He Works Hard for the Money

This morning some parts of our province saw snow! Mr. Stannix figured it was time to bag up the leaf pile for the winter. He went out after breakfast and worked hard in the brisk Fall air. Even Camilla requested to come back inside after only a few minutes. When I peeked out at Mr. Stannix I could see his breath as he exhaled into the cold morning air. I am so grateful that I married such a hard working man.  He is great at providing for us and taking care of us. I love watching him play with the children. I love hearing him laugh while he works. I love when he does my dishes after dinner and makes an extra effort to shine up the taps, sweep the floor and wipe down all surfaces (including the garbage can flip lid). I love hearing him read bed time stories to Camilla, especially The Tickle Monster book. I am one lucky lady!

Famous for a day

If I were famous for a day I would...

 Go on set in my hallway and watch my favorite little stunt man take a ball to the face after it was kicked by an aspiring soccer player. 

 

Spend all afternoon at the salon getting my hair brushed and styled, being complimented on how long my hair is and how well I'm sitting, whilst watching my favorite TV show.

Get smothered with kisses from an adoring fan.

Eat all of my favorite foods, including the Bombay Famous.

Have somebody voluntarily do my dishes every night for a whole week (I love Mr. Stannix).

Yup, that pretty much sums it up.

Just Like You

The other day Camilla and I had a mini blowout. She isn't even a teenager yet and we're pushing each others' buttons. To make a long story short, she screamed all through family prayer out of frustration, resulting in a timeout on the chair in the office and her dolly being chucked out onto the back deck (bad mommy, bad). I left her in the hands of her more-patient Daddy and stomped up the stairs to feed Hyrum and put him to sleep. 

As I sat in the big green chair in the dark room I felt like the most horrible person ever! Mr. Stannix took care of the girl and when she calmed, sent her upstairs. She quietly climbed into her bed and pulled up the covers. After Hyrum was tucked into his crib I went and sat at the bedside of my little girl. She sat up immediately and I asked for a hug. I apologized and she asked me to wipe her tears. A big smile formed on her face as she wrapped her arms tightly around my neck. I held her close and hugged her tight and there we sat.

After the longest hug ever, she pulled away and pointed to my ears. "Mommy has pretty ears, Camilla has pretty ears too," she said. Then she pointed to my eyes, "Mommy has pretty eyes, and Camilla has pretty blue eyes too". Then she ran her tiny fingers through my ponytail, and then twisted them through her own pigtails, "Mommy has a pretty pony, Camilla has pretty ponies too". Tears stung my eyes as I wrapped my arms completely around my sweet, forgiving little girl. I realized how much she compares herself to me, and how much she wants to be like me. I immediately knew that I had to be a better Mommy and example to my baby girl. I love you's were exchanged, kisses given and then I finished tucking in my baby girl. 

Little children are amazing. I love what Jean A. Stevens says about little children being "the first to love and the first to forgive." There is so much we can learn from the little ones in our lives. While Camilla is trying to be just like me, I am trying to be just like her. Patient, ever loving, forgiving, full of optimism, and full of affection.

These Little Piggies

On Sunday night Hyrum was fussy. He finally just cut his first tooth and is working on number two. Camilla tried everything a little girl could do to cheer him up. She started by offering him her dolly. When that didn't work she took it from him and went and got her teddy. When that didn't work she took it away and got her really big teddy for him to squeeze and love. And when THAT didn't work, she took a few steps back and leaned on the couch and stared at him. He calmed a little and then she went back over to try to cheer him up. She grabbed his biggest little toe and said, "This little piggy went to the market". Then onto the next little toe, "This little piggy went for a drive". Then to the next one, "This little piggy went to Wal-mart, and this little piggy went to Wal-mart too". She ended with the smallest of his little piggies, "And THIS little piggy (pause) went wee-wee-wee-wee-wee all the way home". She is such an awesome big sister. She is always so concerned for the well-being of others. She makes me laugh. Then she did it to Daddy and I too. It was super cute.

