I just wanted to update everyone. I'm going to post how the weekend went, but, not tonight. My hubby wants me to lay down with him and watch Law and Order, so, hopefully tomorrow night since we're off, I will post an update.
I will be taking Thursday off, as, we are spending the most of the day at my cousin in laws house. I might write a quick post that morning, but am not going to make any guarantees.
Since I have Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday off (yay!!), maybe after the excitement of the holiday is over, I'll have the opportunity to sit and write...we'll see. Until then, I will sign off so I can join my hubby and cuddle ;)
Take care all, and, goodnight...
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Friday, November 6, 2009
What Do You Think?
I chose to write this little article to submit to The Journal. Tell me what you think?
Modern Technology: Making Life Better or Worse?
Back when I was growing up, we didn't have cell phones. We were lucky to have home phones. If someone called and we weren't home, they left a message on our answering machine. Our parents didn't have the luxury of carrying a cell phone to catch every incoming call. Some people didn't even have an answering machines. And we survived. We are functioning. It's nice that we have them, believe me, but there are days where I wish I still just had my house phone and left it at that. Now, you have the option of getting myspace, facebook, twitter (and I'm guilty of this too!) messages sent to our phone, because heaven forbid you don't get your messages. I have realized how unimportant it all is. I realize it everytime my phone goes off because someone that I am 'following' on twitter has updated their status. Well, no more! I'm going to go in and either discontinue twitter altogether, or not have any updates sent to my phone. I want my phone to be what it was meant to be,,,a phone.
If that isn't bad enough, we have Blackberrys (and I am one of them!)...I have the internet, I have the media player that I use to listen to music (and how often does THAT happen?), I have texting capabilities (woohoo!!), a camera, I can take video, and all kinds of things. That is good because I can use the camera to take pictures of my kids and record funny moments. I can do all that on a regular cell phone. The only thing I really like about my Blackberry is the full keyboard.
Don't forget computers, the main hub of existance anymore. I only know of a handful of people who do not have one. I honestly don't know what I would do without mine, to be honest. I know I could live without it, but life would not be good (lol)...There is just too much to do on it. Go online, play games, write (which is what I am doing now!), you really can't get bored with a computer. Especially if you have the internet.
We have cable TV, digital cable, satellite, and the list goes on. We are a society that has taken modern technology and used it to the max. There is so much to do with electronic gadgets that the time we are spending on our phone, on the computer, playing video games, and watching TV, that there is no time to enjoy the great outdoors like when we were kids. There is too much to do inside. What are board games (you know, those games that come in a box that you play at the kitchen table?) Candyland, Yatzee, Monopoly, Bingo...
I think we'd be a lot better off and less stressed if we went back to the simple days of using the phone as a phone, and less other technology, and spend that time with our family and friends playing board games and taking walks, cooking together in the kitchen, and out in the backyard, and let the computer grow a little dust, let the TV sit still, put the video games away and go out and play tag with your kids, take the family to the park and have a picnic or better yet, make a picnic in the middle of your livingroom where it's nice and warm. Let your calls go to voicemail for once.
What would it be like for our kids if they came home and did their homework and went outside to play until dinner was ready, or helped with dinner and then the whole family could go out to play, or make a nice dessert and play board games all evening. It just might calm them down. It just might relax them. They might not feel as inclined to be hyperactive and run rampid and they may be easier to put to bed (especially if they are wore out from being outside playing!) I can guarantee you that although life would be different.
So, I'm asking you how you can simplify your life. What one thing can you do to make your life simpler? All it takes is one thing. When we change one thing, generally we feel so free from that, that we want to change something else. Do you think you could give the TV a rest for a night and play a board game with your children? Or take advantage of a nice night and go out and play? Sometimes all it takes to balance out your life it a little bit of change.
Modern Technology: Making Life Better or Worse?
Back when I was growing up, we didn't have cell phones. We were lucky to have home phones. If someone called and we weren't home, they left a message on our answering machine. Our parents didn't have the luxury of carrying a cell phone to catch every incoming call. Some people didn't even have an answering machines. And we survived. We are functioning. It's nice that we have them, believe me, but there are days where I wish I still just had my house phone and left it at that. Now, you have the option of getting myspace, facebook, twitter (and I'm guilty of this too!) messages sent to our phone, because heaven forbid you don't get your messages. I have realized how unimportant it all is. I realize it everytime my phone goes off because someone that I am 'following' on twitter has updated their status. Well, no more! I'm going to go in and either discontinue twitter altogether, or not have any updates sent to my phone. I want my phone to be what it was meant to be,,,a phone.
