Blessed with Much

This last month has been nothing short of a trial. Trying to keep up with church callings, a busy little house hold, tax season and dealing with family matters has left us stretched thin. On Sunday I felt like I would burst into tears if I was asked to do something as simple as saying a prayer. The Relief Society lesson was so well done. It was on serving others. Tears were close to the surface the entire time. I felt so overwhelmed and wondered how I could consider serving one more person when I already felt so stretched with our current situation. Music has a way of speaking to my soul. As the closing hymn began emotions overtook me.

Because I have been given much, I too must give.
Because of Thy great bounty, Lord, each day I live.

The words sunk deep into my heart. I knew that what we are doing is the right thing. My lips began to quiver and my voice cracked. I couldn't possibly sing another word. Instead I rested my head gently on my baby boy who was snuggled into my shoulder sleeping, making me feel secure, and silently let the tears fall as the rest of the sisters finished out the remainder of the hymn.

I shall divide my gifts from thee with every brother that I see,
Who has the need of help from me.

Because I have been sheltered, fed by thy good care,
I cannot see another's lack and I not share,
My glowing fire my loaf of bread, my roofs safe shelter overhead,
That he too may be comforted.

Because I have been blessed by they great love, dear Lord,
I'll share they love again according to my word.
I shall give love to those in need; I'll show that love by word and deed,
Thus shall my thanks be thanks indeed.

While they sang, I rocked and cuddled my baby. During the closing prayer I wiped my eyes and nose on Joseph's burp cloth. Super classy.

This whole week I've been playing catch up, trying to keep things in order and enjoying holding my little ones close.  My patience has been stretched and some days are really hard mommy days and I go to bed feeling exhausted and guilty. I just feel so weighed down with life and I think I'm on my last tank of optimism. It's frustrating to feel like your not fulfilling your most important roles the way you would like. Hopefully after another couple of weeks, our family will fall into routine and life will get easier.

As I drove home from Walmart the other night I realized that at some point during that day they had filled all the potholes in the road that I drive to and from the school each day. I considered it a little tender mercy and a reminder that Heavenly Father does love us and is aware of our every need.

Camilla has been quietly getting dressed and making her bed all by herself each morning. This has been a wonderful help! She feels happy and excited about being able to do this, and it's one less thing I have to worry about. Tonight before bed she read us the entire "Cranky Bear" book almost word for word. She has an awesome memory. I'll have to get it on video one of these nights. It made my day.

Joseph has also started going to bed at a decent hour, allowing everyone to get the sleep they need. This has totally been a blessing. Dear friends have also been a great blessing. One of my good friends said that Heavenly Father must trust me a lot and knows that I can do it. This thought has been comforting to me throughout the week when I've felt like I've reached the end of my rope. It's been nice to ponder my relationship with my Heavenly Father.

Auntie Faith left on winter camp with the young women on Wednesday after school. With the awesome weather I bet they're having fun. Mr. Stannix left on winter camp with the scouts today after work, so it's just me and the littles for the weekend. It will be nice to have a few slow mornings with the children snuggling in my bed catching some Netflix on my iPad. I've always hated being home alone, but hope Daddy is enjoying the little breather with the young men.

I spent majority of my evening tidying and whipping up dishes. I put a load of laundry in before Camilla went to bed. I freaked myself out tonight though, so there's no way I'm going into the creepy basement until morning. Before bed I indulged myself in some chocolate (cures everything) and a chick flick. I may have had a little too much chocolate though. Now that Joseph is asleep, I think I'll head to bed myself.

Belly Laughs

 Last night I took both the boys up the stairs together to tuck Hyrum in to bed.  Hyrum's chubby little hands clutched the railing as he slowly made his way to the top. I followed close behind, one slow step after another with Joseph in my arms. Half way up Joseph started giggling. A step or two later he delighted me with a full out little laugh. His whole belly shook in my arms as he giggled at his brother's head bobbing up and down in front of him with every step we took. Hyrum would turn around and smile and Joseph would let out another belly shaking laugh and flail his arms in delight. By the time we reached the top, all three of us were laughing pretty hard. Best sound ever! And the perfect end to a busy day.

Sunday Afternoon Naps

Sunday afternoons at the Stannix's usually include a nap. 

Mr. Stannix kind of depends on them.
And I couldn't resist a picture of my little guys white cuffs.

You may have had a good Sunday afternoon nap if...

