House of the Friesiens

 This morning we woke up bright and early and waved the big kids off to school for the morning. They begged to stay long enough to enjoy a bit of pyjamma day, and it worked out perfectly. We were able to pack up some last minute things before picking them up from school. After packing the van with all of our gear, Christmas gifts, and food, Gramma and Grampa treated us to lunch at Mcdonalds. We left town right on schedule and met up with my parents just outside of Cochrane. We split the kids between the vehicles. Gramma was my co-pilot and Grampa drove with Mike. The mountains are my very favorite place to be and driving through them always fills my soul. Every once in a while Finley would call out from the back seat, "Mommy? Mommy, I love you." I couldn't get over the site of the snow covered evergreens standing so tall and true on the majestic mountains.

 Joe snapped pictures out the window on my cell and actually managed to get a few awesome ones! I moved his booster to the middle of the van because he and Finley wouldn't stop throwing cars at each other. The drive from Banff to our cozy getaway was long and tiring. The roads weren't the greatest and I was following car tracks through the winding, downhill pass. I was soothed by the orange reflection of the sun setting on the side of a mountain as we drove. It was so serene and peaceful.

We were all exhausted and hungry by the time we made it to Invermere. After listening to a cranky baby for the last leg of the drive, we were all pretty happy when we finally arrived at our home away from home for the next couple of days. We booked this cozy barn at the beginning of the year on an air bnb site. We were the second last ones to arrive, and the barn was already buzzing with excitement. I could smell the woodstove as soon as I jumped out of my warm vehicle into the cold night. We unloaded all of our gear into the front end loader of a tractor and he lifted it right up to the door in the loft for us to pull inside. It saved us many trips up and down the steep stairs.

The first thing that caught my eye were the wooden clogs lined up along the walls of the barn. The whole place was spacious and well kept. The kids excitedly ran to the bedrooms to pick out their bunk beds.

Ollie found himself a toasty seat in front of the wood stove.

Everybody tried out the saddles...

And the armor from movies and performances.

I fell in love with this adorable log crib! Ollie loved it!

The bunkbeds were a huge hit with our littles! The rooms were so quaint and simple. Exactly what they were hoping for. We had a late dinner and then tucked everyone in for the night while we stayed up waiting for the last three to arrive.

Christmas Concert

These last couple of weeks have been so busy. I've had to prioritize my list and decide to let some of my Christmas preparations go. I knew today would be extra busy with the Christmas concert and making sure the kids didn't forget their costumes, so I tried to pack most of our stuff for the cabin at the beginning of the week. I went to the afternoon Christmas performance to watch Camilla and Hyrum sing and dance their hearts out! Camilla was easy to find near the front by the piano bopping to the music and singing away. She loves to perform! Hyrum was a little harder to find. Like his mamma, he is more quiet and prefers to blend in with the crowd. I heard the first couple of songs before Ollie started protesting and we had to go. I stood in the hall as Fin played with the drinking fountain and Ollie fussed. After a few more attempts to go in, I decided it was time to go. Camilla and Hyrum both waved to me in the hall during costume changes. They knew I was there and that was all that mattered!

Daddy arrived home in the afternoon with Joe and my grandparents. Since we were driving them out to the Cabin for Christmas, they decided to spend an extra night with us and enjoy the kids evening Concert. We got to the school nice and early and ended up with pretty great seats! Gramma's eye sight is failing, but she enjoyed listening and Grampa always does a good job of explaining everything for her. Fin fell asleep on Daddy's lap and Ollie did a repeat of our afternoon concert.

Listening from the hall meant that I got to catch this sweet girl between costume changes.

The choir is amazing every year! We are grateful for the awesome teachers that put in so much work each year to put these performances on. It was outstanding!

Happy Third

Today our Finley turned THREE! It's so crazy how fast these last three years have gone by! I loved snuggling a new baby right at Christmas time. Even though our house was in a crazy state at the time as we rearranged bedrooms, I remember feeling such peace and joy. The spirit of Christmas was definitely present that year.

