My kids live for Fast Food Trinkets-you know, the stuff the comes in Happy Meals, Kids’ Meals, Sonic Meals, etc.  Can someone please tell me WHY they think these cardboard cut outs or miniature versions of the real thing are such TREASURES??  I personally live for when they aren’t looking so I can throw them out.  Is there any way we can all rebel against the fast food chains and either stop the manufacturing of Fast Food Treasurers or change them into math flashcards or something useful?

Yes, I am a super nerd, but you already knew that.

In fact, I’m off to Math/Science Night at the elementary school, complete with both Fast Food Trinkets AND Math flashcards.

See?  It can be done.

Our toy capacity was at its maximum this evening, so after quickly tucking the kids into bed, we raided their rooms. 

I always feel a little guilty at sorting and parting with toys–mostly because of the whole Toy Story movie phenomenon, but of course, being the sappy one that I am, I also have treasured memories of almost every toy.  Be it the baby toys (which some I still can’t part with), the toy they wanted SO BADLY for Christmas one year, or maybe the very FIRST toy of a kind…like the first Barbie, or the first Star Wars Ship.

However, when all the parts are missing to a toy–that’s an entirely different story.  I start throwing them out right and left if there’s a missing car, gun, wing, or head.  Sometimes I make the wrong decision, and throw away a precious-half-mutilated treasure, but that’s my general guideline…Hopefully that’s teaching the children to keep all toy parts intact.  They haven’t quite learned that part of the lesson, so I guess it’s still a work-in-progress.

Stuffed animals are a hard one for me though.  We could run our own stuffed animal zoo over here, and for the life of me the best I can do is just box a few up and throw them in the attic to “think about later.”  They’re just too cozy.  We love Cozy at the Scroggins House.

So, it’s back to work for now…gotta make room for more Star Wars hoopla, and maybe a few more teddy bears too…just in case.

Apparently they are causing quite the commotion in schools.  Read the story here for details.  Wow, I’m glad friendship pins weren’t banned back in the day.

These bracelets are apparently all the range in the 9 and under age bracket.  There seems to be trading, hoarding, and collecting going on in both genders, and on every playground.  Hibbet Sports in Decatur is rumored to have them, but sell out as quickly as they arrive, so we looked online tonight to see if these little treasurers were available that way.  And, did we luck out-check them out here.  My husband thinks they are silly, but I remember friendship bracelets and pins, jelly bracelets, and swatch watches, and how I couldn’t WAIT to have some of my VERY OWN.  So, we might be spending a little allowance money on these little treasures.  Anyone else?

We’re a Wii Family.  Before that, we were a Nintendo Game Cube Couple, and before that, my husband was a Nintendo 64 Bachelor.  I guess you could say it’s a family tradition, and one that we’re continuing because we just can’t stop.  Well, my husband can’t stop anyway.  I’m a hit-or-miss gaming gal.  I can be talked into a little Mario Cart every now and then, and definitely Wii Sports or Guitar Hero.  But mostly, I’m an observer, and now with the kids all of Wii age, there’s a lot to observe.

Wii age-it’s the age where Family Movie Night usually consists of the latest animated or talking animal film, and finding a Family TV Show is nonexistent.  In between Crime Dramas and Adult Humor Sitcoms, there is little left for a family with young kids to enjoy.  So, we default to the Wii.  Almost every night after dinner, we cozy up in the living room with our latest guilty pleasure.  Tonight, it was Dance Dance Revolution, and this time I was the one asking for one more chance, prolonging bedtime just a few more minutes.  EVERYONE just ate that up because it NEVER happens, but…

“We’ve got Family!  Get up everybody and Sing!”

or something like that. 

We spent the better part of our weekend mastering the art of Ripsticking.  The kids received these for Christmas, and have been stumbling through the month of January desperately trying to not only balance on them, but somehow make it down the driveway without falling and breaking bones.  If you aren’t familiar with this new-fangled skateboard, look at the picture and just see if you can figure it out.  It only has two wheels (that swivel), and the board itself swivels back and forth.  It’s like combining skateboarding, snowboarding, and roller blading all in one, I think.  I’m too scared to get on one myself.  In fact, with my track record of injuiry, my husband basically forbid me to think about it, so we could “keep the mommy intact.”  Nice confidence, don’t you think?  In any case, yesterday there was all kinds of success on my mom’s driveway-balancing, steering, a little falling, but all bones still whole-so that’s good.

There was so much success that my sister and her boyfriend were shopping online because they wanted one of their very own.  Fun for all ages! 

If you’ve tried it, share your story.