A Hat Trick

This week  Mr. Stannix went to his final game of Hockey for the season. It was a play-off game and in his league you only get one shot. If you lose you are out for the rest of the season.   He wasn't sure how his team would do. He came home late after the game pretty excited and let me in on all the details. He said that right off the whistle in the first period his team scored 2 goals!  Both goals were scored when Mike's line was out on the ice so after the first period they were feeling pretty good.  Then the second period hit and the other team scored two goals, tying the game up.  As the game went on each side scored a goal right after the other.  Mike scored one of these goals on a breakaway.  He said he came in really fast at the goalie and cut across the crease beating the goalie bad! 

 Face off

Near the end of the third period the score was tied at 4.  There was three minutes left and a scramble in the other teams end for the puck.  Mike said everyone was throwing the puck on net but nobody could get it in!  Then the puck came loose and Mike picked it up. Just as the goalie located where the puck was he shot it through the defense into the net, scoring his second for the night.  The game was now 5-4 looking pretty good for his team with two minutes left when the other team scored to tie it up at 5.  The officials then blew their whistle, stopped the game and told each team there would be a shoot out with 5 players from each team.  Mike was chosen as one of the 5 players.  The other team started the shoot out scoring with their first player.  Then Mike's team went and the first shooter missed!  Then a few more from each side went and each missed.  Then it was Mike's turn.  He went hard at the goalie and faked to the left then went right faking the goalie out and scoring, his third goal of the night, making it his first hat-trick ever!  Unfortunately the other team scored again and Mike's team was unable tie it up and they lost.  Mike said it was a great way to end the hockey season and is excited for the next season which starts up in 2 more weeks!

Bringing the puck down the ice

The Team

I dare say he looks mighty handsome in all his hockey gear. I'm very proud of him! I'm glad he's back playing something he loves and look forward to next season!

Twenty-Six Weeks

Dear Little One,

I woke up this morning thinking of you. We have officially made it to twenty-six weeks. Time is going by so quickly. Each day it seems my belly gets rounder and rounder as you continue to grow.  You are starting to become a very active baby and I can now feel your sharp elbows and tiny feet stick out as you move around. Your big sister likes to sit beside me at night and put her hands on my tummy while we read stories. She giggles when she feels you kick and roll around. Your big brother will sometimes come up to me and lift up my shirt and put his chubby little hands on my bare tummy and pat it gently as he smiles up at me. I have a feeling the three of you will get along very well. You get the hiccups a lot, but mostly at night when I am trying to fall asleep. Other than that you are a very good baby and I get a full nights rest almost every night. When I snuggle with your brother each morning at the crack of dawn, you are awake too doing somersaults. Sometimes your brother will giggle if he feels your tumbling on his back.

Today while we were out running errands somebody commented on how both of your siblings have blonde hair. It made me wonder if you will have those same fine, whispy blonde locks that your brother and sister have. I also wondered if you'll have the same blue eyes. 

With just fourteen weeks to go until you join our family we are all getting really excited! I am looking forward to seeing Hyrum cover your chubby cheeks with smooches just like he does to every other baby we meet. I am excited to see your big sister cradle you in her arms. I can't wait to count your toes and fingers and touch your soft, sweet baby skin. I am already dreaming of our evenings together on the big green chair. It might be a little tricky sharing a bed room with an older brother and sister, but I promise it will make you closer as time goes on.

Love,
Mum

Best Buds

This morning the children and I went to the park for a while.

I love that Hyrum gets more independent each time we visit the park. 

Camilla and Hyrum were good buds all morning.

(Which made for a happy Mamma)

Siblings are the best!

Craving Autumn

There has been a chill in the air today and I am pretty sure I even saw three yellow leaves beneath my favorite tree in the front yard. I recently caved and joined the world of Pinterest. I stayed away as long as I could because I knew I would spend way too much time on there. While I was browsing I came across some delicious looking apple cider cookies stuffed with caramels, lots of soups, lots of baking ideas with pumpkin, and lots of crafts. It was like I could smell Fall coming and I have been so excited for it ever since. 

