Garden Adventures

 Last night my dear Mr. Stannix drove away to Calgary for the week for training. The good-bye was hurried as it was after a fireside in Red Deer. The children and I drove back to the Acreage with my parents and Mr. Stannix had a lonely drive to Calgary. I'm going to miss that guy this week!

Despite our late arrival home last night the children didn't sleep in all that much. Everyone was up bright and early and we spent the day pulling the rest of the carrots out of the garden and getting them ready to go in the root cellar for the winter. The kids carried the freshly pulled carrots from Gramma to the wash counter where I took the tops off and got them ready to wash. 

When they finally got bored of that Hyrum grabbed a shovel and dug in the dirt for a while. He was a very happy boy after that!

 

Soon Camilla wanted to dig too. Between the kids and Grampa they finished up the row while Gramma and I took the tops off. Eventually Camilla grabbed a little pail, filled it with dirt and "planted" some carrots of her own. It was pretty cute. 

 

I think they had a fun morning in the garden! All of that digging certainly tuckered them out! Camilla felt pretty strong to be able to dig with the big shovel.

 

When we got in we had a granola bar for afternoon snack. Both Hyrum and Camilla snuggled up together on the big chair. It was so great to see them getting along so well without being asked! 

 

Golden Autumn

Today has totally been a day of reflection. All of the stress and business that we've been feeling for the last couple of weeks was relieved when Mr. Stannix wrote his exam yesterday. We are feeling much more stress-free today. We relaxed for the afternoon and the children enjoyed running around and playing with Gramma, Grampa and Auntie Emma. In the late afternoon Emma took the children outside to shoot some portraits. When I looked at them on her computer a wave of emotion totally overtook me (we can maybe attribute it to being pregnant). They both looked SO grown up! I couldn't believe how mature their little faces looked and how their personalities shon through.

 

 

Going out to shoot some photo's was actually Camilla's idea. She was totally in the mood to pose for the camera and Emma got some really great shots of our growing girl. I love her giggles, grins and scrunchy nose smile. She's like three going on ten or something. She talks non-stop and loves to make people laugh. Even though we've had some challenges the last couple of weeks, she is such a good little girl deep down and still has that desire to do what is right. When I look at these pictures of her I see a grown up girl who is full of life and love, and it makes me happy.

 

A little while later Emma took Hyrum out into the field at my parents house for some photos. I stood on the back deck and watched them run around giggling together while Auntie Emma captured the moment. It was cute to watch them chase each other around and have fun. It was these pictures that made me a little teary-eyed. My baby is growing up! He looks like such a little man now. His face is filling out and maturing and his personality is really starting to come out now. After a few mini wrestling matches in the living room today Mr. Stannix told me that Hyrum is at a really fun age right now and it's his favorite!

This evening my parents watched our kiddies and Mr. Stannix and I had an opportunity to go on a date. It had been way too long! Before we took off I got my sister to snap a few pre-date pictures of us. We enjoyed window shopping sans kids and dinner at Grillers. We had a pretty awesome waitress I must admit! We asked to be seated in my sisters section and had fun chatting with her while she waited our table for us. We even got seated in an awesome booth and it was nice to enjoy conversation and laughter together. It was great to reconnect and discuss our dreams and plans for our future family. It was a good reminder of who we were before we became so busy. I love dating my husband! The night ended with a massive rain storm! We ran to the car and Mr. Stannix was still kind enough to open my door in the pouring rain. It was totally romantic. I love this season and this time for reflection. I will miss the Golden Autumn come Winter!

Things I'll Miss

I have reached the middle of my thirty-second week of this pregnancy. Because it has gone by so quickly I have been trying to cherish and enjoy these last few weeks before baby comes. I am going to miss all of the time that I get to spend with each of the children. I am going to miss Hyrum's chubby hands rubbing or patting my belly with excitement whenever we have a quiet moment together. I am going to miss Camilla's giggles each time she feels the baby kick or hiccup. I am going to miss her snuggling up to me in the morning in hopes that the baby will kick her back. And I am going to miss feeling the closeness that I have with this little one safely inside. 

I had a few minutes the other day to dig out some newborn clothes for my hospital bag and even after two babies I couldn't believe how tiny they were! I packed two outfits, one for a girl and one for a boy, and a couple sweet little blankets to swaddle the new baby in at the hospital. The baby girl blanket that I am working on is close to being finished and then I can start my boy blanket. 

Doctors appointments are every two weeks now and today I had my first one with the doctor who will be delivering the baby. He's hoping baby is late because he is on holidays for the first two weeks of November. I joked that the end of October would work just fine for me. I asked if the heart rate was still high and he said it was actually in the middle now at 140bpm. I have also had a few people (the dry cleaning lady and someone at the mall) tell me that I look like I'm carrying a boy. I definitely can't wait to find out when baby comes!

For now though I am enjoying time with my little ones in the Fall air and sunshine.