Trick Or Treat

Happy Halloween! We had a fun-filled day. After getting up, eating breakfast and getting dressed, the kiddos and I headed to a little party with some friends. It was a great morning full of costumes, crafts, creative lunches, and caramel apple dipping. Camilla went as a bag of flour this year. It was Daddy's great idea! We were going for creative and original, and it was that. Hyrum was a tiger for his first ever Halloween. For lunch we had Monsters (apples, PB and marshmallows), Mummy dogs, and ghosts (cheese strings). We then dipped mini caramel apples. Everyone had a lot of fun!

For dinner, Hyrum had carrots. I thought the orange color was appropriate. I can tell he doesn't love them, but because it's food, he eats them anyways. He'll eat anything!

Soon it was getting dark and we started getting costumes back on. Some friends came over to jump in our leaf pile before trick or treating.  Camilla did a great job of showing her friend how to be brave and jump. Then we decided to go out with them since they were already here. We took off for a spooky night on the town. The kiddos did great considering how cold it was. The wind didn't help, but at least we didn't have any snow! Our first stop was this decked out house (it made the paper).

Camilla was super good at yelling, "Trick or treat" this year. She had so much fun! She was patient at the door while other kids got candies and remembered to say "Thank-you". After a few houses, the "trick or treat" changed to "more please" and I had remind her how to properly beg for candy. 

When the girls got cold, the Daddies went and got the cars and we made our way home.

I had to snap a picture of our little man on his first Halloween. I wish I had done it before we went out. The crying and rubbing of the face on the way home wasn't so good for his nose and stripes. It looks more like war paint than face paint, but the kid is still cute!

I couldn't believe the loot that Camilla got. I'll be sure to take care of the three large chocolate bars so she doesn't get a tummy ache! We missed the few trick or treater's that come out in our neck of the woods. Mr. Stannix's night was made when a couple kids knocked on our door near the end of the evening. They each got huge handfulls of candy. I love that man.

A Spook-tacular Bubble Bath

After dinner the other night we had some serious time to kill before bed. Everyone had late naps, so the usual bed time wasn't going to happen. A friend of mine did this a while ago, so I thought I would give it a try. Daddy filled up the tub with nice warm water and bubbles. We added a glow stick and turned out the lights. Camilla was a bit scared at first, but once we got her in, we couldn't get her out! I can't wait to do this again with more glow stick colors. It was the perfect Halloweenish thing to do for a cold October night.

Pumpkin Carving Creations

Last night we went over to the Wolsey's for dinner and pumpkin carving.  Last year Camilla slept through pumpkin carving, so it was fun for her this year. She is such a girl though and would not get her fingers gooey at first. No matter how much fun we told her it was, she hesitated and would just make sound effects as she popped her hand in and out of the pumpkin without touching anything.

Finally, Daddy scooped some pumpkin guts onto her hand. The strings and seeds were cool at first, but soon followed by a request to wash her hands. Maybe next year she'll get into it.

Hyrum was all boy. He sat in the middle of the table ripping newspaper and trying to get his fingers on some pumpkin guts. At one point I'm pretty sure his hands made it to his mouth. Pumpkin is healthy right?

Taylor spoiled Camilla with a treat, and then she went hunting in the pantry for another one. We all chuckled as Taylor guided her to the Halloween treats on the second shelf. Mr. Stannix spent the evening perfecting his pumpkin. It looked pretty cool! Camilla called it cute, I thought it looked perfectly scary!

Jessica roasted up the pumpkin seeds with oil and salt. They were delish. This was my first time ever doing that. 

Jessica and Taylor made an awesome Owl pumpkin. We had a blast with them. We are so blessed to have such wonderful friends.

Then it was time for the moment of truth. The pumpkins were lit and brought out to the front step. They looked SO GOOD all lit up on the step. I love Halloween! Sadly, I'm still trying to come up with costume ideas for the kiddos on Monday. Hopefully something great pops into my mind soon! We're running out of time.

A Lunch Date

On Wednesday Daddy and Camilla went on their very first Daddy-Daughter date. He came home from school and wondered if we should go out for a H-A-P-P-Y M-E-A-L. Yes, he spelled it out, if he had actually said it the requests for fries and "mcdoughnuts" (that's how she says McDonalds) would have never ended.  I had a few things to do, so I sent them together. Such a lucky girl to have such a great Daddy.

