Ideas?

Okay, so I have a single skein of wool that I'm looking for suggestions as to what to knit up with it. It's a 100g skein of really pretty alpaca. Love the colors and can't wait to use it. Pattern suggestions, anyone?

Confession: This video cracks me up. I laugh every time. When we first saw it, I might have utilized the PVR's reverse capabilities to watch it not once, not twice but three times. And laughed every time.

Source: youtube.com via Mama on Pinterest

 

It's true. I think it's why I feel so restless and unsettled right now.  It's why sometimes the skin I'm in feels just a little bit too tight, like I'm missing something important and like I'm not truly living the way I should be. It's why each day I wake up and hope for something more but know I'm the only one with the power to do something about it.

Number One Draft

If only they were this lucky during the season...

Already armed with a pool of young players that any NHL team would love to have, Steve Tambellini arrived at Tuesday night's draft lottery not even thinking about winning it. And then the Edmonton Oilers beat the odds and earned the No. 1 pick for a third straight year.
"I guess if you're in the lottery and you come here you might as well win it," said Tambellini, the Oilers general manager, whose team had just an 18.8 per cent chance to do it. "I feel really excited about the fact that now another young talent hopefully at the level of what the past few picks have been (is coming).
"To add another player like that is pretty exciting for our organization."
If the Oilers end up making the selection at the June draft in Pittsburgh, they'll be just the second franchise to make three consecutive No. 1 picks. The Quebec Nordiques did it from 1989-91 and went on to win the Stanley Cup five years later after moving to Denver.

from TSN

“Our pictures are our footprints. It’s the best way to tell people we were here”.
~ Joe McNally

Current Read

This works better when I post them one at a time. Do I go last to first or first to last?

 The Prophet of Yonwood: The Third Book of Ember, Jeanne DuPrau

I read the first two books of the series a long time ago and was looking forward to getting back into it but I have to admit I was disappointed. I can't tell if it's because I had forgotten stuff or if it's because it was a prequel that seemed dropped in the middle of the series...because it was! Ah well, it was a quick read and now I can get back to the "real" story.

 Assassin's Apprentice, Robin Hobb

These were recommended to me by a friend quite a while ago. In fact, I ended up able to buy the whole series at last year's Calgary Herald book drive.

What can I say? I ate it up. On to book two!

Royal Assassin, Robin Hobb

And here's book two. Started a little slower than book one but not that I'm halfway through, I can't seem to put it down. Do I really have to go to work tomorrow?

Round 1: Let the Games Begin!

'Tis the season. No. It's not Christmas but it feels a little bit like it. NHL playoffs begin tomorrow and, in the Miller house, we're ready to go. I suppose it helps that one of our teams has survived the season and will join in the action.

Okay, it would be better if it were my team but, alas, it's another building year...finally I think Edmonton is actually at a stage when it says "building" it means building. Eberle, Hall and the Nuge give me hope. They're just fun to watch! Can you imagine what Nuge would have done without missing 20 games!? Dubnyk is proving his mettle between the pipes (did anyone see their last game against Vancouver? I sure did. 40 plus saves is not half bad if you ask me and boy, were some of them pretty!). If tonight's draft lottery goes well, we'll add another such young gun to the mix. So, while part of me is looking forward to next season and what that could mean for the Oilers, there is still a good two months of hockey to go. Let the games begin!

So, for what it's worth, here's my picks for this round:

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Ottawa (8) VS the Rangers (1)

I feel a little at odds with this series. I think part of it is that, being from the west, we don't get the same opportunity to see the Eastern teams in action...except for Toronto and Ottawa. Thank you Hockey Night in Canada for your early Eastern-viewer biased broadcast. Here's what I know. The Rangers have been this seemingly slow and steady entity all season thanks, in part, to the performance of their goaltender. Lundquist, of all the goalies making their way into the playoffs, finishined the season with one of the highest save percentages. The team finished with a solid 51-24-7 record. They can confidently boast deep offense and strong, solid, lock down defense.

Then there's Ottawa. Surprise!? Where did they come from? Also boasting strong, playoff tested offense - with guys like Spezza finishing the season in much finer form than they started- and a will to win, they could make this fun. They're on a bit of a roll and have a great record against Lundquist. It seems that they have his number.

