safely inside. 

I had a few minutes the other day to dig out some newborn clothes for my hospital bag and even after two babies I couldn't believe how tiny they were! I packed two outfits, one for a girl and one for a boy, and a couple sweet little blankets to swaddle the new baby in at the hospital. The baby girl blanket that I am working on is close to being finished and then I can start my boy blanket. 

Doctors appointments are every two weeks now and today I had my first one with the doctor who will be delivering the baby. He's hoping baby is late because he is on holidays for the first two weeks of November. I joked that the end of October would work just fine for me. I asked if the heart rate was still high and he said it was actually in the middle now at 140bpm. I have also had a few people (the dry cleaning lady and someone at the mall) tell me that I look like I'm carrying a boy. I definitely can't wait to find out when baby comes!

For now though I am enjoying time with my little ones in the Fall air and sunshine.

Crunchy Leaves

Today we went for a brisk (definitely not referring to the speed) morning walk up to the mall and back. We had some letters to mail and I was craving a caramel steamer and some Reese peanut butter cups like a crazy lady. It really was a beautiful morning. Although the breeze felt cool on our skin, the suns rays were warm. I love living in this old neighborhood just because of the Elm trees that line our streets. It is so beautiful to drive or walk beneath the canopy of Fall colors that they provide. Every time the wind would pick up leaves would rain down from the trees onto the sidewalk. Camilla was delighted each time we found a good spot with lots of crunchy leaves. She would hop, skip, run and twirl around in delight. I am not going to lie, I may have joined her for a little while. It was great to feel like a kid again, carefree and loving life. There is something about crunching leaves beneath your shoes that is so satisfactory. I love this season, the warm sunshine and the smells!

Mullet Boy

The other day when Camilla was napping Hyrum snuggled up to an afternoon movie. As I looked across the room at my little boy on the couch I couldn't help but laugh at his little mullet. When it's wet or brushed he has the cutest little curls, but I think it's safe to say that this kid needs a hair cut!

Ice Cream on my Toes

When we went to pick up Daddy from his long day of studying today he surprised us all by taking us to McDonalds for some ice cream! The kids were so excited. Since I forgot to put their shoes on when we left, we decided to do the drive through. Camilla wanted a "vamilla" cone so we got one for her and one for Hyrum. Even though we said "small" they were pretty big. Thankfully, our drive home was short and the mess in the car was minimal. When we got home we enjoyed the rest of our ice cream in the backyard. Mr. Stannix and I laughed as we watched the children enjoy their cones. Camilla made quick work of hers with little mess and only a few drips on her pants.

Hyrum wandered around the yard a little bit, but stayed long enough in one place that there were white "puddles" all over the lawn. Ice cream could be seen visibly dripping from his cone as he licked away. I giggled each time a drip of ice cream would land on his chubby little toes.

After each lick we got a satisfying "Mmmm!" from the little man. He was thoroughly enjoying having a treat all to himself.

When he could no longer lick the ice cream off of the cone, he dug it out of the inside of the cone and licked it off his finger. When I looked at the puddle of ice cream by his feet I wondered how much he actually got to eat before it melted. After all of the ice cream was gone, he put his cone on the edge of the fire pit and we stripped him down for a bath. I love how the simplest things can bring so much joy!  It was a great way to spend a Fall evening.

Expressions of Love

One night this week Mr. Stannix came home late after a long day looking exhausted. I had never seen him so tired! He's held up a pretty crazy schedule for the passed little while with work, school, church callings, and family responsibilities and it finally seemed to be catching up to him. I figured he could use a little pick-me-up and wanted him to know how much I adore him and appreciate all that he does. After dropping him off at work Friday morning the kids and I went and picked him up a couple new dress shirts. When we got home the kids colored some pictures for him while I made him a card and wrote him a special note. I was so excited for him to come home that night and find his special gift and love note. I forgot it was casual Friday, which meant he didn't go upstairs to change after work. Finally after what seemed like the longest night of my life it was time to head up to bed. I was brushing my teeth when he actually discovered it, but the look of gratitude in his eyes and the giant hug I got when I came upstairs said it all. It's little moments like these, whether special notes, a thoughtful gift or just simple expressions of appreciation that help to keep our marriage strong and our love for each other growing. 

