Baking in a Blizzard

Today was one of those days where you drink warm liquids and bake lots. As I watched the kids get on the bus I couldn't help but feel as though we are living in a snow globe that has just been shook. While the snow swiftly blew around outside, I managed to bake a gazillion cookies. I lost count after four dozen.

I made a double batch of our favorite ginger cookies. One batch for the freezer and the other for the cookie jar. 

Then my mom sent over a small jar of M&M's she found which inspired a double batch of monster cookies a short time later. Most of these went in the freezer for snacks, but I left some out on the cooling rack for after school.

And when you bake that many cookies, a sling is a must. Sawyer was happy to sleep away the morning snuggled next to me while I put pan after pan in the oven.

By the time the afternoon rolled around we were all feeling quite listless. Ollie napped while Fin and I enjoyed a game of memory.  The pictures on the cards made me smile with snowy scenes from a make believe world.  I wished I could be getting ready for a nap under a warm rug, just like the characters on the cards. 

We were quite happy when the sun decided to come out in the late afternoon. The days are slowly getting longer!

Toothless

Hyrum was super brave and got his big tooth yanked out today. It's been wiggly forever and he really wanted to earn a few extra bucks from the tooth fairy!

Also, we love it when Daddy is home. Just look at that chubby little hand on his Daddy's neck. Hyrum was kind enough to snap a picture of the scene for me while I was nursing baby.

Happy Valentine's

We started our day with heart-shaped eggs, and finished it with heart-shaped pepperoni pizza. The big kids came home with their bags full of class valentines and way too much candy. After a long week of solo parenting, I let them watch TV and eat treats to their hearts content. Mr. Stannix flew back from Toronto today and got in late tonight with Nana and a bouquet of flowers for me and his little girly. 

Homemaking

Today the snow was falling while the bread dough was rising and the dishes kept piling. Baking warms our home and my heart. We go through a crazy amount of bread around here. I'm pretty sure I make a dozen loaves each week. 

Today's dough got turned into five loaves of bread and a dozen cheese pizza buns for school lunches. 

Sawyer slept away the afternoon in his bouncer snuggled in a mamma made blanket.

I was able to use homemade tomato paste for these and they turned out so yummy! They keep great in the freezer and get pulled out for school lunches when needed.

My Dad made sure I wasn't feeling too lonely with Mr. Stannix out of town. The littles sure love having Grampa to wrestle and play with during the day!

The boys got some time outside when the sun came out. Ollie loved shoveling a path around the yard and didn't want to come back in! We are sure missing our Daddy and excited to see him tomorrow night!

Minus a Bazillion

This is how babies survive the frigid temperatures of the Great White North. Going anywhere with a baby is a big job, but especially in these brutal Winter months.

Another Snow Day

It's been snowing all day and the kids are all home from school again today due to the buses being cancelled. The mornings are bitter cold (-35) and I'd just as soon stay home and snuggle up with my kiddos.

I cherished a few quiet moments with Sawyer snuggled on my shoulder in the late afternoon. Somedays it's hard to put him down while he sleeps. I know I should be cleaning something or other, but these baby snuggles are much more important right now.

Afternoon snack was warm apple sauce muffins smothered in butter. I enjoyed mine while I warmed my body in a sunlit window.

Sawyer also got in some time with Grampa. I felt so grateful for my dad while I looked at the two of them visiting in the sunshine. Life is good.

Happy Sabbath

The more boys I have, the more I fall in love with these fancy onesies with painted on ties and nerd glasses. Our actual white baby dress shirts are getting a little grey after all these years (and baby spit up). Happy Sabbath!

Daddy's Eyes

 Daddy came home for lunch a whole lot this week. One day we spent most of the time convincing Joe that he has his Daddy's eyes. He didn't believe me, so I had to take a picture. Then he started giggling uncontrollably. It was pretty funny!

