Toys, Toys, Toys

With all the talk to about shopping and "Black Friday" sales it puts me in the mood to talk about toys from my childhood. This year I didn't do any early morning (or late night Thursday) shopping. I'm amazed at the stamina some people have to put themselves through the torture of the late hours and long lines just to score a deal on a big ticket item. However, I know I'll be eating those words in the years to come. Right now Ruth Ann really doesn't care what she gets and there's not really any one thing that I feel like she has to have...however, I've been very close to purchasing this item for her several times in the last few weeks...



Before you say anything, I'm fully aware that Ruth Ann is years away from playing with Barbie dolls...but I can't wait. I think Mattel marketing is 100% effective when it comes to influencing my toy purchases for my child. Who wouldn't want to buy for their daughter what you always dreamed of having when you where a kid. I never had the Barbie Dream House...I had a Strawberry Shortcake mansion...but my best friend Mona Mixon had the Barbie Dream House complete with working elevator. Mona was my bff when we still lived in Sumter...we moved to Lexington when I was in the 1st grade...so I have very few memories of our time playing together. I also remember Mona's family having an enormous cage of hamsters in their kitchen...so not everything was great about her house. But the dream house was fantastic! All those childhood dreams came rushing back when I spotted this newest version of Barbie's humble abode at Target and I'm telling you it took all the will power I posses to not snatch it up and put it in my cart. Oh, but one day it will be all set up on Christmas morning for Ruth Ann to run into the living room and find waiting for her...along with My Little Pony, Care Bear and Strawberry Shortcake...all the other toys from childhood that I can't wait for her to enjoy as much as I did in my childhood...see I'm a marketing departments dream come true!