The garbage pail

I do wish now that I took a picture of what I'm about to describe; although, it certainly wouldn't be difficult to recreate. I can sum up mid August to Labor day as this: neatly packaged dirty diapers piled next to the garbage pail which is next to the change table which is in Kent's room. You see the garbage pail wasn't overflowing, at all. I had emptied that. Plus I had washed and disinfected it. I changed a diaper for Kent and realized I hadn't placed a new bag into the clean scented receptacle. To remind myself to do so, I placed the diaper next to the garbage. Well before I knew it, I allowed myself to add to that little tight bundle progressing sadly to now 7 diapers piled up next to the garbage - on the carpet!

Well.... that is the story for that part of our home. Unfortunately I could share a description for all the areas of procrastination in our home. It has been an adjustment with our new schedules with our jobs, Wade's new job which he is so happy about and for that I am so happy! My new hours are in the evening when Wade is home he can hang out with Kent and I go in until 8:30 /9pm. And we have our cleaning job at the Institute (which Wade has been so good to recognize this as one way we can SIMPLIFY our schedules is to eliminate that one.)

Thankfully we are talking in the past tense. There is improvement now that can be reported on. But you know having disaster and disorganization about really took its toll on us. We were in a bit of a rut. Thinking about recovering at moms for the time I did makes me more grateful I hadn't come home sooner. I know I wouldn't have been resting or "taking it easy" here. I can thankfully say I don't procrastinate spending and enjoying my time with Kent. My day revolves around that cute little guy. It was just hard to be motivated to do other things around the house. I got a creation mentality and thought about each room in our home and wrote down a plan. 6 days for labour and on the 7th rest! Wade and I were looking so forward to going to the St. Louis Temple for the Labor day long weekend and I desperately wanted the home organized and cleaned before we left. We all got sick and the week dragged on. So we escaped our home for the Marriott. It was so wonderful to be with Chad and Amy and Mia and Eli. Attending the temple I was reminded of order and beauty and how they truly affect relationships. How things were around me is how I was feeling on the inside. (ah that could be said for the good, peaceful uncluttered feelings I had while in the temple, and the unsettled cluttered feelings at home) Saturday night we returned home and the luggage detonated in our living room. Sunday morning - light - I determined I needed even half a day to tackle and correct things around here. It was labor day on Monday and with Wade in full support and even giving me encouragment to stay, went for a boys afternoon out and met up with some of his family at a lake for lunch and I stayed and sorted and put away the pile(s) of bills and papers. It's funny how I can say papers and you know what I'm talking about. "papers" have a way of coming into the home, they just come. No worries I have a filing system, it just hadn't been put to use lately. Got the luggage emtied and put away, and the kitchen cleaned!

Things are on the up and up!! I told my mom that I use the computer only as a treat for myself if I have other priorities accomplished. Kent is sleeping and I have the Kitchen prepped for the flooring guy to come this morning to remove our lino and place in some NEW lino! YEAH! (so now the dining room is housing the Kitchen shelf that we have food storage, storaged. but it's purposeful) he'll also be moving the fridge into the dining room to redo the floor.

It was at the family reunion Elaine and Uncle Tom were discussing a steamer that Elaine uses and is so thrilled about. I mentioned how much I dislike our floor in our kitchen and they briefly said just ask, that's that easiest and a cheap reno that your landlord can do.

I phoned our landlord and asked him if it were possible to have it replaced. Since the 1st day we moved in I never liked this lino. I could have it freshly scrubbed and it still looks dingy and marked. (and I'm a hands and knees floor washer!) Kermit (our landlord) came over and obliged. He told me he will to keep us happy and complimented our being tenants. So today's the day! So far the flooring man is 20 minutes late, but hey -that gave me time to do this. Blog, which has been therapeutic : )

I love Wade and Kent, and I love home and belongings.
We need to pick up after ourselves and adopt more fully "put away, throw away or give away" (my mom ingrained that phrase into me growing up)

Every day is a new day to create! Can't let earthly things crowd out the spiritual things or precious famliy relationships and others whom we need to reach out to too.

Canada here we come!!

For Kents first time flying the flight attendant gave him a pin with gold wings. We had smooth flights with Kent he couldn't have been more well behaved. So for all those other flyer's who gave us looks of 'super we're travelling next to a baby', he did awesome and won their hearts instead. On the flight home I actually had one woman ask me as she sat next to us "so, how does he do flying?' with a bit of a negative tone in her voice. Thankfully Kent was himself that flight too being the chill, mellow, content-Kent with smiles and laughs and sleeping times too. Eager to see mom and Kent got a warm embrace from Grandma! I get SO excited doing the last walk out of customs to push through the doors. Tears come and with a huge smile my feet can't go fast enough. The doors open and there's mom feeling the same way. There is nothing like reuniting.

