Turn the record player up, for that sweet sound...

While we been making a more concerted effort to unplug the TV we've simultaneously decided to plug in Jon's vintage record player and have been collecting a very fun selection of our favorite tunes and stories ever since. The result - a most enjoyable atmosphere of crackly tunes, singing, dancing and happy happy faces.

I started collecting vintage kids records (as well as some show tunes, a little Neil Diamond here and a little Temptations there...and anything else that spoke to us) the late part of last year when we found Jon's record player in storage. In fact, we've sort of started a new tradition of taking the family to thrift stores every other week to look for vintage record treasures. (We've also made it a point to stop at thrift stores wherever we travel to see what their vinyl selection is.) And we've been thrilled with what we've found.

The boys favorites are the Chipmunks see Doctor Doolittle (we have the Christmas album too), the Smurfs Sing Along and the Return of the Jedi record and book read-along (we think we might have to go to ebay for the rest of the Star Wars collection as we've not been able to find anymore in stores).

My personal favorites are Annie, Mary Poppins (the vintage cover art is just to die for), Peter Pan and Robin Hood (I was seriously head over heels for Robin Hood when I was younger and was convinced that to be Maid Marian would be the most exquisite thing in the entire world. I mean, does it get any better than Disney's waterfall scene? I think not.)

We recently had some needle disrepair so we are waiting for a new one to arrive in the mail, and let me tell you, I'm going through some serious withdrawals. Our home is just not the same without that old time vinyl sound vibrating throughout its walls. On a recent trip to see my sister, we found a treasure trove of records at her thrift store that we are still waiting to listen to. I seriously can't stand the suspense.

I can tell the boys miss it too. If they aren't singing and dancing along to the records, they are sitting and playing quietly while listening to suspenseful or silly stories.

What about you? Do you own a record player? Where do you find your records? Thrift stores? Online? And has it made a difference in your home? I'd love to hear your stories as well as which records are your favorite (and that I just might need to add to our collection)!