Couch Car

It is another cold and snowy "autumn" day. I hope this means that winter is going to end early. We are grateful for a warm house and roof over our heads.

The boys went outside for a little bit, but they've also found a new inside game that they like. Owen takes the cushions off of the couches in the front room. They call it "car". Daniel is sitting shotgun.

I took that picture standing where the  back row of seats were. Owen soon moved that little stuffed dog in front of him to the back seat. They've been playing a lot with stuffed animals this week - a few stuffed dogs and a stuffed cow who takes turns on a leash, which said leash is one of Mel's old graduation cord rope things.

And as I saw them play, I was thinking I had before me more evidence that these kids don't need more toys or things... what they would really benefit from is more clean and open spaces where they can get creative and imagine. I recognize that then they will still be playing and making a mess from regular household items (in this case dishes and couch cushions) but thankfully this one is a quick clean up. One bad thing that Owen is playing with lately is aaaalllll the solders and cannon and cavalry pieces from Hyrum's Risk game. He picked them up most of the time, until this last time. He had dumped them in a high traffic area and I asked him to pick them up but he didn't so I finally did before the kids came home from school and they are now picked up and hidden from him in an undisclosed location until further notice. In my attempt to simplify, I will be getting rid of some of the games. And for those  board and card games that stay, I shall need to find them a place to put them that is out of reach from Owen and Daniel, Probably Lily Sophi and Natalie too. They have too many pieces to be left within reach of the small children.