Family Fire

Today was another gorgeous Autumn day. Some of my siblings are out for thanksgiving, so we are all squishing into the tiny space we have and enjoying each others company. Tonight we started a fire and gathered around to roast smores. It lasted late into the night and may have involved a game or two of Mofia. 

 

Thanksgiving Ready

Today after school Hyrum walked in the door with his new saxophone from school. He played it a few times, it's loud! It will be a fun adventure for him this year!

Ollie brought home this watercolor clothes pin turkey. He has claimed his place at the center of the table  to help spread thanksgiving cheer. 

 

Morning Fog

There was so much beauty to behold early this morning. The deer quietly walking across the back field as the fog slowly disappeared was one of my favorites.

Sipping a warm drink while the sun poured in the windows was the best way to start the day!

 

Hobbit Feet

Today brought us to the middle school to cheer on Hyrum while he played Volleyball! I love watching these guys play sports and learn new skills! He plays setter and is always after that second ball!

The evening brought a long over due hair cut for one of the Stannix boys. I gasped as he sat in the hair cutting chair and I caught a glance at his dirty hobbit feet. This particular boy enjoys being outdoors in bare feet.

He-who-shall-not-be-named was then sent for a long shower and toe nail trim.

 

A Beauty Day

Today was a beauty day! It's been so warm for this time of year and the leaves are unbelievable! After school we spent some time crunching leaves beneath our feet under the birch tree. 

I finished getting dinner ready while the littles continued hunting for lady bugs in the leaf piles. The dog lay nearby, chewing his bone. There was blue skies, sunshine, and laughter. 

Lily has been super cute lately! Whenever she sees a picture of herself and we ask who that is she goes, "Yi-yee". Her little toddler voice melts my heart. She has also started comparing her baby dolls features to her own, or a hat someone wears in a video to a hat they're wearing in real life. She has become really observant and loves to match and compare.

Autumn was in fine form today.

 

Sweet & Silly

This afternoon we found ourselves outside enjoying the golden hour. I couldn't stop snapping pictures of Sawyer. He is the perfect combination of sweet and silly. He keeps us all laughing!

 

An Autumn Fog

We woke to an early morning fog. Mr. Stannix and I went on a dump run before Conference began and enjoyed the colored leaves and morning light poking through the fog. 

As we were sitting taking notes, joe got out his chrome book to type his. Soon he began complaining because the speaker was talking too fast. He deleted the few bullets he took and sat, arms folded. 

A few minutes later he stood up with his computer in the air, "Bwahahaha VOICE type! Now I don't even have to type!" I laughed until my tummy hurt as his computer typed everything Elder Oaks was saying. 

In the late afternoon, we watched the children play at the park as leaves gracefully fell and danced to the ground. Autumn is magic. I wished I could stay all day basking in it's beauty and wonder.

 

The Orchard

 Apple picking season has arrived! I look forward to this every year and can't wait until the trees are more mature and we get baskets and baskets heaping full of apples. We often go for walks around the orchard and the kids will pick an apple or two from their favorite tree and munch it while we walk. This year we didn't get any apples from our favorite apple/crab tree, but the Sunnybrook apples were sure enjoyed while we were picking!

This year we got to try out Grampa's new picking aprons. They were sure handy! Oliver wore Gramma's apron and climbed to the top of the ladder to pick. Of course Miss Lou had to join him near the top. She's fearless!

 

I lost track of how many apples she ate! When they were finished, they threw the cores to the chickens (or to Sonny) to enjoy.

These are memories that I love creating! I feel so blessed to work along side my parents and I am grateful that my children will have these memories of working in the orchard with their Grampa who planted and tended to these trees with love and care each year.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

First Day of School

Today was the first day of school for some of the Stannix kids. This year we have grades 1, 3, 5, 6, & 8! Oliver was so excited about his very first day of school ever! He will be at the elementary school with Fin and Joe this year, so he has lots of big guys to look out for him. Finley is excited about having Joe's old teacher this year. Joseph is glad to be at the top of the totem pole in grade 5. Hyrum is starting at the middle school and will be in the big grade 6 class with two teachers. Camilla is finishing up her final year in middle school and is glad to be the oldest grade in the school this year. They are all growing up so so fast! Sawyer and Lily get to spend their days hanging out with me at the acreage while the kids are gone at school. It's going to be weird only having two at home again, and I think Sawyer is going to miss his big brother.