Rawson Lake

 This morning we woke up without a plan for our day. This month has been a doozy and I wasn't in the nicest mood all morning. Mr. Stannix insisted we all jump in the van and drive to the mountains for a hike. Each of the kids grabbed their water bottles and jackets and loaded up in the van while I got myself dressed. After checking the weather we were off for a Saturday adventure in my happy place. 

Everyone napped on the long drive to Kananaskis. The clouds got darker as we drove and when we finally turned off the highway I noticed a dark cloud and fog looming over a few of the peaks. We had already driven too far to turn around, so we decided to make the best of it! 

When we made it to the parking lot it was spitting rain. We hopped out, had a snack and put on our sweaters and rain jackets. We checked out Upper Kananaskis Lake and found the Upper Lake Trail nearby.

 After leaving the wide trail near the lake, we began a long, steady climb through a subalpine forest. The temperature was cool enough that we didn't feel the need to stop too often. Fin has always been an incredible little hiker and he was such a trooper this time as well! The two of us took up the rear, hand in hand, while Daddy led the way.

 The boys enjoyed exploring the little streams we discovered along the way. 

We took a short break at Sarrail Falls and enjoyed the sound of rushing water. The kids were so excited! Daddy was a trooper carrying our heavy toddler the entire way up. The hike up to this point was fairly easy, but it got a little more intense after the falls. The switchbacks became steeper, the rain poured more steadily, and the trail was muddy and slippery.

Finley was a riot to hike with! He talked the entire time and sang some pretty great made-up songs. After a few falls and stumbles over tree roots he grabbed my hand again and walked beside me. Sometimes Fin would jump in the puddles as we walked, splashing my ankles with mud. He didn't complain once! The closest he came to complaining was when he said, "Mom, my feet feel like nappin', but they can't...because we're walkin'!" 

At one point he let go of my hand and said, "Whoa, just a second Mom. I need to check my ipad." He pulled a pretend device out of his pocket, fake scrolled with his pointer finger on the palm of his hand, and then stated matter of factly that we had five more minutes to go.

 As our kids ran up the trail, balanced on the walk-ways, and shivered in the rain, Mr. Stannix and I would exchange looks of why are we doing this again? If only we could all see life through the eyes of a child. Hiking in the rain wouldn't have been my first choice, but everyone was still in good spirits, so we just kept keeping on. Since we got started late in the day we met many fellow hikers on their way down who reassured us that "it gets better", "it flattens out soon", "only another km to go", "the view is worth it!" They would count our children as we walked by and then when they thought they were out of earshot exclaim, "Wow! Five kids! And a dog!" It always made me chuckle.

 The trail ended at a beautiful apline lake, surrounded by mountains and peaks. It was hard to see through the mist and the rain how beautiful the lake really was.The rain was coming down hard at this point and the entire shoreline was pure mud! We wanted to let Ollie out of the pack to stretch his legs, so we ventured around the lake in search of some more toddler friendly ground. Fin let go of my hand to run ahead and ended up slipping on some mud. His whole bum and jacket were covered in sticky mud, but he got up and laughed. We found shelter under a cluster of pine trees and unloaded our packs. The littles were hungry and excited to take a break. We munched cheese buns, Oreos, and fruit bars while we huddled under the trees. The littles were so excited to find some patches of snow at the top and had a mini snowball fight before we took cover.

 When it looked like the rain had slowed, we decided we'd better get going. Ollie happily climbed into his carrier after hearing we were about to leave. He was cold and ready to snuggle in for the long ride down. Poor Reese was shivering and covered in mud from the walk up. We took pity on her and zipped her into Hyrum's empty pack. I've never laughed so hard in my life! She looked hilarious as she bobbed her head around in front of me on the trail. We also ran into this really super nice guy who gave us his bottle of bear spray because he was flying back to the states after his hike and wouldn't be able to take it on the plane.

 Since the rain had eased up, we made our way back to the other side of the lake for one last look. God's creations really are spectacular! I wished it was a clearer day, but you take what you can get!

 The way down was much quicker than the way up! Daddy and the big kids ended up being way up ahead and Fin and I took it slow at the back again. The combination of the steep downhill walk and the chill of the rain made my knees shake with every step. Fin was still splashing mud on my ankles every now and again, but I was too tired to worry about it. Joe kept stopping to check things out and then running ahead to catch up with Daddy when he saw Fin and I. 

 After over five hours (way longer than we'd anticipated), we finally made it to the bottom! Not bad for a pregnant lady, five kids, and a husband carrying a toddler in the pouring rain! Ha! The clouds started to clear, and the sun even made a short appearance. We were all covered in mud, and our clothes were soaked. I was so surprised at the happy attitudes that everyone still carried. We made each of the kids take off their muddy shoes before hopping in the warm van. As we pulled out of the parking lot a few of them exclaimed, "Thanks, Dad! That was really fun!"

