And away she goes!

Haden sprinted into the last portion of her 5th grade year with so many accomplishments under her belt!  She was part of a volleyball team through the Y and competed quite well!  Her team consistently won matches and her confidence with the volleyball grew with each successive game.  I'm not sure that she has any great love of the sport or desire to be competitive, but we are very proud that she stuck with it and worked on improving her serve.  She will get another opportunity to continue to hone her volleyball skills as we enter the 6th grade - as we will be signing her up for another round!

She also went on her 2nd overnight field trip with her class.  This year she headed to Astrocamp in Idyllwild, California (in the San Bernadino National Forest - not far from Palm Springs).  And she went parentless!  She hopped on a bus with her classmates and teachers and headed into the wilderness of CA to learn about the cosmos!!  She also had the opportunity to participate in some pretty cool adventures - including the gravity defying zip line.  She, along with her classmates, enjoyed staying in a cabin (we all remember that experience!) on bunk beds - and had a fantastic time.

Near the end of the school year, Haden participated in a science fair at school.  Her project was on the luminosity of a cat's eye - does it or does it not glow in the dark.  She worked diligently with her mom over the course of a couple of months to assemble her journal, write her paper and put together a display board for the fair.  Her mom even made her a custom t-shirt to go with the display!  Haden is an amazing public speaker and she demonstrated these fantastic skills yet again at the open house where she shared her findings with each person that walked by her display.  She did an amazing job and ended the school year with great excitement for the fun that lay ahead in the summer!

Almost immediately, the fun began with family visits!  Nana, Pop, Aunt Shannon, Uncle Scott and Grace and Lilly came to visit!  It was awesome!  There was getting acquainted again with the cousins and non-stop fun and excitement - including baking Pop a birthday cake and sharing the decorating bonanza with Grace and Lilly.  There was hanging out with Pop, visiting with Nana & getting silly with Aunt Shannon.  And in the midst of it all - was Haden's 2nd piano recital - which she aced. 

All this fun - and it was only just the beginning of summer!  And plans - oh Haden had some pretty cool plans for the summer months!  Including her 2nd solo flight across the nation - this time to visit the Old North State (I patently refuse to call it the Tarheel State).

Back half of 5th Grade

So the New Year started with a bang for Haden - New Year's Eve - and sickness rained down on our little one.  With that kind of start, we were fearful of how the year was going to turn out for Miss Haden.  Fortunately, one unfortunate event did not a trend make.  Haden's year thusfar seems to be a good one!  She when to the zoo (along with Wade, me and the girls) - and had the opportunity to finally meet the Geico Gecko!  (she can identify any of those Geico commercials - capable of breaking out into the song associated with each and every one) She is such a sweet, thoughtful, lovely young lady (yes - young lady - it scares me to say!  no longer a little girl!)

Grandma Linda came for a visit and Haden found a kindred spirit - another Glamour Girl with whom she can exchange girl time.  A lover of manis, pedis and having tea (as long as there other sweet treats to accompany it) - Haden and Grandma found their spirits synchronized! Her second unaccompanied minor trip is being planned for a big visit to the great State of North Carolina this summer.  She was looking forward to seeing Charlie, Emma & Noah along with Nana Clare (pronounced Nahna) but now she is looking forward to spending some quality girl time with Grandma Linda as well.

At the start of Spring Break, Haden also had an opportunity to spend time with "Gma G" (aka Grandma Ginger) and making an exciting trip to San Diego.  Her cousin Craig went along as well and those 3 Muskateers had a lovely time in Southern California.  While it was a bit chilly, they were able to have a good time strolling the beach, enjoying one another's company, having good meals and ending the weekend going to church and hearing an excellent concert.

While she is not certain how she feels about being "busy," she did start volleyball practice - now every Thursday evening to join her Friday evening piano lesson.  Irrespective of her doubts regarding her schedule, she seems to be enjoying volleyball and the camraderie with the girls on the team.  Her first game will be this coming Saturday and as one of the taller girls on the team, we expect she will do well.

She is currenly working on a science experiment for school - a study on whether cats eyes glow in the dark.  She is keeping a journal for the experiment and will be presenting all of her findings at the science fair at the end of the school year.  We have every confidence that her presentation will be as exceptional as her Eleanor Roosevelt presentation last year.

Haden is well on her way to finishing her 5th grade year with a bang, as we have rounded the apex and are climbing down the back half of the school year.  We have applied to Arizona School for the Arts (ASA) and have entered into a lottery to get in for 6th grade.  After having toured the school, Haden is quite excited by the possibilty.  While it's not from the set of "Fame," it would be great to have the 2nd half of the day to be devoted to the arts - piano, voice and Haden's current choice - the Flute.  We'll keep you posted!!