An Indulgent Hodgepodge...

Disclaimer: I am writing this post after only 4 hours of sleep... and for those of you who know me well, you know that is not a good thing... who knows what will come to my foggy mind this morning?  What can I say... you've been warned!  :-)

1. Picture postcards were first printed back in the mid-1800's and deltiology is the official name for postcard collecting. When did you last send a postcard?  Receive one? Do you save postcards sent to you? Do you collect and/or send postcards when you travel?

I honestly don't remember the last time I sent a postcard.  Every once in a while we will pick one up and let our kids send them to their friends... but not very often.  My mom send postcards to the kids whenever they travel - I think that was the last time we received one.  

2. What treat do you most like to indulge in while on vacation?

Finding the local coffee/pastry shop in the mornings!

3. Are you good at hiding your feelings?

Nope.  I'm an open book - even if I "think" I'm hiding my feelings, all you have to do is look in my eyes and you can tell exactly what I'm feeling.

4. Does your town/city/county still deliver telephone books to your home? Do you check the yellow pages when searching for a local business number or has the internet replaced the phone book in your home?

Yes, we still get telephone books delivered to our door.  In fact, last week I was making an emergency binder for our home and I asked my Big C to bring me the phone book, because when you are wanting all of the emergency utility numbers and such, it's just easier to look in the front pages of the phone book where they are all listed for you.  My Big C thought it was hilarious that I would rather use the phone book than the internet.  Oh, the youth of today...

5. Would you rather be first or last?

I don't know that I particularly have to be first.. but I hate being last.  But I guess in most things you are either one or the other, right?  I haven't had enough sleep to be very deep on this one...

6. July is National Park and Recreation Month (in America, but everyone can still play along)...where and when were you last in a park?  Did you participate in any recreational activities while you were there?

As far as an actual National Park, I think the last one we were in was Yellowstone a few years ago.  We hiked all over that place, and my kids did the Junior Ranger program, which was really neat!  That place is simply amazing.
Now that we live in California, we are hoping to take our kids to more of the National Parks that are all around!

7.  What was one of your worst ideas?

Oh gosh... where to begin... perhaps the time when I was in a hurry before guests came, so I "hid" dirty dishes in the oven, then forgot about them, and then my hubs preheated the oven for something and they all caught on fire.

8.  Insert your own random thought here.

So, with the kids on summer break, my hubs and I have decided that we need to be more deliberate about their "Screen Time" - specifically, exactly how long and when they are allowed to be on the computer, ipods, etc.  So we stole this idea from another blogger and modified it for our family.  And if I'm really being honest, this is a good thing for my hubs and I too - the other night, we had a tv show on that we were "watching" and when I looked over, both my hubs and my Big C had their laptops open playing a game, and I had my iPhone by my side, open to Facebook.  Hmmm... were we being deliberate with our time?  Nope.  So being more deliberate will help everyone!

Here are our Screen Rules:

Technology Philosophy

Technology is a great tool, which can have many positive impacts in our lives.  It can be used to communicate, build and maintain important relationships, conduct business, complete school work and used for entertainment.  But we must use technology responsibly. With every keystroke, you are creating your own permanent record. Think carefully about this. We all say or do stupid things online. And we all grow and look back at some of what we’ve written and cringe. But if you follow some basic principles, you will minimize the cringe factor: 

-Do not use this technology to deceive anyone. If you don’t like the person you are, change yourself for real; don’t invent a new you online.

-Do not engage in conversations that hurt other people.  Don’t argue with someone via text message or IM or any electronic messaging. If someone is important enough in your life to spend time arguing, do it in person, where you can read all the other cues of communication.  And don’t respond out of emotion.  Girls, be specifically aware of what time of month it is and wait.

-Don’t say anything online or via text that you wouldn’t want someone’s parents, college admissions officer, a boss or your parents to read. 

-When you are in social situations, surrounded by people or even just one person, put your technology away!  Learn to people watch, to read the room, to look someone in the eye and convey genuine interest.

-No porn. Not even “soft” porn. And no sending or receiving pictures that are not fully clothed. No exceptions. Ever. ‘Though your bathing suits are clothing, really think twice before posting too many of those pictures. 

-The camera on your iPhone or iPod is a wonderful tool. Record your memories with a meaningful picture or two, but don’t spend your days looking at all of life through the lens of your device, live your life.

-Don’t share too much. A little mystery is a good thing.

-Don’t debate with everyone who has a different opinion on the Internet than you.  They may be wrong, but don’t waste your time with contradictory comments and posts. 

 -Remember that when you are publishing anything online, you not only represent yourself, you represent our family. Even more, you represent our faith.

10 Screen Rules

1. Be intentional; Before you sit in front of any screen—iPhone, iPod, computer, or television, or anything else yet to be invented –ask yourself “is this really the best use of my time.”

2. All screens are to be turned off 1 hour before bedtime and plugged in in mom and dad’s room. We will make exceptions for “big” programs/late studying/etc.… 

3. You may have your screens back in the morning until 9:00 AM.  At 9:00, the only screen in front of you will be tuned to educational pursuits. Your iPhones and iPods are never necessary for those endeavors.  On school days you can only use screens in the morning after your dressed, had breakfast, and are ready for school.

4. You may have your iPhones and iPods and cell phones again at 3:00 in the afternoon. Conditions for retrieving them: all school assignments and chores completed.

5. No public social media until one is 14 (email, facebook, twitter, instagram, reddit, myspace).   You must use mom and dad to register for any online account 

6. Mom will know the password for all online accounts. This is for your protection. When you do something stupid (and you will) I want to be able to do damage control immediately.  Mom and dad reserve the right to access and review all of your accounts at anytime.

7. The phones belong to your parents. We pay for the service that makes them work. If you lose or break them, you replace them. If you abuse the rules, you don’t use them.

8. If that phone rings and it’s one of your parents, you answer immediately. If we can’t reach you on your phone, when we finally do reach you, we will take the phone. 

9. Cell phones and iPods used for texting will be limited to texts to mom or dad unit you are 13 (for pick up, questions, ask to stay out, etc.).

10.  When you are driving, you may plug your phone into the outlet in the back of the car. It will be there if you need it, when you pull over and are truly stopped. Being stopped at a stoplight doesn’t count as being stopped.