The Pukes

The day began with a puking child. All of our fun plans of hitting up the library for new books and checking out some parks were put on hold. We stuck around home, cooled off in the backyard sprinklers and hung out in the kiddie pool. It made for a quiet, slow day. By the time the evening had rolled around another victim was claimed. I spent the night snuggling two sick boys and struggling to keep my sanity! What a way to start the week!

Afternoon Bike Rides

 A few days ago we spontaneously got the bikes out and decided to ride all the way to the spray park. We've made it to DQ before, so I knew we'd be able to do it! We had already been to Costco and back and loaded up with some pretty great snacks.

We had a big chat before taking off about bike safety, being good listeners, and sticking together. With Daddy being away at young men's camp I was on my own, so I made Camilla in charge of staying in the back and keeping everyone together. Everyone was on their best behavior the entire way there and I was super grateful! 

The kids were so happy when we got there! It was a super hot day and the water felt great! Oliver was in his glory!

 

 We spent a good couple hours at the spray park keeping cool and eating snacks. When the littles were getting tired we loaded up and made our way home. Everybody was pretty played out and we took lots of breaks on the way back. As we biked the littles began fighting, pretending to crash into each other, and sticking their tongues out at each other. Camilla was in tears and wishing aloud that she didn't have any brothers. Finally I had to stop our little biker gang for a chat. As we got going again an older couple biked by. The lady slowed down and said to Camilla, "I had a brother too, I know what it's like..." Camilla quickly responded, "Yeah, but did you have FOUR of them?!" We were all pretty happy when home came into view...

Bright and Sunny

We woke up to the most beautiful blue skies this morning! I certainly feel more productive at 6:00am when the sunshine is pouring through my front windows. Oliver and I sat at the table for a little while whispering over our cereal bowls and waiting for the other kids to wake. The older three actually slept until 7:45am. Miracles do happen. 

The little guy that I watch showed up bright and early and was happy to play with the boys and see the puppy. Our morning went by relatively slow in comparison to all of the things I was getting accomplished. With Daddy gone to young men's camp we've had a lot of lazy meals, so the kitchen has stayed relatively clean. I threw in a few loads of laundry, tidied the upstairs bedrooms, and wiped down the counter tops while everyone played happily.

The sunshine called us outside in the early morning and we enjoyed some time playing at the park. Despite the early hour, it was already unbearably hot outside and the littles didn't want to stay and play very long. We soon made our way home for homemade popsicles and cold glasses of water!

This bump just keeps on growing and I am so glad to feel constant movement. We are almost at the 23 week mark now and time is flying by! The kids have all felt the baby kick and wiggle and it's so fun to see their faces light up each time!

This is my current view as I type and it makes me so happy! The littles and I got up to some crafting this afternoon while the heat trapped us inside (thank goodness for AC). Camilla and I found the idea on pinterest and it looked relatively easy so we decided to give it a shot. I wasn't sure what to use for the circles, but I ended up cutting potatoes in half to stamp the paint on the paper. Everyone liked it so much that they had to make two. It was a good refresher on shapes and colors for the really little guys and practically mess free!

I currently have two littles in my bed thanks to the crazy wind outside. They have sunk themselves deep down under my duvet and quilt and don't look like they're going anywhere for the rest of the night. While I tucked in the little boys earlier this evening, I could hear the older three sneakily tidying up the basement. They made quite the transformation in the boys shared room and then decided to move onto the toy room. I rubbed Fin's back and listened while a smile formed on my face. Camilla gave each of the boys a job and worked right along side them with speed in order to accomplish the task before I finished tucking in the little guys. I waited a few extra minutes and then snuck past them into the laundry room to switch a load. I was able to get back upstairs unnoticed and tidy up the rest of the kitchen. Before long, Joe came up and grabbed my hand to lead me downstairs. They did such an amazing job and it was such a blessing since I had a headache and really wanted to go to bed early tonight. I love it when my children give service without guidance. It made my heart swell with joy!

Motherhood Right Now

It's been a while since I've sat and wrote a nice, long blog post. I fall asleep at night as thoughts from the day swim through my head, complete with descriptive words and humor, and if I wasn't so tired I would get up and write them all down. So much happens each day and I've been struggling to even capture a glimpse of it on this dear blog, and sometimes it makes me sad because these littles are growing up so fast and do such hilarious things! With Summer in full swing, no school, and less activities, it's been a little bit easier to sit and catch up. So here's a little glimpse of what motherhood looks like right now.

