The Best Toys (A Moment)

We grabbed the essentials - a golden ball, an all important teddy, the family hound, and headed out. While I ran the hound (okay, leisurely strolled after the first twenty paces) around the oval, the kids and my beloved played with the ball. And I got to thinking that (after the trampoline!) the three dollar plastic ball has seen the most use and the most fun of all the toys. Weird, huh.
Baby Cubby (clutched in Poppet's hand in one of the photos) has also recently come into near constant play. Baby Cubby is being constantly dressed, undressed, brought to me for milk, put to bed and brought everywhere. The cry of 'where's Baby-Cubby' is a constant and woe betide us all if we lose track of where he is.

A moment in time. Two favourite toys. And from nearly a year ago - the same golden ball.

She's Electric!

She's covered in berries, and more than a tad dirty, but I love these photos of the poppet.
The kids have been playing a heap in the garden, playing together, playing by themselves, imagining.
It brings back so many memories of being their age and just lying and staring at ants for what seemed like hours. Of sitting on top of the fairy hill (a mound of grey stone rocks and soil covered in marigolds and periwinkles) and imagining up fantastic stories.
Of throwing big plastic balls up in the sky again and again, just to see them go up into the blue and descend.
"Abracadaba - you're a frog!" the kids tell me.
Rivvet.
"Abracadabra - you're a monster!"
Roarrrr!
The Sprocket tells long, involved stories of the big, big, BIG monster who bit his toe. The Poppet tells me she is Doctor-Captain-Princess Poppet and she will steer the ship and 'check' everyone, dispensing bandaids where neccessary. And always in pink.
Today I'm linking up with 52 Weeks of Grateful to say thanks for the warmer weather, for grubby kids and long days in the garden and for imagination.