Building and building

If you have kids who like to build I HIGHLY recommend this toy. We received it as a gift last year for Christmas and it is definitely a favorite. We have the Kapla blocks, but I think there are other brands with the same idea. They are just uniform sized wooden planks but the possibilities are endless. I love to see their creativity.

Initially Luke just played with them, but now they all do. Check out some of their creations.

He says it is a church and the lego people are on the worship team.

A close up of the worship team with drums and singers.

Christmas Day

Has it really been a week since Christmas day?! We enjoyed our day home celebrating as a family before we hit the road to visit with our extended family on Monday. We've been really mindful of trying to keep Jesus the focus of our celebrating... a tricky endeavor in this world we live in. I've been really conflicted about the materialism that tempts me and the boys this time of year, but that's a serious post for another time. :) We are very blessed and I'm thankful that we could give generously and thoughtfully. My prayer is that they learn the joy that comes from giving to others. And that the ultimate gift is Jesus dying for us on the cross!

On Christmas morning, the boys let us sleep until 7am. (a rare treat for me!) 

Our tradition is to give the boys each three gifts, just as the wise men brought three gifts to baby Jesus. Luke decided we should open the gifts youngest to oldest because he could be the most patient. ;) Here are a few of our favorite shots from the morning. 

Aaron was SOO thrilled to open his very own Virginia Tech football helmet and jersey. 

The jersey was a little big, so Ethan tried it on for him. 

He was quick to change into his football outfit. :) 

He and I spent time outside in the afternoon tossing his football. 

 Ethan received his first big Lego set... the Lego farm. Perfect for my little animal lover!

He was thrilled and I'm so proud of him for being to put it together all by himself. 

We also got him a microscope so he could study little creatures. (This will be fun for all of us.)

And for my Lego lover extraordinaire...a lego cargo train. 

We also found Electronic Snap Circuits in a catalog and it was a huge hit. 

His little brain loves building the projects and seeing the outcome. (a blowing fan, an AM radio, etc.) 

This is super cool if you have a kid who loves figuring out how things work and taking things apart!

We had a late breakfast of sausage/egg casserole and homemade "ooey, gooey cinnamon rolls" before heading off to church. The rest of the day zipped by as the boys enjoyed their new toys while Darin and I packed for our travels. I'm thankful for the memories we made as a family this Christmas. 

Lego Creativity

In the midst of the all the sibling conflict, crazy shenanigans, screaming and all around boy wildness here, I have so much enjoyed seeing the boys creativity with Legos.  Although we have many of the little legos for kids 5+, I would say that we get the most collaborative enjoyment from the Lego Duplos. The little legos are wonderful for building, following directions and "setting up scenes," but they are too fragile for all three boys to play with together.

If you are trying to come up with Christmas ideas for any little boys in your life, I HIGHLY recommend Lego Duplos. Having lots of different sets has allowed so much creativity.

Check out some of their creations over the past couple weeks. 

I did not assist at all with any of their building. :)

robot

mobile truck

big boat

cruise boat

exploring boat

Mayflower

These are a little tricky to see... but there is a banjo and guitar.
See the rubber band strings?