Days of Summer

 We have so enjoyed our Summer days! It's hard to believe it's coming to a close. Soon the routines will begin and school will resume and I will only have two little people at home with me during the day. That will be weird! Until then we are soaking up as much of this sunshine as possible and enjoying our time outdoors.

Ollie absolutely adores being outside. He is happiest when he is surrounded by trees and grass and piles of dirt. I love watching him run around while the wind blows through his whispy hair.

 The green house is still producing like crazy. We get baskets of cucumbers almost every day! Mom has been making jars and jars of pickles and my pickle monster, Finley, is quite excited about it!

We picked the last of the berries off the trees this afternoon with the kids. They love getting up on the ladder and filling their buckets.

Even though this kid is small, he keeps up pretty well with the older guys! He made me laugh so much when he ran to a nearby tree and (with a lot of effort) managed to get his pants down and undo his diaper. "Pee Tree" he kept saying. I think he's been watching his big brothers a little too closely. His cute little bum cheeks and pants around his ankles was the funniest thing to see. They finished off the evening playing derby cars in the sandbox. The sun was starting to set, but the weather was warm. They were having so much fun that I really didn't want to call them in for bed. Instead I watched from the kitchen window as they played and laughed together. I hope one day they will realize how lucky they are to have each other.

Farewell

Today was such a long day. My body aches and I am emotionally exhausted. The morning began with back to school haircuts for the boys. They both looked so grown up when I had finished. Their hair was super long and needed a good trim. What a transformation!

Afer their baths we quickly went to the store for a few more boxes. We then dropped thank-you cards to the primary teachers who have influenced our kids so wonderfully these last few years. As I stood on the Payne's doorstep and thought about how they taught Hyrum a few years ago, and how patient they've been with my crazy Finley this year, I found myself in tears. I thanked them for their service, she hugged me tight and I quickly wiped the tears away.

Next, we had a playdate lined up with a friend who secretly invited some people from our ward to meet us at the park for a visit and picnic. As I pushed Fin on the swings and looked over at the seven or eight incredible women and the 40+ kids laughing together at the park, my heart swelled with gratitude. We have been truly blessed here and it is so hard to leave. It was nice to see everyone and to be able to say good-bye!

The little boys both went for a nap while I scrambled to pack some things and stuff the van full of boxes. The big kids tidied the basement while I did dishes. We got away a few hours later than I had hoped and still had a few errands to run.

With school around the corner we had to finish up some last minute shopping before heading out. I drove through downtown Calgary at the start of rush hour to make it to MEC. We decided to buy the kids good quality backpacks this year that would last them for more than one grade. We barely made it out alive and everyone was getting hungry. Traffic sucked all the way across the city and the kids were all picking on each other the entire time.

I definitely lost my patience a few times and my throat hurt from shouting. When we finally made it to the mall, everyone went pee, apologized and braced themselves for one last store. The older three each picked out a back to school outfit for the first day and had fun trying them on. We grabbed a bite to eat nearby and squeezed back into our over-packed van and finally left the city at 7pm. I had really hoped to be in Rocky by that time, but oh well!

The drive was long and I was so tired. We came inches away from hitting a deer and no one slept for the entire 2 1/2 hours. I was sure grateful for my mom who served me by putting jammies on little boys and helping with bedtime. Dad made me some toast for a tomato sandwich and we chatted way too late. I tucked into a cozy bed, next to Camilla who insisted on sleeping with me and enjoyed listening to the rain as I fell asleep. The room was pitch black and silent aside from the gentle sound of rain drops. I was able to once again feel peace and assurance. All will be well!

Fishing on the Lake

This afternoon we loaded up the boat and the four oldest children and went to the lake. We are savoring this last bit of time with Daddy before he goes back to work on Monday, and cherishing slow Summer days before school starts. It was so fun to just anchor the boat in the lake and spend a few hours fishing. 

