Best Gifts of the Year

Yes, it's been too long since I posted and I'll try to due better.  I have four goals this month (see the book  "Happiness Project" for more of what I'm talking about).

1. exercise
2. Check bank balance
3. Write something, anything, blog entry, grant work, journal, shopping list, etc.

Those are my daily goals for this month.  So far, I'm only one for three today.  Yesterday it was exercise.  Okay, so I'm a slow starter.  Sue me.

It was a great holiday break, even though we didn't go anywhere.  Samantha cleaned up, naturally, and continues to ask for more, which irks me to no end, though it doesn't stop me from buying her a few things when I go to the art supply store.  What can I say, I'm soft as eggs.  maybe that should be the blog title.

Anyway, haven't figured out how to post pictures yet, but here's a link to one of the best toys of the season:

http://www.brikablok.com/usa/index.php

These are plastic, 12"x12" interlocking squares, and you can build forts, tunnels, castles, anything the kids can think up.  Samantha absolutely loved this one.  she even wanted to sleep in the fort.  It all collapses and stacks into a very manageable carrying bag that you can easily store in a closet.  check it out its really great.

The other greatest gift of the season is Snap Circuits.

http://www.snapcircuits.net/

You can get both of these from amazon.  The set we got has 80 different projects and experiments to do.  Now, neither one of these was on Samantha's lengthly wish list.  But these two have become her absolute favorites.  It's fantastic to see her grasping the concept of electricity and thinking creatively how to alter the projects.  Okay, yes, this is only for use with an adult supervising, and there have been a couple of times where Sam has gotten a little zap.  It uses two AA batteries, so relax, I'm  not lighting a bunsen burner and heading out for smokes.  Right now the whole kit is at school, so Sam can show the other kids the different experiments using light, sound and motors powered through the circuits you create.  Very cool.  Major props to The Wife for finding and ordering both of these.

I think I'm the only parent who didn't the (three week) Winter break was long.  I as have mentioned and will continue to mention, I'm a softee, and I miss my daughter when she's at school all day.  And it was nice to spend an entire day with her.  Not that I felt I had lost any connection with her, but it's just different.  The house is so quiet for so long when she's in school.  And with after school activities, classes at the Y, playdates, I get dinner bath and stories.  that's it.  I know I'm not breaking any new literary or parental ground here, but it's going by fast and I'm glad to have some time to soak it in.

Best comments by the boo:

Samantha:  Daddy, are you going to shave today?
Me: Yes
Samantha:  Good.  then you won't look like a crazy person.


Okay, I have just enough time to check the bank balance before I have to go pick her up.  more later.