The house is so quiet...

Chris and I have decided to give up TV and movies for Lent this year.  Actually, it would be more accurate to say that Chris decided we are giving up TV and movies for Lent this year as this all came as a surprise to me.  I've been crazy-busy with work for the last few weeks and didn't take any time to put thought into what I might fast from this Lenten season.  So when Ash Wednesday rolled around I was thinking that I would take a break from fasting this year - sort of a fast from fasting.  And then, on Tuesday night as we are lying in bed getting ready to go to sleep Chris drops this on me:

"I've been thinking maybe we should give up TV for Lent." 

OK - to be fair I had given him a little lesson on the purpose of fasting and why we fast during Lent earlier in the day - so I may have planted a seed.  But this was not at all what I had intended to come of it - not at all.  It's not that I watch a lot of TV - I don't - but I do use TV as a way to relax, to let my mind unwind from a busy day - did I mention that I have been crazy-busy lately?  And let's not forget that we are in the midst of the Winter Olympics - it's not like we will be able to watch them after Easter.  What was he thinking?!

In the end I stifled my protests and agreed that giving up TV for Lent was a good idea.  Honestly, I'm thrilled that he has taken this step toward being the spiritual leader of our family.  Next thing you know he will be dragging me out of bed on Sunday mornings and suggesting we participate in the new Midweek class being offered at church - if for no other reason than to give us something to do that doesn't involve watching TV!

I'll keep you posted on how we do - so far, so good...

The Refrigerator Kids

Recently, DH and I were watching the movie Talladega Nights.  There is a scene early in the movie where Will Ferrell's character has won a car race and is conducting his first television interview.  He does terribly - he doesn't speak into the mic, he stares directly into the camera and he moves his hands awkwardly about his face as he says 'I don't know what to do with my hands.' throughout the interview.  DH finds this hilariously funny and the following conversation ensues:

DH:  (laughing) It's like those kids on the refrigerator!

Me:  (with visions of missing children on milk cartons in my head) Those kids on the refrigerator?

DH:  Yeah, those kids in the pictures on our refrigerator.

I'll interject a bit of background here - during  a more organized phase of my life I put pictures of each of my nephews and each of my cousin's children in magnetic frames on my refrigerator. 

Me:  (cracking up!)  Do you mean my cousin's kids?

DH:  Yes.

Me:  (still cracking up!)  How is this like my cousin's kids?

DH:  They just don't seem to know what to do with their hands when they're talking.

I find this entire conversation extremely funny on so many levels (and I really hope my cousins do too!) - here are just a few.

• I have never witnessed any of my cousin's children doing anything odd with their hands when they're talking - but you can bet I'll pay closer attention the next time I see them!
• DH has just referred to my cousin's children as 'the refrigerator kids' - He can't come up with one of their names - or even one of my cousins names!  Now I assure you, DH knows each of their names (kids and cousins) but I am not surprised at all that he was unable to recall them without seeing their faces.
• I thought DH was referring to missing children.  Do you remember when they used to put pictures of missing children on milk cartons?  I don't think they do that anymore - at least not on soy milk cartons.
• I think there is a good chance that my cousin's kids are actually using their hands to help convey the message they are trying to communicate - something I do all of the time - and DH is interpreting this as them not knowing what to do with their hands.  I can only imagine what he thinks when he watches me talk!

Oh, you've gotta love him.  DH is one in a million but he will never be good with names.  I guess I'll just be glad that he remembers MY name consistently and try not get too worked up about anything else.

So without further ado...

The Refrigerator Kids!

I know - ridiculously outdated - it's a bit like a time capsule don't you think?