A Collection and some Prayers

So Michael has been entertaining himself with the most random things lately. For the past 2 or 3 days he has been carrying a small blue bucket with his "collection". This collection consists of a small American Flag, a McDonald's happy meal toy, a small sand shovel, a small flashlight, a magnet, 2-3 dupblo toys and some random toys that I'm not sure about. Most of these things are things I have at one point almost thrown away, or aren't really intended as a toy. So, tell me, why do we buy toys again? Maybe we should all just pass around the junk we would throw away and that could keep our kids happy right? Or maybe a Rent-a-Toy center would be nice. Yep, that makes more sense to me.

Now a note on prayers. Michael has been learning how to say his prayers at night. For a while we would just have him repeat what we say and call that good. But after a Family Night lesson on prayers, we decided that he was old enough to come up with his own ideas. Since then we have noticed a pattern arising. A typical night time prayer for Michael would go as follows:

Mom: Say, 'Heavenly Father'...
Michael: Father
Mom: Say, 'thank thee for'...
Michael: GO!
Mom: Ok, that we could go out today. Thank thee for....
Michael: Papa car...
Mom: Yep
Michael: and Mama car...
Mom: Uh huh
Michael: and Me!...
Mom: Yeah. Say, 'Please bless'...
Michael: Mama
Mom: Ok
Michael: and Papa
Mom: Yep
Michael: and Baby
Mom: Yeah. Say 'In the name'...
Michael: No! and Papa's baby... and Mama's baby... and My baby.
Mom: Right. Say 'In the name'...
Michael: No! and Lizzy's baby (my brother's wife)... and airplanes... and bear...
Mom: That's right. Now say 'In the name'...
Michael: Jesus, Amen (said while cheering with his hands over his head)!
Mom: Alright! (cheering on the inside that we finally finished his prayer)

All of this is said while kneeling by his bed. Well, I guess we start by kneeling, but Michael wiggles, and turns around, and then back again, and climbs up on his bed. Then I pull him down and tell him to fold his arms, which he does for 0.453 seconds, and then he's off again-not to mention the distraction of a nearby book or toy. Wow, and to think I expect him to just lay in bed and sleep after this! Yep, that's why bedtime is always at least a 45 min event. But hey, we're on the right track right?