I love what Spencer W. Kimball says about marriage in this talk about the formula for a happy marriage.

"First there must be the proper approach toward marriage. A person must try to select a spouse who is as nearly perfect as possible in all the matters which are of importance to him. Second, there must be a great unselfishness. All should be done for the good of the family. Third, there must be continued courting and expressions of affection, kindness, and consideration to keep love alive and growing. Fourth, the commandments of the Lord, as defined in the gospel of Jesus Christ, must be lived completely. With these ingredients properly mixed and continually kept functioning, it is quite impossible for unhappiness to come, misunderstandings to continue, or breaks to occur."

~Spencer W. Kimball

I am so grateful to have such a dedicated and hard working husband. It's not easy juggling all of the things he does on a daily bases, but somehow he manages to do it, and I hardly ever hear him complain. We are both the busiest we've probably been in our entire lives, but it's so great to have each other!

Bath Time Curls

I am in love with Hyrum's little curls. Yesterday at bath time I had to take a picture of them. They helped me to keep smiling even when he was throwing water over the edge of the tub nonstop.  For some reason I couldn't help but stop and look at my children all night long. First I got Hyrum into his Jammies while Camilla finished playing in the bath. Then we sat together on the floor and played with the blocks, matching the shapes and letting them fall back into the bucket. Each time he got one to fit where it belonged he would clap and cheer for himself. He was so happy. His blonde hair dried with the cutest little curls in the back. For a few moments time stood still and I just looked at his chubby little face. I admired his soft skin and baby blue eyes. Then I couldn't help myself and I twirled those little curls around my finger like I do everyday.

After Camilla finished playing and getting her jammies on we had night prayers. Camilla sat reverently while Hyrum screamed and fought to climb onto the couch. Finally it was time to take him up to bed. He walked over to his dresser where the story books sit on top and said, "Hmmmm". Reading books has become one of his new favorite things. Once we pick one, he hops into his bed and pulls the covers up. I could read to him all night. He is officially finished with the bottle as of a few weeks ago. We subbed it out for stories and a drink of water and I don't even think he missed it the first night. After our story, lights out, and smooches I only had to bring him back to bed three times before he finally zonked.

Camilla and I then enjoyed some special time together. She requested Gramma's slush for a bed time snack and I was happy to oblige. We sat snuggled together on the couch while we ate it with a spoon. She chatted away at me while she pretended to share spoon fulls with her baby. And then she smooched me with her ice cold lips. After I finished my slush, I sat and watched her intently scoop and eat each bite. I admired her sweet little cheeks and her eyelashes as she blinked.  I tucked her hair behind her ears to get it out of her face and she said thank-you. She was such a sweetheart yesterday and tidied the living room and swept my kitchen floor without being asked. I forget she's only three sometimes and more especially when she does things like that. Each time Hyrum would bring a new toy into the living room she would pick it up and bring it back to the toy room. She insisted on keeping the house clean for Daddy. When I tucked her in she asked, "Can you just lay with me for a while and scratch my back?". I couldn't resist. We snuggled together and whispered about the day while Hyrum soundly slept across the room. I got so excited for our relationship to continue to grow. I started looking forward to moments like this later in life and hoped that they would continue.

I spent the rest of my night pondering how I want my relationship to be with each of my children and how I would accomplish those desires. It will be a great topic of study for the next little while!

Thirty-One Weeks

This pregnancy is going by so fast! I keep having nightmares that this baby is going to come anytime and I don't have anything ready yet! I might just pack my hospital bag early for my own sanity. Baby still moves around a lot and with the limited space you can usually tell if it's a leg, arm, elbow, foot or hand making it's way across. This baby also gets the hiccups quite frequently and has them as I type away. Sleeping is starting to become uncomfortable and I wake up all achy in the morning. I have also been having a lot more of those lovely practice contractions with this pregnancy than with my other two and some of them are borderline painful. Despite it all, I love being pregnant and feeling the baby squirm and kick. Camilla still gets excited when she feels the baby kick and Hyrum loves to pat my tummy and give it kisses. I am super excited for a Fall baby and have already started to crochet a girls blanket (20 Granny squares left to go!). I'm hoping to finish it by the end of the month so I can work on a boy blanket next month. I get most of my work done in the late hours of the evening snuggled next to Mr. Stannix and half watching our newest TV series. I was saying to him the other night how I hope our children know how much work and love went into their blankets. I want them to be something special and cherished and something that will help them to always think of me.

