Wit & Wisdom from my Journey through Womanhood
My girls have wanted some for a while, but I couldn’t make myself spend the money on them. Our friends brought some back from a trip for the girls and they are overjoyed. Thank you friends! So glad you went to the discount store.
For more pictures visit the Wordless Wednesday main site or 5 Minutes for Mom.
You may think this small blue object is just an average oil funnel, but you would be wrong.
When our son was little he swiped this from Daddy’s things.
It’s first use was a trumpet, but at times it took a turn as a saxophone or a mutated flute.
He proceeded to use it as a telescope and a gun – an all in one kind of weapon to spot the approaching enemy and blast them to pieces.
I can’t even remember all the things he used it for.
I thought the girls would pass over this simple blue funnel, but they’ve had just as much fun with it.
They used it for a microphone and a scepter – obviously they’re more into entertaining others than blasting them.
Occasionally the funnel/imagination toy goes missing (ok – sometimes I hid it on purpose). Sooner or later it’s gleefully found and used for countless other scenarios.
Lately it’s been in the shower.
The girls were using it in their play kitchen, but real water is much more fun.
So, if you are in need of a cheap toy that can be used to challenge the imagination of boys and girls look no further than your local auto parts store.
P.S. My husband never used it for oil. It never made it that far. See that remnant of sticker left on it? Our son took it when the sticker was still brand new.
P.S.S. We do buy our children real toys…occasionally. Do you have any favorite-toys-that-aren’t-really-toys at your house?
This morning my 2 yo daughter and I went through a rite of passage. I call it that because I’ve gone through it with each of my munchkins. Unfortunately it’s not potty training; we’re still working on that.
It involves toy clean-up, crying, time, discipline, more tears [from both of us], and hugs at the end.
I expect my munchkins to pick up toys from a very young age, but they usually have help. It’s when I expect my child to pick up some things without help that we hit the brick wall.
With my son it was Legos, my first daughter toy dishes, and my second daughter a children’s card game. Yes, these times are still vivid in my mind – not theirs.
It’s always some toy they love to play with and scatter all over the floor [all over the floor!], by themselves. Hence the need for them to clean it up by themselves.
Let me tell you that I could pick it up by myself 3 times in the time it takes to get them to do it; but I know that once we are over this hurdle it will get easier for both of us.
It surely wrings me out!
During toy clean up time my 4 yo daughter had her arms full of baby dolls and clothes. She walked to the hall door and shouted, “I need help. I can’t get the door.”
Since I had my hands full of toys and was headed to the toy box I said to the other two munchkins, “Somebody go help her get the door open.”
The 2 yo immediately responded by going to the hall door and knocking on it.
This 4 foot high shelf used to hold my toys when my favorites were the Fisher Price house and barn. [Now that same house and barn are in the "vintage" category on Ebay!]
Obviously it didn’t stay a toy shelf. It held innumerable stuff before it was relegated to the basement at my house. There it held paint cans, flower pots, a spare key, and various other tools. It also got quite dingy and dirty, and generally all around icky.
Doesn’t it look much better with a new coat of “almond” paint? The knot holes and rust marks are no longer visible.
Lastly, but most importantly, it is filled up with my children’s toys, including their generation’s Fisher Price barn and house. The big blue tote is put away and there is more floor showing.
It’s a good thing. 
Follow JendisJournal