Where do I start...

 hmmmm....

So...I have a lot of ground to cover and a lot of pictures to share.

It goes without saying {even though I am typing it anyway} that I'm a bit behind.

First, these are pictures of Owen and his "glasses." He designed them himself and everything. I was pretty proud of him. I mean, all the space ships he makes are cool...but glasses? - that, I can appreciate.

And second, the answer to the question that has been weighing over our heads for two months - I am not exaggerating, it really took that long - is that NO, Jared did not get the job in AZ. So, our plan it to stay here, keep writing, work part time for the Forest Service just as we have been for the past two years.

I am glad we can just know. We can now make decisions a little bit more certainly. Like, should we think about potty training Reid this summer? Will Owen be going back to the same school for 1st grade? Should we plant a garden? And on, and on. It's just nice to know what we're doing. Being in limbo was such a drag. I was almost depressed over it. Not being able to keep progressing and make decisions concerning our lives until we found out whether we would be moving or not, was oppressive, but a good lesson in being grateful.

Anyway...more about our goings on:

 Owen had a bike safety rodeo at his school a few weeks ago.

Here's Owen and his bud Spencer.

 Owen and Lydia {and her older sister Emma}

 Creamies for afterward. A local treat tradition.

It has been really rainy this year, so on the sunny days we try to monopolize on the warmth;

This picture was taken on another day on my camera phone, but I thought I share it here.

 I. Love. This. Picture. Love it.

 Reid all bruised up from wearing shorts more often and playing outside more often.

This is hands down our favorite park. There is so much grass and wide open fields surrounding this playground. Jared and I toss the frisbee around while the boys play. Jared taught me how to play frisbee when we got married. Before that I didn't know how to play anything sports related. It's "our thing" now to play whenever we get a chance.

And playing outside has had a higher price than just bruises for Reid:

He rubbed three of his fingers back and forth on our old wooden gate and got himself about 30 slivers in each finger. We had to dig out the largest ones and then left the smaller ones to come out on their own. All three of us were in tears by the time we had picked them out. It was awful.

The day before Mother's Day the trees finally bloomed. It was the perfect Mother's Day present.

And we had nice weather the day before too. Blue skies...delightful.

On Mother's Day I awoke to a wonderful breakfast of crepes. A crepe cake to be exact. Jared got up early and made it for me.

 It was so sweet. I even got to eat on the our family special plate.

 And for my gift I got a popsicle mold. I had been having trouble with the cheap kind, so Jared and the boys went to a kitchen specialty store and got me this nice one.

I was in the kitchen earlier in the week, having trouble with the old cheap molds we have, and I remarked how I wish I had a better one. Owen then said, "Don't worry Mom. We'll get you one!" And he definitely made good on that promise. What a thoughtful boy.

I ended up having to trade this one in again for a silicone one so I can make whole fruit popsicles, but I sincerely loved this gift.

I feel so lucky to be mother to two such wonderful boys. Thank you to my sweet Jared who has made me a mother.

At breakfast, Owen asked when kid's day was. Ha ha...we told him it was kid's day everyday! I don't think he was satisfied with our answer.

 Reid loves to do airplane. But he likes to pretend he's Buzz Lightyear.

 And sometimes Superman.

The same goes for when we are getting out of the car. We have those automatic doors that open and close with a push of a button. He likes to push it, then press imaginary buttons on his "wing pack" and then leap/fly out of the van into my arms.

 As I mentioned {in like the last few posts, including this one}...it has been a really wet, cold, rainy Spring.

 When it rains, my favorite thing to do is make foil boats! I remember pestering my mom to make these with me as a child too. Except, now I'm pestering my kids to do them with me. :)

The boys absolutely loved it and Reid got soaking wet chasing after his boat which kept sinking.

Jared had a great idea that we have adopted as a new tradition called Thursday Dollar Dates. Jared and I take turns each week taking one boy out for a short 30-60 minute date in which we try to find something fun to do for $1.

On this date, Reid and I went to window shop at the pet store and then we went to a candy shop on Main street to buy a $1 worth of candy. I tried my first chocolate covered Cheeto and it was pretty dang good.

Here's Reid showing me his candy. :)

Owen had his last day of school on Thursday. The parents were invited to come view their poetry reading at the end of the day.

 Owen is the last one on the right in the back. I think you can see him patting his head?

 Here's Owen reading his poem with his bud Santiago.

 Owen's teacher and teacher's aide. My little hoodlum was rushing out to play before I stopped him and made him take this picture. As much as he loved school and his teachers, he doesn't seem sad at all to have school be over. :) I think I was more nostalgic about it than he was.

And lastly here are some funnies from the boys:

We put the bunk beds together yesterday and are trying to get the boys to share a room. I am pretty sure we are insane.They stayed up until past 11 PM and then woke at 6:30 AM. Hopefully they'll get used to this set up and not do that every night. I figure now is a good time to try it since Owen is out of school.

After Stake Conference today, we informed the boys that they would be getting a nice long nap today because they got so little sleep last night. Owen responded with something like, "Yeah. I'm just a nocturnal boy." I can't help but wonder...don't nocturnal beings SLEEP during the day. He doesn't do that either. What do you call that? :)

During Stake Conference today, Jared and I were having a whispered discussion close to each others' ears about how I would take Reid out if he got out of hand. Two hours of sitting is hard for a 2 year old and we were getting prepared. Unbeknownst to us, Reid was listening in and shouted, "I am out of hand!" Ha ha....But when I took him out he kept asking to go back inside the "nanner-nacle."

Sigh...We are almost completely schedule-less at the moment, which is SO not me. But it feels nice for the moment. We are cleaning out our house and rearranging most everything. Since we aren't moving, we still feel like we need some change. So that's our project this week, that and to end with the biggest garage sale we've ever put on in our married life. And hopefully after that we can get into a nice rhythm for summer.

Hope you have a good week!