Lesson learned

A few weeks ago Samuel was bored on a Sunday. We believe in keeping the sabbath day holy, so we try to focus our activaties on things that will help us to grow spiritually. So I asked Samuel what he could do that would help him to grow spiritually. He decided he wanted to build something. I said that he could as long as he could connect it to a spiritual principle.

So he decided to build a catapult.

Daniel and Ethan even joined him out in the driveway, lashing branches together.
It stood about 3 feet tall!


I told him (jokingly) that he had to draw me a diagram and make a presentation. He got really into it and drew me a number of ways to figuratively use a catapult in a spiritual sense. This is one of the many uses. "HF" being Heavenly Father, "s" being satan, and our more powerful weapon against the small stone of money troubles, being tithing.

Love it!

Solo Competition

Samuel took part in a solo competition at his school.
He got all dressed up one Saturday morning and we piled into the family vehicle
(only with a bike rack on the trunk).

He had been practicing the piece for months, with an accompanist and everything! but he was still a little nervous.

This was his first time in front of a judge by himself!

We knew he would do well. He got in line and tapped his leg nervously as he waited for the flutist to finish. I was so proud of the way he sucked it up as he entered the room, looked the judge in the eye, introduced himself, and counted off with the accompanist. It wasn't flawless, he's only in 7th grade, but it was awesome!
He got a ONE!
(That's good in band-speak) and he was so proud!

He did so well we went to celebrate, at his favorite restaurant - HuHot.

Ethan loved it too! He sat the whole time in his seat, never crying to get down.

He even wiped up his mess!

After that I took him outside to burn off the extra energy.

Here he is, doing what he loves to do - run. Up and down the corridor. Back and forth. There and back. Endlessly. Much like the adorable Lilly, he's an "Energizer Bunny".

Da Park!

Ethan-ator loves the park! He could swing 24-7!

Here he is in his new basketball outfit.

"Are ya comin' Mom?"