SIX WORDS FOR THE GAMERS BIRTHDAY GIFT

Choose, stuff, fluff, name and love.

MOVIE EIGHT BELOW INFLUENCED THE GAMER'S BUILD A BEAR CHOICE

The Gamer wanted to go to Build a Bear for his birthday gift. His family watched "Eight Below" last night and so he stood in front of the "Husky" bin for a long time. His little brother got the Husky dog for his birthday less than a month ago so it was hard for The Gamer to get the same dog, but finally the longing won and he chose the Husky.

Good choice, I think.

Then it was time to stuff......and fluff......and decide whether the dog wanted clothes or a bed, etc. The Soap Queen buys all the do-dads and she gave him the choice. He choose the bed, a bowl and a baby dog which hangs from the Daddy dog's mouth. Good choice. What self respecting dog wants to wear pants?Then it was time to give him a name...which I have forgotten. The baby dog's name is Max.Mom watches as he types in all the information.Smiley thinks it's pretty fun, coming to Build a Bear. He always gets to come."When will it be my turn?" he seems to be saying.On the way out of the mall we walked through Deseret Book and a sales girl said, "You may not take photos in this store."

What a fat head. Oh, excuse me, I mean, what a diligent sales person, making sure I followed the letter of the law. I tried to joke around with her but she was not having any of that. She did not waste any charm on me, either. I should write to Sherri Dew and tell her that she has succeeded in hiring sales people with zero percent charm and ninety-five percent gestapo tendencies. Or maybe the sales girl's boyfriend dumped her and she couldn't stand to be civil. Can't say I blame the boyfriend. Oh, did I say that? Sorry. A little I've-been-told-off-by-a-snippy-sales-girl cattiness. So I smiled at her and put the camera away.Happy Birthday, darling ten-year-old Gamer. You made a good choice. I love your dog and baby Max too. But most of all I love you and so does Grandpa. We love you very much. Happy. happy birthday. And many more.

YOU CAN'T HAVE A PARACHUTE FOR YOUR BIRTHDAY

It was Entomologist's seventh birthday on Sunday.

We called our grandson on Sunday to sing Happy Birthday to him. After our charming rendition I asked him what he wanted for his birthday. "Do you want to go to Build a Bear? Do you want a toy? A surprise? Do you want a pair of shoes." That last sentence was a joke. No seven-year-old wants a pair of shoes for his birthday.

"What?" he said, "a parachute!"

"A parachute?" I asked. "You want a parachute?"

"Yah," he said, "I want a parachute."

"Where'd you get the idea of a parachute?" I asked.

"You said, do I want a parachute?" He said.

"No, not a parachute. I said, 'Do you want a pair of shoes?'"

"I want a parachute! I could jump off the house."

"No, no," I said, "I said a pair of shoes. PAIR OF SHOES. It was a joke. A pair of shoes, not parachute. You can't jump off the house, you'd break your legs."

"I wouldn't break my legs. I'd have a parachute."

"Who's on first?" I thought.

I decided to drop the parachute dialogue. I told him to think about what he wanted for his birthday, to talk it over with his mom and dad and they could call me later. I didn't hear from them so I called on Monday.

"What did Entomologist decide on for his birthday?" I asked the Soap Queen.

"He says he wants a parachute. He says he wants to jump off the house. I told him he'd have to jump out of a plane, that he can't jump off the house. He'd get hurt. I don't know where he got the idea of a parachute."

I held my head in my hands. "It's my fault," I said in a tiny little voice. "I asked him if he wanted a pair of shoes and he misunderstood. It was a joke. A pair of shoes. He thought I said parachute and I coudn't make him understand." My worry gene kicked in. What if the kid jumps off the house with a homemade parachute because Grandma wouldn't buy him a real one? It will be my fault.

"Oh," Soap Queen said, forgiving me for my stupidity. "Well, then. I'll ask him what he wants and call you back."

When she called back she said he wanted to go to Build a Bear and so we did.

He chose the Husky.
The "stuffing" girl had him rub the heart that was going in his dog, put it on his muscles so his dog would have strength, rub it on his forehead for brains, on his legs so his dog would run fast and then she said, "Give the heart a kiss so he will know you love him." Entomologist couldn't kiss the heart. He just grinned. And grinned. And grinned.
Finally, when no one was looking he gave it a quick kiss. She put the heart inside and sewed the Husky up.
Look at he eyes on that kid. Couldn't you just hug him?


He gives his dog a "fluff" bath.
Picks out a dog house for him to sleep in at night. And then sits down to give him a name. He pulled his chin. It helps when thinking. Finally his mom suggested Wolfy and Wolfy it was. Typing in Wolfy's name.
He shows his baby brother. "See Wolfy?"

I wonder how old I have to be before I can come to Build a Bear?

Carrying Wolfy and his dog house to the car.

Deseret Book probably gets lots of customers who come in their back door on the way to Build a Bear and buy a book or two on the way out. Phil's motto: I've never met a book I didn't like.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY dear grandson. And many more.

We love you very much!

SIX WORDS FOR BUSY DAY

Birthday rabbit, family, dogs, more family.

WHAT A DAY!

Tuesday has turned three years old.
She said she wanted a a bear for her birthday. But she chose a rabbit. "I don't like this one any more," she said after it was stuffed and had clothes. "I want a different one." Tuesday's mother, Gilmore Girl said--perhaps through gritted teeth--"This is the one you chose and this is the one you're going home with."We must scour all the shelves for possible expensive stuff for the rabbit, whose name is Sally.
Curly Sue helped her look high. Thank you, sister, for helping me find all the best stuff.
Now I'm so tired I can hardly walk.

But Mom made me carry my own Bear-box, so I drug it through Gymboree, where Curly Sue said, "Do these fit?"

And then she said, "Lookit this," and almost came out of her shoes with her looking.Tuesday had to drag Sally in her box through the parking lot and then...

...it was so big she couldn't even see. But that doesn't stop her. The goal? The same as all little girls everywhere, get this rabbit undressed.

She finally got Sally out of the box but had to rest for a minute and then...some serious undressing. What a fine shopping day for Sally the rabbit.Curly Sue thinks its funny that Tuesday undresses the rabbit. But she did the same things. All little girls do, no matter if its a rabbit or a doll. The clothes must come off.

As soon as Grandma got home her youngest boy, Lord Bumhampton came with his lovely wife, Nurse Giggleswitch.
They, of course, never t ravel alone.
They bring Arnoldand Gordon. Phil likes to have lengthy conversations with Gordon.

Just as they were getting ready to leave more family showed up.
This is Guitar Hero, Joe Cool and Phil.

Hollywood, striking a pose.

Her sister, Mary Poppins, also striking a pose.

Their Mom, Yoga Princess.

The girls are showing off their school clothes.
Mary Poppins was giving Joe Cool rabbit ears but she didn't quite make it fast enough,
Guitar Hero, doing some serious lounging.

It was a good day. Lots of activities and lots of family, which, after all is the most important thing of all. Family.