I need brainstorming notes, verbal planning, external inspiration, piles of sorted elements to decide on colors, and all types of prep to get going on a build.
At eight years old, Isaac simply builds. He saw a Youtube video of a show I loved, Battlebots, and ran with the idea of the tank-shaped bot. I loved it and suggested an arena, offering to help build it. “I got a plan, Dad.” Then he went into a trance and threw this scene together (big brother was recruited for the referee, he’s the resident minifigure expert).
I’m not a “car guy” in the classic sense. I love attending everything from drag racing on the beach or asphalt to monster trucks and NASCAR races, but I don’t know makes, models, and history.
That’s why it was such a thrill to be among experts at 3 Dog Garage today. Many of the cars on display have raced and some currently still do. There’s an energy in a building full of beautiful machines and art with hardly a dividing line between the two.
With polite requests, my sons were allowed to sit in a few of these gorgeous beasts.
The neon sign came from a restaurant in California and was a stunning highlight of the third floor gallery.
I was impressed by Ross Myers’ library and dreamed of having something similar one day.
Myers’ first car became his national award winner, “First Love.” It’s accented by this powerful symbol of love throughout the design.
I’m intent on finding the artist responsible for the pop art pieces featuring Audrey Hepburn, Elvis, Steve McQueen, and Marilyn Monroe. They are fun, inventive, and hold lots of exciting surprises.
On par, we were nearly the last group out of the museum. It’s a rare treat to visit this special place and we squeezed all we could out of it.
Not long ago I was afraid of my passion for life. It started with sadness and crying. I bottled up these inconvenient things and subsequently made myself more shallow across the emotional spectrum.
It took widowhood and parenting two boys who had lost their mother for me to embrace the depth of my pain. I did it for them at first, to model acceptance that it was okay to be sad. I learned that I was to find myself again in those deep, dark places.
Grief took its turns dragging me down into the black and I recognized a greater light each time it let me up for air.
The sun shines brighter on this day than any before it because I know how dark the night can be.
Today we expanded our Delaware Fun-A-Day project to include other homeschoolers and friends. We opened up our Lego Loveshop to showcase those who share our passion for the learning lifestyle.
Nothing was finished today, but much was started.
I look forward to sharing more creations as February progresses.
I’m angry with the mocking Snow Moon. Delaware hasn’t seen a snowfall worth a ball all winter and this full moon was accompanied by a cold bath for my son and more rain.
As the rain persisted and I was stuck home all day getting our hot water heater replaced, I built an antidote inspired by Delaware Art Museum’s Chinese New Year celebration: The Lion Sun.
My sons got up for adventures in the night and fell asleep on the floor of our living room. They wouldn’t be woken for church, okay no big deal, if we don’t honor and care for our bodies we can’t honor and care for God. I eventually rallied them for a Chinese New Year celebration at Delaware Art Museum, but the younger stayed cranky…for five hours. The only thing to sort him out was time back in our home neighborhood with his friends.
I was wiped out from trying to please him and napped before discovering that our water heater was leaking somewhat dramatically. At the same time I learned a close friend was having heating issues and could use my help. This all hit the fan as I was due to go to a soccer game this evening. Fortunately, we played our butts off and I escaped my responsibilities for a good 55 minutes. My girlfriend let me use her shower after the game and my boys and I got home safely, all blessings. I really wanted to teamwork on our Delaware Fun-A-Day at some point today. I was still hopefully pushing the idea as we got home, but my sons had not yet decided to be cooperative.
We’ll have to catch up on our Lego art projects, a busted water heater, and a friend in need tomorrow. Instead of pushing to tonight, I’m recognizing my limits and taking care of myself.
It took a few days, but I finally got moving on a treacherous hedge maze today. My sons helped pick the hazards and thought of sending Theseus back to Daedalus’s prison for the Minotaur.
Part Harry Potter, part Greek myth, this is the heftiest build so far and just busy enough to remain fun.
