Day 137

Word around the playground was that Big Tommy had the stolen-arms market cornered.

Day 134

Todd was still less than happy about the amount of cleaning he'd have to do, but the fact that he remembered to pack an extra set of legs did mollify him a little bit.

Day 119

Have I mentioned lately how much I love my kids? My 4-year-old and 6-year-old, Levi and Aspen, went with my better half to the LEGO store to get presents for me. These are the newest additions to my collection, put together entirely by little hands and in combinations that I wouldn't quite have expected:

The kids were so sweet and so excited to see me open these that I feel bad taking them apart to use for parts! None of my minifigs stay intact, though, so I'm hoping the kids won't take it personally.

And now, on to your not-very-regularly-scheduled LEGO picture:

What good is roadside assistance if they can't help you find missing parts for a broken toy Yoda?

Day 107

Melanie dutifully followed the doctor's advice, using ice on her injuries several times a day.

Day 99

***WARNING: This post contains nudity and may offend sensitive eyes! Might not be safe for children.***

Last Tuesday, our family went to the State Fair of Texas. On Saturday Oct. 9, we visited again, and this fountain on the grounds of the fair is the scene of Saturday's LEGO photo:

(Here's where you might want to send the kids out of the room.)

Aaron wasn't exactly thrilled about using the public showers, but after a long day at the fair, a guy's gotta do what a guy's gotta do.

Day 86

Mary Lou had never seen such carnage in her life. She tried to scream, but no sound came out.

Day 48

One of the questions I'm asked a lot is, "Do you work?" That's usually met with the Captain Obvious look and a smile. I have six children. Of course I work! When do I ever NOT work? No, I don't have a salaried position outside of my home.

Every six months, though, I spend two days working as a staff member for Divine Consign, one of the largest semiannual consignment sales in the Dallas-Fort Worth region. (We may even be the biggest; I'm not sure.) With two locations, Grapevine and Plano, DC has a combined 70,000 square feet of kids' clothes, baby gear, toys, maternity, and nearly everything else that's baby- or child-related. As a staff member, I work during the presale, when the sale is closed to the public but open for volunteers, consignors, and first-time moms. I'm a devoted DC shopper--with raising six kids on one income it's been a lifesaver--and have shopped there almost exclusively for eight years.

This is a shot taken last night in Plano--AFTER all of the consignors and volunteers finished shopping, and this is still probably less than a third of what is there. (And yes, that's Drew ducking to try to get out of the pic. Didn't work.)

So yesterday, at the Plano presale, I scored some great deals as a shopper but also spent 12 hours on my feet working my staff position. Total exhaustion, but I'm excited to do it again next week in Grapevine! If you're in the Dallas area, check out the Plano sale, at the Plano Center on Spring Creek just east of 75. The Plano sale is open to the public today (Friday) from 9a-8p, and Saturday is half-price day, also 9a-8p. Grapevine is next week, and there are still volunteer shifts open that will allow you to shop the presale night.

With all that being said, the Plano sale floor was the setting for yesterday's photo.

Brian and Josh had heard about the black market for body parts, but neither had any idea it was this bad. In any case, they were confident that they could rescue the next intended victim.