A Glorious End

A gorgeous pink sunrise to start the day...

Followed by a luxurious afternoon nap..

And giggling on the trampoline before dinner.

August Little Things

 It seems we have found ourselves at the end of August once again. It's been a wonderful Summer full of excitement and fun. We were away more than we were home these past few months and although we loved our adventures, we were always grateful to come home. We traveled through Montana, Glacier National Park, Seattle, and Vancouver Island and found beauty in each place. 

This week the chore charts went up and we are working on getting back into routine. With school around the corner we are also savoring these last days of freedom and creating little adventures of our own right here at home. This morning we enjoyed chocolate zucchini cake for breakfast and then jumped in the van for a drive. The change in seasons always ignites a spark of excitement inside of me and I wanted to share it with the littles. As we passed by freshly cut fields, colorful trees, and giant bales of hay nestled on the hills, the children excitedly pointed everything out. We stopped for a few minutes at a wheat field we found on one of the back roads and snapped a couple of pictures. It's crazy how much these kids have grown! I figured it was about time to do a post on all of the "little things" that happen around here.

Our days often start early with demands for breakfast. They love pancakes, french toast, eggs and sometimes cereal. If they are up really early they sometimes sneak a cookie or two from the jar to keep them happy until I get into the kitchen to make something. When plates are clean they get dressed while I load the dishwasher and tidy the kitchen. Sometimes if I'm feeling really ambitious I will grab a pail of water and mop sticky floors on my hands and knees. And even though they seem to get sticky again a few minutes later there is still a small sense of accomplishment from completing something.

If we still have time before nap time we will run and get groceries, hit up a favorite park, or go for a walk around the neighborhood.  As I push the cart around the store with four children trailing behind me I often get funny looks and interesting comments. When we get to the dairy section they almost always ask for a "drink yogurt" as a snack, and only get one if they are on sale. They totally know this so if I ever say "no" I get, "But it's on SAAAAALLLE!?" 

Once, Finley fell asleep in his bed with dried yogurt in his hair after his brother dumped part of a Yop on his head on our way home from grocery shopping. He woke up looking like he stuck his finger in a light socket with his hair standing up all frizzy and crazy.

Despite being constantly fed, they still spend all day constantly complaining of hunger. Some of the boys can eat two whole sandwiches for lunch. Joe still calls it a "sammich" when he asks and I think it's the cutest. One day Joe ate a bowl of soup, a "sammich" and a glass of smoothie for lunch. He was still hungry thirty minutes later...

Much of their afternoons at home are spent biking around the neighborhood or playing with friends at the park nearby. I can't believe how much they have grown up since last Summer. They can bike around the block by themselves, stand up on the their bikes, bike one handed and jump off their bikes while they are still moving. Sometimes I wish they would just quite growing up! Earlier in the Summer they had a "boys biker gang".  They all taped playing cards to the back of their bikes so that they would sound like motorbikes when the spokes brushed by the card as they rode. They were a noisy bunch of kids, and the plus side was that if I ever wondered where they were, I just had to open the door and listen! Now I either listen for that or Joe's singing as he peddles up and down the sidewalk. That boy loves to sing!

There is still a fair amount of sibling rivalry going on, especially during this last bit of Summer break. I've had to learn to be creative when it comes to bringing peace into our home. Instead of saying, "Stop whispering in Finley's ear to do mean things!" it's "I hope you're telling him to give Joe hugs and kisses." They smirk and their eyes sparkle and immediately the mood is changed. It's challenging to try and see the good and emphasize the positive in every situation especially when they are rolling around on the floor in a full out brawl. 

 The boys have recently learned how to do "armpit farts" and other gross things and although it is sometimes comical, it can also get on one's nerves after a while. I find myself yelling crazy things like, "No Karate while you're eating bananas!!" and then I laugh and laugh at how ridiculous I sound. These boys are rough and tough. Even their hugs are knock-your-socks-off hard. I've learned not to relax on the floor unless I want four boys dog-piled on top of me within seconds. They love fiercely!

My girl and I have been cherishing our time together baking, coloring, and crafting. The difference between Camilla and the boys is becoming more apparent as they grow up. She has a huge desire to learn how to crochet lately and I've been trying to carve out enough time to teach her some simple things. She is learning to read and understand recipes and loves to help in the kitchen. When we pulled a cake out of the oven one time Finley exclaimed, "That looks YUM!" and I replied, "SUPER yum!" He repeated, "Yeah, S-chuper yum!" 

Fin says the funniest things. He has the cutest little stutter lately and it takes him a while to ask things sometimes. At the park the other day it was "you-you-you-you-you YOU push me?" Other times it's "I-I-I-I-I....have a cookie?" It's hard not to laugh out loud sometimes.