Our days typically start before 6:00am. Some mornings lately I've found myself awake before any of the children, wishing I could get back to sleep as thoughts of this pregnancy, doubts about my capacity, and worries about my mothering creep into my head. Oliver is usually the first to wake and lies on the floor in front of his door kicking it with his heel every few minutes and shouting, "Mom!" until I open it. After I've made him some breakfast, the others saunter sleepily into the kitchen rubbing tired eyes. At least once a week I put a pot on the stove and fill it with sugar and water to boil for syrup. Some mornings I pull it off the burner when it's done, add a splash of vanilla, and then sneak back under my covers for a few extra minutes while the littles happily play downstairs. Pancakes are a favorite around here and a few of the older kids know how to get half of the ingredients ready in a big bowl so that all I have to do is add the milk and eggs. Some mornings I have to put up with a certain boy wishing aloud that he had a different mother. I try to remind myself that it's his stomach talking and all will be well shortly after breakfast.

I always try to get a little baking done in the mornings or early afternoons. With our microwave being busted I've resorted to the old fashioned way of melting my butter in a pot on the stove. One day as I was trying to break up lumps of brown sugar in the cookie dough I realized that the lumps were actually chocolate chips and muttered aloud, "Addie...you're crazy." Then I thought to myself that I must be crazy because I was actually talking to myself out loud. This is a good example of how tired I've been lately I guess.

The little boys keep me on my toes with their shenanigans. Some days it's really hard to be the patient mom I always thought I'd be. A few weeks ago the two little boys decided to bring a whole rubber boot filled with pea gravel home from the park. When I asked them to take it back they went around the corner and dumped it on the driveway. I might have used the word "unacceptable" that earned me a nasty glance from a neighbor a few doors down who was out working in his yard. We got the little broom and dust pan and swept them all back into the boot and then I made them take it back to the park to dump it. Those little rocks are the bane of my existence and I often find handfuls of them in my entry way after a full day of the kids coming in and out from the park. These tiny rocks hide in their shoes, up their pant legs, and in their pockets, and somehow make their way to my house. They also love when Daddy gets home and plays with them! One day while they were in the middle of a light saber war, Joe and Daddy were talking about something and Joe said, "Except, Jedi's don't have whiskers." I wish I could remember the background to the story, but that line made me laugh so much!

My toddler is growing up way too fast and loves to explore and try new things. He seems to think that markers are great lipstick and always sports a color or two to the grocery store. Climbing up to the tall seats at the island is one of his new favorite things, though it makes me nervous. And if he could spend all day outside, he would! One night while I made dinner I heard the two youngest boys laughing super hard in the corner. I went over to find them putting pieces of paper down the vent and laughing hysterically when the AC blew them back up. Those little belly laughs are so contagious and you just help but laugh right along. Despite his crazy side, he is the cutest kid ever and I often can't get enough of his wispy toddler hair and cheesy grins. I joke that he's the reason we're having another one, but there's definitely some truth to it! He melts my heart when he wraps his arms around my neck, runs his fingers through my hair at bed time, or gives me a big wet smooch on the lips.

With the kids getting a little bit older and each of them being in just one activity I find myself feeling like a taxi driver quite often already. One day I had so many errands to run and activities to get to that by the end of the day I had buckled and unbuckled the children at least ten times! It was insanity. As I drove Camilla to gymnastics late afternoon I found myself raising my voice at the boys in the backseat as they pummeled each other. It wasn't until I stopped at a red light and noticed the guy next to me laughing that I realized the sunroof was open. I pulled away red faced, and flashed my angry eyes at the boys in the backseat as they continued to elbow and poke each other relentlessly.

Living in a house full of boys also means that I've sat on my fair share of wet toilet seats. I am constantly reminding them to put up (or down) the toilet seat it seems. As I've spent the last month or so wiping up sprinkles of pee, or puddles around the toilet, or witnessing a sleepy boy pee in and all around the garbage can in the bathroom right next to the toilet (on more than one occasion), I've been exhausted. On the plus side, my bathroom gets cleaned a lot more than a typical bathroom might be.

