The Spirit of Giving

Yesterday I found myself in the toy aisle of a local store, perusing all the bits of colorful plastic and metal that somehow add up to heaven for children. Our friends Erika and Michael Peterson throw a big party every year and hold a toy drive for Toys for Tots - complete with a Marine Corpman who arrives at 10 PM to pick up all the donations to have gift wrapped and given to needy children for Xmas.

Now, we're not loaded, and getting ready for our big trip, but I stood there and had a powerful moment, seeing a lot of things I always wanted as a little girl and never got. I certainly don't want these things now - but I had a brief moment of nostalgia and loss for what might have been.

So here's Wendy's Rule of Shopping for Toy Drives: buy all the things you wanted when you were a kid that no one else would buy for you. Here's the list of toys I compiled - trying to also add boy toys and art toys on Stephen's behalf:

• My Little Pony "Silver Lining" with extra long hair, crown, and barrette and a brush. She has a rhinestone on her flank, and her little story says she burned all of dinner one night and said "Oh well, I like going out to eat!" This will help some other little girl try to put the best face on her own situation.
• Pound Puppies (miniature) - two of them, complete with the little box that is a dog house. Because I have a little dog of my own and want to share the joy.
• A princess tiara, complete with a jeweled ring and bracelet, and the center jewel in the tiara pulses red when you push it.
• Children's makeup compact and nail polish with glitter in it.
• My Secret Diary, with lock and key.
• Lazy Town coloring book WITH SCENTED CRAYONS. The Lazy Town series is all about not being lazy - eating healthy, exercising, and has lots of fun characters (human and animated mixed together).
• Lazy Town paint book with water paints and a brush.
• Batman "Cave of Wonders" coloring book with tattoos
• Spider-Man "Fun Doh" with Spidey on top of the can
• Motor-Cycle 5-piece set, with die cast metal motorcycles and cars, and a tow truck (for when those motorcycles crash, which they always do...)
• Lego "x-pod" - it's a shark, part of a scary animal series that includes dinosaurs. The itty bitty pieces come in a little case.
• Lego "ATV-4" - it's a cool all-terrain vehicle and the pieces come in a little carrying case that looks like a tire.

I had to wrest the Legos away from Stephen, he'll never grow up.

And something else yesterday to get in the holiday spirit - the farmer's market, headed into it's "winter" season, had a decorated wagon being pulled by a pair of draft mules, with bells all over their harnesses. I went for a ride around the Junction (the shopping district in the center of West Seattle), sharing the lap robe with another woman who had two little girls with her. It was very cold and we all were wearing hats and gloves and scarves. It was fun and just the right thing to slow down and enjoy the moment. We waved as we rode down the street, and people waved back and smiled. It was a perfect start to a really pretty day.

Hard-working draft mule. Dad was a mule, mom was a draft horse. Makes for a very tall and strong horse-mule!