Christmas Haul 2016

Well, Christmas has come and went, and you know what that means.  A massive post about what I got this year.  It's so big that I'm postponing my normally scheduled post until next month.  I got A LOT of sets.  This could take a while...

 The haul for Christmas 2016 and my birthday

First off, we'll start with the gift I got for myself.  60104 Airport Passenger Terminal is great for me to add an airport to my town.  I got a 60022 Cargo Terminal for my birthday two years ago, but I needed a building to go with it.  Although the Airport Passenger Terminal is for hauling people, not goods, it gives me a foundation for building an entire airport.

Contents of 60104 Airport Passenger Terminal

It'll probably end up being as big as my city, as we'll need plenty of room for a couple of runways.  I've got some pen and paper sketches for the layout of the airport, but no virtual model yet.  It's a couple of weeks until I start class again, so I got plenty of time to whip something up.  Expect to see that in late July.

Fully assembled contents of 60104 Airport Passenger Terminal

I got a second set to help with flight operations in town.  60102 Airport VIP Service is around to help more affluent citizens rent a private jet, with limo service to and from the airport.

No one in town is any more important that anyone else.  It's a very egalitarian society.  Sure, some people have a bit more than others, but it's through effort, hard work, and increased responsibilities.  I think I'll stop there before I get any more political.  Lego is supposed to be fun, while politics are not.

60102 Airport VIP Service contents

The employee with this set will work at the airport, while the limo service will not only service people flying on this private jet, but anyone else in town wants to rent it.  It'll belong to the taxi company.  Not that there IS much of a taxi company, but as I usually do, I'll keep my options open for expansion.

 60102 Airport VIP Service fully assembled

I got a few different minifigures.  The Lego Batman movie is due out in February, and Lego released sets related to it here in December.  My wife was able to find a few characters, Catman, March Harriet, and Zodiac Master.  I have no idea who any of them are.  I don't remember them from the campy '60s TV series or any of the films.  I never read the comics.  Where they in there, or are they completely new characters created specifically for this new Lego animated feature flick?  Regardless of their origins, I'm looking forward to the movie.

71017 Lego Batman minifigures, left to right: Catman, March Harriet, and Zodiac Master

I got a couple of others as well.  My wife and I found a Lego-like Goldy Gopher minifigure at the University of Minnesota bookstore.  It's got a couple things that normal Lego minifigs don't have, like elbows and knees.  It works in the Lego System, and it'll just be for decorative purposes, so it's good enough for me.  Especially since it IS Goldy Gopher (he's my hero).

 Goldy Gopher off-brand minifigure contents (left) and fully assembled (right)

The other minifugre is a gingerbread man that was free with my order for the Airport Passenger Terminal.  He's a bit darker in color than the 71002 Series 11 minifigure.  I was hoping this would have come with more pieces to build a gingerbread house for him.  I'm keeping the box to give me ideas to build my own to add to the Winter Carnival for the kids to check out.

5005156 Gingerbread Man

I got a 31051 Lighthouse Point, which I'll be adding to the Marina.  A lighthouse is a great addition to the shoreline, as it will help out those on the water at night see where they are going.  It also came with this cool orca figure who'll reside in the ocean, at a safe distance of course.

 31051 Lighthouse Point contents (left) and fully assembled (right)

I received a 31050 Corner Deli, another Creator set, that'll go into the plaza area.  I've almost got enough small buildings to finish off this section of town.  I know it's another restaurant-type place, but it's not sit down service like the big one I've built.  The Corner Deli will work more like a takeout/fast service eatery.

 31050 Corner Deli contents (left) and fully assembled (right)

My parents got me 60082 Dune Buggy Trailer.  My wife and I had a pretty low-key Christmas with them.  I didn't even ask for any specific set from them, but they did get me a winner here.  I don't have a desert area for running a dune buggy through, but it should be fun off-roading vehicle out near the Lake Shore area.

 60082 Dune Buggy Trailer contents (left) and fully assembled (right)

You still there?  If so, good.  We've still got a ways to go here.  I got a few Lego Dimensions sets, and some containers to store them in.  First, the characters.  My wife and I got 71251 A-Team Fun Pack and 71258 E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial Fun Pack.  The former wasn't really a gift for anyone.  If I remember correctly, I added onto another Lego store online order to get some bonus for spending X number of dollars.  The latter I got at GameStop after Christmas because I had a $5 store credit that had to be spent before the end of the year.

