Sawyer Bean

Sunday Snuggles with my not so little guy!

Love him.

 

And That's a Wrap

Today the boys played some more hockey! This time Cooper and I got some prime seating right behind the bench and got to watch Daddy coach. 

They ended up winning, and it felt good!

While we were away, Camilla and her basketball team had their wind-up at Boston Pizza. So grateful for her coaches and for these girls! They've worked so hard this year!

A Weekend Tournament

This weekend took us to the mountains for a hockey tournament! We brought Cooper along to cheer on Hyrum and Joe, but left the rest of the crew at home. It's always a juggle having multiple kids in multiple sports, but somehow we are able to make it work! Uncle Ryan and Auntie Emma brought the little cousins to watch a game and it was so fun to visit with them (while wrangling Cooper). 

When we got back to the hotel, there was pizza for the team/parents and the boys spent a good chunk of time swimming. The pool was packed! When the pool finally closed, we headed to our room to wind down for the night. As I paced the floors trying to put Cooper to sleep, I thought about the kind of love a mother has. 

It is the kind of love that has you pacing the floors in the middle of the night with your eyes closed and a restless babe in arms.

It's the kind of love where you stay awake long after the rest of the house has gone to sleep, getting things ready for the next day.

The kind of love that takes you to every sporting event so that you can cheer loud and smile big when they check the stands.

It's the kind of love where you sacrifice a treat to bring someone else joy.

The kind of love that never runs out it seems. It just keeps being replenished day after day.

Making Ripples

Today I had to drive the big boys in at 6am to catch the bus for the middle school ski trip. I woke them at 5:30 and they quietly made their way into the dimly lit kitchen. Cooper slept on my shoulder while we visited in whispers. They toasted themselves a bagel and packed their sandwiches they had made the night before into their lunch bags. I double checked with them that they hadn't forgotten anything important and we left in the nick of time. 

I came home to a sleepy, quiet house and cuddled on the couch with Cooper for ten minutes before Camilla began packing her lunch in the kitchen. "You can turn on the island lights," I said, slightly louder than a whisper so as not to wake the babe sleeping on my chest. Soon everyone else tip toed into the living room for our morning study a prayer. After our devotional, Daddy said the prayer and I felt the spirit. Then, Daddy and Camilla were off to early morning seminary and it was just me and five littles.

Eventually I got three more out the door to the bus... and then there was two! I spent the rest of the morning tidying the entry way, vacuuming the kitchen and living room and finally having a shower. Dad came over to visit and we just sat in my freshly cleaned living room visiting about life, hopes, dreams, having teens.

As I made lunch, I came across this beautiful quote.

"A mother sows seeds for a forest she will never see. Long after she leaves, the blooms will stretch into gardens, and the trees will strengthen and grow. The ripples she made will be the whisper of a thought or memory. She leaves behind her love, her touch, her tiem. She leaves behind her motherhood in the warmth that shines in others. On and on, long after she is gone." ~Jessica Urlichs

One day, I hope they remember how their Mamma showed up for them every day, every event and milestone. I hope they feel how I cared deeply for them and their spiritual well being. I hope they will remember feeling nurtured and seen.

We finished the evening off watching Camilla's basketball game via live stream. It's always a treat to watch from the comfort of our own home when we are unable to make the long distance drive to get there. 

 

Streams of Sunlight

The bright streams of sunlight streaming through the windows was incredible this morning!

Cooper ended up having an 8:00am nap because he was so tired. 

I did a quick tidy and vacuum and then ran Hyrum into school.

When I got home I washed the icky van, made some lunch and then put Cooper for an afternoon nap.

While he slept I got some work done and raided Mike's mini egg stash. 

I am exhausted! It feels like it should be Friday instead of Tuesday.

 

A Blanket of White

Monday started bright and early again with sleepy eyed children following each other into the living room, wrapped in blankets for our morning study. We woke to a big dump of snow and the world was blanketed in white once more. Spring is such a tease! After breakfast Camilla loaded up her backpack for her school day and her basketball game in Camrose, and it was giant. Oh the life of a student athlete! 

I enjoyed a beautiful drive into town to pick up Camilla from Seminary and she even treated me to a yummy drink at the coffee shop. I sipped my gourmet caramel steamer all the way home and enjoyed the peace and quiet very much!

Once I got home I shoveled the back pad and watched Dad plow the laneway (so his bus wouldn't get stuck again). Then began the normal hum drum of cleaning and laundry etc. Lily wore princess dresses and sang all day long, and I have a couple of boys home with sore throats.

Cooper is becoming quite the dare devil lately and loves bouncing around on the couch. I always make sure to grab tightly to his shirt so that he doesn't throw himself off onto the ground. After everyone was in bed, a late night grocery shop was in order because we were running really low on school snacks, fresh fruit and milk. It felt good to crawl into bed at the end of the day!

Time Change

The time change kicked our butts! We played musical beds all night. Cooper finally slept in his crib after three nights of snuggle on the couch. He was up every three hours though (he's cutting some molars) and sounds like he has a sore throat. 

Hyrum woke five minutes before we had to leave, hair askew, checking cupboards for food. We all went to the van and when he came out I noticed he had forgotten his tie, so he ran back in quick to grab it. Camilla drove us to church, Hyrum set up the sacrament, and Joe greeted at the door. We had a chaotic bench complete with wrestling and a squealing Cooper. I was exhausted by the time sacrament meeting ended. 

We were gifted a tin of warm cookies from a friend, and I was so grateful for the afternoon snack!

Cooper and I spent a lot of time just snuggling on the couch due to his sore throat and ouchie teeth.

Lily joined in on the fun at some point!

When Daddy got home from Bishopric meetings, he took his turn snuggling our rosy cheeked, cranky boy for a while so that I could make dinner. 

Her Treat

When your girl drives AND treats you to her favorite drink to sip while running errands... you may have hit the jackpot.

Matching Cousins

The girl cousins brought matching jammies and we didn't even plan it!

Cuties!!

 

School Ski Trip

This morning I left the house with Fin before the bus picked up the kids for school. We were going skiing with his class and he couldn't wait! He made sure to ask if I'd be a chaperone the day he brought his ski form home, and since I'd done it for each of the older kids, I made sure to put my name down. We had a fabulous day skiing! 

 

While the class was in ski school, I was able to do a couple of runs, all while muttering to myself on the way down, "Come on, you've got this!" "You're not going to fall!" "That was close! Phew!" I always have to talk myself back into it each season, but once I get going, I so enjoy it! When it came to following Fin and his friends down the bigger hills, I REALLY had to convince myself to be brave! I am not great at skiing, but as we finished up our day Fin said, "Maybe next time I'll be as good as you and I won't have to pizza so much!" My knees are sore and my body is tired, but it felt so so good to play out in the sun all day long! We are hoping to do a family ski pass next year, so I should be pro by the end of next season!

I came home to the sweetest moment and had to capture it. The late afternoon glow, a sleeping babe in my husbands arms.... nothing more dreamy in my opinion!