Protein

The boys were slow pokes eating their breakfast and we had to be heading out the door.  I was selling    Leon's plate trying to attract his tummy with things like your delicious eggs and toast are waiting for you to eat them up. They will give you energy for the morning. The eggs have protein. Leon's reply to me was, "I don't like protein"

The bank

We have a great playground in our complex.  The boys haul their bag of construction toys and whatever else I offer consent too and have a grand old time in the sand.  This evening while there I was on the sidelines on a blanket with Wren and watched the boys playing together so well and also apart in their own worlds.  It was one of those moments where you never want to forget image, the laughter, the little sound effects, the cool breeze, the happy faces. Kent hollered over to me to come over to his "bank".  There is one of those play counters as part of the playground equipment.  Past days it has been an ice cream shop.  Tonight a bank.

J: do you give out lolly pops at this bank?
K: yes. But you have to make a deposit first.
J: oh yes, of course. Do you have a deposit slip?
K: here you go (handful of sand)
J: I have 50 dollars to deposit. (Handful of sand)
K: thank you. One moment please. Which account do you want it in?
J:  my savings account please.
K: just a second.
J: ( I started making small talk with the banker) so how long have you worked here at the bank?
K: for 11 weeks
J: oh!  Do you enjoy it?
K: yes well you see I am the only one.
J: so you don't work with others? That's a lot of work.
K: well there are others but they don't do much. They are tired. They are in the back and just watch movies. You know.
J: (this is hilarious to me) oh I see.
Then an "awkward silence" ( I was curious what he would say next
K: well your done you should get going now (waving me on, like I am plugging up the drive up)

- the next transaction -

Now Leon is in on the job with Kent
Kent informs me that Leon has been working there for 6 hours.
Leon with cutest grin asks me
L: you have money?
J: yes I have 20 dollars to deposit in my checking account
L: OK!
We carried on a little more and then he offers excitedly "cherry or chocolate!?"

I finally got my lollipop! ( handful of sand)


Today we had fun going to the library and then to a beautiful lake to eat the food I packed and then back to the library for story time.  Met up with a friend for the story time. She has 2 sons, 4 yrs and a week shy of 1 yr.  Our boys are playing well together! So nice for us to have friends right way.
We know each other from back home Canada! She was heading to a farmers market afterward and invited us if it worked well and it did.  Made my way over there no problem. I chose a vendor where they charged 5 bucks for half a bag and 10 for the full bag.  kent and Leon selected what went in the bag. It is surprising how much we got for $5.  Apricots. Plums. Green peppers. Broccoli. Kent selected 2 tomatoes..he doesn't even eat tomatoes, I think he was just on a roll. Lets see we also snatched some new potatoes and a cucumber. We ate up some apricots and plums at the pic nic tables while we visited.

Our location is central to everything!! Love it! The library is so close to us. There is a new target and whole foods (yipeeee!) that are my neighbors and then a few blocks from all that shopping is a lake that makes you feel like you are more remote.

Wade went ack to work this evening for a

With dad

First time attending with our new congregation here.  I loved catching Wren and Wade snoozing before church June 9th.  We are excited about moving here and serving with those we met. Kent's sunbeam teacher reported a gushy tale of how much she and her husband adore Kent! She said he was actually answering questions during class and was shocked he could tell her about Moses as a baby being protected from the bad guys and going down the water to be saved.  He sang out all the words to the children's songs.  She said he was sitting next to her after asking for her seat, and she obliged and she said that he sang ALL the verses clearly while the girls (all the rest if his class consists of 4or5 girls) were busy twirling their hair.  It cracked me up to hear of Kent's participation and singing it out.  I am glad to know he is comfortable!  :  )

During the sacrament meeting we were welcomed in a touching way.  The leader conducting the meeting stood up midway and said in the kindest way to not worry about needing to take out our children, please stay! We miss those sounds and we want to hear them!  We meet with a generally older congregation.  Kent reportedly told Wade when they sat own in the pew that there was a lot of grey hairs here.  Lol.  There is a wonderful spirit in our congregation.  We are thankful to be here.

