Since it dawned on us on Thursday that it was Memorial Day weekend and we had no plans at all (this is what having 4 children may do to you), we had to make some fun plans. It started with Chinatown on Saturday and then ended with an official Lego party today. This is a Lego party according to our family (we just created it today).

First, we headed out to the Lego store at the mall. Evan, Ashlyn, and Drew got little plastic containers (that look like legos themselves) and got to fill them with any lego blocks they wanted from this wall. Pretty darn fun. We helped them pick (yes, we helped. we couldn’t miss out on the fun! and, we had to make sure they chose wisely. Drew said he was done when he first filled his entire container with ladders) control panels, doors, a lego cabinet piece with a door, propellers, windows, steps…lots of cool pieces.

Then, we headed over to the Lego person station and each of them designed their own person. Ashlyn did a cute girl with a pony tail, Evan made a spaceship driver with a scary face, and Drew made a “mean doctor” (a skeleton face with a doctor’s uniform…um, scary).

They admired all the lego creations around the store–there are all different creations inside those round windows.

All the while, Lydia just hung out in the stroller. Sorry, Lyds, you are too little for legos.

Then, we headed over to Ruby’s Diner for an Oreo Cookie Fantasy milkshake (Evan’s fave) and root beer floats…and a few saltines (again, sorry, Lyds).

After that, we headed home to the dining room lego playroom (my center piece is currently a 4 ft. long lego city we have all created and keep adding to). There, each kid dumped their bucket out and had to make something out of all the pieces they got. Evan made a spaceship on his own–and totally stuck to the rules (as usual). Drew made a triple decker car with Daddy’s help. And, Ashlyn made a cool car with nearly 100 control panels with my help. And, well, we cheated a little and had to go to the pile of other legos to find pieces to complete our project. Then, the judging began. I perused the creations and asked questions about each piece. Then, I printed out award certificates on the computer and we had a ceremony complete with the pledge of allegiance (while I waved a large American flag in our living room) and a singing of the Mickey Mouse Club theme song (no ceremony is complete without this). Evan won for best use of the pieces purchased today. Drew won for the most pieces used/biggest creation. Ashlyn won for the most detailed and most control panels used. Everyone had a ball. Evan told us, “I had a million, million, 100 fun today!” (translation: “That was so fun today!”)

An impromptu visit to downtown Phili since it was a beautiful day and a little too cool to visit the pool on opening day. We surprised the kids with a train trip, a trip to China(town) which included some fun knick knack stores remarkably like the “real thing” and an amazing lunch, and a visit to Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell. Beautiful day and a fun outing. We’re beat!

Evan drawing while we rode the train into Phili.

The gate into Chinatown. That’s us in the lower lefthand corner.

Admiring a man’s craft–making characters out of clay that were attached to chopsticks. He didn’t speak English, only held up 5 fingers to indicate how much they cost.

Posing in front of Independence Hall.

Posing in front of the Liberty Bell. 3 out of 4 kids isn’t bad.

Lydia practicing her own liberty and independence.