You wake up looking like this.

And you're really thirsty!

My Blue-Eyed Helpers

Hyrum woke up from his nap today just in time to help me roll out the dough for bread and pizza buns. I snuggled my sleepy-eyed boy for a few minutes before placing him in his booster. Before I got my hands in the dough I placed a handful of flour infront of my little boy. He grinned from ear to ear and looked up at me. The expression on his face was a I can't believe you're actually going to let me make a mess look. I couldn't help but smile back as I went to work. And then, with my doughy hands, I couldn't help but grab the camera and photograph his big blue eyes and fresh from sleep cheeks. 

The other day the kids spent the afternoon outside. Usually when they come in a million things need my attention, so we throw the snow gear in the entry way until it dries enough for me to pick up later. Miss Camilla surprised me by hanging it all up, and insisted on showing me. She was so proud of herself. I just couldn't believe it all fit on one little door handle, boots and all!

I love my kids and am so grateful for them and the way they help me experience JOY on a daily bases!

Zonked

Mr. Stannix volunteered for dish duty tonight. 

My poor chapped hands probably wouldn't have lasted long in the water. 

While I stood in the kitchen chatting with him the little man decided it was nap-time and zonked out on my shoulder. 

Such a sweetheart.

To Play all Day

This morning came very early after being up every hour with a baby.  Learning to roll? Teething? Gas? I was totally unsure. I carefully crawled over  sleeping Joseph at 7:00am and made my way downstairs to get pancakes going for breakfast. While everyone was eating I packed Mr. Stannix's lunch in his work bag. He scarfed down pancakes and orange juice and flew out the door to catch his bus. We were on our way out too. Hyrum followed him down the front walk begging for a kiss. Mr. Stannix chuckled and obliged. The rest of us went and piled into the car. After doing up all of the buckles and belts we took off to drop Auntie Faith at school. The kids were all in their pyjamas still and feeling cold from the morning winter air. When we got to the school I pushed the kiddos in the stroller and carried the baby seat on my arm. Just inside the front doors are four stairs to get to the school office. I think I may have resurrected an old volley ball sprain getting the stroller up and down, even though I had help both times.

When I got home I threw on a show for the kids and put Joseph in the bathroom with me in hopes of escaping for a few minutes into a warm shower. Not even a minute later the door opened. I peeked out to find Hyrums little voice calling for me. He stood on his tip toes as his chubby hand clutched the door handle. The cold air blasted into the bathroom and I quietly urged him to close the door. As I finished my shower the door continued to open and close and open and close with a blast of cold air each time. 

"Heh-wo? Mum?" Click.  

I may have to start locking that.

My house was messy and dishes were undone, but all I wanted to do all day was cuddle my baby while he slept and play away the afternoon with the children. I snuggled Hyrum for a few minutes after tucking him in for his nap. His face still had remnants from lunch. I ran my fingers through his long hair before kissing him. For the first half of his nap I escaped into Camilla's imagination. The couch transformed into a sports car. She lovingly buckled all her teddies in the middle and then we drove away to a dress-up party in the mountains. You know how some people put their hands on their hips when they get all stern? Well, she puts hers up closer to her arm-pits and furrows her brow with a slight smirk. And as she struck this pose she informed me that I was supposed to take a left, not a right. Then we consulted the map which was a sheet of white paper full of scribbles. After a quick appearance at our dress-up party we made our way upstairs for naps. She whispered to her teddy bears until she fell asleep ten minutes later.

Hyrum was a handful today. He kept finding pens in the oddest places and using them on his knees, hands, toys and my table. And if that wasn't bad enough, he took a plastic knife from Camilla's toy kitchen and "drew" on Daddy's TV (sh, don't tell). Luckily the scratches weren't permanent. The one and only time I will clean that TV is when the kids make a mess...It looked worse than it really was. We did however enjoy a few tickle sessions and some awesome belly laughs. My favorite though was his hockey helmet for the afternoon which was constructed from a cracker box.

We played until late afternoon and then I made up some dough for pizza. While it was rising I did a bunch of dishes. Mr. Stannix worked super late again, so we ended up having to eat without him. The kids love their pizza and had two pieces each. Baths and bed time quickly followed and then I made up a dozen banana muffins for breakfast-on-the-go tomorrow morning. We will be dropping Daddy to work and then Auntie Faith to school. It's going to be an early morning...Time to get my last munchkin to sleep so I can get some rest.

