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knowloveserve Forum All-Star
Joined: Jan 31 2007 Location: Washington
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Posted: June 17 2008 at 5:55pm | IP Logged
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We have a ton of the old Fisher Price little peoples. A ton. And the old houses, main street, schoolhouse, hospital, ferris wheel, and cars/accessories galore. Of course it's fun for the kids. We keep it in a gigantic storage crate and bring it out from the attic every now and then.
But, and this is a big caveat... we certainly don't need this and we are SERIOUSLY trying to simplify our lives as much as possible. The kids have other toys of course, and other than the puppets and blocks and hot wheels, they all kind of go in and out of use and we dispose regularly of them and cycle through new toys via garage sales etc.
These Little Peoples aren't the kids' "favorites"... they're mine! Anyone growing up in the 70s or 80s can appreciate that! The problem is that I feel TOO attached to them, I occasionally even get on a crazed frenzy on ebay to find a particular piece or something. It's not "out of control"... but I wonder if it would be better to do away with them altogether.
I know the whole set could bring in well over $100 if I sold it...
I just wonder sometimes, where do you draw the line with toys/twaddle/nostalgia?
And on a somewhat related note: how do you simplify your life when your dh is a sentimental packrat (God love him)???
__________________ Ellie
The Bleeding Pelican
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folklaur Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 07 2005 Location: N/A
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Posted: June 17 2008 at 6:34pm | IP Logged
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My Mother still has my old fisher price Little Peoples Castle (with the pink dragon!) and Main Street (I loved mailing the letters!) and plane. I am SO glad she still has them. When my kids go there, my dd6 especially loves to play with them.
I think I would cry big tears if she sold them.
Maybe someday, even if your kids don't love them, your grandkids will . If they are the old ones, the are probably very well made (the sets we have still have some that have the wooden bodies, etc.) I would keep them. You have them stored so they aren't really "in the way."
Now, your dh question.
sigh.
I have no good answer for that. My dh keeps EVERTHING. I am not kidding. It drives me nuts.
But....I knew how much stuff he had, how he kept things, etc when I married him. I don't know why it took me almost 20 years to realize that he is likely NOT going to change, and I knew his habits before we got married, and even though he knows it drives me crazy....I guess my desire to be "rid of everything" might drive him a little crazy too.
He feels that in "simplifying" we are getting rid of stuff we may need/want at a later point - thus wasting money. And...well....he is the only one out earning said money....
He is trying to pare down his stuff though, and I know it is to try and please me. Because He would be like a dragon happily hoarding his treasure if left to himself
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Jen L. Forum All-Star
Joined: Oct 18 2005 Location: Virginia
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Posted: June 17 2008 at 7:33pm | IP Logged
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I LOVE the Fisher Price old little people.
I too had a not quite obsession on ebay with them for a while.
I have way too much stuff in my little townhouse.
Hearing you say that you feel too attached makes me know that you should bring it to prayer. (I struggle with my own attachment issues, if you can't tell yet )
My suggestion: Pick a few (2 or 3, four at the most) sets that are your favorites; put them out for display (and play!) so you can enjoy them and ebay the rest.
__________________ Jen
dh Klete,ds (8/95),dd (12/97), dd (11/00), and ^2^ in heaven
"...the best state in which to glorify God is our actual state; the best grace is that of the moment..." St. Peter Eymard
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Philothea Forum All-Star
Joined: Aug 15 2006 Location: Virginia
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Posted: June 17 2008 at 8:13pm | IP Logged
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I will buy the airplane from you! Would that help?
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juststartn Forum All-Star
Joined: Jan 17 2007 Location: Oklahoma
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Posted: June 17 2008 at 8:13pm | IP Logged
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Um, if you (or any of the other ladies) wish to find a new home for your old FP stuff, I'm MORE than willing to buy it from you.
I had the Ferris Wheel, and the Sesame Street stuff--incl Mr Hooper's store...man, when he died, I was so sad...
Rachel
__________________ Married DH 4/1/95
Lily 3/11/00
Helena(Layna) 5/23/02
Sophia 4/19/04
John 5/7/07
David 5/7/07
Ava Maria, in the arms of Jesus, 9/5/08
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juststartn Forum All-Star
Joined: Jan 17 2007 Location: Oklahoma
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Posted: June 17 2008 at 8:14pm | IP Logged
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Hi Ellie!
