A Little Elk Wearing His First Pin

An antique BPOE framed print by August Hutaf, copyright 1908, showing a little boy in a cloth diaper — I think you can guess what pin this Elk has earned. And it looks like he’s going to employ that pin against a water balloon…

A Stern Warning For Kids Who Won’t Clean Their Rooms

Just one of Alissa Ross’s plush trophies on the wall — combined with a well-arched eyebrow — and kids might just take you seriously when you tell them to clean their rooms, “or the teddy gets it.”

Ca-Ching!

When I spotted this vintage pink Tom Thumb cash register at the Moorhead Antique Mall, my bell was rung and I was instantly transported back to playing with a sooo-retro turquoise version…

Mainly that old toy cash register was used to ring up sales in the basement bar, where my sister and I played barmaid and waitress, serving my parents corny cocktails like screwdrivers — an actual screwdriver in an empty glass, har har har — and equally moronic meals, made of puns and odd found basement things.

By then, the box had long been gone, but it was still awesome!

And I totally want to call my sister and reminisce… Maybe over a couple of screwdrivers.