 We found the sun as we drove back to the highway, munching on trail mix and laughing at all of the fun memories we had made!

Days of Summer

Today we enjoyed a rather lazy, no-school day. The littles are so happy now that school is out and they have a little extra free time. It took a lot of effort on everyone's part to make it to the end of June. We are excited to start our summer bucket list and soak up the sun!

I spent my morning making bread because we were out. I'm grateful for air conditioning that still allows me to bake on super hot days when I have to. I made six loaves and I know it won't last long with everyone home and sandwiches to be made. We also managed a trip to the library to grab our Summer reading passports and check out a few new books.

The littles helped me set the hammock up in the backyard and we all enjoyed taking turns relaxing in the afternoon sun. I tried to get a few jobs ticked off my to-do list. The big kids were a huge help! When Finley saw them doing little jobs around the house, he asked if he could help with something. "Well, you could help me rinse the dishes. That would  be a big help." He replied, "No..." I thought of something else, "Well, you could make your bed for me. That would be a big help." He thought for a second and then said, "No. I just want to be a LITTLE help." Apparently I was asking just a little too much of him. Ha!

Mr. Stannix arrived home late from work and walked in through the pouring rain with a bouquet of flowers in his arms. It was such a happy surprise. 

We spent the evening relaxing in the backyard together. It was nice to enjoy the weather and catch up after a busy busy June!

Awards Ceremony

 The last day of school has finally come! This morning we prepped teacher gifts, wrote thank you cards, and packed our very last bag lunch. It's funny how the end of the year is just as exciting as the start of the year. The kids have worked so hard to get to this point and I am super proud of both of them!

 Daddy was able to take the morning off so that we could head to the awards ceremony together. We got an email a few weeks ago telling us that Hyrum was getting the Grade 1 Art award. We got there nice and early and grabbed a seat in the middle.

 When the kids all shuffled in, Camilla was craning her neck to see if we were there (it was a surprise). We ducked down behind a few people until it began. It was nice to have Mr. Stannix there to help with wiggly boys. We watched all of the grade six grads go through and a few other awards before it was time to present the artwork. 

 Every year they pick one students art work from each grade to frame and hang in the halls of the school. Camilla had one done as well, and now her brother is following right along.

We went to the front to check out his work after the students headed back to their classrooms. We then went to say a quick hello to Hyrum before we left, just so he knew we were there. We met him in the hall on our way to his classroom and he gave us that humble little grin. I love that kid!

The kids brought home their report cards and they both did super good. I think aside from the grades, I am most impressed and proud of the way they act in the classroom. Both of their teachers mentioned how respectful and kind they are and that alone makes my mother heart swell. Now, onto Summer vacation!!

Mamma's Barbar Shop

 Hair cuts were in order for the boys this week. It's always nice to have shorter hair for these hot Summer days. They each took a turn in the tall chair and then hopped into a warm bath. I am still trying to fix Fin's hair from the last time I butchered it, but it's hard when I can only do one style (short). He looks much better with longer hair on the top, and I am still trying to master it. But it is a definite improvement from last time! Ollie was sporting a little mullet in the back and something had to be done. I tried not to cut off too many of those adorable toddler curls and it turned out pretty good for a wiggly worm. Until next time...

Spray Park

This afternoon we found ourselves at the spray park! As school comes to a close this week I can already taste the extra freedom that Summer brings. We were pretty much the only ones there aside from two or three other kids, which made for a perfect afternoon. I got to get my feet wet in the cold pools of water on the splash pad and watch the children giggle and run around from the shade of a nearby tree.

Ollie took happily to the cool water and ran around on the heels of the big kids exploring and getting wet! It made me laugh out loud watching him get so excited about everything!

This picture pretty much summarizes everything about our love for Summer. I love that it has all five of my littles enjoying the freedom and space. I feel like this is how we all look as we get ready to run into July, filled with wonder and excitement for the adventures that each new day will bring.

Camilla waited desperately for "the rainbow" to turn on and ran through it a million times each time it did.

So much fun was had with the water guns. 

This view from my picnic blanket made my heart so happy. There is nothing more joyous than watching children play and discover together.

It was so funny to see how Ollie didn't mind the cold water at all. His shrieks of glee when the water fell on his head were priceless.

Joe called this the rain machine. When it was twisted just the right way water would shoot up in the air and rain down on the entire splash pad. All of the kids loved it! The wind was also blowing in just the right direction that when it did go off, I would get a nice cool mist of water way over on my blanket.

I am counting down the days left of school this week right along side these older two. I've missed having them home during the day and can't wait for lazy Summer days and no lunches to pack. We all drove home happy and content and everyone played all over the neighborhood while I cooked up dinner.

Sunday Afternoons

I spent Sunday afternoon in the kitchen with my girl making brown sugar cookies and chocolate fudge cookies for Daddy to take to his meeting tonight. I love that my girl loves baking just as much as I do and I love spending time with her! Happy Sabbath!

