I was so excited Tuesday morning. I dropped off the girls at school and went straight to the gym to start shedding my summertime pounds. I had a great work out. I was off to a great start. On the way home from they gym, I decided to save time and gas by stopping at the grocery store to pick up a few things.
Everything was great until I could not see the price of the bulk-sized bag of lettuce hidden behind a display. I refused to pay $4 for a half a bag of lettuce. So, as I leaned slightly forward to peer behind the display hiding the price of the larger bag, my back snapped! I almost landed on my knees on the way down, but caught myself. I was shocked and in severe pain. It took all of my strength to make it to the check out stand. I will spare you the details of how long it took me to crawl into my SUV and drive home.
Now, I'm laid up for Labor Day Weekend. We are supposed to go canoe camping with 3 other families. Isn't that perfect? I did not realize that every movement involves the spine. The smallest movements are so painful. My family did not realize how much I do for them. They are helping out, but I can see my husband becoming anxious for my rapid recovery.
August 28, 2008
August 05, 2008
Summertime Weight Gain & Dancing With the Stars
Well, school got out about 2 months ago and I have only been able to get to the gym literally a handful of times. My big plan to go to the gym every morning from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. while the girls were at swim practice backfired as they have barely gone to swim practice all summer. And if one child actually managed to roll out of bed in time to jump into a pool full of frigid water, the other child either would not or could not get out of bed.
Needless to say, I have gained at least 6 pounds since my kids have been home. I actually broke down and ordered an exercise program I saw on TV called Core Rhythm. I recall dancing myself thin way back in 6th grade before jazzercise had ever been invented, so I figured I'd give it a try.
I've been anxiously awaiting the upgraded program. Yep! I got suckered into the upgrade. I hate when that happens! You'd think that for over $150 they could deliver in a week's time. It has not arrived and I ordered it 9 days ago. Yesterday I sent an email to Core Rhythms asking for the status of my shipment. Twenty four hours later, I have not received an answer. So, today I picked up the phone and dialed what I hope was a toll free number. The recording informed me that they just processed my credit card payment yesterday! So far, I am not impressed with their efficiency.
I'll let you know whether it works or not. At this rate, the kids will be back in school by the time it arrives!:{ I actually thought my girls might get something out of it. They refuse to take dance classes, but seem to really enjoy dancing. So, now if it would just arrive, I can get to work!
Needless to say, I have gained at least 6 pounds since my kids have been home. I actually broke down and ordered an exercise program I saw on TV called Core Rhythm. I recall dancing myself thin way back in 6th grade before jazzercise had ever been invented, so I figured I'd give it a try.
I've been anxiously awaiting the upgraded program. Yep! I got suckered into the upgrade. I hate when that happens! You'd think that for over $150 they could deliver in a week's time. It has not arrived and I ordered it 9 days ago. Yesterday I sent an email to Core Rhythms asking for the status of my shipment. Twenty four hours later, I have not received an answer. So, today I picked up the phone and dialed what I hope was a toll free number. The recording informed me that they just processed my credit card payment yesterday! So far, I am not impressed with their efficiency.
I'll let you know whether it works or not. At this rate, the kids will be back in school by the time it arrives!:{ I actually thought my girls might get something out of it. They refuse to take dance classes, but seem to really enjoy dancing. So, now if it would just arrive, I can get to work!
How Much is Hollywood to Blame?
Unfortunately, parents are still at the mercy of Hollywood. Our children deserve and crave good programming, but they we getting it? I guess that depends on whose definition of “good” you are talking about.
My Mommy definition of “good programming” is the following: Programs that are age appropriate with honest age-related ratings such that I as a parent can easily see that a program is suitable for my children. The current system fails families miserably. There should be a more comprehensive rating system. The current G, PG, PG13, R rating system is just not cutting it. The jump from PG13 to R seems to have been blurred. My experience is that they are pretty much the same. Likewise, I fail to see much difference if any between G and PG movies. And let’s be honest, PG movies are of no interest to most children 10 years and up.
