First Boat Ride

 This morning Mr. Stannix changed the dead battery on the truck so that he could pick up the boat! He has been anticipating this day for quite some time now and eagerly waiting for the weather to warm up. The littles helped him uncover the boat and load up the life jackets and then we took off to the lake after lunch. The older three were begging to blow up the tube to go for a ride but mamma knows best. It was a cold and windy day and I knew that once we got out there no one would want to ride the tube. I made sure to pack extra sweaters and jackets for disbelieving children and they were sure grateful for them once we got on the water!

 Last season we were blessed to always have an extra adult accompany us on the boat which made unloading and loading so much easier. Since one of us had to park the truck, half of the kids got in the boat before we launched it and the big boys held a rope on the dock in case the boat wouldn't start. Luckily she fired up on the third try and Mr. Stannix didn't get blown half way across the lake. 

 The water was choppy and the wind was cold. We had to work the kids over their fears again and take our time on the water. Our cautious Camilla was not happy at all about the rocking boat and the speed. But Mr. Stannix was so happy to be out on the lake again!

 Ollie white knuckled this bar the entire time the boat was in motion. When we got out the oreo cookies for snack Ollie kept asking, "Can we please go eat on the cement?" He hasn't quite given up his land legs yet it seems! 

 The sun came out a few times and it was so nice when it did! The big boys rode up front and enjoyed the wind and the spray on their faces.

 We spent a lot of time just floating around in the middle of the lake eating snacks and listening to music.

We lasted about an hour before we decided to call it a day and head back home. I had forgotten about winching in the boat to the trailer when we load and ended up having to wade waist deep into the chilly water. The wind made it difficult to load, but we managed ok! Everyone is already talking about tubing and knee boarding. Now we just need the weather to cooperate! We finished off our evening around a campfire with friends and came home smelling of smoke and lake air. My face is sore and I can't tell if it's from the wind, the sun, or smiling too much. It was a great end to the long weekend!

Sunday Snapshot

We had a pretty crazy Sunday! I hardly had time to sit and listen to anything because I was constantly hauling children out of the meeting! After church Hyrum and Joe helped set up chairs for the potluck. It made my mamma heart proud to watch them helping and serving. Hyrum has really grown and matured over the last little bit and I love watching his quiet ways and his desire to be good. Hyrum sat next to his cub leader and Joe sat next to his piano teacher and the two of them chatted their poor ears off the entire time. On the way home from church I was thanking the boys for helping out with the chairs and Hyrum said, "I want to be good for the rest of my life, it makes me feel so happy." I love that he recognized the good feeling he got after serving and knew that he wanted to feel that way always. It was such a simple, but profound statement. Even though I changed two poopy diapers during the potluck and sometimes feel like I can't juggle one more thing on Sundays, I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. It's so nice seeing the older kids willing to help and serve in and outside of our home. Soon I will have big strong boys to carry my groceries, lift heavy things and hold doors open for me. And while I look forward to those days, there's a small part of me that doesn't want these days to end anytime soon. 

May Long

 We kicked off our May Long Weekend with some long time friends! Our desire to see them outweighed our great desire to stay home and have a quiet weekend, they are just that good! We enjoyed a super low key fire shortly after arriving, roasting hot dogs and eating smores. The boys love their huge trees and had fun playing games and jumping on hay bales. We also got to enjoy their new pup, Monty, who is just the sweetest. I was too busy enjoying our visit around the fire that I only managed a couple of pictures. The girls were off playing together, so I didn't get any of the two of them! We always enjoy good conversation and deep discussions about various things. All of our kiddos sprawled out around the basement in sleeping bags when bedtime rolled around and slept soundly until morning. We enjoyed a morning of play and fresh air before heading home. 

Soccer Mom

I sure do love watching these boys every week even if it takes me a few hours to thaw out after each practise, it's totally worth it!

Here to Stay

 After a busy weekend I couldn't wait to get outside this morning and admire the leaves popping on the trees! It's always so exciting when you wake up and the world looks a little bit different. I feel like the trees budded out over night and I love the extra splash of green in my life. Watching the seasons change is one of my favorite things, it keeps things exciting! I am looking forward to boating, campfires, a luscious green-house, blue eggs from our new hens and the smells of Summer!

