Hearts and Fun

I love Valentine's parties at school. The kids always have so much fun. It is just precious to hear them laugh and just be kids. School is so structured and they push kids so hard these days that it is nice when they have days to just hang out and enjoy fun. Here is my little Valentine! See what I mean about the laughing. He was laughing about someone trying to pin the nose on the puppy.
Getting ready for his turn at pinning the nose.....

Talking it up with his friends at one of the tables of games

Can you see the chocolate on his face? They played a game with oven mitts and Hershey's kisses. It was hysterical
Enjoying the cookie cake. Nothing like a little sugar before the end of a long school day.
We had to go see Mrs. Parker too. Hayden will always love his 1st grade teacher. She is amazing.
Hope everyone had as great a Valentine's Day as our little sweetie did.

Our Own "George Washington"

Last night the 2nd grade at Hayden's school performed a patriotic program for PTA. Last year our fella was the Prince in Sleeping Beauty for the 1st Grade play. http://givenscraigfamily.blogspot.com/2008/03/thursday-march-13-2008-fairytale-play.html This year he was George Washington in the reader's theater program. (Maybe if the baseball / basketball / author / rock star careers don't work out for him, he can be an actor. HA) It was a precious program and lots of precious kids. There were quite a few proud Mommas, Daddys, Poppaws and Mommaws in the audience too. The evening was not without some excitement in the form of one of the little girls getting REALLY really sick. It will not be an evening to be forgotten.

This is ole George coming in for the program. He was being the line leader. I cannot tell you how much he enjoys that role.

Going to his spot on stage
This is Sleeping Beauty from last year. Isn't she still just as adorable as ever?
This is "Betsy Ross". One or more of the kids in "George" and "Betsy"'s class had these two convinced that after Betsy made the flag, she and George would get married. HA
So precious, I could just kiss those rosy cheeks all day long
" When, oh when, is it going to be my turn?"
George on his way to the microphone.
This is "Benjamin Franklin". "George and Ben", I mean, Hayden and Luke play basketball on the same team this Upward Season.
Such good looking fellas....gosh they grow up so fast
"I am George Washington. I helped write the Declaration of Independence. When the King of England invaded our shores, I led our military in the fight for their lives...their freedom...YOUR FREEDOM. That is how I became so famous. I was a good General. When it came time to write the rules for our country, I helped write the Constitution. It took 11 YEARS!!! During this time I was elected the first President of the United States" (Just wish you could hear him say these lines, he was so animated.)

This is "George" watching "Betsy" doing her lines. Maybe ole George does have something for "Betsy".
Emmanuel, Mrs. Faith and Hayden. Mrs. Faith is such an incredible teacher. I hope for all our friends with kids in school or going to be in school, you are blessed with teachers like this one.

Hayden told us last night that the best part of the night for him was that his grandparents were there with him. He sure loves these two! Hayden and the girls!

My Heart Just Overflows

Tonight was the 2nd grade program at school. I will write all about our little George Washington in a separate post but this one is all about how much I love this kid. You see one of the songs that they sang tonight was the National Anthem. Well this song is special to my kiddo....he knows it is important and he treats it that way. He was all in costume and turned to the flag when the music came on and ....he immediately took his hat off and put his hand over his heart. It was all this Momma could do not to cry. He was the ONLY little boy in costume that took his hat off during the Anthem. Can you tell just how proud I am of that?

The pics are not great because well...they just are not but maybe you can see enough to know why I am and will always be so proud of this moment!

More Basketball

Hayden plays basketball with a neat group of kids this Upward Season. (Truth be told we have been very very lucky with the Coaches and the kids he has gotten the opportunity to know each of his three seasons of Upward). The kids all really like playing and have really come a long way in four weeks of games. Check out the intensity even in warmups....This little guy just could not get away from Hayden. This player that Hayden had to guard one of the periods they played was taller than our kiddo (and rougher too). He threw a shoulder into Hayden's chin to try to get him off of him. (Ask me sometime how mad Hayden's daddy was about that? Especially when the teenage referees said nothing.......)Apparently we got a boo-boo during the game. :-)Hayden was tough on defense all day. He had 10 rebounds, all on the defensive endThat's Hayden on the other side of this kiddo. Hayden had 10 steals during the game too.I love this shot. Hayden and Luke are both trying to anticipate where the ball is going on the inbound playOur fella was worn out but played five of the six periods without complaining about being tired and without slowing down....Such a sweet face.....I wish he would just let me kiss it all the time.....

Do You Ever Wonder..

what kids are thinking?

Hayden usually shares with us whatever is going on his head. Friday on the way to the van from work was no different. I had to get the camera out of the bag and have him do it again and I'm not sure the pictures actually do justice to how funny he was when he actually stopped and picked up the sweet gum ball.

His immediate statement when he picked it up was "Mom, I think there are "whos" on here"

"Yep, I can hear them!"I guess he is just ALWAYS thinking........

Being Mom......

After school on Friday, Hayden came to my office to hang out before we went shopping for birthday presents for upcoming birthdays. I have a new office chair and Hayden was all about sitting in it. He told me when he sat down he was going to pretend to be me!
First he got the pencil to begin "my" work.....
Even though he is right handed, he even had the left-hand at work with his writing like Mom. Apparently I concentrate very hard when I am deciding whether to file a complaint against "bad attorneys".
And in case you could not tell in the previous picture...."I" have a chocolate bar in the other hand. I guess he thinks while I work I am eating....hmmmm Mommaw, you can quit laughing now....I think I can hear you all the way from Izard County.

All A's

Friday was the Awards Assembly for the second nine weeks at Hayden's school. Our sweet, funny, athletic, faith-filled little boy is also oh so smart!!! (Do I sound like I am bragging? Good, because I am!) He made all A's again this nine weeks. We are so proud of him.

Here he is on his way to stage to get his Principal's Honor Roll Award.

How is it my little friend always manages to stand by the pretty girls? We are so blessed with a wonderful teacher this year. She is fun and loving with the kids. They all know she cares about them and their success in school. It is so neat that she cares so much for them and encourages them as she does. This is after she did a cartwheel at the assembly for "her kids".
Can you tell the kids (especially ours) loved it?

I cannot begin to tell you or descibe how much this Momma loves this little boy!!