Joseph's Gramma Blankie

Growing up, my siblings and I all had a special blankie which we called our "Gramma Blankie". They were made for us when we were babies by my Gramma Hudkins. Those blankets came on many trips with us and worked perfect for sleeping in the car on long drives. I feel so lucky that my kids get to have these special blankies as well, only made by my talented Mamma. When my family was up this last weekend, my Mum brought up Joseph's blanket. This afternoon when all the kids were napping he enjoyed some much needed tummy time atop it. I could seriously munch on those cheeks all day!

When he got tired of being on his tummy, he played some more on his new quilt. My Mum hand stitched hearts, circles, X's and O's all around the border and around the shapes in the middle. Each stitch is perfectly spaced and placed, it almost looks machine quilted. I'm so grateful to have such a talented Mum!

I think Joseph agrees.

Ninety-Three Days

Dear Joseph,

You are three months old already! Time goes by so quickly these days. You are turning into quite the chunkster and I am in love with your arm rolls and kissing your chubby cheeks. We got off to a rough start, but we are finally getting into a good routine. You bring so much joy to our family each day with your smiles, coos and cuddles. Whenever I need a boost of optimism I gaze into your face and you crack me that adorable little smile of yours. You are totally my comfort right now and there is nothing better than holding you in my arms. Tonight while I waited at the top of the stairs for your brother to fall asleep I stared at your sweet face as you slept cradled in my arms. In that moment I felt so much love for you! Camilla can't get enough of holding you. Hyrum loves you too and when he's not trying to rough house with you, he's actually quite sweet. My very favorite is when he puts his chubby hand on your head and brings his face close to yours and says, "La-boo...Jo-Peh". And despite the fact that he attempted to kick you in the head today, he really does love you.

At three months old you:

Recognize faces

Are scared of loud noises

Sleep 4-6 hours in a row at night

Love to kick and giggle in your bath

Will giggle and coo when talked to face to face

Like to stick your tongue out and spit bubbles

Grab onto the toys hanging on your play mat

Like to bring toys to your mouth

Suck your fists when your bored or hungry

Smile a lot
Poop every three days
Enjoy being held
Will hang onto my shirt or tug at my hair when I'm holding you
Like to pull Daddy's pant leg when you play at his feet
Hold your head up for a short time when on your tummy

You are adorable, buddy! We love you so much!

 

Family Day

We all woke up late-ish this morning. It was nice to sleep in, even if it was in a chair. Hyrum somehow snuck by me and when I finally got up I found him snuggled on the same pillow as Daddy reading a book and whispering to himself. Camilla slept for a while longer while I went downstairs with the boys. As soon as everyone was dressed we went to the church for the annual pancake breakfast. There was a super good turn out this year and it was fun to see people. Not long after we got home, my family and auntie Faith arrived and we all took off to the Muttart for the early afternoon. We met up with Uncle Mike, Kristen, Uncle Chris and my Gramma and Grampa Hudkins. It was fun going through the pyramids with everyone.

My favorite was the theme room which was decked out for the Chinese New Year. 

Uncle Mike had fun keeping up with Hyrum. Hyrum loved running around smelling the flowers and asked if he could pet the dragon. Love that boy! Uncle Mike had fun teaching them to play in the water off the bridge...

I got to steal a few minutes with my sweetheart sans kiddos.

It was super fun to have everyone there!

Joseph did super well and spent half the time in the stroller and the other half with Daddy. He's growing up so fast!

The kiddos really enjoyed the last pyramid we hit up because it had stairs! After a few hours we made our way home for a late lunch of beef on a bun. We had fun playing with the kids in our tiny living room and giggling at Hyrum falling every time he tried to throw a pillow at Grampa. It sure was great to spend family day with so much family!

Sunday Best

 I am loving eleven O'clock church! It gives us so much time to get ready while Daddy is at his morning meeting, and leaves a bit extra for some picture time. The boys snuggled up together on the couch this morning. Hyrum was super adorable with Joseph. He loves him. I can't do up the top button on Joseph's white shirt thanks to his double chin, so we improvised with the clip on tie.

Camilla quickly got in on the action. I always have to smile when I hear two kids screaming cheese over and over while I snap away, but this picture is one of my favorites! Camilla is sitting so "lady like". I also LOVE Hyrum's expression and the fact that his legs are crossed. Joseph is loving chilling in between them and I love that Hyrum and Camilla have their arms around their little brother.