After dinner they often run to the park for a little while to play. With the warm weather and sunshine I let them stay out a little later than usual to play with their friends. Baths are almost a necessity every night to wash black feet and sticky faces. Then we read scriptures and tuck in for the night. I start with Ollie who requests his "bus book" from London. We read, tickle, hug and kiss and then I close his door. Next, I move on to Finley who picks out practically the same book every night. When we've read it too many times I hide it and introduce a new one that gets read for a few weeks straight until he has it memorized. Then I move onto the boys downstairs who have been super tough to get to bed these days. One night as I tucked in Joe he said, "Mommy! You grew new freckles on your cheeks!" Thanks to Daddy, he believes that you get a new freckle each time that you laugh. I took it as a compliment and kissed his forehead. Hyrum likes to tell me about his day and then as soon as I leave the two of them fool around for hours on end until they finally fall asleep or I move one of them upstairs. While I'm busy doing all of that, Camilla hangs out on her bed writing in her journal or reading a book until I finally make it to her. We chat and giggle as Reese runs crazily in and out of her room with her squeaky toy. When Daddy is home he helps read stories to Fin and wrestle the big boys into bed. They extra love Daddy tickles before bed and often go down much easier when he's here. And while the bedtime routine sometimes stretches over hours of time, it is (usually) one of my favorite times of the day. I love sharing tender moments with the children, hearing about their day, smoothing out their worries, and kissing their faces. It won't be long before they are older and maybe won't want to be tucked in every night. So I'll cherish it while I can.

When the bedtime routine is complete I walk out to the living room and examine the damage from the day. Chip crumbs line my couch, a giant pile of laundry is on the other couch waiting to be folded, toys are scattered all over the place, and I often don't know where to begin.  So I start with one thing and move to the next, or I wipe the crumbs off the couch and pick up my crochet project and leave the mess for another day. There is typically only one area of my house that looks completely clean at one time, and I'm learning to be okay with that.

This mothering gig is tough and some days it's easy to get caught up in comparison or feeling "woe is me". There are for sure nights when I cry myself to sleep after getting out of bed five times before midnight to soothe a child with a cough and split lip, wondering all the while if I have what it takes to do this. We all have hard days, or weeks.  But sometimes there's those moments where things just click into place, and everyone gets along for a little while, chore charts get done, hands are willing to help and it all somehow seems worth it. While I like to remember the tough stuff, the terrible two's, and the chaotic, I also treasure the joy. It's there if you look closely, even though the days are long.

"The joy in motherhood comes in moments. There will be hard times and frustrating times, but amid the challenges there are shining moments of joy and satisfaction." -M. Russell Ballard

Camilla Turns Nine

 It's so crazy to me to think that we have a little girl who is NINE! Time goes by far too quickly. We are so happy to be celebrating our girl today! We went out this afternoon and got slurpees from 7-11 who is also celebrating a birthday by giving slurpees away for free. We took our slurpees to the park and played for an hour or so until everyone was too hot. I loved sitting on the shady bench and pondering all of the things that make this girl who she is.

 Camilla is a special little girl and I feel so privileged to be her mother. She is wise beyond her years and extremely helpful. She is kind and patient with her little brothers. She is witty and full of quick responses and hilarious jokes. Camilla brings sunshine to every day and is always conscious of other people's feelings. 

 She is just the right amount of careful mixed with adventure and makes life so much fun! While she enjoys a little bit of spontaneity, she also leads a very organized life where everything in her room has a place and her bed is always made. She gladly stayed up the other night to organize my pantry and loved finding new homes for everything we lugged out. She loves to create and color and is often found at my kitchen table with a box of markers and paper. She is crazy responsible for a girl her age and very trustworthy. Right now she is one of the only one's who actually finishes her chore chart (bonus's and all). 

She loves to set goals and reach for the stars. I know that her ambitions and dreams are going to take her somewhere pretty great one day! My mamma heart can hardly handle how quickly she is growing up and the fact that we are pretty much halfway to 18 already! We are all so lucky to have her! Happy birthday beautiful girl!

Boating & Birthday Fun

We've taken a few spontaneous, quick trips out to the acreage over the last few weeks. The littles are so good at driving all the way to Gramma and Grampa's house. We arrived late last night (shortly after 11pm) and everyone marched right into the house and into their beds. The drive out was gorgeous and I loved the contrast of the dark, stormy skies and bright yellow canola fields. Hay bales dotted the rolling hills as we drove and my soul was filled. 

We started the morning out in the greenhouse picking fresh cucumbers for lunch, and helping Grampa water. 

Having fresh farm eggs for breakfast is a real treat, and the kids devour Gramma's pancakes and saskatoon syrup.

In the early afternoon we slipped out to the lake to test drive a boat. It was a gorgeous afternoon, and fun to be out on the water with the wind whipping through my hair.

Mr. Stannix gave knee boarding a try...

The littles joined us part way through and although they were apprehensive at first, they warmed up to the idea soon enough. When the boat went slow and the ride wasn't so full of turns, they had a lot of fun being pulled on the tube! Joe didn't jump on until the very last ride though and I was on the shore for that one.