 71251 A-Team Fun Pack contents (left) and fully assembled (right)

 71258 E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial Fun Pack contents (left) and fully assembled (right)

Both sets will open new Year 2 content in the main Lego Dimensions game.  We'll be spending all New Years Day playing that game.  No idea what B.A. Baracus and E.T. can do for us, but I'm going to love hearing the former telling us that he's not "getting on no damn plane".  Also curious to find out who'd be doing his voice, the original Mr. T, or Quinton "Rampage" Jackson.  Both good choices, but if I had to choose, I'd want the classic.

My birthday is a few days after Christmas, and my friends Collin and Lora were kind enough to give me a gift.  I never expect my friends to get me anything.  I just want them to come hang out with me.  They got me 41578 Screeno Mixel and 3920 The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey board game.

 41578 Screeno contents (left) and fully assembled (right)

They said I could just use them for miscellaneous bricks to build whatever I want, but I like them.  I've considered getting some Mixels sets since I started putting my town together, but I couldn't figure out what I wanted to do with them.  With all the other animal-like creations I have and my desire to build a park, I'll put Screeno out there with the alligators and tigers and whatnot.  As for the board game, I'll play that with my wife and whatever guests we have over.  Hopefully Collin and Lora one day.

 3920 The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey board game contents (left) and fully assembled (right)

That's it.  The end.  I got some gift cards from my wife's family, which I'll be using for more sets.  Probably after visiting Disney World and Martin Luther King Day.  After I start class again.  I've got a few things on my list to procure.  Buying Lego's in a never ending battle that I'm more than prepared to lose.  Bring it on.

Lego Haul - 11/27/16

My wife and I just came back from California, so we needed to run to Target to pick up some household supplies.  Every time we go to Target, we have to stroll by the Lego aisle to see what they've got on the shelf.  This time, they had some 30474 Reindeer sets on the end cap.  We though it'd be a great addition to the Santa Claus and Elves' Workshop sets I got earlier this month.

30474 Reindeer purchased at Target

30474 Reindeer contents (left) and fully assembled (right)

After I got the Reindeer assembled, I went downstairs to check the mail.  I found my online Pick-A-Brick order inside the box, so I ran upstairs and double-checked the order to ensure everything was here.  I got all my bricks.

Contents of my online Pick-A-Brick order from Lego's website

I only paid a few bucks for shipping, as I used VIP store credit for the bricks themselves.  These pieces are for completing or progressing with several buildings, as detailed below.

• Grandstand:  Two medium stone grey plate 2x2 angle pieces will hold speakers for pumping out the jams being performed on stage.
• Grocery Store: Three yellow green 1x1 bricks with the orange juice decals will go into the dairy case in the store.  Orange juice should always be refrigerated.
• Marina Office: The dark stone grey 16x16 plate finished off the floor for this building, so it is now complete.
• Winter Village: I don't remember what I was going to do with the white 1x2 plate with a single knob.  The note I had on my list didn't specify WHAT building in the Winter Village this was meant for.  I'll figure it out.
• Hospital: I got a blue 1x6 flat tile and a clear 1x6x5 wall element for the window between the observation and operating rooms.  The two blue 2x4 plates will help me finish up the walls on top.
• Pony Farm: All of the brick yellow pieces pictured above are for building the office at the Pony Farm.  Like the horse barn mentioned in my previous post, I need to make this building a bit larger to fit everyone and everything comfortably.
• Pyramid nightclub: The yellow 1x3 plate allowed me to finish up the inside wall at the Pyramid nightclub, in the area around the DJ booth.
• Watch Tower: Not sure why I ordered six dark stone grey 4x8 plates, as I only needed four to complete the third floor inside the Watch Tower.  It will remain a mystery.

I also got a dark stone grey 1x4 brick for some purpose that I did not document.  I'll also have to track down the cause of this acquisition.  Plenty of bricks to keep me busy until Christmas here.  Should be lots of fun.

