Beat The Back To School Blues: LEGO The Hobbit

As we all know, the Doctor is completely addicted to LEGO. Sadly, there's no known cure. Which is fine for him - and for us, because pretty soon he'll have so many LEGO blocks he can build us a house and won't have to live in this tissue box anymore. He's currently saving up for... Even more LEGO. 

The Doctor was asked to roadtest some of the LEGO The Hobbit range - and it gets two thumbs up. Well that's if he could tear himself away from constructing it - it's kept him busy, and been a little challenging, but he loves it. 

It's got a good level of detail, plenty of pieces to keep him busy, and a good level for him (he's 7.5). He is looking forward to collect the lot. And then promptly (fingers crossed) make a hut (that's a bit taller) like the one Bilbo lives in, except with a bit more space for me to live in. Ok. I can dream. 

Anyway, you can dream too - because - drum roll puh-lease:

LEGO is giving two lucky people the chance to win a LEGO The Hobbit prize pack each one valued at $69.98. Each pack consists of Riddles for the Ring and LEGO Games The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey!

LEGO Games: The Hobbit™: An Unexpected Journey RRP $49.99

In the iconic Shire town of Hobbiton, the Dwarves are gathering ready for the quest to regain their gold, but 10 of them have gotten lost in Hobbiton. Gandalf, Gloin, Fili and Kili must find the other 10 Dwarves before the journey can begin. Aim of the game: find the most missing Dwarves using memory and a bit of luck!

Riddles for The Ring RRP $19.99 

On the shores of an underground lake beneath the Misty Mountains, Bilbo Baggins™, armed with Sting, discovers a magic ring that was recently lost by the creature Gollum™. Use the reveal function to take the golden Ring! But beware – only Gollum, aboard his boat of Goblin skin and bones, knows the way out. Can our Hobbit hero solve the riddles asked by Gollum and escape to freedom with the Ring before Gollum realises it’s gone? Includes 2 minifigures; Gollum and Bilbo Baggins.

If you'd like to enter - it's super simple, please leave a comment below telling me what's your PRECIOUS?



Terms & Conditions:
Entries are open from Friday 8th February until midnight Thursday 14th February. 
Winners will be announced Friday 15th February. 
Competition only open to Australian residents (sorry!). 

Why Tiny Loves LEGO Friends:: A Giveaway

Tiny has a little star chart. Every time she does something ace, she gets a star. When she gets 10 stars, she gets a reward. Tiny gets so darn excited about her star chart, it's hard to kerb her enthusiasm! So last week, when she reached 10 stars, it coincided with our day together. 

I took Tiny to the shop to choose what her reward would be. Sounds scary, but Tiny is pretty conservative when choosing something she likes, and she had already told me she wanted something from LEGO Friends. And so it was, on that particular Girls Day that Tiny chose Stephanie's Outdoor Bakery. 

We came home and sat on the couch and put it together, Tiny's getting really good at LEGO under the watchful eye of the LEGO afficionado, the Doctor. What a little whizz. 

Tiny is mad about LEGO Friends - and loves mixing the regular LEGO pieces to add extra bits and pieces. She's grown quite a collection - however she's currently missing Stephanie's hair *gasp*. And they are all kept together in MY Tupperware. Grrr. But heck. At least their hair is secure.

So dear reader, it's with excitement that I let you in on a little secret. I have five LEGO Friends prize packs to giveaway. How's that timing just before Christmas?!

Each prize pack includes:
- 1 x Andrea's Bunny House (RRP $15.99) - this is SUPER cute, we can recreate our bunny fun without the fear of being bitten - hooray!
- 1 x Mia's Bedroom (RRP $15.99) - what girl doesn't want her own drum kit - I love this and Mia even has a tidy room - way to go Mia!
Each pack is valued at $32. 

To enter, all you have to do is perform a triple backflip from pike position, a quadruple somersault mid-air, and finish off with a great big belly flop - and then a drum solo. 

Or you could comment on this post and tell me if you were a LEGO Friend, how would you keep your hair on? 


