Favorite toys for girls and boys

As I walked to the train after my spinning class last night, I looked down at the murky gray slush that lay on the ground. It reminded me of one of my favorite toys: The Snoopy Sno-Cone Maker!

You start by popping an ice cube into the barrel and you turn the red crank until it shaves it down into slush. My sisters and I would spend hours making sno cones in that dinky little dog house-shaped machine. Eventually, the handle on the crank broke off and our futile attempt to tape it back together caused us to lose interest in it. Fortunately, this has become a classic toy and it is STILL around! It is one of the things that I am buying for my nieces and nephew for Christmas.

I think we should keep the toys simple and boycott all the huge "all the rage" type toys this season. That carpet muncher Dora the Explorer is dominating the market with stupid little toys that aren't even promoting the idea of the show. She's supposed to be teaching kids about being bi.. lingual (HA HA) and wearing sensible shoes with a low-maintenance haircut. Don't forget about that great big backpack she sports with her belly hanging out of that tiny shirt! Seriously, it's an ok show. It teaches kids a lot of cool stuff. What makes me mad is the fucking promotional tie-ins and insane toys that are associated with her. There's a "Princess Dora" with hair that grows. There's also a Dora the Explorer talking stove playset. GOOD LORD!! Talking stove? The last time my stove talked to me, I was high on the alphabet of drugs. Scary!

Another stupid toy I saw a few years ago was "Harley Davidson Barbie." It didn't even come with a biker daddy, so it wasn't realistic. No single woman with long blond hair would ride a Harley without a hot leather guy in front of her to hold on to. Oooh, my biker fantasy is happening again.