Why do we buy toys?

I can't even tell how many times I have said this.

Hundreds of dollars worth of toys in our playroom. And what do our kids play with? Anything but.

Pots and pans, pens and paper, paper cups and straws . . . or, what Kalleigh has spent hours playing with over the last couple of days:

What's that? Yep, a spray bottle. What's in it? Water. Plain old H2O. Aqua purificata. (thank you Rumpelstiltskin from Shrek Forever After)

What does she do with it? Just sprays our deck and watches the patterns that emerge as the water hits the surface.

Thrilling.

And she is completely enthralled. You can tell because she is giving me the kind of smile that says, "See, no cavities!"

Why didn't I think of this sooner?

And again, I say . . .

Why do we buy toys??