Minotaur cake, tow truck mud, Clouds, Big Foot, Texas, Status King, Happiness

A had a Narnia birthday party. Click here to see more photos. Hubby made a minotaur cake that was outstanding! M was the white witch and we even had a lamppost (thanks to my Mom’s collection of wedding reception stuff—thx MOM!). We’re doing it again on Saturday for SL, who also wanted a Narnia birthday party (he’s turning 8)

A tow truck came to our house to take our red minivan to the mechanic’s. We’re getting everything fixed on it so we can sell it (since we’ve outgrown it). The children gathered around to watch Carl the tow man work his equipment. E came running out of the house in M’s boots, and she tripped and fell flat out in deep mud. She stood up, dripping in mud, crying. Carl took a clean towel out of his truck, I wrapped her in it and she got to push the levers to lift the car up on the truck. The boys wished they’d had the foresight to trip too.

I was teaching a short segment on lightning. I happened to turn the page of the weather book to a section on clouds—and suddenly we were talking about the differences between cirrus and cumulous clouds. All week when we’re driving around the kids look at the clouds. Hearing ST say, “Look at the cumulous-nimbus. It’s Huge,” makes me laugh every time. Sometimes a lesson really sticks.

A and SL went on a cub scout hike. Click here to see more photos. They hiked the Gin Lin trail, and then went to visit a famous (around these parts) Big Foot Trap. It no longer traps Big Foots (big feet?) but it collects tourists. Whether it was successful at trapping Big Foot or not, depends on which “local” you talk to…

ST is into geography right now. We have a states puzzle he can put together really fast. When we had a brother of the ward helping my in-laws move in, ST brought down a map and was firing geography questions at him. His favorite questions involve Texas (Is Texas bigger than Alaska?). He’d like to believe Texas is the biggest state, since most maps don’t draw Alaska to scale, but he knows the truth and will ask you. Now you are forewarned.

A got Legos for his birthday. He’s been in his room setting up armies who battle it (out with sound effects). Uncle J (18) has been known to join him. Legos are for all ages after all.

SL created a 3 dimensional paper village. It reminds me of the stories of Hubby growing up (he and his brothers created elaborate paper cities and toys with moveable wheels—even paper robots that really transformed into vehicles/dinosaurs). He even made a Welcome sign to his village and stood it up on paper columns.

I’m teaching the Primary children a new song, My Eternal Family. It starts out “I am a builder…” I asked the senior primary to help me make up signs to go along with the song so I could teach it to the junior primary. They made up hand signs more creatively than I would’ve done, and they all got into it—even the 10-11 year old boys. It’s been my most successful way to teach a song yet. And I love the song too.

Status King is such a fun, interesting business to watch evolve. I’ve been learning how to use Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop and between Aunt K and I have prepared lots of Status King t-shirts for the printer. I love to learn new things, and it’s neat to see a status that I laid out in Illustrator show up on a t-shirt. I also started up a Status King blog, collecting the web news about it.

I just read a book that I’m dying to discuss with any of you—someone please read it. It’s called Happiness Is A Choice, by Barry Neil Kaufman. It’s along the lines of Bonds That Make Us Free, but coming from a different perspective. Please read it and we can discuss it! I’ve been trying to apply the ideas in my life. Choosing to be happy no matter what has been a good experience and it reminds me of that Elder Wirthlin’s talk in General Conference Come What May and Love It. It also reminded me of the scripture 2 Nephi 2:25, “Men are that they might have joy.”