Video Gaming......yay or nay?

Video games......good or bad? Pros and cons? Yay or Nay? What a controversy! Ok so maybe not! I know of homes who don't have them. I know of homes that do have them but put a limit on them. And I know of homes who have them and have no limit. Whichever home you live in, video games are here and I think they are here to stay. There is such a huge market for them that our stores are busting at the seams with the games themselves and everything else they can sell with a photo or logo on it referencing gaming.

We have them in my home. We have an Xbox 360, a Wii, Nintendo Ds, Playstation 2 (I think), and Ipads.

Whew! That almost hurt trying to think of them all and I probably forgot something. But......we put a limit on playtime. I have set up a system that I feel works well. Here it is:

   *During the school year the kids are allowed 30 minutes a day of video game time. Friday and Sunday are free game days, so they can play unlimited games those days.

   *During the Summer or other times off from school they still get free play on Fridays and Sundays and their 30 minutes a day but they can also earn more time by either going outside and play or doing chores around the house. The time it takes to do a chore or play outside is the time they earn doing video games. This one can be tricky though. When I first came up with this idea, I thought maybe I had made a terrible mistake. My kids went outside for about 3 hours. I was so happy! They were actually playing outside, which I had come to think was a lost art. And then I realized oh no, what did I do? Now I have to let them play for 3 hours straight. Their brains are going to melt! Ok so a bit dramatic!
But on the other hand, I was not listening to "mom I'm bored" and they were actually going outside and playing. They were getting exercise and using their imaginations! Maybe it was worth it! I get what I want and they get what they want! I don't know if this is the best way to deal with it, but it works for us.


My 17 year old son and I had a conversation
this morning about this system. He feels he is too old to have to follow it. How could I compromise with him? How could we both get what we want out of this? We made a deal that if he spent some time outside with his siblings each day and did his chores like he should then I would let him determine his own video game time. When I stop and think about it, he doesn't spend all day playing like the younger ones do on their free days. So I guess I can cut him some slack! Plus I figure it won't be long before he will be on his own and there won't be much I can say. I better start loosening the grip now.


                                                                                   (Ok so the photo does not even come close to                                                                                                depicting me and my teenage son, but I thought it                                                                                                             was cute. LOL)

Video games I think have gotten a bad rap. I believe in moderation and like movies, I monitor what they are allowed to play. So, whether you are a gaming family or not, this is how my family deals with this one form of technology that is here to stay. Oh but there are so many others! We can talk about them later! Until then, happy gaming!

Senior Photo Time!

I have been taking Senior photos like crazy lately. My laptop has become just that, the top of my lap. Lol. I love it though. I hope my family can say the same, because when I am working on photos, I am in a zone where I can't hear much of anything outside of my brain. I also haven't always been the friendliest mom lately. Remember my last post about the squished juice box? Yea, that would describe me. My family has been great at giving me time and space to do what I need to do to keep my clients happy. This time of the year is winding down and before long it will be Summer break and I will have more time to sit outside with a cup of coffee and enjoy my favorite time of the year.
Here are a few of the wonderful Seniors I have photographed!!!

Remembrance Photography and Me!!!

Today, I am making some new changes to my blog! I am excited about this new change. I have used this blog to share my photos, but I want to branch out and share more about me and my family. I want to share some tips, advice, and personal experiences I have being a wife, mom, photographer, etc. The list of jobs sometimes seem to grow. Lol!
This past week I have felt a little like this:

Photo by Duncecap-Dan

Do you know what I mean? Between taking photos, working as a lunch lady at the local school, and being a mom of 4 kids, I was empty! I felt like I was being squeezed and all the life sucked out of me. On Mother's Day, I was refilled with love from my amazing family, but then I noticed it only took a couple of days before I started to feel empty again. I spent some time praying about it and then it came to me. I am not the only mom who feels this way. I am not the only person who feels this way. I am not the only Christian who feels this way. So, I want to share some bits of wisdom given to me in my times with the Lord in hopes that it will help others. 

I would love to gain some followers here. The more the merrier! Please share with your friends and family that you feel would benefit from my tidbits. 

Enjoy and God bless all those squished juice boxes out there! May you be refilled!