I mean, did my kids really need to see Vince Vaughn beat up Santa Claus in Fred Claus? This movie was rated PG13 for rude comments. I don’t know how many times I heard the characters say “Crap!” All the mommies had to sit there and endure the on-going argument between Vaughn and his girl friend who breaks up with him because Vaughn won’t move in with her.
The ratings just don’t tell us anything. I recently told my sister that I had seen Mama Mia! (rated PG13) with my husband. She said she couldn’t wait to take her 12 year old daughter to see it. Surprised, I suggested she see it first and then decide if it was appropriate for her 12 year old to see. In my opinion this movie, while excellent, is filled with sexual innuendo that, frankly, mommies will have to explain on the spot in the theater because kids just have to know what it going on.
I’ll never forget when my girlfriend and I went to see Because I Said So (rated PG13). There was a scene where the mother and daughter were discussing the fact that the mother had never had an orgasm and asked her daughter what it was like. 2 little heads popped up a couple of rows down and the entire theater heard, “Hey mom. What’s an orgasm?” MORTIFYING! Then, there were a couple of scenes where grandma was getting it on (although fully dressed) with her new lover. Whose idea was it that our children should be exposed to movies with sexual content?
Then there’s the issue of violence. This summer I took my girls to see Get Smart (rated PG13). I loved watching the series as a child, so I was excited for the girls to see it. I was shocked at the violence. My kids, whom I’ve taken great pains to protect from seeing murders on TV and movies, witnessed some 30 murders in a matter of 60 minutes! I was mortified and wondered when we would ever sleep through the night again.:{
Then came the seen were Max is trying to get the keys out of the pocket of his unconscious kidnapper. A bad guy walking by peeks in the window and sees what appears to be a gay sexual act. Oh heck! Max, the hero, appeared to be humping the passed out bad guy. There! I said it! Of course the audience erupts in laughter. Confused, my eleven year old daughter leans in and says, “Hey mom. Why is everybody laughing?”:{
I know we have gone around and around with Hollywood on this issue, but the current system is completely inadequate and irresponsible. More care needs to be taken when rating movies and television programming for kids. Maybe Hollywood could redefine PG13 and remove all murder and sexual innuendo from movies targeting our children and add a rating in between like PG16, which would be a more appropriate rating for movies with both sexually implicit and explicit material. Such a rating system would be very helpful to all parents in determining what is appropriate and what is not. I, for one, am tired of being surprised in my living room and movie theaters.:{ What about you?
My Mommy definition of “good programming” is the following: Programs that are age appropriate with honest age-related ratings such that I as a parent can easily see that a program is suitable for my children. The current system fails families miserably. There should be a more comprehensive rating system. The current G, PG, PG13, R rating system is just not cutting it. The jump from PG13 to R seems to have been blurred. My experience is that they are pretty much the same. Likewise, I fail to see much difference if any between G and PG movies. And let’s be honest, PG movies are of no interest to most children 10 years and up.
I mean, did my kids really need to see Vince Vaughn beat up Santa Claus in Fred Claus? This movie was rated PG13 for rude comments. I don’t know how many times I heard the characters say “Crap!” All the mommies had to sit there and endure the on-going argument between Vaughn and his girl friend who breaks up with him because Vaughn won’t move in with her.
The ratings just don’t tell us anything. I recently told my sister that I had seen Mama Mia! (rated PG13) with my husband. She said she couldn’t wait to take her 12 year old daughter to see it. Surprised, I suggested she see it first and then decide if it was appropriate for her 12 year old to see. In my opinion this movie, while excellent, is filled with sexual innuendo that, frankly, mommies will have to explain on the spot in the theater because kids just have to know what it going on.
