oh procrastination

i've almost sat down a couple times to write a new post but the fact that so much time has past since my last update, the next post should be a doozy! This has caused me to not update and thus only further fester the current problem.

with that acknowledged, the point of this post will be to quick give an idea of what our 'now' looks like. when i'm on our home computer, and i have all the pictures at hand, i'll do a post of pics and let the pictures do most of the talking.

owen and i drove way out into the country on sunday and visited a friend's small family homestead. There was lots of space to run, beautiful flowers and vegetables to observe and envy, we took a hayride around the fields of tall grasses, wildflowers and corn, we climbed up to the tree house, we were amused by and imitated the chickens and roosters, and we pet and fed the horses. It was a good escape for both heart and mind. We arrived back home refreshed and happy, and owen carried along his 3rd tick of the season. Goodness, that poor child is apparently very delicious to those damn deer/wood ticks. Luckily his skin is so freckle- and mole-free that those ticks are easily discovered.

Ry has been working like crazy to wrap up his M.A. degree. He's nearly there! He has to do the oral component to his comprehensive exams (waiting for the profs to set that up), and he takes his German exam this Friday. His advisors have gone through his thesis so he just needs to get that finalized and bound (i think?). AND he starts teaching, he'll be an adjunct professor, next week. He will be teaching three classes, and they're all the same course. He is excited to be doing what he's been working so hard to do. He'll be a great professor. This does mean, though, that he won't get a break between his M.A. being finished and his work starting as an adjunct professor. Whew!

FallBall. fun fun fun. Ry's playing softball on Monday nights. Fun team, fun fans, fun to watch. Owen and I love going to the games to hang out with friends and to run around. Owen is a great cheerer, too. He loves shouting, "Nice job, dad!" He'll hear what we, the fans in the stands yell and then he'll shout it out, too. Pretty cute.

I am currently at work, writing here and there throughout my work day. I have been putting in three 8.5 hr days a week, but that's now going to drop to two 8.5 hr days a week. I'm changing my work days according to Ry's teaching schedule, so I'll be working Monday and Friday now. I'm really excited about this change. It will be good to be at home more! I can keep on top of house things with better ease, and I can get through my prep-for-baby list. And I just would rather be at home with Owen than in an office.

Granny is moving today. She is going to leave the house that she's lived in for 50+ years and move into a nice small place in Cannon Falls (where Ry's parents live). It will be a good transition for the family, and Granny seems to be doing well with the change. Ry is going to help out with that tonight. Me, in my prego state and with my almost 3 yr old boy, will be staying home so I will not be in the way.

So that's us right now. Busy and in transition. Enjoying the cool weather. Nesting into our home. Cooking fresh food from our garden or from the market across the street. Content and healthy.

kitchen

here are photographs of our kitchen! i have yet to make red balances for the door window and for above the sink (i like creating the illusion of a window there). I searched for some fabric today but did not have any luck yet. I think I have something too specific in mind.

Here are a couple before photographs:




And here are some 'after' -current- pictures!

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.