The children and I spent the morning outside today. We walked down the long hill to the Muttart and ran around on the grass and hills for a while. It was great to get some more sunshine on our faces! I keep thinking that these days are limited and the snow will be here before we know it. The flower gardens outside were beautiful and the kids enjoyed watching the squirrels chase each other around. They mostly just enjoyed being able to run! They are always the happiest when they are outside. After a while of sitting on the hill spying Daddy's office building and enjoying the view of downtown it was time to make the long trek to the top. About half way up I passed a man who was on his way down. After seeing the two kids in the stroller and my baby bump all he could say was, "whew". It wasn't easy, but we made it! It made me really miss my 6km runs in my pre-kid days. It was a great work-out, one that I might start doing every morning.

Anyways, here's a very sunny snap shot of my baby bump at 31 weeks. 

Life is good!

Morning Humor

This morning Camilla was the first one to my bed side. She climbed in next to me for morning snuggles and giggled each time the baby would kick her. Soon I heard clunking from the next room and what sounded like a peg-leg making his way over to our bed room. Last night we picked up Daddy super late at the U of A. Hyrum was wearing his bright yellow Elmo Jammies and ONE yellow rubber boot. I forgot to take off the boot when I tucked him in to bed last night, and he slept with it on all night long, resulting in the "clunk-step-clunk-step" I heard this morning. I laughed pretty hard when I realized what was going on.

At the breakfast table Mr. Stannix and I talked about the noisy construction workers out back. I told him how much they shook our house yesterday afternoon while we were all trying to nap and then we both agreed that starting work before 7:00am was crazy! After everyone finished up their pancakes we got ready to take Daddy to work. Mr. Stannix and Camilla went out first and the little man and I came out soon after. When I got in the car Mr. Stannix was laughing and had to tell me all about our little girl. Mr. Stannix was about to ask the construction worker if he wouldn't mind moving for us and just as he opened his door Camilla ran out into the alley and said, "Hey, you shouldn't be doing that so early! You just woke me up this morning!". Luckily the guy had a good sense of humor and laughed about it.  But who wouldn't chuckle at her sweet little self voicing such big opinions.

Familiar Smells

My day started out so sweetly. Just after 7:00 am I heard Hyrum's little feet running across the floor and into our room. He examined my side table for my glasses which he lovingly hands me each morning to get me out of bed, but I still had my contacts in and my glasses were safely tucked away. With my eyes half closed I reached out my arms, hands open, over the side of the bed and waited for him to come close enough for me to scoop him up. He ran three quick steps and then I snuggled his warm little body into mine. I smooched his chubby little cheeks and his blonde wispy hair tickled my nose. Soon he heard Daddy roll over next to me and jumped up with excitement. He crawled over my baby bump and onto his Daddy to tell him good morning. I tugged on the back of his Pj's to make sure he didn't fall off the other side of the bed. He then slid off onto his feet and ran across to see his sister. At this point Mr. Stannix said to me, "Well, it looks like we know who's going to be waking us all up on Christmas morning". I slowly sat up on the edge of my bed just as Camilla came in. She hugged my baby bump, smooched me good morning, and then knelt by our bed with her face buried in her arms to say her morning prayers. Mr. Stannix and I just looked at each other, surprised and impressed by our little girl. I sat on the edge of my bed and enjoyed the baby's first movements of the day (lots of hiccups). After breakfast Mr. Stannix put some smelly stuff on both he and Hyrum before kissing me good-bye. Now every time I get close to my runny nosed little man today I think of Mr. Stannix and Fall and when we were dating. Now I need to go wipe Hyrum's nose for the millionth time today and cozy everyone in for an afternoon nap.

Playing Together

Camilla and Hyrum's new favorite thing to do together is play "babies". 