 We spent most of our morning walking around the acreage. Sawyer hung out on my back in the carrier while the other two little boys ran wild. 

Grampa came with us to see the new chickens and admire the greenery. My little Brahma's are loving being outside and I just love watching them wander around with their feathered feet!

 The apple trees are making good progress this year and the orchard is looking good! We walked around the big garden admiring the fruit trees, the rhubarb spring up from the ground and the haskaps showing off their berry potential. 

 While the weather is nice I like to avoid cleaning in doors and instead spend my time outside. After tucking in Ollie for his afternoon nap I ventured back out to the garden to help weed the strawberry patch and water Mom's freshly transplanted cabbages. The warm weather and light breeze put Sawyer right to sleep and I enjoyed a few hours playing in the dirt!

The greenhouse is coming along nicely and we are slowly getting things planted each day. Grampa, Fin and I planted the cucumbers this afternoon. Some of them already have flowers on them! The tomatoes and cucumbers look so tiny now, but it won't be long before they are taller than me again and I for one can't wait to eat a toasted bacon, lettuce, tomato sandwich. As the day came to a close I looked out the kitchen window and watched Ollie throw his head back laughing as he played cars with Hyrum in the sandbox and my heart was filled to the brim. Now that the days are longer, bedtime is almost always pushed later, especially on beautiful nights like these when everyone is getting along so well and enjoying the fresh air! It looks like Spring is finally here to stay.

Mother's Day

 This Mother's day was unforgettable! It was so full of wonderful things that made me laugh and cry and filled my heart to the brim with gratitude. Mr. Stannix woke early with Oliver and made me breakfast in bed. As I nursed the baby in bed half-asleep I loved listening to the whispering going on in the kitchen. It was so nice to relax for a while in the morning and not have to jump out of my warm bed right away! I was presented with a hot tray of food and he even tucked a love note under my knife and fork. While the older three dressed themselves for church, Daddy was able to make the younger boys look presentable. He brushed and put gel in all of the boys hair and I only had to get myself and Sawyer ready, which was a real treat. 

 We had family in town for Hyrum's baptism and were able to get a non-self-timed photo of our entire family (including the dog, who just happened to be out wandering around with us, and was made to sit by Camilla). It is sure a blessing to be the mom of these six littles! 

 We were ready so early that I even got some baby snuggles in before we had to leave for church. I could kiss those chunky cheeks all day.

 With so many family members at church, the littles dispersed themselves between a few benches, sitting beside a favorite Aunt, Uncle or cousin. I couldn't help but tear up as I watched my Gramma sing the Sacrament hymn. For some reason it was really touching to watch her sing, even though she can't see the words in the hymnbook anymore. She handles her trial with such grace and I admire her for it. As the meeting went on the tears kept coming while I watched my Dad get released as Bishop of our ward and my dear husband get called into the new bishopric. Each of the six men were able to share their testimonies and I felt such peace and calm as I listened. The meeting finished off with a beautiful tribute to mothers.

 After a quick lunch at home with all of our family we went back to the church for Hyrum's baptism. He has been waiting and preparing for this day for so long and he couldn't stop smiling the entire time. I hope he always remembers how good he felt today and that he will always have that desire to follow his Savior.

 We are so blessed with supportive family who traveled far to be here. Everyone was a huge help with the meals and preparation and clean up. Great-Grampa gave an excellent talk on baptism, reminding him of the covenants he is making with his Heavenly Father and the things that he is promised in return. 

 Gramma gave a great talk on the gift of the Holy Ghost and gifted Hyrum his quilt that she spent so many hours piecing together and stitching. The quilt is like the Holy Ghost in that it comforts us and helps us feel warm and safe. Hyrum put it on his bed as soon as we got home!

 I am so proud of Hyrum for choosing to be baptized and follow Jesus. He is a great example to his younger siblings and is often the peacemaker of our home. He has a gentle spirit and a great love for others. We are blessed to be his parents!

The Tooth Fairy

The weather was warm and beautiful today! Mike left bright and early with a few of the older kids and my Dad for highway cleanup and I spent the morning with the littles cleaning and prepping for Hyrum's baptism tomorrow. 

I got a few early Mother's day cards that the kids made at school. I treasure homemade cards so much!

