Welcome November

 November has arrived and so has the snow! It literally hasn't stopped snowing for the last two days. When I wake I turn up the heat and look out the window at the flakes swirling down beneath the street lights. Somehow the world seems more peaceful when the snow is silently falling outside. The littles make their way to the kitchen one at a time and curl up next to me on the vent. The big blanket traps the heat, warming our toes and fingers. Soon it's time for breakfast and the morning routine. I pack lunches and sign agendas and reading logs while they eat. Then they pack their backpacks and practice their music. Camilla is loving her new Christmas songs on the violin. The big kids bundle up in their snow gear while we read scriptures and then we kneel for family prayers before they leave to catch the bus. 

 Instead of showering like I planned, I slip on Mr. Stannix's thermals and his Oilers sweatshirt and pull my Winter boots out of storage. I spend my morning shoveling knee deep snow, checking on the boys every few minutes. Oliver is content to play in his crib for a few minutes, but quickly loses interest. I move him to the kitchen and put the baby gate up to keep him contained while I finish the last half of the driveway. Most of my work already has another dusting of snow on the top, and I let out a sigh. Ollie almost manages to dump an entire bottle of oil on my floor and I come in just in time to witness a jail break as he scoots under the gate feet first towards freedom. I put the kettle on for hot chocolate and grab a cookie for breakfast (they have oatmeal and peanut butter in them, so they're totally breakfast worthy).

 

The morning goes by slowly as I tidy the house and play with the boys. We warm up the left over chili for lunch and then I tuck the two little boys in for a nap. I whisper to Joe that I am going out to shovel again and his eyes light up, "Can I come too!?" We shovel our driveway and walks along with our neighbors on all sides. The scraping shovels echo through the neighborhood. Halfway through the driveway, Joe's cheeks are bright red and he decides to go inside to warm up. When I finish, I find him curled up on the couch petting Reese quietly.

 I wash up and start a batch of bread dough while he snuggles up to a movie downstairs. A few minutes later, I find him snoring on the couch. I give the kitchen a quick tidy, form the dough into loaves and grab a babbling Ollie from his crib.

Soon our home is filled with the aroma of fresh baked cheesy garlic bread. It comes out of the oven just in time for an after school snack. The other four loaves of bread cool on the counter and then get put in the freezer for another day.

After gobbling their bread and a few Halloween treats, the littles beg to go outside and play in the fresh snow. The wind has formed giant drifts, and I've shoveled enough that the piles are up to my waist. I bite my lip as I help dress them, zipping coats and putting mittens up over their coat sleeves, remembering all to well that it always takes longer to dress them than the time they will spend outside. While they are out I make up some hamburger patty's. Joe comes in asking for help with his mitts, and when he learns that I'm making hamburgers for dinner he flies back outside and yells, "Guys! Guess What?! Mom's makin' burgers for dinner!" 

 

The door opens about ten more times as they take turns coming in to pull snow out of their jackets, fix mittens, and cover their boots back up with their ski pants. My entry is now full of snow. They jump in the drifts as the fluffy stuff keeps falling. When they've finally had enough I help the little one's undress as I sidestep puddles. Wet socks are inevitable. Their cheeks are rosy and their noses are running, but they are happy.

 

While I finish up dinner they run around playing hide and seek. The house is quiet except for the occasional bursts of giggles and the sounds of different people counting to ten. They sneak around hiding in closets and pantries, behind doors, under beds, in the kitchen. They are getting along so well that I can't help but smile. Every once in a while someone who hadn't counted would offer to count for someone who was found first. 

At days end I still haven't managed to shower. I am wearing the same thing I threw on this morning complete with lime green polka dot socks and a messy bun. Mr. Stannix takes one look at me and smiles with a twinkle in his eye, before wrapping his arms around me. No matter how I look, he always makes me feel like a queen. 

We eat dinner, pop some popcorn, and cozy up to a family movie until the littles are too tired to stay awake much longer. I finally get that shower I've been putting off and then Mr. Stannix and I watch a show and dive into the left over Halloween candy. At the end of the night we go to bed with grateful hearts and whisper until we are too tired to keep our eyes open any more. I fall asleep to the sound of the littles stuffy-nosed deep breathing in the next room as happy thoughts of the day swirl around in my head like the snowflakes outside my window on this dark November night.

Happy Halloween

 This morning came far too early for my liking after having two rough nights in a row. The first night it was a screaming baby for three hours in the middle of the night, and the second night it was Joe playing musical beds all night and whining of a stuffy nose. I also caught Fin awake bouncing on the couch downstairs at 3:00am. The dog also got let out of her room sometime in the middle of the night and I woke to the sound of her scampering around the house in the dark. Each time I had to walk Joe back to his room, or grab Finley, or get the dog I would shiver when my feet touched the hardwood floor. I would only be in bed long enough for my toes to warm up before I would have to get out again. It was exhausting. 