It's so stinkin' cute.

Backyard Soccer

 This afternoon when Camilla came up to me and asked to go out and play soccer, I couldn't resist, even though I was super tired. The sky was blue, the sun was shining, and it was actually hot again! My kiddos love the outdoors and it's fun to see them so active. 

 One of Hyrum's favorite things to do in or outside the house is to spot airplanes flying over. When he hears one he immediately imitates it and looks to the skies.  Planes fly over a lot and he is constantly listening for them. Other than that he ran around excitedly and enjoyed falling in the grass. The poor guy fell down a few stairs today and got another bump on his noggin. I think we average three bumps per day to his poor little head. It seems to me that boys get way more bumps and bruises than girls!

 

Camilla and I had a fun little game of keep-away. It felt good to run and kick a ball around, but baby didn't like me too much after. All of the giggles and the laughs were worth it. This girl is such a loony. She was chasing me, diving on the grass and shouting "go team" almost the entire time. They were both pretty tuckered out come bed time. They both had short naps in the car and were up for the rest of the day, so I don't blame them! Before Camilla went up to bed Daddy asked for a kiss and she said, "Um...I think you need to shave". It took some convincing to get that smooch. I have a feeling she is going to have to marry a very clean shaven guy. It made us both chuckle.

A Day in the Water

 Our kiddos were going stir crazy yesterday. They were literally running up and down the hall and into the living room screaming as loud as they could before bed. Poor Daddy was trying to get his work done. A day out was in order for today, so we took off to our favorite pool! It was a bit of a gong show, but all worked out well in the end. I almost forgot the wipes, but remembered to run in just before we left. It was a good thing because the little man has been a pooping machine. For some reason Camilla's knee was hurting her after we pulled up and she couldn't walk on it. I think she ran around too much last night at the corn bust. We had a few errands to run and I ended up having to piggy back her while Hyrum walked. I was hoping the warm water at the pool would help it feel better, but it's still sore tonight. Either way, they both had a blast and were glad to be out of the house!

When we got there Camilla hobbled out to the pool deck and we put on life jackets for both of them. She was able to move around a lot better in the water and had fun swimming around and playing with the pool toys.

Hyrum's face in this picture cracks me up. The highlight of his day was the yellow slide. He's getting so big! He is so confident on his feet now and when I wasn't chasing him down the pool deck he was having fun walking around in the water and climbing up the stairs to slide. I only missed him once, resulting in some sputtering of water, but he got back up and went again, and again, and again. He also loved doing back floats in his life jacket and would give me a good belly laugh every time I'd put him on his back and let him kick up a storm.

It's fun to see the two of them interact together. They are really good friends and for the most part enjoy one another. It makes me happy to see them play together.

Camilla is also getting braver in the water and loved swimming with her life jacket and her "Mr. Noodle". That girl cracks me up. She had fun experimenting on her tummy and back in the water and it was nice to see her so excited to try new things.

My Blooming Artist

 A few weeks ago I kept finding nice little scribbles all over my office floor. I totally blamed Camilla for it and ended up having to apologize later after I caught a little boy with a crayon...

Last night Mr. Stannix came home from work and wondered what had happened to our front door. It was loaded with red and blue scribbles...

Today, the masterpiece was completed door jam and all...

Along with the bathroom door...

(And the wall in the hallway, the backdoor, the balcony window, the floor, and the stove)

As for the culprit?

Guilty as charged...

Now it's time for me to dig out the magic eraser. 

Afternoon Snack

 Today we made up some rice krispie squares for Family Home Evening snack tonight. The kiddos finished off the remains for their afternoon snack. There is nothing better than licking it right off the spoon! I may or may not have eaten a whole row already. Hopefully there's still some left by tonight! While the kids are snoozing I'm off to keep working on a baby blanket I started last week.

Canning Deliciousness

 Today my Mum taught me how to do some canning! She had picked up a giant case of peaches a few days earlier and they were perfectly ripe (Hyrum ate three of them for breakfast). After soaking them in hot then cold water and cutting them all up we put them in jars and water bathed them. I can't wait to break into a jar when we get home. I'm sure Hyrum will be in heaven.