This morning while Hyrum was napping I got to spend some special time with my girl on the front steps. We drew chalk together, blew bubbles, and giggled lots. It was so nice to hear her giggle as she ran around the yard trying to pop every single bubble. She would scribble out drawings in chalk and then tell me what they were. I love her imagination.

After lunch Camilla went down for a snooze and I got to spend the afternoon with a very goofy boy. My old 3D lenses from Harry Potter became his favorite toy and we would take turns wearing them and laughing.  My favorite part of our afternoon together was snuggling in front of the living room window. He was wearing only a diaper and his naked shoulders could been seen above the afghan my Grandma crocheted for me years ago.  The yellows and browns and the heaviness of the blanket reminded me of cool Autumn afternoons. As I danced and twirled around the living room floor with his little body nestled into mine, those Autumn afternoons were all I could think about.

Afternoon Naps

Saturday afternoon was crazy. Everyone was exhausted including our kiddos, so some afternoon naps were in order for all! I put Camilla down for her snooze and Daddy wasn't far behind. He had already had a busy day full of CASB, talk writing and playing with the kiddos. While the house was quiet, Hyrum crawled up on my lap and fell asleep right there on my baby bump. It was pretty cute. 

I went upstairs and put him on our bed so I could have a quick snooze. He and Mike were too cute sleeping side by side and I just couldn't resist. 

While I was up I checked on Camilla. She had put on Hyrum's baby house coat after I tucked her in and fell asleep in it. There's something about sleeping children that I just adore. She was so sweet and peaceful. 

Finally it was time for me to snuggle in next to my boy. When Camilla woke up, Mr. Stannix got up with her and they went downstairs. She stood on the landing for quite a while. I opened my eyes when I heard Hyrum full out giggle and thought to myself well that didn't last long. When I lifted my head off the pillow to see his opened eyes, they weren't open at all. He let out another big giggle and smiled as he turned his head to the side. I wished I knew what he was dreaming about, it was the cutest thing.

Eskimos vs. Riders

On Thursday Mr. Stannix came home from work and into the kitchen with one hand behind his back. He greeted me with a hug from behind placing one hand on my baby bump and fanning out four tickets to the Eskimo's game in the other. The lucky guy won them in a draw at work, and they were stinkin' good seats! A date night has definitely been in order for a while and I was looking forward to the evening together. The tickets were for the following night so we rounded up some friends and a baby-sitter last minute. It worked out great!

Our friends came up from Red Deer for the night sans their kiddos. We did a quick BBQ and then took off to the Stadium on the LRT.  It was pretty packed, but we got on early and got seats.  It had been a while since I've been in such a big crowd and it was super hot on the train.

Our tickets were pretty amazing. We were eight rows behind the Esks and just high enough to see everything.  We were surrounded by a lot of season ticket holders who knew each other and felt a little out of place, but it was still fun to be there and cheer!

Mr. Stannix had watched an Eskimo's game just the week before with his Nana on TV. It was pretty cool to see it up close and not just on the big screen. There were some pretty sweet plays and awesome touch downs. I must admit I missed a few of them because I was too busy people watching.

It was awesome being there with our old friends. Steph and I were roommates in college and we both met and married our sweethearts around the same time. I always feel blessed to have such great friends and I'm glad we've been able to keep in touch since we've moved up here. I haven't laughed that hard in a long time!

I also loved snuggling up with Mr. Stannix for the evening. It was nice to get out on a date with him and reconnect. It was a much loved evening out and I was so happy to be there with him.

The game got pretty intense at the end, but the Eskimos came back with an awesome touchdown. We left after the last touchdown when the Eskimos were up 28-19. 

We thought that by leaving early we would have a better chance at a seat on the LRT. So we climbed the stairs to the top and snapped one last picture before speed walking to catch the train. Turns out a lot of others had the same idea and the station was packed anyways. I had to grab onto Mr. Stannix's pants pocket just to keep up with him as he dodged and maneuvered his way through the crowds.  Once in a while I'd look back to make sure our friend's were still with us.