The oldest three are quite the experienced fishers after their canoe trip this last week and they had all kinds of advice to give. Camilla kept saying "Grampa says you catch a fish when you least expect it!" This statement was totally true for Mike. Just a few minutes in he managed to catch a giant Northern Pike. We all thought he was kidding when he shouted, "I think I caught something!" 

 We all enjoyed snacking and experimenting with different kinds of lures. The red devil and the Canadian Wiggler weren't as lucky as the Five of Diamonds.

 A few minutes later, Mike managed to pull another whopper out of the lake. Grampa got the pliers, the littles stood tall on seats and "ooo-ing" and being grossed out as they watched. Our boat smelled of fish.

 After everyone had their fill of fishing, the big kids jumped on the tube and we made our way back to the boat launch. I thoroughly enjoyed the golden glow of the sun reflecting off the water as I watched the tube weave in and out of the wake. We made our way home for baths and dinner and then enjoyed playing old school video games before bed.

Summer Days

Today was another day full of fresh air and sunshine. The littles run around all day long enjoying the outdoors and helping in Grampa's greenhouse.They have had an amazing cucumber crop this year and my Mom's been canning pickles like crazy!

 After a full morning of go-go-go, a few of us need to tuck in for an afternoon snooze. I couldn't help but notice how mature and grown up he looked while he silently slept, so of course I snapped a picture for later!

Camilla helped us scrub the prickles (which I didn't realize they had) off the cucumbers and wash them. The entire time she worked she either sang or whistled "Old Macdonald". It made me laugh! We ended up with two big jars of pickles just from todays harvest. 

 There's nothing like fresh flowers and a little bit of Autumn decor to cheer me up!

Grateful

 

Tears fell this morning during family prayers as I prayed for those in BC who have been displaced because of the forest fires. Being between homes has stirred up all kinds of emotions, but as I knelt in a circle surrounded by those I love most with the morning sun pouring in the windows, my heart was filled with gratitude. Even though life is chaotic right now, at least we have the things that are most important.

Canoeing Adventures

Today I drove to Dry Island Buffalo Jump provincial park and picked up the crew from their canoeing adventures. I got to the parking lot a few minutes early, and eventually braved the steep, winding road down to the boat launch and camping area.

 

I parked the truck and walked down to the boat launch to await their arrival. Within a few minutes I saw their canoes "Ruby" and "Ruddy" coming around the bend on the river. As soon as I waved the kids each shouted, "Mom! MOM!" 

They eventually pulled up to shore and hopped out. I couldn't help but notice that somehow over the last few days they had all grown up just a little. They seemed more mature from their few days on the river and it was such a neat thing to see as a Mom. 

 

We all unloaded the canoes, cooled off in the river, packed the truck up and ate the last morsels of food on the drive home. Joseph was the first to fall asleep shortly after we left the park. 

For the next little while I got to hear tales of their nights camping along the river. They did two nights and three days. I was worried it would be too long for these guys, but they loved every minute. 

I guess when Camilla was canoeing with Grampa he would always say "Paddle hard, sweetheart!" when they had to get somewhere. When Joe took his turn in the front paddling he would shout back at Grampa, "Paddle hard, sweetheart!" That kid cracks me up so much!

Joe is also the one who would frequently say along the rive, "Life is great!" or "This is the life!" 

Another highlight for them was the food! I don't even want to know how many hot dogs they had for dinner one night! Ha! They also enjoyed lots of fun snacks, and having their own cans of pop.

Sleeping by the river was fun too! They also told me a story about how bright the moon was at night, and how they wished they could flick a switch and turn it off. 