Camilla spent part of her afternoon coloring me this amazing picture because she knows how much I love goats! 

While we were visiting at my parent's place Joe asked Grampa to pull his tooth out. It easily came out and Grampa hid it in the Kleenex and told Joe he would try again tomorrow. When Joe realized he was teasing him he ran to the bathroom to look at his mouth. A few hours later Hyrum asked Grampa to pull out his tooth. When he showed me how loose it was I joked that he could probably push it out with his tongue. He gave it a little tug and it popped right out. They were determined to break the tooth fairy's bank I guess.

Planting Grampa's Greenhouse

Today started bright and early just like every day. The children woke up agreeable and happy which was a refreshing change from a few mornings this week. Hyrum hugged Camilla good morning as he made his way into the kitchen.  He's grown up a lot over these past few weeks and it's been fun to watch him mature and change. He helped me flip pancakes for breakfast while I packed their lunches. Joe entertained Sawyer in his highchair while I got breakfast on the table and then we all sat down together to eat. Ollie climbed up on my lap while I ate and snuggled in for a few minutes while everyone else happily chatted. 

The early start gave us lots of extra time to play and practise piano. It wasn't long before our quiet house was filled with the clunking of piano keys, noisy boys playing make-believe, and Ollie running circles around the kitchen. Hyrum read scriptures for me this morning because I have come down with a terrible cold that has made my voice all croaky and yucky. 

Camilla kissed Ollie on the top of his head before leaving for school. Ollie hugged them all good-bye and then shouted out the door after them, "Bye guys! Be nice on the bus! Wuv you!"

I studied my scriptures at the table amidst sticky syrup, peanut butter knives and left over pancakes. Then I tidied the living room and nursed the baby in the warmth of the morning sun on the corner of the couch. The dog curled up by my legs and the baby slowly fell asleep while the little boys ran wild in their superman costumes. 

I ventured out to Grampa's greenhouse to check on the tomatoes and help with the planting. My Dad, Fin and I planted half of the greenhouse while Ollie and Sawyer napped. Dad dug the holes, Fin filled them with a scoop of salts and bonemeal and then Dad and I alternated planting. We had a pretty awesome system going!

The dirt is looking rich and nice and I can't wait to see these guys grow!

Finley loved watering and being a part of the process. I love watching him learn and work along side us. My hands are already stained with dirt and I can't wait to finish planting in here!

Children's Hospital

Today we ventured down to Calgary with Oliver for his EEG. After his seizure a few months ago we were referred to a pediatrician who recommended getting an EEG done. We had to keep him up until 10pm last night and wake him at 4am this morning. He was not allowed to sleep on the drive there and needed to be super tired upon arrival. It was a super long day for me since I was up at 4am and had to keep him awake and busy for the entire drive. Mr. Stannix drove so that I could entertain Oliver for the 2 1/2 hours in the car. He did so good, but nodded off for a few minutes just as we arrived at the Children's hospital. 

He was so chill about getting "stickers" on his head and was super cooperative. I ended up having to lay with him on the bed until he finally fell asleep. After about ten minutes of sleep they said they had everything they needed and asked me to wake him up! The poor boy was so so tired (and so were we). I'm anxious for the results which should be coming in a few weeks.

We stopped at our favorite place to eat on the way out of the city. Ollie was such a trooper. He and I shared a salad while Daddy had a burrito. The drive home was relatively painless as they fell asleep shortly outside of Airdrie. Mike and I were pretty exhausted when we finally got home!

Rainy Days

Today was rainy and cold. The boys and I went to town bright an early to pick up a few things. The air was crisp and fresh. This extra moisture has been so great and the grass is getting greener every day! These last few months of school are always the hardest with end of the year field trips and soccer a few nights a week and the anticipation of Summer right around the corner. 

Sawyer and Ollie ended up napping at the same time this afternoon while the rain fell in sheets outside their slightly opened windows. Their rooms smelled fresh and they slept for hours!

I made a double batch of our favorite chocolate peanut butter no bake cookies and Finley licked the pot when I was done. I brought the whole lot to town when I picked up the kids from school and they pretty much ate them all. They needed the energy for their first night of soccer which I am still thawing out from.