Easter Bunny

The Easter Bunny came today and spoiled the kids. They woke to baskets full of goodies and hunted for their eggs. We champed eggs just before lunch. It's always a fun tradition! The big boys got pretty into it this year. The last two standing were Hyrum and Daddy, and Daddy's bumblebee egg ended up taking the title this year. Then we had egg salad sandwiches for lunch and spent the rest of the day relaxing!

Egg-straviganza

We had such a busy day today! The kids were off school so the morning was nice and slow. I fed everyone pancakes and then made Mr. Stannix some eggs and toast when he woke.

Sawyer fell asleep on his Daddy's lap shortly after breakfast and it was the cutest thing to watch. His cheeks are getting so chubby! I love how chill he is.

Once the baby was asleep we got all of the dye ready for coloring eggs!

We had some pretty excited littles!

After we were finished everyone got dressed and we went out to a friends place for lunch and an Easter Egg Hunt. Each kid got a bag with a list taped to it to help them find their eggs! There were big eggs and small eggs and eggs that lit up. The littles did their hunt indoors while the big kids all went outside. Afterwards everyone enjoyed their chocolate while we visited.

Sawyer was a champ as we went right from their home to Lacombe for a wedding reception. It's so crazy to me that kids I used to babysit are old enough to get married now!

Everyone changed into their wedding clothes on the way there. The boys shirts didn't stay white and clean for very long though with chocolate easter eggs and loose teeth. Joe begged us all week to pull his tooth, but it just wasn't ready. It ended up falling out in the van on our drive there and getting lost between the seats. A few minutes later a thirsty Hyrum tipped a water bottle up for a drink just as Daddy was coming to a stop at a red light. When the car came to a complete stop and jerked back, the water came out the open lid, all down Hyrum's front and into his seat. The look of shock on his face and the fact that I had already dealt with the chocolate and blood on Joe's shirt caused me to laugh hysterically at the craziness of the situation. I hadn't seen anything quite that funny for a really long time. Hyrum joined right in laughing as I threw him some paper towel. The poor boy had to put up with wet pants for the rest of the night. The reception was beautiful! They had a taco bar and lots of decorations. We were all pretty tired on the drive home after such a fun-filled day!

Safely Gathered in

The day begins with a hot breakfast. Hungry children eat the pancakes as quick as their mother can flip them off the grill. When they are finally full the family gathers for scriptures and prayers before the children venture out for a day of school. When they arrive home they munch warm cookies and quickly bike off to visit neighborhood friends. At days end the weary mother calls out to her children and eventually ends up walking down the lane way to retrieve them. They come home tired and sweaty from their adventures with a group of new friends. As they find their jammies, the mother makes her way out to the chicken coop while the North wind blows and the clouds threaten rain. The chickens ruffle their feathers and make their way to shelter as the skies darken. Inside the coop the chicks are quiet and snuggled together for the night. Some are sleeping in pairs on a comfy straw bed and others are huddled together under the warmth of the heat lamp. She closes the doors up tight and makes sure everyone is tucked in safe from the coming storm. On her way back to the house she rescues the pumpkin seedlings from the greenhouse and brings them in to the warmth of their home. 

The mother comes inside to a happy scene as the children are all snuggled together on the couch watching a movie. Legs and arms are sprawled everywhere as all five try and fit on a single couch piled with blankets. She smiles as she scoops up the toddler and brings him for a bubble bath. They play in the tub while she wipes his face and washes his sticky hands. There is water everywhere, but he is happy.

When a blanket of darkness settles upon them, the oldest girl and her mother venture back out to the chicken coop to lock the runs and keep the pesky fox out of the hen house. They are roosting happily out of doors, shielded by the coop from the chilly North wind. As the last door latches shut the mother hears a sound near the top garden and pauses to listen. The oldest daughter walks through the chicken run and discovers a mamma hen frantically trying to find her way through the fence to safety. As they near the mamma hen, they discover two more huddled together near a fence post, lost and unable to find their way home once darkness came. They circle wide and walk with their hands out to the side, gently shooing them in the direction of the gate. Just as they near the opening, one of the mamma hens slips between the daughter's legs and runs in the other direction. The mother mutters to herself with half a smile, "Stupid chickens" to which the daughter replies, "Actually, they are quite smart if you think about it!" Both the girl and the mother laugh as they run around the field trying to shoo the hens to safety for the night only to have them narrowly escape their efforts at every turn. Eventually the daughter, out of breath and annoyed, pulls her sleeves over her hands, scoops up the mamma hen, and walks her back to her house. The other two eventually make their way around to the other gate and the mother sighs with relief and hurries in to her baby who was left happily playing in his crib under the watch of his big brother.

Now, the extra tired mother returns inside to a baby who is up to his armpits in poop and a toddler building a block tower in his doorway instead of sleeping in his bed. The baby is bathed and kissed a million times over by the mother and doting sister and then nursed to sleep while the mother reads the final chapters of "Heidi" to her little girl. When everyone is finally asleep, and the house is still, the mother smiles at her efforts and feels the peace that comes with everything being safely gathered in.

The Early Morn

This morning I blinked open my eyes on the couch to the most beautiful sunrise! I mustered up all of my energy and got breakfast going for the children. 

I'm not a morning person, but this view sure makes it worth it!

Hyrum took care of Sawyer while I packed lunches. I love watching my big guys take care of the little guys.

It didn't take long for Sawyer to get sleepy again. I tidied up a bit while he napped away in the sling.

My afternoon was pretty much spent on bread and bagels. After being spoiled with homemade bread my whole life, it's really hard to go back to store bought! I also save a good chunk of money on our groceries each month by making things myself. These bagels don't last long around here. The kids eat them plain while Mike and I enjoy them toasted with mayo and a fried egg.

