Work and Play is the Best Way to Spend the Days

We had a lot of work going on this week - and we balanced it all by getting some good playing in too.

I had a huge book report due this week - and I ended up spending many days and evenings working on it.  Here I am writing up my final draft.  It's finally done and turned in - yay!

We played outside every second that we could after all the homework was done. 

Here's Sam playing some T Ball.  He's a great hitter!

We played a lot of football with dad too.  Here we are going out for a pass.  I'm getting to be quite a great receiver.

And Sam has a really strong arm - future quarterback there!

I also got to give a talk in primary this week.  I even wrote it all myself - I even did a little of the typing on mom's computer by myself too.

I found a cool praying mantis out in the yard today.  She was very pretty and I wasn't even scared!

Sam was scared though - he was super nervous that she was going to crawl up his shirt sleeve.  He said he had drawn a picture of a praying mantis at school and didn't need to touch one.  He he he!!!

Sam Alert:  Hey everybody - Sam here.  Just one Sam photo for you all this week.  

Look at how big I'm getting.  

Mom got some long pants out for me this week (from last winter's drawer) and they were way too short to wear.  We had to pull out the next size up and they fit just perfectly.  

Also - since this t-shirt I'm wearing in the picture may not fit next year - - we want to remember what it says, because it is Oh So True!

A Bad Day Fishing With Dad is Better Than a Good Day Shopping With Mom!

Oh - poor mom.

By the way - you may be wondering where our soccer pictures are from this weekend - we got rained out.  Lots and lots and lots of rain.  More soccer will be played next weekend.

Sam out - until next week!

Gone Fishing

Another great week in the books.  There was plenty to do and we squeezed it all in somehow!

First us this week - a little yard work with dad.  We never get too old for this.

Lots of homework - somehow my homework as increased exponentially this year.  I'm having to work really hard to keep up.  But I'm doing well!

And then there was lots and lots of soccer this weekend.  Sam's game was first.  He's playing so well this season.

He's not afraid to get in there and get after the ball.

He's running lots and playing hard.

Here he is right in the middle of a corner kick.

And then there was my game.  I've been playing a lot of offense, which isn't my most favorite.  But I'm really stepping it up and getting in there.

I'm learning to play lots of position this year too, which is good.

And I'm enjoying playing this year, so that's good too.

All in all, it's been a good season - so far.

Mom took us to the Food Truck Underground this weekend.  We've been wanting to eat at the Matterhorn French Toast truck.  And boy - it was so worth it!  Mmmm, mmmm, good!

Finally - we've been working on our Halloween costumes.  Yes, we plan way ahead!  Just a little sneak peek of our costumes for this year.  We're not giving anything away - you'll have to wait until the end of October to see the full pictures.  This is Sam's costume.

And this is my costume.  See if you can make some good guesses.

Sam Alert:  Hey everyone - Sam here.  We took Mason's cub scout den fishing on Tuesday night.  We didn't realize that there were some big fish in the "new" lake close to our house.  We had so much fun that night that dad took us back fishing two more nights this week. 

I caught three of the biggest catfish around.  They put up a great fight!

We practice catch and release, so no fried catfish for us.  Mason caught some bass and some little blue gills.

Here I am reeling one of them in.  

And here I am helping around the house.  There's always so much to do.  

And I don't mind doing chores, so if you ever need my help, just let me know!

Sam out - have a great week.

This Week . . . .

We had a good week - - busy enough to keep us out of trouble, mostly.  

Here are some pictures from this week for your enjoyment.

First up - how's this for a "welcome home" greeting?  Don't you wish you were part of this hug!

We had dinner at Johnny Rockets the other night.  Mom said I had something stuck in my teeth.  Can you see it?

Sam and I both had soccer games on Saturday.  I still love to play defense, but this year I'm being asked to play offense a lot.  I'm trying to get used to it.  That's me there in the middle with the green shirt and long white socks.

One of the kids on the other team (the kid I'm trying to steal the ball away from over there on the left) is one of the best players in our league.  He's amazing!

Here's my back - getting a kick in.

And me trying to get in place to steal this ball.  

We had our primary program at church today.  Here we are all cleaned up and ready to go.  

Sam Alert:  Hey everyone - Sam here. 

No soccer pictures from my game this week.  Dad was in charge of the pictures since mom and Mason had a conflict.  Dad says he tried to take a few pictures, but "it didn't work out".  We translate that to mean he forgot to pick up the camera.  

Any hoo . . . . I'm hooked on a new book series - Jigsaw Jones.  Love it!

And here's mom and I at dinner the other night.  Yummy food!

OK - Sam out.  Have a great week!

Long Live Summer!

We're not quite ready to let go of summer yet.  We had a great Labor Day weekend and a great week.

Our weather has been perfect lately - some rain and lots of not-so-hot days.

Here we are playing outside in the trees (on a break from doing yard work).

I went fishing for cub scouts the other night.  I caught a little blue gill - see him on the end of my pole.

On Labor Day afternoon we went back to the Splash Pad to play.  It was its last day and we wanted to get one last play day in. 

Sorry for the tilted cell phone pics - don't get too dizzy turning your heads.

We love to play "little ducks" at the Splash Pad.

Soccer season started this week as well.  First game up was Sam's.  That's him in the middle on the right hand side warming up.

And here he is kicking the ball.  He decided to play a defender position in the game this week and was amazing!

My game was later in the afternoon.  I got put on offense this week.

I'm used to defense so I've got to work on my attack game.

Check out this fast break.

Sam Alert:  Hey everyone - Mason had a play date with one of his friends after school on Friday night. So mom and I had a date and went to find the Waffle Luv truck.  We enjoyed a nutella luv waffle - I had bananas and mom got raspberries.  Yum, yum, yum!

And here I am on a break from my soccer game.  I love playing soccer!

OK - Sam out.  See you next week.

A New Year!

We finally made it to the start of a new school year.  Can you believe it?!?!? I'm in third grade now and Sam is a first grader.

Here are our first day of school pictures.

Brothers - growing up too fast!

We had cub scout pack meeting this week too.  And I earned lots and lots of awards.

Mom is my cub master so she got to give me my awards. 

I earned:

* Bobcat

* Hiking belt loop

* Wildlife Conservation belt loop

* Music belt loop

* Science belt loop

* Good Manners belt loop

* Archery belt loop

* BB Shooting belt loop

* Astronomy belt loop

* Two Silver Arrow Points

* Astronomy academic pin

* Archery academic pin

Here I am with some of my Wolf pack friends - Ammon, me, Gavin, and Fistan.

After the awards ceremony we made rockets and had a rocket launch.  It was SUPER fun!!!!!!  Even Sam got to launch a rocket.

We got some yard work done this weekend.  We're never too old to help dad with our mowers.

We also got to spend a lot of time playing this weekend.  We got out the hot wheels tracks and raced for hours.

Here's Sam racing cars off the jump and through the loop.

Sam Alert:  Hey everyone - I've been working on my acting skills lately.  

First up - pouty Sam.  

And then - happy Sam!  Everyone says they prefer Happy Sam!  

OK - Sam out for this week.  Have a great one!