Puppy Love

 Last month I found myself scrolling puppy ads online. I stumbled across an ad for some Labrador puppies and I fell in love! We decided to contact the breeder and tell them a little bit about ourselves. She got back to us the next day because the puppies had been born overnight. 

She sent us a picture of the Mamma, Arctic, with ELEVEN puppies and asked us if we would like to reserve one. YES!

Over the next few days she sent us pictures of the boys and girls and asked which gender we would like. We both agreed a boy would be fun!

They were SO wrinkly and SO cute! The kids were so excited to get a big acreage dog to run around outside with them!

She sent us a picture of all of the boys that were left when it was our turn and had us pick. We were originally leaning more towards a white lab, but this sweet yellow guy caught our attention and we loved his personality!

I just couldn't get over his sweet wrinkled face!

When we were  discussing potential names, Joseph said, "What about Sunny? He's so bright and happy." The more we thought about it, the more we loved it! So we decided to name him Sonny, and they have been calling him that the entire time! We get cute little videos of him coming running after they call him. 

We've been researching training techniques and gathering puppy supplies.  This is something quite new for us as he is a larger breed. Our house is already chaotic and crazy, so why not right? We are so excited to go and pick him up in a few weeks! 

Lily: Three Months

Lily is THREE months old today! Time is flying by way too fast! Joe scooped her up this morning and said, "Wow! She looks so grown up!" She is such an easy going girl and a joy to us all. She loves it when we talk to her. She has the cutest high pitched screechy voice when she babbles back. She is full of smiles and her eyes sparkle. She sleeps an average of six hours in a row at nights and usually goes right back to sleep after she nurses. She almost always wakes up in our bed in the morning. She's not quite rolling, but she's super close. She can spin 360s on the floor and is constantly kicking her legs and wiggling her arms. She still loves being held and snuggled most of the time, but there's always someone willing to snuggle her up. The noise doesn't phase her and she fits in so well. We all love her so much!

 
 

I've been loving Daddy's big yellow chair for these milestone photos. It's so fun to watch her grow!

 

The Egg Basket

We have been loving the increase in daylight. When I wake my room is dimly lit with the rising sun and the sky is always beautiful colors. 

With the warmer temperatures, Lily and I got outside to collect eggs this morning.

 In the late morning I put her down for a nap. This girl will always get snuggled to sleep for every nap just like her big brother before her because I know how fast these moments pass. Nothing I do today could be more important.

 

In the late evening I stepped outside again, just as the sun was setting, to gather the last of the eggs. I felt the suns warm rays leave as it dipped lower and lower on the horizon. It was truly beautiful. These days I am cherishing the simple things as Winter comes to a close and we get ready for all the wonderful things that Spring brings!

 

Sunday Snapshots

This morning just before we left for church, I had to snap some photo's of Lily in the big yellow chair. Her cheeks were eat-able and her little toes were oh so adorable. She was wearing the headband Auntie Naomi made for her and it was pretty cute! It didn't take long for the rest of the kids to find me in the office and then they each requested a picture with Lily girl. I was feeling pretty blessed by the time we finished and rushed out the door! I was speaking in church today and we couldn't be late!

 

 

 

 

 

 

After church we hung out at Gramma and Grampas. Lily fell asleep in Hyrum's arms while they rocked in the rocking chair and it was super cute!

 

Happy Sabbath! 

With Purpose

 Early this morning I woke to nurse Lily while the rest of the house quietly slept. Instead of snuggling her into bed with me or dozing in and our of sleep in the chair, I read and pondered and admired the fresh snowfall out a dimly lit window. When she was satisfied and had drifted back to sleep, I gently laid her down and tiptoed into the kitchen to begin my day.

 

There are many mornings where I lay in bed drifting in and out of sleep, waiting for the children to wake me and begin the morning routine. Today it felt good to begin my day with purpose. To choose to wake before the rest of the house and enjoy a few minutes of peace and pondering after a few rough mommy days. It solidified my resolve to begin each day on purpose and to live more intentionally instead of just trying to survive day in and day out.

 

Sawyer joined me in the kitchen, rubbing sleep from his eyes as I pulled a warm pan of cookies out of the oven for school lunches. I scooped him up and we walked to the big window to take in the sunrise together. Watching the sun rise and fall each day always reminds me of how much my Father in Heaven loves me. We watched two deer quietly make their way across the yard while we whispered and my heart was filled to the brim.

 

The big kids arrived home to a fruit tray and vanilla dip to enjoy for snack. As we sat around the table I couldn't help but notice how grown up Camilla and Hyrum were looking lately. Hyrum's hair was poking out the front of his ball cap and it made him look nine going on fourteen.

