You Are A Child's Plaything

Ride like the wind Bullseye!
Yee-haw!

Jessie

 

What do the toys do when Andy their owner leaves the room? They of course come to LIFE! 

 

There is something about a great kids' movie that makes me smile anytime I see one of the characters or I hear a theme song.  You've got a friend in me!!!  I love the story of Toy Story.... 1, 2, 3! 

 

Toy Soldiers

 

Week # 28 LIFE'S simple pleasures - collections

 

Collectables or collectibles, are objects regarded as being of value or interest. 

 

I have a few different collectables.  I never actually sought out collecting Toy Story toys... but here's how I think it happened.

 

It's obvious, a sign of the times!  1995 and my son was two.... a perfect way to decorate his little boy room.... just like the 'real' kid Andy's clouds on his bedroom walls in the movie.... (maybe when I come across it in a scrapbook I'll find a picture of what my son's room turned out to be.) 

I always admired the great marketing plan Pixar and Disney movie makers had... sell the toys that are being promoted in the movie. There was wallpaper and bedding just like the kids' in the movie. Even Disney theme parks had exclusive rides about the characters.... or parts of the movie. Buy the toy at the end of the ride!  Perfect!

 

If you think back just like many of the simple pleasures I've highlighted on my blog.... the sign of the times can be determined by the popular characters, celebrities, sports teams and musicians of the era.... back in the 30s and 40s little bedrooms would be sparsley decorated with themes (or items) related cowboys and Indians  and war hero's, during the 40s and 50s sports teams were hot and dreamy singers were popular, in the 60s and 70s rock bands and musicians were hip, then in 80s & 90s StarWars and other cult movies were all the rage.... it all goes through a POP(ular) cycle.

 

Woody & Buzz

 

So of course, we bought our son his own Woody (Doll) and Buzz Lightyear.   We got a Piggy Bank... the Slinky dog.... If you look behind Woody, you'll notice a Fisher Price phone.... that isn't a remake, it's the actual one I had when I was a little girl. 

 

What's old is new again... or it becomes a collectable.... for what dollar value??? How can you put a price tag on memories? The fun thing about collectables is that we all have our different reasons why we like something. What's one man's junk is another man's treasure?

As the kids grew up and into their next stage, they no longer found the fascination with these Toy Story toys... but with each new movie, McDonald's and Target started selling tiny collectibles of all the characters from the movie.  And my family loved finding ones we didn't have yet... so the collection grew.  Every Christmas I got a new toy... to add to the collection!

 

Now these cute and fun toys sit on a few shelves in our basement.... collecting dust.  Sometimes I wonder what happens when the lights go out.... it makes me smile to think that maybe they have a little fun when the humans are away!

 

Gnome Sweet Gnome

Say hello to my little friend!

Week #28 LIFE'S simple pleasures - collections

 

I have a small collection of garden gnomes.  They are cute humanoid creatures with pointy hats.  They often have a beard, carry a pipe and sometimes are captured napping.

 

They are 'fun sized' garden ornaments that protect a garden or lawn from evil sorcery.

 

Small collection means: about 7

 

Little garden gnomes are kidnapped and travel around the world.  Have you seen the Travelocity gnome? Oh the adventures they get to go on.

 

My very first blog postings were about our gnome, appropriately named Gname.   (He's the middle gnome in the 3 pack picture above.) I had no idea what I would write about, so I was going to take the gnome with us to different places in our new home town and share pictures and his experiences.  Seven years later, I have found plenty to talk about on my blog.  But I have brought Gname back, full circle.

Just so you know, there is a difference between a small collection and a hoard.  Hoarding items (it could be gnomes) is a special condition that carries extreme symptoms that limit a persons ability to function successfully in life.  It is an equal opportunity illness... affecting people of all ages and backgrounds.

 

Now that we are straight on collecting vs. hoarding...... this weeks simple pleasures.... a few of my collections.  What are special things you look for when you go to a souvenir shop?  What do friends and family members get you when it's your special day? What do you like to collect?

Celebrate Good Times!

Every year on your birthday, you get a chance to start new - Sammy Hagar

Celebrate you!

 

After a few days off, I'm back to finishing off Week #27 LIFE'S simple pleasures - birthday celebrations! 

 

Kids love to celebrate their birthdays.  It's a very special time that they look forward to.

 

When they are tiny.... we celebrate their birth with huge parties that they'll never remember. We stick a huge, beautiful cake in front of them and all sing, and tell them to dig in.  I've seen a lot of first year pictures with the birthday kid crying!  All the attention... candles, cake, gifts, balloons, favors, people, singing, cards, streamers.... it can all be so overwhelming.