Finley is a pretty special kid! He is happy, fun loving, smart and easily excited! He also has a stubborn side and a scream that will break your ear drums. He has a strong desire to be obedient and is often the best listener when we go out places. He has a big heart and is easy to love. About a million times a day he will say, "Mom, I love you". He is always hugging my leg, asking me to bend down so he can kiss my cheek, and snuggling with me late at night. Being the fourth means he sometimes fights extra hard for our attention and often he wanders out of bed after the others have fallen asleep and sits next to us or plays quietly at our feet. It's kind of become his special time with us, and right now, I'm okay with that. He plays hard and doesn't like to miss anything. He is always trying to be like his big brothers and loves to spend time with them. His talking is improving so much lately! Camilla has gone from being called "Wa-Wa" to being called "Ta-mil-a!" We love this kid, all the way from the sparkle in his eye to his chubby little toes.

Having a birthday around Christmas time can be hard. This year he got one simple gift, but watching his eyes light up as he screamed in delight was the best thing ever! He was so excited about his "cat boy" car so that he could play with his big brother, Joe who already had the green car. Happy birthday Mr. Finnegan! Love you buddy!

Peace

 I woke to Oliver singing in his crib. A few minutes later the two little boys ran across the hall and jumped onto my bed for a morning cuddle. Hyrum tip-toed into Ollie's room and played with him until I got out of bed. We kissed and hugged Daddy good bye, turned on the furnace and headed into the kitchen. Everyone was in good spirits and it felt good to start the day that way. 

Shortly after breakfast an entire glass of cranberry juice was splattered all over my kitchen floor. Despite wiping it up well, my socks stuck to patches of the floor all day long after it dried. 

I threw my hair in a pony tail and loaded the boys into the van. We had to get groceries since I absent mindlessly left the milk on the counter for an entire day over the weekend. There were fits, fights, and craziness (there always is), but we made it out with everything we needed and headed home. As we were driving Joe said, "I miss Great-Gramma. I wish she could come back to life." Then he sweetly added, "Jesus is with her now though, he won't leave her alone." His words touched my heart. It will be one year tomorrow. 

As I cleaned up the kitchen I happened to glance out the window and notice the start of a gentle snowfall sprinkling Christmas magic all over. I watched the snow falling soundlessly and started to feel giddy and excited. I've been dreaming of a white Christmas and it looks like it might still happen yet! 

My heart has been hurting this week for a family in my hometown who lost two girls over the weekend in a car accident. They lived very close to us growing up and I frequently babysat them when they were younger. The snow brought me such a feeling of peace. As I kneaded out two batches of bread and played with the dough between my fingers I cried, and laughed and felt so many different emotions. I finished my afternoon with eight loaves of bread, four dozen buns and a double batch of big soft ginger cookies. 

At this time of year I can't help but think about the reason for the season. I am grateful for our Savior who atoned for all of our short comings, and for all of the seemingly unfair things that happen. He knows our hearts and our hopes and is always there when we need Him. I am grateful for the plan of salvation and the knowledge that I have that I can see my loved ones again someday. As I get ready to cozy in for the night, my heart is filled with peace, because of Him.

Zoolights

Tonight we made the last minute decision to check out the zoolights in the city. Mike had to work late, so we met him there after dinner. The kids dressed up in their warm clothes, Ollie and Fin snuggled in the stroller, and away we went! It was a cold night, but not nearly as cold as the weather that was on it's way! The place was packed with people and we took our time walking around. We stopped half way and got everyone a small hot chocolate to warm up with. The kids had a lot of fun enjoying the magic of the lights. Camilla commented a few times on how perfect it was to be walking under the lights with a cup of hot chocolate in hand. We made it home late and quickly snuggled the littles into bed for school the next morning. Only one more week to go until Christmas holidays and I seriously can't wait! 

Sunday

Sunday's are always nutts. This morning we slept in a little bit later than usual which meant we had to rush a little bit more than usual. We hurried through breakfast and then I sent everybody away to get dressed. Camilla was the first one to come back upstairs. She watched Ollie in his bedroom while I got myself ready. When I came in to check on them she had already dressed him for me. Smiling wide she asked, "Is this good, Mamma?" It was perfect.

A few of the children were being kind of Grinchy in the morning, so I didn't get the glorious Christmas picture in front of the tree that I was envisioning. 