I’ll never forget when my girlfriend and I went to see Because I Said So (rated PG13). There was a scene where the mother and daughter were discussing the fact that the mother had never had an orgasm and asked her daughter what it was like. 2 little heads popped up a couple of rows down and the entire theater heard, “Hey mom. What’s an orgasm?” MORTIFYING! Then, there were a couple of scenes where grandma was getting it on (although fully dressed) with her new lover. Whose idea was it that our children should be exposed to movies with sexual content?
Then there’s the issue of violence. This summer I took my girls to see Get Smart (rated PG13). I loved watching the series as a child, so I was excited for the girls to see it. I was shocked at the violence. My kids, whom I’ve taken great pains to protect from seeing murders on TV and movies, witnessed some 30 murders in a matter of 60 minutes! I was mortified and wondered when we would ever sleep through the night again.:{
Then came the seen were Max is trying to get the keys out of the pocket of his unconscious kidnapper. A bad guy walking by peeks in the window and sees what appears to be a gay sexual act. Oh heck! Max, the hero, appeared to be humping the passed out bad guy. There! I said it! Of course the audience erupts in laughter. Confused, my eleven year old daughter leans in and says, “Hey mom. Why is everybody laughing?”:{
I know we have gone around and around with Hollywood on this issue, but the current system is completely inadequate and irresponsible. More care needs to be taken when rating movies and television programming for kids. Maybe Hollywood could redefine PG13 and remove all murder and sexual innuendo from movies targeting our children and add a rating in between like PG16, which would be a more appropriate rating for movies with both sexually implicit and explicit material. Such a rating system would be very helpful to all parents in determining what is appropriate and what is not. I, for one, am tired of being surprised in my living room and movie theaters.:{ What about you?
August 04, 2008
You Know Your a Frazzled Mommy When...
your kids see a covered wagon on TV and ask, "Hey mom! What was it like back in the covered wagon days?":{
Dad Got a New Thermostat
Oh boy! Here we go. Brain tumor aside, my busy 78 year old dad is feeling good these days. He just called me in a snit. He had spent some 10 hours trying to figure out how to fix a carpet cleaner. The problem is, he spent the entire day hunched over the machine on the garage floor. Needless to say, the machine is still broken and dad can hardly sit he is so sore!
So, he said he was taking a break from fixing the carpet cleaner.:) Currently, he is wrestling with a new thermostat. Actually, this is the second one. He couldn't get the first one to work and exchanged it for this new one and after about 12 hours of touching the screen (Yep! He went with the high tech model!) when he sets the A/C to 72 degrees, it changes itself to 62 degrees. Then, when he changes the heater to 75 degrees (he likes it warm), it changes itself to 85 degrees.
Dad is so frustrated and sore right now that he doesn't know which end is up. He's so funny!:{
So, he said he was taking a break from fixing the carpet cleaner.:) Currently, he is wrestling with a new thermostat. Actually, this is the second one. He couldn't get the first one to work and exchanged it for this new one and after about 12 hours of touching the screen (Yep! He went with the high tech model!) when he sets the A/C to 72 degrees, it changes itself to 62 degrees. Then, when he changes the heater to 75 degrees (he likes it warm), it changes itself to 85 degrees.
Dad is so frustrated and sore right now that he doesn't know which end is up. He's so funny!:{
You Know Your a Frazzled Mommy When...
your child runs into you room in the middle of the night and yells, "Mom! My lamp just went off for no reason whatsoever!" Your groggy response: "Yeah Baby. Mommy put a timer on your lamp to shut off at 1 a.m. so I don't have to go into your room in the middle of the night to shut it off. It's been like that for the past week. Go back to bed, Sweetie.
The clincher: My child is upstairs sound asleep in my bed and I am sitting here writing this post at 3:20 a.m.:{ This is going to be a looooong day.
The clincher: My child is upstairs sound asleep in my bed and I am sitting here writing this post at 3:20 a.m.:{ This is going to be a looooong day.
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