If that isn't bad enough, we have Blackberrys (and I am one of them!)...I have the internet, I have the media player that I use to listen to music (and how often does THAT happen?), I have texting capabilities (woohoo!!), a camera, I can take video, and all kinds of things. That is good because I can use the camera to take pictures of my kids and record funny moments. I can do all that on a regular cell phone. The only thing I really like about my Blackberry is the full keyboard.
Don't forget computers, the main hub of existance anymore. I only know of a handful of people who do not have one. I honestly don't know what I would do without mine, to be honest. I know I could live without it, but life would not be good (lol)...There is just too much to do on it. Go online, play games, write (which is what I am doing now!), you really can't get bored with a computer. Especially if you have the internet.
We have cable TV, digital cable, satellite, and the list goes on. We are a society that has taken modern technology and used it to the max. There is so much to do with electronic gadgets that the time we are spending on our phone, on the computer, playing video games, and watching TV, that there is no time to enjoy the great outdoors like when we were kids. There is too much to do inside. What are board games (you know, those games that come in a box that you play at the kitchen table?) Candyland, Yatzee, Monopoly, Bingo...
I think we'd be a lot better off and less stressed if we went back to the simple days of using the phone as a phone, and less other technology, and spend that time with our family and friends playing board games and taking walks, cooking together in the kitchen, and out in the backyard, and let the computer grow a little dust, let the TV sit still, put the video games away and go out and play tag with your kids, take the family to the park and have a picnic or better yet, make a picnic in the middle of your livingroom where it's nice and warm. Let your calls go to voicemail for once.
What would it be like for our kids if they came home and did their homework and went outside to play until dinner was ready, or helped with dinner and then the whole family could go out to play, or make a nice dessert and play board games all evening. It just might calm them down. It just might relax them. They might not feel as inclined to be hyperactive and run rampid and they may be easier to put to bed (especially if they are wore out from being outside playing!) I can guarantee you that although life would be different.
So, I'm asking you how you can simplify your life. What one thing can you do to make your life simpler? All it takes is one thing. When we change one thing, generally we feel so free from that, that we want to change something else. Do you think you could give the TV a rest for a night and play a board game with your children? Or take advantage of a nice night and go out and play? Sometimes all it takes to balance out your life it a little bit of change.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
A Little More About Daily Life
Well, it's that time of year again. Fall. I love fall, but I can do without the cold that comes with it. It seems like for the past several weeks it's so cold (like in the 40's), that I have to start wearing layers. I'm not happy with that. I don't like thick layers, but in some cases, it can't be helped. Maybe that is why I don't go out a lot....hmm. The past two days were not that bad, but it ended up raining by Friday afternoon, so it was nice, but wet.
I normally walk up to get the kids from school, but lately, have been driving up because I usually have to run an errand while I'm out. The last several times, it was just because I wanted to get out, but was too lazy to walk, lol. The school is only like 3 blocks away, so maybe driving is a waste of gas, but, sometimes it's quicker. Anything that makes it easier during the week when I'm just stumbling out of bed and can barely find clothes to throw on because I didn't put them where I could easily locate them and the bedroom is too dark to see. This happens all the time on the weekends. That's why we don't leave the house. I jump out of bed when Shawn comes to bed and don't bother getting dressed in anything but sleep clothes. Sounds bad I know, but, I'm always rushing to get to bed because of my **cough** addiction to facebook (I know I should just wait until in the afternoon to get on and spend maybe 15 minutes or so and call it a day), but, facebook is my glimpse into what my friends (you guys) are doing and other than being nosy, and wanting to keep up with what everyone is doing since the only time I see anyone is at work or shopping at the store and I don't like that! So, I get on the PC if Shawn isn't occupying it, or I rev up my laptop and check email and surf facebook for a few minutes. I'm going to turn off the SMS subscriptions I have because my phone is constantly going off when I get an update and it drives me nuts.
