A snake, a doll with no clothes, a stuffed dog, a bag of puzzle pieces...

Who remembers that memory game in elementary school, where your teacher brought out a platter with a bunch of items on it, and then removed one or two and then asked you to write down what was missing?

Let's play...shall we?

Our first picture is of the items/junk Gabe had procured for his "White Elephant Sale" at school. (His teacher pays them play money for good behavior and school work and then twice a year they can bring items/junk from home and sell it to unsuspecting/dumb second graders). After attempting to locate pieces to several baby puzzles (what 7 year old wants that?) and begging his sister to let him sell some of her BuildABear clothes (ha!)--this is the pile he came up with.

Now I know what you are thinking. I know, because I thought it last year, when Emma (who had the same teacher) prepared for her first "White Elephant Sale" at school. You are thinking: "What a great way to get rid of some lame, junky toys!"

Please view the following picture of what Gabe brought home from school:

(This is where the game starts...

1. What is missing?

2. What is new?

3. In the total count, did the household end up with more or less junk?


You know what? I'll make it easy on you. Here are the answers:

1. It doesn't matter what is missing because

2. THERE WAS SO MUCH NEW CRAP!!

3. The only reason we might have come out ahead was because he got a ton of junk food and the remnants of those (though, truly, smeared on my stairs) can be disposed of.

Do you think Gabe's teacher has a hard time keeping a straight face as he writes his first letter home about this activity?