The Advent Of Christmas

You can pretend you are still distracted by pumpkins and spiderweb decor, but I know you are starting those holiday lists! (And if you are not, and you still need to catch up on Halloween fun, check out the offerings at Kobold Toys!).

So it is official, Kobold and I are getting ready for Christmas!!! My family has been in search of a fun and reusable advent calendar for the past few years. We have picked the cardboard ones up at the bookstore in the past, and they are fine... but an advent calendar is supposed to be a special calendar that you use to count down the days of Advent in anticipation of Christmas.

Our little Kobold has found some adorable advent calendars that meet the needs of beauty, fun, and longevity.

Mudpuppy's At the North Pole Advent Calendar is a fun, creative way to count down the days to Christmas! First choose your favorite 24 stickers (bears, reindeer, snow angels, skiers, stars, snowmen, etc.) and place them on the calendar squares. Each day of Advent, move one sticker from the square onto the calendar board's background picture to build a scene. On Christmas Eve, your beloved adds Santa. The stickers are reusable, so you can vary the scene year by year.

We also offer Mudpuppy's Christmas Tree Advent Calendar to help you enjoy a festive December. First choose your favorite stickers (illustrated by Janell Genovese) and place them on the calendar Squares. Then beginning December 1, move one ornament from the calendar to the tree until it is decorated. On December 24, add the angel to the tree top.


The Playmobil Christmas in the Forest Advent Calendar features 24 different items to open up each day of December. This Advent Calendar also features a fun backdrop that all of the prizes can be played with in. With this advent calendar kids not only count backwards till Christmas but won't stop playing with the addition of each new figurine every day. Playmobil also offers the Unicorn Fairy Advent Calendar for the princess set.

Stifle those Bah Humbugs! Christmas is only 66 days away, so start planning now! Kobold Toys is adding new toys and games every day, as well as holiday decor for the little ones, so please visit the site for the latest must-haves for your beloved.

Bow To The Princess, Please

As you may guess from reading this blog, my daughter, Miss E, is not into pink or princesses. She was a knight for Halloween last year and insisted that her eight month old brother serve as her pet dragon. She does not concern herself with the woes of the Disney princesses, and she prefers the adventures of the Swiss Family Robinson or SpaceDogs. At our first playdate with a girl from her class, she repeatedly came downstairs to complain that all her friend wanted to do was dress up in girly clothes... the horror!

However, my neice, Miss A, is the epitome of a princess. Miss A is a beauty with the delicate features and demeanor of the most lovely of royalty. When it comes to shopping for Miss A, I just buy the opposite of what I would purchase for my darling daughter. My sister-in-law does an excellent job maintaining her family blog, and Miss A is always twirling, singing, and acting the role of the princess.

Since I am feeling a little fatigued by blue, dinosaurs, and sassy pirate talk, I am going to celebrate pink today and honor Miss A with all things fit for a princess. Here are some suggestions courtesy of Kobold Toys for the princesses in your life!

It is essential that a princess own a cape and hand bag. The Secret Pocket Princess Cape is pink and purple satin and has pockets inside to keep all her personal princess "valuables"! And on the back is a clear pocket to display her own crest or dazzling designs. Pair with the purple princess goody bag (also available in yellow and tan). Très cute!

Every princess relies on a regal pal to help her mind her "Ps and Qs." Princess Seraphina comes ready for the ball or other royal adventure, complete in her beautiful double-layered gown and bejeweled crown. Maybe you have a little fairy godmother in you and want to whip up your own Cinderalla. Consider the Princess Doll Making Kit by 4M. No pins or needles are required- just a quick "bippity, boppity, boo!", tape, glitter, etc. (all included) and you have a princess ready for a name (she also comes with a birth certificate) and a kingdom.

If your royal wannabe has a crafty side, consider the Color Me Puzzle Enchanted Kingdom or the Princess Window Mosaic. Wonderful distractions/projects when the heat is too much or the castle is under seige!

Finally, for pretend play, consider the magical castle by Playmobil. This elaborate castle even comes with a crown for your princess to wear. All you need is imagination! The layout makes it easy for your princess to play with visiting knights and other royal court members. The castle comes with a princess, prince, white horse (naturally!), and many other accessories. Expand the castle with the Royal Bedroom, Royal Kitchen and Royal Nursery. And if you have my daughter coming over for a playdate, you may want to add the Red Dragon for dramatic castle attacks! It may keep her upstairs during a play date!

Have a "pretty in pink" Monday or if you are like me, prepare to face a blue skort and spiderman t-shirt wearing "anti-girls" girl.

Run Dunkirk! Run!