On to other things though. Kids and school. Hannah is doing really well in 3rd grade, she is in a program at school called Reading Counts, where you get points for reading certain books and the more you read, the more points you earn. She just made it into the 100's club not long ago. Her goal is to have the most points and get her name put on the Reading Counts Board where past 3rd graders have had their names engraved for having top points. She has always loved to read, and her favorite books are Junie B. Jones, and her grandma Linda gets her books at work. She is an A's student, and I'll know for sure when the first report card comes out soon if she made honor roll (which she does regularly). She likes to make her own hot chocolate (which she is doing as I type this)...and is enjoying trying to feel dry hot chocolate to our cat Jack. She is a good helper, when I let her, and she loves to help her brother with his homework, so much that she actually ignores her own!
My boy Shawne, he just started Kindergarten this fall after attending Winchester Avenue Pre-K. So far, his teacher says he is doing extremely well. He doesn't have the same Kindergarten teacher that Hannah had, which is good, that way they can't be compared. He's having a good time, though. He speaks of a couple of boys in class that he is good friends with. We had several of his friends over for his birthday party. Oh, boy, was that something else! He still loves video games and is getting better and better at Mario Cart, which he is playing now. I let him play for an hour or so, just depending on his behavior and what all we have to do. He also likes helping, but gets really distracted when the TV is on (what kid isn't?).
I like how things are now to a degree than I did last year. During the week, we come home from work, get the kids up and ready, take them to school, come home and go to bed until time to go pick them up and have the rest of the day to spend time with them or whatever we need to do that day. The weekend are a different story. Since we go back to work on Friday nights, if we put off grocery shopping, or some other household errand, we generally don't get to follow our routine. I'm working on shifting things around so that we just treat Friday as a workday and sleep once the kids are in school so that we don't have to catch a nap here and there. Yesterday I laid down at 3:30 and he let me sleep until around 6:30, and I felt so terrible. My body is not use to sleeping that late in the evening so I feel like I slept the day away and I feel so sluggish afterward. I take my phone to bed with me because I have an alarm feature that wakes me up, and since we go to bed at different times we don't have an actual alarm clock set. But I take my phone to bed because Shawn has had a habit of not getting me up when I need to get up and I feel better when I get up at earlier times. I have learned to turn my phone off while I'm sleeping so that the incoming texts or phone calls don't wake me.
I'm thinking about getting the kids a cheap tracfone so they can talk to their friends more. Thursday night when we were at Chick-fil-A for the school fundraiser, Hannah's bff called several times (which I thought was sweet because I answered and told her where we were, and she called back later and left a voicemail telling Hannah she hoped she had a nice time). It would save me having to 'loan out my phone', and would teach them both responsibility. The challenge is convincing Shawn. He doesn't think she/they are old enough. So, until we come to an agreement, I'll have to set some rules for getting calls and making calls.
About work. You knew it was coming, didn't you? I know, this is the longest post I have written in a long time. Amazing. Anyhow, work is...challenging. There are nights where I get along better than other nights. Last night, I worked in the cereal isle and it took me until after my last break to get completely done. I really don't pay much mind to the times they give us. I mean, I do, but I'm not worried if I don't get done, because I know I don't piddle and fart around and that I do my job, so until they say something to me specificly about not getting done in time, I'm not worried. I just go in, put in my 8 hours, and come home. I'm not into drama. I have limited energy and I'd rather save what I do have for the more important people in my life, the two main reasons I have a job; my kids. After taking care of the house, I'm lucky to have energy for them, so, there you go.
Well, I have about 30 minutes until it will be time to begin the bedtime routine, so, I'm going to run now. It's been fun, and I hope to be able to do this again soon!
I normally walk up to get the kids from school, but lately, have been driving up because I usually have to run an errand while I'm out. The last several times, it was just because I wanted to get out, but was too lazy to walk, lol. The school is only like 3 blocks away, so maybe driving is a waste of gas, but, sometimes it's quicker. Anything that makes it easier during the week when I'm just stumbling out of bed and can barely find clothes to throw on because I didn't put them where I could easily locate them and the bedroom is too dark to see. This happens all the time on the weekends. That's why we don't leave the house. I jump out of bed when Shawn comes to bed and don't bother getting dressed in anything but sleep clothes. Sounds bad I know, but, I'm always rushing to get to bed because of my **cough** addiction to facebook (I know I should just wait until in the afternoon to get on and spend maybe 15 minutes or so and call it a day), but, facebook is my glimpse into what my friends (you guys) are doing and other than being nosy, and wanting to keep up with what everyone is doing since the only time I see anyone is at work or shopping at the store and I don't like that! So, I get on the PC if Shawn isn't occupying it, or I rev up my laptop and check email and surf facebook for a few minutes. I'm going to turn off the SMS subscriptions I have because my phone is constantly going off when I get an update and it drives me nuts.
