Peace Baby

Over the past year, I have been on a quest to both reduce and add sparingly to the cheap, obnoxious, plastic toys in our overflowing collection.

There are many reasons I protest these toys. First, they are usually ugly, bright, and do not complement our decor. It appears that Milton Bradley and Fisher Price partied hard, had a few too many gin and tonics, then came home and threw up rainbows all over my house. Second, most of them are LOUD and require a second mortgage just to keep the up with the battery demand. Third, I have found that Kate has much more interest in items that she can use her creativity with, versus something with overwhelming bells and whistles. Fourth, I’m a little freaked out by the lead based paints, toxins, and product recalls associated with these toys. The hereditary maladies are challenge enough for my child; she doesn’t need mutated genes too. Plus, I’m not really sure what I’d do if she gained an extra appendage. I have a hard time fighting her with the four she has.

The really cool part to being slightly more discriminatory in my toy buying (for our house and gifts) is that I’ve found some incredibly cool retailers, including Olie Bollen. I was browsing for a shower gift and came across these:

Aren’t they precious? If you click on the link and read more about them, I'm convinced you will love them as much as I do! They are also Michigan made and sold by a Michigan owned company. Those of us left in Michigan can't afford to buy anything. For those of you who live elsewhere, SEND YOUR MONEY!