Terms & conditions:
- There are five prize packs for five winners - each valued at $32. Total prize pool is $160.
- All winners MUST be contactable via email. If I can not contact you, I can not send you the prize. Funny that. I will announce via my blog and Facebook. I do not have ESP. 
- Open to Australian residents only (sorry dudes)
- Competition is open from Wednesday 21st November at 6:59am until Tuesday 27th November at 11:59am. 

*  This is not a sponsored post. It's just a very nice collab to say thank you to my awesome readers, from PMM and LEGO.

COMPETITION IS NOW CLOSED. Winners to be announced on Thursday 29th November. Thank you!

My Computer Is Dying

Pretty soon I'll be faxing out my tweets, sending a courier pigeon with my blog posts, going old school with a corkboard, some scissors and magazines for Pinterest, and arm myself with a photo album and a pile of Post It notes for Facebook.



My computer is dying a slow and ungraceful death. It stops working at the most irrational times. It plays this game where it doesn't show me the words on the screen, just some boxes. Or it just freezes for ages. And ages. And ages. I could do all the housework in the time between opening a new tab on the interwebz and when it actually decides to open. Or when I am writing a post, the text doesn't appear immediately. I will stop typing, and then slowly - and erratically, letters will start to appear on the screen. However it doesn't always start from when I started typing - it just takes a random spot to pick up from, and then starts typing. It's like a ghost is in my machine editing my blog.

My trusty, faithful laptop looks like it's giving up the goat. Or the ghost. Or whatever that saying is.

So in the meantime I've been off the interwebz and living a real life. I know. I'm a real boy!

Don't forget - today is the last chance to enter my LEGO giveaway. Five people WILL walk away with some LEGO Lord of the Rings today.

LEGO LEGO LEGO: And It's the School Holidays

What better way to celebrate the school holidays than with one of our favourite, most enduring toys of all time, LEGO!

These holidays have seen the Doctor madly reading Harry Potter, and falling in love with the characters and the magic. Next stop he wants to read Lord of the Rings. He's already started saving his pocket money for the biggest set of LEGO Lord of the Rings imaginable.

I've never been much for mystical fantasy - however with a seven year old who is crazy for it, I can't help but go along for the ride. I am hooked!

So if you have a like-minded small child who would be keen for some sweet Lord of the Rings LEGO action, this is for you!

You could win 1 of 5 LEGO Lord of the Rings Prize Packs including:



Shelob Attacks RRP $39.99

Gandalf Arrives RRP $22.99
 
 

 
To enter, all you have to do is tell me in 25 words or less if you were the Lord or Lady of something - what would it be? And why?

----------------------------
Open only to Australian residents.
Must be 25 words or less to be eligible to enter.
Please ensure you leave your email address.
Total prize pool is valued at $314.90. Each prize pack is valued at $63.98.
Competition runs from Tuesday 10th July 2012 - Monday 16th July 2012. Winners will be announced on PMM on Sunday  July, 2012 and notified by email.

How Great Is This? LEGO In Real Life

Did anyone get to see the LEGO in real life in Martin Place last week? How great does it look? I'd love it if it stayed there all the time. It's such a fun pop of colour in the bleak city-scape. And how great walking past that every day to work. 


Come on Clover. Do it! 


For more LEGO activity to celebrate 50 years in Australia, check out Festival of Play. 

LEGO Celebrates 50 Years In Australia

Fifty years ago, a man named John Peddie landed in Sydney carrying a briefcase of LEGO. I don't know whether he brought any clothes to change into - Sydney can be humid, it's wise to travel with spare clothes. But nope - John arrived with a suitcase of LEGO to introduce us Aussies to the humble brick.


John, who is still a member on the Australian LEGO Board of Directors said: "The brand name LEGO comes from the Danish expression 'Leg Godt', which translates as 'play well'. When first arriving in the country, this was my mission, to encourage Australia to 'play well' and it remains the same today."