We took a brief afternoon break and relaxed in the living room. Camilla was out with Grampa for the afternoon hanging bird houses and sweeping out the garage. Hyrum snuggled into Gramma's shoulder and fell asleep. I can't think of a better place to have an afternoon nap. Our salsa was put on hold for a while, but Gramma got some awesome cuddles!

After he woke up we mixed up the salsa and put it in jars. I am proud to say that they all sealed (thanks to my Mum) and now we get to enjoy fresh salsa over the winter (if it lasts that long)!

And on another note, check out this mammoth zucchini that grew in my parent's garden. We put a peach beside it for size comparison. I think my mum said it weighs 17lbs or something. It's honestly almost as big as Hyrum. 

 

Twice in a Row

We are out at the acreage for the second weekend in a row. One of my friends that I grew up with is having his wedding reception here tomorrow night and I wanted to go! With Mr. Stannix being so busy all weekend, I only felt a little guilty. He's busy every day this weekend at a seminar and with that and hockey and other things I'd hardly get to see him! I am not looking forward to having the bed all to myself tonight. I always miss him a lot when we're apart. After eating lunch, tidying the house, and pulling dinner out of the freezer for Mr. Stannix, the kiddos and I loaded up in the car and headed home (my old home that is). The drive was beautiful and relaxing. As the children slept in the back I started getting sleepy myself and finally pulled over to grab some skittles and a juice. Sadly, Hyrum woke up, but it's better than me falling asleep! My skittles almost lasted the whole way there, but the last 20 minutes was hard. Usually Mr. Stannix does all of the driving. Did I mention how much I miss him? We arrived safe and sound except Camilla's eyes were practically watering because she had to go pee so badly. She's a trooper she is.

We spent the late afternoon outside. Gramma, the kiddos and I walked up to the apple orchard while Grampa mowed the lawn. The children jumped and rolled and ran through the grass. There is nothing like wide open spaces when you're a kid. We picked a few of each kind of apple to bring back to the house and snack on. Fresh apples are so delicious! Then we all went out front and watched Grampa mow the lawn. Eventually he came by and the kids each took turns riding with him on the mower.

They had a blast! Hyrum likes the mechanics of the whole thing and liked to watch and figure out how it worked. Camilla loved trying to take over the steering and doing donuts in the middle of the lawn. Grampa had her giggling pretty good.  When Camilla wasn't riding she was rolling down the hill with her baby. When Hyrum wasn't riding he was sneaking over to the quads and trying to climb on for a ride. I just enjoyed sitting on the hill out front and catching up with my Mum while we munched fresh apple slices. It's always good to be home!

Camilla kept asking me before we came why we were going. I told her it was because we were going to a wedding and she immediately said, "Oh! Can baby come? She LOVES weddin's, mom..." I am in love with her and the things that she says. Her little doll has become her real life baby. Even when we're driving in the car, baby is belted in between the two of them for the whole drive. Baby even sometimes eats with us at the dinner table and tastes Camilla's food. The other day she asked me to take a picture of her and baby sitting on the couch holding hands. Just before I took it she looks at her baby and says, "Say cheese, baby!". I keep asking her why baby doesn't have a name yet and she told me that "she will have a name when she's older, but right now she's too little". The other thing that made me laugh was when she was chatting with Auntie Emma on the phone tonight. A few of my favorite lines were "What are you up to?", and "I thought you just texted me, but you didn't" followed by throwing her head back and laughing. She's such a character.

The evening brought playing on the back deck while Grampa barbequed and killing house flies with the fly swatter (Hyrum's new favorite thing to do). Dinner time has never been so entertaining. Now I am just hoping that all this fresh country air tuckered them out enough that they'll sleep in a little bit tomorrow... Right?

Stats and Stories

 Last Friday I had my monthly visit to the doctors. The kids sat great through everything! The baby's heart rate was 144bpm and my doctor told me I was "measuring small".  I am thinking we might have a little lady on the way. Time goes by way too fast! Hyrum stepped on the scale and weighs a whopping 22lbs and counting. He can eat so much and is catching up to his sister. He has started being interested in dolls and babies lately. I will often find him with one of Camilla's dolls clutched tightly in his little man arms, bouncing and shushing. It's pretty cute. This morning he rocked woody in the rocking chair for a good five minutes, shushing him to sleep.  I just love his chubby little boy fingers and how caring he is. He is going to be such a great big brother and I am looking forward to seeing him interact with the new baby.

