For My Daughters

My mind has been pondering, my hands have been busy, and my heart has been heavy all weekend. My dear husband has had a very emotional wife for a few days now and treated me so kindly, always saying what I need to hear and hugging me tight when the tears fall. On Saturday evening I had the opportunity to attend the General Women's Meeting. Lots of the things said in that meeting were just for me! I loved that Sister Wixom talked about how our journey on the path is personal, just for us. I love that Sister Burton emphasized that we all have something to give and that keeping our covenants is the best way to strengthen our homes. I loved President Eyring's talk on trusting in the Lord and learning that our trials/tests/hardships were chosen specifically for each of us. And I most especially loved the video presentation!

Yesterday in Sunday school we talked about how the standards of the church are unchanging and how the standards of the world are ever changing. I am always grateful for the standards and values which I have. They help me be happy and live a Christ centered life and I hold them close to my heart. I cherish the covenants that I have made which have put me on the path to return to my loving Heavenly Father again someday. Because of my strong belief in these things, my heart is sometimes made heavy by the choices of others or the things that are happening in the world today. 

Last night I found myself crying to my husband, "I was born in the wrong time!" Sometimes I feel very left out (this might seem confusing because I'm not going into details). But one very important thing that I gained from that Women's broadcast was unity and assurance that I am not the only one who maybe feels like they were born in the wrong time period. It isn't easy living in a world where motherhood is undervalued and sometimes frowned upon. These things are near and dear to my heart and it hurts me to think of the way the majority of the world views motherhood and homemaking. I've been feeling very "old fashioned" and alone lately. This is one of the hardest jobs in the world, and sometimes I feel like I didn't prepare myself well enough for it. It's almost impossible to prepare yourself without experiencing the sleepless nights, the amount of selflessness it requires, the working on zero sleep, the emotional strain, and the endless love it takes. But I am thankful that I prepared spiritually for this job. I am grateful for the time I could spend as a young, single adult studying my scriptures, learning about the amazing women and mothers. I am glad that I had time to be a visiting teacher and learn to serve others selflessly. And I am glad for the feeling, deep within my soul, that confirms to me that there is no calling more noble than being a mother.

I guess I'm writing this mostly for my daughters. I want them to know that they are beloved daughters of a Heavenly Father. I want them to know that motherhood is a special calling, even when the world thinks it's not. I want them to know the importance of womanhood, grace and charity. I want them to remember to be tender, when the women of the world seem harsh. I want to instill in them a love for homemaking, education, and teaching. I want them to know how much I love my Savior and how much I value the covenants that I have made in my life. I want them to remember the sacred nature of the Sacrament and take the time to ponder the atonement. And I want them to know that being a part of the largest women's organization in the world is a great privilege. I hope they will always learn from the great women with whom they associate and enjoy their time in the Relief Society organization as they grow. These are the things that are near and dear to my heart, and the things that I hope I can teach my daughters as they grow into mothers.

Days Gone By

It's Friday again. These weeks go by so quickly that I can hardly remember which day we are on. We had a few fun afternoons this week going through some family videos. The kids have been talking a lot about our old house and how much they miss this n' that about it. Seeing Hyrum's long hair and hearing his little voice and funny pronunciation made me grateful that we have at least a few funny moments captured on video, but also made me realize how quickly we can forget stages. Day to day life becomes the norm and I sometimes get used to them just the way they are. It's hard to describe. I guess we just grow with our kids and gradually all of those sleepless nights, funny toddler words, and mischievous moments get lost in our memories. I want so badly to capture those things, to be able to write descriptively enough that I can almost smell those clean fresh clothes when I dress the children. I want to be able to read back and almost feel their chubby fingers touch my skin long after they are grown. I spent a bit of time this week jotting down those sorts of things so that I could attempt to write about them in greater detail before they are erased from my memory.