To celebrate the 50th anniversary, LEGO are hosting a series of events all inspired by the iconic LEGO bricks. There are loads of ways to become involved - which we will be doing our utmost to be part of! We live and breath LEGO. It's part of our daily routine - and that's about to ramp up! 


Did you know that every Australian owns an average of 70 LEGO bricks? We have much, much more. In fact we've probably got about 70 Australians worth of LEGO. That's a heck of a lotta LEGO.


Meanwhile, you should totes check out the website, because I just have the hunch something is brewing over there. Something good is brewing. 


This is not a sponsored post. I love LEGO. You love LEGO. We can all LEGO love together.

Listen Up Lego Afficionados:: School Holiday Guaranteed Boredom Busters

If you're looking for something for your smalls to do these holidays, I've got some hot diggety ideas for you. Mamas - let me be of service! 


First up - if you're in Sydney - check out the school holiday menu at the Castle Hill Powerhouse Discovery Centre. Holy cow they've got some ace activities on offer - the Doctor is booked in for the LEGO Master Builder course - a full-day, hands-on, fun workshop that aims to stimulate creativity while developing teamwork and problem solving skills. The kids are in teams and together they work to build houses, castles and towers of strength using LEGO. Suitable for 6–8 year olds. $60/$55 Powerhouse members. Kids can bring their own lunch, or order their healthy lunch pack. Bookings essential as numbers for the workshop are limited to 12. 


Call 02 9762 1300 to make bookings. 


But even if your smalls aren't into LEGO be sure to check out what's on offer - because there is so much goodness going on over there, make farm animal peg pals, as well as a whole bunch of make-and-do activities, mini workshops including liquid nitrogen (YES! LOVE!), junk jewellery making. I could go on - but see for yourself all the fun and learning that's to be had (it's fun learning, so it's extra good). Go here now!


And for LEGO afficionados nationally - well you've got to listen up because the school holidays are the perfect time for the kidlets to get their LEGO on. Hot diggety! 


LEGO Australia, in conjunction with Toyworld stores are searching for the nation's best LEGO builder in 2012 for the National LEGO Building Competition - entries are open until April 30th. 

The kidlets are encouraged to use their creativity and construction skills to build the LEGO model of their dreams for the chance to win the grand prize of a family trip to LEGOLAND in California. Like this doesn't have the Doctor's name written all over it!

It's easy to enter - children just have to take two identical colour printed photos of their creation to a participating Toyworld store to obtain the official entry form. 

Visit Toyworld for details. 

image of someone else's LEGO awesomeness via Oddee 

Now My Dad Is The Deputy Editor

Since Sunday things have happened at PottyMouthMama. For one thing, I've appointed my Dad as Deputy Editor. Welcome aboard Dad!


Last night on his list of jobs as PottyMouthGrandpapa he had to judge the four winners of the LEGO competition. So without further ado, here are the winners, as hand-selected by my Dad. With Mum's help of course:


Christina Lowry:
I love LEGO. It's like a school lesson for my son without him noticing. Math, architecture, atoms, colours, shapes etc. It's all there in the humble LEGO block.


Cindy:
I love LEGO because age doesn't matter and no one can be wrong.


Dancing In the Rain:
Inheritance! My girls love playing with hubby's childhood LEGO?!? The love of 'Barbie' combined with the love of LEGO - head spinning with excitement!!


Carolyn Booty (I have some booty to send you):
I love how LEGO inspires imagination. 
I love it's interchangeability and timelessness. 
I love the priceless memories it provides and provokes from generation to generation.


Thank you to everyone for entering the LEGO competition! 


image via Green Diary - Dad did not get to choose the accompanying image for this post. Sorry Dad. 

There's No Better Way To Start A Week:: LEGO Giveaway

The Doctor and Tiny were ridiculously delighted to come home last week, after a long slog at school to discover a LEGO parcel for them.

Mama was delighted too - because the afternoon activity was completely taken care of.

We live, eat and breathe LEGO. Doctors may warn against this eating and breathing LEGO, but it's a way of life for us. And what's not to love?

