As a mom, I suppose have a slightly unusual stance on toys. I really don't like them. They are a source of constant clutter and after a few moments of play, go largely unused. I have, on the other hand, seen an empty box offer up HOURS of entertainment, plus serve as a storage box of those same tiny, cluttery toys which I trip over and find gouged into the sole of my foot. Now, books - that's something I will spend money on.

One would think that as the oldest of 7 kids, I'd be used to toys galore. But somehow, even in a houseful of 7 kids, toys is not what I remember. I remember building forts with the couch pillows, and stuffing those same couch pillows under over-sized Happy Cat t-shirts and running full speed into my sibling like two tiny sumo wrestlers! I remember bookshelves full of books! LIttle Goldenbooks, Dr. Suess, Berenstein Bears, Mercer Mayer... I remember Legos and only one toybox (for all 7 of us) that we would occasionally "dump out" - it was an event at our house to do this. And then it took most of the afternoon to put it back together. But the Legos provided HOURS of entertainment as we would build cities and worlds and stretch our imagination to the max! I remember playing outside and running under sprinklers...tag and chase...never would you find my mom's house cluttered with toys - but we were HAPPY KIDS! So I think my aversion to toy clutter began at an early age. I'm just a tidy person by nature.

So now as a mother of a 16 month old, I don't think I've actually purchased a true "toy." I find myself only purchasing things that are truly educational and will visibly teach Brooklyn something. A few weekends ago, I stumbled upon a great garage sale find - a Leap Frog desk and lap notebook in excellent condition for practically nothing! She loves to sit at the desk and play and read and talk to herself, and I don't worry about it cluttering up the house! Everyone wins!

On this particular day, we were trying on clothes and some of her many hats. Brooklyn LOVES hats. She is such a girly girl and I love it!