Lego Power Miners Titanium Command Rig

Sam has always been a collector. Once he realized that the McDonalds Happy Meal toys came 8 to a set, it had to be the whole set. Life could not move on until we had all 8 characters.

So when we started with Legos, we decided to stick with one set. If you are not familiar with Legos there are different series. Star Wars, City, Space Police, Agents, Toy Story 3 etc. We began with Power Miners, and have slowly built up to having most of the different sets. But we had not yet purchased the $100.00 mother lode set, the Titanium Command Rig. All 706 pieces of connecting fun. I was beginning to worry towards the end of spring, that the stores were not going to sell this set anymore. I began to panic that our Power Miners set would not be complete, and we would have to spend the rest of our lives bidding on ebay and paying way more than $100 to complete our set. So I set out for Target and purchased the last Titanium Command Rig set they had. Plopped down my $90 (I applied for a Target Red Card and saved 10%!), and hid it under the bed for 2 months until Sam's birthday. Of course, at one of our many trips to Target, we saw it on CLEARANCE for 69.99. And they only had ONE. Did I purchase it and then return the other one? Did I go home, and get my receipt and the package from under the bed and exchange it? Was it worth the $20.00 difference to make another trip? (If only it was just across the street from my house, like it is for my brother in Pasadena.)

Well we left the store, and I did come back later and did the exchange. Hey, $20 is $20 I can spend on something else at Target. And then hid it in the closet until yesterday.

Since we were camping up until the morning of Sam's birthday, I didn't have a chance to wrap the packages, so we had a scavenger hunt with clues that led to the hiding place. Here is Sam's reaction.

We started in at 9:30 or so putting it together, and finished about 4:30. There were 2 instruction books, and 5 bags of pieces. We stopped for lunch, and a few other breaks, so I would guess that it took about 5 hours total to put it together.


What do you think the chances of our being done with new lego kits might be, now that we've added this one to the collection?

Sam's Birthday Eve Camping Trip

This was the 3rd year for the birthday eve camping trip to Lake Afton. The last 2 years were just Doug and Sam, but after the camping trip of a couple of weeks ago the decision was made that it should be a family camp out. I was a trooper, and was a little uneasy when we went to the bait shop to buy our camping permit and fishing license and saw the poster for the 2010 Midwest Rock Fest which was starting that night. Because of the stage and concerts, there was not camping on the east side of the lake, which put everyone on one side. After driving around trying to find the perfect camp site (close to a bathroom, but far away from other people with big coolers) we finally settled on a spot right by the side of the lake. We were the only people there (when we started). The wind was very brisk, and it took both Doug and I to get the tent set up. There was a moment when I thought it was going to blow right into the lake. Once the tent was up, the fishing began. The boys interest in fishing lasted about 30 seconds. Then out came the air mattress and the DVD players. Soon the rock concert began (we heard one or two of these bands: Buckcherry, Drowning Pool, ThundHer Struck, Hear Kitty Kitty, or Calling All War - come on I know you are familiar with their "work.") and it lasted until at least 2:30. Some neighbors decided our small piece of paradise would be nice for their tents, and they proceeded to get their boat into the water around 12:30. Around 2:30 or so they came back and without trying to be quiet about it, docked their boat and had a lovely conversation for 30 minutes or so. Needless to say they were not using their "quiet" voices because someone might just be trying to sleep.

I woke up around 6:30, the wind was still very breezy and the sound of the wind blowing the leaves and the water in the lake was nice. Everyone was up by about 7:30 or so, and in the gesture of neighborliness we didn't make the kids speak quietly. Doug tried fishing for a bit without luck, and then we took the tent down, and headed to Sugar Shak for the annual birthday doughnut.

I propose that next year we return to it being a boys camping trip.

Swim Lessons 2010

Swim lessons begin in the shelter house with a "whale tale" that teaches the kids a safety phrase like, "Swim with a buddy in a supervised area," or "Be cool, follow the rules."

Ben "monkeying" from the ladder to his spot on the gutter. Ben spent most of his swim lesson holding on to the side and doing bobs.

