Quality Christmas gift ideas (for kids)

I've written in the past about some of the ways we keep it simple around here. I also recently posted a few gift ideas for a two year old, since we celebrated Asher's second birthday back in October.

In light of the upcoming Christmas holiday, here are a few thoughts on the subject of giving gifts to kids.

First, some other bloggers with wise words on the subject:
1. Lindsey Kubly
2. Erin Boyle (Reading My Tea Leaves blog)

Secondly, I tend to get a bit uneasy with the excess that comes at Christmastime. I know from experience that less is more (especially with little ones!), and that getting too many gifts at the same time is actually counter-productive and stressful.

We give our kids four gifts each year (something they want, something they need, something to wear, and something to read), and this year we're starting a tradition of giving four small stocking stuffers, to be opened one per night on the evenings leading up to Christmas day. My parents gave the kids their gifts when they were here this past week, and we'll give our gifts at a separate time from the other things our kids receive from family and friends-- to spread out the excitement, and to give time for them to actually use and enjoy each present. (*In my mind, this is a major key to simplicity and contentment at Christmas, the time when our cultural tendency toward excess is wildly obvious!)

In general, I prefer gifts of experience (or time) over toys. Museum memberships, movie theater tickets, aquarium/ zoo passes, and swimming lessons are all brilliant things to gift to children. Even though things can be useful and fun (especially if they are high quality things like I've listed below!), children truly thrive on quality time with the people they love. So bonus points if you can gift an experience that they can do with their parents, grandparents, friends, etc. :)

So, without further ado, here are some great gifts I'd suggest for your little ones this Christmas. Many we have already, and others we expect that the kids will get for Christmas or an upcoming birthday:

MagnaTiles. This is the number one toy in our house. They are expensive, but worth every penny!!  They get used by both kids, every day, multiple times a day. We build roads, and garages, and houses, and animal pens, and hospitals, and so, so many more things with MagnaTiles. Definitely worth the cost, and definitely worth getting at least 100 pieces if you have more than one kid.

Strider balance bike, sport version. I have recommended this balance bike before, but just realized one specific perk of this specific bike-- the sport version is made so that the bike seat and handelbars can be adjusted without tools. This has been SO awesome in our transition period, as Charlotte learns to ride a two-wheel bike with pedals and yet sometimes wants to revert back to the speed and confidence she had with the balance bike. We're trying to get Asher started on the balance bike, too, so it's great to be able to adjust the seat/handlebars quickly as they take turns with our Strider.

Kid's guitar. We actually got one of these for FREE, from someone in our local "Buy Nothing" group!! Her son had outgrown it, and she responded to my request. Asher is obsessed with music and loves to pretend he's playing guitar with the little plastic vacuum we have, so I'm really hoping he will think an actual guitar is the best gift ever. It's been hiding in our living room closet for over a month; I can't believe he hasn't discovered it yet!

Toddler-sized outdoor tool set. I'm SO excited for Asher to get this as a Christmas gift! He's used a similar set before, and he's going to be thrilled to "help" in the yard with all these tools.

Dollhouse. (Note: this link is different than the one I've used in the past. The dollhouse looks more open-ended; I envision it being used as a barn, or maybe a fire station, or school building...) I'm using a tutorial from Lindsey Kubly's blog (see link above) to make one for the kids (mostly Charlotte), and already bought the bookshelf from IKEA. My parents put it together and now I'm going to add the posterboard to the back and wrap up some furniture to put inside. Here's the furniture we're going to use: Bathroom. Kids' bedroom. Kitchen.

Calico Critters family set. I plan for the kids to use these adorable animals in their dollhouse, and hopefully for many, many other creative games. They are the sweetest, and my children are far more interested in animals than dolls these days, so I think they will work well with the dollhouse.

Art supplies! We don't have a ton of this type of material at our house, partially because Asher isn't super interested in sitting still for art projects, but also because Charlotte is mostly into coloring in big coloring books with crayons or markers. But these are some art supplies we have used and loved...

Neon colored paints. Charlotte got a similar paint set from her grandparents and it was a HUGE hit. I'm hoping she'll be really into these bold, neon colors as well, since most of her paints are running out by now (after 6 months of frequent use!).

Tiny markers (THE BEST for little hands!!).

Giant coloring pad (great for paint, watercolors, or regular old markers)

Water WOW coloring books. These are our absolute favorite airplane activity! We have at least three sets, and they get used a lot, even when we aren't traveling. Asher, especially, likes to use them when Charlotte is painting at the dining room table.

*Looking for more ideas? Here's a post I wrote back in August, about the toys we love in our home.

living simply: toys we love

Last year I wrote about some of our favorite things. Most of those were things we had around the house, and I'm a firm believer that kids will play with any old thing, if given the time and opportunity to be creative.

