What are YOU watching?

Watching hours and hours of TV so YOU don't have to.

Since it was Premiere week on the major network channels last week, I thought I might as well offer my own opinions and ratings about my favorite shows and some of the new ones this fall. Based on a 1 - 10 scale, 1 being beyond help and 10 being just great, here goes:

How I Met Your Mother - 9

This AWESOME show just makes us laugh. We love the humor and all the characters in it. It just keeps getting better every season! You could even say it's LEGEN... wait for it....wait for it.....

The Big Bang Theory - 3

I think if you are way, way, WAY into all the scientific humor then this show is for you. It's about the dumb blond that a bunch of nerds fall for but make stupid jokes that you don't get because you have no idea whose theory or what algorithm they're talking about (or maybe that's just me). It was pretty funny when they went off about Superman and tried to prove why flying to rescue Lois Lane is worse than if she would have hit the pavement when you consider velocity and, blah, blah, blah. It's probably because I know some people who can get pretty eccentric about those kinds of things...like Star Wars (come on, we all know someone, right?). I will say it is fun to watch it with Wally because he totally gets their rants about whatever and will shout out in agreement every once in a while. Hmmmm, what does that say about Wally?!

Chuck - 7

As far as a "nerd" show goes, this one is more my style. It's about this guy that is just trying to get along in life and not really doing anything too out of the ordinary. He receives an email (by accident) containing all these top secret things from the government. He is now being protected by the beautiful CIA agent who also happens to be a blond. Do nerds and blond's just go together?


The Unit - 9 1/2

Wally and I have watched this show for a couple of years now and we both really like it. It ended last season with a great cliffhanger and started out just as good. It is based off Eric Haney's Inside Delta Force about all these different military operations that are so top secret they come straight from the president and nobody else knows about them. As far as an action military drama goes, this one is great! If you haven't seen it, rent the first season and start there. You won't be sorry



The Biggest Loser - 7
I think this show is very uplifting and fun to watch the major changes that these people make in their lives. It makes me want to be a better person when it comes to health and nutrition. I just think it is ironic that they have been 2-hour episodes lately, meaning that whoever is watching the show is sitting, inactive and probably enjoying some good dessert while they are watching other people work their butts off, literally.


Kid Nation - 5

I have a hard time with this show. It is too much like Survivor for little kids. I hate to see the smallest ones upset and the older ones bullying everyone else around. It's a nice idea, especially for kids, to prove that they can build a city and work together to make it run, but I don't think I'd sent my 7 year old out on her own to fend for herself.



Bionic Woman - 3

I guess this is based off some old TV show or something, but I didn't really get it. Was the accident on purpose? Suddenly she's this machine that can do anything and she knows what to do with it. I really am not into the Sci-Fi type shows and this one didn't bring me any closer to liking them. Oh, and by the way, Sara Corbin says "Hello".

My Name is Earl - 7

This season started with Earl doing jail time and how to stay alive while in prison. It seems that karma doesn't stop once you're on the inside. He's just such a nice guy that he's willing to even help out the guy that's trying to kill him. And then there's poor Randy who can't survive without Earl, even after all the hard work Joy went through to get him to think on his own. It's just too bad that rock was conveniently next to the car Randy smashed. Yeah, he came a long way, but still has a long way to go.


The Office - 8

This is another one of those shows that we look forward to just for laughs. I was very anxious to see what was going to happen between Jim and Pam. I'm glad they're dating, but I think it's funny they tried to keep it a secret. It will be interesting to see how the dynamics of the show are now that they are "officially" together. As far as a season premiere goes, it could have been better. I wouldn't say it was their best. The 5k run was pretty funny, especially when the 4 guys took a taxi to get drinks and wait out the race. Classic.




DARY!


I guess I need to find something better to do with my time after all that.



Oh wait, I guess I could blog.

Simpsonians!

Help! We've been Simpsonized!

Our kiddos

I thought it was about time to update with some recent pictures of our kids. It is a lot harder to get some pictures of them than I thought, especially when I take so long to get the settings right on my camera (still trying to figure that thing out!).



Kelsie - 7 years old













Brandon - 4 years old
(incidentally won't sit still for a picture, this is as good as it gets for us)











Caleb - 7 months old

Einsteinians?

I don't usually write about news articles and such on this blog, since it is primarily about our family. I came across this article about the Baby Einstein videos and found it to be very interesting, (or maybe it's my health education background coming out in me).

In a study from a research group at the University of Washington in Seattle, they found that babies (8-16 months of age) who watch an hour or more of the Baby Einstein videos a day, tested below the normal range on a language-assessment test. "They said it's possible heavy watching of the videos hurt children's language development but also proposed other possibilities — that some parents of children with poor language skills expose them to more videos or that some parents leave their children watching the videos by themselves."

