Creation Nation

Ready for action!

overLEGOed (o-vur-LEGO-ohd)    The inability to function exhibited by adult caretakers observing the complete unmanageablility of highly doped-up, maniacal young humans due to a potential overexposure to the dangerous combination of tiny acryclic "bricks", cotton candy, and ingenioius retail marketing ploys. Such experiences can trigger symptoms such as angry and furled brows, high-pitched shrieks, feet stomping and/or full-out temper tantrums from said young humans as well as a comatose-like response manifested in their adult caretakers upon the forced conclusion of such an event. Wine and early bedtimes are known to be widely effective and virtually necessary treatments for the pseudo-psychological condition known as overLEGOed. Synonyms include: overwhelmed.




O.M.G.  Look at all those FREAKS!

This was our Sunday afternoon.  It was a massive gathering of LEGO freaks both young and old.  Yes.  The day we had all been waiting for came to Raleigh:  LEGO Kidsfest!  Our two little LEGO maniacs were totally pumped, to say the least.  Upon arriving, they set their sights on looking at the life-sized models.  They were tickled to death to meet some of their favorite Star Wars characters, constructed completely out of thousands of LEGO bricks.  How awesome is that?!

Ferocious lions...





Captain Rex is in the house!

 

With C3PO and R2D2...Mommy's favorites.

Boba Fett

Thomas, checking out a Battle Droid (I think).

After that, the Little Nguyens got to work constructing their own building for LEGO Creation Nation.  Lets admit it:  this is the reason we came!  To build!  And the Little Nguyens were so excited to get their hands on some bricks.  On the floor, there was a GIGANTIC outline of the United States, and there were tables set up all over for the kids to build on.  Huge tubs were filled with LEGOs were set all around, LEGOs of all sizes and shapes and colors, and thousands upon thousands of them.  After finishing their creations, the kids could take their buildings to a Creation Nation staff member who then chose a prime spot of real estate on which to set the buildings.  How cool!  Thomas made an ice-skating rink and Benjamin made a dark, black skyscraper.

 

Sinking his teeth into a LEGO creation.

 

Finally, getting his hands dirty.

 

At the LEGO Creation Nation Drop-Off Spot:  Thomas' ice-skating rink.

A prime spot of real estate.

Benjamin's skyscraper

Dark and tall, a beautiful sight in the skyline.

After that, we moved on to a large LEGO mural.  LEGO staff members were handing out 2x2-inch tiles on which the kids had to snap on tiles of particular colors, thereby creating a certain design.  The tiles were then delivered to staff members who hammered them onto a large mural.  This was by far the COOLEST thing we saw there!

Working on LEGO mural tiles

Busy hands at work

One hour in....overLEGOed.

Tiles added to the VERY cool LEGO mural.

Of course, there was a LEGO store in the house, and wandering around that was like dragging two kids through a candy shop and having to say "Not today, honey" about every 5 seconds.  Ugh!  Luckily, these two accept "no" and move on, and I was really happy that I was not the mom of the little boy whose father had to literally sling him over his shoulder in order to drag him away from the $399 LEGO Death Star.  Ouch.  A painful parenting moment.  Although they ogled and drooled over Darth Maul's Sith Infiltrator (which is currently sitting in my closet waiting to be wrapped for Thomas' birthday!), the AT-AT Walker and Hogwart's Castle, it's just that....ogling and drooling, like I ogle and drool over Le Creuset.  Some things I just can't have.

Thomas & Hagrid



And with Harry Potter himself!

I was secretly kind of glad when the Little Nguyens proclaimed that they were finished LEGOing.  The whole experience was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, but I think we had all had our fill of screaming children, minifigures and brightly colored bricks.  That's so funny, because with their intense and often obsessive love of all things LEGO,  I never thought the Little Nguyens would recognize LEGO excess.  But the truth is, they were kind of overwhelmed too by the end of it.  One thing is clear:  the Little Nguyens prefer LEGOing in the comfort of their own bonus room.  It's their own little Creation Nation.  And there are no screaming children there.  (Well, most of the time, anyway!)