Blogging, Farming, And Cleaning Up Messy Dollhouses! All Fun!

Well, Umma's World is up and running! I found my posts! I found my pictures! Ray gave me a new blog dress (thank you, Ray!) with a pretty banner picture of Ireland (credit Michael Turner), and a beautiful background compliments of my beautiful friend Wanda's skillful photography! Thank you Wanda (@Moments Of Mine) for your generosity! Now, hopefully my computer woes are behind me and I can look at the computer as my friend again rather than the enemy! I'm trying to make a deal with it, I won't curse it out if it will cooperate with me. Fingers crossed.While I was away from blogging I turned to Facebook Farmville to pass the time. Well, this fun little pastime has become a full-fledged addiction. A friend of mine urged me to join Facebook, which I did, but I didn't really 'get it', I was happy to become reacquainted with school mates, but I didn't get into the minute by minute comments everyone was making, I enjoyed reading them, but really, it wasn't for me. I had no interesting minute by minute comments to contribute. So I didn't often visit Facebook unless I got an email alert specifically targeted to me. Then my sister Diane called me one day a few months ago telling me to join Farmville on Facebook. Farmville???? What the heck? She said she needed neighbors. Neighbors on Farmville????? Okay. I became a 'farmer', and everyday my sister would be calling me to tell me that my crops were withering. I was not a very good farmer. Then when my computer went out sick, I used my husband's laptop to farm, it was okay, my crops didn't wither anymore and my farm enlarged as I moved up each level. I got animals, and a barn, and fences, a chicken coop, a dairy farm, I was excited! But then I had enough of farming and I was just about to give it up for good when my niece Rachel said, "No! Aunt Eileen, I just started!" And so I stuck with it, and I love it now! I can't get enough of it! I have started two other farms, one in my husband's name, and another in a made-up name! Addicted I tell you! I even dream about these silly little cartoon farms of mine!
I think what I love most of all, is the comments that my family and friends make back and forth to each other, the ribbing, the jokes, the competition, the advice and the encouragement. It is such a fun way to keep in touch, and it is like playing a game altogether and yet we are blocks away from each other, towns away from each other, and even States away from each other! And it has brought so many of us together. I think I even got one of my blogger friends addicted too! I won't mention any names, and I don't think I have to, if you are on Facebook you know who I'm talking about! (Howdy, Farm girl! This is your friend Rayscarleen sayin' "Hey!' or rather "Hay!")


Okay, now on to cleaning up messy dollhouses. It's a shame really how these two beautiful creations that brought hours and hours of happy playtime to my children have been shamefully neglected! And I am ashamed of myself, really. This first little room my husband made from scrap wood that he found in his Dad's workshop, he made it over thirty-three years ago when our oldest sons were only about two and three years old. They loved this little thing, and they stored all their Fisher Price Little People in it. They spent many happy hours along with my nephew Thomas, walking their little people up and down the steps. And then when my daughters came along, and my youngest son, they too loved playing with it. It is in sore need of a new paint job, and some new flooring and carpet for sure!




And this gigantic dollhouse my husband made for our daughters about twenty years ago. My youngest daughter reminded me that we told her he was working on a dollhouse for Mom-Mom (my mother) as a Christmas gift, and when she came down on Christmas morning and saw it next to our tree she still thought it was for Mom-Mom and was happily surprised to find it was hers! I love how Ray made it with handles on the sides to make lifting and moving it a little easier, and he put a handle on the hinged top to open it for access:




And Ray made bi-fold doors that open all the way and lay flat against the sides so there's lots of room to play.




Most of the furniture has long ago been discarded as it was broken by too much love and play, and you can see that both these toys are well-worn by little hands and in need of lots of TLC.
Well, they've both been cleaned but not yet spruced up, there's still lots more work to do, but here are two little people that don't seem to mind. And I have a feeling that they will be enjoying hours of play too.

"Grandma, I don't want to play with this little castle anymore. Can I play with the big dollhouse that Paw made too?"

"Yes! You can, Mia!"

And Paw has since brought home lots more furniture which made both Jayden and Mia very excited!