Rachel
__________________ Married DH 4/1/95
Lily 3/11/00
Helena(Layna) 5/23/02
Sophia 4/19/04
John 5/7/07
David 5/7/07
Ava Maria, in the arms of Jesus, 9/5/08
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Maddie Forum All-Star
Joined: Dec 27 2005 Location: N/A
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Posted: June 17 2008 at 8:31pm | IP Logged
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As an ebayer who hunts for old FPLP, you will make a KILLING on them, but I would wait until closer to Christmas when everyone is trying to find the right nostalgic gift. You'll probably be able to pay for Christmas gifts and then some...
Just my 2 cents.
ETA: I see you already thought of ebay, oh well good luck.
__________________ ~Maddie~
Wife to my dh and Momma of 9 dear ones
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Red Cardigan Forum Pro
Joined: June 16 2007 Location: N/A
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Posted: June 17 2008 at 8:44pm | IP Logged
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I really understand and sympathize with nostalgia, but sometimes there's a reason a toy company stops making a toy.
We knew a family in WA who had several children, including an adopted boy. He was the same age, the family said, as a little girl of their own who had died at the age of two. One day my mom asked how they'd lost their precious little one, and the mom, with more sadness than I've ever seen, said, "She choked to death on a toy." Turns out it was a Fisher Price little person of the old style you describe.
Someone on ebay posted this guide about the toys.
Just something to consider.
__________________ http://www.redcardigan.blogspot.com
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teachingmom Forum All-Star
Virginia Bluebells
Joined: Feb 16 2005 Location: Virginia
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Posted: June 23 2008 at 12:37am | IP Logged
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cactus mouse wrote:
My Mother still has my old fisher price Little Peoples Castle (with the pink dragon!) |
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I love that castle and dragon!!! I thought the dungeon was cool too.
__________________ ~Irene (Mom to 6 girls, ages 7-19)
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Mary K Forum All-Star
Joined: May 14 2005
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Posted: June 23 2008 at 6:44am | IP Logged
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I saw at Target the other day the Fisher-Price wind-up clock, the musical TV (plays Row, Row, Row Your Boat), and the Chatter Phone (don't know if it has the pop-up operator in it). At a Church sale, I saw toys I remembered as a child on the antiques table! I mentioned to the lady there that they can't be antiques yet as I remember having them.
When the news came out about the lead paint in various toys, I checked ours. I'm very glad I held onto my now 18 yo dd toys since F-P toys back then were made in the US and they don't beep, buzz or light up!
God bless,
Mary-NY
wife to John
mom to almost 8 (about 23 days until Meg is here, not that I'm counting)
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JennGM Forum Moderator
Joined: Feb 07 2005 Location: Virginia
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Posted: June 23 2008 at 6:58am | IP Logged
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I guess I don't find the old FP Little People as twaddle, as I spent hours and hours playing with them, in imaginative ways. My son does this with Playmobil, but also the Little People, too. (I would buy your LP in a heartbeat, too!). Some is nostalgia for me, but I also know if I put the toys out, all the children gravitate to them and play so well. Those toys didn't DO things for the child, but child has to make them come alive.
__________________ Jennifer G. Miller
Wife to & ds1 '03 & ds2 '07
Family in Feast and Feria
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JennGM Forum Moderator
Joined: Feb 07 2005 Location: Virginia
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Posted: June 23 2008 at 7:02am | IP Logged
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Oh, and I rotate the LP stuff, as I have a few of the items. I keep all the little furniture, cars, animals, people, etc. in a bin. Ds plays with them with all his other toys. But since the other houses and such are a bit bigger, I don't put them all out, just one or two at a time. But that helps justifying playing with them more often, then binge playing when you do attic runs.
__________________ Jennifer G. Miller
Wife to & ds1 '03 & ds2 '07
Family in Feast and Feria
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Fuzzy Forum Pro
Joined: March 07 2007 Location: Virginia
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Posted: June 23 2008 at 10:57am | IP Logged
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Oh! Count me in on purchasing FPLP!!!! I actually bought them before I ever had kids.
I know how you feel about keeping so many toys. I think that some of the newer toys are twaddle (and have gotten rid of them as such) and I love giving my kids the good toys that lasted so many years, and something that I enjoyed as well. I do rotate my toys (though my kids have found everything and try to pull them out all at the same time, and it seems to help keep them "new".
__________________ Fuzzy
Mom to DS 12, DD 10, DS 7, and DS 4, and DD 1!
Fuzzy Memories
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