Spring Break 2012 Part 2

(I have decided that posting about Spring Break 2012 in parts is better for a couple of reasons: 1. I can't seem to find the time to put everything in one post for our memory book  2. Sometimes breaking things up helps me stay focused better.:))

Tuesday of spring break was spent getting Amos a new haircut and taking him to the vet to get his last round of puppy vaccinations. The kids were so funny watching him get his shots...Amos didn't wimper a bit, but John Owen let out a little wimper for him when the shot was given. Then we dropped him off and left him with the groomer. Jonah picked out a "Critter Keeper" for his recent collection of frogs and turtles while we were there.(Please see this post re: Jonah's critters) It really is a neat place to keep these critters for observation TEMPORARILY!!

Then we spent the rest of the day just enjoying the weather with baseball, walks around the circle, etc. Just being at HOME...

And we were all surprised at how different Amos looked when we picked him up later that afternoon. John Owen even asked if they might have switched our dog with another. :) Here's Amos with his new haircut at nearly five months old.

Wednesday, we fulfilled Jonah's spring break wish by going to the zoo! Jan even joined us for this excursion. Our first stop was the new Dinosaur exhibit.

Ready to see the dinosaurs! Of course, each person has to have their own map.

John Owen looks like quite the informer here. I am sure he is telling his brother and sister all about this dinosaur.:)

They got excited when they saw this dinosaur!

Watch out! This guy spits. He almost got me and they thought that was funny.

A dinosaur puzzle!



ROAR!
Mary Claire didn't want to take her eyes off the dinosaurs behind her.

Even Jan got in on the search for fossils.

Carousel Ride



A fun day at the zoo!
Spring Break is so COOL
To be continued...(Just one more post, I promise.hehe)



Spring Break 2012 Part 1

Well, spring break is winding down...Oh, how I hate to see it go!! We have enjoyed ourselves and gotten quite a few things accomplished so far this week. I asked the children to name one thing they really wanted to do over the break, and here's what they said:

John Owen: "I want to go to the movie theater."

Jonah: "I think I want to go to the zoo."

Mary Claire: "I want to get some pink flowers.":)

This Momma took notes and then added my own "to do" things to the list, feeling very content about the fact that I didn't have to worry about packing bags to go somewhere this week. Just a week at home with my kids...You know, sometimes just NOT having a schedule or somewhere to be is NICE!

John Owen got to fulfill his spring break wish Friday night with a date with Mommy to the movie theatre! We went to Sonic and then to see "The Lorax" in 3D! He was so sweet to offer that we share a big drink, just like he has seen his Daddy and me do when we go to the movies. :) It was nice to spend some time with my big boy!

Ready for The Lorax in 3D!

(Kind of a dark picture taken with my phone)

As a "It's Spring Break" kick-off, I bought tickets to "the greatest show on earth", and we went to the CIRCUS on Saturday afternoon! The kids were mesmerized by the different daring and amazing acts. (Mommy and Daddy were amazed, too!)

John Owen (8), Jonah (6), and Mary Claire (3)

 

I got the kids' closets cleaned out Sunday afternoon to get a jump on my "to do" list. :) A 6 mile run uptown with Jan and Laura finished up a great Sunday and a great kick-off to my spring break!

Monday, we spent a couple of hours picnicing at the park with friends and enjoying the BEAUTIFUL weather!

Don't these boys look so excited about picture time? I'd say they were a little outnumbered by the girls in the group.

"Mommy, here's a flower for you!"

This is how boys PLAY!!

Down the slide!!

A fun day at the park!

Spring Break...to be continued!

Not Blogger's Block!

You would think I've had "blogger's block" with the lack of posting I have done lately. Gosh, where did the last 2 weeks go? I can assure you, it's not a lack of content to blog about...

We've had a little sickness around here for the last 2 weeks with sinus infections for everybody, and a possible fever virus that struck 3 out of the 5 folks in this house. Despite all of that, we continue to run at a constant, regular pace. Out of the house by 7:00 a.m., home again sometime after 4:00 p.m., supper fixed, a little laundry done, a bath/shower for 3 little people, a run for me and/or Jan (taking turns, of course) as we TRY to stay on a running schedule, and then bedtime for the little people that keep me running. MY BED TIME COMES LATER AND LATER EVERY NIGHT SO IT SEEMS!!

The following content comes from our niece's wedding. Jade and Riley were married this past Sat., March 17th at Garland Baptist Church. It was a nice wedding. Mary Claire did a wonderful job as the flower girl!! I was so proud of her. She stayed true-to-self as she "sprinted" down the aisle, made a silly face at Christi when she spotted her in the congregation, handed her basket off to one of the bridesmaids because she just didn't want to hold it:), held the bride's hand right before the exchange of the rings, and then shrugged her shoulders at strangers in the crowd as she left as if to say, "I guess I'm supposed to follow the rest of these folks outta here." No major interruptions to the service, and we were SUPER happy with that!!
Just a beautiful flower girl with just a LITTLE personality (insert: sarcasm).