Crunchy Leaves

Today we went for a brisk (definitely not referring to the speed) morning walk up to the mall and back. We had some letters to mail and I was craving a caramel steamer and some Reese peanut butter cups like a crazy lady. It really was a beautiful morning. Although the breeze felt cool on our skin, the suns rays were warm. I love living in this old neighborhood just because of the Elm trees that line our streets. It is so beautiful to drive or walk beneath the canopy of Fall colors that they provide. Every time the wind would pick up leaves would rain down from the trees onto the sidewalk. Camilla was delighted each time we found a good spot with lots of crunchy leaves. She would hop, skip, run and twirl around in delight. I am not going to lie, I may have joined her for a little while. It was great to feel like a kid again, carefree and loving life. There is something about crunching leaves beneath your shoes that is so satisfactory. I love this season, the warm sunshine and the smells!

Mullet Boy

The other day when Camilla was napping Hyrum snuggled up to an afternoon movie. As I looked across the room at my little boy on the couch I couldn't help but laugh at his little mullet. When it's wet or brushed he has the cutest little curls, but I think it's safe to say that this kid needs a hair cut!

Ice Cream on my Toes

When we went to pick up Daddy from his long day of studying today he surprised us all by taking us to McDonalds for some ice cream! The kids were so excited. Since I forgot to put their shoes on when we left, we decided to do the drive through. Camilla wanted a "vamilla" cone so we got one for her and one for Hyrum. Even though we said "small" they were pretty big. Thankfully, our drive home was short and the mess in the car was minimal. When we got home we enjoyed the rest of our ice cream in the backyard. Mr. Stannix and I laughed as we watched the children enjoy their cones. Camilla made quick work of hers with little mess and only a few drips on her pants.

Hyrum wandered around the yard a little bit, but stayed long enough in one place that there were white "puddles" all over the lawn. Ice cream could be seen visibly dripping from his cone as he licked away. I giggled each time a drip of ice cream would land on his chubby little toes.

After each lick we got a satisfying "Mmmm!" from the little man. He was thoroughly enjoying having a treat all to himself.

When he could no longer lick the ice cream off of the cone, he dug it out of the inside of the cone and licked it off his finger. When I looked at the puddle of ice cream by his feet I wondered how much he actually got to eat before it melted. After all of the ice cream was gone, he put his cone on the edge of the fire pit and we stripped him down for a bath. I love how the simplest things can bring so much joy!  It was a great way to spend a Fall evening.

Expressions of Love

One night this week Mr. Stannix came home late after a long day looking exhausted. I had never seen him so tired! He's held up a pretty crazy schedule for the passed little while with work, school, church callings, and family responsibilities and it finally seemed to be catching up to him. I figured he could use a little pick-me-up and wanted him to know how much I adore him and appreciate all that he does. After dropping him off at work Friday morning the kids and I went and picked him up a couple new dress shirts. When we got home the kids colored some pictures for him while I made him a card and wrote him a special note. I was so excited for him to come home that night and find his special gift and love note. I forgot it was casual Friday, which meant he didn't go upstairs to change after work. Finally after what seemed like the longest night of my life it was time to head up to bed. I was brushing my teeth when he actually discovered it, but the look of gratitude in his eyes and the giant hug I got when I came upstairs said it all. It's little moments like these, whether special notes, a thoughtful gift or just simple expressions of appreciation that help to keep our marriage strong and our love for each other growing. 

I love what Spencer W. Kimball says about marriage in this talk about the formula for a happy marriage.

"First there must be the proper approach toward marriage. A person must try to select a spouse who is as nearly perfect as possible in all the matters which are of importance to him. Second, there must be a great unselfishness. All should be done for the good of the family. Third, there must be continued courting and expressions of affection, kindness, and consideration to keep love alive and growing. Fourth, the commandments of the Lord, as defined in the gospel of Jesus Christ, must be lived completely. With these ingredients properly mixed and continually kept functioning, it is quite impossible for unhappiness to come, misunderstandings to continue, or breaks to occur."

~Spencer W. Kimball

I am so grateful to have such a dedicated and hard working husband. It's not easy juggling all of the things he does on a daily bases, but somehow he manages to do it, and I hardly ever hear him complain. We are both the busiest we've probably been in our entire lives, but it's so great to have each other!

Bath Time Curls

I am in love with Hyrum's little curls. Yesterday at bath time I had to take a picture of them. They helped me to keep smiling even when he was throwing water over the edge of the tub nonstop.  For some reason I couldn't help but stop and look at my children all night long. First I got Hyrum into his Jammies while Camilla finished playing in the bath. Then we sat together on the floor and played with the blocks, matching the shapes and letting them fall back into the bucket. Each time he got one to fit where it belonged he would clap and cheer for himself. He was so happy. His blonde hair dried with the cutest little curls in the back. For a few moments time stood still and I just looked at his chubby little face. I admired his soft skin and baby blue eyes. Then I couldn't help myself and I twirled those little curls around my finger like I do everyday.