I get to teach the girls at church every other Wednesday night. I love that Camilla still thinks I'm "cool" and is happy to have me come along with her to Activity Days. She is such a wonderful girl and I am so proud to be her mamma.

Joy

This little boy brings so much joy to our family! This is how I got the dishes done this afternoon and I loved every minute!

My Favorite Things

A few of my favorite things are...

Gorgeously lush pepper plants getting ready for the greenhouse.

Fresh eggs from the hens.

Quiet afternoons with this little guy.

Warm, cheesy biscuits for afternoon snack!

Sunday Afternoons

We are so blessed to live where we do! The proximity to trails and lakes is amazing and we love getting out and exploring with the kids now that the weather is a little bit nicer. Our Sunday walk started out beautiful, but halfway through, big fluffy flakes started falling and we had to turn around as we weren't dressed for the weather. We still had fun though! There is something about nature that is soothing for the soul and nothing makes me feel closer to my Heavenly Father than being lost in a forest somewhere enjoying the beauty!

Spontaneous Walks

 This morning we woke up to snow. I might have been more grumpy about it had it not been such a beautiful sight for my tired eyes. It's been a rather long week and after waking up to yet another mess of smelly puppy you-know-what everywhere I was feeling rather woe-is-me. 

 

 Instead of being super mom today, I was "just okay mom" and sometimes lost my patience over silly things and maybe sat nursing a little longer and more than I should have. The kids were all home from school and having a hard time getting along and I felt like I was quickly approaching my wits end. 

 After dinner I suggested a walk. We all needed a little bit of fresh air and nature to cheer us up a little. By the time we all found warm sweaters and jackets and loaded up into the van it was bedtime and I was becoming more and more unsure about how the evening would play out. 

 We took a quick drive to Twin Lakes and the children eagerly ran down the boardwalk towards the frozen lake to explore and stretch their legs. It was rather chilly given the fact that the sun was low on the horizon, but they were warm as they ran and played.

 The trouble was all worth it for this view and the sibling bonding that ended up happening. Sometimes we just need to get out and explore!

 We watched a pair of geese walk on the ice for quite a while as the sun dipped lower and lower. 

We all went home feeling refreshed and ready for sleep!

Farmer Fin

 Finley loves going out to the chicken coop to check on the chicks and help us feed and water. He is becoming a fabulous egg collector and knows his way around pretty well now that he can latch up the cover on the laying boxes all by himself. He helped me check on the chicks this afternoon and noticed how big they're getting! They are starting to reach that awkward "tween" stage and losing some of their cute fluff. It's been so fun watching them grow!

Rhythm

Today we woke to somber skies and a quiet fog. In the dark of the night the rain lulled me to sleep as I nursed the baby and rocked in the chair. There is something about the rhythm of the rain as it falls to the ground. I could listen to it for hours, especially at night. As I drifted in and out of sleep my mind was filled with reflection and contemplation. I've had such a craving to write lately and have spent much of these past few days deep in thought. After a brief period of sunshine in the late morning, the afternoon brought more rain which helped solidify my resolve to sit and write. As I listened to the rain I couldn't help but think about rhythm and how it plays a huge part in everything around us. Rhythm is found in the flow of the universe, the beating of our hearts, and the changing of seasons.

Lately, I have felt like I am finally finding my rhythm again. Each and every time we welcome a new baby into our home the rhythm shifts a little. It usually takes 4-6 months for things to feel normal and rhythmic again as I learn more about who I am and how to manage the flow of our home.  With Spring here and more time to play outside we have found a wonderful pattern to our days that has left everyone feeling better. Everybody's rhythm is going to look a little bit different, but I love when I am able to find my own rhythm and transform our home into a happy place. 

As I've thought a lot about this concept I've discovered that there is a big difference between rhythm and routine. Routine sounds more rigid and structured where as rhythm has more ebb and flow. Rhythm is sometimes fast paced, and sometimes slow. It's the breathing in and breathing out in our days, weeks, and months. The daily, weekly and seasonal rhythms are the anchors that provide security and happiness for us and our children. They don't necessarily follow specific times on the clock and they can shift and change with the seasons. But overall, rhythms in the home are intentional patterns of life. They help bring us a sense of order and free up our time to enjoy more. Rhythm is fluid enough that changes can be gently added or taken away as needed.

Our home doesn't often follow a set routine, but it does have rhythm (a strong, regular, repeated pattern of movement) which consists of regular meal times, early mornings, gospel study, play, and family time. When our home follows that gentle rhythm, breathing in and breathing out, making time for work, time for play, and time to rest, we are all happier. Sometimes naps get bumped by an hour to allow more time for free play or filling hungry tummies. But generally the children are aware of the natural flow we have created in our home. Motherhood is a constant balancing act of planning and going with the flow. The rhythm of motherhood has a way of teaching us and helping us discover quiet strength and courage we didn't know we had.

Having six kids has taught me to treasure the "doing" a little more and the "getting things done" a little less. The dishes will always be there tomorrow, but that sweet baby will wake up looking older. And so I've learned to listen to the natural heartbeat of our home and take time to nurse that baby just a little longer and cuddle him in my arms long after he's drifted off to sleep. I've learned to take time to admire the way my toddler's eye lashes brush his sweet, rosy cheeks as he naps. I try to slow down at bedtime and listen to the big kids tell me about their days and ask me for advice. 

As I've learned to pay attention more to the natural rhythms of motherhood I am able to find joy in the little things like watching the sun rise each morning to mark a new day and watching it paint the sky each night to mark the end. Recognizing the different seasons of motherhood that I am in has helped me get into a smooth gentle rhythm, blessing our home with peace and our family with happiness.

"Sometimes, Home has a heartbeat" 

~Beau Taplin