Armadillo of Legends!

Evil stuffed animals beware! For a hero has awoken. The Armadillo of Legends! He single-handedly slew the giant polar bear,defeated a ship full of tiny pirates,and while ridding his faithful steed, the black panther,he wields “La Spada del Destino”! The Sword of Destiny!But is even he ready to face “The Revenge of the Polar Bear!”

Giant Grasshopper!

I was going through some old photos and I found these pictures. I figured the best way to present them would be as a short story (a very short story). Oh no! It’s the attack of the giant grasshopper! The swat men fought bravely, but it was hopeless.Finally, the Lego Ninja Force showed up and saved the day.Or not.

Junior Lego Masters

I don’t know if I’ve mentioned this, but we own a lot of Lego. No I mean a Lot  of Lego.  Okay, you probably still don’t grasp how vast our collection is.  We have two of the large storage containers (the really big ones for storing stuff in your attic) full of Lego, and this is just our mixed Lego.  We also have numerous sets built and on display and other sets in boxes or bags waiting for their turn to be on display.The point is we like Lego.  So recently Christopher and Robert made this Lego warrior.20161031_213656

I was impressed with their unconventional use of pieces.  This man has an arm guard for a face, a dragon wing for an ax, and a tire for a shield.20161031_213535

Also all of his equipment can be put on his back (presumably so he can easily carry it over long distances).

Suffice it to say I was impressed.

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Christopher, Robert, and their Warrior

The Shelf

So today I finished a brand new shelf!20161122_082723

Now all Stephen’s retro Lego can sit on top of it. And Nicholas, Stephen, Jonathan, and I can all store two of our favorite hats on it (the two I put up are on the left end). As cool as it may look though it’s not as if I came up with it. Dad designed the shelf I just built it. But now we have more room to store hats and Lego. Because who doesn’t need more room for Lego.

On the Eighth Day of Christmas My Family Gave to Me…

Oh so many wondrous things!

January first was the little boy’s day of Christmas, so it was also a big day.  They gave Dad two rotatable, clip-on lights.  Dad has been saying for a while that he needed a lights to see the sound mixer inside our custom radio speaker, but the speaker is another story.
They gave Mom new disks for her brand new sewing machine.  These make the sewing machines perform different, special stitches and Mom really wanted them, so these were a great gift.

Next Nicholas got a pair of spurs.
You know, to wear with his cowboy boots.

I got an expansion pack for my new game!We’ve been playing the game a lot since I got it and I really wanted this expansion, but I never thought the little boys would get it for me.

Christopher and Robert gave Jonathan a Lego set much like the one I got a few days ago, but this set has Spider-man and The Green Goblin!

Nathaniel also got Lego.  His was a Galaxy Squad set.

 In my opinion, Galaxy Squad is one of the coolest Lego themes in the last ten years.

Anne got a book, but not just any book, she got “Jean Craig Finds Romance.”  Anne had the first two Jean Craig books and really wanted the third.

Robert also gave Christopher Galaxy Squad Lego.

Christopher gave Robert more art supplies: tracing paper, mechanical pencils, and a pack of Sharpies.

Despite the great gifts we all received the highlight of the evening was Veronica receiving her gift.  There’s something uniquely amusing about a seven year old girl unwrapping the that box, clutching it excitedly to her bosom and shouting, “Tiny Girl!”

Apparently Veronica owned this set several years ago and named the robot Tiny Girl.  The set has long since been lost to the mixed Lego and Veronica has been trying to rebuild her.  I’m really glad Veronica liked her gift, but who would have guessed that this set would be named Tiny Girl.

On the Third Day of Christmas My Family Gave to Me…

a Hot Wheels car!

From oldest on the (left) to youngest (right)

Yesterday was actually Veronica’s day of Christmas.  Veronica is the youngest in the family and only seven years old (so we had to appreciate the gifts no matter what :-).  Hot Wheels cars are always appreciated actually, they are another family tradition, but this year they are even cooler than usual.  “How?” you ask.  How could these tiny toy cars possibly get any more impressive?!  Simple, Hot Wheels has finally accomplished what I’ve said they should…they’ve designed their cars for Lego guys to ride on!

Lego meets Hot Wheels

First K’Nex is designed to work with Lego and now Hot Wheels!  I can only say what my brother Nicholas said when he first saw the ride on Hot Wheels car at the auto parts store, “What a time to be alive.”

More Retro Lego

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Throwbots!

Anyone remember these guys? They were called Throwbots, or Slizers in Europe.  
They are without doubt my favorite of the Technique robot figures from Lego.  Maybe this is because they were the first set we owned when I was little, but I really don’t think so.  I think they were just the most innovative  and creative.  Not only do they all look cool and are all composed of the same type of pieces, but they also have great boxes/ships they fold up into.  These boxes even store their throwing disks!    Despite their similarities they are all completely unique.

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Jet

 

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Electro
Amazon
Amazon
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Granite
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Ski
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Turbo
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Torch
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Scuba

My favorite is Turbo (also called City in Europe).  He’s the light green car one.

Turbo Again!
Turbo Again!

And just in case you haven’t seen enough Throwobot pics…20161016_120020

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Jet from Above

 

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Nicholas’ Favorite
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Joseph’s Favorite

 

My Favorite Lego Sets

I had a chance this week to build and set up my favorite Lego sets of all time.  blog

20161016_115718 20161016_11573320161016_11571020161016_115729 Those are the from a line of promotional Shell Lego sets.  They were purchased by Mom and Dad when I was a little boy and I have always thought they were incredible.

Another incredible thing about these sets is how dated they are.  For example look at

This guys boom box…20161016_115810

This guys jacket20161016_115815

This guys sunglasses…20161016_115842

This guys sunglasses…
20161016_115836This guys sunglasses…20161016_115823and most of all, the price of gas…rcu3fe4

Only twelve cents?! When was this?!?

Tiny Plastic Swords, Why Not?

But perhaps the bigger question is why?  I mean I like the tiny swords too.  They fascinated me as a youth walking through the grocery store, but now I wonder who decided, “Hey, I’m tired of using tooth picks to hold my maraschino cherries I need something cooler, something more exotic, and I don’t mean those little paper umbrellas (they are too feminine),” and then went on to invent the multicolor, transparent, plastic rapier.

Why were these things invented, why? Oh wait, never mind I figured it out.

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Someone wanted discount giant lego swords!