I've been busy building.

If you tell people that a small boy is interested in building robots, that small boy is very likely to receive robot related kits. And if that boy has a mother who enjoys assembling items, that mother will likely spend much of her holiday vacation building and rebuilding and rebuilding yet again. The boy might even have to remind his mother that the kits were given to him, not to her, and that she should really pick up her knitting and leave the kits alone for a little while.

Grandma and Grandpa showed up with some Wacky Wigglers. The Wigglers are indeed Wacky. The kit has a motor, many gears, and some accessories. It's fun to see how the gears work together to move our creations.

Santa dropped off a snap circuit board. I cannot even begin to describe how very cool this toy is. The version Jake received has instructions to build 100 different projects that illustrate various circuits and ways to use electricity. The kit was for kids over age 8, so we've had numerous discussions about only building the written projects and only building with an adult until Jake understands the underlying concepts (or until I finally get sick of building with the kit myself).

Jake also received a race track that uses magnets from his other grandma and a snap-together construction set from his great-aunt. All told, we have about 675 individual pieces that have thus far added up to over 60 hours of fun. I don't remember toys being this cool when I was a kid.

It's not Christmas until the white kids rap.

Jake's school had their Christmas concert last night. I left my sick husband at home with my crabby tired girl and met my mother-in-law at the concert. I had a blast. Sure, it was a little longer than necessary and I'm sure that we've all heard one too many cheesy medleys in our day. But really, what could possibly be more festive than 30 awkward white Catholic midwestern 7th graders getting their groove on with a Christmas rap? I think the choir director chooses a rap to accommodate the changing voices of the boys, and the occasional squeaky honk from the choir certainly did add a certain something to the experience. I realize that I am probably coming off as sarcastic, but the truth is that the kids had a great time performing and I had a great time watching them.

It hurt a little to say it.

Boy! If I see you reading that book for one more second, I'm going to come in there and take it away. Go. To. Sleep.