Evening Fires

The weather has been so lovely this weekend! To celebrate our wonderful country Camilla made sure to dress in red and white for church today. I dug out the Canada flag tie that I made for one of the boys when they were little and spiffed Ollie up. The rest of the kiddos weren't that into it.

We sang "Oh Canada" for the opening hymn at church and I couldn't help but tear up as I sang! I am so grateful for our country and all that it offers. 

The afternoon was slow and quiet, just the way we like things. Sawyer and I hung out in the greenhouse chatting with Grampa and enjoying the weather.

 

While the little boys napped I whipped up an apple spice cake with my Gramma's maple icing. It's been a favorite around here for the last few weeks and doesn't seem to last long. 

 

 

 

 

 

 We finished off the evening with a roaring fire, smores, and good conversation. These kids are getting older and wiser too and they are so fun to talk with! It was nice to just relax and enjoy the evening outside. Being together as a family is one of my favorite things!

My Whole World

Today was so wonderful! We took the littles to a new favorite park and went on a short walk down to the river after they had finished playing. They were all in such good moods and getting along so well. As they walked ahead of me on the trail chatting away to their Dad I couldn't help but feel blessed! 

My whole world.

We made our way home for lunch with two hot pizzas on my lap. After they filled their bellies they spent the rest of the day playing outside under the birch tree. They hung a blanket over a couple of branches to create a cover from the rain and played "survivor" all afternoon. They packed oranges and homemade fishing rods and the boys ran around the yard without shirts (because that's what you do in the wilderness apparently). Camilla was the mother and Fin and Ollie were her children. The other two boys were the protectors and chased off wild cougars and such. I loved looking out the window and seeing the big kids piggy backing the littles around the yard, using their imaginations and playing together. This is what Summer days are made for.

Wild and Free

There is a corner of the acreage that is covered in wild strawberries! The littles ventured out this morning to pick for a little while. We got a small bowl full and enjoyed every last one!

We took advantage of the beautiful weather and went into town to hit up a park. The littles needed to get some wiggles out and thoroughly enjoyed the monkey bars and slide. They played grounders and ran to their hearts content. 

Oliver loves playing at the park and climbed up all of the tricky things (which made this mamma nervous). I love watching them discover and learn!

The late afternoon brought us to the lake for a few hours of boating. It was a tad windy and choppy, but we made the best of it and enjoyed a few snacks!

Some of the highlights included Camilla jumping from the boat to the tube and falling into the water instead. And Hyrum's solo tube ride where the tube turned into a kite for a few seconds and flew through the air. 

Until next time!

School's Out

The kids are officially out of school and we are all in relax mode. The rain has put a damper on anything Summery being done outside, so they spent the majority of the day today watching Harry Potter movies and eating cake and cheese knots. It's crazy to see how much they have grown and changed this year!

The rain always puts me in the mood to bake and I really went crazy this morning! I made a rhubarb cake (that was promptly eaten), an apple spice bundt cake, bread, cheese knots and three chicken pot pies. The baby napped three times, and I filled the sink with hot soapy water that many times just to get through the mountain of dishes I created. While I was busy in the kitchen the boys used half a bottle of hand soap in the bathroom sink for their army men. I'm sure they will live in my bathroom sink for the next few days until the  boys get bored of playing in soapy water and sloshing water on my bathroom floor all afternoon.

It rained all day and in the late afternoon I found out that the last soccer practice of the year was cancelled due to the weather. I was a little bit relieved because it made dinner time so much easier. Joe helped me make a warm pot of chili for dinner and loved dumping all of the ingredients and spices in the pot. He taste tested it right off the wooden spoon and was so proud of himself. We husked the corn together, boiled the water, and set the table. His reward was licking out the icing bowl after we iced the bundt cake. He loves to help cook and I need to call him into the kitchen more often because we had a lot of fun!

