A Gentle Sigh

Summer is quietly taking it's leave as Autumn slowly begins to show it's colors. We woke to rain clouds and the house felt chilly, so I turned on the oven and made up a double batch of our favorite ginger cookies, some to gift to a new move in and some for the children to enjoy. My counters are filled with ripening peaches, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers and fresh made preserves. This quiet shift from Summer to Autumn is always my favorite as we begin to harvest and preserve and fill our home with all of the wonderful smells of simmering salsa, hot apple sauce, and homemade hot apple cider.

In the late morning we wandered up to the orchard to pick the Parkland apple tree as it was heavy with ripe fruit. The branches were practically kissing the ground and begging to have their load lightened. With each branch we picked, I could see the tree breathing a sigh of relief as the weight was lifted. I too let out a gentle sigh as I picked alongside my littles, enjoying the cool weather while the morning air filled my senses. 

The littles picked and ate (but mostly ate), and then busied themselves with gathering the fallen, blemished apples beneath the tree to throw over to the chickens. I could hear them laughing as the chickens ran across the pen to be the first to each apple. Soon their hands began to get cold and one by one they ventured back to the house to warm up.

I finished picking the last of the tree as the wind began to pick up. My fingers were chilled and my cheeks rosy. I walked back to the house as a misty rain began to fall. Cooper toddled along beside me, half eaten apple in one hand and the other hand clutching my finger. Slowly but surely we made it inside and placed the second basket next to the first on the counter. 

I have no doubt that everyone will enjoy munching on apples over the next couple of days before they're turned into sauce or juice. 

Shoe Shopping

Today we ventured to the big city to do some back to school shoe shopping. There isn't much for shoes in our little town, and the adjacent City doesn't have much selection either, so we decided to make a day of it! Daddy also had files he needed me to pick up at his satellite office, so I was able to help him out as well since he's been driving a lot this week.

One of our first stops was lunch and DQ was requested. They do a great job of ordering themselves and everyone sat rather politely in our little corner booth. Cooper decided to go after my sundea after his fries were gone.

After that we stopped in at one of Daddy's clients to drop some paperwork and pick up a cheque and then we were on our way to the mall for the afternoon! While on the hunt for shoes, Joe found a really sweet deal on a mountain bike in Sport Chek. After some thought, we decided to go for it (as he hasn't had a bike that fit him for a while). We squeezed it into the van along the slider after squishing everyone in. The kids all slept most of the drive home, which made it a very easy trip!

 

Raspberry Lemonade

This morning we went to the pet store for a new furry friend. Finley and Oliver have been saving their money and decided to put it together to purchase a hamster and a cage. They loved when their cousin Whitney brought out her hamster and decided they would like one of their own. We now have a brown and white hamster living in the basement that goes by the name of Cookie!

I spent my afternoon trying out a new recipe for raspberry lemonade concentrate. One pint of juice to three pints of water will give us a yummy jug of juice in the Winter months! There was a little bit left over, so I was able to add some ice and water and taste test it. It was delicious! Definitely something I will can up every year with the excess of raspberries we yield!

 

A Full Heart

Today was a busy church day. I had to teach Relief Society and was up late perfecting my lesson again. Cooper decided to boycott nursery once more and Daddy had to deal with him (along with Bishopric things). When we got home I made a quick snack lunch of cheese, meat, crackers, pickles and fruit. As I prepared lunch Camilla called me while she was driving to Olds for her volleyball camp this week. It was her first long trip solo, so naturally I was slightly nervous. She ended up not going the way we had mapped out and tackled a traffic circle and merging onto the QII. The second time she called me she ended up missing her exit, but thankfully there was TWO exits to Olds. I breathed a sigh of relief when the text came that she made it!

Cooper made it to 6:45Pm before he couldn't stay awake for one more minute. He fell asleep within seconds of getting his bottle and I was able to sit in the quiet nursery enjoying the babe kicking away in my tummy. I felt so blessed as I stared at his sweet little face and thought about the joys of having teens and babes all at once.

I finished my evening off chatting with Hyrum and Joe in the living room. I was sitting in a chair enjoying the quiet and they came into the room and each plopped down on a couch. They chatted and chatted and I listened attentively, soaking in the moment as much as I could. They were happy, ready to listen, and agreeable. We talked about school, future plans, their dreams for the next few years. We laughed and joked and truly enjoyed one another's company! It was late and I could have told them I was tired, but moments like these...you don't let them pass. You savor them, you teach them, you learn about them. My heart was full as they hugged me tight and went to bed. I was so grateful for the time we spent together.

