Peter 'Potamus Birthday Party

Can't believe I forgot to post about this.

Peter Potamus has been in the library the whole time I was growing up.
There is a story about how he got his name in this article.

His outfits change for the season.

Last time I was home I saw that he had a birthday party.

The friends read books.

They ate pizza.

They played games.

Of course they had cake.

I saw someone picking up her stuffed friend and she was given a goody bag. I wish I knew what was inside.

Backstory

 

All the toys I need for work have backstories.

The Duplo in the background are probably from a yard sale but they have an important role and can't go.

The cylindrical toy is from the HABA outlet store in Skaneateles, about an hour from Ithaca, NY. Even though I am not so fond of driving, the destination made it worth it. I love the HABA toys and have found so many different ways to play with this one - a keeper!

Another HABA treasure. It looks so simple but there are so many different uses. The favorite one these days is to put the little people in upside down and giggle about it. 

Most shape sorters are too busy for my tastes, but the real reason I like this is because it is the same as the one that was in my house (maybe I used it? maybe my little sister used it?). I have put away some of the more complex shapes for now.

My oldest child received this from the parent of children I used to babysit. It is one of the few stuffed toys I have kept to be played with. I have other stuffed toys that sit by my bed.

I bought these stacking cups at the school yard sale about
twenty years ago. I love the way that because of the
different grooves they can stack by size and by color. 

This does not even touch on children's books. Maybe when we have an empty nest I will set up a mini children's library in one room. Or not so mini. I have no new year's resolution about getting rid of stuff.

January tidbits

Visiting labs at Harvey Mudd College

Nice day for a ride

It was slow, except for these last few pieces!

Go Hens!

I learned a bit about the plans for 2020. Fingers crossed it all works out.

What I brought back from Ohio.

Cheering for Sagehens at an away game

Celebrations

Cello caroling in the village

Toys

Gifts. Can you guess which pile is for the teen?

Random pictures

Before this blog comes to an end I will post a few random pictures and thoughts.

My wonderful children have been pitching in and making dinner once a week.

A. went to the store for a can of corn (called for the in the recipe),
but said he came home with frozen corn.  Really it was Frozen corn!

A. has a dad whose lab has cool machines.
Now A. has three playstation controllers that are each labeled with a different soccer team.

Interesting to see that starting 2009 the Cleveland baseball
schedule magnets stopped printing the name of the team!

And in case you think I hold onto too much you should know that just yesterday I recycled the receipt from the car seat I bought thirteen years ago.