Lego storage has always been an ongoing battle for us, Walker loves to build a set but he also loves to just create things and then I find them here and there around the house. The sets get mixed up, pieces are missing from another set and so on. It drives me nuts because I don't know what piece goes to what set... Little Bug knows but if he's at school they sit out until we can figure out which bag they go in.

So after much research and months of trying to decide what to do to I think I figured out a way that can work for me and my desire to have a place for everything and will allow Walker's creativity to flow with out worrying about mixing up sets.

Decided to sort all the Lego sets by color! So this weekend there was many hours spend doing this...

I found this fishing tackle box which will work perfectly... they are all contained and easily accessible to build.

So now the new plan is... if you want to build a set... then you grab the instructions and "shop" for your pieces. If you want to just build then have at it. The Harry Potter sets are the most played with to date so they will stay in their own sets and not be into the current color idea.

So a peek into the reds...

I way underestimated his collection so I will need to get another fishing tackle box but once the project is complete I think it will be well worth it.

Yesterday he started to build a Lego set and I noticed he was picking it up... he was frustrated because he couldn't go any further because of a missing piece... reminded him of what we were doing and he was able to head downstairs and find his missing red piece... He said, " Wow this works great!"

So as long as no one mixes up all the colors, were good. There will be a loud "%$#@$%^" heard around the world if that ever happens!

We bought some grapefruit this week and Walker decided he wanted part of his for breakfast. I pulled one out to cut it and he says, "That's not mine!..mine is the Jupiter grapefruit... you know the one with the red spot on it!"

Ha too funny... didn't know that the correct way to pick out a grapefruit is to go by what planet it looks like the most.

Had to take a picture and record this little story..

Here's Jupiter for comparison...

Yep he got the "red spot" in the correct location on the grapefruit.

Christmas is always tricky for me to take pictures during... I love to live in the moment with the kiddos but I also want to record it so that down the road I can pull out pictures when someone asks, "What was Christmas like when I was 2?"

I always feel like the pictures that are taken don't always have the warmth, joy, or feelings captured. But looking through my pictures this week I found this one... which warms my heart.

The story... Walker had just opened a gift that Ainsley had gotten him... it was the Hot Wheels Battle Force 5 track... and after jumping up and down he spontaneously reached over and squeezed Ainsley with a hug... which melts a Mama's heart... I was lucky to capture it... the first "real" Christmas photo that didn't have cheesy grins, funny faces or forced smiles... it was life in the moment.

The hidey spot otherwise known as "Ainsley's fort" (in the back of her closet) was played in over most of the weekend. They had so much fun in fact that they decided to get up this morning at 4:30 AM... to play in it again!!!

Good thing I knew where they were when I got up to check out the thumps in the night... and found missing kiddos from their beds.

We also did the Lowe's Kid Project this weekend... they were both excited to build another project. This week's was a Game box..

It was a cute project that has a slate top to play tic tac toe and inside there are a bunch of cards with games that can be played and my favorite part the wooden dice. Here's the finished project..

This week it's been a trip to the gym..

where the people gave us a hard time about being gone the past month.

It was the start of a new job...

that i really love... what's not to love about helping kids become better readers?

Our home has been plagued by sickness..

Stewart's had the fever and chills and Little Bug has a double ear infection.

Ainsley was able to squeeze in a fun play date..

Where the girls were really excited to find a secret hideout... the storage area in the way back of Ainsley's closet area (I always forget it's there)...they have big plans... they both love to draw, paint and craft so I told them they could do a mural in the "hidey spot" as long as they sketched it out first (so that I could approve)...after all it's just paint! They were beyond the moon excited and spent the rest of the time gathering supplies and planning! Will be a fun thing to do for future play dates as well.

He's quite the "little chef" currently he's into hosting his own cooking show...

He had chopped all kinds of ingredients for his fruit salad and was in the process of making his dressing that would go on top of his "clay fruit salad." He really cracks me up how he comes up with little comments like, "Taking a break but will be right back with... chef Walker!"

Yesterday we made a big ol' batch of crepes..

It was our first time making them on our own and the kiddos first time making and eating them. They were pretty fascinated with the process...

We had the yummy egg ones..(which are my favorite)

and then the rest were butter and syrup. This next picture cracks me up... Walker and Stewart both have a mouth full of crepes and are staring away at Ainsley who is not paying attention to the syrup that's seems to be following out quickly...

Ainsley caught on quickly on how to roll them just right...

And Little Bug who ate about 4 or 5 said, "These are yummy... I could eat a thousand of them!"

Instead of having a white Christmas this year we have a white AFTER Christmas. Here was the shot yesterday...

Ainsley spent a good amount of the day playing outside... making a fort contraption...

It's a brr 7 degrees this morning and she's already outside bundled up enjoying her fort.

This was the scene this morning...

Here we are in full Santa mode...

Loving his Christmas Spirit this year.

The Lego Advent calendar is getting empty...

Some of our favorite Lego pieces that have been built...

Of course the kiddos are beyond the moon excited... the house is a buzz most days. Both Kiddos got a new Santa hat and Walker has been wearing his constantly while saying, "Ho Ho Ho!"