TOYS, TOYS, TOYS!!!!

Okay, I admit it, I'm a toy-aholic. All those brightly coloured plastic creations that adorn the shelves of department stores and toy shops, dressed up in flash boxes that are 3 times the size they need to be in order to house the toy within. My DH thinks that he should buy me a toy store one day so I can legitimately drool over toys all day. LOL. I think secretly he likes the idea of me selling toys that will clutter up *other* people's homes. :-) Hand me a toy catalogue and I am in heaven! Hand me a toy SALE catalogue and watch out credit card!!! There's only one thing more exciting than buying a new toy and that's buying a new toy at a greatly reduced price!

My oldest child is 9 and I'm already thinking about the fun I'm going to get to have when we have grandkids. LOL. I know, that's probably a bit too much forward planning.

I will admit that I am improving over time. Our house reached toy saturation point about 2 or 3 years ago and I had to come to the sad realisation that any new toy that came in meant an old favourite really needed to leave. What a choice to be faced with!!!

So, where am I heading with all this? This afternoon my 6 year old DD has been very busily playing at the dining room table. She drew herself a picture of a camera and cut it out then proceeded to take photo's of all kinds of things around the room. After each photo - she drew a picture of what she had taken (that being then becoming a print out of the photo she took). It was very interesting to watch.

Not that long ago my 3 year old spent quite some time creating conversations between 2 of my pegs which in his mind were people.

Most nights at tea both the 6 year old and the 3 year old make birthday cakes using mashed potato as the cake and carrots as the candles. LOL.

My 9 year olds favourite game involves hitting a balloon around while he's watching the football. In fact, he's doing that right now as I type! I recognise the thumping sounds. LOL.

Yes, my children, by the very nature of their play, are constantly reminding me that toys really are marketted to adults. They love their toys of course - but they don't really *need* them in order to be happy. Something I need reminding of occasionally.

I am proud of myself though. Here it is June - almost the middle of the year, and I have not bought 1 thing to put away for them for Christmas. I think that might be a record for me!