Thanks for the emails, by the way. I'm still alive.
Along with the internet being out, I had no access to my life saving Netflix addiction. Nip/Tuck, I've missed you.
I've burned through the entire first season of Felicity on DVD this week. Oh, Felicity. Oh, Noel. Oh, BEN! I love me some Ben, let me tell you.
The weird thing is that the first couple of days with no internet were almost painful. I reached for my computer so many times, only to be disappointed when I remembered I wouldn't be able to connect. The kids thought I was just being mean and limiting their tv time, and it took my way too long to get it through to them that the internet just wasn't going to work. (I won't lie, fits were thrown...by all of us).
We are definitely an internet family.
But then, life slowed down. We spent more time reading actual books we could touch. We spent more time talking. I got a lot of cleaning done.
I won't go as far as to say I'll be making a lifetime change here, but this short internet break was good for all of us. My older kids have gotten very used to instant gratification. They're good, sweet kids, but these days it is getting harder and harder to instill patience and a good work ethic with how easy it is to get things. I want my kids to value intangible things above stuff, and this was a good lesson to me that we still have work to do. It's so easy to get invested in so many things happening online and forget to get out and live real life, too.
Sometimes I want to move to a ranch in the middle of nowhere and raise my kids riding horses and cleaning stalls all day. Then I remember that the internet and living in a city has perks as well as downfalls, so I rein myself in (pun intended).
So my internet is back, but I'm still searching for the happy medium in how we live our lives.
Do you guys ever deal with misgivings about time spent online? How do you find a happy medium?
In other news, tomorrow is Fisher's (real, actual) birthday! He's so confused...he's had two parties already and he just does not get that he'll actually be three tomorrow. But we sure can't wait to spend his big day with him!