Just before we left for church Mommy and Daddy got to love Joseph too! I can't believe he is already three months old! We sure do enjoy him, especially the extra sleep he's giving us lately!

 

The kids did good today at church. Hyrum snuggled right up to Daddy and ended up falling asleep on his lap during the closing hymn. They hung out in the chapel for a little while so he could catch some sleep. Things have been crazy around here lately and the kiddos seem extra tired. It was the most adorable thing I've ever seen. Hyrum was sitting on the bench with his head on Daddy's lap, snuggling a little red ball. He was so out of it that his bottom lip was hanging down all chubby like. A moment I definitely don't want to forget...

Jones Soda

Oh how I love that Mr. Stannix. This Valentines will definitely be one to remember. I had his valentine gift in my head for weeks (thanks pinterest), but it took a little extra planning for the surprise factor. On Monday evening I had to run some errands, so I took along Mr. Stannix's cell phone just in case I needed it. I hunted everywhere for his favorite drink and finally found it at a little store in the mall. When I got into the car I finished tying the note to the drink and called up one of his friends from work to see if they'd be able to help me out by putting it on Mr. Stannix's desk. When I got to his house, he still wasn't home. Joseph was screaming in the back seat, so I left it on his porch and hoped for the best. I crossed my fingers the rest of the week and thought up a million ways this could go wrong. Thankfully it all worked out! I owe this individual like a thousand Jones Soda's for his help.

Be Mine...Forever!

Dear Valentine,

Today you showed me how sweet you really can be.....let's see where should we start:

12:30 am:  Woke up when I came home from Hockey and asked how my game went (even though it was just a practice).  Then kissed me and went back to sleept

Somewhere between 1:00 am and 4:00am:  A baby woke up and you quickly scurried out of the room to feed him so I could get my rest.

Somewhere between 4:00 am and 6:00am:  Another boy woke up this time you shared your half of our TINY bed with him so I would have more room to sleep!

Somewhere between 7:30 am and 7:45am:  You packed me a heart shaped cookie and heart candies in my bag.

8:00am:  I opened my laptop at work and saw a valentine attached to the keyboard, I couldn't help but laugh out loud.....very few people can make me do that while I am sitting alone in a board room.

9:30 am:  I came up to my desk to grab something (since I am working on the first floor in a board room) and found a valentine card which had scratch away options (I couldn't help but scratch them all for the sweet messages).  Attached to the card was my favorite drink....a Jones Soda!!!

I have tirelessly tried calling you all day....but to no avail.  So I have resorted to more primitive forms of communication...yes blogging.  You don't know how many times I tried to hack into your gmail account just so I can log into blogger!  But it was worth it all for you. 

I wanted to say I love you and cherish you and I have one more tiny request.....

WILL YOU BE MINE.....FOREVER!

Love, the man who would be utterlly lost without you!

Mamma and Babe

Today the little man and I had a few minutes to spend together gazing out the window.

The house was quiet since the other two were upstairs napping.

Little did he know I couldn't stop gazing at him. 

Time is going far too fast and I want to hang on to every moment.

So we cuddled while I munched his cheeks and touched my nose to his soft baby skin.

He's getting to be quite the conversationalist.

I love watching him move his little lips and stick out his tongue.

He makes me so happy every day!

Saucer Time

It was another gorgeous day in the City! There was no way we were staying inside for the day. The children spent the late morning sliding off the deck on the blue saucer. They each had a blast! Hyrum is definitely on his way to "terrible two's". When they weren't riding on it, they were arguing about who's turn it was, or whining about something or other. Ah, gotta love 'em anyway!

They managed to go down together a couple of times!

Camilla was really awesome at pushing her brother down, 

and then dumping him off the saucer at the bottom so she could have a turn.

She was totally pro and fearless.

The giggles were worth every minute of whining endured.

Baby in a Bow Tie

When an opportunity presents itself to dress up, I just can't resist. 

One of my favorite parts about Sunday is my boys in little white shirts.

Joseph sure looked classy today!

After Hyrum went to bed Joseph and Camilla got the giggles. 

I, of course, couldn't resist snapping a picture.

A-dorable.