After Camilla finished playing and getting her jammies on we had night prayers. Camilla sat reverently while Hyrum screamed and fought to climb onto the couch. Finally it was time to take him up to bed. He walked over to his dresser where the story books sit on top and said, "Hmmmm". Reading books has become one of his new favorite things. Once we pick one, he hops into his bed and pulls the covers up. I could read to him all night. He is officially finished with the bottle as of a few weeks ago. We subbed it out for stories and a drink of water and I don't even think he missed it the first night. After our story, lights out, and smooches I only had to bring him back to bed three times before he finally zonked.

Camilla and I then enjoyed some special time together. She requested Gramma's slush for a bed time snack and I was happy to oblige. We sat snuggled together on the couch while we ate it with a spoon. She chatted away at me while she pretended to share spoon fulls with her baby. And then she smooched me with her ice cold lips. After I finished my slush, I sat and watched her intently scoop and eat each bite. I admired her sweet little cheeks and her eyelashes as she blinked.  I tucked her hair behind her ears to get it out of her face and she said thank-you. She was such a sweetheart yesterday and tidied the living room and swept my kitchen floor without being asked. I forget she's only three sometimes and more especially when she does things like that. Each time Hyrum would bring a new toy into the living room she would pick it up and bring it back to the toy room. She insisted on keeping the house clean for Daddy. When I tucked her in she asked, "Can you just lay with me for a while and scratch my back?". I couldn't resist. We snuggled together and whispered about the day while Hyrum soundly slept across the room. I got so excited for our relationship to continue to grow. I started looking forward to moments like this later in life and hoped that they would continue.

I spent the rest of my night pondering how I want my relationship to be with each of my children and how I would accomplish those desires. It will be a great topic of study for the next little while!

Thirty-One Weeks

This pregnancy is going by so fast! I keep having nightmares that this baby is going to come anytime and I don't have anything ready yet! I might just pack my hospital bag early for my own sanity. Baby still moves around a lot and with the limited space you can usually tell if it's a leg, arm, elbow, foot or hand making it's way across. This baby also gets the hiccups quite frequently and has them as I type away. Sleeping is starting to become uncomfortable and I wake up all achy in the morning. I have also been having a lot more of those lovely practice contractions with this pregnancy than with my other two and some of them are borderline painful. Despite it all, I love being pregnant and feeling the baby squirm and kick. Camilla still gets excited when she feels the baby kick and Hyrum loves to pat my tummy and give it kisses. I am super excited for a Fall baby and have already started to crochet a girls blanket (20 Granny squares left to go!). I'm hoping to finish it by the end of the month so I can work on a boy blanket next month. I get most of my work done in the late hours of the evening snuggled next to Mr. Stannix and half watching our newest TV series. I was saying to him the other night how I hope our children know how much work and love went into their blankets. I want them to be something special and cherished and something that will help them to always think of me.

The children and I spent the morning outside today. We walked down the long hill to the Muttart and ran around on the grass and hills for a while. It was great to get some more sunshine on our faces! I keep thinking that these days are limited and the snow will be here before we know it. The flower gardens outside were beautiful and the kids enjoyed watching the squirrels chase each other around. They mostly just enjoyed being able to run! They are always the happiest when they are outside. After a while of sitting on the hill spying Daddy's office building and enjoying the view of downtown it was time to make the long trek to the top. About half way up I passed a man who was on his way down. After seeing the two kids in the stroller and my baby bump all he could say was, "whew". It wasn't easy, but we made it! It made me really miss my 6km runs in my pre-kid days. It was a great work-out, one that I might start doing every morning.

Anyways, here's a very sunny snap shot of my baby bump at 31 weeks. 

Life is good!

Morning Humor

This morning Camilla was the first one to my bed side. She climbed in next to me for morning snuggles and giggled each time the baby would kick her. Soon I heard clunking from the next room and what sounded like a peg-leg making his way over to our bed room. Last night we picked up Daddy super late at the U of A. Hyrum was wearing his bright yellow Elmo Jammies and ONE yellow rubber boot. I forgot to take off the boot when I tucked him in to bed last night, and he slept with it on all night long, resulting in the "clunk-step-clunk-step" I heard this morning. I laughed pretty hard when I realized what was going on.

At the breakfast table Mr. Stannix and I talked about the noisy construction workers out back. I told him how much they shook our house yesterday afternoon while we were all trying to nap and then we both agreed that starting work before 7:00am was crazy! After everyone finished up their pancakes we got ready to take Daddy to work. Mr. Stannix and Camilla went out first and the little man and I came out soon after. When I got in the car Mr. Stannix was laughing and had to tell me all about our little girl. Mr. Stannix was about to ask the construction worker if he wouldn't mind moving for us and just as he opened his door Camilla ran out into the alley and said, "Hey, you shouldn't be doing that so early! You just woke me up this morning!". Luckily the guy had a good sense of humor and laughed about it.  But who wouldn't chuckle at her sweet little self voicing such big opinions.