Run For the Arts

One of the many areas that school funding has been cut during the recession has been the art program.  One of the ways that our school earns money to provide art programs for the children is to have a "Run for the Arts" each year.  The kids get pledges for each lap that they run (in a 30 minute time frame) and it funds an "Artist in Residence" program that the PTA heads up.  They bring in artists that do different things with the kids (One of the programs this year was the "Tears of Joy" puppet theater where the kids made puppets and did puppet shows with Native American themes.  It was great!)

My boys aren't that into sports, but they love to run!  So they were both excited about this and I have to say, after years of watching them play in the dirt at Little League and daydream and hang from the goal post in soccer, it was fun to see some drive and determination in them!

 

First grade was up first.  Here they are lined u and ready to go!



And they're off!!



I look at this picture and just think, "I love my boy."



The kids have numbers pinned to their back and as they complete a lap the parent volunteers tally the laps on their back.

 



There was a refreshment station set up where the kids could stop and get drinks during/after running.  Kaitlin LOVED helping the mommies fill it up.  When we arrived there wasn't enough help so we jumped in and got to work and ended up coming back to help later.  Kitti did great!



Andrew was so determined and wouldn't stop for a drink.  I snapped this as he ran by "4 laps!"  (3 laps to a mile on this track).



Andrew ran so hard the whole time.  He did great!



Here are a couple of Andrew's friends...John saying he ran 2 laps and Aiden getting refreshment.



Andrew did great, running seven laps!  One of the highest for his grade!

 

This cutie was up later in the day.

 

He too, ran really hard refusing to stop for a drink.  I was very proud of his determination.  He ran 11 laps!  Also one of the best for his grade.



Bridger is one of Matthew's best friends.  His Mom Jina, was marking tags with me.



The kids got Popsicle as a treat when they were done running.  The 3 boys to the right of Matthew are William, Stephen and Edoardo.  Good friends of Matthew's.



Matthew was playing with Kitti when he was done and I snapped this photo. 

I just love it.

Take a Grown Up to Lunch Day ~ Andrew's Turn

Last Wednesday was "Take a Grown Up to Lunch Day" for Andrew (Matthew's is this wednesday).  It was fun to go and see Andrew at school trying to find his way through the hot lunch line. :)  He gets to eat lunch at school once every other wednesday when he goes the full early release day (if that makes sense).  He has every other wednesday off.  He loves to take hot lunch ~ and get chocolate milk!  (a treat!)

As I was watching Andrew finding his way through the hot lunch process in the cafeteria I realized in a new way that this is really his first time off on his own.  He always has Matthew to follow and tell him what to do (or his mama) and in Pre-school he had Claire who would take care of him (literally getting up during circle time to get a tissue and wipe his nose).  And while I knew that, it was different to be there and see him doing it.  And while there's a big part of me that would love to just shadow him through his days and help him along, I know that this is really good for him.  This is how he will grow confidence in himself and know he can do it "all by himself."



We hit the playground afterwards where he showed me how he can do the monkey bars and Katie jumped right in with the big kids with no fear (as usual). She was NOT happy when it was time to go.

A little Andrew side story that I want to remember.  Tonight at dinner Kaitlin was getting in trouble for something.  Dan was talking to her and she was making her sad face (which was completely fake and for effect) but it made Andrew sad to see her sad and so the whole time Dan is trying to reprimand her, Andrew is sitting across the table from her trying to comfort her by saying, "It's okay, Kaitlin, It's okay, Kaitlin, It's okay, Kaitlin."  Dan finally had to tell him to stop so he could finish talking to her.  It was so sweet. 

So Andrew.