Flying

Summer is flying by and I'm not ready for school to start up again. I woke up feeling pretty tired today and after a visit to my midwife I learned that I am borderline anemic. While my iron count was high at the beginning of this pregnancy, it has dropped significantly leaving me feeling fatigued and easily frustrated. 

The afternoon brought crafting! The kids were looking for something to do, so I pulled out these envelopes of crafts I had hung onto from a library program and they enjoyed coloring masks and visiting at the island all morning. 

Mid afternoon we waved Daddy, Camilla, Hyrum and Joe off on a trip! They are flying to Florida for a few days and then jumping on a cruise. It was spontaneously planned a few weeks ago and they are excited to spend the time together. I'm excited to have a few nights to myself after the littles ones are tucked in. The dynamic always changes whether its the big kids, middle kids, or little kids gone for a few days. I hope they have the best time!

Sonny got sprayed by a skunk again tonight (last time was when they were gone hiking). Just my luck. Then it started pouring rain. He wants in , but he smells soooo bad. Thankfully the rain dampened the smell in the air, but his face still reeks. Looks like I'll be buying some skunk shampoo and giving him another hose down tomorrow! 

 

Summer Nights

The boys recently got matching moose pajamas and Sawyer has been so excited to wear them! It was still so warm out before bed that we headed outside to soak up another blessed Summer night. The three youngest stooges climbed into the hammock and went for a little swing while I snapped a couple of pictures. Sonny came over and licked their faces which sent Cooper into fits of hysterical belly laughs.

I'll be tucking this evening in my back pocket for years to come!

 

Special Stake Conference

This morning we were up with the sun to drive to a special Stake Conference at the stake centre. Elder Ulisses Soares from the Quorum of the Twelve was visiting our Stake and we were going to have the pleasure of hearing from him today. The older three already got to go to a special youth conference Friday night in Edmonton to listen to him speak and had an amazing experience. Daddy spent the day in a training conference with him yesterday. We were all looking forward to the experience of listening to the words of an apostle. The morning fog was captivating as the sun rose in the sky and it's morning rays kissed the earth. 

The littles slept most of the way in, did a quick change in the van into their church clothes, and then we headed in to hopefully secure a seat on the benches or soft chairs. We ended up in the back row of the chapel. The three things that stood out most to me was the importance of reinforcing our spiritual foundation and honoring our covenants, the power of Godliness in our lives, and the importance of keeping the Sabbath day Holy. I'm excited to ponder and study these points more in depth this week.

The rest of our Sunday was slow and relaxing with plenty of time to snuggle on the couch and indulge in good conversation. My favorite kind of afternoon!

 

Canning Peaches

I have been dreaming of canning peaches in this kitchen with my Mamma for quite some time! We worked together all afternoon and plowed through almost six cases. With two canners alternating on the stove and both of us peeling and slicing, it went relatively fast! We ended up with twenty-eight pints and twenty-eight quarts of peaches to enjoy! Any that weren't quite ripe enough were saved to freeze in slices for smoothies or make into a cobbler within the week. It was a very productive day and we so enjoyed!

 

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.