Parents and Pastries. And a Random Rant About TV and S-E-X.

Every year our elementary school does Parents and Pastries.

This year we got ready for school, got our chores done

(have you done your chore?  Oh yeah... times six)

and faced the steadily falling snow and drove to the school where we ate donuts and read books or,  in my case, studied nine inches of biology flashcards.  Because that totally counts as reading, right?

The Man and I were talking last night about how grateful we are that our kids talk to us.  We know what's going on in their lives and we know we can trust them.

We know this because our kids want us to tag along.  They're not hiding anything if they're constantly asking us to be where they are.  And I'm not just talking about school functions either.  They want us to join them in any activity that they're doing and that, to me, says I can trust my child and know that the life that they present to me is the life they are truly living.

I think our biggest battle right now is finding appropriate TV shows for them to watch.  Gah, the stuff that's on TV is disgusting and horrifying.  We've banned a few popular TV shows from our home because of all the casual talk of sex and the blatant innuendos that are dropped constantly.

Sorry guys, I just said S-E-X without giving you a warning.  My bad.

So I'm also grateful for my kids because when we tell them we don't want to watch that show anymore, and explain why, they understand and move on to something else.

It's my job to protect my kids for as long as I possibly can.  Some of this stuff doesn't need to be common place for them... ever, but certainly not at the age of 12 and most certainly not at the age of 8.

Maybe I'm old fashioned.

But if old fashioned means raising respectful kids who don't mess around with casual sex as teenagers because we've taught them that it means so much more than that, then I'm okay with that.  Because it should mean so much more than that.

Wow.

So how's that for a rant.  When all I really meant to do was post pictures of Parents and Pastries.

Yeah, so... Cas made the honor roll again and we're pretty excited about that and so proud of her and the work that she's putting into school.

Now all we need to do is get Cali to start doing her part around the house.  This has been an uphill battle for so long, but dang it, that girl is going to learn that stubborn just isn't going to work when it comes to doing chores.

Okay, here's our pictures from this morning.  Also, it's kind of hard to do a self shot with seven people.  We get extra points for pulling that one off.

These kids are amazing.

I might be biased, but I still stand by that statement.

parents and pastries. and camera ramblings.

Every year the elementary school does a "Parents and Pastries" morning. 

This means if you show up for school an hour early with a parent and a book you all get a donut.  And a coupon for bowling at Fat Cats.

Mostly I just like being with my circus.  Especially if it encourages reading.

It's time for me to renew my phone contract and upgrade my phone.  I'm struggling with which phone I should use.  I've had, and loved, a Blackberry for the past five years.  I am most definitely not a fan of touch screen.  I want buttons.  West is a supporter of the iPhone.  He has me hooked on some of the game apps.

I think what it's going to boil down to is which phone has the best camera in it.  Sad but true.  I'm tired of sub-par pictures because I use my phone all the time.

And while we're on the subject, ever since my water camera decided not to be waterproof anymore, it's been leaving white spots in my pictures.  Despite what a kind reader said to me about it being spirits in my pictures, I assure you, it's spots inside the lense.  I can see them.  So I need a new water camera too.  Because now that I've had the ability to take my camera into the water, I don't want to stop.

Also, I want a fancy camera.  But I don't know which one.  I just know that I'm obsessed with taking pictures of my family and life, and I'd like them to, you know, actually turn out good.

So that's my to do list.  Phone with a decent enough camera, a water proof camera, and a "fancy" camera.

Is it too early to have a Christmas list going?