The Doctor spends hours putting together LEGO kits, saves up his pocket money and Tooth Fairy money to save up for LEGO kits. LEGO LEGO LEGO. He wants to work at LEGO Land when he's big - and though he'll have to move to Denmark, he'll still come and visit me in holidays - so he says.

Yesterday Tiny busted out her Duplo and they had a LEGO 'expression session*' together, with their cousin Phoebe, building freestyle creations. It's pretty fun. And if I hadn't torn the house apart in an attempt to tidy it - I would have plonked myself right down next to them and created with them.

To celebrate everything good that is LEGO, LEGO have given me two sets of each of the below kits to give away to four completely, absolutely lucky people:

From one of the Doctor's favourite sets LEGO City:
Police Dog Van $49.99

The forest policeman has followed the robber to the cave where he’s stashed the stolen goods. It's time to release the dogs and lock him in the back of the police dog van before he gets up to any more mischief! Includes 2 minifigures: forest policeman and a robber.

From the new LEGO Friends range:
City Park Café $49.99

Andrea works at the City Park Café and loves dishing out tasty treats, when she is not singing into her broom and daydreaming of her big performance (I am clearly Andrea's kindred spirit). It’s the perfect place in Heartlake City for all of the LEGO Friends to meet for milkshakes and burgers or to chill and have fun! You can bake goodies for the girls in the café kitchen, complete with everything you need to serve up café cuisine instyle! Then hang in the outdoor dining area and have a milkshake in the sun! Order up a sweet snack, serve the customers and pay with LEGO money bricks!Includes 2 mini-doll figures: Andrea and Marie.

All you have to do is tell me in 25 words or less why you love LEGO for your chance to win.

Four winners will be drawn next Monday 1st April - no joking.Winners will be announced on PottyMouthMama as well as being contacted. 
Please ensure you include your email address. 
Competition open to Australian residents only. Sorry international peeps. 

EDIT:: Entries are now closed. Winners will be announced this afternoon. Thank you!

LEGO LEGO LEGO

I showed this to the Doctor and his jaw literally dropped. This is probably where he's going to work when he's a big boy.

A Really Great Day:: The Day Before The Night Before Christmas

Today was a cracker.

It was my first day of holidays.

We got up early, the Doctor had a haircut, we caught a ferry to Circular Quay. Then we four split up - the Doctor went with Matt to Art of the Brick, and Tiny and I headed over to Sydney Opera House for everyone's favourite dancing mouse, Angelina Ballerina.

Cracker.

Then Tiny and caught the ferry back, she had a hair cut, and we hung out together waiting for the boys to meet up with us.

I had such a blast hanging with my little-big girl, being on the ferry, chatting, so good for the soul. For both of us.

And the Doctor came back, giddy with excitement, having spent quality time with Matt, and doing something together that he really loves. LEGO.

If you have a LEGO fanatic in the house, this show is highly recommended by the Doctor. I booked tickets a couple of weeks ago, and made sure I booked the Stay & Play at the end. I figured the inspiration from the show might as well get a workout straight away!

Of course Angelina Ballerina didn't disappoint either. What a beautiful and enchanting show. Pity they sold those glowing, flashing wand-sword-things that flash in your peripherals and distract from the dancing. But besides that, really beautiful - Tiny told me it was her "BEST EVER".

LEGO Ninjago: Go! Go! Go!

As we all know, the Doctor digs on LEGO like there's no tomorrow. What topped the Doctor's birthday list this year? LEGO Ninjago. He's a man obsessed. He's been madly building and planning what he's saving up for. You can never have enough LEGO (unless of course it's embedded in the bottom of your foot).

But now I have some good news for you dear reader. As tried and tested by the Doctor - I have one Nintendo DS console and one LEGO Ninjago game to giveaway to one lucky winner. The Doctor can vouch that this is a very good game.

Are you feeling lucky punk?

All you have to do to enter is answer this question in 25 words or less:

If I was a Ninja, my Ninja name would be:

Terms & Conditions:

Open to Australian readers only

Only one entry per person

Entries close Monday 30th May, 2011 at 11:59pm.

