Gaming to Success; Summertime

Interesting article on gaming: Click Here to read How Playing Video Games Can Boost Your Career

Speaking from our own personal experience...since our son has been gaming in between his lessons, and doing the interactive Modern Warfare, he has definitely improved in his reasoning/strategic thinking, and in the area of becoming more persistent with not giving up (all of this in positive ways).

We are thankful we listened to our Dr. who suggested to have him game in between broken up shorter lessons. It is said to help tremendously with the adhd (if done in the right manner). Our family has found this to be true. Gaming and playing drums have been positive activities in his life. As in all things, moderation is the key.

Over the summer break our son has been pulled way into gaming a little too much (so must the other guys he is playing with as they are on there playing too haha ;) and having such a great time with his cousin back home and friends from back home, and even new friends here where we live now. We have to keep it in check, like anything else. Mostly been in the evenings or late night. Whereas daughter and I have been more pulled into renting movies or watching the History channel in the evenings...or in her case the disney channel. One movie we both LOVED was The Young Victoria.

Concerning music...We are SO thankful for our son's drum instructor who is also our daughter's guitar instructor (oh and my piano coach for chords)...he has been such a positive roll model in the lives of our children and family. Last Tues he even worked with our niece while she was visiting with us. Thanks so much Chris L.!! Chris, you'll be happy to know that our whole family played "O Taste and See" together as a family. :) We had some awesome worship on our living room yesterday!

Summertime schooling: We usually school through the summer, but this month have taken a more relaxed approach. We have had family visit from out of town and friends from back home...and we are just enjoying sweet time together.

We are still schooling some throughout the summer, and starting back next week with a tighter summer schedule. So all of our late night habits will be slowly ceasing. This past week we have all been in bed by 11pm, which is a good start for us. haha. Each week we have been getting to bed earlier and adding something more academically into our normal routine of Bible Study and regular reading schedule.

This week son and daughter read the Pied Piper of Hamlin, and both are listening to 20,000 Leagues under the Sea on audio books. Daughter recently asked to read Romeo and Juliet, so Friday I requested to have this book transferred to our local library branch (our branch only had it on audio). There are so many books on audio now via the online library...wow! I've even been able to find classic literature books on the online audio vs NOT being able to find the actual book in the library.

Our girl prefers to read "actual books", whereas our son prefers audio. He does also read in "actual books", but retains more through audio books.

Can't remember if I mentioned it, but our church is fasting TV the whole month of August. Our pastor presented this to our church congregation recently, and our family is going to participate by shutting the TV off for the month of August. Which we are excited about doing as a family...well, Husband and I are excited about it. Our children are not as thrilled, however they are both in agreement and willing to do this with us. It will be great to do as a family.

We are also NOT supposed to use other electronic things to fill our time. So, as a family we are also going to have to keep tight limitations on the gaming and computer. Husband and I both use our computers for business and all of us for learning. I'm on here a LOT studying and reading about photography or editing photos. However, I am taking a break from Facebook. Only going to check it once a week for customers who may be requesting about photography, or to upload photos for clients who want a few prints on FB. Other than that, I'm taking a huge break from it. In turn going to spend even more serious one on one time with the Lord and in Bible study. I've also got about 3 books I'd like to finish (spiritually uplifting books).

Hope everyone is having a fun summer. We have been trying to swim and go to the beach as often as possibly. Yet we've had so much extreme heat where we live, that we have to swim either early in the morning or late in the evening. I can't tolerate the 99-108 degree heat. Last night we went late in the evening to swim, and it was much milder. Many others had that same idea as well. ;)

With the summertime we have left, we plan to make as many day trips to the beach as possible (any of my friends who want to go during the week, just call or email me). It just doesn't seem as hot at the beach for some reason. Perhaps it is the wonderful breeze, and the sounds of the ocean that gives me a cooler impression. Either way, the summer seems to be flying by so quickly!!!

Summertime Blessings! Give me a BREAK! :)

The children and I are out by the pool.  Kids in the pool, I am blogging...then will swim some laps in a few.  Or I may just wait for husband to get home, and take a swim with him a little later. :)

We are so blessed to live in an apartment complex that has such a nice swimming pool!  They keep the grounds so well kept, and the pool is sparkling clean!  A real blessing!!!

Today there is not a cloud in the sky...whew it is HOT, and definitely a good pool day!  

Speaking of blessings;  I've been in this mode of counting my blessings.  It can get so easy to get bogged down in our struggles, and forget about how truly blessed we are.  We forget to be thankful for what we already have in front of us that is quite useful.  We think we need something better...this thing or that thing we think we need.  Really, do we?

I tend to forget sometimes that no matter how hard times get for us, we are still so rich and blessed!  In the past weeks I've been reminding our children of this...when it gets to that second week before pay day, and the groceries are running thin.  The complaining begins;  being out of the favorite meat or breakfast items, even out of milk, etc.  We get real creative with flour and water. lol.  It is during those times that I do my best to remind us all how truly blessed we are. None of us are lacking!  That is for sure...you can take a look at us, and tell right off that we are not starved!

When we begin to thank God for everything we put our hands on, we realize how truly blessed we are.  The Lord has been good to us.  

Last week our small group watched a Nooma video called "Rich".  Click Here for a clip preview of Rich.  It went alongside of what I was already trying to encourage our children with.  Our  DC3 group leaders allowed us to take the DVD video home for our children to watch.  They watched it the other night, and I think we could all watch it again and again, and still have things to learn about truly being "thankful".  

Ok, now all of my spiritual talk is going out the window.  Two dripping wet children standing around, hovering.  Why is it that when you have something like a NICE swimming pool...instead of the kids swimming and having fun together with each other...they still have to get underneath me without allowing me 1o mins of peace to type out a blog.  Or, they swim for 10 minutes and complain they are bored.  UGGGGH!!!  HAHA!!!  GO PLAY KIDS!!!  I seriously need a kid-less break! lol!!!

Lord, I thank you for these children, and this swimming pool...even though they won't stay in it for over 10 mins!!! ;)