we love yoxo!

The kids had a unique opportunity this week. One of our Neighbors, Jeff Freeland Nelson, owns a wonderful toy company in St. Paul called Yoxo. This toy is very creative and comes as a kit of pieces you can construct into anything you want. You can also use your own paper towel and toilet paper tubes, and cereal boxes to add even more pieces to your Yoxo collection. This toy is perfect for stimulating imagination and creativity.

Kids in the neighborhood were invited to the Yoxo shop to be a part of a KSTP news segment. Jeff was being interviewed and wanted some kids building in the background. These kids were playing for over an hour and I was very impressed at how focused and quiet they all were! You could tell their brains were very busy. :)

When we arrived, the only thing on this rug were bins of Yoxo pieces. Check out all the cool things these kids made!

I also love how extremely environmentally-friendly this toy is!

^^Ethnie's finished robot

The kids had a great experience playing and being on the news. :) Each child got to take home anything they made. You can watch the news segment here (both kids got close-ups!) and make sure you check out the Yoxo website here. Yoxo would make a fabulous Christmas present for any young mind! Thanks, Jeff, for letting us be a part of this and for the toys! I think Ethnie has made at least three different things with her pieces. Emmett is keeping his as a rover. :)  

halloween 2014.

I have to admit, I wasn't in the best Halloween spirit this year. I don't have anything against Halloween; I just wasn't excited for it. Plus, it kind of crept up on me... hee, hee.

^^beware

The weekend before Halloween we went to the annual party at our church, which is always a hit with the kids. I also love it because it's really safe and the kids get to go 'trunk or treating' in the parking lot at the end of the party.

^^the kids wanted to wear their same costumes from last year. :)

This year on Halloween, we went to our first pre-trick-or-treating party hosted by one of Ethnie's classmates.

playing in the play fort. Matt was hilarious in the big angry bird costume.

^^some of the kids were making each other mummies out of toilet paper. 

^^ready to head out and hit the streets

Despite the chilly temps outside (I was freezing), Emmett had a grand time trick-or-treating. He lasted much longer than we thought he would. I told Ethnie she had to help Emmett up the steps and help him get his treat at each house. I had to do this with my little brother when I was little and it taught us to stay together. She was getting very impatient and frustrated "having" to wait for her little brother after each house. Such a drag, I know. Eventually, she met up with her friend Olivia and I stuck with the girls while Matt took Emmett to a few more houses before heading back.

^^Olivia and Charlotte stopped over on their way home to take a picture with Ethnie (even if she had already changed out of her costume). So cute!