The Henson-Robinson Zoo

A day off school for Easter "Monday" meant a day trip to the Henson-Robinson Zoo in Springfield. It is a small zoo, but a great size for little ones. Emily had fun chasing a peacock and taking photos. Megan enjoyed feeding the ducks and playing on the playground. Joshua liked feeding the goats. Eli, well, he just hung out. Here are a few shots of the zoo.

Joshua, Michael and Eli

Poor peacock that got chased by Emily

The "Peacock Chaser"

Sweet Megan

This looks like a statue, but is actually a live tortoise.

Emily with a hippo

Feeding goats

Dad with Joshua

Michael with Eli

Joshua liked feeding the goats.

Closet Readers

Ok, if you have children that LOVE to read, you may be able to relate to this post. I find the girls reading in the strangest places in the house. Wherever you can carry a book, you might find a reader escaping to a faraway place and time for another adventure, or learning about their "interest of the day." Here are our "closet readers" enjoying a fascinating book on wild cats. They are reading in my closet. Yes, among my shoes they are learning about tigers and panthers. With my scarves and belts as their backdrop, they are discovering pumas and bobcats. Odd behavior? Maybe, but they are in love with books and learning and I love THAT behavior!

 

Eli is learning to "smile" for the camera. It usually includes a goofy squint. : )

A Little April Fool's Day Mischief

For some reason, the girls LOVE pulling little pranks for April Fool's Day. They REALLY, REALLY love pranks. They talk about it all year long, but most of the pranks they want to pull on their Dad, and most of them I have to veto. Their ideas usually include nail polish and makeup to be applied while Matthew is sleeping. 

This year, we decided to play a little bit with mealtime. We made color changing jello. It looks like cherry, but tastes like grape. We replaced Matthew's glass of water with a glass of invisible Kool-Aid, and then served "miniature" breakfast foods for dessert. The girls had lots of fun, and the pranks were harmless. So, now, the brainstorming for next year begins. : )

All of these tiny treats are actually candy!
What a fun idea that we got from Clubhouse! magazine.

A Lesson on Plants

To learn about plants, the girls have their own spider plants, and we have experimented with what happens when plants don't get enough water or sunlight. Spider plants are great because they grow "spiderlings." (I am sure there is a name for the little plants they grow, but I have no idea what to call them.) The girls picked a few of the "spiderlings" and we soaked them in a cup of water to stimulate root growth. When the roots were substantial, we planted them in new pots and gave them a generous drink of water. I am pleased to report that our new spider plants are flourishing, and the girls have three more "spiderlings" in a cup of water on the windowsill, waiting for their own pot of soil! Now if only our pineapple plants would start to produce fruit!!!

Playing with Friends

We always love having friends and family over to play. One afternoon, Kaden stopped by to play. This young man is so much fun, and so well behaved. He is always a joy to be around. The weather was perfect this afternoon, so we played outside and checked out the fully-bloomed magnolia tree. (This tree is a magnet for tree climbers, and is great for the kids because the limbs are so low to the ground. It makes for some fun photos.) We took a walk and ate popsicles before Kaden had to leave. We look forward to playing again soon!

Another Typical March Day in Illinois ???

Well, the weather last month was SO atypical for Illinois. We traded our winter coats for shorts, sandals and sunglasses! We were so excited to get back outside and take daily walks. The girls even found a new favorite spot to do their schoolwork -- on the top of Essie's doghouse. We'll enjoy the beautiful weather, and enjoy the extra days outside!

Megan loves to push the stroller (or shopping cart at the grocery store).

Sweet Emily loves hats!

Baby feet ...

... and a pair of sandals!

Popsicles on the porch swing in March??

Practicing handwriting on the doghouse.

Hunt for the Gold

Ellie came over for an overnight the night before St. Patrick's Day. When she got to our house, the three girls had a scavenger hunt to find an after-school snack. They followed a series of clues until they reached the "gold" in the refrigerator. 

After the scavenger hunt, we played and danced and ate, until bedtime. The next day we went to girl scouts, played at the Stronghurst park and took a walk down to the creek, where the two older girls kicked off their shoes and waded in the cool water. I wish I had gotten a photo of Megan's big find! When Emily and Megan were wading, Megan found two four-leaf clovers -- on St. Patrick's Day! Unfortunately, we put the clovers in the cup holder of the stroller and I forgot about them. The next day, when we got the stroller out for a walk, I rediscovered the wilted clovers. 

Here are a few photos from their hunt!