As we walked into church I noticed that Fin had grabbed his big brothers church shoes instead of his own (I don't know what his big brother was wearing?).... He clomped into church wearing his too-big-for-him shoes and chaos ensued in the halls as I set up chairs in the Primary room. 

When we finally made it to the chapel the children fought over who would sit on my knee. Daddy had to wrangle our Grinchiest boy while I walked the halls with Ollie and tried to listen to the talks. 

When we got home, I made the children pose for another picture in front of the tree. They were all happy, and giggly, and squirmy and this was the best we could do. When I look at it I can't help but smile at the chaos and at each of their crazy personalities. I love being their Mom!

Ugly Sweater Party

 I have been wanting to host an Ugly Sweater Christmas party for a couple of years now. Last year we had a lot of fun ideas for it, but didn't get around to making invites and actually planning it. We totally regretted not doing it. This year, even though we are crazy busy, I decided to go for it! We picked a day, sent out the invites and made it happen. We had lots of food, yummy drinks, and good company. 

 It's always great to have talented friends who come with delicious masterpieces like this in hand! It was the most delicious Christmas tree I've ever eaten.

 I had grand visions for a fun photo booth, but it turned into something much more simple thanks to the busy time of year. I put up a wrapping paper back drop and busted out my new Polaroid camera. We snapped a photo of everyone as they came in and voted on the ugliest sweater. Prizes for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd were handed out just before everyone went home. 

 

This may have to become an annual tradition. If it doesn't, at least I can check "throw an ugly sweater party" off my bucket list!

Early Mornings

Today was the first slow morning we have had in a long time. Usually we are rushing through breakfast and the morning routines just to get out the door in time to catch the bus. Ollie was the first to wake this morning. I gave him a fresh diaper and then we tip-toed out to turn on the tree lights. He sported his new Evergreen diaper cover all morning. I am in love with it! The rest of the children trickled into the kitchen while I prepared breakfast. It was quiet and nice with minimal "he poked me!", "She's touching me", "Why does he have to chew so loud?" It was refreshing.

When we finished packing lunches, Camilla got out her violin and practised her songs. She is such a responsible girl and she has grown so much this year. She has a pretty strict morning routine (put in place by herself) and makes sure she gets everything done before she leaves. She does her own laundry now, and loves to put her hair in pigtails. She especially loves the way her hair looks one or two days after sleeping in rag curlers. She was looking so grown up today that I couldn't help but grab my big camera and snap a few pictures. 

We did our morning scripture study around the tree. When the tree is only up for one month, it begs to be enjoyed in the dimly lit mornings before the sun, and the very late afternoons. My heart exploded with love for those oldest two of mine. Hyrum is my sweet and sensitive and Camilla is my list-making, organized little lady. I sure do miss them when they're gone!

The rest of the morning continued slow and steady. I made up a batch of whipped shortbread cookies with the special glazed cherries on top and ended up eating way too many!

We spent the late afternoon with the Christmas lights on addressing Christmas cards and filling tins with cookies. The count down is on!

Smalltown Santa

This year we decided to skip the lines in the big city. We visited Santa at our favorite grocery store instead. We were practically the first ones in line and the kids each got to visit with Santa for a good long while. We also didn't have to pay an arm and a leg for our picture. This may become a yearly tradition!

Hustle & Bustle

I was just sitting by the Christmas tree in the dimly lit living room reflecting on my day and my mind was suddenly flooded with so many thoughts and words. I knew that I needed to jump on here and write just to unwind and hopefully feel a little bit better after a long, hard mommy day. 

I've been feeling so frustrated lately. We are all tired and I feel like Christmas has kind of been thrown together this year. We've missed a few of our fun traditions and there isn't enough hours in a day to accomplish all of the things that I want to. I always think that Christmas should just magically be the time of year where we all try our best to be kind and get along and speak softly and feel peace, but this year I feel like we are majorly failing in that department. The littles are cranky with each other, and with me. They are at each other all day long it seems and inside I'm screaming this is not how I taught you to behave!!!  There was a lot of yelling, and frustration, and sadness today on all accounts. It's so not Christmas spirit-like. But how can I be justified in getting frustrated with the kids for their lousy moods when mine isn't so great either? I could blame my mood on the fact that I missed lunch and ate way too much chocolate, but truthfully those things shouldn't dictate my mood. It's so hard to choose happy though when you feel like you're failing every time you turn around. 