On to other things though. Kids and school. Hannah is doing really well in 3rd grade, she is in a program at school called Reading Counts, where you get points for reading certain books and the more you read, the more points you earn. She just made it into the 100's club not long ago. Her goal is to have the most points and get her name put on the Reading Counts Board where past 3rd graders have had their names engraved for having top points. She has always loved to read, and her favorite books are Junie B. Jones, and her grandma Linda gets her books at work. She is an A's student, and I'll know for sure when the first report card comes out soon if she made honor roll (which she does regularly). She likes to make her own hot chocolate (which she is doing as I type this)...and is enjoying trying to feel dry hot chocolate to our cat Jack. She is a good helper, when I let her, and she loves to help her brother with his homework, so much that she actually ignores her own!
My boy Shawne, he just started Kindergarten this fall after attending Winchester Avenue Pre-K. So far, his teacher says he is doing extremely well. He doesn't have the same Kindergarten teacher that Hannah had, which is good, that way they can't be compared. He's having a good time, though. He speaks of a couple of boys in class that he is good friends with. We had several of his friends over for his birthday party. Oh, boy, was that something else! He still loves video games and is getting better and better at Mario Cart, which he is playing now. I let him play for an hour or so, just depending on his behavior and what all we have to do. He also likes helping, but gets really distracted when the TV is on (what kid isn't?).
I like how things are now to a degree than I did last year. During the week, we come home from work, get the kids up and ready, take them to school, come home and go to bed until time to go pick them up and have the rest of the day to spend time with them or whatever we need to do that day. The weekend are a different story. Since we go back to work on Friday nights, if we put off grocery shopping, or some other household errand, we generally don't get to follow our routine. I'm working on shifting things around so that we just treat Friday as a workday and sleep once the kids are in school so that we don't have to catch a nap here and there. Yesterday I laid down at 3:30 and he let me sleep until around 6:30, and I felt so terrible. My body is not use to sleeping that late in the evening so I feel like I slept the day away and I feel so sluggish afterward. I take my phone to bed with me because I have an alarm feature that wakes me up, and since we go to bed at different times we don't have an actual alarm clock set. But I take my phone to bed because Shawn has had a habit of not getting me up when I need to get up and I feel better when I get up at earlier times. I have learned to turn my phone off while I'm sleeping so that the incoming texts or phone calls don't wake me.
I'm thinking about getting the kids a cheap tracfone so they can talk to their friends more. Thursday night when we were at Chick-fil-A for the school fundraiser, Hannah's bff called several times (which I thought was sweet because I answered and told her where we were, and she called back later and left a voicemail telling Hannah she hoped she had a nice time). It would save me having to 'loan out my phone', and would teach them both responsibility. The challenge is convincing Shawn. He doesn't think she/they are old enough. So, until we come to an agreement, I'll have to set some rules for getting calls and making calls.
About work. You knew it was coming, didn't you? I know, this is the longest post I have written in a long time. Amazing. Anyhow, work is...challenging. There are nights where I get along better than other nights. Last night, I worked in the cereal isle and it took me until after my last break to get completely done. I really don't pay much mind to the times they give us. I mean, I do, but I'm not worried if I don't get done, because I know I don't piddle and fart around and that I do my job, so until they say something to me specificly about not getting done in time, I'm not worried. I just go in, put in my 8 hours, and come home. I'm not into drama. I have limited energy and I'd rather save what I do have for the more important people in my life, the two main reasons I have a job; my kids. After taking care of the house, I'm lucky to have energy for them, so, there you go.
Well, I have about 30 minutes until it will be time to begin the bedtime routine, so, I'm going to run now. It's been fun, and I hope to be able to do this again soon!
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Random Thoughts
I am suppose to be finishing the laundry. Ok, I am, but, the dryer just went off. I don't want to change out the loads. I'm addicted to this PC...
Have you ever found yourself wanting to do something other than what you are doing? That is how I feel right now...I don't want to pay bills, clean my house, put up pictures, or anything except be lazy, and why? I don't know. No motivation, I guess. Being on here and going to my friends facebook pages are more interesting than my to do list. I'm always off doing, doing, doing.
