Legos

The kids and I started August off with a road trip to Lego Camp.  More specifically MU Neuro-LEGO Robotics Camp.  I kept calling it Legos camp, then Kellen informed me that people were giving him a hard time about going to Lego Camp.  I think that probably sounded like a they were just going to go and build towers or something.  But, I was trying to keep it light, so they wouldn’t think I signed them up for something where they were going to have to use their brains during summer vacation!  Which is actually what I did! :) 

The camp was at the University of Missouri, about three hours away in Columbia, Missouri.

Finally, something I signed them up for this summer was a huge success!  They all loved it and learned sooo much that we would have had a hard time doing at home, or at least knowing where to start from at home. 

When we were in Iowa Kellen was set to be on a Lego Mindstorms team, where they build robots and take them to competitions, but we had to back out since we were trying to move in the middle of all of this.  I was really disappointed as I knew this was something he would enjoy and would be good for him!  So, I started researching here and found this three-day camp.  

Our hotel was right next to the campus and the football field.  The boys got a kick out of seeing the college guys practicing.  We almost wrecked with one trying to get this picture.  Kellen asked me the other day how I ever got a driver’s license!  I told him you only have to drive good one time!  (No, I was not driving and taking photos, Kellen was taking the pictures!)

  
Garrett on the first day.  Just walking into this computer lab with all the computers and rolly chairs was worth the trip for the boys!


Kellen and Gannon were partners on the first day.  The second and third days they moved the lower grades to another room so they could all learn at their own levels.

Garrett and his partner receiving some instruction.

Kellen and Gannon trying out their robot on the first day.

Gannon and his partner Lexie.  This was their “free-for-all” robot at the end of the third day.  It won all the challenges!  She was the sweetest girl.  God was really looking out for Gannon at this camp.  He is shy and takes a little time to warm up to new things, but he got to be with his brother the first day then with Lexie the second and third days.  It would have been very easy for her to take over the robot and do all the fun computer stuff, but she didn’t.  She made sure he had a part and took turns with him without him having to be demanding (which wouldn’t have happened!).  Such a blessing!

Gannon and Lexie getting their robot ready for a challenge.  The challenge was to try to push the other teams robots over the black like before their robot got pushed out.

Garrett and Kellen trying out their remote control robots.

On the last day the big kids had to give a presentation about their final robots and had a little power-point to go with it.  We haven’t had many opportunities to get up in front of strangers and speak, so this was a bonus!  Here is Garrett giving his presentation.

Kellen giving his presentation.  Love the hands in his pockets.  So much like his daddy!

The end of the camp.  Callie decided to get in on the action.  She was a trooper.  We made lots of trips back and forth and just killing time around town.  We did some back to school shopping, found some huge fabric stores, and just hung out.  I wish it hadn’t been so hot!  I had plans to take her to the park and places that two-year olds enjoy, but it was just way to hot for hanging out outside!  We would pick the boys up at three each day then mess around, eat dinner and swim at the hotel.  By bedtime the boys crashed!  They used a lot of brain power!

The guys with Beetle Bailey.  The creator of the Beetle Bailey  cartoon character was a graduate of the University of Missouri.  They were doing major road construction on the campus so it took us two days to find this little guy!  I was obsessed once I read about it, Beetle Bailey is one of Grandpa’s favorites!

     

Of course one of the fun things about visiting a new town is seeing what you can find to do and places you can eat.  We were so excited to see they had a Noodles!  We miss Noodles from Iowa!  I think we could have eaten every meal there!

All in all this was a huge success!  We are so excited to explore the Lego Robotics and see what else is out there that we can participate in.  Thanks daddy for letting us go and being ok with us traveling by ourselves.  I loved having this little break with just my kiddos.  The kids and I did a lot of traveling when we lived in Iowa and it was always so nice to just concentrate on kids.  I’ve missed that.  Even though I am home with them every day, life happens when we are home.  Things have to be done so I can’t always just concentrate on them like I would like to.  (They are probably glad about this! ha!)  So, having some time to just hang out, listen to our favorite songs, eat at our favorite places, have conversations without being interrupted by things…so much fun!  Life is going by way to fast to not have some of these times to just stop the usual routines and enjoy each other.  I am so blessed and times like this help me realize that.  It’s easy to have pity parties about small stuff when the days are flying by at the speed of light!  Here’s to a successful end of the summer, and successful beginning to the new school year.  Life is good!