Got Legos?

The boys spent most of last evening in the famous Noffze Lego Bucket.  (Just a side note, if you have boys make the lego investment....it is literally hours and years of imagination fun!)

Brandon created a new Colts stadium complete with windows to let light in on the field and the Colts emblem emblazoned on the side of the building.  I believe this about the millionth Colts stadium he's designed, but never the less special.
Tyler chose a building as well, but his was created with the guise of being the 'tallest' lego building.  He finally capped it with a spire late yesterday only to remove the spire today and continue building on a chair to get more height.  

Two boys and a lego bucket for HOURS.....Who knew they could be this entertaining!

Snow Day

In and amongst all the career news Friday the kids were home for a teacher work-day so I decided to take them sledding. We had fun trying to sled in the fresh 3 inches of powder that fell yesterday.  With a little scooting and a little path-making we managed to get through the powder and pick up speed enough to sled down the hill.  It was a balmy 20 degrees and we felt like we were in heaven all snugly and warm in our winter gear.  It's times like these that I treasure because I know that in a few short years it won't be 'cool' to be seen with Mom, let alone enjoy sledding with her.  I soaked up every moment and even took a few spins myself.  What a fun time!

Quote of the Week

Mom: Brandon, when we get home you have to find and assemble a whole lot of things for the over night blast...a sleeping bag, tooth brush, tooth paste, swimming suit, towel, pillow, sweats to sleep in, bla, bla bla.....
Brandon: What was that last one?
Mom: A plastic bag to put your suit in after you wear it and it's wet.
Brandon: Do you think you could make a categorized list in writing so I can remember it easier?
Mom: Laugh!


News Report on TV: On highway Bla Bla a semi lost control and overturned in the icy conditions today. It was carrying over a ton of paper products from Waseau, Wisconsin headed west to northern Minnesota.
Tyler: That's a WHOLE lot of paper cuts right there!

An Honor, A Privilege, and a Girlfriend!

My girlfriend runs into me this morning and says, "Have I got a proposition for you!"

She proceeds to tell me that our local fabric store is having an 'event' and needs quilt samples of their current fabric to display on the walls.  Ok, so what does that mean to me?

They need samples, I quilt, free fabric and pattern to make them with.....COOL!

I was so honored to be asked to participate in the quilt sampling!

So, tonight I went in and picked out the 'freshest' fabric and some down right neat patterns to make quilts for display.  One is made with the 'Strip Happy' quilt book and Escargot Fabric Sticks.  This should be fun!

I'll post my progress pix so everyone can enjoy, then hopefully announce when they are on display.  Way fun!  BTW, the fabric is SO much nicer in person....you know how it goes!

It's Race Day

The coveted Cub Scout Pine Wood Derby car race is tonight!
The boys are really into the race this year after having to miss last years race due to our 3 month rotation in Jacksonville, FL. They are all geared up for a WIN in this years race. With tons of research under their belt on kenetic energy, gravitational pull, weight distribution...and a little design help from from the Teeples family, the boys can't WAIT to see how their cars stack up against their peers. Grandma and Grandpa Noffze have gotten in on the action and are driving all the way from Indiana to watch the boys race. It should be a FUN night filled with graphite powder and screaming elementary students. Wish them luck!

Brandon's Americana Scout Vehicle

Tyler's Lizard Gremlin Vehicle

Sea Monkeys

Tyler got these little things for Christmas and they have been fascinating the whole family ever since. I remember a friend having them when I was a little girl and I remember thinking they were ‘neat’ but I had NO idea what they were or where these little swimming monkeys came from.

Sea-Monkeys® are a unique species of brine shrimp, known by the scientific name of Artemia NYOS. They live about 2 years, but start producing offspring when they reach ½ inch long at 4 weeks old. What’s most remarkable about them is that they exist in suspended animation inside their tiny eggs for many years until they are hydrated and given the proper nutrients to thrive.

With a little sunlight, some packaged bacterial food powder and a little H2O these things just thrive.

Hugh, you just never know what wonder each new day brings.

From our house to yours. Enjoy!

It's almost complete...

Brandon was hard at work this weekend putting the final touches to his architectural 'dream house'. It has a nice sized master suite, kitchen, and HUGE garage just to name a few features. When you see him, ask him about it! He'll be thrilled to tell you!  (You can also email him directly,  just put a request in the comment section and I'll be sure to send you his email. )

Now that's Minnesota COLD!

Now is the time that Minnesotan's start putting on their winter jackets!

1° Dew Point: -5 Wind Chill: -19 Humidity: 75 Wind: 16 WNW Barometer: 30.42 Visibility: 10.0 mi. Precip: 0.00 in.

Um, just in case you were wondering, 19below IS cold! :)

Mom's been peeking:

I woke up the other day to find my two boys deeply entrenched in their passions.
We have definitely moved on from cars and trucks to a whole new plane.

First I came into the kitchen where my son Brandon was pouring over this HUGE pile of building and architecture books.

Some of them were books that he owns, and another portion were from the library. With titles like, “Frank Lloyd Wright Architecture, Structures- or why things don’t fall down, and 50 buildings to draw” I definitely knew something was up!


Also on the table were sketches of bedroom layouts, sofa and chair diagrams, along with open sketchbooks of his continuing masterpiece, “the ultimate dream house”.

In all of my growing-up years I never remember being this focused at the age of 10. It’s like I’m looking at a grown man in a little boys’ body. He has a fire within him like I have only seen one other time in my life. That was the fire within my second son.

After marveling at Brandon, I look over to the living room and sprawled out on the floor with his new art set is my 8 year old son, Tyler. I said, “ What’cha doing Tyler.” He replied, “Organizing.”


I then notice that he has taken all of his acrylic paint tubes out of their holders and was arranging them by color, hue, and intensity. I just laughed, a big belly laugh.


Tyler looked up at me in confusion, with his head cocked to one side. “What are you laughing at Mom?” “I’m laughing because God has given me two miracles in the form of sons.” Tyler just cocked his head again, and went, “hugh?”, Brandon meanwhile just chuckles in the kitchen. I reach over and hug each of my children and thank God for the wonderful, and sometimes unbelievable, blessing in these two little boys. I definitely see God’s Glory revealed through these two creations!

Michelle's Christmas Present

Hey everyone, remember this quilt?

I made the top this summer and I was supposed to give it away, but I LOVED it so much, I just had to keep it. (I ended up making another one to give away:)

I gave the local quilt artisan quilt the top and I was able to open it at Christmas and see my long awaited surprise. I had NO idea how she would quilt it, I just knew that there was a paper bag in my office with my name on it - all stapled shut with like a million staples so I couldn't peek! On Christmas morning I found it lying over me, just as if Santa had dropped it off over night! Oh, I was thrilled! Brenda did a GREAT job quilting it with a yummy cinnamon swirl pattern. Now all I had to do was finish the binding. Well, yesterday I finished the binding and it's BEAUTIFUL! It's more than I could ever have hoped for! Thank you Brenda for making this quilt so special!