Mike and I have both been feeling a little on the tired side this month. We have so much going on with church and our crazy family and the days just seem to be melting into each other. I've been stressing about Christmas. I think I've bought ONE gift. We have five kids and Christmas is like T-minus 12 days away. Yikes. The other night I had a nightmare about forgetting to prepare dinner for my entire family while we are staying at the Cabin over Christmas. I've been planning, stressing, worrying and trying to keep up with life. It's super frustrating to want to reach out and serve so many around you, but be so burnt out after giving your all to your own little family. I also hate asking for help.  Mr. Stannix lovingly joked on the phone with my Dad the other night that I would rather lie down and die before inconveniencing anyone. I almost snorted my egg nog when he said it, because it's absolutely true (and I've never heard it described that way before). He knows me so well.

I took the boys to the chiropractor this morning for their monthly check-up. She is so great with them and they lie so still. Next we stopped at the post office to mail some letters and buy some more stamps for Christmas cards. The boys were super antsy and I regretting getting out of the car as soon as we walked through the front door. While they are usually a tad crazy, this time they were actually crazy. Joe kept flopping on the floor every time I grabbed his arm and then he started throwing his coat in the air and catching it while a smirk teased the corners of his mouth. He had that mischievous twinkle in his eye and I knew I was done for. As we stood in the line Joe kept dropping my letters (which I let him "help" me with as a distraction) over and over again. When I picked them up I said, "Alright, you're fired," and handed them to Fin. Without even blinking he retorted, "You can't fire me! I QUIT!" and folded his arms across his chest for good measure as that sneaky smirk crept up on his lips again and his eyes shot me a challenging glance. Then I did something I hadn't done all day. I laughed. Out loud! I couldn't help it. The line-up kept getting bigger and bigger. I had to fill out a few extra papers. At one point the boys were running circles around a poor lady in line and laughing their heads off. To make matters worse I ran into somebody I knew! When we were finished I escorted them out to the van, buckled them in not-so-kindly and cried all the way home. I wanted to quit.

I spent the afternoon stewing over my morning and trying to get into Joe's head and figure out where he's coming from and why he is acting the way he is lately. He has some anxiety issues and other things, and could probably use some more mommy time. I tried to brainstorm how to bring the Christmas spirit back into our home and how to make my kids magically get along again. I decided that TV time would be cut by more than half (with the exception of Christmas movies of course) and the Wii would be shut off for the next few weeks. I feel like video games and TV are turning their brains to mush. While it is a lot harder to say no and direct them to another activity, I'm pretty sure it will be a huge game changer around here. 

Just before dinner all four of the boys were cuddled up around the Christmas tree. Ollie was lying on Hyrum's chest and the other boys were right next to each other. The fun and giggling lasted only a few minutes, but it was definitely a bright spot compared to the rest of my day. 

Most of the kids are in bed now, and as I snuggled next to Joe tonight I couldn't help but take an extra few minutes at days end to gaze on his sleeping face and take note of his freckled nose and the way his eyelashes gently brush his cheeks. The big kids surprised me with homemade Christmas cards which they carefully constructed while I was tucking in the little boys. Camilla's was filled with a sweet note that read "Marry Christmas Mom. I love you and I want you to no that you are the best mom a girl could ask for. I have a little present for you. Can you guess? It's a HUG!" She also gave me a matching bookmark that says "Crawl into a book". She's a keeper for sure.

In my hopes to enjoy this season a little more I think I've decided to quit stressing over things that are out of my control and to quite worrying about the commercial aspect of Christmas. I am super excited to spend a few days together with my entire family over Christmas. As we read our Christmas stories each night I can't help but be reminded of the real reason for the season. Over these next few weeks I will be doing things simple, saying "no" to more so I don't burn myself out, and trying my hardest to soak up these littles of mine that are growing up so crazy fast!