Before the Kentucky Derby, I read the names of the horses racing aloud and asked my daughter to pick the winner. She confidently chose Friesian Fire. Crestfallen, but not deterred when Mine That Bird won, she again selected Friesian Fire for the Preakness. She stood on our sofa, pumping her arms in the air, screaming “Faster Friesian Fire, Faster!” After a few crocodile tears, she decided she was happy that a “girl horse” won. Friesian Fire is not running in the Belmont Stakes, and my daughter has decided that the winning horse will be “Dunkirk. Or the winner may be Brave Victory. It is going to be close.”

Here are a few of my daughter’s favorite horse facts learned in preparation for her career as a part-time cowboy, part-time space ranger:

*A horse typically sleeps two and half to three hours a day.
*There are about 75 million horses in the world.
*Horses sleep longer in the summer than in the winter.
*A zedonk is the offspring of a zebra and a donkey. (She wants a pet zedonk).
*A horse is measured in units known as hands. One hand is equal to four inches.
*A horse's average lifespan is twenty to thirty years.
*Horses cannot vomit.
*Mine That Bird flew to New York. (I include this fact because my daughter is still trying to figure out where horses are allowed to sit aboard airplanes, and the queries have been pretty funny).
*Jockey Calvin Borel does not wear his teeth when he races. (This is not a confirmed fact, but we have it on good authority from Kentucky friends that this is true. My daughter thinks this “fact” is hilarious too).

Kobold's Trifecta Picks of Pretend Play Toys for the weekend are:

1. PlayMobil Horse and Trailer Set. This cute set is perfect for those who love animals, and horses in particular. It includes a figure, a truck, a horse trailer (whose roof can be removed), and a horse. The back of the trailer has also a ramp to let the horse in and out of the trailer

2. Neat-Oh Zip Bin Country Stable Playset. This soft-sided horse barn converts to a rider’s delight. The playscape features two barns, a pond, a training paddock and ample corral. This is a must have for every horse lover. Softie Bins are padded and shaped for more fun and easy clean-up. Mat is 29 x 33 x 74 inches.

3. Papo Riding Girl Set. This beautiful Riding Set will make a great addition to a figurine collection. Your child will never play with a finer quality figure! Papo's riding set is hand-painted, finely detailed, and sure to be fun.The set includes a riding girl, Andalusian horse with saddle and farm dog. Kobold also recommends the Papo 3 Pinto Set and Papo Rodeo Rider.

Happy Friday- and if you are daring, place a bet on Dunkirk for my daughter Miss E! ~Ashley

If You Build It, He Will Scream!

The first fourteen months of my son's life have been pretty similar to those of my daughter. He is more laid back than she ever was (or I will ever be), and he is in no hurry to walk by himself. He does say some words, but he also makes a sound that my daughter compares to that of a Teradactyl. On the toy front, no big surprises either. He plays with the same toys my daughter did: PlanToys kitchen accessories and food, wooden blocks, animal and dinosaur figures, anything musical, puzzles and books.

This past week he has discovered the dump truck and the bulldozer. The property adjacent to our home is commercially zoned and construction has started. HE IS IN HEAVEN. Every time he hears a truck or the sound of some heavy equipment, he scoots to the door screeching with delight. Unfortunately, we do not have a lot of construction equipment in the house as darling tomboy has not passed through her engineering phase...yet.

If you have a son or daughter fascinated with digging, cranes and construction, Kobold suggests:

A construction puzzle! This adorable puzzle board has the same drawing as the puzzle pieces so your child can easily put the pieces together. The puzzle has magnetic backing so that it can easily stick to the refrigerator.

Playmobil’s Truck with Garage is also a wonderful starter toy for the younger construction fan. The toy is also a shape sorter. While pretend playing to be a truck driver, your little one can also practice coordination and motor skills by trying to put the right shaped blocks in the right place. Once the truck is loaded up, it can leave the garage and go to wherever your child's imagination takes it!

For summer travel, consider the Take-Along Construction Set by Playmobil. This on-the-go construction set comes with a rolling garage door, an unfolding ramp for easy car entrance, and enough pieces to tackle any project.

Playmobil also offers an amazing crane, and your child will love to move it, pick up things and let them go! The crane comes with integrated steering for six different functions (rotates and movable). This fantastic toy has won several prestigious awards.

If you are anti-batteries, consider the crane by PlanToys. PlanToys offers wonderful and eco-friendly toys for your budding engineer. Our favorites include the forklift, bulldozer, highway trucks and the garbage truck.

