Good Friends

This weekend we got a visit from our dear friends, the Wolsey's. The kids were so excited to play together again. Hyrum was so excited he about knocked Clara over when he hugged her at the door. A visit from a good friend was just what I needed to lift my spirits. We stayed up super late visiting and laughing. They had to take off the next morning, but we were glad to have them while we could! I made all the littles pose together on the couch before they left. I sure love all of those cute kids!

Overnight

 I seem to have neglected our little blog here lately. The children had a lot of fun at Gramma and Grampa's this week and were sad to leave. They love the extra space, the quad rides, the sled hill, and the chickens. I went and picked them up mid-week and spent the night. It's always nice to go home.

We spent a lot of time outside Thursday afternoon. The snow had all but melted and the children begged me to pull out their bikes. They played hard and the sun felt good on our faces. When we went to bed last night the wind was beginning to blow. Hyrum made me promise to take them for a bike ride on the trail the next day. I knew as I fell asleep with the wind howling at my bedroom window that I might not be able to keep that promise. 

Sure enough, we woke this morning to a heavy, wet snow fall. As soon as the sun hit the backyard the children suited up and headed out. Joseph thought it was pretty funny to ride his trike in the snow.

As the afternoon went on the snow gradually disappeared. The littles were soaked from head to toe and grinning ear to ear. This Alberta weather is crazy sometimes! Never a dull moment.

Over the River

Gramma and Uncle Chris came yesterday for a little visit. They took the three oldest munchkins back with them for the weekend. Camilla is off school next week and my Mamma figured I could use a nap or two. A few hours later my Mom texted me this picture. A trip to Gramma's just wouldn't be complete without a stop at the corner ice cream store! The littles were pretty excited!

Peace and Quiet

The trees are covered in frost and a deep fog has settled over our little town. The boys sit at the round table with a ball of play dough and a few toys each. Joe has immersed himself in a game of sorts, whispering as he squishes play dough between his fingers and flies his cars around in the air. Hyrum is meticulously sticking tooth picks into his creations with out a word. The house is quiet and still. Finley is nearing the end of a long, much needed morning nap. I have just finished cleaning the kitchen of two days worth of dishes.  My sink sparkles and it smells good again. I sit down and enjoy the quiet while I can. I breath deeply, ponder and smile upon the scene before me. These are the moments that I live for. 

Partners in Crime

Joseph and Fin are becoming fast friends. Today these goofs ended up with goose-eggs on the right side of their foreheads. Joe ran into the corner of the wall while walking around with his eyes closed and Finley tumbled off the very last step and hit the tile floor. 

Later in the afternoon I went downstairs because all was too quiet and discovered that Joseph had locked the two of them in the bathroom. My imagination went wild as I wondered what they could be up to in there. I finally convinced him to open the door and found Finley with the toilet brush in hand, and a big grin clear across his face. He was soaked up to his elbows. There was a huge puddle of yucky water surrounding the toilet. I can laugh about it now, but I definitely didn't laugh about it then. Camilla kindly offered to watch Finley in the bath while I cleaned it up. 

We are entering the fun stage again.

Little Things

Today I will remember....

The way Joseph ate his honey and bread upside down (it tastes better that way don'tcha know), leaving drips of honey on his chin.

Hyrum's epic egg carton pirate ship complete with a crows nest and pirate.

How well the boys got along.

The way Joseph fell asleep on my lap mid afternoon after sweetly asking to lay his head there. 

The overwhelming feeling of love that I had for Joe as I combed my fingers through his hair and watched him sleep.

Camilla's smile as she ran down the sidewalk towards me after school, orange lipstick expertly applied (that she snuck in her backpack without me knowing). 

The way Finley clicked his tongue and grabbed his belly after eating a spoon full of jello.

Watching the kids pretend to be wizards as we cleaned the basement with our magic wands and harry potter music.  

Mr. Stannix calling me at 6:00pm to tell me his car wouldn't start. 

Pizza dinner at 8:00pm. 

Life is good.

Light

The morning light is beginning to creep through our windows a little bit earlier each day. As we play in the backyard each afternoon the children relish in the fresh air and smell of Spring around the corner. It has been a mild Winter, but I am looking forward to having a little bit more sunshine in my life. 

While we've been indoors I have found happiness in making a huge crochet blanket (my biggest project to date), cloth diapering Finley, baking yummy things, and playing on the floor with the littles. 

Today I couldn't help but snap a picture of Mr. Fin as he basked in the afternoon sun. I admired his growing hair, his chubby cheeks and how handsome he looked in his little white onesie. 

Saturday Snuggles

Saturday's mean special time with Daddy!!

The Reality

Someone visited our bed more than just a couple of times last night. I was so tired that I hardly noticed as he snuggled his cold little body next to mine. He tossed and turned for a few minutes and then scooted of the side of the bed and walked back to his own. The wee hours of the early morning were spent playing musical beds and sleeping with one eye open. 

During the day I was on bathroom duty. I have a toddler who's obsessed with the toilet just like his brothers before him. While Hyrum only ever threw things in the toilet, and Joseph tried to flush everything, Finley likes to splash and play in it. When you have littles who sometimes forget to flush, this can be messy business. The little guy gets a lot of baths during the day! 

Most times when I'm in the bathroom I find myself using toilet paper that's been rolled onto the floor. I don't even bother rolling it back up again. We just use the pile until it's gone. 

I spent the morning doing dishes but you wouldn't know it if you were to look at my kitchen tonight. I often spend my days doing things that are quickly undone over and over again. 

My frustration got the best of me this afternoon and I apologized to the children at the dinner table. It always amazes me how quick they are to forgive and express love. 

Days like these sometimes leave me feeling discouraged, until I find a sweet little valentine on my pillow from my two oldest. They drew our entire family, each grinning from ear to ear, hands held tight. 

In their eyes, all is well. Our home is happy, our family loves each other, and that is good enough for them. It really brings life back into perspective. This picture sits on my nightstand as a reminder of the love that we share despite the troubles of the day. These children make me happier than anything else ever could. 

New Limits

The snow has been slowly disappearing and Finley has a newfound love for the outdoors. It amazes me how far those little legs carry him each day. This afternoon I loved watching him explore the backyard with his big brothers.