If anyone can pull of an upset, it's going to be Ottawa so, while it might be against my better judgement, I'm going to pick Ottawa in 7. Yup. I said it. Yikes.

Washington Capitals (7) vs Boston Bruins (2)

Here's what Boston has going for them. A pretty stellar season. Tim Thomas, who I would suggest is easily one of the top goalies playing for Lord Stanley's Cup, even though he's been a bit streaky this season. I think he's got another level, the one that showed up during the post season last year, just waiting to be released.

They started the season with a bit of a hangover from their 2011 win and found themselves in a bit of a cold streak but have since pulled up their hockey socks and picked up their sticks finishing, like I said, having put on a pretty great show. The question could be depth. Horton's concussion could make him a question mark in the lineup. How big an impact that will be is yet to be seen.

Then there's Washington. What do they have going for them? Not that much. Ouch. Okay, okay. Sure they've got talent like Ovechkin and Backstrom to showcase but between some underproduction and lots of injury, have not seen what they should or could from their name players. As a team, they've been inconsistent and streaky. Did I mention injury? Starting the playoffs will be a rookie goaltender pulled up from the AHL thanks to injuries to their two big men between the pipes.

While I think it would be fun to see this one be big and beautiful with all names playing to potential, my pick is Boston in 5.

New Jersey Devils (6) vs Florida Panthers  (3)

If you can say that a team "squeaked" into the 3rd spot, then that's exactly what Florida did. Their regular season record is surprising. They've got nearly as many post regulation wins as they do regulation time wins. Either that means they need to pick it up during regulation or they really know how to stick it out and play when the heat is on. You pick. Boasting some solid, playoff experienced players, they're not going to be a pushover team.

If you've followed my ramblings at all, you know that I hate Detroit. Arg. That hasn't changed. This season they've been streaky and just plain annoying. Brodeur has had a strong back half of the season and could throw a monkey wrench into Florida's playoff dreams if too many games go to overtime with 23 shoot out wins to his credit this season.

Will this be a battle of the goalies, Brodeur vs Theodore?  So whether it's because of spite or stats, I'm not entirely sure but I'm going with Florida in 6.

Philadelphia Flyers (5) vs Pittsburgh Penguins (4)

This will be a series to watch. In the words of my hot husband, "This one will be war." War indeed. The only thing I think would be more fun would be to see the battle of Alberta (or Vancouver vs Calgary) played out in the first round. Fun, fisticuffs and fanatical fans.

Since the return of Crosby and Letang, Pittsburgh has been the team to be beat. Provided they stay healthy, they're on a roll. They've proved that they are in playoff form, a team to beat.

That said, Philly is well suited to this team and couldn't have asked for a better match up. There is certainly no love lost between these two teams and this season, if stats are worth anything, Philly has come out on top in more than half of the meetings between these two teams.

Offensively, defensively and by way of goaltending, these teams are matched. By way of attitude and, well, plain, blood-red hatred, they're matched.

Already the coaches are waging this war in the media, Philly's main mind calling Crosby and Malkin two of the dirtiest players in the league.  Them's be fightin' words.

Penguins in 7.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

I guarantee you who it won't be. It won't be the Calgary fLames. How sweet it is. Have I mentioned that I love living in Calgary and watching the band wagon jumpers attack their own team? I never need to gloat, badger or otherwise beat down the team I despise when their own fans are willing to do it!

Colin and I went to a fLames/Avalanche game with about a week left in the season. Apparently, by the numbers, the fLames still had a playoff hope although if you ask us, that dream had died a painful death a long time ago. It was fun. Sitting in the rafters with the "real" fans, watching a stinker of a game (for real, the Zamboni was the most entertaining part of the game) and listening to the fans complain about their team. At one point a chant of "Let's go Oilers" filled the air. Oh, how much joy that brought to my Edmonton loving heart. And, just when I thought it couldn't get any better, they switched it up; "Let's go Blue Jays." That is the moment when a city full of bandwagon jumpers made me smile.

So no fLames.

That leaves us with four rather interesting battles.