Sam resting after swimming across the pool and back.

The boys both had 2 weeks of swim lessons at Twin River Swim Club. We used to be members, but have not been for the past couple of summers, but continue to return for lessons because we love the teachers, and the teachers love the boys.

Both boys passed their Red Cross swim levels. Ben will be in level 2 next summer and Sam will be in level 4! After taking 2 summers to pass level 2, we were very excited that Sam was able to pass level 3 in one attempt.

The last day is spent with a quick test for passing the levels. Sam had to swim across the deep end using his freestyle stroke, tread water for 30 seconds, and then use the elementary backstroke (better known as "monkey, airplane, soldier") back across. I'd post the video but it is almost 2 minutes long, but Sam did a super job.

The reward for 2 weeks of hard work is for everyone to go off the diving boards. We challenged Sam to go off the high dive, and we made a deal that he could get a lego (as if we don't already have enough) set if he did. I wasn't sure he would do it, but he marched to the ladder, climbed it, walked to the end of the board, and jumped! Then he did it again. After the 2nd jump he was done.Sam did not spend much time contemplating, he just jumped!

Ben was also very brave and went off. He probably wouldn't have minded at all if he would have gone under water. He has been jumping off the side and going under all summer at Gma and Gpa Keefer's pool. His teacher was very proud of him for going underwater, and with a little push got a ring off the bottom of the pool.

Now that Ben is older, I think we will save this fall and winter so we can join the swim club next year. It is so close to our house, it will be nice to have a pool so close. That way the kids can take swim lessons all summer long!!!

Art Camp Days 2 & 3

Transformer: Optimus Prime
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A Robot Cat, complete with cat toys and a drawer that pulls out so you can access all the wires.

Here are Sam's other drawings from the Nut and Bolts art class he took this week. He had a great time drawing, and I'm amazed that they can get him to concentrate so long to draw outlines, then fill in with all these different colors.

Sam the Artist

When Sam was 3 or so if you asked him what he wanted to be when he grew up, he would say an alligator. Once he started Kindergarten he changed his mind to an artist, and now he wants to be a scientist.

During the River Festival, the boys attended a presentation from the Monart School of Art where Sam did a very nice drawing of the State bird, the Meadowlark.

While there, Doug picked up some information about summer classes they were offering. One class offered was called "Nuts and Bolts." Learn how to draw Wall-e, transformers, and create your own robot character. Grandma Keefer and Papa Bob signed Sam up for his birthday and this is what he created today. Hopefully you can figure out who it is!

Boys Campout at Lake Afton

Ben takes a picture of Sam and Dad setting up the tent.

The view from the tent.

The completed tent!

How did this guy get on the end of my pole.

Doesn't everyone watch DVD's in the tent once it gets dark outside?

Doug is in the middle of 2 weeks of mandatory vacation from Bank of the West. It is a new requirement for all bank employees, with the purpose of discovering anything illegal that they might be doing. Apparently if they are doing something, it will be found out during the 2 week period. We spent the first week in California and Pittsburg, KS. The second week, Doug decided to give Mom a mini vacation by taking the boys camping. Sam and Dad have camped at Lake Afton the last 2 years on the night before Sam's birthday. This was Ben's first camping experience, as well as the first time to use the brand new bigger tent I bought probably 5 years ago on 75% off clearance at Target. The boys helped set up the tent and then went fishing. The next morning, the park ranger came by to tell them that the place where they had camped for the last 2 years, is now a no camping area. Oops.

Ben catching a fish Sam catching a fish

July 4th fun

Waiting to go off the diving board.

Ben and Matt in the blow up pool.

Ben "monkeying" around the edge of the pool.

Chicken Annies for dinner.

