Welcome December

I welcomed December with a visit to my midwife this morning. I am thirty-eight weeks and we can't wait to meet this girly! I am grateful for the mild Winter weather, blue sky, and sunshine today. It's supposed to stay nice until baby's due date and then I have no problem tucking in at home during the cold snap.

 

 

When I got home I pulled some dough out of the fridge and baked cookies. I saw this delicious looking recipe for cranberry orange shortbread cookies. They have a hint of almond extract in them too which makes them totally delicious!

 

 

While Sawyer waited for dinner he kept himself busy. I put a handful of forks in the middle of the table for everyone and he took it upon himself to set them at each plate. He was also fascinated with the glowing Christmas tree in the middle of the table and kept climbing up to turn it on and then off. 

The littles were so excited when Daddy got home for work, because that meant it was time to deck the halls! And dang, I admire that guy because he had a really stressful day and still made an effort to be present and make it fun.

I'd like to say it was peaceful and pleasant, but the reality of having six kiddos so close in age often means sibling rivalries and some tears. Among the chaos is always happy memories, and those are the ones we hold onto.

The big dancing train they made while Christmas music blasted from the speakers.

Ollie in this adorable elf hat that he claimed as his own this year.

 

 

Sawyer picking out decorations from the box and then saying my name over and over again until I came to help him hook them on the tree.

Camilla boosting up her little brothers so that they could hang their ornaments.

Joseph tenderly setting up the Christmas nativity, reminding us of the true reason for the season.

And Finley quietly asking if he could put the star on this year because he had never done it before.

We finished off the night with a mini photo shoot and Fin could not get enough pictures with his big brother Hyrum. He admires him a lot.

 

Also, could somebody please tell my children to quit growing up?! 

Now, I feel officially baby ready! The nursery is set up, the clothes are washed, the tree is lit, and the house is cozy. 

 

This year our family will be participating in Light the World again. If you're interested, check it out here.

 

 

Laughter

 

 

 Today I am grateful for slow mornings filled with laughter! With so much uncertainty in the world today it can be hard to find the silver lining sometimes. Every belly laugh this boy gives me makes all the worry melt away! What happens within the walls of our homes is far more important than anything else. 

Joseph’s Baptism

 Today we were able to get together with immediate family and support Joe in his very important decision to be baptized as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He has been looking forward to his eighth birthday since last year as he has had the opportunity to watch two of his older siblings be baptized and hear of their wonderful experiences. Over the last few months he has had "lessons" with his Dad in preparation and an interview with the Bishop of our congregation. In our church we believe Eight to be the age of accountability, an age where you can begin to be accountable for your choices. Joseph has shown great maturity over the last little while and it's been so wonderful to watch him grow! For his eighth birthday he got his own set of scriptures with his name engraved on the front. Since then he has diligently read a little bit from them every night. 

This morning he counted down the hours until it was time to head into the church. He eagerly watched as the font was filled and changed into his white jumpsuit to be baptized by his Dad. My Mom and I got to be witnesses as the baptism was performed, to make sure the prayer was said correctly and that he was fully immersed under the water.  He enlisted both of his uncles to give talks on baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost. And his Grampa was able to give him the gift of the Holy Ghost and a special blessing. Due to the pandemic and restrictions, only Grampa, his Dad and the Bishop were included in that small circle. My Grandparents and some aunts and uncles were able to participate via zoom! It was a wonderful day and Joseph said he felt like he was walking on top of the world after. We are so proud of him for the choices he is making in his life and the ways he tries to be like our Savior.

 

 

 

Living in a Snowglobe

I made the mistake of listening to the radio yesterday as I was driving home from my midwife appointment. The news was filled with so much that can weigh heavy on a persons heart. As the world is in commotion, it can be difficult to sift through everything we see and hear on the media to find truth. There is so much fear, contention and differences of opinion.

 

As I watched the sun come up this morning, and the children walk out to the bus stop I was filled with hope. Each day we are given a fresh start and new opportunities. We can choose to be kind to others despite our differences. 

 

 

Today I am choosing to focus on what matters most, and that's what's happening in our home. I will be snuggling my babies close and creating a peaceful refuge for my littles. The last few days have been like living in a snow globe, and this scene brings me so much peace each morning!

 

The little boys had so much fun outside in the sunshine! Ollie practiced his hockey skills and Sawyer sang and wandered around the beaten down trails.

"Watch this, Mom! It's gunna be a good one!"

 

Nursery Make Over

Recently we decided to give the nursery a bit of a re-do. While I loved my chevron wall, I wanted something more gender neutral as baby girl and Sawyer will both be sharing this space. While scrolling pintrest I came across a DIY wainscotting that I fell in love with. We measured out the room and figured out how many boards we would need to make it work and then Mr. Stannix spent an entire Saturday cutting, and nailing the trim and boards. For the next week I painted and caulked the wood and I am so happy with how it turned out! I added a couple more woodland animals (which still need frames) and can't wait to get the crib all set up in here now! Sawyer keeps exclaiming, "New OOM!" He loves his new room. It's been a while since we've had a baby share a room, so it will be a fun adventure. It always makes me think of our little old white house in Edmonton where we had three littles in a room and every wall was covered with furniture and our little crib was stuffed in a little indent.

 

 

 

Halloween

This morning I woke early, the light of the full moon streaming through my window, casting its white glow on the floor. I blinked sleep from my eyes as I tip-toed around the kitchen grabbing a banana and a drink for Sawyer. We whispered and snuggled together on the couch until the older kids woke. 

 

"Mornin' Mum! It's Halloween DAYYYYYY!" Ollie has been eagerly waiting for this day all month. 

 

 We ate breakfast, watched a movie with Daddy and then got our costumes on for the Trunk or Treat activity at the church (socially distanced of course).

The littles were super excited as we loaded up to leave. We arrived early and turned the back of the van into a gypsy tent.

 

While everyone went around collecting candy, I got to hand out candy and use my magic ball to tell their fortunes. It was a blast! The kids were glad to be outside and able to chat with friends.

Afterwards we went home, relaxed, at dinner, and got ready to head around the acreages nearby.  Some of the littles were happy enough with their haul from the Trunk or Treat and didn't care to stay out too much. We went to most of the houses in our little area, many of them friends. Lots of people had treat bags to grab on their porches and stood at a distance to chat with the kids as they arrived. With everything being so different this year, I think everyone did a wonderful job at pulling off a fun Halloween for those who decided to go. Happy Halloween!!