Unplugged pt 1: "Evil" Costco Scores!

I joke that Costco is "evil".

It disguises itself as one thing (a place to save money) and it is actually another (a place where you overspend.) You (uh..ehmm. I....)go in planning to spend twenty and end up spending $200. Evil. :) (Ok, yea, it may be my lack of discipline and resistance to temptation...) But yesterday, Costco scored.... Did good! (In spite of the "extra" things that found their way into my cart"....

The other day I posted about the longing to become unplugged...and in writing out what my heart was aching for, the thought arose to become unplugged from electronics (ie, kids glued to the computer) by becoming plugged-in to something else. Things that make us interact, laugh and enjoy each other, and not just technology.


So last night was step one on that journey. (I plan to blog and connect the series, as we find more ways to become unplugged.) Even if it is just one night this week, one is a start. But first a funny....


I was so in a tither two nights ago, up very late, (3 am, couldn't sleep) about many things, one of which is the "unplugged" dream, that I went down in the middle of the night and unplugged the computer monitor from the cpu, thinking the kids might think it was on the blink and not play it. The next morning, when I came down to the kitchen...there were the two boys, playing the computer. Detectives that they are, they found the unplugged cord and fixed it. The joke was on me. That is not the way to become unplugged.


Rather than confronting the unplugged dream I have face on with the kids,("NO MORE COMPUTERS! EEEEK! They scream running from the room!) I instead enticed them with something fun. When I stopped by EC (evil Costco) I picked up a couple doodle books. And I scored, big time!


Before dinner, as I was cooking, I pulled the books out of my secret hiding place (all momma's need one of those) and gave them to the boys, and gave Mary a workbook with pictures to draw. They all immediately left the computer, looked at a couple pages, and Nick even hugged his and said, "This looks so fun." They all three sat down at the table...and have began a drawing session that lasted for over 3 hours! :) Mary went to bed around 8:30, and the boys came into me room and continued drawing until their bed time. They wanted to be close by so they could show me their pictures and explain them.

What I kept hearing was:

"This is so fun!"

"Look at this!"

"Show me!"

"We should do this more often!"

"Isn't that funny??!!"

AND COMPLIMENTING each other on their clever drawings!

This morning, as I gathered my things to leave to work, Taddy had planted himself on the couch, sleepy-eyed, but with his doodle book and pencil beside him. ;)

(I have noticed their are some more doodle books along this line, including doodle for girls, and you can get them at amazon.com too, if you don't have a EC nearby.)

Here are some pictures from the book and of our fun. Unplugged part 1 is a success! One day at a time. :)





These are a couple pages to give you an idea of how they are blank.




















































Unplugged "Series":
Unplugged: The Plea
Unplugged Part 1