02/21/12

1.  Scouts was at our house this afternoon.  We were working on Tools for Building and Fixing.  Among other things, the boys were supposed to build a bird house.  Well, those bird house kits (sold for this express purpose at the Scouting store) are about the most UN-eight-year-old-friendly contraptions I've ever seen.  The kit comes with six pieces of wood, and "nails" that are the same size and only slightly sturdier than straight pins.  They bend if you look at them wrong!  I feel bad because I really wanted the boys to be able to make these themselves, but there was just no way.  I could barely get the "nails" in myself.  I had them watch me for a while, hoping there would be something they could do.  I realized there was no way we could finish them within our meeting time, so I told them they could go outside and play, and I'd at least try and get the sides and roof together.  I hope their parents will be able to do a better job than I did...  Mosey was able to help a little more, as we didn't start his until after Scouts was over and I was able to sit there and hold the nail and guide his little hands holding the hammer.  I guess I have a pet-peeve about activities for little kids that really can only be done by adults (pinewood derby cars, I'm thinking about you!).
Also as part of this activity, we got out a bunch of tools for the boys to identify and learn how to use.  I asked Joseph to help me get them out of the garage.  He thought it would be a good idea to bring Ben's giant axe inside to put on the table along with the screwdrivers and alligator wrenches.  :-)  Yeah, I'm thinking maybe not such a great idea with a bunch of eight-year-olds.  I'd rather not deal with amputated hands and feet at our den meeting.  :-)
So Joseph put the axe back, and instead, while I'm leading our meeting, blissfully unaware, he and Brigham went outside and pulverized a 2x4 with a PICK-AXE!  Again, perhaps not the most scout-appropriate activity.  :-)

2.  Tonight one of the Beehives from our ward (12 year old girl) came over to our house to complete one of her 1-hour service projects she's doing for Personal Progress.  She and her mom came over and swept and mopped the entire downstairs!  I felt like kissing her!  I've got to think of a really good thank-you for this sweet girl.

3.  The boys have got this idea about turning our homeschool into a military academy.  They're pretty serious about it too!  They want uniforms, daily drills, even for me to insist they say "Yes Ma'am!" whenever I ask them to do something.  I could get used to that.  :-)  I wonder what kind of uniforms we could come up with?