Our first stop was to James and Rachael's home. Their first time to meet Kent. I still have Owen's voice in my head "I want to hold baby Kent". The boys instantly began calling him Kenty. I loved seeing THEM. Will and Ry have grown and matured so much! Owen is a wealth of information and Thomas since I've only had the opportunity to be with him only one other time his entire life - definitely blew me away with how much of a little boy is now. I love being in their home, where there is fostered much learning, work and play, order, love and security. The boys took right to taking us around the inside and outside of their home. It was neat to see photo's come to life in the club house out back. The boys with their story and explanations of what they like to do in the club house. Showing us their tool boxes from Grandma on their shelves. A sword fight ensued. Running in circles. Laughter. Laughter. Laughter. We ventured around the back of the club house where Owen was a brave tour guide. When he began to climb beyond the pile of wood boards toward twisted barbed wire fence, we turned back. Uncle James and Aunt Rachael were holding Kent on their rocking bench as we continued to explore the beautifully growing garden. Each boy has their own plot to tend again this year. Their back yard continues to change. This summer quite dramatically with the addition of a deck. James showed us the design he drew up. Big project! It is well underway. Look forward to seeing it come to fruition. While James has a new deck, Rachael is working on a new baby! Definitely look forward to seeing the fruits of her labours! correction- fruit. To say the least, what a busy, wonderful family. After the reunion William and Ryrie will be having a recital! William even requested that there be refreshments and a program. They've been preparing and practicing well. Their teacher is their Grandma Williams (Nana, is that how they say/spell it) via web cam! Remarkable isn't it?

At dinner Thomas had a joke to share with us. What's is your name? Jane. What colour is the sky? Blue. something something something... UP. Jane blew up! : ) Thomas's version in a commanding tone is: Name!?, Sky!? (I don't remember the last part but it would lead me to reply with UP! ) Then with the biggest smile he would connect it all - Jane blew up!

I promise Owen and Kent got to spend time together.

N-H-L! Living room hockey at it's best! Puck handling skills, swift goalie, passes and goals! Action packed fight and even a Zamboni!

Don't forget July

It has been a wonderful and memorable summer! It's already the end of August and here in Kansas students have already been back in school for over a week! There are many exciting things about July that can't be forgotten.

Happy Canada Day! When mom came in February she supplied us with these flags on a tooth pic. Thankfully I remembered they were in the kitchen cupboard for making desert on July 1st complete! Wade and I have began a tradition for our family on July 1st and July 4th to sing the national anthem and have quiz, brush up, share or read some country trivia, facts or history. You get the idea. And sing we did! Kent just stared at us wondering what we were doing all of the sudden breaking out in song in our living room standing and belting it out.

Happy 4th of July! Can't even imagin setting this firecracker off in the backyard!! Kent's jaw dropped at the size of this one!

Firework shopping with Kyle and Bethany I asked the clerk how much was the most she'd seen purchased as one time...and I completely forget what she said now - but it was ludicrous.

The names of the fireworks are so funny. We bought one the frog prince - turned out to be a fav of ours. The mouth lit up as the fireworks went off - pretty cool.

Backyard BBQ at Wade's moms home and setting off fireworks big and small all afternoon and into the evening. Then we sat back and watched the rest of the WW3 neighborhood setting off all of their fireworks! Kent did pretty well with the mass exposions but did get spooked a couple of times : (

The second annual tank race! 2009 winner was Kyle! A rusty start but Kyle got the furthest distance!

It was a great to see everyone again. Amy had just got back from her brothers wedding in Florida which was a special time spent with her family. We missed seeing Phil but he was importantly needed else where with Bodes. It was great to spend time with Mia and Eli we adore the fun things they say and do. Bobby and Ryan were hillarious with their endless "blowing up" things and creating new fireworks. Beth, Mark, Chad, Joel, Kristie, Kyle, Bethany, and Grandma Sanner.

Hey - I actually lit a cracklin' ball in my hand and threw it in the air to pop (impressing Wade lol).

5 months old - growing so fast

Grandma came for a visit! It was so nice to be together again!

Even got some rounds of Quiddler in. She is so sweet with Kent!

Drying off after a nice warm bath First time touching grass He was mesmerized I couldn't get him to look up at me at all he was so intrigued with being outside ON the grass. I intentionally took him out to go on the grass now before the chiggers come getting so close to sitting up by himself - but not quite there yet perhaps by next month!