And that's only the start of it! Jonah has been keeping me SUPER busy with his animal collection he seems to have started. I am seriously considering charging admission and renaming this house the Hensley ZOO! Fish, frogs, butterflies, dog, turtle...you can keep your little ones entertained here, for sure! It all started with these:

Then, while we waited to see these complete their metamorphosis, we found this...

His name is Izzy, and he's a baby snapping turtle...Great!!

And if that is not enough,

he brought this home the next day...

Oh, my sweet Jonah, and his love for all living creatures! He asked me yesterday on the way to school if we could put the frog someplace other than with the turtle because the tadpoles would need room. TADPOLES?!

Now, hold on a second...

When he told Jan this, Jan simply said, "Son, you have to have 2 frogs for there to be tadpoles." Jonah quickly came back with, "Well, I'll just have to get me another frog out of Daddy Nick and Mimi's skimmer!":)

I just happened to come across a book about Painted Lady Butterflies today in the library, so I brought it home for us to read to Jonah before bed. He studied it, and then asked, "Momma, do the mommy butterflies stay with their eggs?" I told him that I didn't think so.

(I even looked it up in the book, and it only said they lay the eggs on the underside of a leaf. When in doubt, use your available resources, right?)

Then his sweet soul said, "So that means they never meet their Momma?"

I almost cried thinking about it.

Something's wrong with me, ya'll.

Butterflies should not make me this emotional!

Anyhoo, save your money and just bring your kids to the Hensley house to view all of the creatures we have on display. :)

In Like a Lion

The end of February has come and another month has begun. And boy, has March BLOWN in! What is the old saying, "In like a lion, out like a lamb?" This is the 4th day of March and the winds have certainly been blowing! Today, as I did my long distance run in preparation for my 2nd half marathon (which is in 2 weeks!!), I was FIGHTING the WIND!! Whew!

Anyhow, I need to include some things from February that I haven't had time to post about yet. Let's see...where should I start?

Oh, we had so much fun going to watch our favorite girls, Madison and Mary Leslie in their school play, Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat. The cast did an awesome job! And Mary Claire loved ELVIS aka Pharoah! She kept asking when he was going to come back out on stage, so I had to get her picture with him afterwards. This is Madison holding Mary Claire with Elvis standing beside them. :) Mary Claire got ALL SHOOK UP when he came over to see her...she turned on the shyness and wouldn't talk to him at all!

We love you, Madison!

John Owen did an excellent job in his Presidents' Day program at school. The 2nd graders performed a Presidents Day Rap Song in white tshirts and blue jeans. It was GREAT!

Jan, my mom, and I completed our Winter Cross Country Series last Sunday afternoon with a 10K trail run in Shelby Farms. Jan did great!! He ran faster than me on all of the trail runs. I am definitely slower in the woods! And the mud...oh my goodness!

(My mom placed 1st overall in her age group for the whole series! Go, Mom!!)

With the slippery mud, I was so afraid of falling and hurting myself. I kept thinking, I can't get hurt. I have to work and I have 3 kids to take care of and a mountain of obligations and responsiblities!!!I can't get hurt!! Praise be to God, none of us got hurt. A little sore, yes, but that comes with the territory. Jan and I both finished 15th in our age groups, and we are in very competitive MRTC age groups. Jan will run his first half marathon in 2 weeks with me as we compete in the Germantown Half. I am super excited for us to do this together! And my kids have been super supportive through it all. They went with us to 3 out of the 4 trail races! It was a family event.:) My dad was gracious enough to sit in the van with them or play with them at the park while we ran as quickly as we could. hehe They would wish us luck, and then we were off to the start! Thanks, Daddy Nick!!

My parents celebrated their 42nd wedding anniversary on February 27th, and we treated them to dinner at a local restaurant since it was a school night.:) 42 years of marriage is an accomplishment, and I know that with God's help and guidance, they have weathered the storms of life. Mom and Dad, thank you for being a Christian example of marriage. I have learned what love is and what marriage takes through your example.

Now, March has begun and we are starting the month off with sickness! That's right, I said SICKNESS!! Mary Claire came down with some sort of virus Wed. night and has already missed two days of school. It looks as if she will miss tomorrow as well since she is still running a fever. I am praying she will be much better tomorrow or I fear we will be calling the doctor. John Owen missed school Friday due to a fever, but he has been fever free today, so it's back to school for him tomorrow. Jan's not feeling well now, and I am praying Jonah and I can HOLD OUT and not get whatever these other guys are dealing with.

With John Owen and Mary Claire at home sick Friday, Jonah and I had a special day at school celebrating Dr. Seuss's birthday! I was the Cat in the Hat, and he was Thing 1. Our friends, Lane and Bo, also had fun dressing up for Dr. Seuss's birthday, and they joined us for a quick picture Friday morning at school.

The kids at school got a kick out of seeing me dressed like this all day.

March things we are looking forward to include daylight savings time, half marathon race, St. Patrick's Day wedding with Mary Claire as the flower girl, and SPRING BREAK! Woo-hoo!!

But right now, as I hear the wind kicking up outside the window I sit next to, I think I'll go turn on the weather channel and check out the forecast. :)

Or maybe I should google some good kites to order for the kids...