looking at toys on the internet lately. I love to find and research great, heirloom toys year around, but it's especially fun at Christmas time :) I worked for several weeks on a Christmas list for O that her grandparents requested (and I'll post it eventually in case anyone is interested). I'm not looking forward to the day that O wants to choose her own toys :) Anyway...I love this
tree house. O is too young for it, and I don't think she'd be especially impressed with it now. Also, it cost much more than we spend at Christmas, but I REALLY want to get it for her...maybe next year! What are your dream toys or games for your children?
My dream toy for my girls is nothing educational and is a huge waste of money. But, I always wanted one as a little girl and I still want one and I am well over the age. I want one of those Barbie convertibles for my girls. They probably wouldn't care too much, and I know we won't actually fork out the couple hundred bucks for them, but oh... I would love to live vicariously through my daughters and buy one! But, I won't, and I have a practical husband who will stop me. (But I am looking on craigslist for a cheap used one.) Is that the answer you were looking for?!?! Probably not, but you asked. =) I love Christmas, especially with kids... it truly is the best time of year!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for all you do and I hope that you are doing better from last month.
Thanks for your comment, Stacie! I, too, live vicariously through O, especially at Christmas :) Christmas is so much fun with a child!
ReplyDeleteAlso, I'm doing a little better...just taking one day at a time.
I love reading what you do with O. My daughter is a few months younger and I am excited about trying a few of your activities with her. I also enjoyed browsing through your amazon list and that has given me couple of ideas for toys/books I could get her...the list was especially helpful since I didnt grow up here and really have no idea of the toys/books that are 'good'. Thanks for sharing - looking forward to seeing the Christmas list.
ReplyDeleteI would love to see what you are planning for O, and I love the homemade gifts you have shared already. I'm not sure I have a dream gift for the kids but I'm looking forward to giving books and games. I plan to share our picks too.
ReplyDeletehttp://montessori-n-such.com/default.aspx have about million things I would love to et for Egg. As for something that you couldn't mistake as "work" I would LOVE to get him this http://www.elc.co.uk/toy/red-retro-kitchen/. It is a VERY groooovy retro kitchen and I just love it so much. He has a kitchen, but as much as he loves it he struggles with it as it's just awkward and I hate it, it's ugly and plastic and although he uses it every day it is so dusty every day ugh. Oh and I reeeeeaaaalllyy want this trampoline, http://www.springfreetrampoline.com/. Whoever said money can't buy you happiness must have been a right miserable old so and so...!
ReplyDeletehttp://montessori-n-such.com/default.aspx have about million things I would love to et for Egg. As for something that you couldn't mistake as "work" I would LOVE to get him this http://www.elc.co.uk/toy/red-retro-kitchen/. It is a VERY groooovy retro kitchen and I just love it so much. He has a kitchen, but as much as he loves it he struggles with it as it's just awkward and I hate it, it's ugly and plastic and although he uses it every day it is so dusty every day ugh. Oh and I reeeeeaaaalllyy want this trampoline, http://www.springfreetrampoline.com/. Whoever said money can't buy you happiness must have been a right miserable old so and so...!
ReplyDeleteThat tree house is AMAZING! I'm in my twenties and I would love to have it, lol! I'm so all about the handmade/educational toys. Christmas is so much fun. I love going down to the local educational toy shop (which we are SO lucky to have) and picking out gifts for the kids on my list.
ReplyDeleteLast year the ice cream ball was super popular. It's a ball that you fill with ice cream ingredients (kids love making up their own flavors) then they roll it back and forth until its ice cream! it was a big hit. =)
When I read tree house as a gift on your post I was thing about something like this
ReplyDeletehttp://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11253149&whse=BC&topnav=&browse=&lang=en-US
or like this
http://hookedonhouses.net/2008/04/18/a-backyard-treehouse-for-the-child-in-all-of-us/
How funny :). But that tree house is adorable and I think the price is absolutely doable as the main present in my opinion.
I haven't really thought about my dream toy for my daughter yet as it is still 90+degrees outside.
One thing that I will be looking for right after Thanksgiving is over is a little sparkling pair of red SANDALS :).
When I read tree house as a gift on your post I was thing about something like this
ReplyDeletehttp://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11253149&whse=BC&topnav=&browse=&lang=en-US
or like this
http://hookedonhouses.net/2008/04/18/a-backyard-treehouse-for-the-child-in-all-of-us/
How funny :). But that tree house is adorable and I think the price is absolutely doable as the main present in my opinion.