But! But, having a few really good toys is a great privilege, and one I do not take for granted as I care for two young children. Most of these are made to last, and though some are fairly expensive, I definitely think they are worth the cost. In no particular order, here are the toys we love.

1. Magna Tiles. I cannot recommend these enough. I think everyone should own these, and the more the better, in my opinion. Charlotte and Asher have had these for at least nine months, and they have been used in so, so many ways. For awhile we were building giant towers that Charlotte said were animal hospitals. They had garages and potties and parking lots. These days, both kids call them "ice cream" and Charlotte sorts them by colors and puts them in her "freezer," while Asher carries the triangular ones around pretending to lick them. We also use Magna Tiles along with our wooden barn and farm animals to make "cow houses" for Asher, who loves to drive a little tractor around his farm.

2. Play kitchen. This is BY FAR the most used toy in our home. Joel's dad made ours from an old TV stand when Charlotte was tiny, and she definitely dominates it so much that Asher really only gets a chance once she's asleep. ;) But we love it so, so much, and it's worth its weight in gold for how many playtime hours have been spent in creative play there. I also recommend some play food, and some other kitchen supplies, preferably wooden or metal since plastic gets kind of gross and also is easily smushed by not-so-careful toddler hands. (On my wishlist for the kids: this adorable wooden tea set)

3. Doll house and/ or wooden barn. I'm planning to make a doll house using this cool tutorial. Our neighbors asked us to store their giant doll house for a few months, and my kids played with it a lot. However, it was so big that it got difficult to store once they lost interest and I really think kids get tired of staring at unused toys after a while. Once I make ours, I plan to move it around to different parts of the house, and eventually I will retire it to use as a regular old bookshelf. I also plan to buy just a few pieces of furniture; another friend has a cool house but there are SO many pieces of furniture that someone Asher's age can easily get overwhelmed and just not play with it at all.

We bought this classic wooden barn from another neighbor's garage sale, and along with this set of animals from Asher's first birthday, it has gotten a lot of use. There's SO much creative play that can come with well-made, basic toys.

4. Schleich animals. We asked Asher's grandparents to give him a set of animals for his birthday and they've gotten a lot of use. There are sooooo many cool Schleich animals on Amazon, so do a bit of searching to find ones that your kids would like best. I hope to expand our collection in the coming years (this wildlife set looks awesome!).

5. Outdoor toys: swing set, kiddie pool, Strider balance bike. (Note: we have this balance bike in green and it took a loooooong time for Charlotte to love it. But we all persevered, and now she's definitely ready for a pedal bike. I'm just feeling intimidated about deciding which to buy!)

*Let me say that we have A LOT more toys than this in our house.. Mostly because people give us toys, which can be good and bad. Good because it's nice to have free stuff, but also bad (sometimes very bad) because-- as I said in my last post about simplicity with kids-- there's a lot of junk that disguises itself as children's toys, and some things we've been given aren't good quality and don't get used. I try to move things out and pass them along if they aren't beautiful or useful or well-loved.

But it's not always easy. Both of my kids adore stuffed animals (which I can't really stand!) and they use them and I just can't de-stash those darn things as much as I'd like, since they love and use them a lot. Also, I bought two used sets of Littlest Pet Shop toys (which are plastic and gaudy and not beautiful at all!) from my neighbor (for $3!!) and gave them to Charlotte for Christmas last year. She has spent countless hours playing with those things, and Asher really likes them as well. So there's that. Ha! :) BUT I'm so, so glad I bought those used and didn't pay full price!

Now let's share! What are the most loved and used toys in your home? Do you have any of these that my kiddos love? 

on living simply, with children

I cannot count the number of times I've heard this statement: "My kids don't play with their toys. They make messes, and make noise, and their toys are all over the house, but they don't really PLAY with any of them."

This is so, so common. It's very sad, and, I think, a serious problem with our culture as a whole, and with my generation of parents and children specifically. Let's chat about the issue a little.

First, two great resources for anyone interested in dealing with this problem directly:
1. The Simple Families website and podcast.
2. The book, Simplicity Parenting, by Kim John Payne.  

Second, this is one of my own personal "soapbox" topics. I feel extremely passionate about raising kids well, and (probably because of my background in education) I'm hyper-sensitive to the positive/negative affects that parenting choices have on children in their present and future lives. I think simplicity is important, but also really, really difficult.

