Autumn

One of my favorite seasons is autumn. The air of autumn is perfect because when you take a walk in a long-sleeved shirt and jeans, you don't freeze to death like you would in the winter, and you don't sweat so much that you have to take another shower. In the autumn, the temperature is just right. Also I think we will all agree that the autumn leaves on a tree are the most scenic part of the season. My favorite time of the year to be in the car is autumn because of all the colorful leaves that I can look at while we're driving. Of course, I also love taking walks in the autumn to look at all the beautiful, different-colored leaves. My favorite kind of leaves is the purple kind because that happens to be my favorite color, believe it or not. There are so many reasons why autumn is great!

My Thirteenth Birthday Service of Blessing

Last Saturday my parents had a special service for me. We called it a bar mitzvah even though we're not Jewish; it's for a boy becoming a man. We invited some friends over that were either really good friends or someone that had known me since birth. For example, my relatives and grandparents came. After everyone had arrived, all the men went downstairs to my dad's office, while the women and children stayed upstairs with my mom.

During the service, we prayed and talked and read from the Bible. Speaking of Bibles, I received a Bible and some other items such as a rosary, a special prayer bracelet, a small crucifix, a cross that my dad blessed and an icon of the Holy Trinity. After the meeting with the men was over, everybody ate dinner, and everybody talked. Then, because I'm learning guitar, my uncle taught me some guitar chords and a song too! I had one of the best weekends ever!

The Ultimate Foam Sword

Last Thursday my brother and I went to a class where we learned how to make foam swords. First of all, he showed us the items we were going to use to make our sword. The inside is a PVC pipe and the outside is a foam swimming noodle. The reason why it is foam is so that when you hit someone with it, it won't hurt.

If you were to make one, you would cut the noodle so that you still have a short piece left over for the bottom of the handle, the pommel. At the top of the handle you will put another part of the noodle so that you have a hand guard like it shows in the picture. Next, you would wrap it in duct tape like in the picture to keep it together; but don't put too much on, because then it would hurt when you hit someone. Trust me--I know from experience. Then, if you like, you can decorate the handle like I did with mine. And now you have a sword that you are free to hit anyone with, without getting in trouble, because it won't hurt them!

Our Vist to The Water Treatment Plant

Today I visited the water treatment plant with some friends. The first thing we did was enter a loud room with a couple of big pipes that pumped water from Lake Michigan to the water plant. From there we went to the operator's room where we met the operator, and he told us what goes on in that room. Then we saw the laboratory where they tested the water. Then we went through another loud room where the water from Lake Michigan went through a certain process that cleaned the water. After that, we went through a tunnel-like bridge, but with windows, to another building. There we went down to the bottom of the building and saw another room with two very large pipes that pumped the freshly-cleaned, crystal-clear water into the city of Kenosha.

Harry Potter's World

Harry Potter is the best! The author of Harry Potter makes this series so detailed and intriguing. Once you start, you can't put it down. It just pulls you in. I stay up so late because I don't realize what's going on around me. I seriously think that I am Harry Potter and that I'm in a world of magic! I would suggest this series for everyone.

How to Bunnyhop a Bike.

Ever since I got my new bike, I've been practicing a couple tricks. For example, there's the bunnyhop where you make both wheels come up off the ground. I've been working on that one for a while and finally got it.

Here's how you do it: You have to get a good grip on the handles, but you also have to get a good grip on the pedals with your feet, so that you can lift the back wheel while doing the same with the front wheel. So you need to lean forward, do a small wheelie and lift up the back wheel with your feet at the same time. Sounds kinda difficult--but if you practice, you'll get it!

My Sword

Ever since I saw the Narnia movies, I became glued to the sword Peter used. So I looked up the sword on the internet. After looking at several websites and dozens of other swords, Peter's sword still stood out to me. The price was within my range, so I decided to buy it.

When the Fed Ex man rang the doorbell, I grabbed the box and yelled "Thank you!" I opened it as soon as I shut the door, and I held my sword for the first time. It looked just as I imagined. The sheath is red as blood. But the actual blade is as shiny as a newly minted coin. Whenever I grasp my sword, I feel like a royal knight in Aslan's army.

Junk to JUMP!

About five months ago I was by Lake Michigan climbing around on some rocks when suddenly I spotted a bike amoung the rocks, a GT racing bike. The cost of this bike was three hundred dollars! I was excited! I carried it up the rocks and put it in the back of our big white van to bring home.

There was just one problem: the wheels needed tires. So a couple days after I found it, my dad and I brought it in to a local bike shop to fix it up. Once I brought it inside the shop, the worker told me that the back wheel was badly bent and that it was unfixable.

I was really disappointed, but I put it back in the garage and forgot about it. Then when we started packing up everything for our move to Wisconsin, I saw it again. I thought, "What if that man was wrong, and it is still fixable?" I decided to keep it and try again after we moved.

Once we were all moved in, I met a family who had a neighbor who was my age and was a Christian. That was my new friend, Kevin. I had him over and once he saw my bike, he said, "Hey, that's a good bike!" Kevin knew how to fix up bikes, so he took a look at it. He noticed that the wheels needed new tires, so he offered to fix it up for me. I gave him money to buy new tires, and then I waited.

Kevin came back the next week with the equipment and in twenty minutes, I had a $300 bike for about $20! The wheel is bent a tiny bit, but you can barely tell. Later on, I also put pegs on it. Now I have a great racing bike!

Racing bikes are small, but that's how they're supposed to be!

Adam of the Road

Adam is a boy that starts out very rich and is used to things being done for him. Adam is a minstrel, and he starts out on a journey with his dad and a rich and royal family. But he falls behind, and gets lost with just his dad and his dog to comfort him. Then his dog gets stolen from him and while he’s looking for his dog, he then loses his father. He ends up losing everything, including all his money. This book was an adventure and it keeps you wondering what’s going to happen throughout the whole story. I think that this is the kind of book most people would find interesting. Enjoy!

The Great and Terrible Quest

This book is about a boy and a wounded man. The man is a very important man but forgets it. He has forgotten everything. So the boy finds him and thinks that he is just a beggar. He takes him to his grandfather's house and hides him in a secret place, because if his grandfather knew that an old beggar was in his house, he would beat the boy till he bled. His grandfather was wicked and the boy hated him.

I recommend this book for all ages. It's a very entertaining book and it keeps you wondering the whole time. Hope you enjoy it!

Lion

(The assignment was to write a poem with rhyme, rhythm, repetition, refrain and alliteration.)

In the day roaring
In the night snoring
Doing what he will
With his great skill
Doing what he may
Watching for his prey
Makes the strike
Then takes a bite
A sneaky cat
A creepy cat
In the day roaring
In the night snoring