spring into happiness

I am seriously enamored with Spring. It might have to do with the fact that we have fairly harsh winters but I love that too. I just love to have seasons really. Coming from AZ where they have two real seasons, Spring and Summer :), I just can't get enough of it.

It has cooled down again a bit but for one glorious day last week we had a big sunny sun, a reason to sweat, shorts weather, scooters on the porch...and jersey willows to pick. {I know they are called something else but I didn't want it to come up weird in a google search or anything. }

These willows are among the first things to bloom here. As if they are beckoning Spring into the new year. We actually don't have any in our yard so I knocked on some friendly people's door on our walk home from school and asked to pick some from theirs.

I made the mistake of putting them in water because by the next day they bloomed. Which I think they look pretty all fluffy like that.

Jared thinks they looks like disgusting little over-poofed caterpillars. So...he disagrees. They are starting to go bad and stink so I should have let them dry out...but they are still pretty to me.

Owen came home with a cute little seed pot. Which...we have already forgotten to water. Oh poor little plant. This {assuming it grows and we remember to water it}, the wheat grass I am growing right now, and the onions that come up like weeds in our garden plot are likely the only things we are going to grow this year with the possibility of moving soon looming over our heads. I am pretty bummed about it, but hope to make up for it next year.

One other thing we love about Spring around here is General Conference.

We spent half the weekend in our pajamas. I bought a bunch of cereals I refuse to buy any other time of the year and set up a little cereal bar Saturday morning. I added cut up bananas and strawberries for toppings and let everyone have at it.

This was my concoction. Pretty yummy if I do say so myself. Owen and Jared stuck to the fruit loops.

Reid decided that his bowl was not enough. He had to have it all. :) Everyone agreed that we should make this a tradition....but I might make it an oatmeal bar for Jared and I next time. I wasn't used to all that sugar. Blech.

We played some apostle bingo which was short lived. The Legos, tents, general conference coloring sheets, and toys took up most of their time and attention.

Jared and I replenished our water supply, and 72 hour kits while we listened on Saturday morning.

On Sunday, we cuddled up on the couch filling our souls with the wonderful counsel given while the snow that fell during the night melted away again. Sunday afternoon was the best. Yes?

And the kids kept us laughing as always...

- When President Monson came up to speak again on Sunday afternoon, Reid got excited and remarked," President Monson! Hi! You're back!"

- Owen asked for a drink. Jared reminded him to ask 'please.' I then added, "with a cherry on top."
Owen retorted with, "Not with a cherry! It will sink Mom!" Ha ha...get it? It will sink in his drink. It took us a minute to figure what he was talking about and then another minute to explain what we meant which I still don't think he got. After all he hasn't yet had an ice cream sundae with a cherry on top...I better change that!

And today...the first day of Owen's Spring Break! Whoo hoo! We got a package from my mom. Getting a package from my parents is so exciting around here. It's like second Christmas...or in this case Easter.

When Reid got this Cars tool chest, he immediately asked, "Can I put Mack in this? And Lightening!?" 

Owen honestly worked at this Spiderman math workbook my mom got for him for the rest of the day.

He even tried to skip out of dinner to work on it.  I don't know if it was because I encouraged him to do other things instead, that he was so bent on working on it, but he loves it. I had to teach him  subtraction - which as you can see he didn't get at first :), but he is excited to "get smart." Thanks again Mom and Dad for such great gifts.

We are looking forward to no school this week! I don't know why, but I am just as excited for Spring break as Owen is. Happy Spring Break!