When we got on the LRT it was pretty full. Mr. Stannix had found a place to stand by one of the chairs and I squeezed in by the door we came in. Mr. Stannix joined me a few seconds later and said, "If I'm going to have to stand close to somebody it had better be you!". As the train sped down the tracks, jerking back and forth, Mr. Stannix kept me safe and standing.

We got to Century park and found our car. By the time we got out of the parking lot I was practically peeing my pants because I was laughing so hard. Mr. Stannix was trying to tell everyone infront of him how to drive and push their way in to the line of cars exiting the parking lot. When it was finally his turn to push his way in, there was no body coming. We were all laughing pretty hard about it. We came home to sleeping kids and Mr. Stannix took his cousin home. We then stayed up talking with our friends way too late and got up way too early! Naps are definitely in order for today. What a fun night!

Early Morning Blessings

I woke up shortly after six this morning to a happy little boy. The rooms upstairs were cool and fresh from the rain we received overnight. I pulled back the white bed sheet that was keeping me warm beneath the blowing fan and went across to the children's room. Camilla was still sound asleep. I quietly pulled her covers snug to her chin before scooping up my boy from the crib. I smooched his chubby little cheeks and carried him down the creaky old stairs for his morning bottle. We snuggled on the couch for a few minutes, played a game of peek and exchanged some more smooches. I loved laying beside him on the couch and looking into his blue eyes while he puckered up for another smooch. After each smooch he would let out a grunt of satisfaction, "Mhm!" I love it when he does that. Soon he got wiggly and it was time to let him roam the house. I went into the kitchen to start my day. The cool floor felt good on my bare feet. We had been melting just the day before and it was nice not to wake up sweaty for once. I started on the homemade syrup for breakfast and then whipped up a dozen banana muffins. While they were baking I put the wheat in the wheat grinder for bread. It turned out everyone wanted hot muffins for breakfast so I made up some smoothies to go with them. We devoured seven of the twelve muffins and the rest are still tempting me on the counter. After kissing Mr. Stannix good-bye I got out the bread bowl and made up some bread for the week. I thought I would take advantage of the cool house. When it was finally finished a few hours later and the timer went off a stampede of children, or rather two children stampeding, ran into my kitchen excited for fresh bread and butter for our mid morning snack. The four loaves came out perfect and finally resembled the loaves formed by the hands of my dear mother each week growing up.

I feel so blessed to be a mother. I love being at home with my children and learning more about each of them each day. Lately I've been feeling like every moment I have with them is so precious. I love kneeling at their level and getting hugs, smooches and cuddles. I love looking into their eyes and seeing the love that is there. I love listening to Camilla say morning prayers. I love smooching their soft little cheeks and gently touching their faces. I love feeling baby kick and roll inside of me, reminding me how special these sweet spirits are and that they come from Heavenly Father. I delight so much in the role that I've been given to make our house a home and nurture these little children within the safety of it's walls.

 

 

Hide and Sleep

Saturday was an outside day. The grass needed mowing and trees needed pruning. The mosquitoes were terrible! After dinner we got the kids ready for an earlier bed time. I put Hyrum up to bed and then ran Camilla a quick bath. When I called for her she didn't answer. I figured she was just hiding, but usually she calls me to come find her. I sneakily asked Mr. Stannix where she was and he quietly pointed beside him. I peeked into the little hiding place to find her with her eyes closed. I totally thought she was just pretending to sleep and I told her the bath was ready. She didn't budge. When Mr. Stannix and I realized that she had actually fallen asleep while sitting there we both burst out laughing. She's still adjusting to the time change I guess! 