The transition to the big boy bed has been fantastic. I always enjoy sneaking into the room after he's fallen asleep. One night his feet were hanging off the edge of the bed and it made me giggle. When I went to check him at nap time today I discovered that he had fallen asleep while reading. So classic. 

While he napped, Camilla and I made up a batch of cookies. They turned out pretty good, but are definitely best when eaten warm!  I think Mr. Stannix and I are going to snuggle up to a show tonight while sipping a caramel steamer and eating cookies.

While Camilla napped, Hyrum and I looked out the window at the bikes and cars and bugs. The fact that he always has shoes on makes me smile. His favorites as of late are Camilla's yellow gum boots. 

A nice full day I'd say, although my house is still a disaster...

Weekend Snap Shots

 This long weekend we spent relaxing at the acreage. It was nice to escape the city and slow things down. My Mum made up a delicious Turkey dinner complete with her yummy dressing and garden veggies for Saturday night. Hyrum had two helpings of potatoes, a lot of dressing, carrots and corn. He must have been super hungry because when I let him down from the highchair, he climbed up into Camilla's booster and finished her leftovers. We all got a good laugh as we watched him try to scoop more and add pepper to his potatoes and gravy. 

Evenings were spent out in the hot tub while the sun set in the background. Camilla loved swimming, splashing, and walking around in the "pool". She always came in excited to tell me about her time with Daddy and Grampa.

Mornings were still early. One morning we woke up to Fall in the air and spent some time on the heat vent with blankets warming up. Hyrum loved this because it was something new. He would sit and look out the window while the warm air blew up the vent and into his blanket.

 

Sunday afternoon was full of relaxing and naps. Mr. Stannix snuggled his kiddos in the big chair while I got a chance to play the piano uninterrupted. It's always nice to play the piano I grew up with. After I finished playing Camilla and I went for a nap. It turned out that everyone else napped too, except for Grampa who spent some quality time with the little man. It was a fun filled afternoon for him!

 

We spent the majority of Monday outside. We helped Grampa pick some berries and walked around the acreage in our bare feet. Camilla loved filling her bucket with berries for Gramma and was a great little helper!

 Grampa was kind enough to dig us some garden potatoes to take home. Camilla loved helping him. It was like searching for buried treasure. Each red potato spotted in the dirt was like a gem waiting to be dug out. 

 Hyrum, being the boy that he is, was more fascinated with this nifty weed picking stool because it had wheels. He sat and made car noises the whole time we were in the garden.

Hyrum was also in love with the quads and would constantly run to them when we were outside. Grampa took him on a couple of rides this weekend and he loved it! Even just sitting on it was enough to keep him happy. This is his "I'm-so-excited!" face. When we ask, "Hyrum, are you so excited?" he responds by opening his eyes, smiling big with his mouth and vibrating his arms and head. Not an awesome description, but it's the cutest thing ever and I crack up every time he makes the face. 

 

After Daddy finished his work he was even able to come for a little ride around the subdivision with us. It was fun to snuggle up on the quad with all four of us and watch Hyrums wispy hair blow in the wind.

 

We also got to spend some quality time with the great-grands. Camilla loves popping over for a visit and will often go over just to say hello and sit on her Great Grampa's knee and tell him stories. Hyrum was able to hang out on the deck with Great Gramma while he played with potatoes and entertained everyone.

Camilla was glad when Auntie Emma was around and enjoyed lots of "boat rides" on the hammock and pretend play. 

And let's not forget the killer games of Rook we had over the weekend! I was able to get a couple 300 hands! It felt pretty darn good. Everyone always jokes that pregnant ladies get all the luck. They were pretty intense games and involved a lot of pictures of our hands and what we picked up in the middle. It's always fun to play with my parents and discuss strategies and things after each round. As always, a great weekend.

Thanks Gramma and Grampa!!