Bits of June

It feels like just yesterday we were welcoming June, and now here we are at the end! Though the days seem to have slowed gradually throughout the month, time keeps ticking by without missing a beat. My mind and body are in a constant battle between micromanaging everything around me (thanks pregnancy) and wanting to let go and enjoy. My early risers wake with the sun and I have had many productive mornings filled with baking, bike rides, early morning grocery shopping, and freshly scrubbed bathrooms. There's been quite a few bad Mommy days, and also a lot of joy and fun.

The boys are usually out the door early in the morning to meet up with their friends at the little park behind our house. They go back and forth all day, sometimes dressed as super heroes, and sometimes with their water guns in hand. Other boys thought it was great fun to dress up and go to the park and soon batman and a knight in VERY shiny armor joined them. They ran around the green space with pretend swords, fighting bad guys. Hyrum will rush home, hot and sweaty, after a little while and ask for a sandwich as he gulps a glass of cold water. 

If it's raining, they find other fun things to do. One morning I heard them laughing and giggling, big hearty belly laughs. I came downstairs to find the popcorn bowl dumped all over the floor, and let out a huge sigh. When I asked why the popcorn was all over the floor they replied simply, "We were just playing hip-hip-hooray!" Usually after moments like these I find myself wishing I had dealt with more grace and humor. At least I can look back on the moment with a smile.

Lately our snacks consist of fresh, juicy fruit that we get at sale prices. Hot afternoons bring cherry stained fingers, faces and shirts. My happy toddler can be found with watermelon juice running down to his elbows and dotting the grass beneath. A bowl of strawberries can be polished off in seconds. And oranges have become a new favorite.

The long days and early mornings often bring over-tired children. One afternoon I went and hid in my room after enduring a half hour tantrum from my favorite three year old. When he had to stop crying long enough to figure out where I had gone, I couldn't help but smile. He eventually found me on my bed and jumped up for a snuggle. He pressed his back next to my tummy while he rested his head on my arm. When the baby kicked him he giggled, "He wants to play tag with me!" I thought two year olds were curious creatures, but this three year old of mine is even more of a puzzle. And I often find myself at whits end by the time the day is through.  

We are enjoying some new words and expressions from our favorite toddler. The one I love most is when he exclaims, "Whoo-WEE!" when something is a lot of work. I love the way he puckers up for a kiss after he sees Daddy and I smooch. He has the cutest lips ever! His favorite show is "Georsh" (Curious George) and he has some pretty awesome dance moves to the theme song. He can pull doors closed now and lock himself in bedrooms. Whenever I'm cleaning up or kneeling on the floor, he will come and plop his bum down on my lap and just sit.  He has the best scrunchy nosed smile and the most contagious, rolling belly laugh. There have been many meals lately where we all find ourselves laughing to tears because of Finley's antics and laughter. 

Hyrum has decided that I need a little more help around the house lately and suggested helping with dinner clean up. It was a light bulb moment and I've so enjoyed their help each night! They are still at a stage where it's a novelty to push a stool up to the sink and rinse the dishes. One of them clears the table and the other rinses and loads the dishwasher. Hyrum sometimes prays that "Mommy won't have to do so much work with her big tummy" and those prayers are answered ten fold when their tiny selves pitch in with the clean up after dinner!

One night during scripture study, Daddy asked a question that Hyrum was quick to answer. As Camilla stood up and smacked her hand to her forehead she exlaimed, "How is he so much smarter than me when I have a bigger brain?!" Six going on ten, that girl is. She makes us laugh every day! 

We then start the bedtime routine from youngest to oldest. Having the two little boys share a room has been pretty easy for the most part. Perhaps it's because we've been down this road before with up to three kids in a bedroom during our student days. While I sing Fin to sleep in his dimly lit room he reaches his soft baby hand up and places it on my cheek. Sometimes he pulls my face close enough to his that I can feel his eye lashes tickle my nose. I sing quietly in his ear while he smiles and then I smooch his neck to get a good giggle. 

Both boys move around so much in their sleep! Fin has fallen out of bed more times in this last few weeks then all of the other kids put together in their entire lives. We still play musical beds fairly often. Mr. Stannix had a good laugh when he found my six month pregnant self squished on the side of the toddler bed at 5:00am in desperation for a few more winks of sleep. Joseph still sneaks into our bed once or twice a week, but since investing in a bigger bed, it's a lot less noticeable!

Although a lot of our weekends are booked up this Summer, I am looking forward to relaxing with no schedules and few commitments. As I finish up the last trimester of this pregnancy I am eager to use these months to replenish and refill.

"Fatigue is the common enemy of us all -- So slow down, 

rest up, replenish, and refill." 

~Jeffrey R. Holland

Jump for Joy

 Today is this little girly's last day of Grade one. We're kind of excited for Summer!! They are finishing off the year with a water fight this afternoon. The boys can't wait to go pick her up! We are all jumping for joy for Summer to officially begin!

Getting Out

This morning I had bread dough rising on my counter by 7:00am. We waved Camilla off to school and waited on the bread before taking off for a long morning walk. The weather was beautiful, and everyone was happy to get out for some exercise. 

