produce .. productivity

these days have been days of productivity. our three july weddings have come and gone. we've hosted wonderful guests from afar in our home and visited and played together, and ate good food.

i've been dreaming up - and slowing acting out - how to make our apartment more like our home and how to organize things better. our disgusting kitchen, which was stained and greasy and just plain yucky, has now been given a makeover. It is not finished yet and so I will hold off on posting photos until I have a couple more key things done. But WOW! does it ever look amazing! There were gaping dusting holes along the top of the trim, the radiator had a lot of food stains running down it's front, all the trim was seriously chipped to reveal the dark green paint underneath the creamy topcoat. The walls were a yellowish cream colour that just looked dingy and dirty (because it was). Anyway, now the walls are coated with a fresh 'coventry garden' colour, and the trim is bright white. This is offset by the nice oak cupboards and white tile backsplash (two good traits that were previously in the kitchen). It truly is amazing what paint can do! Oh, and I have filed in the gaping holes all along the trim and that really cleans the place up. The radiator is also bright white now, and completely clean!

When we initially moved into our apartment we didn't do a good job of storing items that we didn't need to unpack. However, since we just stuffed everything into a storage closet, accessing any of it was not possible unless you emptied the entire closet. That is not ever fun. So, I finally gave that closet a redo. I added some shelving and now everything is accessible and stored properly. I also went through a couple boxes and purged some things (always a good feeling).

I am beginning to form plans for Owen's bedroom. His closet is very 'thin' - there isn't space for a rod to go lengthwise across, so there are two mini bars that go from the back wall to the front, on either sides of the closet door. Well, there isn't a door, it aught to be opening. I'm going to build a little thin shelving unit to put in there for his clothes. His dresser functioned as a changing table for owen, and it will be revived as such for this next little one. This means Owen needs a place for his things and the room isn't big enough for another dresser so I will utilize the closet space.

I could go on, but I think that is all that any of you care to know. In addition to these details (that are exciting to me), we've been getting in a lot of park time, and time outside. We recently had a stretch of cool weather. This was very welcome as neither Ry or I are people who tolerate heat very well. But it makes being outside not just easy but very enjoyable.

We have a Farmers Market across the road from our house, which is amazing! We just go for a wee walk every Friday and then we come back to our house with arms full of fresh produce. I even bought a lovely bouquet of fresh flowers last week. It is wonderful to have close and easy access to fresh produce.

some videos and pictures

owen's baby. given to him to represent the baby growing in mama's belly (i'm now 20 weeks!). he likes to take care of her and carry her around.


our garden at granny's house! it's a good time to get dirty and hot.

weekend wedding

it's been a blur these days! we had Erin and Ben's wedding this past weekend (Ry's sister). It was a beautiful, fun, enriching occasion that lasted from Thursday night to Sunday night! So we were pretty wiped come Monday, but it was a good feeling.

We all were involved in the wedding, which means I unfortunately don't have any photos of us in our wedding wear. But here is one of Owen at the dress rehersal (as well as cousin Lillian) (note his new short spring haircut):




Ry did the music during the ceremony. He played guitar beautifully, and sang full and strong and awesome, as he usually does. Owen was the ring bearer that bore no rings, as we weren't sure he'd even make it down the aisle. BUT he did make it down, holding my hand. He wanted me to carry him, but I promised him goldfish when we made it to front if he walked so he obliged. I was [one of] the maid of honours, and owen escorted me down. I kept him in line through the ceremony, which involved taking him to the potty, retrieving him from the sacred alter at the front of the anglican/episcopal church (in the middle of the vows), and ignoring him when he started to say poop and fart loudly in hopes of getting some laughs. But he did great, all in all. Pretty low interruption, really. And the ceremony was beautiful; I was able to enjoy it.

This week has been pretty low key, thankfully, and now we're getting ready to go the Granny's cabin, to open it up for the season. We're really looking forward to this getaway, as the cabin is such a beautiful, quiet recluse location (except when the neighbours are there). Roger and Marnie will be there too, it will no doubt be a nice time together.

grandparents.

we just spend a wonderful 5 days with my parents (or rapa and rama as owen calls them). They stayed in our living room so we could spend as much time together as possible. Owen got along with them splendidly and couldn't get enough of the tractor, animal, and reading time. I can see that the next couple of days will be difficult as he has grown accustomed to constant attention.

Here are some pictures in the days before Rama and Rapa's arrival:





Here are some pictures from our time together. We took a lot of walks down Grand and Summit, and we visited the zoo and conservatory.











and finally:

glorious day

we had a gloriously warm day today. temperatures reached 17 C and our windows are still open. It's wonderful what fresh air and warm sun will do to ones mental, emotional and physical state. Owen and I went to the park today. Much of the playset was inaccessible due to the incredible amount of water around the slides and steps. He had so much fun any way. He slipped on some ice and fell in the water, but he reacted well and did not even want to go home after it happened. We had a lot of fun.

owen has mastered the potty, at least as far as pee is concerned. he tells us every time he needs to go, even if it's at some place that isn't home. we still put diapers on him to go out, but usually they are dry the whole time. we're so happy about this new development! and owen is, too. he applauds us and encourages ry and i when we pee in the potty, too.

This is Owen enjoying his bath.


Owen set this up: after I remade his bed, he set all his teddies to go night-night with him.

shome!

we've all been fighting a little lingering cold that doesn't want to shake itself entirely out of our bodies. it's nothing major but it's slow nose drip and throat tickle are annoying. Perhaps it is merely coincidental, but since Owen has caught this little bug he's become more of a bug himself. His stubbornness has gotten stronger and his desires with it. So, if he wants chips then you better believe he will make that request known. He gets this look in his eye that I am sure he's mimicking from a time when I was determinedly telling him to not throw his food on the floor. But he looks at you, eyes kindof slanted, and says, '..i...want...chips!!!' The fact that there aren't any chips in the house doesn't matter whatsoever; no, he doesn't care about that little fact. But at any rate, these little episodes ('sodes as i like to say) usually pass after his fall-straight-onto-the-floor-while-yelling fit, followed by some quiet time in his room. He usually emerges feeling calm and happy and, gratefully, the chips forgotten.

obviously our little owen is becoming more aware of the possibilities one uncovers when one exerts his will. as parents, we are trying to allow the space he needs to be determined, forceful and then upset. he certainly balances out his tantrums with his still-intact sweet disposition (despite all i've said). He's becoming quite the little talker, as well as a caring boy. If one of us coughs, his immediate question, 'you okay?' never fails to make us smile. His laugh and smile, as contagious as ever, emerge easily. He loves wishing us 'big days' when we leave for work, and his uncontrollable excitement when we arrive home is marvelous and is like no other homecoming. one of his forms of play has been to pretend to go to work. he has a couple bags that he puts over his shoulders, he gives kisses and hugs then says bye and have a big day, then he's off 'to work'. Sometimes this involves putting on shoes, mitten and his tuque (all of which he has to do himself), but he's never gone long. His work days are short. He gives hugs and kisses all over again as he happily announces that he's home (shome!).

life is busy and full; we're content while tired.

it's called 'winter song' and i love it.