Sweet Mango

Last week in passing I mentioned to Mike that I needed a night out. His response was, "How about Saturday?" Then he handed me his cell phone and told me to text Jessica. Tonight was the night and we went out to dinner sans kiddos. I think the last time the two of us were together without our littles was when we went to Josh Groban. Hyrum was just a baby, that was a long time ago. Up until we got in the car we really had no idea what we were doing, just that we were doing something without little people competing for our attention. We ended up going not too far from home and hitting up the Sweet Mango for dinner. It was great to relax and visit with her. She's someone I've always admired and enjoy spending time with. Since dinner only took an hour and I knew I still had another couple hours before I had to go home and feed Joe, we stopped for a steamer on the way home and visited some more. I think we've decided to try and make this a monthly occurrence.

The menfolk held down the fort here with four kids under four. They did a great job. I think the kiddos tuckered them out a wee bit. Hopefully they still have enough energy for their hockey game tonight! When the house settled down a bit I bathed Joseph while Camilla ate up the rest of my dinner. When I went up to grab a new sleeper and onsie my attention was drawn to Hyrum soundly sleeping in his bed. He looked like such a big boy in his little toddler bed. His long eye lashes touched his soft little cheeks and his breathing was heavy. His blonde hair was all messy like little boys hair should be and his face was fresh and clean thanks to Daddy. It seemed he had grown up in just the few short hours I was away. It's always hard for me to leave, but I come back appreciating my children a whole lot more than I might have three hours earlier. My heart filled to the brim with love for my big boy sleeping away. I smooched him on the cheek and then headed down to dress Joseph, hoping he hadn't peed all over everything while I was gone. As I dressed him I overheard Camilla in the kitchen discussing hockey strategies with the boys, "I'll be on the right and you just pass the puck, okay?"

Camilla went to bed just as the boys left for hockey. And now as I type Joseph is filling his diaper up to his arm pits. Gotta love a kid who only dirties his diaper every other day. Daddy really lucked out tonight! In all seriousness though, I'm grateful to have a husband who recognizes my needs and volunteers to do whatever I need him to at the time.

The Children's Room

This February marks two years for us in this old little house. Time has gone by so quickly and there is so many things about this house that I've grown fond of. We are so lucky to have good friends who thought of us when they moved out. Mr. Stannix and I often talk about how lucky we are to experience this phase of life together, saving money, starting our family and kick-starting a career. We may not be very wealthy in the worlds eyes, but in my eyes our life couldn't be more rich. I love our cozy living room which is home to my piano that Mr. Stannix bought me for my birthday a few years back. I love our tiny kitchen that has allowed us so many sweet dinner time conversations and prayers together as a family.  I love our tiny office/toy room that provides a constant fun and learning environment for my children. I love our back deck where so many Summer memories and BBQ's  have been enjoyed. I love our upstairs bedroom where my bed is covered by the quilt that my Mum hand quilted for our wedding. And lastly, I love our children's room where the three of them lay their sweet little heads to bed at night. There is so many little things about that room that I don't want to forget.

I consider it a blessing that our children have the opportunity to share a room. So many things are learned and so many memories are made when siblings share a room. Each child has their own little corner of the room to themselves, and it works out great! When you first walk into the room Camilla's bed is the first thing you'll see along with her special pictures of the Savior and the Temple. Usually she makes her bed in the morning all on her own and "cleans" her room and organizes all of the things on the dresser. On the other side of the window you will find Hyrum's toddler bed tucked in the corner between two dressers. 

On Hyrum's bed you will always find the two things that he loves most. One is his teddy bear "Julius" named so appropriately by Daddy (orange julius). The other is his soft blanky given to him by Great-Gramma Hudkins. If it's not on his bed, it's usually with him (I think he had it when I took this picture). Above his bed hangs one of my favorite pictures of the Savior that I got for Christmas the year before I left home. I love the cozy feeling created by the overload of furniture and the slanted ceilings. It's not too over crowded though, just comfortable. The curtains and bed spread given to us by Nana also boost the comfort factor and I love the playful atmosphere they create. I have grown quite fond of the old green dresser that was left here when we came. I love the antique look it adds to the room with it's green color and silver nobs. Atop it lives the space heater to warm up the room on cold Winter nights.

