my wallet is panting.

i've never considered myself overly materialistic. i mean, i like my stuff, but i don't really spend money on frivilous things or expensive "toys." but i DO love to give (and recieve) holiday gifts. who doesn't?

a good friend of mine who has 3, no 4 boys told me a few years back that she spends a ridiculous amount of money on gifts for the kids and that "one day" i'd see how it feels to have these little people to gift at the holidays. you want to give them everything.

and she's right. i do.

there are so many things i want to get for bb. i get at least 3 catalogues a day and i look through them and get so excited when i see something that i know he'd just love. it's hard to hold back. then i look at the wallet--skinny. i am a part-time nanny and hubby is a teacher. we have a tiny house. we're not at all raking it in. and still, i call on my wallet to find some money hiding in the corners that we didn't know about. and it responds with, "lady, are you crazy?" and i say, "look again!"

i have to say, though, that i am glad for my limitations because it is really important to me that my son doesn't have SO. MANY. TOYS. that i he can't focus on one thing. that he can't organize them all and "tidy up." that he can find his way into something, really into it where he can use his imagination. i also frown on a lot of plastic stuff. it always breaks. and don't get me started on toys that make music. or toys that sell disney characters. i hate it when i feel like bb is being used by marketing execs.

we decided we'd rather bb have LESS things and higher quality ones than lots of cheaper (in price and make) things in order to have more. and we love the wooden stuff. Melissa & Doug--love you! we got bb the M&D train set and when it arrived i was giddy.

in case you haven't been getting 100s of catalogues this season, i'm going to share the few (websites) that i think have the best stuff. maybe you'll see something you like for your little monkey.

one of my favorites is Nova Natural. they have all kinds of wooden toys, great books about the seasons, nature, gnomes and knitting. www.novanatural.com. check out this oh-so-cool castle set.















another great one is HearthSong. they've got great outdoor gear like igloo makers and snowman kits. also great art stuff. www.hearthsong.com. check out this bulldozer and forklift. wooden! moving parts! toddler (boy) heaven!


















and finally Magic Cabin. they have some really nice dolls. all ethnicities included. the have some really cool puppets and dress-up clothes. and of course, the much-coveted Plan City! oh yes. www.magiccabin.com.










Enjoy and may your wallet come through for you.

Monday Munch...ish

well, fellow peepers--i have a recipe today, but it's not for something to eat. it's for something to play with! PLAY DOUGH! yes, we all know we can make it ourselves, but some may not have the recipe at hand. i'm here to remedy that for you.

bb and i have had a lovely time playing with our dough. some quotes from today include:

"can i have a picnic with my worms and lady bug?"
"mommy, my lady bug can chase YOUR lady bug!!"
"can my lady bug go to christmas now?"












INGREDIENTS:
1 cup salt
2 cups water
4 tsp. cream of tartar
2 tbs. oil (i use canola)
2 cups flour
assorted food coloring


INSTRUCTIONS:
1. bring water to a simmer in a medium pan. add salt to dissolve.
2. add cream of tartar, oil and flour.
3. cook over medium heat until mixture thickens to the consistency of play dough.
4. after it has cooled, knead in the colors of your choice.
5. store in airtight containers so it doesn't dry out!

now CREATE!

p.s. is it me or is blogger totally getting it done lately posting pictures?

much to be thankful for

i'm lucky to have a family who wants to share the joys of what we are all thankful for.
we had a lovely day. the turkey took a very long time to cook. it rained all day. we have a small house. but no one seemed to mind.
bb and hubby prepped the turkey.

there were candles, flowers and pumpkins.

the tables were set--mismatched, but set.

there was much pie consumption in the land.


and to top it all off--trivial pursuit. what more could one ask for in a holiday? i hope yours was all you hoped it would be.

time: 1, me: 0

perspective is hard to maintain. my rantings of late have been about the hardships of parenting a 2 year old. and they are many. the power struggles. the "NO mommys." the impatience (on both our parts). they are all things we must navigate daily.

but sometimes when there is a quiet moment when no one is particularly upset or happy and we're not involved in any activity i look down at my growing-way-too-fast boy and time stops briefly between the two of us. i can see the whir of color and motion around us--sped-up time in my peripheral vision. but in the bubble of motionlessness it's just he and i. and i wonder so many things about him in that instance. what will he be like when he grows up? what will he study in college? what will he LOOK like? what will his first girlfriend (or boyfriend) look like? what will he think about? what will he teach me?

i try to imagine all this--all the answers. and then, when my few seconds are up, sped-up time around us seeps back in and swallows us up again. and i'm looking at my 2 year old and thinking, "i need to appreciate every moment with him just as he is right now, because i'll never get it back. and it'll be gone SO unkindly fast."

this whole thought process sure does make me think about the possibility of child #2. to get to do it all again would be so lovely in so many ways. it's true. but it's not enough. because i'll never get to do it again with bb. i only get one shot with him. and i'm already so saddened that i don't remember his infancy the way i want to. was it sleep deprivation? the shock and deer-in-the-headlightness of becoming a parent and being needed 24/7? i'm not sure. but if i do it again. i'm going to try to remain more present.

wish me luck.