After church, lunch, naps, choir (yes! I actually went) we went for a walk together as a fam to a nearby lake.  We realize more and more how blessed we are to have found this apartment home to live in.  Even just across the street is a completely different feeling and loudness.  We have a nice, well kept community that is quiet. Yes pet friendly but no animal poop everywhere and doesn't feel cig smoke filled nor dirty. Across the street - all of the above and more. 

Tuesday night it was 101 degrees during the day.  i took the kids to a spray park. Leon said over and over on the way home "mom i had yot's of fun at spray park!!" and this was our entertainment post dinner! Excuse the boxes...never ending boxes.  Almost there I hope! 

Arrived!

The 5 am drive

We did it! And not a task by ourselves either.  I am thankful for my brothers and brothers in law who helped tremendously to pack the trailer and to our landlady who told me they were painting the entire apartment so I didn't have to have the walls washed! Huge time saver. I was still up till the wee hours of the morning preparing ourselves for the exodus and our alarms were set for the wee hours of the morning...bad combination.  Wade was brilliant to suggest the boys go to bed in the clothes they would be wearing the next day. From bed to car seat worked well.  I had Leon and Wren and Wade had Kent.  This picture is Leon with stuffed animals.  He still loves them.  Favorites are "brown bear" "lambies"" and "other Lambies" and "pug dog" 

Wade phoned me when we were leaving the Lawrence city limits.  He asked right away how the children were and specifically is wren ok? Is she crying?  I replied that they were both fine but that I was the one who was crying!   I will miss our friends, family, and this great city. It was hard to say goodbye!  Our dear friends the Woods who live in the same complex as us, it was with Alexis that we prolonged or avoided saying goodbyes until late last night.  All week leading up to it we would well up in tears or I'd get that awful lump in my throat and would try to brush it off with a consoling phrase of we don't have to say goodbye yet.  When I went over to her home Wade asked why I was going there? Taking our milk to them. He asked I don't stay long. Jane just take the milk.  We still have much to do and want to be in bed (on air mattress) by 10pm (lol) I knocked on door and was invited for ice cream...I obediently said I can't (hahah) Alexis then insisted on sitting at the couch to which I couldn't pass up.  We just cried. And shared little words and consolations. She said it best that this is what it is like with college towns but this time it's harder. She is a dear friend.   

Another dear friend I had to say goodbye to was Laurin!  She was little miss inspired insisting on watching my boys at critical times and so thoughtful providing the boys with presents to open along the way!  

Lll

A few funnies from Leon

On route I- 70 a mere 20-30 min on our journey we reach the skyline of Topeka.  Leon excitedly asks, "we in Colorado now?" I wish I knew how to type or even say Colorado the way he does.  Wade and I were trying to mimic it one evening....Caurado! It's cute.

Well my reply to his question was no but we are getting closer and closer. After we have breakfast and lunch we will be there!

We were almost to Colby - the oasis of the plains.  So this is the classic western Kansas that the rest of the world chalks up Kansas to be like.  Not quite to this oasis they deem themselves to be Leon comments to me,
"I don't yike Caurado."
J: how come?
L: cause, cause, cause, cause x 5 cause's
J: (I interject) why don't you like Colorado?
L: cause, cause, cause, cause IT'S EMPTY!

I reassured him that we were still in Kansas and that Colorado is not empty.  We are getting closer and closer! : )

It was a beautiful drive.  We did get some rain up until Salina.  And because of leaving in the morning there was a gorgeous fog.  The fog was present when we travelled past the wind turbine farms.  That was cool.  Kent was thoroughly impressed with those giant machines.  I'll have to ask wade of some quotes from Kent as Kent mostly travelled with him.

I would phone wade when I would get drowsey.  (Remember not much sleep last night) it was too bad when there was no reception in the plains. When the cells would work I loved hearing wade on the other end.  Wade is hilarious he always cracks me up.

All in all the boys travelled fantastic. Never a whine or complaint. Wren was fantastic. She chose to fuss right when we would be coming up on a rest area, just in time to pull over.  She was otherwise sleeping or reaching for the toys dangling before her.

No peeking until Topeka was from Michelle and Eliot! Wow so generous and thoughtfully chosen!!  The boys opened that bag at our first rest stop which was east of Russell, at Wilson....? Something like that.  They were exstatic!