Joseph is growing like crazy! He is turning into quite the toddler and his features are maturing. I took a picture of him while he bathed in the kitchen sink the other morning and he looked like a giant in that little sink. It made me realize just how quickly he is growing and changing. This whole week he has slept in until passed 7:00am (which is pretty much unheard of for him). He starts his day full of energy and then slows down around lunch. He frequently falls asleep in his highchair in the midst of chaos and crazy older siblings. He prefers to nap from 11:00am on which makes for long afternoons spent playing and a very tired boy at dinner. If I am ever on the computer he will do something like jump dangerously on the couch or play with the DVD player to get me up. Then he will run over and try to steal my computer chair away. He's pretty goofy and quite the mastermind! He is really starting to express himself and his vocabulary is coming along nicely. He loves to drop stuff and exclaim, "Uh-Ohhhhh!" This week he has started pointing at things and saying, "Dat, dat!" or "I-an-dat!" He also says "Hot" anytime he is near the oven or sees me cooking. He is the biggest eater I've ever had. I can't decide if he is right or left handed yet because he holds his utensil with his left hand and then shovels in the food with his free right hand. He eats his food until it's gone and often asks for seconds! He loves music and can really feel the beat. If he is strapped in somewhere when the music plays he will swing his foot or shake his head. He loves to dance while holding his big sisters hands, it's something special they share. I love the way he smells like fresh laundry when I hug him and I extra love smooching the soft skin on the back of his neck and running my fingers through his long, thin hair. He likes to go to bed between 6:30 and 7:00pm and always sleeps with his knees tucked beneath his tummy and his face buried in his blankets or hands.

Hyrum is a sweet little boy (when he wants to be). He doesn't like to be told what to do, especially when it comes to the potty. But if you make suggestions or give him two choices to pick from he is almost always happy to oblige. I often have to ask him 100 times to go pee after seeing him march around the house (that's his potty dance) with his knees pretty much coming to his chin every time. He likes to practise his listening skills and repeat everything Camilla tells him in question form. "Oh, to the airport?" "Oh, an idea?" The other day he wasn't feeling well and when I asked him what was wrong he told me, "My fingers are cwanky..." It made me laugh. He loves his sister. While we were watching Camilla at her swim lessons I noticed he was looking sad. He had kind of a pouty lip and his head was down. I asked what was wrong and he responded, "I miss Camilla, Mommy..." Those two are quite the pair and it makes my heart swell to see how much they love each other. He still calls Joseph "Joe-Fed". It cracks me up. This week I've also been reminded that he is my snuggly one. He still needs snuggles and still climbs on my lap or asks to be cuddled. "Mommy, can you cuddow me?" Ah! It melts my heart! If I've learned anything this week, it's that every kid loves a good cuddle once in a while. His speech is hilarious. He calls a skittle a "ksittle" and Spider-man "Psider-man" and a picture a "Psichure". Cheese whiz is "Cheese Wheeze" (which is hilarious) and he calls the bathroom fan the "Ghost Light". He has pretty much given up his afternoon naps. When the toy room is clean he will run circles around the cleared carpet and beg to be chased! He always asks me to lay with him for a while at bed time. I was a stickler about that with Camilla, but Hyrum's little voice always sucks me in (or perhaps motherhood has given me experience). He loves when I scratch his arms at bedtime or pinch them lightly. He's quick to fall asleep, especially when I draw on his face or play with his hair. And he will always tuck his arms behind his head and twitch to let you know he's really asleep. I cherish those few minutes at bed time where it's just the two of us and he whispers, "I love you, Mommy" while I snuggle him. He still visits our bed a couple of nights each week, but someone told me that won't last forever (obviously) either, so I pick my battles.

Camilla is full of laughter and loves games. She likes to throw snowballs at me and giggle at my reaction. She has a game for everything including dinner. The other day she played where she would take one bit and then one sip of water. She explained it all to me and then asked, "Does that sound fun?" She is also crazy observant! She discovered a funny thing about spoons while admiring her reflection in one. If you look at yourself in the front of a spoon, you will be upside down, but if you look at yourself on the back of a spoon, you will be right side up. In my whole life I've never thought about that, or noticed. She is still plugging away at her piano and some basic math. We are currently working on subtraction and perfecting writing our numbers. She loves to chop things up for me. The other day she chopped the celery for the soup while Hyrum peeled the carrots. While they were working hard, I thought I'd take the opportunity to throw in a load of laundry. As I'm heading downstairs Camilla says, "Don't worry Mom, we like helping! You can just do all of the easy jobs because you're sick and I don't want your fingers getting too tired or anything!". She's such a big helper and has unloaded the dishwasher a couple of times this week without being asked. Her stuffed animals are very important to her and there's still hardly any room for her in the bed at night. She left her special "Hugh" at Gramma and Grampa's last time we were out and had to Skype him to make sure he was enjoying his time there. She comes up with the funniest names. So far we have Matilda (a duck), Deedee (a giraffe), Cody (her favorite husky dog), Hugh (cody's baby dog), Gerald Cuthbert (the panda), Turwillabee (the turtle) and others. Today she asked for some cuddles to warm up in the cold basement. I loved holding her close, all wrapped up in a blanket while she put her head on my shoulder. I couldn't help but smooch her cheeks (even though I figured she's getting a little old ). So many memories came back as she nestled her little body into mine. I have loved the extra cuddle time this week!