My baby is no longer a baby! He's grown into a sweet little boy. He is such a joy to have around. I adore his mischievous smirk and his daring personality. He is standing, walking around furniture, pointing and communicating. We love to make him laugh and enjoy his giggles so much. We are working on cutting out that morning nap and getting into a better sleep routine and he's so easy going about everything.

On the weekends we enjoy walks around the neighborhood with Daddy. Last weekend Mr. Stannix and I were walking with Fin and I said, "we sure love you, Fin!" and without skipping a beat he matter-of-factly replied with a shrug, "Yeah...we wuv me..." When we reach the end of the trail the older three have usually already climbed half way up one of the big trees. 

They come home ready for a snack and bedtime. We light the candle on the table and gather round for scriptures. After they finish fighting over who's turn it is to blow out the candle (oldest to youngest) we read a few verses together before gathering in the little boys room for prayers. Finley's rolling laugh as his Dad tickles him in his bed is one of my favorite sounds! As he snuggles under his blankets with his hot wheels in each fist my heart swells with love. 

I've been reading an old book that my mom grew up with called "Prickly Porky" to the big kids each night. When I tucked in Hyrum last night and he found out how many days left until school started he was vibrating with excitement! He came back out of his room a few minutes later, "Guess what? All the guys are cryin' in my mind 'Ahh! I don't know where to go!' 'Ahh! I don't have any friends!' 'Ahh! I don't know where my class is!!' " Then he laughed and told me he was "excited, but a bit scared." I am thrilled for him but my heart aches a little when I think of him spending his days away from me.

 Finally, the last of the littles is tucked into bed and they slip away into dream land while dusk paints the sky in soft shades of violet and orange. Thank-you August for your hours of daylight and glorious sunsets!

In my Kitchen

 My kids are crazy. We are desperately wanting routine and we don't even know it yet! A few of my littles in particular thrive on routine and although we have had a magnificent Summer break, I think we are all ready to get back to chore charts, workbooks, music practise, and regular bed times.

I have found myself curled up in the toddler bed one too many mornings in a row. Last night Finley kept waking up every 15 minutes and shutting his door. Each time it latched I flew out of bed to see what was up and would find him either sneaking down the stairs or jumping back into his bed. It was super annoying at 2:00am when all I wanted to do was get some sleep already! Joe began his morning by snorting his boogers and trying to clear his stuffy nose every 5 seconds which made for a very grumpy mamma bear upon waking up. 

The mornings are darker and the children are quick to notice the coolness in the early morning air as they run off to the park. Hyrum and Joe have created a "boys club" with some friends down the street. I hardly see them all day except when they come home for food. They spend their time either downstairs or at the neighbors having fun. 

 

 Camilla was feeling left out this afternoon so we put our culinary skills to the test and made up a zucchini cake for dessert tonight! We also made a double batch of our favorite no-bake cookies and filled the cookie jar to the top.

 Sometimes we just need a little bit of girl time. 

And since I was having a hard time remember when everyone's last bath or shower was, they all got squeaky clean tonight! I pulled out the next size of clothes for Ollie the other day and found these awesome plaid Jammies just in time for Autumn. There are few things in life better than a freshly bathed baby in plaid!

The Perfect Loaf

Our girl is finally home! I picked her up late last night and tucked her right into bed after getting home. The boys were so excited to see her this morning that they flew into her room and woke her bright and early. After breakfast Ollie joined us in the kitchen, arms wrapped tight around his big sisters neck and a smile across his face.

I had bread rising on the counter before 8:00am and the dishes half done. The littles road their bikes in the wind and came in complaining of cold a few minutes later. It was a good day to have the oven on!

While the boys were off at their "boys club", Camilla pulled out all of the craft stuff and made up this cute owl. There was glitter all over my kitchen after she was finished!

My loaves turned out perfectly for once and I had to savor the moment!

After that it was off to the library to exchange our books. As I watched them search for the perfect book my heart was so full of love for them all. 

Joe mastered the monkey bars finally!

Finley spent forever on this swing.

Ollie crawled around all morning exploring. After we got home I put a roast in the slow cooker and baked some applesauce muffins. It was a nice, slow day!

Apple Saucin'

 Today we woke to a chill in the air. I can smell Autumn coming, and I'm so excited! It's one of my favorite seasons for many reasons. I love pumpkin spiced everything, warm sweaters, apple sauce, hot chocolate nights, and the beautiful colored trees. 

 It's been a rather productive week at the Acreage! In between picking a gazillion apples, juicing, canning jams and jellies, podding peas and picking berries, I managed to whip up a few "farm house" dish cloths. 

 The bright colors make me happy, and crocheting them reminded me of my Gramma. It won't be long before I'll be making these to replenish my own stash instead of selling.

We spent the afternoon in a kitchen scented with apple sauce and fresh rain.Each of the littles got a special job to do and it made it go so much quicker than the night before.

