Christmas Day

This Christmas was "the best Christmas ever!" if you talk to majority of the Stannix children. I started prepping and planning a few months in advance and had a nice little list of gifts that I knew the children would love. We told the littles they could wake up at 6:00am at the earliest, so at 6:01am I wasn't surprised to hear whispers and see lights turning on in the hallway. The big boys were the first ones up. They woke up the little boys and grabbed their stockings. Once Camilla woke they all hopped on our bed and opened their stockings and ate some treats. We then tip-toed out to the play room and turned on a Christmas movie while we waited for the rest of the house to wake.

Sawyer quietly crawled around the tree examining the gifts that magically appeared their over night! I love the quiet and stillness of Christmas morning by the tree. Soon Aunts and Uncles joined with little cousins. Next Gramma and Grampa. And finally, Nana and Auntie Faith arrived from out of town to join the fun.

Sawyer loved ripping the wrapping paper this year!

Present opening always feels like a whirlwind with this many kids, no matter how much you try to slow it down. We took our time and watched each child open their gifts.

Gramma and Grampa got the boys nerf swords. They love these things and will play with them forever!

Hyrum was so sweet with Sawyer all morning, putting his arm around him or carrying him. 

The boys both got new toques!

Nana gifted each of the kids a special beanie baby!

Oliver was thrilled with his new magnetic building toys and spent at least an hour in front of the tree building towers and connecting them together.

Hyrum made us a special ornament (which we need to glue back together) and wrote the sweetest card. These kind of gifts are my absolute favorite!

Camilla was thrilled with her new ukulele and has already learned how to chord "Silent Night" and "Twinkle Twinkle". 

Sawyer loves his new balance board (as do the older kids) and has found many uses for it already! I love open ended toys and this wooden board will last forever!

 

It can be used as a tunnel, a slide off the couch or a bed, a rocker and (as demonstrated by Camilla) a yoga board. I love that it helps kids be active and explore balance and make those important connections in their growing brains.

We loved having little cousins around this year for Christmas and when sweet Owen fell asleep under the Christmas tree, I couldn't help but snap a picture! We enjoyed a morning of visits and the turkey started to smell amazing in the early afternoon. My Mum is incredible and makes Christmas dinner look easy.

It was late afternoon before we all mustered up enough energy to venture up to the rink for a quick skate. 

I sure love this guy!

I'm so proud of Finley and the way he's picked up skating this year! It's fun watching him get more confident!

Camilla loved pulling cousin Whitney around on the sled.

Auntie dropped the puck for a two on two hockey game. They played hard until feet became sore and toes became cold.

It was a tad on the chilly side, but the scenery was sure beautiful!

We lasted just under an hour and then drove back to the house to help get dinner on the table. My Mum did an amazing job on the turkey and stuffing and we also had some awesome contributions of side dishes and veggies. It was so great to be with family this year!

Merry Christmas

Dear Family and Friends,

It's Christmas time again! We hope this year has brought you joy and happiness. Amidst all of the changes that happen each year I am grateful to know that our Saviors love for each of us remains constant. As we celebrate Christmas I can't help but ponder His humble beginning and glorious life.

Our family has lived here for over a year now and we are enjoying the small town life. Mike's business is doing well and he's happy to be his own boss. We love popping into his office for lunch dates or quick visits. He works with some pretty awesome people and even though the first year has been crazy busy, he's enjoying it! With his partner in Edmonton, a new office in Calgary and his office here, he's on the road a few times each month. In his spare time he serves as a member of the bishopric at church and tries to spend as much time as he can with the kids and I! He got up to some hiking and a whole lot of boating days this Summer.

I've enjoyed being at home with the children and learning more about chickens and gardening this year. Living at the acreage has been such a blessing and we have loved having Gramma and Grampa close by. While six kids have kept me extra busy, I've been sure to carve out some time for myself to enjoy the outdoors, craft & create. I've enjoyed crocheting blankets, slippers, and baby booties and picked up a little knitting. At church I have the privilege of serving the children in Primary and I am enjoying it very much. I love our slow days at home and then brace myself for the after school hustle where we are running to activities or chatting over homemade cookies. Life is never dull and seems to fly by a little bit quicker than I'd like. I'm sure we are going to blink and our kids will be all grown, so I try my best to live in the moment and soak in the chaos.

Camilla is in grade five this year and loving it! Being her second year in the school she is more comfortable and has been trying new things. She joined the choir and even sang a solo at one of the assemblies this year. I admire her bravery and love watching her. She is also trying out cheerleading twice a week and is gearing up for some competitions next February with her group. She is still loving piano lessons each week and memorizes most of her songs. Being the only girl in the family has it's challenges, but she is a pretty fabulous big sister!

