Save this article to read it later.
Find this story in your accountsSaved for Latersection.
The contestants pick their pieces from a wonderland of bins filled with every brick bang out imaginable.
Finally, the contestants themselves are each lovable dorks in their own quirky way.
Youre one of my favorite reality-show contestants of all time.
All the kids in my area, they refer to me as the Lego Lady.
But its nice to have some adult recognition.
Its surprising the people who have reached out, especially the fact that we were only on two episodes.
Tell me a little bit about how you first got into Lego.Obviously, Im kind of high-strung.
It was such a way to calm me down and to help me focus and direct.
I still feel that way now.
When I was a kid, I sucked my thumb for way longer than you were supposed to.
My parents would give me Lego sets as a reward if I stopped.
So I would stop for like two weeks just to get the Lego set.
[Laughs] And then youd start suckin again!
Exactly.This past year, I went through a divorce and everything in my life was just chaotic.
But Lego was the one constant.
I dont know what it is about the sorting.
I like order in my life.
During that time when there was such chaos, that was one thing I had control of.
I stayed home with my kids for 25 years.
So on my time off, I feel led to work with kids.
Who needs to get paid for that?
Thats just a passion.
Through my Lego club, Ive seen so many kids gain confidence and feel proud about what theyre doing.
Ive always got Lego in my purse.
Were looking for entertainment that brings us together, something that is soothing.And appreciating peoples diversity.
But the show also gets surprisingly intense!
You have to move these huge elaborate builds that can fall apart at the last second.
And that is what ended up causing your departure from the show.Right.
Im like, I dont know about that!
You met with a psychiatrist?
Jessie was like, Oh, it was a great experience.
It was fun, and Im like [heaving sob noises], Im gonna be okay!
Watching you on the show, its so clear that this is who you are.
Those facial expressions are who you are.
[Laughs] Its just really difficult to hide the way I feel.
I mean, Im not a good card player either.
I just love life.
I dont want to look back on my life and think,What if?
Its given me a real sense of confidence.
Im so glad you took a risk.
Its not easy to put yourself out there and potentially fail on-camera.
[Laughs] Exactly!
Shes got tattoos, several discreet nice ones.
I told her if we do this, Ill get a tattoo.
She was like, Seriously, you would?
I said, Legos in my blood.
It might as well be on my skin.
Both my kids left their scars; I might as well.
Oh my God, yes!I absolutely love it, and I always swore I never would.
And my husband always told me he would leave me if I ever got one.
So, I left him and got one [Laughs].
Okay!You just never know where I may surface.
Because it’s possible for you to build on every side.
That is the most universal piece.
Thats just what Lego is.
A puzzle, you finish.
A movie, you finish.
A crossword, you finish.
But with Lego, you might always change it.