A thunderstorm blew in early in the afternoon and we welcomed the fresh, cool air as we worked in the hot kitchen.

 Ollie crawled around at our feet eating apples and playing with kitchen utensils to his hearts content.

Each of the kids took a turn with the squeezo and soon found a job they liked best. Fin's favorite thing to do was scoop the steamed apples into the squeezo. I imagined how tired his arm was after lifting it above his head a hundred times, but he was determined to keep going until the end.

Everytime we filled a pan with sauce the boys would switch jobs. 

I loved watching the big boys scoop and turn by themselves. When Hyrum was finished he flexed his muscles and checked out how big they were. It was hard work!

We opened the front and back doors and let the breeze run through the house. The smell of fresh rain, on the brink of Autumn, coupled with the cooked apples was heavenly!

Reese did a lot of sleeping, right at Grampa's feet...

We steamed and sauced 6 boxes of apples today and calculated that we had done about 250lbs total! It was neat for the kids to pick the apples, steam them and see them turned into fresh apple sauce. I mixed some with cinnamon and sugar and they devoured it (though Camilla likes hers plane jane).

Once it cooled we put it into bags 4 cups at a time. We ended up with around 65 bags of apple sauce in the freezer! The sense of accomplishment was felt all around! It was so great to be offered apples to pick from neighbors and then turn it into something wonderful to use later. It's going to taste especially yummy in the Winter months. I drove home with a flutter of joy in my chest and a smile on my face. It will probably be the last huge chunk of time we spend at the Acreage for a while with school starting, so going home was kind of bitter sweet. Thanks for the fun Mom & Dad!

Garden Bounty

 This morning we woke bright and early and watched some cartoons. I used the early morning light to make a few crochet dishcloths while the children played quietly. After breakfast Grampa went out to water the greenhouse, like he does each morning, and we joined him! We have been out there a few times this Summer and each time I am amazed at how much it grows in such a short time. 

 The children spent the day playing all over the acreage with their walky-talkies. As they ran through the house I would hear things like, "Goldilocks to brother bear. Come in brother bear!" and lots of "Do you read me?" and "Over and out!"

 The afternoon was filled with strawberry picking and baking. Joe started using a made up phrase "Holy canaveral!" and he used it for everything. "Holy canaveral! That's a lot of strawberries!" "Holy canaveral! Look at the black sky?" It made me laugh.

 The sky grew dark around 8:30pm as a storm blew through. The air became crisp and cool and we threw open all of the windows to let the air run through after a day of canning and baking. It was so refreshing! I sat between the open windows on the recliner and watched the lightning as the clouds rolled through to the North. Finley wandered up stairs shortly after 10:00pm and we tucked him in on the couch in the livingroom where the breeze was just right and the fan whirled around above.

We then steamed and sauced about 175lbs of apples with the squeezo. We finished around 1:00am and ended up with 26 bags in the freezer (4 cups a piece). It was a super productive day!

Fresh Produce

Last night after apple picking we juiced majority of the 40lbs of apples and made three batches of apple jelly! My mom whipped up another batch of jelly before breakfast bringing our total up to 35 pint jars. They looked so pretty sitting on my mom's counter all lined up. 

The children requested Gramma's pancakes for breakfast and Camilla pulled up a chair to help flip.

Gramma spoiled them and made each of their names with batter. They were so excited they didn't want to eat them.

Once their bellies were full we drove down the road and picked apples at a neighbors place. They had more than they needed and offered my parents any that were left. The boys were tickled to climb the ladder and pick! The trees were loaded with beautiful apples and we spent a few hours picking boxes full. 

It was such a wonderful bright, sunny day for apple picking! It ended up being much warmer than I thought it would be!

They always make sure to bring their hats to "catch" the apples from whoever is up on top of the ladder picking.

I even caught these two snacking as they worked! I love that they were able to enjoy fresh, organic apples right off the tree. They were so yummy!

He ate, and ate, and ate....

I discovered that this little guy is quite the climber! I've never had a climber this young before, so it's fun (and slightly terrifying).

It was a great way to spend the morning.

More jelly was made in the afternoon...

Seriously, such pretty apples!

I loved looking out and seeing the giant picnic table covered in fresh produce to be made into something yummy!

In the late afternoon I loaded up the littles and drove across the highway to visit with my childhood bestie and her Mamma. I haven't seen her for a long time, so it was nice to catch up and meet each others kids! I miss hanging out with this lady. We had such fun growing up across the road from each other.

Gramma whipped up a yummy chicken stew for dinner with the canned chicken and garden veggies tucked away in the basement.  It was so full of flavor! The kids ate it all gone with the promise of ice cream if they licked their bowls clean. Joe hugged me tight after dinner and promptly said, "Your hair smells good, Mom!" He quickly took his sweet little hands and gently grabbed a few strands to smell again. It was the best part of my entire day!