The Family Journal

I have checked the mail a gazillion times this week and today I finally got what I've been waiting for! I ordered volume II of last years blog book a little while ago and I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. Each book seems to have it's own little quirks and this one is no exception. For some reason the background on the front cover didn't stretch all the way to the edges, and I'm sure there's a spelling mistake or two. We have quite the collection of blog books now and I look forward to organizing the next one in July!

After we got back from our walk to the mail box, we decided to soak up some sunshine in the backyard. Despite the serious look on Joe's face, he really enjoys the outdoors and would stay out all day if he could! I can't wait until Summer when we can spend all our time outside!

My Little Picasso's

This morning we woke up to snow again. I enjoyed an early morning chat with my Mamma where she reminded me that a little spilled water on my floor is nothing to get upset over (it's the weather I tell you!). After I got off the phone, I took a deep breath and taped some paper to the wall so that we could spend the rest of the morning creating a giant masterpiece. I love the crayola finger paints because they are 100% washable. My walls and floors weren't hurt in the least bit, and the littles had so much fun just being left to it!

 We started out with a nice blank piece of paper. Joseph loved getting messy! I often think of Ms. Frizzle off the magic school bus, "Take chances, make mistakes, get messy!" That attitude is pretty much a must when you have children.

 And boy did they love it!

 I just took a step back, ignored the blue paint on my baseboards and watched their excited eyes.

 We had some serious moments. I love that face!

 Lots of concentration!

 And a little bit of fun!

 Mr. H couldn't resist squishing and paint between his fingers!

 He's all about exploring things by touch and feel.

 

 Love these littles of mine!

 Joe enjoyed a bath in the sink while we finished up!

Life Size

 Camilla and Mr. H spent the morning making a life sized version of themselves. I traced their bodies on a big roll of paper and let them color and cut it out. Camilla painted her finger nails and colored her shirt the exact same as the one she was wearing. Hyrum wanted his to be a super hero with his favorite color shirt. It was a fun way to teach them about their bodies and give them a sense of self identity. Camilla loved it! She's such a funny girl lately. This morning she paid Hyrum 10 cents to make her bed! She's pretty resourceful when she wants to be!

Morning Snack

Best. Buds.

Wiggles and Giggles

Whew. It's been a rough day around here. It all started when we woke up on the first day of spring to find the sidewalks covered in white and giant flakes still falling. My cough has now transferred to two of my three littles. Camilla's got a cute "stuffed nose" voice, and Joe is just plain grumpy. I spent the majority of my day doing impossible tasks (like spooning cookie dough onto a cookie sheet) with Joe propped on my hip while he whined. When I needed to put him down he would sit at my feet and cry, or latch onto my leg, or chase me around the kitchen screaming... On top of an awful croup sounding cough, he is also cutting a couple of teeth. I figured I might lose my sanity by lunch! He napped two and half (I say half because one was a ten minute snooze in the van) times today and still fell asleep at his regular 7:00PM bedtime.

While I put him to sleep I listened to Camilla downstairs, "Just one more bite Hyrum. That's it! Now eat this one, this is the best part. Almost done. Good boy Hyrum!" Such a little mommy that girl is. She was determined to get both of them some dessert and sweetly helped him eat his dinner. I don't know what it is about that boy, but the only way he ever eats his dinner all gone is if someone else feeds it to him. I also have to chuckle at Camilla because she always sits at the dinner table with one cheek on and one cheek off, or both feet on the floor so she can stand and wiggle while she eats. I always have to giggle when I tell her for the gazillionth time to glue her bum to the chair and she pretends to do it. But it only ever lasts a few minutes before those toes hit the floor and her wiggles return. I love her. 

Whenever I needed a pick-me-up today I pulled out the video camera so that I could watch this. I can't wait for Joe-Joe to return to his giggly self again!

Hard Work Pays Off

 Camilla has been working hard at making her bed, getting dressed, and keeping her room tidy for three months. We made a deal shortly after she watched "Frozen" at the theaters that if she did all of her chores each day, she could earn some money and buy the movie herself. She did it! She used her Christmas money from Great Gramma and Grampa Purdon as well as her chore money and bought the movie all by herself. To say she was excited would be an understatement. As we walked into Best Buy, she turned to the guy manning the doors and quietly (but proudly) said, "I'm just buying frozen...." She was practically vibrating at the checkout and was excited to get home and watch her new movie. She can quote practically the whole thing just after seeing it in theaters. I love this girl of mine and I hope she remembers that hard work and saving pays off! I came down to check on the kids while they watched and Camilla exclaimed, "I don't even know I'm watching this!!!" which can be translated to, "I can't believe I'm finally watching this on my very own couch!" I washed the floor while they watched and she assured me that if the floor wasn't dry when the movie was done, they would just stay down there and watch it again. 