Third, this is not in itself an issue of real spiritual significance. As a follower of Jesus, there are some absolutes that I hold onto without question. This is not one. Though I think creating a safe, creative, simple space for children is valuable, it doesn't in itself point them to the cross of Christ, and thus, this topic of conversation isn't an absolute for me.  The issues of biblical simplicity, in the sense of sharing things in a community, and living with less, and giving to the poor, are different than what I'm writing about now. Though maybe they can be a discussion here some day, now that I'm thinking of it... :)

Alright, so with those three important notes, here are some ideas and points that I've been mulling over in the last year. Some will be their own separate blog posts in coming days (or months.) I'd love to continue the conversation in the comments below, if you'd like. :)

• There are many things that are awesome for babies and children to have. And there are many, many things that make parenting easier (hello, high chairs and baby food pouches!). But, there are many, many, many things that are absolute junk. They clutter up our houses and our children's minds. And this clutter, this excess, actually becomes a serious imposition to children developing the way they should... children in general aren't spending enough time outside, are watching way too much TV, and are failing to learn basic life skills such as independent play, sharing, conflict resolution, and problem solving. Teachers notice. Grandparents notice. The society as a whole notices. And we parents often notice, but we aren't sure what to do to combat the problem. This includes me. I'm not speaking typing in judgement here-- I'm working through this in my own home, and with my own family. But as parents, we are our children's protectors and their advocates. For their good, and for the good of future generations, we need to combat this culture of excess and waste and general overwhelm. 
• I cannot recommend the book Simplicity Parenting enough. It is so, so practical and relevant and wise. 
• Some future blog post ideas: great toys that we love and use and highly (highly!) recommend; how I've set up / how I maintain a relatively simple home (and life) for our children; how we spend our time and develop a simple schedule for our family; activities and creative play that my kids do regularly; conversations to have with children regarding our choices toward simplicity. What else? Leave post ideas below!
• Bonus! A few ladies who lean toward a simple way of parenting, and whose blogs I really love... Lindsay Kubly, Erin Boyle, and Erin Loechner. 

The tale of a house: kitchen!!

Our new kitchen was the room we got ready most quickly. 

There were a lot of things to be done, but the kitchen took priority because it needed to be complete before we could move in. I can sleep in chaos, but can't feed a family of four in chaos very easily. :)

SO! Once Joel and his dad sanded down the cabinets, and the new flooring, counter top, sink, tile back splash, dishwasher, and stove were put in by our contractors, Joel and my mom got the cabinets painted a lovely bright white. (Benjamin Moore "White Dove")

I wanted the shelves on this wall to stay open, since our FiestaWare dishes are so lovely. (Plus, open shelving makes unloading the dishwasher a breeze!) 

The fridge came with the house, but we purchased a new oven and a new dishwasher. I'm really happy that they are white, because having so much white in the room makes it really bright and lovely, even on the dark, dreary winter days.

While I was visiting my parents earlier this month, Joel and two of our neighbors painted the walls the same light gray as the rest of the main living space. (Benjamin Moore "Barren Plain")

Two things we added for convenience and comfort were a hanging pot rack and this kitchen cart from IKEA. We don't have many cabinets in our kitchen, and the counter space is somewhat limited, so we needed something extra to help in that department. I loved having a pot rack in our old kitchen-- it saves SO much storage space and I like to be able to grab the pots quickly as I cook.

This kitchen cart has met our storage needs perfectly-- we use it as a coffee station (the box underneath the coffee maker stores all our K-cups) and Charlotte's glasses and snack cups are stacked there for her to reach easily.

We don't have plans to cover the windows, since the light in the afternoon is beautiful (we can see the sky turning all kinds of blues and pinks and purples as the sun goes down)!! I think for the time being, we can stick a fork in this room-- it's done!

Favorite things: two year old edition

Charlotte has been doing a lot of independent play lately. I'm frequently nursing Asher or putting him to bed, or we are doing house projects, etc. etc.

She definitely has times that she needs some company, or a helping hand, or just a chance to run around outside. But overall, she does a great job entertaining herself and we feel really pleased with how confident and curious and brave she has become. 

Fortunately, we have some great things that help keep her occupied; some are toys but most are just regular household items that she uses to play (which really, at this age, is work!)

Without further ado, here are some of our favorite things, for life with a two year old: 

1. Water. Charlotte REALLY likes to play in the sink with running water, or to sit in the bath all day long, which just isn't practical or resourceful. So sometimes I fill the kitchen sink part way, and dye it green (see photo below!). Or sometimes she gets her bath toys in a bucket on the bathroom floor, or sometimes she gets the foam soap dispenser and a few containers so she can "wash hands" to her heart's content. Water is a great thing to help practice pouring and it's very easy to clean up! I almost always put a big towel underneath her, to help keep the floor slightly dry. Her clothes usually get wet, but we change them the next time she needs a diaper change, and hang them up to dry and be worn again. 

