Well, day camp came and went. No blistering heat-induced migraine this year, but there was a girl with strep throat who kindly shared it with us. Yep, Grover, Ollie & I all came down with it. I haven't had strep since I was a kid and had forgotten how awful it is. It didn't help that I had an ear infection on top of it and then came down with a cold. Antibiotics cleared up the infections, but the cold lingers on. I feel like someone sprayed that foam insulation inside my head.

The Shrinky Dinks were a big hit at camp with kids and adults alike. If you're into crafts or have kids at home, I highly recommend buying some. You can make all kinds of stuff with them, including little doodads to decorate your Crocs (my kids' favorite activity).

Speaking of crazy fashion trends, that reminds me of crazy toy trends. Grover got a Webkinz a few weeks ago. Have you seen these things? I hadn't seen them until I looked online - they're sold out everywhere in Raleigh and impossible to get unless you mail-order. At first glance, they look like regular old stuffed animals. Actually, at every glance that's what they look like because that's what they are. The appeal lies in the "secret code" that comes with the regular old stuffed animal. This code unlocks the magic of the Webkinz website where your child can adopt the animal (henceforth referred to as "pet") and care for it. I suppose it can be characterized as educational because in order to feed and clothe and otherwise entertain said pet, you have to have money to buy food, clothing, rooms for its house, toys, furnishings, etc. Not real money, thank heavens, but "Kinz Cash" which you earn by getting a job (at which Grover was less than successful - she didn't even cut it as a fry cook) or playing games. Yeah, that's where the problem lies... the games. The many, many games. We who have staunchly defended our refusal to buy any sort of video game console in favor of mind-expanding methods of entertainment now find ourselves addicted to playing Cash Cow, Polar Plunge and Quzzy's Word Challenge. Of course, it's all rationalized by the fact that we're earning money to properly care for our virtual (read: imaginary) critter, which by the way is a platypus. As if I don't spend enough time on the computer...