Then as the kids start getting older... they like to decide what kind of birthday celebration they want to have.  It's fun to make plans with their creative input!!  Pirate & Princess parties, picnics and pizza parties, movies or at a playground at McDonald's, ace car and kitty parties.... you name it... there are party ideas and themes for celebrating everything!

 

Just like when I  highlighted Valentine cards back in February.... you can always figure out what year a party is by the theme..... they can relate to cartoon and movie characters, to popular toys and animals, to sports teams and fuzzy animals!

Hopefully, a birthday celebration will bring special moments and create happy memories.  Everyone needs to feel extra special.... at least one day a year... their birthday! 

 

I think I like Winnie the Poohs' version.... lets celebrate un-birthdays, because you get 364 of those!

Sea to Shining Sea

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. The Declaration of Independence July 4, 1776

 

Week #27 LIFE'S simple pleasures - birthday celebrations

 

It doesn't just have to be a person we celebrate in LIFE'S simple pleasures!  Today we celebrate America!!

 

All across the United States friends and family celebrate with flags, parades, picnics and fireworks!

 

In 1776 when the Declaration of Indepence was signed, there were 2.5 million people celebrating their freedoms in America.  Today, as we celebrate 237 years later ... our nation has grown to 316.2 million people.

This nation will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave.
~ Elmer Davis

Now, go on.... celebrate America, let Freedom ring!

 

I Wish All Your Wishes Come True

From four to 18 in the blink of an eye!

 

Week #27 LIFE'S simple pleasures - birthday celebrations

Playing with color and black & white on Photoshop!  Great subject. 

 

Part of LIFE.... Learning and Evolving.... hoping to spread SHINE!

She was/is a Tinker Bell Fan.  I love to copy and share!

 

Celebrate!!

They Say it's your Birthday!

Birthdays are good for you!  Statistics show that people who have the most, live the longest!

Week #27 LIFE'S simple pleasures - birthday celebration

Everybody has a birthday, but sadly not everyone celebrates birthdays.  Some woman stop at 29.  Currently, I'm celebrating the 20th anniversary of my 29th birthday!!  Figure it out???

A birthday is a celebration of having arrived so far in life, it is the anniversary of your birth.  Some celebrate big milestones.... or rites of passage... 16 - Sweet... you get your drivers license, 18 - you can vote, you are a legal adult.... 21- you can drink (legally), gamble

What's the best type of gift for a birthday?  Flowers?  A heartfelt note?  Balloons? 

 

Some people are good at giving their loved ones surprises!  Sadly, some birthdays are a big disappointment!  Everyone celebrates their birth Day differently!

 

There is still no cure for the common birthday

~ John Glenn

Sometimes I've wished the mom 'happy birthing day'.  If you really think about it, our moms have given us the gift of life.  Obviously, since we are such tiny wee ones... we often don't think about the day they had to endure.  We just get to CELEBRATE and think our birthday is all about us. 

 

At this writing.... eighteen years ago... I took a photo of my sweet family of 3.... it was a chilly day for July 2nd....the boys were wearing sweatshirts and baseball caps,  because the next day... we would become a family of 4 and it would forever be the day to celebrate another BIRTH day!

 

How do you celebrate your loved ones' BIRTH days??

Let Them Eat Dirt!

Start each day like it's your birthday!

Week #27 - LIFE'S simple pleasures - birthday celebrations

My Year of.... LIFE'S simple pleasures has met the half way point.  A full 6 months, 26 weeks, 186 -1/2 days of posting about ways to L-learn, I-inspire, F-feel, E-evolve & S-shine.

Why not have a celebration!?!!!! 

CELEBRATION!  I really think that's what my whole year of LIFE'S simple pleasures has been about anyway... I'll just observe the event with even more respect, festivity and rejoicing!

On any given day (except leap year February 29) you celebrate your birthday with approximately 19 million other people.

 

The more you praise and celebrate life, the more there is in life to celebrate ~ Oprah Winfrey

 

 

A half century ago, cakes and sweet treats were only affordable by the rich.  (I briefly touched on that subject during Week #9 - cookie)  During the 15th century German bakers created a sweet flat bread that eventually evolved into a cake.  

 

Modern traditions for a birthday celebration are filled with presents, a special greeting card  (**shameless plug** those are the creative greeting cards you see throughout my blog.... I sell them! ;)wink, a birthday song and a special birthday cake with candles.

 

 

We had a small birthday celebration over the weekend and there was cake!  Jane's Dirt Cake, you can find the recipe here @ Martha Stewart.

 

I can't guarantee the calorie count (Oreo cookies crushed to look like dirt) cream cheese, chocolate pudding and cool whip.... no bake!  But I can confirm it was a big hit!

 

Week #27 - LIFE'S simple pleasures - birthday celebration

 

All the world is birthday cake, so take a piece but not too much ~ George Harrison