2. Beans. My mom brought her some hand-dyed blue and orange beads months ago and Charlotte was playing with them almost every day. I finally got tired of having them randomly around the house, so I put them away for about a week. But then I got her some dried dark red kidney beans from the bulk bin at the grocery store and marketed them as "new purple beans"! She only plays with them on a silicone baking mat in the kitchen. She uses measuring spoons and plastic cups and a metal travel mug and whatever other containers she can find. She scoops, she pours, she transfers, she dumps. These "new" beans often buy me 10-20 minutes of independent play time. [Note: Twice this week I had friends over and both of their kids put a bean in their mouth! I was a bit surprised, since Charlotte never does that, but I remember her trying it once when she first started playing with beans. All I did was to explain that these beans aren't cooked, so they aren't for eating. They are hard and make a good noise and are easy to scoop; if we put them in our mouths they don't work very well anymore. That's solved the issue and now she only uses them for playing.]

3. Blocks. Charlotte has multiple sets of blocks, but we usually only keep one accessible at a time. She has awesome magnetic Tegu blocks, some beautiful hand carved wooden blocks, blocks shaped like letters, and lately-- the blocks from the game Jenga! She doesn't play with blocks for long periods of time alone, but if one of us is with her, she'll do all sorts of things with them. Making towers, making snakes, lining them up next to each other, knocking down the towers, "counting"... 

4. Art supplies. Charlotte got some dot markers for Christmas and she loves using them on solid white paper. She also has watercolor paints, colored pencils, and crayons. We got her some of these for her birthday, but I'm saving them to use on the airplane next week. Like blocks, art materials only hold her attention for a long time if someone is "painting" or "coloring" with her, but every once in a while I can set out the paint set and she'll use it alone for 5-10 minutes. Plus-- totally washable!

5. Busy Toddler Instagram account. This is where I get a LOT of ideas for things to play with Charlotte. 

6. Play kitchen. Joel's dad made us a play kitchen last winter and Charlotte LOVES it. She does all sorts of imaginary play there-- making soup, serving breakfast to her bear, baking cookies, "washing" dishes or her hands, "cutting" sushi with this cute set my mom gave her, etc. 

7. Push toys. We currently have three great push toys, two given to us by friends. One is a shopping cart that we bought her for an early Christmas present. She LOVES pushing the cart around, loaded to the brim with play food, stuffed animals, books, etc. She also loves this little pink bus that someone gave us- it's both a push toy and a ride-on toy. Charlotte likes to take it up and down the street outside, alternating between riding it and pushing it. And asking me to push her on it, of course ;) We let her use the bus inside, too, since it rains every day all.winter.long here. She's not allowed to ride it next to Asher's door when he's sleeping, because it can be really loud, but she uses it in the kitchen, living room, dining room, etc. Highly recommend these as a toy for kids her age-- I think they can be found pretty easily at yard sales or on Craigslist type sites. 

How about you?! What fun things has your toddler been enjoying during the cold, dark days of winter? 

The tale of a house (1)

...We bought a house!! 

Or, at least, we are in the mid-to-end stages of buying a house. 

Basically, we bought a house! :)

How we got to this point is quite a story (a miraculous story, I would say) so I'm sharing it here for the sake of my memory. Depending on the timing of things and when this baby boy arrives, I hope to share more photos and stories about the process. That's why this is considered part 1... We shall see if any more parts get written. 

We moved to the area about 7 weeks ago, and have been staying with the parents of Joel's college friend. They live abroad most of the year, so it worked out nicely for us to stay with them temporarily while we got settled and explored the area. Almost immediately upon arriving, we started looking at homes online and visiting a few with our realtor. 

As we explored and looked at homes for sale, we also began developing relationships with our current neighbors. We live on a really quiet street, in a town about 12-18 minutes from Joel's school (depending on traffic). The neighborhood is an awesome mix of people from all ages, with a few young families and some folks who have lived here 50+ years! 

Most of the houses we looked at were in other towns, not as convenient for Joel to commute, and not nearly as quaint as the town where we live. They were great houses, though, and whenever something came up in our town (in our price range), it tended to be pretty dumpy and in need of significant work. Twice we made offers on homes that we really liked, but we got out-bid and had to move on. 

One Tuesday morning, as we were considering making yet another offer on yet another house, my neighbor drove by and stopped to chat. She lives three doors down and after asking me about our house hunt, mentioned that her other neighbor (2 doors down from us) was interested in selling his house, and that he would probably be really happy to deal with us privately without hiring his own realtor and listing the house online. 

Over the course of a few days, we had talked with the owner on the phone, walked casually down the street to scope out the house, and coordinated chances to get inside to look around more seriously. Though the house had some quirks and needed a few significant repairs, it seemed really awesome. Naturally, our love for the neighborhood made us a bit biased... 

So things moved forward. We made an offer, it was accepted, and we have signed an agreement of sale. Today a home inspector came and then this evening we met with a contractor to get an estimate for the work we would like done before we move in. As of now, we will settle on the house at the end of September-- about five days before baby 2 is due to arrive. 

Stay tuned :)