paper trail

They say there are two types of shoppers.  The first type is very smart.  They shop around, compare, make lists of pros and cons and think very, very carefully about what is the best to buy.  The second type will shop as long as it takes to satisfy a previously determined criteria, say in colour, price or whathaveyou, and buy the first item that fits the bill.  I am the second type of shopper.  Which is good because the second type usually ends up more content with their purchase, having less doubts about whether there was a better choice or if the mental calculations were accurate.  The second type thinks, 'I got what I want and it's all good.'

Which is why I don't feel too bad about looking at a house on Monday night (only the third house viewed since we started) and making the final signatures on the purchase by Wednesday night.  We move in June 15.  Our own house.  No more moving (for a little while).

I've started packing.  Again.  I am becoming quite good at it now, have a system in place and am even developing some strategies for keeping the kids out of the packed boxes.  They love to undo what I have done.  My children are like my Sisyphusan karma.
 

(Ellowyn paper doll by Jo James.  Print your own from here.)

Strategy number one:  Paper!

With all our things packed up early, because I really hate packing at the eleventh hour, finding amusements for myself and the children become a bit more challenging.  When we have a few hours on our hands do we do puzzles?  Nope, packed up.  Legos?  No, packed.  Cars, dinosaurs, dolls, board games, trains?  Packed, packed, and packed.

So, what to do?

 (City scape from Taro Gomi's Play All Day paper punchout book.)

Temporary, easily accessible and full of novelty.  I love paper.  And when it comes to moving day, anything still surviving can be popped onto a child's lap and off we go. 

We've been exploring free printables online for the last couple of days.  It's amazing how many fantastic creations are out there, how generous artists and creatives are.  I've gotten lost more than one time exploring sites like this and this.

Except for the printer, some light cardstock, scissors, glue and rubber bands, I hope to be ready to go soon.  And then I'll have some time to spend in the paint store, driving  myself mad with too many choices.  It seems that I am a satisfiser type shopper when it comes to houses, but for wall paint I am firmly in the first catagory.   Big decisions are easy, but the little choices are fiendish. 

(Paper masks from Stars Wars.)

If you have any suggestions for paper toys and games, please feel free to share them.  The kids love the paper and, frankly, I could use some distraction for them.  I've got some packing to do.