Hyrum is enjoying grade three! He has a teacher who believes that learning should be fun and works extra hard to make an awesome classroom environment. His quiet, easy going nature doesn't go unnoticed and he has made some great friends this year. He played soccer in May and June and really loved it! This year he is hoping to try some baseball. In his spare time he likes to ride his bike or be outside.

Joseph is in second grade now and is doing really well. He also played soccer in May and June and enjoyed learning new skills and interacting with different kids. I've loved listening to his piano improve this year and he really enjoys his weekly lessons. This boy has such a big heart  and I love watching him serve his siblings each day.

Finley has been doing Kindergarten at home with me this year. He and Oliver are thick as thieves and love being at home together most days. I love watching his mind work! This year he learned how to ride his two wheeler and he enjoyed a lot of time outside. He loved boating this Summer and would always sit at the front and enjoy the breeze.

Oliver is busy learning and growing each day. His vocabulary is pretty amazing for a three year old and he keeps us all laughing with the funny things he comes up with. His dance moves and facial expressions are my favorite. He brings us so much joy!

Sawyer turned one just before Christmas and has taken a few steps just recently. He is happy and content and has been one of our easiest babies yet. He always has a smile on his face and relishes each day. Being his mom has been such a pleasure.

We are looking forward to another fun-filled year and wish you all the best!

Love,
The Stannix Family

"But first and forever there was just a little family, without toys or trees or tinsel, with a baby - that's how Christmas began." -Jeffery R. Holland

Christmas Eve

Today we relaxed with family and then gave in to the children's pleas to go skating. It was a bit on the chilly side and once we got everyone's skates laced up, we didn't last very long! If Hyrum had his way we would have stayed the entire afternoon.

We started dinner nice and early! As per tradition, Mr. Stannix made up a batch of Grampy's Tacos. We made a quadruple batch and ended up with around 50 tacos. It's a long process and I love turning on music and dancing around the kitchen with everyone as we work away tossing, filling, and re-frying the shells. 

While Mr. Stannix and my brother tossed the shells, Naomi and I filled and sealed them with toothpicks. 

We opened the big table out by the tree and everyone gathered round to eat! Between all of us we managed to eat almost all fifty. They were delicious!

Once dinner was cleaned up we opened our Christmas jammies and took some pictures by the tree. 

All of these littles were pretty excited about Christmas the next morning and eager to set out milk and cookies for Santa!

We so loved having our little cousins to celebrate! Photographing nine littles is no joke. 

Ollie and Grampa were looking extra cute playing with baby Owen while the rest of us were busy eating and visiting.

Camilla and Hyrum made sure to write Santa a letter and leave out some carrots for the reindeer. 

 

 Shortly after we got all of the presents under the tree, my camera caught Santa in action!

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

Christmas Sunday

 Every time the Sunday before Christmas rolls around I try and snap a quick family picture of us in front of the Christmas tree, all dressed in Sunday best. This morning as we hurried to get ready so that Daddy to leave early for his meeting, I had to remind myself to lower my expectations. I had barely finished my hair and didn't have time to apply make-up. As we were heading out to the tree I was still pulling pants and a shirt on one of the little boys. While the children were positioning themselves in front of the tree some of them were wearing socks, some of them only had one sock and some of them had candy in their mouth. 

We took a quick snapshot of the moment and then Mr. Stannix rushed out the door to head to the church. It was a whirlwind, and I may have cried when I realized that none of the pictures turned out like I imagined after. But these are the hilarious things that I want to remember about this crazy family we have. It's so fun!

Christmas Sunday always helps us ponder the real meaning of Christmas and remember why we celebrate. It helps us feel the love of our Savior as we gather with friends and family to sing and worship Him. Even in the middle of our crazy morning I was able to feel a deep sense of gratitude for the gift of our Savior and all that he has done for me. I am so grateful that families are forever! Life would be pretty boring without these little people running around.

Finley Turns Five

Finley was lucky enough to have Aunties, Uncles and cousins in town for his birthday this year! We enjoyed celebrating his special day with a delicious dinner and an angel food cake complete with traditional seafoam icing. This little five year old is such a joy! He is full of pizazz and crazy ideas. He is smart and witty and loves to make people laugh. He sometimes gets great satisfaction out of bugging his siblings, but for the most part his kind heart shines through. He is a determined little dude and knows his own mind. He can be a bit on the stubborn side, but we love him all the more for it. I love his energy and excitement over everything. I love watching him make new discoveries! He was gifted some pretty cool monster trucks for his birthday, and they are so special to him that he keeps them lined up on his shelf where he can see them every day. We are super grateful to Auntie for these special pictures. Happy birthday buddy! Hope you have a great year as a five year old!

Church Christmas Party

Our family had a wonderful time at the church Christmas party this evening! The food was great and the program was wonderful. So many people volunteer of their time and effort to make things like this possible and we are so grateful!