Slow

It's another slow, quiet morning at the Stannix's. The kids are enjoying another snow day. The sun is out, but it's still -31. I'm just happy I don't have to pack school lunches and push the kids out the door in the early morning. We are quite enjoying our slow starts and late breakfasts around here. We found out about the bus being cancelled yesterday, so we all stayed in bed just a little longer this morning. Ollie was back and forth from about 5:00am on. I'm still terrified every time he falls asleep and check on him often during naps and in the middle of the night. I got the best snuggles and open mouth grins from Sawyer at 4:00am. Once he finally decided to fall back to sleep I snuggled him under a warm crochet blanket. After living on limited sleep and wearing the same clothes for like three days I am feeling pretty scrubby today.

I made up a batch of syrup first thing this morning. Once it had boiled long enough I pulled it off the burner and added a splash of vanilla. The house smelled divine!  After it had cooled I flipped pancakes and the littles ate every last one. It's almost time to start doubling the batch to fill the boys and their hollow legs. 

I kicked the kids outside mid afternoon to soak up some sun. It was almost warm enough for t-shirts (almost). They had fun on the sledding hill inventing games and hitting the jump at the bottom. These three days off have been a welcomed break and after Monday's events I am grateful to have my littles close.

Tough Times

 Sometimes life gives you moments that help put things back into perspective. Ollie gave us quite the scare yesterday when he woke part way through his nap with a seizure, leaving his little body so tired that he couldn't be woke for close to an hour after. I had just finished nursing the baby when I heard Hyrum calling Ollie's name. I knew he had just fallen asleep next to his brother while they were watching a movie, so I wondered what was up. Hyrum met me in the kitchen, tears brimming in his eyes and we rushed to the couch to find Oliver convulsing. I have never been so terrified as I was in that moment. I yelled to Hyrum to run grab my parents from next door and scooped Ollie into my arms. He was foaming at the mouth and his face was turning blue while his limbs shook uncontrollably. I really wasn't sure what was happening and felt panic overtake me. 

My Dad cradled Ollie in his strong arms and headed for the door while Mom ran for his car keys and I dialed 911. I could hardly hold my phone, my hands were shaking so bad. Before I knew it we were in the car on our way to the hospital while Ollie lay unconscious in my arms. The dispatcher had me monitor his breathing and say "now" every time he took a breath. She reassured me I was doing great, even though I couldn't control the tears. Oliver woke part way to town, unable to form words, and then fell back asleep. My mind raced with worst case scenarios, wondering what our future held and if everything would be okay. When we arrived at the hospital I looked over at my Dad who was so calm through the whole thing and caught his hands shaking, just like mine were. The adrenaline had hit us both pretty hard. At the hospital, they put Ollie on a bed, checked his vitals and assured me it was normal for him to be in such a deep sleep as his body was just so tired from the episode. There is nothing more terrifying than seeing your child unconscious and unable to be woken. A few minutes later Mike was at my side, rubbing my back and comforting me as we both stared at our still little boy. I was suddenly grateful that his office was minutes away and he was able to drop everything and come. A priesthood blessing was given and only time would tell if everything would be okay. It took him forever to wake up and when he finally came to, he was so disoriented and upset. 

It took him a little while to get back to his old self. The doctor ordered blood and urine tests to see if anything came up. Once Ollie was back to normal I went home with my dad to pick up the baby and drive the van back in. At Olivers request I brought snacks and he ate everything while we waited on results and continued monitoring him. Apparently they don't do a whole lot for seizures until the second or third, but the doctor did refer us to a pediatrician who will hopefully be able to help us a little bit more. The doctor we had wasn't too helpful and wasn't sure how to answer my questions. I left feeling worried and unsure of what to do if it were to happen again. When do I bring him in? How long do I wait? What do I do after to help him recover? It was so frustrating.

As I watched the sun come up this morning and paint the sky in shades of pink, I couldn't help but reflect and ponder. Life is so fragile and time is so fleeting. Suddenly every giggle, every "I wuv you", and every cheeky grin he gives me are so much more cherished than they were a few days ago. I know I'm not the only one who feels this way as his siblings take extra care to include him and love on him today. If you need me, I will be over here, breathing in deeply, willing time to freeze, and feeling extra grateful for each and every one of my children and the time that I get to spend with them.