Winter Carnival

The holidays may be over, but there's still plenty of fun to be had in the winter.  Here in Minnesota, people love their winter festivals and displays and carnivals, so why not have the Lego people engage in something similar?

 

The Winter Carnival

I basically took 10235 Winter Village Market and added some accessories.  First, I put my Santa, elves, and snowman from the early 90's out front as a way to greet all who come for the fun. 

 The statues greeting you as you enter the Winter Carnival

I used the carousel as the centerpiece of the carnival.  I'd love to motorize it, so it can spin without being hand cranked, but the instructions with the Winter Village Market set did not have any steps on how to do so. 

 

 A mother watching her kids on the merry-go-round

If anyone at the carnival gets hungry, there are plenty of food vendors around.  If I was making this carnival more Minnesotan, I'd add beer to the menu at every single one of them.  Oh, and mini-donuts.  They just go insane for them here (I know I do).

 Food vendors at the Winter Carnival

The Winter Carnival also has a Christmas tree vendor.  Only natural ones, no fake trees.

One tree, please

Sets used: 1978, 1979, 1980, 10235, 10249, 40082, 71002

Lego Haul - Christmas 2015

Well kids, Christmas has come and gone again.  Thank goodness.  There was quite a bit of activity this time around, with all the travel and family and friends and activities.  I finally got a chance last week to put everything together, so here's what I got this year.

The Christmas 2015 Haul 

I'll start with the biggest toy, my new 10247 Ferris Wheel.  It's a great addition to my 10244 Fairground Mixer so I could run a full carnival.  It's not as portable as the Fairground Mixer, as it doesn't break down for transportation.  I could put the Ferris Wheel in the city, maybe by the shoreline, but then I'd have to move the Fairground Mixer as well.  For now, I'll put both out at the lake shore.

  10247 Ferris Wheel instructions (top) and large green plates (bottom)

Group 1 bags (left) and assembled contents (right)

 

Group 2 bags (left) and assembly progress afterwards (right)

 

Group 3 bags (left) and assembly progress afterwards (right)

 

Group 4 bags (left) and finished assembled product (right)

I also got a 10686 Family House.  There a good amount of bricks for it, considering it's a Juniors theme set.  I'm going to try to find some more bricks to go with it and build it up to match the size of the 5891 Apple Tree House and 31012 Family House.  It'll be nice to have another house in the neighborhood for all the families to congregate at.

 10686 Family House contents

10686 Family House front (left) and rear (right) views

My sister was kind enough to get me a Lego book and set combo.  Great Lego Sets covers the history of Lego products and their evolution from 1948 to today.  It was fun to thumb through and see a few sets I own and read about the evolution of the Lego System of Play.

 Great Lego Sets (left) and Pizza To Go on page 104 (right)

The set that came with the book was a little spaceship with a mid-80's vibe.  A throwback to Space sets before they received subthemes.  Also a mini version of a spaceship that Benny from the Lego Movie would freak out over.

 Lego set contents and finished product

I got a couple of Lego Classic sets, 10696 Lego Medium Creative Brick Box and 10693 Lego Creative Supplement.  I wanted these mostly for the variety of bricks they came with, but I did assemble a few things for the city park I'm planning.

 Lego Classic set contents: 10696 Lego Medium Creative Brick Box (left) and 10693 Lego Creative Supplement (right)

Lego Classic models constructed:

Most of the stuff I've shown you so far are things I got from my family, but I got a few things from my wife and her family as well while we were out in California.  We ran to Toys R Us and got a couple of the exclusive 2015 Lego Bricktober sets you only find in their stores.  I got a 40141 Bricktober Hotel and a 40143 Bricktober Bakery.  As with my other Bricktober sets, they're more models for the diorama I'm building.

40143 Bricktober Bakery (left) and 40141 Bricktober Hotel (right)

My wife also got me a 40153 Birthday Table Decoration to reflect how old I am.  It serves no other purpose than that.

40153 Birthday Table Decoration

With everything I got, I had a ton of leftover bricks for future projects, plus maybe a few current ones.  Between them and the $150 (approximate) in Lego gift cards, I'll have plenty to keep me busy for the coming months.

 

 Leftover pieces from everything I got for Christmas