We also took advantage of the warmish weather and clear sidewalks and used our bikes to get the mail today.  The kids had a rough time re-learning how to peddle, but once they had a bit of practice they were able to get it again. I can't wait for warmer weather and sunshine!

We also had a hilarious episode the other night that I don't want to forget. I was inside watching Joseph finish up his dinner (because that kid likes to eat A LOT) when I heard the two kids frantically yelling my name. I rushed out to see what was the matter. Camilla was screaming and tugging on Hyrum's hand which caused Hyrum to lose it. Camilla was yelling, "Mommy! Hurry! He's going to sink! I don't want to lose my brother forever and ever!!!!" Hyrum was frantically crying, "Mommmy! MOOOMmmmmy!" over and over again. I fumbled into my shoes, noticing my neighbor was out on his back deck taking out the garbage (how embarassing)...Once I got closer I figured out the problem. We tugged and pulled and wiggled but couldn't get those boots unstuck. I finally picked Hyrum out of them and we surrendered them to the mud for the rest of the night. Everyone was so covered that we stripped down on the back deck and went for baths. Looking back on this still makes me laugh. I always feel bad giggling when my kids are in distress, but it was seriously so funny that Camilla thought it was quicksand or something. Ah, I love them.

Camilla brought me a pair of Daddy's dress shoes today and asked, "Mommy, Why does Daddy wear heel shoes to work?" Love the things kids say!

A Mess of Happiness

I love when our home is filled with music! There's a song that I sing to Joseph each day before he goes to sleep. Every time I start to sing it, he lays his head on my shoulder with a big grin. I sing it different ways each time, kissing the back of his neck, or hugging him tight while I sing. Sometimes it's goofy and we have a good laugh before he drifts off to sleep, and sometimes it's just quiet, and nice. The song is called "A Bushel and a Peck". My Gramma Hudkins is a huge fan of Doris Day. The very first time I heard it was when my Gramma Hudkins sang it to Camilla as a baby while they rocked in her livingroom. I will never forget that moment and I treasure that song so much. Until just a few weeks ago I never really knew the other verses, so I would always just sing the first one over and over. I finally pulled it up on Youtube the other day and fell in love with the second verse, particularily the line, "You make my life a mess, a mess of happiness."

Lately our home has been just that. A mess of happiness. It seems I always have pots and pans strewn across my kitchen and socks in every corner. By the end of last week, I gave up and just let the littles go crazy. I had to get dinner made, and they were occupied. It's hard to plug your ears and cook though!

Notice Joseph's missing sock!

After dinner, the boys went for a bath. They had the cutest messy grins you ever did see.

Even as I type, I have snot on my shirt and macaroni smudges on my jeans. But I do love our messy, happy life!

Up before the Sun

 I woke up this morning feeling pretty good! Joe and I got a few hours of snuggle time before the rest of the house woke up. We kissed Daddy good-bye and headed upstairs for morning chores. While we tidied the bedrooms the sun was just waking up for the day. The boys room was immersed in the most gorgeous orange glow. I couldn't resist taking pictures!

This little boy is 16 months old today! I can't believe how fast time has gone by! He loves to babble lately. He also shrieks when he's happy and shrieks when he's upset. We ran the hallways at church for a while yesterday and he shrieked like crazy with excitement! He keeps me on my toes, that's for sure. He usually chills in his crib while we clean up the clothes and make beds in the morning. A bed is in his near future since he can almost climb right out now!

By mid-morning we were needing a snack, so we made up our traditional St. Patricks Day cupcakes. The older two were helping me mix, and then Camilla had a meltdown over something or other. All of the sudden, mid meltdown, Camilla exclaimed, "He bit my bottom!" in her English accent. She laughed while the tears remained on her cheeks. I then saw Joe's head pop up beside her and burst into giggles. Joseph had tried using his teeth to help him up. Such a funny boy...

 

Making cupcakes and wearing green are about as festive as we seem to ever get for this holiday. I pinned a bunch of cool green meal ideas on pinterest and had intentions of making green bread, but none of it happened! Good thing those cupcakes are so delicious!