Most of my morning was spent with cranky children who were either getting over sniffles or had too much sugar. Sometimes this holiday isn't my favorite. I had finally had enough whining by lunch time that I fed them all and declared naps for all! I put the babe in his crib, closed the curtains in the boys room, and snuggled down under the blankets with them. They quickly fell asleep and started snoring (poor stuffy noses). I lay awake for a few minutes listening to the rain fall outside. Eventually I drifted off with the dog curled up next to me and there we stayed for the next 2 1/2 hours enjoying the peace and quiet. I would love to tell you that the nap did wonders for my little monsters, but they woke up just as upset as before I put them to bed. I wandered around the house tidying up and putting Chili in the crock pot while they whined and complained at my feet.

 When the kids got home from school we had a quick snack and then headed to the pool for our first day of swimming lessons. I wasn't able to get them in at the same time, but overall we only end up spending an hour at the pool which is pretty awesome! Ollie hung out on my back for the first half and then wandered around for the last bit. Camilla goes first, and then the two boys at 5:00pm. They got changed super quick afterwards and we headed back home in the rain to get dressed in costumes and paint faces. Kids in costume had already started going around the neighborhood, though numbers were few because of the weather.

 Our goofy clown wasn't feeling so goofy after a long day at school and swimming lessons. 

 Joe was pretty excited about his costume this year, our little Dracula! 

 I managed to get most of them smiling for a little group picture before we left. The rain was cold and the wind didn't help at all. We made it down one side of the street before they started complaining of cold fingers.

 Finley is such a go-getter and I did not hear him complain once the entire night! He rain from house eager to see what he would get. When he started to slow down I carried his bag and said, "Come on, buddy!" and he replied, "You mean COWBOY!" He caught on quick to the whole yelling "Trick or Treat!" and would even add in a "Yee-Haw Cowboy!" when they opened the door. He was so stinkin' cute, I just about peed myself laughing.

 This cow costume has been used for every single on of our kids. I could probably do a whole post with halloween pictures of each of them wearing it. Ollie was content in the stroller, watching the hustle and bustle relatively safe from the wind and rain. 

When we got home we sorted the loot. "It's good to only have candy once a while... or maybe twice a while," said Hyrum with a wink. It was 6:30 by the time we arrived home after only a short half hour out in the cold. The littles were happy with their haul and decided to stay in. We all enjoyed nice warm bowls of chili before getting ready for bed. We only had another handful of kids to our door and when we realized we were the last house with our lights on, we flicked them off and called it a night.

Pumpkin Carving

 We managed to find some time to squeeze in a bit of pumpkin carving! These littles of mine are still not too keen on getting their hands messy with the pumpkin guts and kept asking if they could go and wash. I'd say Camilla was the most into it this year! Daddy was great at scraping the insides real good and helping everyone get them nice and clean inside. Ollie wasn't too sure what to think. Whenever I would try to give him a handful of seeds he would scrunch his nose and give me a "don't you dare touch me with those" look. It's always interesting to me how something that has been anticipated for so long can be done in such a short time. The whole process really didn't take that long and seemed to be over in a blink! I think they had fun though, and it's all about tradition! 

Ward Halloween Party

Last night was the Halloween party at the church. Joe came down with a fever and the sniffles the morning of and ended up sleeping most of the day. He was still unwell by the time the party rolled around, so I stayed home with him and Mike took the big kids and Fin. Hyrum was super excited about his costume this year and was the goofiest clown I've ever seen! I was able to snap a quick picture before they left for cotton candy and dancing with friends. They had fun and came home tired!

Ollie's Indoor Playground

Oliver is so full of it lately! He climbs on absolutely everything! He finds it especially thrilling to climb THROUGH the chairs at the island, like it's a playground just for him. He can wiggle his way onto a chair and has even made it onto the table a couple of times.

Reese is his favorite play mate and they will often play tug of war and fetch. She also makes sure to stay nice and close when he's eating dinner and doesn't hesitate to clean up the left overs on the floor.

Life is super exciting with this short person around. He sure keeps me on my toes!!

October Skies

October has been good to us. A month of reading, exploring nature, biking, breath-taking sunrises and sunsets, fresh air, and soaking in Autumn in all its glorious colors. For the most part the weather has been typical for this time of year, but the wind has been relentless and often blows throughout the night. The most recent gusts have taken the remaining leaves from the trees making the world outside look rather bleak and dull. With Winter around the corner I am storing up Autumn memories to carry me through until Spring.

