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!

What a Day

This is another long blog post about the craziness of parenting littles. If you don't want to read it, I'd understand, but if you do read it, I hope I can at least make you laugh! Sometimes things can get pretty crazy around here, and though there I days I want to forget, I know that I will want to remember them later!

Last weekend I left my car keys in my jacket at the Acreage so when I woke up this morning I was sure to grab the other set of keys from Mike's coat pocket and put them in the basket. I made everyone some breakfast and then we all hugged and kissed Daddy good-bye. After breakfast we went upstairs, tidied the rooms and got dressed. Camilla put her swim suit on under her clothes to make things easier for swimming lessons. We packed a towel and headed out to the car. I belted everyone in and then ran back inside for the keys. Turns out Daddy grabbed the keys and put them in his pocket out of habit. I quickly mapped out a bus route and grabbed some change. We had to move quick to make it on time. I threw Joseph in the hiking backpack and strapped the other two in the stroller and went on our way. I had no watch or phone to tell the time. We just missed the bus I wanted to catch, but waited around for what seemed like forever for the next one while I handed baby cookies back to Joseph and popped wheelies with the stroller to keep the older two occupied. Finally a second bus came along and when we finally pulled into the transit center the clock read 9:31am. Camilla's lessons had already started. I felt a little discouraged and wondered if we should keep pace. I asked Camilla what she would like to do and she still wanted to go. I still had at least another ten minutes of walking/jogging to do with Joe on my back just to make it to the Rec Centre at a decent time. My legs pretty much felt like Jello half way there after a block and my face was red and hot. As we rolled up to the door I had Camilla whip off her boots and unzip her jacket. We probably looked hilarious coming through the doors with me hurrying, "Take off your shoes Camilla....!!!" I'm sure I looked like a crazy lady. Camilla was giggling. One of her shoes flew out the side of the stroller and we had to reverse to pick it up. She had her shirt off just as we got into the change room (which was switched to the men's for today only). I quickly slid off her pants and socks and sent her on her way! We were lost for a few seconds since the change room was a maze! Camilla joined her class and I took the boys to the dryland area to let them stretch their legs. I was pretty much sweating and feeling exhausted. Camilla got in 12 whole minutes of her 30 minute class. Worth it? I still haven't decided. 

After her lesson we made our way to the change rooms to get Cj dried off and let everyone have a potty break. We then walked back to the mall so that I could run some errands while we were out. The puddles on the path were still icy, but melted enough that they cracked as we walked over them. Camilla and Hyrum would freak out every time thinking we were going to fall through the ice into a pond or something! I went to the bank to grab a bank draft for our new vehicle (more on that later), but apparently only Mike is able to do that. We then went and got my watch battery changed so that I could watch the time on the way home. I also had to pick up bus tickets for Mike, but apparently they only take debit for those now and my debit card is broken (should have gotten that fixed at the bank). I didn't have enough change to make it home on the bus, so I crossed my fingers that my transfer would still be good, or it was going to be a heck of a walk. The driver forgave the five minutes extra and let me on (but honestly, I had three kids with me, how could he not?). 

We made it home safe and sound just before lunch. It felt good to get some exercise and enjoy the fresh Spring air. The weather was great for walking and I just wore my hoodie. When we got home we discovered that Uncle Arland had picked up the keys from Daddy and tried to catch us at the pool to drive us home. I felt bad that he had driven all that way and missed us! He said he heard Hyrum in the changeroom, but somehow we didn't connect. 

We all enjoyed lunch (even though Hyrum screamed through most of it) and then Uncle Arland offered to babysit while I ran to get the registration for the new vehicle. Since I was still waiting on some documents, I wasn't able to go. I put Hyrum for a snooze. All that fresh air tuckered him out. When I came back down I saw Camilla cuddling Joe to sleep on the couch. I decided to let them be until he fell asleep. It was the cutest thing ever to just watch them from the stairs. Camilla is such a gentle big sister and probably one of the best four year olds I know! She loves watching Joseph for me and does such a good job! He slept on her for close to an hour, and she wouldn't let me move him!Moments like that are so so precious! I can't believe how big  this little girl of mine is getting! She is so responsible for her age and I'm so glad to call her mine!

 While everyone was quiet, I made a few phone calls and put some dinner on. I tidied my disaster of a kitchen and managed to wipe down Joe's highchair.  My watch died again just before dinner. I think it's time to invest in a new one. Arland and Naomi offered to watch the littles while we went and picked up our new van! By the time Mike was finished work it was getting pretty late. We quickly signed the documents, got our keys and got home just in time to tuck in the kids for the night. All I could think was Whew, what a day!

The Perfect Handlebar Moustache

If you're ever wondering how to get the perfect handlebar moustache, just ask this guy!