Then Laurin individually wrapped gifts for each boy that we had them open along the way. Super generous and again thoughtfully chosen.

The boys were thrilled with new things to clutch in their hands, play with and enjoy the edible gifts too.  Made them feel special that's for sure. : )

Travel safe trailer!!

So long all of our belongings that aren't being packed in our cars!  Hope to see you again soon! The boys watched as the driver prepared the last of the paperwork with me and then waved as he pulled away.  Just like that. Wow! It is happening. We called their friend Malcolm to witness the trailer leaving the parking lot.  Breakfast on our cooler. The countdown for Colorado paper chain is ripped down to one last day.  I asked each boy if they had one day left in Lawrence what would you do?  Then of course I said guess what, this IS the last day in Lawrence, what would you do?  Leon quickly replied "go to train depot!"  And Kent's immediate response was "go see Gandma Sanner!" 

I am sorry to say I didn't/ couldn't fulfill either of their wishes.  They did go to a favorite place of thiers though to Max and Emma's and baby Nathan's while Wade and I cleaned the apartment and packed the cars as much a we could.  It was a big day. 

9 feet!!!

So how many feet do we think our possessions fit into? I know I gave it away in the heading.

we downsized a good deal passing along freebies of toys, clothes, odds and ends to friends, family and even a plumber and goodwill.  The plumber came to fix the tub hot water tap that trickled.  Nice to know that the next people who live there don't need to snuggle up to the shower head to get wet...I had requested it to be repaired years ago. But I was told it was a different problem ...long story short it was readdressed and fixed within the same week.  The visiting plumbers enjoyed Kent and Leon's questions and comments and also liked leaving with our tv and dinning room table and 6 chairs.  Sweet! 

As my brothers James and Lloyd sat amongst our crud we discussed how many feet in this 28 ft trailer that is 8ft wide and 9 ft tall on the inside. You pay for a minimum of 5 feet and then each additional foot is $81. We had a few scary conversations before the loading began and then during.  I figured it is what it is. Hopefully we aren't paying more than would have cost if we just got a 16 foot truck and drove it ourselves, pulling our second vehicle behind.   It is a different loading and thought process when you care about the space occupied.  Wade, Lloyd, James, Chad, Joel were Tetris masterminds.  9 feet was the grand total after wade and Joel sEcured the bulk head.  The company then fills the remaining space with commercial goods.  They transport the trailer for us.  No hidden costs. It went exactly as they told and quoted. 

Gifts from uncles and aunties in Canada!

Uncle Lloyd and Uncle James brought many gifts for the children!  They got to open and see them today.  These airplanes haven't left their sight even keeping them for nap time.  While all three napped at the same time I was able to plug away with packing...still packing!?  The worst part is the last of it. The random odds and ends.  James and Lloyd were off getting a grand tour of campus by Wade.  They loved it!  It is a most impressive campus. I was pleased how much time they spent up in the hill.  Shopping for their families hooking them up with KU gear and touring the fieldhouse, and walking along Jayhawk blvd.  and the campanile on memorial drive.  

The trailer arrived today! The Guys were awesome to begin hauling down boxes to load into the vast empty space that evening.  Then they took a dip in the pool.  Well LL swam and wade and James cooled off enough by dangling their feet in it.  

I love my brothers! Tom was present for late night living room chats via FaceTime. They are so wonderful.  So hilarious! They are so good with our children.  Great individuals and great fathers.  I know it was a sacrifice for them to come and visit.  It means so much to me that they could see where I've lived the past 7 years. It is most memorable for me watching them interact with Kent, Leon and Wren. I have more pics from the trip on my camera I need to upload here. And I know they took a bunch.    

Farmers market with good friends naturlich!

Tour de home

Before it gets completely boxed up.....

Farewell lunch at HFD

Beautiful Lees Summit and lunch with dad!

I wanted to visit Wade at some point during his internship in Lees Summit, see this city and meet his great co workers.  It was wonderful to meet those he'd worked with so closely for the past year.  Wade was also excited to introduce his family to them.  We went for lunch to a recommended restaurant - the neighborhood cafe.  Our fave thing about this place was the hot batch of gooey cinnamon rolls they place down on the table when you are seated and browsing the menu.