marbles and gaffa tape

Dad's are so super important, aren't they.

I'm so thankful that I had an amazing, inspiring, thoughtful, funny, and strong (yet gentle) dad. But this isn't about my dad, it's about my kids' dad.

Monday was our last day of school holidays. It's also Sam's rdo (he works retail, so has Sun+Mon as his weekend). I was up to the eyeballs (literally - the eyeball talk has been going crazy here) with the kids. The holidays were fun, but also tiring. And the two weeks was long, and demanding.

Anyway. I'd bought Ari a little bag of marbles as a treat while we were away at my grandmas.{Mishi requested the blue Barbie dress she'd seen at the supermarket, and even though I'm totally against buying that sort of thing, and spending $11 on something like that, I decided to give in and get it for her. This once only. And, if you buy something for one kid, you really have to get something for the other kid - don't you}.

The kids have been talking marble runs for quite a while now. Ari makes them at school. He really loves them. And, they're lots of fun, and creative. And use up lots of bits of things. So, Sam and Ari set about cutting the tubes and boxes and old milk bottles, and gaffa-taping them to each other, and to old cds and such. Until they had a giaganticly wonderful construction.

{Gaffa tape is pretty much a staple in Sam's repertoire of mending and making and sticking and fixing. My dad, too, has a million uses for it - even though he can very easily sew, he uses gaffa tape to hem his pants; let me tell you that it lasts a good many times through the washing machine as well}.

The giggles that erupted from both kids, while I was taking these photos were priceless. Well - the cost of a bag of marbles for $3.46 (or something like that). And the endless hours of fun we'll have with putting those little balls of glass rolling down the shute. 

Have a look at this inspirational blogging dad, and his cereal box marble run. So much fun. Go and dig through your recycling bin right now for a suitable box. Well, actually - first have a look at all the other wonderful things he makes for his kids. I do love reading Made By Joel - I seem to revolve in a mostly female blogger world, so having a dad's viewpoint is so necessary, don't you think?