I am looking forward to Summer and a more relaxed schedule with less obligations. We like a slower pace and I'm trying to be ok with that. The kids helped Daddy clean up the kitchen and then enjoyed a Movie after dinner and cake. Just as I tucked into bed the rain turned from a gentle drizzle to a complete downpour. I pulled the windows down to let the fresh, cool air in and tucked under my duvet. I layed there listening to the rain and trying to figure out why I stay up so ridiculously late all the time. Perhaps it's waiting on the last loade of laundry to finish so that I can put it in the dryer before bed, or it's the quiet of the house and ability to collect my thoughts or do something that I enjoy. I will probably be a night owl forever!

Eleven Years

Today Mike and I are celebrating our eleventh anniversary! Time has gone by so fast. I am so grateful for our marriage every day and for the man that Mike is. He is patient, kind, and affectionate and takes such good care of us all! Life has been full of changes and unexpected surprises but together we have been able to overcome any obstacle and enjoy all of the blessings that have come our way. He truly is my best friend and I couldn't imagine spending eternity with any one else.

"It's not always easy 
and sometimes life can be deceiving,
I'll tell you one thing, 
it's always better when we're together. 
Yeah, we'll look at the stars when we're together. 
Well it's always better when we're together.
Yeah, it's always better when we're together....."

Night Owl

It has been a busy day! I spent a lot of time washing and folding laundry today! It was relatively nice out which meant some good time spent outside admiring the flowers and other things that are growing! 

My mum and I cooked up about ten roosters between us and turned the meat into homemade chicken nuggets. Dad was super happy that his idea worked out, and they are really yummy! We froze over 150 of them to bring out for meals at another time. 

We finished just in time for soccer practice! Watching the big kids play is so entertaining! Hyrum did an amazing header mid game, knocking the ball across the field toward the net. It looked so natural! For a kid who didn't want to play, he sure is good! He has fallen in love with soccer and can't wait for next season!

After the teacher gifts were made and the kiddos were in bed, I stayed up way too late getting things done. As I type I have bone broth simmering on the stove, raspberries bubbling for syrup, chicken pot pie filling cooking up on another burner and a sink full of dishes waiting to be done. Even though I run off very little sleep, I somehow manage to stay awake late into the night doing crazy things like this. I sure am missing Mr. Stannix today and can't wait for him to get home tomorrow night.

Sawyer: Seven Months

Sawyer is Seven months old already! He is turning into such a little boy! I can't believe how much he looks like his Daddy these days with his sweet grin and jolly cheeks. He has a twinkle of joy in his eyes that brightens a room and he has all of his siblings asking when we can have another one because "He's just so cute, Mom!!" 

He has two bottom teeth and more on the way. He is loving his food and especially loves when he can feed himself from his tray. His coordination is spot on and he is learning so much each day. My very favorite face is when he scrunches his nose, shows us his toothy grin and laughs. 

There are rolls on his arms and thighs and he has grown a second chin. He frequently grabs my hair or shirt collar with his chubby fingers while he nurses and melts my heart every day. I love when he snuggles on my shoulder and falls asleep and I cherish our quiet moments together in the nursery at naptime and bed time. I love that I'm not researching the different stages of development with him like I had to with Camilla. I am way more relaxed and often know what he needs without having to think too hard. He is such a joy for our family and we love watching him grow!

Sunday Snooze

Sunday Naps are the best kind of naps!

The Symphony

 We decided to celebrate our anniversary early this year with a night at the Symphony! The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra was playing the music of Harry Potter and it was amazing. Thanks to my parents we were able to head up earlier in the  day so that Mr. Stannix could meet a few clients and get some work done at the Edmonton office. I was able to visit with my dear friend Jessica for the afternoon before picking him up. We enjoyed Vietnamese for dinner and dropped Sawyer to my brother's place for the evening. It was the longest I've been without a baby in months and it was nice to get away with Mr. Stannix for the night!

