Bionicle Master Creator

Andy spends a good bit of time creating with his Bionicles many days. I always mean to snap more photos than I actually get.

Here are a few --

The Ultimate Boxer created using pieces from Kirox and a few others. The feet are from Gorast. Other parts he doesn't remember the origin.

This one began as an Axalara Andy received for Christmas.
Over time, it's grown to be quite elaborate -- and big!
It's certainly his prize creation.

A side view of the Bionicles and Legos currently on display
on Andy's dresser

As I head off to bed now, Andy is working on his latest Bionicle creation. No clear vision yet, but he does have a base from which to build. He's sifting thru the massive collection of parts kept on the floor for inspiration. No photo of the new one in the works, tho, since he's not sure where it's going just yet.

Go Cart racing

A few days ago, the boys and Gary went to a birthday party at a local family fun center. I missed most of the party, but Gary was thoughtful enough to get lots of pictures. The kids had a great time, especially the birthday boy's Dad, Pablo. Dan was too short and too young to ride alone, Pablo was wearing the wristband of a guest who'd missed the party, so Pablo drove and Dan rode along with him.



There were also bumper boats. The dashboard water-sprayers were turned off -- apparently, management felt it was too cold for wet kids -- but still the kids managed to have some water fun.

House of Cards

Dan heard the phrase "house of cards" somewhere on TV earlier today. He came into the bedroom where I was trying to get a few alone to read, and asked me to show him how to build a house of cards. At first, I tried to beg off because I really was tired. Being Dan, he persisted. We often joke that in the dictionary, Dan's picture is listed with the definition for determined.

I tried to build a card house using the cards in a horizontal placement. No go -- these cards are a bit bowed and oft-used. I managed to build one level of vertical cards in lean-to fashion, but I could not get the second story to work!

Twenty minutes -- and several re-starts -- later, Dan had built this --

I took this photo -- pretty amazing, huh?

Dan snapped this shot

Rainy cold day

Please let this be the last cold, blustery Saturday for a while. This is soccer season, spring portion, and so far every Saturday the soccer weather has been less than desirable. When it's warm and sunny on Friday, I can trust that by 8 game time Saturday, it will be 20 degrees cooler, with a strong wind. Or maybe rain. Today it's much colder, and we got rain. Mixed with sleet and pellet snow at times. And lots of wind. And standing water everywhere.

Yes, we need the rain. It's a desert and we've not had much rain since last fall. But all at once?! The ground can't absorb it all. I don't mind puddles and ponds when it's warm, say during the July monsoon. But in April, puddles and ponds just mean I'm cold and WET.

Thankfully, soccer was cancelled. Of course, order-placing for soccer trophies, not so much. I had made arrangements to collect checks and place our order after today's game. No game meant I need to arrange to meet parents -- who all were kind enough to find me at the laundromat -- and slog out into the (then) sleet/pellet snow to drop off the order. Along the way, I stopped for carrots and potatoes to put in what I hope will be the last Green Chile Stew of the season. Really the last stew until sometime in late October. Please?

So, while I'm in my house muttering for yet another day how tired I am of being cold, I'll post some pictures taken on the warmer, sunny days we've had that assure me consistently warm weather really is right around the corner. Isn't it?

Can't you just feel how lovely the weather was on Monday
for our Easter Egg Hunt with the tribe?

The boys had a great time in a wrestling/chasing game.

Proof you never really outgrow Legos -- Will creating spaceship for Dan.

Yeah, these pix are on my 365 blog, but I wanted them here too.

Beth, who had just finished a round of jumping rope. Just beautiful!