The Miss Elaine-ous Life

random acts of life, family and photos

Just Playin’

by

I have this very vivid memory of myself while playing in the house where I grew up.  The same house my parents still live in actually.

I am tromping down the green, shag-carpeted hallway in a dress, on the way to my bedroom at the end of the line.  All the way pushing my toy grocery cart, “baby” in the front, food in the back. Once I make it to my room I get the baby out and hold her close and pat her on the back, comforting her pretend cries.  She soothes and I sit down to “cook” the food. That’s the memory.  I cannot remember the rest.

Although sometimes I am pretty sure I have lived it.

Wait.  I know I have.

I often wonder what my children’s memories will be of their toys and play time and things they did as a child.  Will they recall the Thomas the Tank Engine trains and the LEGOs and the baby dolls and princesses that litter my living room floor on the daily?  Will they be upset to know that we their dad got rid of a certain toy instead of letting them pass it on to their children?  Will they fondly be reminded of a book we read over and over and over again as they come across it some day in the future, in a second-hand bookstore?  Will they read it to their own child?

Perhaps.

What I do know is that my kids can still just play with the best of them when they really set their mind to it instead of minecraft or WiiU.

And I can also tell you that those trains will be passed on to my grand kids because oh yeah, that is some CASH money spent on those babies right there!  Hands off Timothy!

What do your kids love to play with?

Comments

  1. We’ve kind of gotten past the toy stage, being that they are older. But they still like to play pool and jump on the trampoline and go in the pool. And they ripstick all over the house. I probably shouldn’t let them, but I’ve decided that one was a pick your battle thing!

  2. Love the pictures! Does Minecraft count, or not? Because my eight year old sure does spend a lot of time playing Minecraft! He loves scooter rides, and building LEGO, too. 🙂
    My five year old loves playing everything right now. He has such a great imagination… he plays Batman, and store, and puts on TV shows… he’s so creative! I love thinking back to the things I loved playing with as a child… I love thinking about the things my children will remember, too. Great post, Elaine!

  3. My kids have SO many toys. I do hope they remember at least playing with some of them.
    Love the photos, especially in black and white.

  4. Your photos are beautiful, and THAT is a big bag of Legos!

    I gave my treasured Barbies to my daughter years ago. Recently we were sorting through toys to get rid of, and she picked most of my Barbies to give away (or trash). I was sad for a moment, then realized that handing down my Barbies was what I had intended; there was no promise that she would actually play with them.

  5. My girls are 8, 12 and 15, but they still can’t resist a bin of baby dolls. I hope that never ends.

    The shots you have of Legos reminds me of the boot-box full my sister and I had as kids. They included my dad’s Legos, and any we got, too. I remember there were tiny bits of popcorn in the box, and I always imagined my grandma giving my dad a bowl of popcorn while he played with his Legos.

    Of course, it could have come from my sister and me, but the other story is way better.

  6. I am always wondering what memories my children will keep and cherish about their childhoods. I feel like I work so hard to try to give them things to have memories about, but you never really know what those memories are going to be.

    As always great pictures!

  7. Aww. What a sweet post.
    My kids are down in the basement (play area) playing LEGOS right now. And half of the LEGOS they have are the ones I played with when I was little. 🙂

  8. I think about that so much. My parents kinda hoarded all of our old toys and I admit that when I see the old toys again, they awaken memories in me that I don’t think I would have retrieved without seeing the toys. That makes me sad.
    That’s also why I take a gazillion photos of every toy and every outfit and every everything.
    I know you get that!

  9. I often wonder the same thing… hence the race to find a house ASAP!! It must surreal that your parents still reside in the same house you grew up in. I can’t even imagine, I lived in dozens of homes throughout my childhood.

    Also? That is a shitload of Legos!!

  10. My guys have their favourite toys, for sure. They like their electronics, too, but there is nothing like a little play time with a ball or a game or Lego. I love to see them playing!
    Gorgeous photos, Elaine!

  11. My son loved his Legos and Hot Wheels cars. My daughter loved Barbie and Polly Pocket. They have both always loved books thankfully a trait inherited from me 🙂

  13. Sometimes I wish my mom had saved some things that I had growing up, like favorite games or toys, but we weren’t really the saving kind of family, and I can’t say that I’ve saved anything of the kids either.