Last night after the kids went to bed I made up these great little job charts for the littles! They are already pretty great at doing their jobs, but I wanted to give them more accountability and desire. Hyrum pulled his off the fridge first thing this morning and asked me about it. Once I told him he could color on it, he was sold. I've never seen that boy work his way through his jobs so fast! He even brushed his teeth! I'm hoping that this will help our home be more organized. I also copied the design and wrote up some family rules taken from President Hinckley's Six B's. Mr. Stannix and I brainstormed for a while last night on what we want our home to be like. This morning I felt inspired to look up the Six B's and incorporate them into our home. I totally remember when he gave this talk. I loved it then and I love it now! This rule chart is pretty much our lesson for FHE tonight.

In my searching today I stumbled across some really great talks. I've been thinking a lot lately about how I can become the mother I dream of being. The very title of this talk peeked my interest.

"You are creatures of divinity; you are daughters of the Almighty. Limitless is your potential. Magnificent is your future, if you will take control of it. Do not let your lives drift in a fruitless and worthless manner."

-Gordon B. Hinckley

I have felt this very way for the last little while. Like my life is drifting by and I'm not doing the things I'm supposed to be doing. It's a horrible feeling. Reading this talk gave me a sense of worth and a great desire and drive to do more each day to become that person I want to be with limitless potential and endless charity. 

"There is nothing in all this world as magnificent as virtue. It glows without tarnish. It is precious and beautiful. It is above price. It cannot be bought or sold. It is the fruit of self-mastery."

-Gordon B. Hinckley

Ah, self mastery. That sounds nice...

On the bottom of our family rules I also attached a favorite scripture about organizing our homes. While studying online I also came across a great talk from President Monson. 

"By being consistently good, we can ensure a house of glory."

-Thomas S. Monson

"Clean thoughts, noble purpose, a willing heart, and ready hands are all features of a house of God."

 -Thomas S. Monson

I am excited to put what I've learned to use! Mr. Stannix and I also had a great chat last night about the use of time. Time management seems to be one of the hardest things to master these days. There's just so much in a day to distract us from the things we should be doing (like teaching kids, studying scriptures, serving friends and family, making healthy meals etc). This week I'm hoping to spend more time on those things that matter most!

 

A Day of Rest

Sunday's are always a day of rest in the Stannix home!
I just can't resist a sleeping baby in a white onsie!

Father Son Moment

Saturdays are always pretty special around here because Daddy doesn't have to go to work (except for next Saturday and every one after that until the end of tax season). Joseph sure loves his Daddy! They shared a glass of water on the stairs this morning after breakfast. It was pretty cute. Joe does this thing where he tilts his head to the side and tries to look deeply into your eyes. I wish I got a better angle, but still an adorbs picture of this little man and his favorite Daddy.

 

We spent the afternoon driving in our new van and stopped off at the John Janzen for some indoor play. The littles needed to burn some energy and had a lot of fun making friends and playing tag and stuff. Apparrently Joe didn't get enough climbing and sliding time...

 

He is a non-stop climber these days and it seems like I'm pulling him off tables and chairs every five seconds. Sometimes when he turns around to sit down, his bum is just inches away from the edge. He is one busy busy boy!

St. Patty's Party

 Today we enjoyed the annual St. Patrick's Day party with my cousins and their lovely kiddies.There was lost of fun crafting and lots of green food to enjoy! The littles had fun decorating these shamrock hats.

Hyrum got pretty into it.

Joseph hammed it up for us!

 

I'm pretty sure Camilla covered every inch of hers!

We were also privileged to have my Grandparents there to celebrate with us. It's always a treat to watch them interact with their great-grands.

We enjoyed green drinks, green egg salad sandwiches and some veggies for lunch. 

We also managed a few funny group shots before everyone went home. 

Love those little leprechauns of mine!! Thanks for the fun day cousins!

Breaking out the Rubber Boots

I have been in love with this gorgeous weather! All of the extra sunshine this week has been wonderful. Today we brought in our rubber boots from the garage and found some puddles to splash in. We began while Joseph was napping. The older two ran up and down the sidewalk through the puddles.

 It's so fun to watch them together. They are such great friends! Camilla is the best puddle jumper I know. She's also had an extra year or so of practice than Hyrum.

 When Joseph woke up Camilla let him borrow her rubber boots so that he could splash with them. She was also a great big sister and made sure to pick him up and dip his feet in several times to "show him how". She's such a helper!

 Joseph really enjoyed being able to walk and splash. He also loved looking at his reflection in the puddles, it was pretty cute.

 Though his eyes are closed in this picture, I still find it adorable! I love that whispy blonde hair and the way his diaper waddles while he walks. I am going to miss this stage so much!