Hello and welcome to a new feature of BrickNerd, Mrs BrickNerd. I'm Dianna, Tommy's wife. We've met before on LiveBuilds and I thought it was about time to add a feminine touch to this blog. As you know if you've spent some time with me I'm not a full-fledged AFOL. I enjoy building from time to time, but I don't do cons, build my own creations or wear LEGO inspired shirts every day like some other nerd I know (and married) I'm here to provide a NLSO (non LEGO significant other) perspective, hope you enjoy!

It's a rare Saturday that I am at home. Usually I share my Saturdays at work with Joe Public, so you can imagine my excitement to have a Saturday off. Yesterday however, my Saturday off coincided with a BrickNerd workday (lets face it, every day is a BrickNerd workday, but I digress) so, what to do? Raid the BrickNerd archive shelves, that's what! Let's see, Space Police...no, Ninja Turtles...I don't think so. Lone Ranger....seriously? Alien Conquest...gimme a break. LEGO Friends Olivia's House...YES!

My favorite details are the sun umbrella on the roof and the cat hanging out by the bedroom window. The accessories of this set encourage playtime by adding activities that all of the Friends can do: play on the swing, mow the lawn, have a BBQ, watch TV, take a bath...oh wait, no bathtub! The shower is nifty though, so we'll let the lack of bathtub go.

The only thing I have to complain about is the yard. For some reason the front yard is in two sections and not attached. Presumably this is so you can rearrange them. But if you put them in the back, the mailbox is in the back yard, that doesn't makes sense. The entire bottom floor and yard are all designed to fit together in only this configuration, so why not just make them all connected?

I spent an enjoyable afternoon in our backyard with some music, a cocktail, a lazy corgi and this set. I know it's not new, but it was new to me. I really enjoyed this build. From the fun kitchen and nifty grill to the vanity and shower, I had a blast.

The set is comprised of four rooms, each modular and in their own bag,which is nice for taking your time building. You can also freely rearrange the upper modules in any way you like. Want a three story townhouse? No problem. The bottom modules have bases attached, and can be disconnected from each other with Technic pins, but are really designed only to fit together one way and won't stack. But I guess you wouldn't want the front door on the third floor would you?

Overall, this was a fun way to spend an afternoon. The instructions were easy to follow (an important feature for me) and the model offered nice details like flowers and a garden that I wish I had in my own yard.

I give it 4 out of 5 Nerdlys (or is that Mrs Nerdlys?)