The hardwood floors are worn and old and creak when walked on. After a year or so of living here I finally figured out where most of the bad spots were and learned to avoid them when putting a sleeping baby to bed. Directly across from the window is the brick chimney from the gas stove in the kitchen. It's quite noticeable since it was painted purple by previous tenants, but it adds character to the room. Beside the chimney is a tiny closet where Camilla's dresses and Hyrum's Sunday clothes hang. Above it is a single shelf filled with the children's books to read to them at bed time.  In the corner beside the closet sits the big green chair. Many a night has been spent in the big green chair cuddling, nursing and reading stories. We've had it since moving to the city and it has been great for all three of our babies. When it's story time Joe and I sit in the seat and one kid gets an arm each to look over the book. Sometimes though, we all snuggle up in Camilla's bed to read. I love when it's my turn to put them to sleep at night because it means that I get to kneel with each of them at their bedside and listen to them offer a sweet prayer.

Joseph's crib sits nice and snug with walls on three sides just inside the door, at the bottom of Camilla's bed. I love this little apartment sized crib that we picked up just before Camilla arrived. I am convinced the room wouldn't fit three if we had a regular sized crib. Even though the bumper pads are a little big, I love their natural colors and the old winnie the pooh bear pattern. They match the crib perfectly. Above the crib hangs a plaque from my Mum with the poem "Babies Don't Keep". Since moving the crib here I've had to learn to maneuver a whole new set of creaks in the floor. As I place Joe in his crib I have to almost straddle a noisy spot just in front of the crib. And every time I do, I smile to myself. Life couldn't be any better in our cozy little home.

Musical Beds

Some people play musical chairs. Well, we play musical beds. Last night I tucked the littles in and they all went to bed super easy! I only had to tell Hyrum to go back to bed once. After my friend's little lady got picked up, I went back upstairs to check on Camilla and give her a good night hug. I felt around her bed in the dark trying to find her but had no luck. I called her in a whisper and she quickly jumped out of my bed, "here I am Mommy!". She told me she didn't like her room because it was too dark, so I let her fall asleep in our bed. After Mr. Stannix returned home from scouts he went back to work at the kitchen table until really late. I finally got Joe to bed at 11:00pm after four tries. I went up to bed shortly after and snuggled up next to Camilla who had made our bed all nice and warm. Mr. Stannix came to bed and hour or so later and not long after he hit the pillow Hyrum appeared at our bedside. I climbed over Camilla and scooped him up. He rested his head on my shoulder while I carried him and his favorite blanket back to bed. If only our double was big enough for four, it was already crowded with three. I jumped into Camilla's bed and fell back to sleep almost instantly. When Joseph woke me up for his next feeding I peeked at the clock which read 4:00am. Is anyone else calculating this? I got almost five whole hours of sleep! I think the little man has hit a growth spurt. I'm crossing my fingers that it continues. I woke up around 7:00am with both munchkins snuggled in on either side of me in Camilla's bed. And when they couldn't contain their giggles any longer (bless their hearts for trying) we crept down the stairs for a bowl of cheerios. Joseph slept until almost 8:00am. I didn't think it was possible to love him any more, but he definitely got some extra loves for his awesome sleeping performance last night. I don't even care that the first thing he did when he woke up was to fill his diaper to the brim.

The rest of the day was spent nursing, playing with children, baking my very favorite chocolate chip cookies, catching up on dishes and waiting for Telus to come and fix our silly telephone (turns out it was a shorted wire downstairs). Sadly I overcooked the very last pan of cookies. It seems I do that to at least one pan in every batch.

After nursing Joseph in the late afternoon he slept  across my lap while I gently trimmed his fingernails. When I was done those he was still fast asleep so I slowly unbuttoned his white sleeper and slipped his long feet out. I paused to admire his chubby toes before I gently clipped them too. It was nice to take care of that. I love me a clean baby in white.

Before I knew it the children were getting antsy, running up and down the hallway, chasing each other and screaming. I put the upside-down nacho bake in the oven to melt the cheese and then called the crew for dinner. When Daddy e-mailed me saying he would still be another couple of hours I cranked the tunes and cleaned the kitchen while my kiddos sat at the table for what seemed like an eternity picking at their dinner. I think my favorite was Camilla resting her head on her elbows or balancing her spoon on her dish out of boredom. 

I swept my kitchen floor to this tune.  It always puts me in a bouncy, fun mood. I especially love the old-school dancing in the video. When Hyrum was tired of looking at his food, he dumped it onto the floor. I had a lot to sweep. When I finished I pulled out his chair to unbuckle him and discovered he had a lap full of food. So much for sweeping...