Airport Adventures

Today was a long and tiring day. We had to be up bright an early to catch our flight home from Moncton. We sure had a good visit with everyone and tried to say our good-byes last night. I packed all of the suitcases and dressed the children in their t-shirts for bed so they could be ready quickly in the morning. The alarm went off at 4:45am and it took both Mr. Stannix and I a good five or ten minutes to actually move. We quickly got ready and lugged the last suit case downstairs. Hyrum popped up bright and cheery in the dark room and made his way for the stairs. Camilla took a little bit of convincing. When I quietly spoke to wake her she peeked open one eye and then said, "It's too dark Mum" and went back to sleep. I explained that we had to go on an airplane ride today and she started to stir. She jumped up off her little bed and stretched her tiny fingers high in the air with a big yawn to accompany it. The pigtails that were left in from the day before added a cute touch to my bed head blonde girl. I then asked if she could do her morning potty time before we left because we had to get a ride to the airport. After she finished her long stretch she sleepily marched her and her cute white pantied tush to the bathroom across the hall. Her pigtails gave a little bounce as she walked. 

Auntie Sue, Joanne and Tessie followed us to the airport to say good-bye one last time. I hate good-byes. It was such a good visit and so great to meet more of Mike's family. On the way there Camilla chatted everyone's ear off. The cab driver quietly listened as Camilla talked a million miles a minute about flying, airplanes, the airport, bathrooms and her new friends. I wished I had my video Camera, she's such a riot to listen to! The kids did pretty good with the wait, and then we were on our way to Toronto for a connecting flight. When we landed we took our time getting off. We had a four hour lay over and therefor weren't in any hurry to leave the airplane. Just as we were leaving we got to take a peek into the cockpit and say hello to the Captain. It was so fun for the kids and Camilla especially loved driving the plane! I thought it was cool that they let us do that. Hyrum just loved pushing all of the buttons and grunting at the Captain. 

The four hour lay over turned out okay. Camilla fell asleep in the stroller before we made it back up the ramp to the gate and Hyrum toddled behind, refusing to sit in the stroller.Camilla slept almost the whole time which just left Hyrum to entertain. Mr. Stannix had a lot of work to do for CASB which started again this week, so he took the opportunity to plug away at it. I basically followed Hyrum around the airport, letting him stretch his legs and run. He was so glad not to be sitting!

We found a gate that wasn't super busy and planted ourselves there for the whole time. There were those cool walk-way escalator things close by and I'll bet you I rode it back and forth a gazillion times with Hyrum. He loved them! After about round three they almost made me a little motion sick. On a side note, his bed-head today totally cracked me up!

At one point we cruised passed a gift shop and Hyrum fell in love with a toy bus. His lips buzzed and buzzed as he made car noises and drove them around the floor of the shop. We decided to pick on up to keep him occupied. It worked like a charm and I think it's become his new favorite toy! He and I played with it for the next couple of hours, passing it back and forth, winding it up and crashing it into things and chasing after it. I wanted him to stay awake the entire time so that he would sleep on our next flight (four hours long) home. Camilla woke up just in time to eat, play and stretch before we loaded them back into the stroller to find our boarding gate. Our flight was delayed a bit so we just walked and walked to keep everyone happy. Hyrum ended up dozing off, so we woke him back up (cruel I know). 

Finally it was time to board our next flight. As we handed our tickets to the lady at the gate Camilla was telling her how much she likes landing. She slept through both landings on the way there, so the last one was the first one she'd ever experienced and she LOVED it. As we boarded our flight Camilla continued to chat away at the stewardess. As we passed by the stewardess was giggling and said to me, "She's hysterical!". By the end of the flight all of them knew her by name and loved chatting with her. It was pretty cute. Right after take off Hyrum, his fuzzy blanket and I headed to the lavatory. Three minutes later I emerged with a sleeping baby and took my seat next to Mr. Stannix who said, "I bet people think you drugged him or something". We laughed about it. Hyrum slept for almost the entire flight. Easy peasy. Camilla was quietly entertained by the TV and a ring pop. They were so good and I was so proud of them! 