If You Were Wondering

Just in case you were wondering what goes on at the Stannix's 

on a typical chilly, cloudy,

Fall afternoon.

On the Couch ~ 5:05 PM

On my Bed~ 5:06 PM

In her Bed~ 5:07 PM

As for me? 

I enjoyed the peace and quiet and the smell of dinner cooking in the oven.

The Rest is History

Mr. Stannix and I have been together four years today. The first time I spotted him was when I moved away from home and started attending fourth branch in Red Deer. The first Sunday I was there, so was he, up on the stand, ready to give a talk. I couldn't stop looking at him, and he amazed me with his knowledge of the Gospel. It wasn't until mid October of that same year that my journal pages began to be filled with the name, Mike Stannix. The very first time he wrapped his arms around me I had my eyes closed. We were playing grounders at a park with a bunch of friends, and I was "it". Butterflies filled my stomach and I was suddenly falling for his spiky hair, brown jacket and the smell of his cologne.

 In mid October, Mr. Stannix asked me to go to the Halloween dance the following Friday with him, as well as set me up with someone for a group date that evening (funny story). That morning we had a two hour chat at the LDSSA table on campus at the college. He was so easy to talk to and we talked like we had known each other for ever! I had this "list" of qualities that I wanted in my future husband. I would make a new one each year at the end of my journals. I had been doing this since I was 14 years old and was pretty sure I knew what I wanted. As I matured, so did my list. It started to focus more on important things and values than it did physical characteristics. The more and more time we spent talking with one another in our free time at the college, the more and more I found the qualities on my "list" in my new friend.

I would often go early to church because I enjoyed playing the big piano in the chapel before tons of people showed up. One Sunday I looked down at the benches and noticed a spiky haired boy bent over reading the Book of Mormon and listening to me play. He showed up early to church every Sunday following. One Sunday, he told my roommate that he wished he could put me in his pocket so that he could pull me out again whenever he needed uplifting. She was sold, and thought I should definitely go for him.

On Friday, October 26th 2007 we had our very first official date, and became an official couple (Mr. Stannix moves fast apparently). As we were dressing up in our costumes for the dance he asked, "Would you ever consider being in a relationship with me, like steady dating?" I looked at him, and thought, and sorted through what I was feeling and finally replied, "Well, yes.....? Are you asking me out?" After saying "Yes" I asked him why he thought to ask me out before we even went on our first date!! His reply, "Honestly, you're amazing and...I feel the spirit around you. You make me happy. It wasn't a matter of 'if' I was going to ask you out, but 'when'. So why not now?" The next little while was full of fun dates and good memories.

Whenever Mr. Stannix and I would walk together around campus he would sweetly offer to carry my books for me. We only ever bumped into each other in the Library or during institute when we were at school, but outside of school we would spend almost every waking hour together. He would leave messages on my machine singing "You're Beautiful" by James Blunt, or tell me "there's only one thing better than looking at the stars, and that's looking into your eyes". He also did a mean job pranking my car in response to a date I asked him on.

He was the perfect guy for me. One time, when he was walking towards me through the gym at church, he literally made me go weak in the knees. You think people make that stuff up and it only happens on movies, I beg to differ. I always thought that it is important that the people we're around make us want to be better. One of Mr. Stannix's friends  told me that she thought he had a new sense of life when we were together. That was true for me as well. He made me happy.

We spent lots of time together and got to see each other in every kind of situation you could imagine. On the first of December we shared our first kiss, in the back of his best friends car (also a funny story). We were all driving home from a wedding reception together, it was late, and the stars were the only things that were shining outside.

Soon, I love you's were being exchanged and the topic of marriage came up more often. I say more often because I'm pretty sure it came up a lot even when we were newly dating. He would always hint at it, or slyly talk about it. On Saturday, January 12th 2008 he asked me to marry him when we stopped our quads by a frozen pond. When we arrived home, my mum had a heart shaped cheese cake on the go. They knew, he had asked my dads permission the night before. Dad told him that if he could beat him in a game of Mario Kart, he could marry me. It was pretty much a given because my Dad is no video gamer.

We were sealed for time and all eternity by my Grandfather in the Edmonton, Alberta Temple on June 26th 2008.