And right now as I write, the children are both tucked into their beds. I'm sure Hyrum fell asleep in two minutes flat. He was one tired boy. Camilla wasn't far behind. Joseph is still hanging out on my lap and there's no sign of Daddy yet. I think it's time to whip out a chocolate bar and listen to some more tunes while I wait for Mr. Stannix to come home.

Amazing Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 Cup Butter (melted)

1 Cup Brown Sugar

1/2 Cup White Sugar

2 Eggs

2 Tsp Vanilla

1 Tsp Salt

1 Tsp Baking soda

2 Cups Flour

1 Cup Oatmeal

MILK Chocolate chips

Dash of Nutmeg & Cinnamon 

350 for 8 minutes

I promise you won't be disappointed!

La-Boo

A few days ago Hyrum started saying 'I love you' without being prompted. He's such a sweet boy. 

At random times throughout the day he will come up to me, rest his head on my shoulder, hug my leg, or give me a smooch and say, 

"I La-boo...Mommy" 

Those soft spoken words melt my heart every time. 

Today he must have sensed I was having a hard day because I got showered with hugs, kisses, cuddles and expressions of love. 

He was kind of having a hard day too and constantly wanted up to cuddle.

He woke up from his nap very upset, so I asked if he needed a cuddle. The house was quiet, it was just the two of us awake. 

I cherish moments like this with each of my children. 

Sometimes I forget how often they need that and I have to make a conscious effort throughout my day to pause what I am doing for some snuggle time with each of them. 

Today I was happy to snuggle with Hyrum on the big chair in the living room and hear him giggle and whisper

 "La-boo... Mommy" in my ear.

Voluntary expressions of love are the greatest!

I also had a friend who must have sensed I was having a rough day today. She sent me some beautiful tulips to enjoy. She's the best!

A Lot of Chilling

We have been doing a lot of chilling lately. I'm grateful to my parents for putting the littles and I up at the Acreage for the week. Mr. Stannix has been working long hours and the break this last week was much welcomed. Mr. Stannix always seems to know when I need to get out of the city and kindly sends me home. I leave him a clean house, homemade bagels and muffins for breakfast, homemade soup for dinner and a short love note. This week went by fast and Daddy surprised us by showing up for dinner on Friday night. Everyone missed him tons! We all enjoyed being back together on Saturday. We started the morning off slow and spent our afternoon outside.

While Daddy and Grampa finished working on the knives they're making, Camilla high-jacked Grampa's phone and played games.

Joseph was the first one dressed because he soaked through his jammies. He actually got to enjoy some tummy time and I loved his little grins!

Hyrum was in-love with the quads the whole time we were there and always wanted to be anywhere Grampa was. Whenever he heard the words "Garage" or "Quad" he would jump up from whatever he was doing and say, "Boots on. Hymum come too. Quad ride?" It was pretty cute. One day he spent an hour just sitting on the quad in the garage while Grampa did some work. When he started to lean forward and fall asleep on the gas tank Grampa brought him inside for a snooze.

Little Joe loved all the snuggles and attention. 

On Saturday afternoon we enjoyed the Chinook weather and built a snow fort! It was so fun to be outside. Hyrum liked to help push the snowballs as I rolled them and we'd make them so big they would hardly move.

Camilla was having a blast and loved playing king of the castle.

This is the last picture I snapped of Hyrum before he lost interest and wandered off to sit on the quad. Grampa came to his rescue and they took the quad to plow the neighbours drive-ways. This gave Mike and I some one on one time with miss Cami.

She became pro at rolling snowballs all on her own and helped construct the second layer of the snow fort.

Part way through Mr. Stannix took a break for a snowball fight. While I finished the top layer, he enjoyed chucking snowballs at me from the deck. Soon my Mum came out to defend me. Camilla quickly got in on the action too. I haven't heard her laugh that hard for a long time! She had so much fun with us. She would totally tease and be all, "I won't throw this at you, I promise". It was cute. I love spending time with that girl!

Mr Stannix finished up his knife. It just needs some tung oil and a little sharpening and then it's complete! I'm super proud of him. Pictures don't really do this thing justice. It's a beaut!

We took off, just the two of us, for dinner Saturday night. It was a much needed date and I'm super grateful to my parents for watching the kids. It's always great to talk with Mr. Stannix about anything and everything. I'm super glad he's such a great listener.