I didn't get cards for Christmas, but my kids did

**I'm on vacation the next three days. I've got a couple of posts scheduled and may make an impromtu post if I get the sudden desire to share something. One of my favorite parts of the blogosphere, leaving comments on YOUR posts, may also be sporadic to non-existent.**

It's well documented around here that my oldest son is the card collector in training in my house. My youngest is more into the Muppets and Harry Potter and that's just fine. That didn't stop Grandpa from buying each of them a blaster of Topps Update for Christmas. I bought my oldest son a blaster of Update too, but I'll show you that one tomorrow.

We'll kick it off with the true collector's blaster. My oldest wasn't too thrilled with the Manupatch he pulled in the blaster I bought for him. He looked at the checklist and said he would like to get the Nolan Ryan patch card. Well, he saved the "special" pack for last and this is what he found.




I have to say he was rather excited to see Nolan slide out of the pack. This is what makes collecing with him so much fun. I'm old and jaded and while I'd be happy to get Nolan Ryan, I'd still feel like it was just another manu-patch card. He didn't care. He just knew that he'd been hoping for a certain card and he GOT it. That was fun for both of us.

He also pulled three code cards from his 10 packs. I'll show his "results" from that tomorrow as well.

My non-collecting son did ok with his blaster. At least as far as his dad is concerned. He only managed to pull one code, which he promptly and charitably donated to his brother's quest for 45 rings.

He pulled one of the Blue Hope Diamond Parallels.




Unfortunately it was from the now-hated (ok, despised) Cardinals. Jon Jay, #29/60. He reacted pretty much the way I expected. "Huh, ok. There sure are a lot of packs in this box." He got tired of opening packs pretty quick. I'm thinking if I bought him a box of Harry Potter cards, he would be a little more enthusiastic.

He didn't care much for his manu-patch card either, but I was glad to see it.




Carlton Fisk. I love the 1954 Red Sox logo, but I'm not entirely sure why it was paired up with Pudge. That's Topps for you. Still, I managed to make a little "trade" for a couple of Josh Hamilton cards and this now resides in my Fisk collection.

Tomorrow I'll show the best cards from my oldest son's "loaded" Update blaster. It's worth a read if you have a minute to spare. Have a great day everyone!