Camilla had her hopes set on celebrating her birthday with Gramma and Grampa at the acreage. She really wanted to roast hotdogs (like last year) and be with everyone. On our way back from the lake we grabbed hotdogs, buns, and chips and made our way to the acreage where Grampa had already started a fire!

 Hyrum roasted me the perfect smokie, golden brown all around. It was so sweet to see him want to serve and do something kind for his mamma.

 When we were all done, we headed inside for birthday cake! Camilla is not a big cake fan, so we had an ice cream cake instead. It was black raspberry and it was just as sweet as her!

It's crazy to think she will be nine in just a few short days!! I have been a mamma for nine years! She is such a wonderful girl to have. We feel pretty blessed.

After tucking in some sleepy little boys, Hyrum called me over to check out the sun set and specifically told me to bring my camera. It was beautiful and I enjoyed soaking it in with my littles. We finished off the night with a movie and then tucked into bed.

Cousins and Blessings

We have done a lot of driving already this Summer, but our kids are no strangers to long trips! After some time at the acreage, we came back home for the weekend and then headed to Okotoks on Sunday for a baby blessing.

The kids have been dreaming of having cousins for a long time and it's so fun to see them all together! We are just missing baby K in this picture.

Afterwards we enjoyed a yummy lunch and great visit with family back at my sister's place. The kids ran around like crazy in the backyard and the adults had fun chatting. Being with family is the best!

When we got home we fed the kids a quick dinner and then loaded up the van for another few days at the acreage with Daddy on his days off. We left early in the evening and enjoyed the sun set and open fields as we drove the back roads out. We arrived after 11pm and the littles walked sleepily to their beds where they tucked under their covers and fell asleep again moments later.

Strawberries & Sprinklers

The kids have been enjoying their time here on the Acreage. There's always something to be done and they are happy when they're helping! The extra space to run free is also good and Reese really enjoys going out without a leash. 

Gramma gets a pretty good haul of cucumbers each day from the greenhouse. They have several different varieties. Some for pickling, some for eating. 

Grampa always has an extra boy or two to help him water in the morning.

The garden grows taller each day it seems and soon it will be picking time!

We got a nice sized bowl of strawberries off the patch today and the littles had them pretty well eaten before we went inside. I sat on a bench in the shade of the greenhouse and watched them run through the sprinkler. They would run over every couple of minutes and grab a strawberry to wash in the sprinkler and eat. They are so juicy and yummy fresh out of the garden! It was a nice, relaxing way to spend the afternoon.

Crimson Lake

 Today brought us to the lake with Gramma and Grampa to cool off and roast hot dogs. The littles thoroughly enjoyed the shallow, sandy beach at Crimson lake! Oliver loves water and splashed around the entire time. The big kids went out to the drop off and swam a little bit. Everyone was especially happy when Grampa joined in for some fun too! Once they had their fill we headed over to the picnic area and got a fire going. The littles played on the park while we waited for the fire to burn down into good coals for roasting. These simple little moments always seem to stick out so big in the kids minds later on. Sometimes it's the little things that mean the most!

Grampa's Greenhouse

We are starting our Summer out at the Acreage. The littles have been itching to get out here since school finished and have been happily running around ever since we arrived. The boys have been running around shirtless, sword fighting with pointy garden marker sticks, getting dirty and making lots of noise. I loved listening to them as they came into the house, jumped on the counter and grabbed the biggest mugs they could find, and then opened the fridge to help themselves to some juice. They are free range and completely happy.

This morning we all went out to help Grampa water his greenhouse. The smell when you first walk in is my favorite! It's very earthy and grounding and hard to describe. They have about thirty varieties of tomatoes, english cucumbers, popping corn, beans and a few other things growing in that awesome space. It's my Dad's pride and joy and he takes great care of everything. The littles have helped enough that they know what number to count to as they water each plant so that they don't drown them. I spent most of my time in the greenhouse refilling watering cans for the littles and they happily drenched every plant (to the count of ten). 

Camilla is totally in heaven here and eager to help where she can. When she had finished watering she grabbed a pail and picked the strawberries, sneaking a few nibbles here and there. Coming to the Acreage was number one on her Summer bucket list and she has been counting down the days until now. She is begging me to stay all Summer! 

Just as we were finishing up, dark clouds were rolling in from the West. I love the contrast of dark stormy skies and bright green grass and trees. 

We brought our berries and spinach inside to the kitchen to wash and enjoy! The strawberries didn't last long, let me tell you. Can't wait until there's more to pick in a few days!