Skipping Town

Monday, Andrew drove into Pittsburgh to work at the Pittsburgh office for the day. After our Idlewild outing, we took it easy at home, just playing here. We visited Grandma and Florence at Beechwood. Afterward, Mom had promised L&G some new Shopkins, so we went to Target to pick some out. Later, L&G and Mom and I took a walk/scooter ride around the neighborhood in the evening. Tuesday, we all drove into Pittsburgh together to go to the Carnegie Museum of Natural History. Such a wonderful place. Andrew got to stay with us for about an hour, before Ubering to the airport to catch his flight to CA. Mom, Dad, the girls, and I stayed at the museum. L&G like the dinosaurs and the gems, but more than anything else they love the Hall of North American Animals--beginning with the gruesome diorama of the lion attacking the camel and rider. They also love the bears eating salmon, and anything that depicts a predator attacking or planning to attack its prey. Greta really liked feelin...

This week, I'm preparing to dive down a new rabbit hole with Lucia and Greta, into the world of Shopkins. As anyone who knows us knows, for the past two-plus years the girls have been focused almost exclusively on My Little Ponies, with my blessing and enablement. They are still very into their ponies. The blind bags, the apple farm and all its accessories, the many Apple Family members they've collected. They've flirted with Equestria Girls, a related toy, and they still like princesses, and Beanie Boos. But it's mostly been ponies, ponies, ponies. And more ponies. But now--they've learned of Shopkins. And Shopkins are everything my children love: tiny and endlessly collectible, far better in great quantities. Unfortunately for Andrew, that's what appeals to me about them too, and already I find myself learning their names, learning about the different "seasons" of Shopkins, learning my children's character preferences: Greta prefers the dessert...