Hearth and Home

It is still dark in the mornings when the big kids get on the bus for school. I watch from the window as they make their way to the end of the lane, bundled up like Eskimos. Sometimes I hear the occasional shouts of glee as they enjoy a fresh snowfall in the dead quiet of the early morning. After the rush of getting the big kids out the door, things slow down significantly. I enjoy a warm cup of tea, hot chocolate, or cider while the little boys quietly play or snuggle in my bed and watch cartoons. 

In this Season of cold and dark I have been trying to help my family savor the special things that this time of year has to offer. I have been trying to live more slowly and intentionally, relishing in quiet days of snowfall and the glitter of the lights in the evening. Eating dinner or reading by candle light becomes a more frequent happening in the Winter months and it creates such a nice atmosphere in our home.

I've been recognizing the need to slow down and create. With a family this large it is so important for me to find time for myself amidst the chaos. Making things with my hands fills my soul and keeps me grounded.

As the world outside finds rest and sleep during these Winter months, so should we. Slowing down has given us a greater appreciation for the simple things in life and the time we have to share it. How grateful I am for a loving Savior who has made it possible for us to find rest and peace all throughout the year. Christmas is a great reminder of this!

"Winter is kind, she points us in her quiet, soft way towards our inner self, towards this annual time of peace and reflection.Winter takes away the distractions and presents us with the perfect time to rest and withdraw into a womb like love, bringing fire and light to our hearth."

Riverview Country Christmas

 Tonight I took the kids to the Riverview Country Christmas! The school Choir was caroling there and Camilla was singing, so we decided we would all go. Since moving here, I've been spoiled and able to leave kiddos with my parents when they are here. Everyone was gone tonight, so we made the best of it! It was one of the coldest nights we've had in a while and the snow was gently falling the entire time. It was magical! I made sure to put double socks on all of the littles and bundle Sawyer up in a hat that he couldn't rip off. Armed with a warm bottle and a freshly heated wheat bag, we loaded into the van for the five minute drive. We went an hour early to enjoy our wagon ride before the rush of school kids and it was so fun! I have to admit I was a little bit worried about how it would all work out taking six kids all by myself, but we had some good pep talks before we left home and the big kids were pretty helpful! We arrived just as a wagon was getting ready to leave and they kindly waited while I unloaded everyone and got our tickets. The school gives out free tickets to the kids, so I only had to buy one for myself! 

We all found a cozy place to sit and put a few layers of blankets over our laps. The ride took us by the river, through the trees, and around a fantastic light display. The littles sat mesmerized by it all for the entire trip and hardly said a word! By the end we were a little chilly and we still had to wait for the choir performance to begin.

 The boys kept warm with a game of broomstick hockey while Sawyer started to squirm in the sling. I put my mitts on over top of his to keep his fingers warm, but he continued to protest.

 These three did penguin slides down this snow hill for quite a while! Camilla even built stairs up the back for Oliver to join in later.

I was feeling brave, so I took all six kids into the cute little gift shop and had heart eyes over all of the gorgeous Christmas ornaments and decor for sale. I've been dying over these handmade German carousels online and found a few tucked in a corner in this little place. I will definitely be going back sans kids! As we left the lady kindly suggested that the shop next door with concession and tables might be a better place to warm up next time.

Just as the choir was gathering together to sing, Sawyer decided he was finished with the cold. In desperation I asked Hyrum to watch his younger brothers and went to the van with intentions of hunkering down there with a screaming, cold baby. I felt defeated. As I was buckling Sawyer into his seat he started to settle. I had a prompting that all would be well, so I wrapped a warm blanket around him and carried his whole bucket seat back to the crowd standing around the sweet caroling choir. Hyrum was kneeling beside Oliver with his arm around him for warmth and protection while Joe and Finley were in the middle of a wrestling match in the snow nearby. I peeled Finley off his brother and watched the singing with a bucket seat on one arm and an unruly little boy in the other. Eventually they all went and played on the snow hill with the rest of the children and I snuck into the tent nearby to warm up by the fire. I set the bucket seat near the fire and before too long Sawyer was warm and content once again. It was a huge relief to be able to support my girl and keep an ear on the boys while warming up by the fire. 

When the choir had finished, we drove home for a cup of hot chocolate before bed. Sawyer fell asleep, so I hauled in the whole carseat again and set it over a heat vent so he could get warm. We sipped our hot chocolate by candle light and talked about the evening. Soon their eyes started getting heavy and a few of them were asking to go to bed. I warmed a heat bag up for each of the little boys and tucked them in with a kiss. I'm certain they were both fast asleep before I even left the room. I warmed the left over bottle of milk and unbuckled a very sleepy Sawyer from his seat. He peeked open one eye and them promptly fell back to sleep on my shoulder. I fed him the warm bottle and then tucked him into bed for the night and he didn't wake up once during the whole ordeal. It felt nice to breath the crisp Winter air and let the scents of a wood burning fire tickle our noses.