LA Kings (8) vs Vancouver Canucks (1)

LA can boast some strong defensive power, resting on some Quick goal tending. While potentially slightly biased, I figure that's the best that LA has to offer. Offensively they have been fairly quiet even with the players they acquired during the season. At the helm is Sutter. There's no love lost in my books for the Sutter brothers and Daryl's post season experience doesn't leave me feeling like he's got many tricks to pull out in the post season...no Kipper to ride this year.

Vancouver didn't pull out the number one spot by accident. With a rough start to the year, similar to Boston's post playoff hangover, they too have pulled up their socks. Some would say that they are not the team of 2010-2011 and stats would seem to suggest the same, with the talent they have, I feel like it's safe to say they have the legs to find another gear. Home ice advantage and the hunger of the fans will fuel the fire and help with that energy. Kesler isn't done. He's just angry. More to come from that monster. While Daniel didn't skate today, I wouldn't be surprised if that's a bit of gamesmanship from Coach V. Henrik has been in fine form, even without his brother. If you listen to the media, the only question is Luongo. There's another gear to be found in this guy who is more than able to put a string of wins together. Whether teams will get in his head or not, whether the playoff are too much for Lou or whether he's the man for the job is somewhat irrelevant, actually, considering they've got Schneider, another A level net-minder waiting in the wings.

I can't even begin to tell you how disappointed Colin would be if I picked LA. That said, this is one of those things I wouldn't do just to make my husband happy. I do this of my own accord. Vancouver in 6.

San Jose Sharks (7) vs St.Louis blues (2)

I've lost track of how many times I've wondered aloud about the placement of St.Louis this year. How have they risen to the top of the western conference? How? That said, they ended the season on a weaker note due to an injury riddled attacking line that is slowly, very slowly, returning to health.

Halak's goaltending is strong. Can the rest of the team stand tall in front of him?

Word on the street is that defensemen Alex Pietrangelo could be a game changer. I will be curious to see what impact this young gun will have on the team's playoff run.

San Jose is boasting star power, play off experienced star power. Thornton, Marleau, Boyle and Niemi.  While their regular season was a bit of a roller coaster, they've proven themselves, or at least Niemi has, in the playoffs.

That said, I'm not feeling brave enough to call for the upset. St. Louis in 7. 

Chicago Blackhawks (6) vs Phoenix Coyotes (3)

Boring. Who plays for Phoenix again? Do they even play hockey there? Oh, and Chicago? Ug. Despise them.

Okay, for real. There's not much to say here. Not a lot of playoff experience for Phoenix. Chicago is the offensive power of the two. Phoenix plays defensively. The difference between these two teams, I think, will be injury and special teams. Both teams are finding themselves to be injury prone, Chicago facing some significant absences, most remarkably that of Toews who's out thanks to a concussion. If he's back, there's no telling what condition it will be in. A significant loss to the Blackhawks. Neither team has proven to be stellar on the power play, each holding  records in the bottom of the barrel.  Penalty kill is a different story. To go along with their defensive prowess, Phoenix has proven to be tops on the penalty kill while Chicago has been dismal. Dismal.

Really, that's just a lot of grumbling. As much as I hate to say it, I think it's going to be Chicago in 5.

Detroit Red Wings (5) vs. Nashville Predators (4)

Or should I say Howard vs Pekka Rinne?  While Detroit can bring it with a team of proven veterans, their season has been spotty to say the least. Watching the last couple games, they do not look like a team getting ready to shine in the playoffs. Nashville has the top power play in the league and some outstanding goal tending.

Zetterberg,  Datsyuk, and Lidstrom aren't going to make it easy but I still say Nashville in 7. Or maybe it's that I just don't like Detroit either. I don't. I hate those guys.

And that's what I have to say about that.

Current Read

Still cruising along! Just finished these two.

Catching Fire, Suzanne Collins










Mockingjay, Suzanne Collins. I have been told this shouldn't be possible but I think this actually is my favorite of the three. The story just kept getting better as it went along, each book getting better, providing more action and more depth of character. Yes, I was sad to turn the last page.







But that means that I can dive into this one. I've read two others by this author and thoroughly enjoyed them. This one is promising to be a bit of a different sort of read, a bit of a different pace, so we'll see. Here goes!