All entries must be 25 words or less.

Totally Unrelated. Totally Random.

But you know how much our household loves Lego. Just how rad are these lipsticks? Oh Coco would be proud!

Wish Lists

So the Doctor and I were on our way to a birthday party this morning when we got to chatting about his Christmas wish list.

The Doctor's Christmas wish list consists of about 15 different things. Approximately 90% of the list is Lego.

This morning though, he commented on how glarey it was, and he stated that he'd like sunglasses for Christmas. Lego sunglasses to be precise. I was a little dubious, but said I'd google them and try and find something similar. Or suitable. Failing that, I pictured myself supergluing pieces of Lego onto Cancer Council sunglasses.

But nope. No need. Someone else has already come up with Lego sunglasses. Jean-Charles de Castelbajac - my son wants some sunglasses. Bad.

Check out all this awesome Lego goodness. Sigh.

Why Hello There!

I never reported back and told you that the Doctor was accepted into the out-of-area school we applied for. Yep. I had an interview with the principal. It was, to me, more nerve-wracking than a job interview. Tomorrow we go for Kindergarten Orientation, which is both exciting and a little sad. It's a bittersweet symphony.

Today is a jolly good day folks. Not only is it my sisters birthday - HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANNA! but one of my best, and long-time friends gave birth to a beautiful baby girl.

Me, being crazy like a fox, commenced sewing just a few short hours after I learnt this awesome and exciting news. I'll show some pics when I have got more than a couple of pieces sewn together, but oh baby, it's PINKalicious.

Winners (courtesy of the Random Number Generator) of the Lego DUPLO are:

- 9 - Two Tuesdays

- 5 - Spectacular Fairy Wren

- 18 - Jovana

I tried to do a screen grab but of course Blogger won't come to the party.

Please email me with your name, address, and mobile number! Thanks to everyone for entering.

Lego + Sunshine + Sydney = A GIVEAWAY!

If you're a Sydney-sider or visiting Sydney this weekend - well you're in luck!

As part of the Sydney Architecture Festival, and to celebrate their 40th anniversary Lego DUPLO have built a wee little house for the smalls to play within. How cute is that?

It's open Friday 22nd, Saturday 23rd, Sunday 24th (9-5pm), it's free and it's on the forecourt of Sydney's Custom House. I'll be there fo' shizzle. The Doctor has already eyed it off and declared that we're there! Will you?

And for everyone else* (and of course Sydney readers too), I have the sweetest of spoils to giveaway.

Leave a comment here before Monday (25th) 8pm (EST) and tell me what you'd make out of Lego DUPLO, and you'll go into the draw to win one of three Lego DUPLO Large Brick Boxes valued at $49.99. It's a great starter kit that provides unlimited creative fun!

* Sorry - Australian readers only!

* 3 winners will be drawn at random.

EDIT: I have extended the giveaway to close on Monday 25th at 8pm.

And I'm Not Apologising

Shocked to the core PottyMouthMama readers shunned her next couple of posts. But she stood her ground, she was not, no, she was NOT going to apologise for despising 'popular' music performing under the guise of U2, Abba and Crowded House. And INXs. And anything else that's lame to the power of lame. John Farnham. Dido. Ergh, PMM's list went on and on.

So only one person dared peak into the next post. And that is you.

Oh hello there my lone friend. I'm glad to have you back. Solidarity in the non-music love. We like quality, not quantity, right?

I'll tell you what else I don't like. Crushed velour. Just the thought of it makes my skin crawl and my hands feel itchy. EeeK!

Anyway, the Doctor has saved up for a new Lego game which we're playing as much as possible. We've had a few issues with this game, but I've just realised there are step by step rules on the website - so if you do happen to snaffle any of these Lego games (which in my opinion are all sorts of awesome - because you can continue to re-build the game and tweak the rules, which means STRATEGY STRATEGY STRATEGY!) you can check out the website - it's pretty darn nifty. The Lego Lava Dragon game is absolutely right up the Doctor's alley - because it's all about dragons right now.

