Gotta Love C.raigslist!!

This is what Isaac will be waking up to tomorrow morning!!

I'm so excited for him. It's like his birthday or something!

Let me back track by saying, we do not normally buy the children toys throughout the year. They get gifts from us on their birthdays and Christmas and their adoption day celebrations. Throughout the year they get clothes and toys from Billy's parents when they visit and his aunts. So we do not feel the need to get them new things. We do not want them to grow up with a sense of entitlement, along with the desire to have the latest gadgets. When we go to Target, they don't ask for toys and DVD's, or even candy at the checkout, because we don't buy those things. An example is that Isaac has been carrying around a little Thomas train toy and Gordon toy for about 4 days now that Jarrett had given him from his collection. Isaac doesn't have a track or any other Thomas toys. Today we were lounging together and I said "Isaac, did you know there are other trains, like Percy and a bunch of others; plus some kids have really cool big train tables like at Barnes and Noble." He said "That's okay, Mom. I just like these." Awww...

The last thing he was really into was around his birthday when Bob and Larry were all the rage.

So onto why he will be getting all these toys and it's not a holiday. He has only seen maybe 4 Disney movies. Cars was his first and recently, Toy Story and the sequel. At a party a few weeks ago he picked up a woody doll and buzz doll and played with them solely for 2 hours. Billy told me that Toy Story 3 comes out June 2010. By then he will be five and a half and really into this type of thing. So today I thought, let me see if I can find one of the buzz and woody dolls on C.raigslist. So I did. And not only did I find the dolls, there was a set of TONS of toy story toys for an amazing price. I didn't think much of it, but mentioned it to Billy. He shocked me when he said "I'll email them and make an offer." And they contacted us back! Billy had to drive far to get them but that was okay because they came down on their already great price quote.So these pictures are of what we got! I couldn't believe it when Billy brought them home! Costume pieces, a huge backpack that looks brand new, tons of dolls, two books, a Memory game, vehicles...you name it! I was shocked to find this, and all at such an incredible price. New, this Lot would have been over $300, easy. He is just going to be thrilled. I expect he will say "where did this come from? and why?" :)

I have bagged about half of it up, which is why the 1st pic I took doesn't have everything displayed. But I wanted to give him a lot of it at once. Probably because one of my sister and I's fondest memories growing up was when my Mom did something like this for us. We were in elementary school and she worked hard as a waitress during the graveyard shift. One morning she came home bearing huge bags from Toys R Us. In them were the latest Jem dolls and clothes (ya'll remember those), two Jem convertibles, their doll friends, and who knows what else. She also had purchased multiple packages of these really nice fisher price playfood sets that were big at the time, and brand new Cabbage Patch Dolls. We were in shock!! It was the middle of the year, not for any reason. We said "Mom, why did you do this?" She said "I got big tips last night and I wanted to shop for my girls." We loved those toys for a long time, but more important the feeling of sacrifice and love stayed with us far past us outgrowing the toys. Now, I think Isaac is too young to appreciate how special this moment is for me. We are on a tight budget, and just don't spend money much for non-essentials. But this was too sweet to pass up. I love my boy immensely. And I love what he loves (I mean you should see me at their birthdays, their presents delight me more than them!) Also, it can be hard to find appropriate toys for Isaac. We don't play with weapons and I don't like a lot of the evil looking action figures. We don't see the latest kids movies, so often times he plays with the same 3-4 things everyday; the trains, his Rescue Heroes, his cowboy hat and scarf, and my stuff...grrrr. ;)
His little imagination is taking off and he will really enjoy re-in acting his favorite scenes from the movie. I confess I am one of those Moms who fasts forward through all of the "Sid" scenes, and any other part I deem "bad". :)



Gotta shepherd those little hearts, but I think a cowboy and space ranger are pretty harmless! I'll take pics of him playing with his new toys!