The Winter Ghosts, Kate Mosse

Current Read

 I've been cruising through books lately. Stories. Mindless fiction for young and old. Okay, not all mindless. The Templar Legacy has quite a bit of history and theology woven through it, enough to keep my mind sorting fact from fiction and putting long forgotten learning into action.

The Templar Legacy, Steve Berry












Graceling, Kristin Cashore 











Hunger Games, Suzanne Collins 
I picked up this one because the girls are reading it and because the movie is coming out and they want to see it. If it weren't for that, I likely would have put it down after the first chapter and, admittedly, I've relished in sharing something like this with the girls. But I digress. Back to the book. The concept itself - children killing children for sport, coliseum style - just didn't, no, doesn't sit right with me. Scary stuff. I read each page bracing for the horror of that to erupt. But it didn't. Not really. See, it's not gory and they did such a good job of telling the story and creating the characters that one almost becomes desensitized to the actual concept behind it all. Maybe that's what does it. I wonder if that's how it was in the coliseum. Create enough of an air of celebration, fun and frenzy around it that the observer forgets what's really going on. It becomes sport. The stuff of fiction. Entertainment. And so this is what I'm thinking about thanks to a kids' book. That and reading the next book. It's sitting on my shelf waiting for me to finish the next one.

Say cheese!

One of my favorite things to do is playing with my camera, catching the world around me through my lens. I don't always take the time to do it the way I should but this past week, I took the chance to play...and enjoy...and so I thought I would share some of the things that make me happy! 

Have you ever had one of those days that just sort of sucks the life out of you? Piles of little things bringing you down and leaving you discouraged and disparaged and, well, empty? Perhaps, on those days, you want nothing more than to fall into bed, pull the covers over your head and sleep away the numbness?

That's a little how today feels but, friends, it's almost over and tomorrow is a new day. A better day. A fresh start.

I thank God for new days.

oops

Source: iwastesomuchtime.com via Bonnie on Pinterest

In Response

Most people that know me, know that for years, the place of women in the church and the theology behind it has been close to my heart. Recently, John Piper, a respected teacher, speaking to a group of pastors, described what he believes as God's intention for Christianity to have a "masculine feel." Admittedly, this smacks in the face of so much of what I believe about God, gender roles, and the church. It seems I'm not alone. Bloggers from all over have added their two cents worth into the conversation. One of the ones that I have found most interesting is by a lady named Rachel Held Evans. She asked her male readers to share their opinion. Read what they shared here.

Practicing truth and the love of a good man

It has been 3 months and 27 days since I married my love and, while the two blonde princesses that call him "Daddy" have been in my life for years up to that point, something changed that day. In addition to becoming "wife," I became "step-mom" even though that term has rarely, if ever, been spoken in our home. After 3 months and 27 days, what could I possibly have to share about mothering, about step-mothering, in fact? So many more have gone before me, learned more, shared more, been more and yet here I am trying to put my thoughts and musings into something in black and white.

Here's what I know. Step-mothering is an art.

Most days, I don't feel like an artist.

Most days I feel anything but. Every bit of selfishness, fear, insecurity, and impatience is brought into the open, laid, I fear, for all the world to see. I am ever conscious of the fact that I am not *yet* (I hope) the woman described in Proverbs 31, that godly wife who moves with grace, compassion and a shrewd ability to care for her family.

I knew that this journey would be hard and would take a ton of adjustment. I knew there would be growing pains and heartache. I just didn't know how much. I hadn't expected the loneliness and the lack of control. I didn't know how much I would be surrendering my schedule, my home, my bank account, my time with my husband, my hopes and dreams and my heart to this role. 

Never before have I been aware of such anger, spite and resentment in my heart. I long to protect these girls, my family, from the one who should be protecting them in all things and from all things...and yet that is not my place.

