more may pictures

We went to Red Robin for dinner and Will was thrilled to get a balloon. This was my view in the rear view mirror the whole way home. Obviously I need to work on my photography skills, because this isn't a very good picture.

I had to get a few last-minute things done for school, so I turned on a movie for Will. It felt so good to click send for the final time. So good, in fact, that when I walked back into the living room and saw the havoc that Will wreaked on the room in my absence, I didn't even care. This picture doesn't do the damage justice. He ripped up two kleenexes and a slice of cheese into incredibly small pieces that took a long time to clean up. He's got a talent.

Nothing like a clean boy, fresh out of the bath and brushing his teeth. Will has been enjoying my freedom (now that school is over) because we are able to spend more time outside. The weather has been absolutely beautiful. I wish everyone could visit Kansas City in the spring. I know it won't last too long, so we are trying to soak up as much as we can while we can. Will seems to have an innate honing device to wherever there is dirt (or ants), which means he is pretty dirty by the end of the day.

With the addition to solid foods to her diet Lauren is thriving! Will likes to cheer for Lauren when she eats a bite and then he waits for me to cheer for him when he takes a bite. Our mealtimes have always seemed slow-paced, but they've gotten even slower. But Lauren is sleeping through the night (7:30pm to 6am), so it is worth it!

We went to the Overland Park Arboretum and saw snakes swimming in the water. Twice. Will was facinated. It was a gorgeous day, and I kept thinking about the beauty of the earth. The night before I attended our stake relief society meeting and the artist that painted the mural in the first instruction room of the Kansas City Temple spoke. He said something to the effect that "the visual helps reach the soul." I really like that, and I have found it to be true in my own life. When I am surrounded by beauty I feel closer to God.

The student and the teacher. Lauren still enjoys watching Will and Will likes showing off. He will often yell, "Mommy, Lauren, Daddy, Will. That's our family!" I hope he always is that excited about us. Lauren has been trying to put everything in her mouth lately, so I am thinking she might be teething again. She is also getting good at picking stuff up.

Will is a character. When I went to pick Will up from nursery, his teacher told me he took his shoes off and insisted they stay off. He also told her he is 6 years old. While we were walking towards our car, a kind ward friend gave him one of the chocolates they gave to all the women in honor of Mother's Day. He was just strutting around in the parking lot like this while Tony and I were talking to friends. I guess we should pay closer attention to our child. You should click on the picture so you can see the chocolate drool hanging from his lower lip. Or you shouldn't if that would gross you out.

Back porch picnic. We met some friends at the park and Will got soaked in a man-made, kid-friendly stream. So I had to take his clothes off so he wouldn't soak his car seat on the way home. I made the executive decision that we would get chick-fil-a for lunch (I got the sense that Lauren wanted to get that for me for Mother's Day) so we drove through, got our lunch, and then ate on our back porch. Again, I am LOVING the beautiful weather.