Joe mastered his two-wheeler over the weekend and we were all so proud! I loved listening to the big kids cheer him on and give him confidence. He was so excited to ride it today! We went to a new, super wide, walking trail behind the golf course. It was lined with beautiful, big trees and I loved watching the sun twinkle through the branches as the wind gently blew. I slowly pushed Finley in the stroller while the boys rode ahead, side by side. I loved listening to their little voices in the distance as they talked. They are such great friends most days.

We had to stop on the way home for every bug, stick, or speck that they saw as they rode their bikes. We played with this lady bug for quite sometime!

After some homemade cheese buns and a cold smoothie, I tucked this little guy in for a long afternoon nap. There are many afternoons I wish I could just join him!

After Camilla got home from school, I examined the mess that still covered my kitchen counters and sighed. I stuck a freezer meal into the oven and then joined the kids in the little plastic pool out back. The mess doesn't seem to matter so much in the Summer time. Now that we are down to our last two school days I am craving late nights playing outside, and a slow, easy schedule. We are so grateful for Summer!

Eight Years

Today marks eight years of marriage for Mr. Stannix and I and what an amazing ride it's been! Our dating days seem like a distant memory compared to all that we've been through together in these short years. Mike successfully completed a university degree and designation while juggling all of our littles and church callings. We enjoyed the student life and look back on our little rentals with fondness. It's crazy to think that in just a few weeks we will have a SEVEN year old, and a few months later we will be welcoming baby number five. Life is crazy around here, and I wouldn't have it any other way! I love this guy and am so happy that we get to enjoy the ride together. These have been some of the best years of my life, and it's because this handsome man makes me happy!

Spray Park

 Today we took it easy. I let the dishes sit on the counter, I left my broom in the closet, and I snuggled up to my boys all day. We watched an afternoon movie together while I put my feet up, then Joe helped me mow the lawn. When Camilla got home I packed everyone up and took them to the spray park. They laughed, giggled, sprayed each other, and enjoyed fresh, juicy cherries on the picnic blanket in the warmth of their towels. When the clouds rolled in and the children were cold we loaded back in the warm van and headed home. Just after we took off our shoes the thunder sounded and the rain fell. It poured and poured while I made dinner and the children snuggled up under blankets. Once everyone was fast asleep I tackled my kitchen and tidied the play room. 

What's for Lunch

 "I can't believe Mom is feeding us KD for lunch again..."

"Don't worry Mamma, I still love you. Muah!"

The Father of our Home

Today as we celebrate fathers, I am feeling incredibly blessed to be married to such a great man and father. There are many things that I admire about my Mr. Stannix, and I am grateful that he takes the role of fatherhood so seriously. Before we were even married I knew he would be the kind of man to stick by my side and help bring up our children with love and the gospel in our home. 

There is nothing that melts my heart more than watching him cradle our babies in his strong, secure arms and rock them to sleep. He lets them snuggle into his warm body, drool on his suit coats, and sometimes stain his ties. 

And after we have tucked the last of our children into bed, I curl up in the safety of his arms and sometimes stain his shirt with tears as I tell him my mothering woes. He listens, councils, and comforts. He is ever patient, gentle and reliable. 

Together we have created a loving home where our children can feel safe and loved. In our home he is not afraid to take on dishes or diaper duty and always makes sure the garbage is taken out. Here he is much more than a provider. Here he teaches, instructs, councils, tickles, plays, and loves. I admire his wisdom and patience as he interacts with the littles. 

When I think of the father of our home, I think of a favorite Primary song.

"The father of our home leads our family, with wisdom's light in all that's right; My father's good to me. Fathers are so special, with a very special love. They watch us and protect us. They guide us and direct us, back to our home above."

Happy Father's Day sweetheart!

The Best/Worst of Days

Today we hit up a free downtown festival featuring all of our local vendors. This is their second year doing it to help promote local shopping and downtown businesses. We entered some draws, met some people we knew, got free candy, and enjoyed the sun! One of the first places the kids decided to stop was the library booth. They had a huge bucket of bubble mix and these fun bubble wands. I'm sure they would have played here all day if they could have. The bubbles were giant and amazing! I can't wait to try this at home!

 

 

One of the things the children were most looking forward to was getting their faces painted. We stood in line for a very long time in the hot sun, but the result was pretty impressive! Everyone walked away happy. We then made our way down the other street for balloons and popcorn.

Everyone was pretty pooped out after that, so we made our way around the pond for a quick stop at the park. As we walked, Camilla exclaimed, "This is the best day of my entire life! I can't wait to write about it in my journal on Monday." The older two ran ahead to a favorite park and I slowly walked while Finley rubbed sleep from his eyes after a morning nap. 

Shortly after arriving at the park, Camilla came screaming towards us with a mouth full of blood. Her hands, still slippery from the popcorn had caused her to slip off the monkey bars. She smashed her front teeth and told us she was going to die. We had her swish and spit some water to survey the damage. Her front teeth were pretty far back and she hit hard enough that there was green paint on two of them from the bar. Mike and I exchanged worried glances and decided a trip to the dentist was in order. Her Daddy reassured her that she would be okay and held her hand as they walked to the van. I loaded up a screaming Finley (who had just been freed from the stroller moments before), sent Hyrum to retrieve Camilla's other flip-flop, and rushed to the van behind them while calling the dentist. It was so disappointing to have such a fun, memorable day turned upside down.

