The Howard Happenings: August 2010

Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Happy Helper Award - Week 2

Carson had to get the happy helper award this week. He was trying so hard, even if he still did have a few daily tantrums. But anytime he would do what I would ask him to do, he would say, "Now I get the happy helper award" and then he would flash me his big, cheesy happy helper smile. It made me laugh every time and that counts for a lot! He was really trying and was disappointed when I had to tell him he had to wait until Family Home Evening to see who was going to get the Happy Helper award. But when that night came and he was the winner, he was so ecstatic and proudly wore his silly hat and of course was most excited about picking out of the candy box.
I love that the other kids, even though they want to be the one picked, have thus far been so excited and happy for the one who does get picked. Now we'll see if Kolby steps up his game to see if he can get the award next week. The competition is on...

Monday, August 23, 2010

Happy Helper Award - Week 1

Since the move my kids have been out of control. Maybe it has something to do with it being the end of summer, tired of the heat, ready for some structure (I know I am), but whatever it is...it is exhausting me that my kids don't want to do anything that I ask them to do and life is becoming very messy and disorganized, which I do not like. So I had this idea come to me that I should make a silly hat and that every Monday night at Family Home Evening I would choose who had been the "Happy Helper" for the past week and they would get to choose their very own big candy and be the keeper of the silly hat for the week. The kids were so excited and started trying to be the happy helper right away. I loved it. It was amazing. Eliza was definitely the most helpful. She was my right hand girl...anything I needed she was there to help. So she of course won the very first week of Happy Helper Award and you can see in the picture how happy it made her and how special she felt. Btw, she picked a blue bag of Skittles and loved sharing them with her brothers, even though she wasn't asked to at all. Let's hope they keep it up and keep trying to outdo each other being the happiest helper of all!

1st Day of School

So the kids started school in August at Oak Grove Elementary and were very excited. Kolby is in 1st grade and Eliza is in kindergarten. At first glance the school does not compare in the least to Veterans, where Kolby went to kindergarten in Bakersfield, but we are crossing our fingers that this will still be a great learning experience for them, where they will make lots of friends, enjoy their teachers and learn a whole lot of good and important stuff.

Cute little kindergartner...how can she be this old already???

My handsome 1st grader who knows what's up

Kolby and his teacher, Ms. Franklin

Eliza, Jailey and Presleigh anxiously awaiting the gates to open for them to begin their first day of kindergarten.

When they got home from their first day of school, I let them have a special treat...Cotton Candy ice cream from Rite Aid. It was the best surprise ever for them!

This last picture is of Eliza on the 2nd day of school when she was all excited to get dressed up in her Oak Grove Owls t-shirt, which they wear every Friday to show their school spirit.