A Million Things!

Happy Monday! I wanted to start out today's post by answering a few burning questions. Haha!

Two questions I get a lot are: where do you get your girls' dresses and why do you let them paint and make disastrous messes in them? Aren't you afraid their clothes will get ruined?

Well, my not-so-big secret is that I buy all of their clothes on Ebay pre-owned (that's a fancy word for used). Everything from their Halloween costumes to their dresses, I buy second-hand.

I get amazing deals on them because I am a little OCD about Ebay! Plus, since I am always up really late, I am able to pounce on those deals that other people aren't awake to get!



Then, when I am done with the clothes (the ones that survive - ha!), I re-sell them on Ebay. Most everything in our house is used. We buy a lot on Craigslist (anything too big to ship), and we sell a lot, too.

I guess you could say I have Champagne tastes and a beer budget! I really enjoy getting good deals, and so I love the hunt of finding cute stuff for a fraction of the cost. I know a lot of people don't like Ebay, but I am really not picky. Sometimes you get great stuff, sometimes you get duds. But it's always fun to go to the mail and find a surprise waiting for you!



Now, of course, sometimes the girls get new stuff as gifts from family and friends...and in that case, I am much more careful with their clothes! We also have a family friend who has given Ginger many beautiful dresses that were her daughter's (her daughter is about a year older than Ginger). Swoon-worthy stuff...and those I am also more careful with because each little frock she gives us is too adorable to mess up!

So, that's my little secret. I really don't mind the girls making big messes in their dresses because most of the time, the ones they're painting in cost less than sweatpants from Target. Really!



Now, as I mentioned before, last week I gave the girls their Rapunzel dolls from their Easter baskets. Paprika adored hers.

While Ginger was having her afternoon nap, Paprika had a sweet little tea party in the backyard with her Rapunzel doll and her Belle doll. It was cute-overload!



I was so hesitant to let Paprika watch the movie Tangled. We waited to see it until it came out on video. I have to admit, from the trailer, I just didn't think it would be appropriate. The scenes in the trailer were really sarcastic, and (I felt) catered to a much more adult humor.

So much of the stuff out there for kids has such sarcasm, attitude, violence, and adult themes. I have been really careful to keep that kind of stuff away from the girls, and so it was with a lot of apprehension that I let Paprika watch Tangled.



Thankfully, the movie overall was really sweet. There were some parts that made me really uncomfortable. For example, Paprika did not understand that the "mother" figure really was the villain...I had to explain later to her that the "mother" was a witch in disguise. Until I told her that, she did not understand and I didn't want Paprika thinking it was okay for her to be sassy and mean to her mama! So, once she understood all of that, the movie was fine.

I know I am really overprotective with the media stuff. I just think kids are so influenced by everything they encounter, and I am in no hurry for these girls to grow up before their time! It's also why I dress these girls like they're Amish! Don't get me started on little girls' clothes these days. Prostitots, we are not! Ha! ;-)

Anyhoo, the Rapunzel doll has become a favorite in the house! I also got one for Ginger, but she really didn't like it so well. She loves soft and cuddly stuffed animals - but I knew if I got Paprika the Rapunzel doll and didn't get one for Ginger, then Ginger would want one and be so upset! Because we always want what we can't have, right?!

So there ya have it! I will leave you with one last image of Paprika playing with her new favorite dolly. She climbed to the top of "the tower" (aka the play structure) and said "Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair!" :-)