Backyard Campout

Last night the littles camped out in the backyard with their Dad. It's something they've been wanting to do for a long time, and Mr. Stannix promised them that it would happen on Friday. They were super disappointed when it started raining and I suggested moving the backyard camp out to the basement. Thankfully, they have a Dad who makes good on his promises and despite the very light sprinkling of rain they excitedly set up the tent. 

Some of the funny things I heard as I sat on the couch and listened to it all go down:

"Dad, this is actually fun! Dad....dad...DAAAD! This is actually fun!" -Finley

"Does your butt REALLY have to be by my head?!" -Camilla

I'm pretty sure Daddy was the first to fall asleep. I had an evening pretty much to myself and whipped up another dish cloth while I watched a chick flick. Aside from a few quick trips into the bathroom for a couple of boys, I didn't hear from anyone until 7:00am this morning. I woke at 5:00am to the sound of rain falling fast and hard outside. It didn't let up all morning, and I figured they would be inside sleeping. They all made it the entire night and the only one to wake up wet was Daddy. They all thought it was pretty funny that the water pooled around him.

It's been a pretty quiet day though and a lot of my little campers (Daddy included) have been catching a few winks of sleep this afternoon. There's nothing quite like a warm, cozy bed to get caught up on some much needed sleep!

Baking Day

 Today was a baking day...

 I had a fabulous little helper.

 We made a dozen strawberry muffins...

 Five or six dozen cookies (which are already half gone)...

 And a dozen cheesy bagels.

I finished off my night watching "Call the Midwife" and making up this washcloth that is almost too beautiful to use.

Six

When I was growing up, being a mother was all I dreamed of doing. As a little girl I loved sneaking out of bed to rock my baby dolls in my tiny rocking chair. When I got a little bit older I would often be found at a church Christmas party or activity carrying a baby on my hip. From the age of eleven and throughout my teen years my primary income came from babysitting. I always knew that I wanted a large family and I am so grateful that Mr. Stannix was able to catch my vision and make my dreams come true. He works super hard each day so that I am able to stay home with our littles and instill in them values and manners. He is a fabulous father and teacher and there is nothing more attractive than a man who takes his role as father and provider so seriously. The days are long, but the rewards are great!

With so many littles so close in age, the decision to jump from five to six was not taken lightly. I've been told that my Great Gramma Hudkins used to say "if there's room in the heart, there's room in the home". Knowing that the heart only expands with each new addition, I had no doubt that my heart could love another baby. Physically, I'm still young, and knew I was up for the challenge. And even though there's a lot of days that I feel as though I am on the brink of insanity, I knew that if we could manage five, we could definitely do one more. The older kids are a huge help and with Joe heading off to grade 1 next year, I knew I'd only have three littles at home with me during the day. And if I'm being completely honest, there were a lot of times when I'd look at Ollie with heart eyes and joke aloud, "He's just so darn cute! How can we stop at five!" 

We were super thrilled in early march to discover that we'd have a new little babe joining our crazy family. Mr. Stannix had already noticed my growing belly, and I was fighting off extreme fatigue each day, so we both knew something was up. I spent the first three months sneaking in cat naps whenever I could and wishing the house would clean itself. A few times each week, feelings of doubt and worry would creep in as I wondered if all would be well. After losing a babe well after the 12 week mark, it's hard to feel like there's any "safe" time to spread the good news or let excitement take over. I looked forward to each midwife appointment with great anticipation and they were so great at letting me listen to that heartbeat for a few extra minutes. 

As our 20 week ultrasound approached, past fears began creeping in again. I hadn't felt babe move yet, even though everything I read said I should be. I would lie still on the couch a few times each day trying to feel those little taps that would reassure me that all was well. Mr. Stannix would wipe my tears and tell me everything was going to be okay quite frequently. 

Words can't express the peace I felt when we were able to see our baby yawn and wiggle and squirm on the ultrasound screen today! Our ultrasound tech was so wonderful and talked to us the entire time she scanned telling us what we were looking at and counting fingers and toes. Babe was super active and our tech had to work hard to grab all of the pictures she needed. It was so good to hear (and see) that baby was moving around so much! Camilla begged us to find out the gender, and although it was tempting we ultimately decided to keep it a surprise! As our tech scanned she would ask us to close our eyes at certain times just to keep everything a secret. Our little lady is desperately hoping for a sister!  

I keep joking with Joe that he's getting a baby for his birthday and he just laughs. I feel so blessed to be able to go through this experience again and I know that this babe will never be short on love. We are all so excited for this next little one to join our family mid November! 

Bubble Blowing

 We have been loving these slow June days filled with sunshine, bare feet, biking, and bubble blowing! The boys could play outside for hours and I am 100% okay with that! The toyroom stays a lot cleaner these days with all of the extra outside play. We are counting down the days until school is over and we have big brother and sissy home to play too!