Just before we hit Edmonton Camilla had to use the bathroom. Mike took her to the front where they had to sit and wait their turn. I could hear her little voice all the way back in seat 13D chatting away to the red headed stewardess. She had the whole first four rows cracking up. She told them her name, how old she was, all of her siblings and how her mommy has a baby in her tummy and how she feels the baby kick and other funny things. As we got ready to land Camilla exclaimed, "This is so fun isn't it, Daddy!!" Daddy's not to fond of flying, but went along with it. "I love the landin' Daddy!". As we left the flight she waved good-bye to all of her knew friends. The stewardess's thanked her for flying with them to which she responded energetically, "You're WELCOME!". 

Gramma and Grampa met us at the airport and took us home. The kids were excited to see them. As soon as Camilla spotted Grampa she exclaimed, "I spy Grampa!" The whole drive home Camilla would ask each one of us what our favorite part was. I told her mine was being home and then asked what hers was. She said, "My favorite's the landin'!" I'm pretty sure it's safe to say that Camilla likes the landing the best.

Home sweet home!

Driving the Coast

 Wednesday was our last day on Prince Edward Island. We slept as long as we could and took our time getting ready at the hotel. We then drove back across the island to Cavendish and drove along the coast. What a beautiful drive! Mr. Stannix pulled over at every single look out and rest stop there was. It was a great way to spend a rainy morning. The children caught up on some much needed rest while we drove. When we stopped at the rest stops we would leave our doors open while we checked out the view so we wouldn't wake them up! When we came back to the car we tried super hard to synchronize the door slamming. We are awesome like that. I am in love with this province. The shore line was gorgeous and I would love to drive it all someday!

While we were on that side of the island we stopped and took at peek at the Anne of Green Gables house and Avonlea. It was pretty cool. Had it not been raining and the children not sleeping we may have explored it a little more. But I was satisfied with just being there and seeing it from the outside.

 

We decided to go and see Charlottetown while we were there. We said goodbye to the beautiful red coast line and drove across to the capital city. Even on a rainy day the drive was beautiful. Mr. Stannix being the thoughtful guy that he is kept an eye out for a red dirt road for me to photog. We found some pretty neat ones into some back fields, but couldn't stop in time. I still think this one is pretty great though!

 

We spent our afternoon touring and checking out Charlottetown. The kids mostly enjoyed stretching their legs in a big grassy area while we waited for our tour on the hippopotabus. The tour was super cool. This giant bus/boat drove us around Charlottetown and we checked out all of the old buildings. There was stone buildings, sandstone churches and other gorgeous buildings. I didn't get many pictures because of the plastic windows, but it was still neat to see! Half way through the tour we drove down to the harbor and our bus magically transformed into a boat and took us around the harbor to check things out. It was a nice way to spend the afternoon. We then drove back to the big bridge and crossed over. The kids were thrilled to be back at Nana's with everyone. Hyrum devoured his pancake dinner like a champ. He was a hungry boy after all of that traveling. Camilla was more interested in hanging out with her new friends.

 At breakfast today Mr. Stannix had to take a picture of the milk in a bag. That's the way they get milk here, in a bag. Pretty cool I think! 

 On a side note, Hyrum has really enjoyed watching the Olympics. 

Especially women's soccer.

It's our last day here and we've been spending as much time as we can with everyone before we have to head back bright and early tomorrow morning. It's been a good visit, and long enough that the kids have warmed up to everybody. Hyrum loves hanging out with Nana and walking around with her.

I also adore this picture of Mike with his Nana. They had a great game of crib, and he won. It doesn't surprise me though, he's pretty good! 

 

The kids loved Nana's stairs and they loved Nana's cuddles. I am glad they had the opportunity to meet her and get to know their great Nana a little bit. 

 

 Auntie Sue and Nana cooked a delicious Turkey dinner for us all to enjoy. For dessert we had homemade strawberry pie. Everything was so good! After dinner we took one last group shot before we left. My camera doesn't work so hot at night, so I may have to get a better copy from Tessie.