Lately we have enjoyed weekly visits to the library. Books have a magical way of transporting us to another world. They help pass the time, but slow it all at once. Sometimes I find myself reading for what seems like hours only to check the time and realize it's been minutes. I inherited my love of books from my mom. She used to laugh that she rarely read because once she began a book, she had to finish it before she could put it down. It seems I also inherited that trait as I can devour a whole novel in under 24 hours. Some might call it selfish use of my time, but over these last few months I've learned that occasionally enjoying a selfish moment or two makes me a more calm mother, better equipped to handle the happy chaos and demands of life with five children. 

Although I've tried to put more heart and energy into the blog, when I sit to write in the evenings I find myself at a loss for words and depth as the moments have passed. This afternoon I felt like I needed to write while I'm immersed in the everyday chaos, so I've carved out a few minutes to ponder and express the things of my heart. But even as I type a sweet boy is right next to me jibbering away causing me to lose my train of thought as I smile up at him and cave to his requests to play baseball. Right now the deal is to throw the ball back and forth thirty times for two minutes of peace and quiet.

Each day brings me new reasons to smile as I find a hairbrush in my dishwasher and pens in my freezer from a curious baby. Ollie is growing so fast and stretching his abilities each day. He loves to climb and I have found him on the kitchen chairs and even the table on more than one occasion. His new favorite place to sit though is the rocking chair. A soft smile forms on his face as he gently sways back and forth with wonder. His recent discovery of walking has been exciting for us all! The night he took his first couple of steps we all sat around him and cheered. The family unity I felt that night was indescribable. He continued practising, smile across his face and a twinkle in his eyes, walking from one persons outstretched arms to another's. Even Reese let out a few barks and joined in the excitement of this grand adventure. 

Today I couldn't help but chuckle as I lay with Fin at nap time while the smell of stinky shoes made it's way to my nose from the bedside below where he insisted on neatly putting them until he woke.  

My kids are getting so big and I hardly see them these days as friends come calling shortly after they arrive home from school. Sometimes I drive to the school to pick them up and take them to the park or a library just so I can selfishly have them all to myself for just a little while longer. Most afternoons I beg for a few minutes of their time as we share hot chocolate and cookies together in the kitchen before they rush out to play. Thankfully we have a wonderful group of kids in the neighborhood, but I'm not sure I'm quite ready for them to grow up yet, I probably never will be. Ha!

When evening comes, Reese follows me around the house, curling up on the foot of each bed as I tuck my littles in one by one. Joe always surprises me with his deep questions at bed time. He's so deep and inquisitive. "Mom, why does Heavenly Father let bad things happen to us?" I was surprised at his thoughtful question. "Well, I suppose it's so that we remember him and turn to him for help. And they make us stronger, and better. Bad things can help us grow and stretch." He seemed satisfied with this answer,  and slowly blinked his eyes while I hummed, until sleep overcame him. His arm draped over my side twitched, and I could feel his deep breath on the back of my neck, both signalling to me that he had finally fallen asleep. Across the room, Finley lay still, mouth open, chest rising and falling, his long lashes tickling his once chubby cheeks. I make my way downstairs and chat with the big kids about their day at school (even though Daddy had already read to them and tucked them in).  We calm their worries and help them with any problems they may be facing at school.

I enjoy some time with Mr. Stannix before we finally call it a night. I crawl into bed, exhausted from another long day and pull the duvet to my chin as the curtains blow in the breeze. The fresh air tingles my nose as I fall asleep.

My nights are spent half awake, sleep walking around the house tending to the children's needs. With a baby on the verge of walking none of us have enjoyed a full nights sleep in a few weeks. On top of that I have a boy who's afraid of the dark and a toddler who sneaks into my bed in the wee hours of the morning for snuggles before the morning breaks. Lately I've also had bedside visits from my girl who is afraid of wind storms and crawls into my bed for comfort and hugs. Most nights I feel like a walking zombie, and often wake with big black circles under my eyes. 

But these are the days I want to remember. Sometimes I wish I was better at recording our everyday chaos. I want to be able to look back later in life and remember the way my kids smelled of fresh laundry when I hugged them. Or the way a chubby toddlers hand feels clasping mine. I want to remember the way my heart bursts with joy when I receive sloppy wet kisses from an adoring little boy. These are the moments I want to recall in detail when my children are grown and gone. It is the simple things in life that make all of the hard worth it. October has filled my heart with enough joy and memories made under her colorful skies to last a life time.

"Autumn is my time. I am most radiant and full of energy when the leaves are falling and there is a ghost of change in the air." -Anna Madsen

Happy Tuesday

Morning greeted us with cotton candy skies and a warm Autumn breeze as I waved the children off to school. I paused in the driveway and took in the sunrise, drinking in the colors and admiring the wonders of nature.