The only thing I got done today was going to get my hair cut, go shopping for shoes, grab stuff for dinner, go get Shawne's birthday present, and that was it.
I was supose to do that, come home, put pictures up, since Shawn painted the other side of the livingroom, watch the video to cut his hair and the boys hair...and it didn't get done.
What got done? I got home from getting the kids, helped with homework and started laundry (well, that was on the list too), and after that, played with my facebook on my phone and kinda farted around. We ate dinner, Hannah talked to her friend on the phone, I got on here while the laptop was charging, and so was my phone and...updated my status...then got the kids to bed (shawn was asleep my then) and here I am...Shawn went to bed, and I'm finishing laundry.
I could at least do something productive like write some on my auto-bio, but, no...
I'm hoping that the facebook addiction wears off. I don't know what it is...
Anyways, I'm going to sign off, change out loads and READ... later!
Have you ever found yourself wanting to do something other than what you are doing? That is how I feel right now...I don't want to pay bills, clean my house, put up pictures, or anything except be lazy, and why? I don't know. No motivation, I guess. Being on here and going to my friends facebook pages are more interesting than my to do list. I'm always off doing, doing, doing.
The only thing I got done today was going to get my hair cut, go shopping for shoes, grab stuff for dinner, go get Shawne's birthday present, and that was it.
I was supose to do that, come home, put pictures up, since Shawn painted the other side of the livingroom, watch the video to cut his hair and the boys hair...and it didn't get done.
What got done? I got home from getting the kids, helped with homework and started laundry (well, that was on the list too), and after that, played with my facebook on my phone and kinda farted around. We ate dinner, Hannah talked to her friend on the phone, I got on here while the laptop was charging, and so was my phone and...updated my status...then got the kids to bed (shawn was asleep my then) and here I am...Shawn went to bed, and I'm finishing laundry.
I could at least do something productive like write some on my auto-bio, but, no...
I'm hoping that the facebook addiction wears off. I don't know what it is...
Anyways, I'm going to sign off, change out loads and READ... later!
Monday, September 14, 2009
Quick Update
Wow! I can't believe I have been away all summer! I have been busy, but I have also been lazy. To be honest, I don't think I would want to document everything from this summer, but, we did have some fun.
To update you, Hannah is now 8 years old, going on 16 (lol), Shawne is 5, he turns 6 next week (woohoo!!), and Shawn and I celebrated 7 years July 4th...
Hannah started 3rd grade, her last year of elementart, and Shawne just started kindergarten.
Work is work, I pray every night for the patience to deal with each night. So many changes and not for the better.
I can't write much now, because I'm getting ready to put the kids to bed, but, I'm going to schedule about an hour to write a more detailed post.
Gotta run!
To update you, Hannah is now 8 years old, going on 16 (lol), Shawne is 5, he turns 6 next week (woohoo!!), and Shawn and I celebrated 7 years July 4th...
Hannah started 3rd grade, her last year of elementart, and Shawne just started kindergarten.
Work is work, I pray every night for the patience to deal with each night. So many changes and not for the better.
I can't write much now, because I'm getting ready to put the kids to bed, but, I'm going to schedule about an hour to write a more detailed post.
Gotta run!
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Patience: a work in Progress
I know, catchy title, huh? Well, it's the only thing at this point that I could think of, and boy do I need it right now!
Ever since Mother's Day, when I decided I was going to reestablish my faith and have a more personal relationship with God again, I have been mind-boggled with what internal issues I have to work on first in order to live a more Christ-filled life.
I know I have to get back into church and spend time with other believers, but, where to from there. How do I figure out what else I am suppose to do?
That is where patience comes in, and I'm not kidding. Patience use to be one of my best traits, and now I have very little. Especially when it comes to my young ones who test me at every opportunity.
We shall soon see....
Ever since Mother's Day, when I decided I was going to reestablish my faith and have a more personal relationship with God again, I have been mind-boggled with what internal issues I have to work on first in order to live a more Christ-filled life.
I know I have to get back into church and spend time with other believers, but, where to from there. How do I figure out what else I am suppose to do?
That is where patience comes in, and I'm not kidding. Patience use to be one of my best traits, and now I have very little. Especially when it comes to my young ones who test me at every opportunity.
We shall soon see....
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