They spent quite a bit of time fishing and the kids really enjoyed it! They even managed to catch a few of their own! Camilla told me the story about how Hyrum caught a fish, and then Grampa put down his fishing rod to go help him reel it in, then she picked up the fishing rod, cast it herself, and caught a fish moments later. Then Daddy had to come and help her. They were pretty proud of their "first fish". Joe almost brought in three fish, but they got free before they made it to shore. It was so fun hearing about all of their adventures. I know that they made some lasting memories and are already planning next years canoe trip. Sometimes I wish I could be there for everything that they do, but this time with their Dad and Grampa was special and so much growing was done. Can't wait to see what next year brings!

We're Moving

For the last few months we have been seriously contemplating a big move for our family. Mike has been dreaming of starting his own accounting practice for a while now, and I have been craving more family time. When my Grandparents passed away my parents slowly began renovating the in-law suite at the acreage and have been moving their things over to the smaller space. With the big house being available we've been fasting and praying to know what is best for our family at this time. We have always dreamed of living on an acreage and even tossed around the idea of living with my parents eventually when we were newlyweds. We've always enjoyed the peace there and have made many big decisions while visiting the acreage.

This decision was such a tough one for us! If I told you how many pro's and con's lists we made you would probably laugh! We have loved our time here in Strathmore immensely. The people here are incredible and we have made many great friends. Our ward family is huge and has been a great blessing in our lives. Our callings have helped us grow and stretch and it is really hard to make a change when we love where we serve so much! I know that Mike will really miss his young men and I will miss teaching the primary children. The elementary school is incredible and our children have had so many amazing learning experiences and opportunities. We also have an incredible violin teacher for Camilla that she will dearly miss. We live in a fabulous neighborhood surrounded by young families, the park out back, and great kids to play with. With so many wonderful things, it seems weird to want to change when everything is going so smoothly here.

We debated listing our house at the start of Summer, but it didn't quite feel right yet. So we continued to go back and forth with our decision, wondering what would be best for our family and where the Lord wanted us to be. After many heartfelt prayers and visits to the temple we were still waiting for that answer. Some weeks we felt that moving was the right thing to do, and other weeks we felt that we should stay. I've had so many tearful prayers by my bedside, pleading for an answer or inspiration of some kind to know what's right. Should we wait until January? Or go sooner and start the kids in school in September? Finally, the answer came very clearly what we needed to do. It was such an emotional time, feeling excited for what the future would bring, and sad about leaving all of this goodness behind.

Once the decision was made, things moved rather quickly. Before I knew it we had filled a uhaul with everything in the storage room, plus some necessities. The acreage home was still furnished with beds and couches and it was decided that we would just use those until our house sold. It's such a blessing moving into a place that's already set up, though we do miss some of our comforts from home.

Now we are embracing the last few weeks of Summer, getting our home ready to sell, and getting ready to say good-bye to some amazing friends and neighbors. It is such a bitter-sweet time for us, but I know if we have faith everything is going to work out! We really do love it here and the kids love the extra space, being closer to grandparents, fresh berries, garden goods, and chickens. Strathmore will always have a special place in our hearts! And we will never forget the incredible people that we've had the privilege of knowing! Here's to new adventures!

Bon Voyage

 Today I said good-bye to my the three oldest! They will be canoeing down the river with Daddy and Grampa for the next few days. They have been anticipating this river trip for a very long time and couldn't wait to get out the door this morning! After loading up the canoes on the trailer, filling the truck with coolers, fishing rods and camping gear, they were quite eager to get on their way. We packed sandwiches for lunch and Daddy brought lots of camping food along to keep things fun! I am excited for them to learn and grow over these next few days and can't wait to hear all about their adventures. I asked them super nicely to remember to take at least one or two pictures for me. It will be quiet having just the two littles left at home.

Good Friends

 We got to spend the last few days visiting with good friends and celebrating the life of my Uncle who recently passed away.  The girls were super happy to be reunited and the mature trees all around the Acreage provided the perfect play ground. We spent the night chatting and catching up. We talked about all kinds of different things and it was so comfortable. I love having friends where you can just pick up where you left off. We sure feel blessed to have these guys in our life!