I took a gander at the list of my blog posts to see which ones get more hits. Here are three things I’ve learned about my blog readers:
1) No one cares about the farm bill,
2) everyone hates Brussels sprouts, and
3) I need to post more baby stories.
I need to produce more babies to accomplish number three. I’m off to tell Nate my new angle on why we should have another child. My dedication to you, dear readers, is fierce.
Another part of my life that I am prone to (over) analyze is the amount of stuff we own. I do this activity on a regular basis in which I wander around the house, shaking my head at the build-up. The toys, the tschotchkes, the random keys, the remaining lined three-hole-punched paper from grammar school. Where does it come from, this load of absolute crap? As someone who loves to purge, I find it maddening that I still seem to own SO MUCH STUFF.
A tip I learned from my dad about the children’s toys is to adopt a three-month toy rotation. This concept is likely self-explanatory, but I will briefly enlighten you on the process. I take a box, gather up a bunch of stuff they don’t play with on a daily basis, and cart it down to the basement, where it sits until Vivi asks for it or until she’s bored with the toys upstairs. Not rocket science, right?
There is an additional wrinkle to this shell game. If the kids never ask about it in three months, and it’s a toy we hate, it goes into the Goodwill box. Sayonara, cat piano. It’s been real.
Oh, also, don’t let your kids see you boxing up the stuff, or you’ll inevitably have a drama on your hands, starring your poor little orphan child who really waaaannnnnts that particular toy even though they haven’t played with it in a month.
I had just completed two boxes worth of toy rotation when the mailman came with a special delivery of Nate’s childhood stuff, courtesy of his parents’ purging. I’m 100% in favor of everyone cutting down on the accumulation of things, so I support their mission. But GAWD it is a bunch o’ boxes.
There are some wonderful treasures in the bunch! Do you love old wooden toys as much as I do?
I was thrilled to discover that Nate’s Uncle Frank had hand-crafted a giant train set for him, and Vivi was as joyful to receive it as I was to open it. Just in time for the holidays. Train sets create a festive mood, don’t they? Check out the perfect little details.
Thanks Uncle Frank!