Snapshots

In case you don't recognize the characters: Connor, Isabella, Riley-
Connor had them over last night for dinner and a special viewing of "High School Musical 2." We took these pictures just before they went home.

Legos for the Holidays ... One Last Present

On the way back from celebrating Christmas 2 with grandparents aunts & uncles, Connor stopped to redeem Toys R Us gift cards from Grandma S. Connor hasn't often been to a real toy store (there aren't any nearby), and not for a couple of years, so he was amazed. "There is NOTHING here for grown-ups!" he observed with awe. It was a tough decision. but we think he made a good one: Hoth Wampa Cave!

With his purchase, he got this free backpack:

Outstanding. Here is he posing happily with his latest creation:

And this is what our living room looks like today:

In case you can't tell, we have a lot of Legos at our house. These are only the black and gray ones. Serendipitously, Connor got in the mail today his first issue of Lego Club Jr. magazine. While it took 3 or 4 months to arrive, it is free, and shows kids how to make even more stuff with their Legos. Connor is trying to build a police car using directions from it right now.

from the Lego website:

The name 'LEGO' is an abbreviation of the two Danish words "leg godt", meaning "play well". The LEGO Group was founded in 1932 by Ole Kirk Kristiansen. The Company has passed from father to son and is now owned by Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen, a grandchild of the founder.

Christmas Morning

(playing Super Mario Brothers- new dsi game)

Lego Castles

When not playing Mario Brother Wii, building Lego castles is another popular pasttime.

Gingerbread House Construction

This year's annual gingerbread-house-building-extravaganza:

We agreed that last year's house was much better, but photos from that session cannot be located. Anyway, we had fun.

Close Enough?

Now that cold weather has set in, afternoon playtime is often wii-centered. There is usually more space between the screen and the players, but I sense this was an especially intense race.

High School Musical

This week Riley is staying with us while her parents are at work. Yesterday the parent that is not me borrowed "High School Musical" from the library. Connor did not want to watch it, was not interested at all in the beginning, begged me to play with him while the others were watching, even asked his dad, "Do you think this is GOOD?" (I was thinking the same thing in my head) .... but by the end, he was hooked. So enthralled that he begged to watch it a second time last night. Today I heard him proclaim that it was "good."
I found all of it very amusing.
I guess it's not surprising, considering the movie follows the same basic plot line of "Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel," which he watched two or three times per weekend for the past few months, only with humans instead of rodents. (All of our adult friends and family who we saw over the Thanksgiving break have now seen "The Squeakquel.")
In other news, Connor's dad has at last succeeded in getting him addicted to video games.
Mario Brothers Wii. He's hoping for the DS version for Christmas.

Cookies!

Connor prepares to make gingerbread cookies by donning an apron and eating a peanut butter cookie for sustenance (breakfast dessert).

Skydeck Chicago

Field Museum

Connor as cicada, shedding his shell

Connor the skunk

exhausted on the ride home

Photos at the Shedd

Shedd Aquarium

playing submarine

hiding in the ice

Connor as penguin

Go, Spartans!

game-day attire: new sweatshirt for the occasion

shuttle en route to the stadium

new hat- thanks, Jason! so cool

Spartan on the town (watch out Chicago)