Cable and other things.

We've expanded our choices in the TV department lately. Mike loves watching soccer and it was really bothering him that we couldn't get as many games as he would like to see on our "basic cable" package. So with the very slightest suggestion that we add to our channels, I got on it and phoned the cable company. When I started explaining our situation, the person at the cable company said, "World Cup, right?" I guess we weren't the only ones calling.

Last night Mike was out playing soccer, so I had fun watching the History Channel. I learned all about the Nazis in Norway and the Lebensborn babies.....very fascinating in a disturbed sort of way. I love that channel. I didn't know that Freda (who sang with ABBA) was one of them.

I think I'm going to like my new improved channels. I'm hardly a hard core TV watcher. I'm usually completely out of the loop at school when people are talking about Lost, 24 and all these other shows. Honestly, I don't understand how they get all that TV watching in!! Unfortunately, by the time I get the kids to bed, I have very little energy left for anything but sleeping.

The end is in sight for the school year. Yeah!! I can't wait for some time without schedules to just be with my girls. The other day Maddie told me she hated school. I said, "No, you don't" and she said, "Well, it's because I miss you....school is all day now" I don't know how Chelsea will do with grade 1. Some days she still needs a nap in the afternoon. I know it will be tiring for her so I have to be careful not to overschedule her.

I've also decided (I think) to take Sparks/Brownies out of our schedule. It was fun, but there were a couple things I thought were kind of clashing with our values and I know that will only be amplified as the overnight camps start. At the fun fair, they had a "fortune teller". Of course it was all in fun, but I didn't really feel good about that. Also, at the day camp they were taught this medley of "rock songs" Most were fine, like YMCA and Who let the Dogs Out" but one line about "I like big butts and I cannot lie...." I had to google it to figure out what song it came from....Yessss.....I'm really out of the loop. Anyway, maybe I'm a complete prude, but I didn't really like them singing that! So, I know they might be upset, but I'm pretty sure I'm making the right decision about that.

Speaking of decisions, I'm finding them harder as my girls get older. It feels like it's gone from cloth vs. disposable to our values vs. the world's!!! Yikes. For a while, I was thinking of taking them to my school next year. I'm not overly impressed with the grade 1 program at their current school. At first, it seemed like a great solution. The more I thought about it, the more I had big doubts. I won't go into all the reasons here, but I'm thinking now I'll keep them at their school. Mike and I have been praying about it and are both coming to the same conclusion. Mike trusts my judgement because I'm in the system, but I really wanted him to pray too and he's kind of thinking the same too.

Speaking of the "system", I'm so upset about our bargaining position. It doesn't look like we'll get our signing bonus and that makes me mad. Everyone keeps asking me if we're going on strike in the fall? I don't know....I voted no, but most of us didn't. Anyway, I don't even want to expand on it here, because I don't like discussing it. How's that for avoidance? Yuck.. that's all I can say about it.

So, today I did some poetry with my kids at school. I love what they come up with. We did this comparison type poem called "I want to be..." The frame was I want to be _____________ but not so __________ that ........ Here''s what one of my girls wrote. " I want to be beautiful, but not so beautiful that the most beautiful super model in the whole world looks like the Crypt Keeper" Another funny one.... "I want to be fast, but not so fast that the spotted cheetah is as slow as a newborn snail" Too funny... I had lots of good laughs marking them.

Anyway, this is too much rambling so I'm going to sign off.