A Busy Start

Summer 2010 has proven to be quite a busy time for our family so far. We started the first week of June off with finishing up two baseball seasons and both boys attending baseball camp. This was Jonah's first year to go to baseball camp with his big brother, and I loved watching them run out there together. It's fun being the mom of 2 sweet boys! We squeezed in as much swimming time at Mimi's pool in between games and camp times. And since we love swimming so much, I asked John Owen if he was interested in trying out for the local swim team. He said, "Yes!" So, during the first week of June, he tried out for the team and made it! He swam in his first meet this past Tuesday night and did a great job!

Sportin' the SPEEDO Jammers!

(Hey, at least it's not those "other" things!:-) )

Checkin' out his card and wating patiently for his race # to be called

Getting ready to take the stand for the start of the race

Jonah, undoubtedly not wanting to be outdone by his big brother, asked if he was going to be on the swim team ON THE DAY we went for John Owen's tryout. I told him he could ask the coach when we got there.  (I was using the "Not my decision, but someone else's..." tactic, thinking that the coach would kindly explain that 4 years old (almost 5) was kinda young to be on the swim team. But to my surprise, the coach said she'd take a look at both of them in the water. After quite a while watching them swim, she turned to me and said, "Yes, for both of them!" Jonah was so happy, and I was happy for him. He didn't get to race in the first meet, but he's getting close to it! (Secretly, I am glad he didn't compete. I was very nervous just watching John Owen.) So, now I have 2 Manta Rays on the 2010 Swim Team! Way to go boys!

On the homefront, I have been cleaning out like a mad person. I did not waste one day after school dismissed for summer, and I started with the playroom. I am happy with the slightly new arrangement of furniture, but especially happy to have toy bins cleaned out and re-labeled. Next, I moved onto closets with my closet being the biggest task. Then I cleaned out the garage! (And did it right before one of those isolated summer storms hit...You should have seen me racing to get everything organized back in the garage before the rain fell!) :-)

And in the midst of all of this, I was reviewing the music & choreography for the VBS music I was scheduled to teach this past week! (Which we just completed yesterday and had a fun week!)

So, as you can see, it's been pretty busy around here as we have begun Summer 2010...Makes me wonder if there's any validity in the old saying, "Lazy Days of Summer".

Hope some of you get to enjoy some "lazy" time this summer. Maybe you can enjoy some for me!! :-)

Crazy What?

Crazy Hat Day, that is. John Owen began Camp Invention today, and he seemed to enjoy his first day very much. I think they have some FUN stuff planned for the week. Tomorrow is Crazy Hat Day, and he impressed me with such a creative idea for his crazy hat. I had simply suggested we use one of the dinosaur caps we have in the dress up clothes in our playroom, but he met me at the bottom of the stairs tonight with the bottom part of his Captain Hook sword which, of course, the sword is no longer a part of...BOYS! :-) And he asked me if I had any pipe cleaners.

Here's what I thought..."WHAT? Pipe cleaners? How does he even know what pipe cleaners are?"

But here's what I said..."Sure, I have pipe cleaners." (I looked at the black beanie-shaped object in his hand and replied, "I can see what you are thinking!" 

Then I just smiled. I couldn't believe he had come up with such a great idea!

We got right to work and he even came up with the idea of how to secure it to his head before I could make my own suggestion. What a smart cookie! I hope he has fun with it tomorrow. We certainly had fun making it!

Crazy face picture!

Of course, little brother finds his own hat and shows us his crazy side! :-)

Au Revoir, Otto

Almost four years ago, Jonah was given a fish for his birthday. The fish was a Beta, and he was beautiful. He became a part of our family depsite the fact that I wasn't really crazy about the idea of having a fish and Jan's skepticism about a fish's notorious short life span. We all had those goldfish we won from some carnival that had a life span of about a week, right? :-)

We named him Otto. (In case you are wondering, the name came from a P.D. Eastman book we liked reading, titled A Fish Out of Water.) Otto came to live with us when we were living with my parents while building our house, and then he made the move to this house with us. I can remember holding his bowl as we made one of our final moving trips.

Sadly, we had to say good-bye to Otto a few days ago. He left us and went to fish heaven. We could tell he was weak, and Jan tried to prepare the boys and me by telling us more than once that he thought Otto was not gonna be around much longer. I couldn't help but think about what we went through with my grandfather beginning last October and then ending in March. I knew he was sick. I knew he wouldn't be around much longer, but didn't know how long we had left. Otto was a good fish. He was a strong fish. He was loved and admired by 3 Hensley children. (And Jan and me, of course. :-)) We all had a different reaction to his passing...Jonah was very no nonsense about the whole thing. You could tell Jonah was sad, but he never shed a tear. He wanted to be the one to see him off (down the toilet) while my sensitive John Owen cried with me. I was a little surprised at how John Owen cried over Otto's death. I must admit I cried more than I expected to as well. It has been a little sad lately when I stand at the kitchen sink washing dishes and look at the spot where Otto has resided for 3 1/2 years. Maybe tomorrow I'll remove the empty glass pitcher with colorful rocks.

I know it may seem silly to dedicate a whole post to a fish, but he wasn't just any fish. Otto was our fish and lived longer than any fish I have ever known. He was a good fish.

So, au revoir, Otto, and thank you for bringing joy to our lives for the time we had you.

(This may not be the best picture due to the fact that it was taken a while back with my old camera, but I am so glad we have a picture of him to remember him by.)