Hyrum has such a tender heart. When he walked in the door after school and stretched out his arms for a hug while asking how my day was, he pretty much melted my heart. He's such a great big brother and I love watching him include others. 

Camilla is my social butterfly and animal lover. She has such a desire to be good and do good to others. She lifts those around her and always strives to do her best. Whenever I'm having a rough day, or need a reason to get out of bed in the morning, I look to my children. They are wonderful souls and I'm so grateful for the things they teach me each day.

"Do the best you can do day after day, and before you know it, you will come to realize that your Heavenly Father knows you and that He loves you. And when you know that -- really know it -- your life will have real purpose and meaning and you will be filled with joy and peace."

 ~M. Russell Ballard

Light

 The days are getting longer and I'm so excited for Spring to arrive. The sun has more power behind it and the snow is beginning to melt. Soon we will be sorting seeds and getting ready to start the plants for the greenhouse. The children will be spending every waking hour outdoors and we will all feel happy and refreshed after the long Winter months. 

 

In the mid afternoon I find myself gravitating towards the warm light pouring through the West facing windows.

Tonight we took the littles for a drive after dinner and caught the most beautiful sunset.  I'm so grateful for the added measure of light that this season brings to our lives.

Hope

Today, as the wind gusts outside my window, I can smell Spring in the air. Lately I have felt like the big tree in my front yard with its branches being blown in all directions, the trunk creaking and threatening to give out with every gust of wind. But I am grateful that like that tree, I am strongly rooted in my faith and hope of good things to come. 

A few weeks ago while journaling my thoughts, I had the terrible thought that if I wasn’t here, no body would miss me. Sure, my family might miss being fed and having a clean house, but would they truly miss me? This thought was the product of feeling weighed down by the world, stretched to capacity as a mother and a tugging in my heart for the kind of joy and fulfillment that could only be fulfilled by diving deeply into the scriptures and strengthening my relationship with my saviour. 

I’ve had such a desire lately to live life with more purpose. To lay aside the cares of the world and to focus more on my children & my home. While the world tells me that being a mother and homemaker isn’t important, my heart tells me the opposite. 

Recently president Nelson stated that “as you shift your focus away from worldly distractions, some things that seem important to you now will recede in priority.” He also promised that consecrating our life to the Lord will change our perspective and give us spiritual strength. 

In this season, consecrating my life to the Lord means mothering my children and providing them with a loving home. As I keep that perspective I am able to find great joy in the mundane tasks of motherhood because every little thing I do is for His glory. I’m so grateful for the hope I find in my saviour as I anxiously await warm Spring days.

Content

 At days end the mother of the house, exhausted from carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders, wiggles her fussy babe into the sling so she can hold her close. Together they sway in front of a sunlit window while soft music plays in the background and cookies bake in the oven. When the timer rings the weary mother makes her way to the kitchen to take the warm cookies from the oven. She smiles as she notices that the children have  already eaten the last pan and have cleared a spot on the cooling rack. A chubby toddler hand reaches past her and snatches the last cool cookie just as she replaces it with a warm one. And though she is burdened, she is content, because her children are happy, healthy and thriving and she is able to make her home a place of refuge and safety from the cares and concerns of the world.

Lily: Two Months

 Our Lily Joy is TWO months old today! She is so much fun and fits in well with our crazy crew. She's settled in nicely this month and sleeps like a champ! She likes to go to bed between nine and ten and does a good seven hour stretch. She wakes to feed and then sleeps the morning away. She loves eye contact and will coo and grin at everyone! She only really gets fussy when she's tired and then she loves snuggling with her older siblings. They enjoy walking around with her propped on their shoulders while her eyes get heavy and she slowly drifts off. She also likes to cozy into her dads arms for a few winks of sleep in the afternoon. She can roll side to side and it won't be long until she's going front to back. Happy two months my girl!

 

 

My Sunshine

This week Winter arrived for real. The buses were all cancelled and it was minus a bazillion outside. The littles stayed home all but two days and enjoyed each others company very much. This morning they all wanted to go to school for the last day before break next week. Mr. Stannix's car wouldn't start (despite being plugged in), but our trusty Big Red fired up nicely despite the cold. Instead of Daddy dropping them off, we all piled in and dropped Daddy to work first so that I could have the van to pick everyone up after school. When we arrived back home, the house was quiet and Ollie lamented over how much he misses the big kids when they're away because he has no one to play with. I turned up the heat and sat on my bed with miss Lily and she would not stop smiling. I thought I'd put a bunch of pictures on here in case anyone else might be in need of a little bit of sunshine today. Happy Friday!