Zion - swimming

Hey....Zion is getting faster!

Check out the photos below -

Zion didn't have the best start -
in his defense - our swim team doesn't have starting blocks to practice on.

BUT....my point is:
Look at the boy in the other lane and how Zion catches up to him by the end.

YOU ROCK ZY!!

I AM

I am mischievous and awesome
I wonder about the future
I hear Captin Underpants
I see King Kong
I want to play vidieo games all day and every day
I am mischievous and awesome

I preatend to fight aliens
I feel happy about flying
I touch Captin America's shield
I worry about getting grounded
I cry about doing chores
I am mischievous and awesome

I understand Long Division
I say God made the world
I dream about Heaven
I try to walk on my hands
I hope for an Everlasting Life
I am mischievous and awesome

by Zion Thornton

4th grade award!

The school year is moving along and the boys are getting into the groove.

Zion is always up for a challenge, so when the teacher sent home a spelling challenge....

Zion took the bull by the horns.

Congrats to Zion for spelling,

Antidisestablishmentarianism

Zion turns 10

Zion's birthday fell on a Sunday this year,
so he ordered meatloaf with spaghetti and sauce
for dinner on Saturday night and we let him open his gifts since Sundays are busy days.

movie - (Tim Hawkins)  funny guy!

Books

Clothes (boring!)

and the 'biggie' gift

which, at this photo, Zion still doesn't realize what the 'biggie' gift is.............


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and then he does............

                                                 an iPad

Sunday after church ........he ordered lemon pound cake (just like his dad)

Happy Birthday Zion - I love you!

Zion - the rock star

Zion loves music and dancing and thinking he is "ALL THAT"

He went from long hair

                                  To Justin Beiber hair

                                           To a "hawk" in the past year

I think he is working on his image.

Anyway,  I am sure you have all heard someone trying to sing with an iPod in their ears.
It's not that easy to carry a tune when you can't hear yourself sing.

Clearly...............

Awana Talent Show

Wednesday night we had a special AWANA.

A Talent Show!
So proud of all the kids for stepping out of their comfort zone and getting on the stage.

We had a lot of different enteries.

Art Work Presentations

Gymnastics

Jump Rope

Dancing

Singing

Piano

and then there was the COMBO presentation,
by Zion

Who couldn't just sing,
but sang with his foot behind his head.

Here it is: 
Adding to the Noise,
by Switchfoot

Academic Fair

I get the idea of a Science Fair,
not really sure if an Academic Fair is just a more generic display of school work.
Never heard of one before...........
ANYWAY,
It was on Wednesday night,
the same night as AWANA,
so I just popped into the cafeteria during the school day to see if the boys had submitted anything.

I only found things for Zion.
So, here are photos of his entries.

This mask was attached the poem below

Zion's Many Colored Days

by Zion Thornton

On bright brown days how good it feels

to be a monkey and jump from tree to tree.

On other days I'm other things.

On evil red days I slash my claws.

Some days of course, I feel sort of blue.

Then I feel sad and down.

Then come my black days.

I feel like kicking and slamming the door.

I growl.

I stab at every cloud.

But it all turns out all right you see

and I go back to being me

This is a book that Zion wrote and illustrated. 
The school had them published and it will remain in the school library.

Good job Zy!~

Swim meet

The swim season here on Guam is coming to a close.

Although, of all the sports the boys have been in, swimming on Guam doesn't end.

The weather is always "swim friendly"

So Zion will continue to swim over the summer months and improve for the fall 2011 season.

Here are a few photos of the swim meet today.

He took another 2 seconds off his 50 backstroke.

He is now right at a minute.

His 50 freestyle is down to 51 seconds.

Great job Zion!  B times are coming soon!  

Keep on kicking!

opps....google trouble

Follow the Drinking Gourd

Zion was selected to play the part of "teacher" in a play at school called,

"Follow the Drinking Gourd"

The play is about the history of the Underground Railroad.
You can read about it here.

They have been practicing for over a month.  
He is (of the three boys) the most interested in Performing Arts. 

Here are a few photos:

(*photo credit:  Samantha Gillam)





And some video of the singing, mostly for my music teacher mother. 
(*I am pretty sure Zion got the "Performing Arts" gene from her!!)

Not every day that you hear "Amazing Grace" at a public school performance.

It brought a tear to my eye.

I could seriously sing that song every Sunday and be okay with it.

Zion, great job! 

You had a lot of lines to memorize, and you did it!
I love you and I am proud of you!

Long course meet, 3-12-11

Zion competed in his second long course swim meet on Sat.
He did the 50 freestyle and the 50 backstroke.

I was at the soccer game with Michael - but Mike borrowed Sam's camera and got some good shots.

Great job Zion!
You are getting better and faster!

Skate Park

Zion has been begging to take his bike to the skate park.

Honestly, I have been a little fearful of broken bones or stitches, or both.

But finally, I could put off the begging no longer.

Zion worked really hard to get his chores done and was really helpful and polite this week.

Still, I was afraid if I went, I would be a nervous wreck, so Mike took him.

He had a blast.

I sent Mike with the camera and a warning not to let him try anything too crazy!