The Late Morning

The late morning found me snuggled on the couch watching the rain fall and the spruce boughs bend in the wind. Sawyer's chubby hand held my shirt while he snored contently on my chest and the boys played in whispered tones at my feet. The furnace came on a few times just to show us how cold it really was outside. As the rain briefly turned to snow Finley exclaimed, "Oliver! It's going to be Christmas soon!" Soccer practice was a cold one leaving the boys chilled and cranky. I couldn't feel my fingers by the time we got back into the van. Everyone was tired and worn out, but especially my middle man after a long field trip today. He is one that needs quiet and calm, just like his mamma. After everyone was tucked in for the night I did a quick tidy of the kitchen and then made up some hot chocolate for Mr. Stannix and I. The wind howled loudly as we drifted off to sleep.

Baking Spoils

 We had more rain today which made for a lot of rainy day baking. The kids were still in and out all day long and as I mixed ingredients, Oliver would walk through the kitchen with rubber boots two times his size. CLUMP CLUMP. 

After a morning of dirtying my kitchen the final baking count was six loaves of fluffy white bread, a dozen cheesy pizza knots, and a dozen blueberry muffins which will mostly end up going towards school lunches.

 Sometimes, rain days are nice! And if you ask Oliver, it doesn't matter what the weather is like. He's always happy!

Wrestling Match

It's been such a rainy month! The little boys are going stir crazy. This morning they wrestled around the livingroom for a good hour while I baked cookies. 

Finley's favorite thing to do is tickle people and Oliver uses his toddler chunk to his advantage. He can pin Finley down in 10 seconds flat. If the headlock doesn't work, he just sits on Fin's head until he screams for help. 

A rainy day wouldn't be complete without a double batch of cookies!

Stormy Skies

The sun graced us with her presence for most of the day today. Waking up to blue skies and sunshine always sets a good tone for the day. 

We don't have many more school days left this month and we are all eagerly counting down the days until Summer! I had to snap this picture of the boys this morning, looking all grown up on their way to the bus. And of course Ollie had to get in on the picture too. 

Grampa's greenhouse is growing so many yummy things! We harvested the first of our Black Hungarian Peppers today. They already smell so good!

With the extra sunshine I hung the cloth diapers over the railing to dry. They blew in the wind while greedily trying to catch a spot of the sun. All of the windows were opened and I loved listening to the sound of bird song as I played with Sawyer on the floor. 

Whenever the weather is agreeable, Daddy comes home early from work and hooks up the boat! There's already been a few days where we have picked up the kids from school and drove straight to the lake for a few hours of fun in the sun! 

Sawyer is starting the like this boating thing just as much as the rest of us!

It's always a treat when Grampa comes along! The littles like having him around and especially love it when he jumps on the tube with them.

Mr. Stannix got brave and tried the knee board for the first time this year. The water was still chilly, but he had fun!

Sometimes I look at my kids and they look older than they did yesterday. I wish I could freeze time!

It was such a gorgeous evening, but the storm clouds soon caught up to us. I loved the contrast of the dark clouds and the color of the lake while the suns rays peeked through the storm. It was so beautiful!

Soon it was time to head home for showers and bed. Our schedule has already started to relax a bit and we can't wait for more carefree nights like these!

Happy Father's Day

Today we spoiled our Daddy with breakfast in bed and lots of hand-made cards. We are sure grateful to have a super Dad around to love and care for us all. After six kids, he's a natural at this Dad thing and makes juggling them all look easy. He has more patience than I ever will and I love sitting back and watching him do the Dad thing. There is nothing more attractive than a Father who fulfills his role with love and tenderness. Those moments where he cradles a new baby, falls asleep next to a little boy, disciplines with love, and teaches with passion make me fall in love with him all over again!

We snuck a quick picture in before he left for his early morning meetings. All of these littles sure love their Daddy!

I had a friend make up this T-shirt for Father's day and it came just in time! We enjoyed a Father's day dinner with my parents and the kids even helped me make a special dessert. I hope this guy feels celebrated every day, and not just on Father's day, because he sure works hard and deserves all the love! Happy Father's Day sweetheart!