Snow Day

Hard to believe that yesterday I was outside with just a sweater on playing cars in the dirt with Ashton, and now today it is snowing like crazy!!  The magical looks on the kids faces when they stepped outside and saw all the snow coming down this morning is so amazing to me.  As adults, we tend to look at snow as simple as a pain in the butt to drive in,  but the kids.... they see it as so much more - a whole new playground for them to create and explore in!  I try as much as I can to "play" with the kids and join them in their magical thinking, but I have to admit there are times when the convenience of all of the gadgets of today's world get to me, and to the kids.  With televisions, computers, ipads, and iphones always within less than an arms reach it is simple to see why this often becomes difficult.  I have quite a few boundaries in our house when it comes to the kids and all of these "gadgets"... I rarely let them watch television, and if they do it must be age appropriate, and for a very limited time, they do not play video games nor do I ever plan on having any type of video game system in our house -- at least not for a VERY long time, they do not have DS's or whatever those handheld things that turn children into social isolates are called, and the  list goes on and on.  In all honesty many of my friends children have all of the above things in their homes and for their children, and that is their choice - it works for them.  For myself, I want my children to be as creative and magical as they can be all on their own.  All this being said, I must say that I am at fault as well - point: I am sitting here on my laptop while Ashton sits beside me and does a puzzle.  We also have an ipad that I do let the kids play from time to time, however it has to be educational games for the most part.  (I know, what a prude I am!).  I also have an iphone at my side at all times, and several times an hour check my email and whatnot... I guess my point is - how am I to teach my children to not be attached to these gadgets, if I myself am partially at fault?  So... here it is - twelve days late, but it is my new years resolution 2012- - - I am going to be less confined to a cell phone, laptop, telephone, or any other said "gadget" in the new year in an attempt to join my children in their magical kingdom, and maybe even perhaps discover one of my own!