Daddy took her to the dentist while the boys and I waited at home. X-rays were taken, and no permanent damage done. Thankfully they are baby teeth, due to fall out soon anyways. Camilla was so brave and is now looking forward to a visit from the tooth fairy in the near future! When she got home she iced her lip and gums with a freezie and I wiped up her scraped chin. I realize this fall could have been so much worse and I am just glad that it worked out the way it did.

Halfway There

While Finley has adjusted well to his big bed, he still falls out of it almost every night. Instead of crying now, he will either fall back to sleep on the floor, or climb back in. Tonight, he didn't quite make it all the way...

Clay Pot Friends

Last week the littles and I glued googly-eyes onto these tiny clay pots. Each of them took turns filling a pot with dirt and sprinkling grass seed on top. They patiently waited, day after day for the grass to grow and once it started it grew pretty fast! They have loved cutting their "hair" each day on the deck and styling it a bit different each time. They sit on my kitchen counter and make me chuckle every time I walk in there!

Sunday Snapshots

 Our day started bright and early today! We had lots of time to eat breakfast and get ready...

 And lots of time to play the piano...

 This little guy went to nursery in our ward for the first time today! He's growing so fast! There were no tears or issues, but he was super excited when Daddy went to pick him up after church. It will be nice to have a few months kid free before babe comes along.

Kinsmen Park

We love Saturdays! The kids wanted to do something "fun" today, so we had pancakes for breakfast and took off to a park for a few hours. We stopped by the bakery on our way and let the kids each pick out their own donut. Then as lunchtime was approaching, we passed a pizza place. Camilla told us it was the best day ever because "we got dessert, and THEN lunch!" 

We enjoyed our pizza on a bench by the pond. As soon as they finished their slice they immediately began climbing!

 When the big guys were done, Joe wanted a turn too!

 I asked one of the kids to snap a quick picture of us and then they all wanted a turn. I love seeing the world through their eyes.

Finley fell asleep in the stroller while we walked around the pond and slept for most of the time we were at the park. The other three loved running around and exploring. Joe talked to pretty much anyone who would listen and loved when Daddy pushed him high on the swings!

Camilla went across the monkey bars over and over again, despite her blisters. She's quite proud that she can skip a bar and asked us to watch her a lot! When we got home they grabbed their gloves and a bat and went to the backyard to play catch with Daddy. A day well spent!!

Things I'm Loving

We are enjoying a nice, quiet week. Our calendar is mostly empty for June, other than Soccer once a week. I love being home and relaxing with the littles. We are anxiously awaiting Summer break to begin. There is something about sunshine and no schedules that excites me. 

This week I am loving the quiet afternoons as this guy naps for close to three hours. He's so sweet when he sleeps I can't help but check on him sometimes.

I've finished up a few projects, and started some more. This big owl will be for Fin's second birthday (which is still a long ways away).

 I am in love with the texture of these dishcloths. This was my first try and I can't wait to make more! There's something about working with my hook and yarn that feeds my soul. When I have time to work on something, everybody is happier!

With three months to go, I've been doing some baby prep. We still don't know if we're having a boy or a girl, but just in case it's a girl I made up this adorable cable stitch beanie. It worked up so quickly and I adore it.

Perfectly Content

There are days where I feel perfectly content as I pull the door closed after tucking the last of the littles into bed. It's not because my house is terribly clean, or everyone got along amazing, or anything out of the ordinary. Usually when I feel this way it's because I've completed a full day working with my hands and playing with the children.

My morning began with a visit to my midwife for a monthly check-up. Baby kicked and squirmed as my tummy was measured and checked. The heart beat was just over 130bpm, and they always let me listen for an extra minute or two. As my tummy grows and baby's kicks become stronger, this pregnancy is becoming more real. I left my appointment feeling satisfied with my midwife team and the way this pregnancy is progressing. I enjoyed a quiet drive home thinking about this little one's arrival and how quickly time is going by.

 Finley's nap was not nearly long enough today and he woke up crying, and wanting to be held. I wrapped him on my back and he quickly snuggled in and tucked his arms under his tummy. We both let out a contented sigh. Our breathing synchronized as I moved and swayed around the kitchen making my first batch of crusty artisan bread. The kitchen smelled amazing and the loaves crackled as they cooled on the counter. The boys and I enjoyed them warm with honey and I happily received their compliments.

The afternoon was spent mostly outside. The boys ran back and forth to the park where they enjoyed making new friends and playing on the swings. They were rosy cheeked, sweaty, and full of smiles. When Camilla came home we filled the pool and cooled off. They were surprised when I joined them, swim suit and all. We splashed, dipped our feet, sunned on the towels, dipped our feet again...

As I've looked back on our day through my camera's lens, I can't help but feel overwhelmed with joy and gratitude. We had hard moments today, but we also made some happy memories. As life rushes by, it's these little moments that I want to hang onto.