 

Cousins at the Lake

This weekend we have been busy entertaining and playing with the cousins! A few of my siblings came down for the weekend and the little ones have been having a blast together! After breakfast and a morning out on the trampoline, we decided last minute to take the boat out for a spin at Cow Lake. Everyone found swimsuits and towels and off we went for an afternoon at the beach with a box of crackers and water bottles to sustain the tiny people.

They of course found the mud as soon as we got there, but had a lot of fun building roads and sandcastles and just getting covered in muddy sand. Camilla was a huge help rinsing everyone off when it was time to head to the vehicles. The big kids mostly hung out on the boat and the littles all took turns going on or hanging at the beach with the rest of the adults. It was a fun, spontaneous sort of afternoon!

We went home to a yummy home cooked meal and enjoyed visiting for the rest of the evening!

 

Full Moon

This morning the house was loud and crazy! We took away video games and TV a couple of days ago, and while it took a day or two to adjust, today they are having the best time together! They've done some bike maintenance, and rediscovered things they haven't done in a while. It was so refreshing and a nice change from the constant bickering and whining that sometimes creeps up mid Summer. 

Finley and Oliver have been taking turns carrying Cooper around the house in the baby backpack. They think it's the best!

This afternoon as I was looking for Cooper, one of the boys told me Joe had put him to sleep. I snuck into the nursery and found the two of them cuddled up in the big yellow chair. Coop was sad, so Joe scooped him up and took him into his quiet room for a few minutes and he just fell asleep. Having bigs and littles at the same time is a beautiful thing, especially in moments like this.

In the late afternoon I caught these three chillin' on the front steps together....

 

In the evening the big boys tightened their dirt bike chains and pumped up their tires after their ride. We fell asleep as the full moon poured through the windows. 

 

Cherry Picking

This morning we were up at the orchard bright and early to pick the Evans Cherry Trees. Lily insisted on carrying the basket up, and hanging onto it the entire time. Finley and Oliver helped for a little while and eventually just ate cherries and talked to me while I picked. With a small step stool I was able to still reach to the top of the trees. It will be wild when they mature even more! Oliver kept telling me how happy he was that we had all of these yummy things growing for us to enjoy. We ended up with a full basket of cherries for me to pit and turn into cherry pie filling later. As we headed back to the house they were all drooling over the apple trees and can't wait for them to be ready!

 

Brotherly Love

These boys were up bright and early this morning and enjoyed some time together on the couch while the rest of the house slept. They were super cute together! Cooper is so lucky to have so many older siblings to love him. 

We spent basically the entire day outside going through the wood and junk pile at the back fence and then taking out a small portion of the fence. The big boys helped jack out some of the posts and we added some more junk to the trailer to haul away. It was a long day, but I'm super proud of everything we got done and how tight I managed to get the wire again after we adjusted the fence line. It looks so nice opened up!

 

Quiet Faith

A few weeks ago I came across a quote from Elizabeth Elliot that reads “God is not calling you to do great things. He is calling you to be faithful in the little things.” I was struggling with feelings of frustration at not being able to do grand and wonderful things during this season of life and worried if what I was offering was enough. 

As I read that quote tears welled in my eyes. It was a gentle reminder from a loving Heavenly Father that my little day to day efforts hadn’t gone unnoticed and that all of those seemingly “little things” are actually the big things. He doesn’t overlook the little things & neither should we. 

In this season of motherhood being faithful in the little things looks a lot like consistent quiet time in a busy, noisy house. It is having the faith to expand our family even when I worry about having enough capacity. It looks like setting aside the chores to nurture a small child when they need my touch and affection. It is staying up late with pleasantly chatty teens listening to their dreams and desires when they’re eager to share. It’s being present for the big moments as they grow and experience success. It is preparing nourishing meals with extra love and care. It’s making our home a comfortable welcoming space where the spirit can be felt by all who enter. It is kneeling by my bedside and praying over each family member morning and night. It is waking each morning with a smile despite how tired I might feel, embracing the dark circles under my eyes as badges of a life spent giving in many smalls ways. 

None of these acts are big, but in these quiet acts of faithfulness I can feel him shaping me into the woman he wants me to be & I am slowly learning to be joyful and content in the quiet ways I’m able to serve in my home, church & community. 

Fully Licensed

This girl can officially drive all by herself! I think I was almost as nervous as she was for her to take her test. I had butterflies FOR her the entire time she was out with the instructor. She came back with a smile on her face though, so I knew all was well! She aced her parallel park, and only had a few minor demerits. Her instructor told her she had been taught well, and I know she was super grateful for the hours her dad put in helping her learn how to parallel park in the mini.

She is so looking forward to the extra freedom and all of the adventures awaiting her this Summer. My mamma heart is full of anxious excitement as I watch my oldest gain more and more independence. It is so hard watching your kids grow up sometimes! I’m not quite ready for it. I am glad she’s such a responsible girl and know she will do great! We are so proud of her!