I haven't really thought about my dream toy for my daughter yet as it is still 90+degrees outside.
One thing that I will be looking for right after Thanksgiving is over is a little sparkling pair of red SANDALS :).
I also don't look forward to the day when my kids choose their own gifts. I have way too much fun choosing for them. I was really excited this year because my son, Jacob, is almost 4, so I have a wider range of toys that he'll be interested in. We got him the Melissa and Doug castle and I've been making castle-related miniatures out of Fimo. My daughter is only 15 months old, so I'm having a hard time deciding what to get her.
ReplyDeleteI really love your blog! You have the best ideas for homemade toys and things.
Funny! We get that magazine in the mail. My boys LOVE to look through it. When I saw that tree house I immediately thought of you. I was going to send you the information about it b/c I thought maybe it was something you could make for O. :) So, when I saw it on your blog I had to laugh. I guess I do know you well after all!
ReplyDeleteBecca- I thought about trying to make it myself for about half a second :) There's no way I could do it, and it would be so stressful to try. I have to admit that I'm almost tempted to buy it now and save it for next Christmas. You do know me well!!
ReplyDeleteMelissa,
ReplyDeleteThat tree house is wonderful! I almost want it for myself! Just wondering, does your family include Santa Claus in your Christmas traditions? (I'm only wondering b/c I remember reading that O already knows about her baby doll quilt)
Thanks so much!
pretty much everything in the Magic Cabin catalog is on my dream list!!!
ReplyDeleteI am busy making my list and checking it twice also! I was hoping you could help me on one item I just can't find...I want a cloth baby for my 18 mo. old. I really like little baby Emma of O's. Where did you find it, or have you seen any other sweet baby dolls? I'd appreciate your help!
ReplyDeleteDon't buy it intil aftern Christmas when there is likely to be a sale and then give it to O for her birthday or save it for next Christmas. It might even come up on ebay after Christmas!
ReplyDeleteMary- Yes, Santa will come to see O :) Elliott and I will give her the handmade gifts and other gifts from us on Christmas Eve, and then Santa will leave a few things under the tree for her to have Christmas morning :) I make sure that she knows that the handmade gifts are from us since there's a pretty good chance she's at least caught a glimpse of everything.
ReplyDeletethe overman family- Baby Emma is made by the North American Bear Company. Here she is https://www.shopatron.com/product/part_number=2854/648.0.8275.0.0.0.0
She was given to O as a gift for her birthday from my aunt, and she bought her from a children's shop. Baby Emma is VERY similar to a baby doll sold by Pottery Barn Kids, so you could look there, too :)
No kids of my own yet, but the kids on my list this year are getting a homemade chalk mat; a set of six play silks in a drawstring big (two girls are getting the same thing); and a homemade soft cloth ball with a jingle bell inside. (Nothing homemade by me, unfortunately; Etsy is my friend.)
ReplyDeleteHi, I enjoy reading your blog. I am actually getting the dream present for my girls...a waldorf playstand. I've been wanting one for awhile. I think they will love it and we need shelves for toys anyway (my excuse for my husband). Also, want to get the Shoenhut 1st piano and the Remo Tom Drum. P.S. I just started a blog at mommyme-thewonderyears.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteI love those tree houses too. They are so cool. Last year I had a bunch of dream toys like that for Beeper, stuff that I wanted as a kid or would have wanted. This year, though, we've really seen the truth our more experienced parent friends have told us - the fewer toys they have, the more they play with them, and we are seeing he has way too many toys. So this year he is going to have simple birthday and Christmas with only a few small things.
ReplyDeleteEvenspor- I agree. We've also realized that O plays with her toys much more if she doesn't have as many (and she has about 1/3 of the toys that most kids her age have...the ones we know anyway). So...I'm trying hard to restrain myself. If we get that treehouse for next year, it will basically be the only things she gets :)
ReplyDeletewow that tree house is really neat! I might add that to our "someday maybe in the future list" or the "papa (grandpa) needs to make this" list :)
ReplyDeleteI've always wanted to get my daughter a really nice play kitchen, like pottery barns. We went in on a wooden one from Kmart with the grandparents, but now I worry that she is too young.
I adore your blog and read it every day! Thanks for all the great ideas!