We left July 3rd to meet up with our friends Scott and Jennifer and their sons, Joey and Matt in Pittsburg, KS where Scott's parents live. When we got there it was cloudy and rainy. They boys went swimming for a short time, while Jennifer and I hit the "mall." We rain cleared later in the afternoon, just in time to go eat at Chicken Annies. Apparently this restaurant is in an online competition on the travel channel, and is known all around for their fried chicken. The kids mostly liked the clucking chicken which in exchange for a quarter, would lay an egg filled with a little goodie (read junk). We went back to the Hudson's house and "shot off" a few dollars worth of fireworks that had been purchased when Jennifer and I were at the mall. The boys loved them, as did the bigger boys.

We spent the night in Joplin, MO at a very nice Hampton Inn. The Hudsons came to Joplin to meet up with us for lunch, and more shopping at the Joplin Mall while the boys found a shop that had inflatable bouncy things.

We returned to Pittsburg for a little swimming, then returned home, hitting just a small patch of thunderstorms. Unfortunately there was not enough rain in Wichita to keep our neighbors from shooting off 3 hours of illegal fireworks. Neither of the boys were able to sleep through all the noise, so we ended up not going to bed until close to midnight. Last year we spent the 4th of July with my Uncle Hugh at the monastery where it was delightfully quiet. That might be our plan for next year!

Sam jumping off the diving board.

The flight to California

The kids displaying their new laptops from Grandma and Grandpa Shaffer.

Ben eating beef jerky and playing on his laptop.

Ben on the airplane.

Ben looking out the window. Are we there yet?

Ben asleep at the Enterprise branch.

We went to church Sunday morning, then had some friends follow us to the airport to drive our car back home. There's nothing like hurrying up to wait. We had carefully packed our checked bag so that it would not exceed the 50 lb. limit. That meant each of us had a backback to carry on. The boys had a rolling backpack.

Since our flight left at 12:15, we got to the airport around 10:30, which meant that lunch was at the airport. We did not pay extra to have assigned seats, so the luck of the draw was that we sat up front in the second and third rows. Ben got a window seat next to mom, and dad and sam got the aisle and middle seat. Both boys spent the 2 1/2 hour trip watching DVD's and playing with their new laptop computers. Ben got a Handy Manny computer, and Sam got a Transformers laptop.

Our seats were conveniently located next to the bathroom. Sam thought it was pretty cool.

Ben fell asleep waiting for our luggage at the LA airport, stayed asleep all through the Enterprise shuttle to the rental location. We drove straight to Kevin's apartment, watched some Phinneas and Ferb episodes, then ate supper at Souplantation, a short walk to a buffet restaurant. We headed to our hotel to unpack and rest up for the next few days of activity.

Observatory, Zoo, Science Center, Monday 6/28/10

Griffith Observatory

Sam in front of a statue of Issac Newton. Sam said, "I think he invented gravity." Which afterwards he changed to "discovered."

Ben reading the map at the LA Zoo.

Sam reading the map.

Koalas

SR 71 Blackbird plane outside the Science Center.

Sam and Ben looking at the aquarium.

Waiting for the IMAX 3-D movie to begin.

Walking from the IMAX building back to the Science Center.

The house used in the movie, Father of the Bride. It was on our way back to Kevin's apartment.

Our first full day in California was busy. We started out with a visit to the Griffith Observatory which Sam was interested in visiting not only because it was about space and science, but because there is a scene from Transformers filmed in front of the Observatory. We enjoyed all the outdoor sights, then realized that the Observatory was closed on Mondays. That probably explained why there was plenty of parking close to the building. We were able to walk around it, and through the fog saw the Hollywood sign.

We had seen exit signs for the LA Zoo on the way to the observatory so we decided to go there. In the meantime, the sun decided to come out making it warm. We were excited to see the Koala bears, but after a lot of walking we decided to leave and head for our next stop. The California Science Center.

There were lots of fun things to see and do at the science center. But the best part was the IMAX 3-D movie about the Hubble Telescope. After the movie, we walked next door to the LA Coliseum where the 1932 and 1984 Olympics were held. While we couldn't go in, it was neat to see that part of history.

We headed back to Pasadena for our favorite Mexican restaurant at Sharkeys, and headed back to the hotel for a good nights rest in preparation for Legoland on Tuesday.