Toys R Us

When the kids were really little, there was a Toys R Us not too far from us, that served as a great rainy day playground. We'd go in and the kids would walk/toddle/crawl around, testing things out. Since we never bought them anything, it didn't really occur to them that everything was available for purchase. We just played, and then went back home to our own toys. It was awesome. After a few years of this, the Toys R Us was transformed into a Babies R Us (or, "Baby Russ", as Trevi called it back then). We were well past the stocking-up-the-nursery stage by that point, so we stopped going.

Fast forward to now. Toys R Us has fallen completely off our radar as a destination of choice, and both kids have an excellent grasp of consumerism, which usually manifests itself at Target. I have to prep them both as we drive there: "Repeat after me. We are only buying a birthday present for Emily, a box of granola bars, and sunscreen."
Enter the giftcards. Four big, fat Toys R Us giftcards that the kids received for past birthdays and Christmases, never redeemed. Which is great, because both birthdays are squished up close to Christmas, and the rest of the year is pretty giftless. So, off we went today, to get free stuff!

I didn't really intend to drag this story on and on. I must be avoiding doing the dishes.
Nutshell version:
Trevi knew exactly what he wanted: Mousetrap. Right up his little inventor's alley. Our family movie nights lately have all been inventorish as well (Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Hotel for Dogs, and Robots among others). I must admit that I really, really wanted this game when I was a kid. Trevi and I trapped the poor mouse 86, 000 times.
Trev also picked a big box of Bendaroos. Love those.

The dishes are crusting over as we speak, so I'll save Clara's story for another time....