It is totes about Lego here. Remember when Matt built me my very own dream home? Ahhh sweet love.

PS - Do yourself a favour and read this post by Jacqueline Pascarl. She is one of my favourite writers. She's intelligent, funny, and always writes interesting and relevant (to me) posts. Enjoy.

PPS - If you're a Big Footed Babe, then join Tali and my new Facebook page, aptly titled: Big Footed Babes.

The Ever Evolving Lego Loving

Yesterday we got our filthy little mitts on something pretty darn fab! Lego are launching the world's first buildable board games in Australia in September.

The Doctor is suitably chuffed, and he has not stopped playing or talking about it since we took the game out of the packaging.

Lego is the toy de rigeur in our household at the moment. Park trips have been put on hold because he needs to clock up time constructing. I have to enforce outside play because it's not just an obsession, it's a hardcore Lego addiction. The Doctor has also been known to be ridiculously sad for having to go to bed instead of spending hours creating new buildings (his latest creation is a rad dog - skater boy).

But who doesn't love Lego (the only thing not to love about Lego is treading on it in bare feet - yowsers)? I bet you couldn't find one person who doesn't love sitting down to enjoy the merits of building something from bright blocks.

We're lucky enough to have Minotaurus ($39.99). And I am not kidding that we have been playing it since I walked in the door yesterday, I got woken up to play it this morning, and as soon as the Doctor came home from pre-school, we're back into it.

In fact, the Doctor loves it so much he's carrying around the catalogue everywhere (in the car, in the park, in the supermarket) and planning which one he wants next. Thankfully Minotaurus is a fun game. Matt and I are loving playing it with him - spending the time together, playing a game that relates to a five yeard old, but is fun for two 30+ year olds? Completely rad.

Even better is that you can change the game (and you get to build the board yourself) to keep it exciting. Minotaurus, you can not bore us.

Coveting

I will try and talk less Lego soon, promise, but right now, it's become a household obsession.

After we bought the Doctor's Lego the other day, Tiny and I went to a cafe where the guy there was enquiring about our Lego purchase. He wanted a look, so we showed him the box and set to jive-talking. Whatever jive-talking is. Cafe Man told me how much he LOVED Lego and then showed me his pendant - a heart made of Lego blocks. Pretty darn cool. And he also mentioned rings that Lego had made. So I came home and hit Google to find said rings. Et voila! You can mix them up with different blocks - my favourite are the flowers. They're not new (from what I see, they were released circa 2007) - but new to me.

Lego makes parenting super duper fun. It's something for the Doctor and I to enjoy together (except I'm always being instructed what to make and how to make it. Yes boss!).

I found them via Like Cool.

Here Is Where I Turn Into A Complete Lego Nerd

I decided this morning to do a recce before I took the Doctor to the toy sale after pre-school.

He kept reminding me that he wanted an 'early pick-up'. Roger that.

Tiny and I battled through the hoardes of toy-hungry parents, wielded our pram, and pushed through to Lego-topia. Phew. It took a while of navigating through trolleys (FULL TROLLEYS!) laden with toys, but we succeeded.

It was then that I averted a very near and real disaster. There were only 3 of Police (7743 - I should have those tattooed on my body, I've heard them so often) the Doctor wanted. So I bought one thinking, hey I'll bring him with his zip-lock bag of money this afternoon, and if it's not here - et voila - I have back up plan Mama 101.

I picked him up at 2:25pm as per his request, we toodled off to Target and lo and behold no Lego Police 7743.

So we drove home, fanging it to get home to find the box hidden in my wardrobe (no doubt, where all good parents hide things).

The Doctor and I spent the afternoon building Lego together while Tiny lay on the couch in her 'birdy nest' because she was tired.

The long and the short of it is that I have been declared 'a really good Lego builder'. And damn it, I love it too.

PS - I can't find my camera cord. If anyone knows the whereabouts, please email me. I'd like that.