So I'm back from playing hostess to my mother-in-law for a week. I'm tired. Doesn't matter who the guest is, hosting people in your home is tiring. But it also has its benefits–like help getting laundry done or walking in to the kitchen to wash breakfast dishes only to realize they are all shiny and clean, sitting in the dish-drainer. Love that.
I also want to say, on the record, that I went through every bag and box and tub of childrens clothes in our house, barn, shed, guest room. I currently have twelve bags of childrens clothes ready to go out the door to charity. Between tons of generous hand-me-downs, our Wisconsin clothes in storage joining with our Maryland clothes that we purchased when all the Wisconsin clothes were, well, in storage–it made for a LOT of stuff. A sickening amount of stuff. A "please don't open that closet or look under that bed amount of stuff." It feels so good to have things cleaned out and pared down. So good. Now all that's left to be done is to organize what's left by size and store it away. Ahhhhh…can you feel all the space I've created? Feels good.
This weekend, the girls and I watched the newish American Girl movie that just came out on DVD, Kit Kittredge. My girls are total movie lightweights. The least bit of scaryness or potential danger, or mean people, sends them scrambling for the "off" button. And that's just fine with me. I figure what's the rush in desensitizing them to scary things?
All that to say, the American Girl movies are some of our family favorites. I know I'm not a "characters" person, but these movies are clean, gentle-spirited and the girls are wholesome, mixed with a little bit of spunk. So while a lot of the issues of this newest movie went over their heads, there was one thing Emma did pick up on–the typewriter.
The next day, she sent my poor mother-in-law out to the shed where the extremely heavy typewriter had been stored, and had her haul it back to the house–unbeknownst to me. By late morning, Emma was writing stories, copying poems out of books, and covering my dining room table and floor in reams of white paper.
And of course, monkey see, monkey do….
Alright, I'm saving the beans questions until tomorrow. See? This is what happens when you wait too long between posts…
i need a ribbon for my typewriter. and was wondering about showing l. the movie. now that i know your girls have watched it….might have to stop at blockbuster. xo.
I keep looking for a good typewriter at thrift stores and havent found one yet…but good things come to those who wait.
my girls loved that movie. the subject was over kate's head, too. jane kind of got it. anyhow, they sent my mother-in-law looking for a typewriter, too. sadly, it had been given away! oh well, we'll find one when it is time.
We have an old typewriter from the early 1900's that my boys are fascinated with. I wish it worked, because I think they'd have a blast writing their stories on it. I think they'd be surprised at how different it is from using "Notepad" on their computers!
we've never heard of american girl! but the typewriter is a hit here for our newshounds!
i love your expression monkey see, monkey do! that sums up our weekend. i love it!
We took 7 little girls to see the Kit movie for Aidin's birthday – and about as many adults. We all enjoyed it. Nevermind the plot did not EVEN follow the books. It was true in spirit.
Here's wishing you happy typing. 🙂
I picked up an old typewriter a few months ago and my girls LOVE it. I remember as a kid getting a red toy plastic typewriter for Christmas and it was one of our most well used and loved possessions of all. It's reassuring to know some things never change. 🙂
i still have an inch-thick folder of things i typed when i was 8 and 9! :^)
Oh, what fun. I love getting rid of stuff–I think that it may actually make me happier than bringing stuff home 🙂
We picked up a typewriter for our now 8 year old son a few years back and it was the best $15 ever spent at Goodwill! It has provided him endless hours of entertainment and he absolutely loves it.
Very cute pic of your little miss going at it too.
Elise is at the age where she just doesn't really see it when bad things happen in a movie. She has been watching Dumbo a lot, and she doesn't get it at all that Dumbo is made fun of for his ears. She thinks the big elephants think Dumbo's ears are "so cute." I'm not going to burst her bubble.
Typewriters are great fun. I played on my grandma's for many hours when I was a kid.
love those chubby little fingers on the keyboard…priceless. We still need to see that movie…glad to know it's out on DVD.
We (bro, sis & me) grew up without TV, or movies. It did make movies kind of scary as a teenager but I agree with you completely about not desensitizing them. They are great girls.
We are big fans of the AG movies and books here. Tatum (9YO) has read almost each book in each series as we check them out from the library. nothing wrong with encouraging the desire to express oneself in writing – express away!
P asked for a typewriter too after seeing the movie.;-)
We just finished watching that movie. My daughter and I wanted to watch it. Might I say that my boys, who were saying, "ugh, why do we have to watch that?" before the movie started, all found it enjoyable and thought it was well worth watching? When I saw the old typewriter, I immediately thought of our old old one that we use as decoration now. I love the sounds that it makes – you can just imagine great ideas and much creativity that probably went into that. Somehow the sounds of the computer keyboard just don't compete. Love how your little monkey wants to take part too – was she on tippy toe?