Although I am not as excited about the big trucks and noisy equipment as my son seems to be, I am delighted with his response and eager to see how his new found love of trucks and construction will evolve. I only hope that the "vrooms" and "booms" this pretend play will elicit will be more tolerable than the Teradactyl scream. - Happy Building! Ashley

Sick & Tired

So for the past two weeks I have had sick children. My thirteen month old son was diagnosed with pneumonia. My three year old daughter was coughing and running a high fever periodically (never at the doctor's office, of course!). My super tomboy also caught her foot in the spokes of a bike in March and suffered an ankle injury that requires daily wound dressings. In the past two weeks I have made seven trips to pediatricians and specialists, plus almost daily visits to a pharmacy. Thankfully they are both on the mend.

If this were a more personal blog I would be lambasting health insurance, giving critical reviews of health care professionals I have had to endure, or suggesting wines that ease worry. I am going to choose to focus on one of my stress reducing techniques- online shopping. In case your beloved is under the weather, I searched through Kobold Toys for some entertainment ideas. For long wait times at the doctor's office or for hospital stays, Kobold recommends these take-along toys:

Playmobil's Take-Along Island. This fascinating set includes three figures, the island, firing cannon and other accessories. The island has a handle and folds up very easily. Perfect for your pirate lover!

Lilliputien's Farmhouse and Animals. We love the plush toys from Lilliputiens and the farmhouse does not disappoint. It holds 7 chunky plush animals plus a farmer and a tractor. The farmhouse has a play mat that opens to reveal 6 field sections and folds neatly underneath the house for storage.

The smART Bag. My daughter received this art case as a gift last year, and it is a favorite. Perfect for holding crayons and pencils to decorate the exam room paper roll!

Daisy Girl Dress Ups by Shure. Dress Lilly in her favorite dress-up clothes! This engaging wooden book contains watercolor illustrations of pretend scenes and whimsical outfits. The removable wooden doll and 21 wooden outfit pieces attach with hook and loop tape to mix and match for hours of pretend play fun!

My children love the animal figures by Papo. We have quite the menagerie-- from the sea turtle to the spinosaurus. These are easy to throw in a your purse or in a back pack for pretend play on the go.

I am a member of a children's book club. It drives me crazy because I always forget to cancel the selection of the month. Last week four books about Maisy Mouse arrived. I was immediately frustrated that I had not declined the offering, but as fate would have it, these were experience books relevant to the week we were having. Maisy Goes to the Hospital was an instant hit because we were considering surgery for my daughter's ankle. I definitely recommend this book for the preschooler with hospital anxiety. We also enjoyed reading about Maisy going to the dentist, the museum and the library.

For me having a sick or injured child is the scariest aspect of parenting. We are fortunate to have friends and family who are medical professionals, and they kindly provide guidance upon request. I believe this also reduces the frequency in which I have to channel my inner "Aurora Greenway" with doctors and our insurance company- only one "outburst" in fourteen days is pretty good for me.

Stay well, use your hand sanitizer and start shopping! - Ashley

Once Upon a Time

I can still remember watching the lavish wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer in the early 80s. I was mesmerized. What little girl does not want to be a part of a fairy tale? The wedding season is approaching , and the promise of beautiful brides and exciting parties is in the air. Whether your daughter will be a flower girl in a wedding this year or just loves a romantic story, the PLAYMOBIL Church is the perfect backdrop for pretend play. Your child can press the windows of the church tower and hear the bells chime and the organ music. To complete the set, consider the "getaway" convertible and the party guest tent.

Pretend play helps foster imagaination, encourages self-expression and can help children work through their fears and feelings. I love to eavesdrop on the conversations my daughter creates with just about any object. It gives me insight into our relationship and what communication cues she is using to make sense of her world.

Right now our friend, "the scientist," has set sail on a global ocean sampling expedition aboard the Sorcerer II. He had previously sent our daughter pictures of his trip to Antarctica, complete with penguins and whales. On this expedition the team will travel from California to the European seas, and we are excited to see pictures from his trip. If you have a budding marine biologist or high seas adventurer on your hands, The PLAYMOBIL Expedition Ship will let your child explore the mysteries of the ocean and can be partnered with a shark diver and a research raft and whale.

And maybe, just maybe, the scientist will be rescued by a brilliant and bold shark diver or whale watcher during his adventure. And maybe, just maybe, they'll fall in love and have a beautiful church wedding off the coast of Italy. And maybe, just maybe, on their honeymoon, a whale will eat the scientist, and the whale watcher will pursue the naughty whale for the rest of her days. Or maybe, just maybe, they'll sail off into the sunset and live happily ever after! I'll ask my daughter and get back to you.

Cheers to Happily Ever After!~ Ashley