Our little Ollie is getting pretty good on his feet and loved playing in the backyard this afternoon. It's so fun to watch him learn and grow as he explores his surroundings at a whole new level. While my heart flutters with excitement at every wobbly step, it also sinks a little at the thought of him growing up so fast.

This boy is such a joy, and I love being his mamma!

Family Bike Ride

Today we enjoyed a lovely family bike ride. I wish we had taken advantage of this opportunity more this Summer! Our bike trailer has been mostly used as a stroller this year, and we only hooked it up to Daddy's bike just last weekend. The kids went for a nice long ride across town and had so much fun. We decided to go again this weekend, and this time I joined them on Mike's old bike that we've lugged around from place to place and never used. The gears are pretty much shot (which I discovered half way through our bike when I began peddling at the speed of light without going anywhere). Before we left the house Mike ran back in for his wallet with a wink, causing the littles to look at each other with grins slowly forming on their faces.

We biked to the golf course, across the main drag, and around the lake. Joe and Hyrum started racing part way through which ended in Joe almost crashing into a pedestrian. No harm done, but she wasn't very happy when I biked by at the end of the gaggle of kids and apologized.

We made it all the way across town to DQ where we snuggled in a little booth to enjoy dinner and an ice cream cone. My heart was full to the brim as I stared at their beautiful little faces. They were all so happy to be there and I just felt like the luckiest Mom. I sure love these kids! 

 Finley learned how to wink and it was pretty much the cutest thing ever watching him scrunch up his face and close one eye. He's been practising for quite some time and was pretty excited about it!

Everyone had worked up quite the appetite on the way over and I was surprised to see them polish off their burgers and finish their cones (Ollie enjoyed the last half of mine).

 As we biked back I admired the crystal blue water, the last few brightly colored leaves fluttering on the big trees in the park and the golden light. While Daddy led the way, Camilla and I stayed in the back. As we made our way around the big lake Hyrum stopped biking and complained of a flat tire. Upon closer investigation we realized he had blown a hole completely through the rubber! I suspect it's from too much drifting on the pavement. After some debate, Daddy led the other kids home, pulling the little boys in the trailer and Hyrum and I walked our bikes the rest of the way. "At least we get some Mommy and Hyrum time!" he exclaimed with a smile. He's so optimistic, just like his mamma. We finished off the evening watching Starwars and eating treats.

Tradition

Today started out nice and slow. I spent the morning organizing the filing cabinet and my closet (which always seems to get cluttered with stuff that doesn't belong). The little boys played all over the house, happily engaged in a game of make-believe. Ollie crawled at my feet, protesting and complaining whenever I'd leave the room to get something. 

Before too long it was lunch time, followed by a nap for Fin. Joe and I worked on a few pages of school together and then he spent the next little while playing with Ollie. I admired them from across the room, playing so sweetly together. Oliver is getting so big, and so interactive. He loves to wave at people, point at things, and shake his head yes in response to questions. He asks for things in his own language and uses his adorable wave to let us know when he's finished eating, ready for bed, or saying good-bye to someone. 

In the late afternoon Joe and I snuck into the kitchen and made some sugar cookie dough. He helped me mix, roll, and cut the dough into shapes. "I'm so glad I have a mom like you," he smiled thoughtfully. The first pan came out just as the kids walked in from the bus. They were so excited to decorate our Halloween cookies and giggled as they reminisced about the black icing coloring their teeth last year.

They each iced and ate a couple of cookies and then headed out to the park to play baseball with some neighborhood boys. I finished icing the last of the cookies while Reese curled up on my feet. The kitchen felt warm and happy as the chicken soup simmered on the stove. Soon Hyrum came home and offered to help with the last few cookies. He sang along to the song "Humble and Kind" while we both iced away. "Mom, is this your favorite song?" I told him it was definitely one of my favorites and he said, "Oh, well it's my favorite" and then went back to singing along. I moved down the counter and started a batch of biscuits. We cut them into heart shapes and put them in the oven just as Daddy walked in the door. A light rain had started sending the remaining kids back to the house for warmth. There was lots of "I love you's" shared between siblings and they were all genuinely helpful and wonderful. 

This week has been crazy long with many late nights for Mr. Stannix. I have looked forward to my time with him all day today. We've shared many midnight chats and early mornings this week. I was excited to take it slow and easy tonight. We curled up to a show, I blogged and tucked my toes under his legs on the couch like always. All is well.

Prayer Time

Oliver folded his arms for our lunch prayer yesterday without any prompting. 

I love the things they learn by watching!

And those arm rolls are to die for!