In defense of her videos, Julie Aigner-Clark, founder of the Baby Einstein Video's, said they were never designed to make babies smarter.

"I believe we've done what we've always set out to do — expose kids to great things. And when used the right way, by interacting with a parent or a guardian, they're positive ways to engage your child." (You can read more of her interview HERE.)

Hmmmm. So, I guess what they are saying is that if you stick your kid in front of the TV to watch a video that is supposed to expose them to great things, they won't be as chatty with the next baby that comes along? I mean, really, how do they measure verbal communication in an 8 month old. Aren't all babies supposed to grow and learn at their own rate? Brandon would have completely failed the test not only at 8 months, but also at 16 months since he was 2 before he started talking anyway.

By the way, he DID NOT watch the videos.

(Fast forward a couple of years, Brandon's now 4 and we can't get him to STOP talking. Go figure.)

Friends

"Truly great friends are hard to find, difficult to leave, and impossible to forget."

~G. Randolf

We were lucky enough to have some of our friends, the Racette's, from Pennsylvania stop by and visit us recently. It was so fun to get together, talk and let the kids play. I even got a bonus haircut! We took them to one of our favorite parks and showed them the zip line we love so much. It was just great to hang out with them even though it was for only a few short hours.

A good friendship is when you can pick right up from where you left off, even when it's been a long time since you've seen them. That's how it was with the these guys. I don't think you really realize the impact that people have on you until you move away or you don't get to see them whenever you want. We also realized this to be true with all of our friends from PA that we saw in Utah in July.

What a great feeling.

Another year begins. . .

Today was Kelsie's first day of 2nd grade. We've been gearing up for the first day of school all month. We bought the supplies we needed and also did a little fun shopping for some new school clothes too. When we would ask her to make sure she really wanted to go to 2nd grade, her response was,

"I've got to go to get my brain working!"

(I'm not sure how that reflects on me.)

She spent the better part of yesterday figuring out the right clothes to wear on her first day, "maybe my pink skirt with a white shirt. No, I think my white skirt with a pink shirt. Maybe my pink shirt with my brown pants. I just can't decide!". Yes, we're still in the pink trend here. I was also instructed to curl her hair in curlers so she could be "beautiful" on the first day.

Her alarm went off at 7 a.m. this morning and before we knew it, there she stood all decked out in pink and with curly hair. She was so excited! We got everyone ready on time and started our walk to school, where I continued to ask her if she really wanted to go. That I could teach her everything she needs to know in 2nd grade. Would you PLEASE stay home with me? I might miss you too much! To which she replied, laughing, "Mom, I just have to go!".

So, there we were, standing outside her new classroom, waiting for her new teacher to open the door, and looking at all the new friends she is going to make. I think she looked a little anxious, but very excited. As she entered her new classroom, she turned around real fast and gave one last wave good-bye.

And that's when it hit me.

My little girl is growing up.














And then I cried, just a little.

Sunday Night Ritual (SNR)

After spending 3 hours at church every Sunday, we come home to a "quiet" afternoon with the kids. Kelsie and Brandon are really good about our quiet time and we usually only hear them fighting just as we're waking up from a good nap (or maybe we're being woken up?). We have a nice Sunday dinner, where we try to convince our kids that pork is, in fact, the other white meat and that peas will not kill them. Sunday is a pretty uneventful day for us, just the way we like it.


Then, the kids go to bed.


And our night begins.


We have a fun little game at our house that Wally and I like to play every Sunday night. It is a game where wit and strategy are not necessarily enough to bring to the table. You also need some thicker skin and immunity to spite and malice! We were given Carcassonne from Wally's parents for Christmas and it has quickly climbed to the top of our favorite games. It involves placing tiles together to form cities and roads and getting points for those things that you complete. The secret weapon of the game is the farmers who can help you win the game at the end if they have been placed just right, or totally throw it for you.




There are a few RULES (in addition to the rules of the game, of course) that we have when we play:

1. I am ALWAYS BLACK, no matter what.

2. We have to have some type of game food; popcorn, ice cream, usually both.

3. Plan on playing at least twice.

4. What happens at the table, STAYS at the table.

5. BRING IT.











I have also learned a few noteworthy things:

1. Farmers are a good thing, not a waste of a man.

2. Don't try to help anyone out, unless you're helping yourself. You won't get anywhere with that kind of attitude.

3. Don't try to farm in the middle of a circular road.

4. Finally, if you ask Wally what his strategy is and then try it on him the next game, 9 times out of 10, you'll WIN.

This is a "super-galuper" fun game to play, as Brandon would say.


Especially for me.


Because I usually win.


Yeah, I'm competitive.