new toys

Springtime brings us outdoors, and the lawn becomes littered with all sorts of toys. Then the garage sales start, and more toys become part of the whole mess. At least they aren't watching tv...

Here are our favorites so far:


The arrowcopter, which we found at the homeschool fair. This simple toy sort of replicates the helicoper seeds that spin down from the trees, with the exception that you must first launch it like an arrow, by way of a rubber band and short wood dowel.










DominoRally, which is alot of work for such a short - but fun - result. The kids like to set this up and watch it go off. Thankfully Dot can do it by herself!









Perfection is just the game for Jamie. He loves puzzles and he loves to have things "blow up," so he plays this over and over again.
And, of course, Wiffle Ball, which we've posted about before. I'm sure we'll be playing more of that this summer. Anything that makes the kids like baseball is a good toy for Jim.
This is one of the best parts of having kids - we get to be kids again, too. What is your favorite game?

A great sorrow across the land

Last week I discovered terrible news... Walmart is removing their fabric departments! Our local store had only one wall of fabric left, and all of it was on clearance. I, of course, bought many, many yards of fabric due to the low price. Like 40 yards. I was happy to find such a bargain, but saddened to know that resource was going to be gone forever when the fabric sold out.

Quick Change Operation

Being the parent of two kids has taught me alot. One thing stands out today - kids are good at changing quickly. And I don't mean clothing.

This morning seemed fairly normal, and the beautiful warm weather beckoned. I let the kids play outside while I mopped the kitchen floor, and then I joined them for some outdoors work. They really liked cleaning the kitchen rug - we hung it over the deck rail, sprayed it with the hose, and left it to dry in the sun. I did some gardening as Dot and Jamie watered the flowers - and each other. The next thing I know is the kids are inside, tired of outdoor play.

This afternoon was Dot's gym class, and it hasn't been much fun this year. They have been trying out the different sports, spending a few weeks on each one. Dot hasn't had much skill at any of them. Perhaps she isn't an athelete. Jamie likes it, though. He gets to play with friends while she is in class. It is softball season, and Dot seemed a bit reticent. We paid for this class, though, and she has to participate! Jamie and I went off to play on the playground with his friend. He played hard for most of the hour, but seemed to deflate when we walked back to the softball field. We had just enough time to watch Dot come up for her last pitch - and she connected! The first baseman missed the catch, so she was safe. Yay! The game ended soon after, and Dot excitedly asked for her own mitt. She likes softball! Jamie, on the other hand, was not excited, but did excite things as he threw up down my back. Thankfully we are all experienced moms, and many wipes were handed out freely for clean-up.

After a bath Jamie decided he wants pizza tonight. No nap, please. He's just fine. What a quick change.

Lawnwork

We are trying to beat the storm that is coming through our area later today. Things are growing, despite the cooler weather we have been having, so we need to get our new bulbs planted, and the lawn mown. It is a nice morning to be outside.

de-evolution

Last week I cleaned the house in preparation for company on Sunday. It looked good. The food was good, and the fellowship was great. However, kids will be kids, and the house has quickly reverted to its normal chaos...

Catalog craze

The afternoon brings the mail, and the mail has brought us an afternoon of wishing. The new Playmobil catalog has arrived, chock full of new toys the kids want to add to their collections. The newest collection is based on ancient Rome, with gladiators and a warrior ship. Other new items include the Micro sets, with one being Noah's ark - perhaps a toy for quiet play in the church pew?

Weekend busy-ness

Ever since we bought this house, and discovered that it lacked storage options, we have been thinking of different ways to put in shelves. Most of our shelving has been in the form of solid wood bookshelves, which has done much to get out books out where we can enjoy them. Hurrah! Now, however, we need storage for more mundane items, such as the vacuum, coats, tools, and toys. It would be wonderful if we could get everything organized and neatly put away...
This past Saturday we did take a step in that direction. For less than $100, and in a little more than an hour, we installed shelving in Jamie's room. It's not solid wood, but it does give us a lot more in the way of storage.
The work was not hard, and even Jamie was able to help. He had a wonderful time playing with the tools. His favorite? The "knocker" (hammer), because he can "knock" things!