Hi there, and Happy Friday!

Like many of you, I’m now trying to get my Christmas shopping done as soon as I possibly can, so I don’t have to rush out Christmas Eve to pick up gifts with the crowds of people that wait until the last minute! My brother and I used to wait until Christmas Eve and have a whirlwind of a shopping day, usually ending up buying tons of gift cards out of frustration. I’ve been put in charge of buying a specific toy for my nephew. I don’t understand how it works, but it’s a coloring or painting pad that he can draw on, and it won’t run off onto the carpet. I love buying him toys and books, puzzles and stuff like that. It’s funny that I spend the money, though. Right now, he gets a kick out of playing with little balls of scrap yarn from my Grandma. He likes to unravel them, twist up in it, and walk around trailing it from room to room. Then, he takes it back to his dad to wind back up. Here is a picture of the two of them on Thanksgiving. They look like a couple of cats, occupied with that yarn!

Is it crazy to spend the big bucks on toys for toddlers? Or should I just give him a cardboard box, some yarn, and a stack of scratch paper to rip up and spread around the house? What do you think?

Have a lovely weekend!
Anne