I have come to believe that the term "step-mom" is more apt than I once thought as so often it feels as though I am only taking a half step into motherhood. I share the responsibility for their well being, for their happiness, for their growth and for their hearts. I share the sacrifice. I share the early mornings and the chauffeuring and the school band productions and the dance competitions and the fights that erupt between sisters in a way that only sisters can accomplish. I share the desire to see them to flourish and to grow to be women after God's own heart. They have my heart. But I am not their mother. Some days, my most insecure days,  I wonder if I am anything more than the woman their daddy married.  The big decisions - the ones that matter - those are made between mother and father. It is in these moments that I feel like a participant from a distance, if a participant at all. The deep knowledge of the innerworkings of these girls is not mine - the memories, the stories, the likes and dislikes, the friendships, and the background behind it all. The deepest and most tender of moments - from heart ache to celebration - are not moments that I share and it's in those moments that I feel on the outside of something special, a bond more powerful than anything else. There will be no mother's day or parent teacher interviews or holidays without struggle and argument. And so I'm "step-mom, " stepping into their lives and hoping to share a part of me with part of them.

And so here I am, limping along, feeling a lot more like a toddler with a crayon scrawling on the walls than the artist I hope to one day be, beginning to put practices in place to save my sanity and my heart so that I can spend more days offering something of value to my family, creating home together, living together well. Two practices that I hope and pray will make the difference.

I practice loving my husband well.

A friend of mine shared a photo of a button recently. The bright orange button was a beacon sharing this "Parenting is a hard. It's a good thing my co-worker is cute." And it's true. He is. We have heard so many sermons and read the books that talk about God's vision for marriage being of two people coming together as one, about making your spouse the priority, and about constantly coming back to the heart of the other and you know what? It's true. It makes a difference. Funny how scriptural truths do that, huh!? And so we work to love each other well. We spend time together. We talk. We cry. I meet him with a kiss and take time to rub that spot on the back of his neck because I am learning that my touch assures his heart that I am with him. We watch hockey and share quiet over a glass of wine. Sometimes it's just nice to be quiet. I tell him that I'm proud of him because I mean it, from the depth of my heart I mean it. He calls in the middle of a busy day and I know it's because he knows that my language is time and that connection means the world to me. We share about work and home and family. And, because this adventure isn't always easy, we have to find ways to laugh. And laugh we do because, you know what My Love? You are fun and hilarious and one of the reasons I love you is because you laugh with me...and sometimes at me. We spend time doing things the other enjoys for the sake of the other. We date even when life is busy...sometimes especially when it's so. I try to remember to say "thank you" everyday for this man I know is a gift.

We do this because when we are good, they will be good and we will be good for them.

I practice truth.

My love and I truly believe, even when I am in this place, that His Word is truth and want our home to be filled with the sweet fragrance of the Spirit. It is undeniable that some days the smell is stronger and sweeter than others but hopefully, hopefully, the aroma remains, hints of it on the air, even on our worst days. And so we aim to live that truth. Not simply in actions for the world to see but deep in our hearts, spilling out into all of how we live.

And we believe that all truth is God's truth so, in my heart, I daily work to remind myself of truth. My list goes something like this:

*I am not perfect. I don't have to be perfect. I will mess up. Oh, is this hard for this perfectionist soul and yet so freeing and so life giving.
* We are all adjusting. Me. Him. Them. All of us. It will take time and that's okay.
* My job description is to love. The rest of the details can be figured out. 
* This is not a situation that the girls' chose. Even believing with all that is in me that this is God's good redemptive work of a crappy situation doesn't make the crappy situation less, well, crappy (yes, I just used crappy three times. I know).
* No matter how much I stand in direct opposition with the values, choices and decisions of their "mommy", she is still their "mommy" and they deserve to be free to love her. Every girl needs their mommy. Part of me being in their lives is to help them have healthy relationships even in difficult situations.
* Just because she's their mommy doesn't make her right. I can disagree. Sometimes my disagreement needs to stay on the inside and sometimes it needs to be spoken...without making it "about" mommy but rather about truth and living well and having opinions that are different.
* They are children. They will react to situations like children. The picky eating, the sudden outbursts, the seemingly unending stories about "mommy," the challenges around bedtime and homework and chores and packing lunches, the complaining about well, whatever, are because they're kids and need guidance. They are not personal. They are not about me. There is no attack or ill will intended.
* I have the freedom - no, the privilege - of participating in teaching them and guiding them while they are in our home, addressing situations as they come up with grace and love and partnering with My Heart as we grow with them. Sometimes there are things that he will need to handle as their daddy. This is important and good.
* I only have control - or a semblance of such - of what happens in my home. I can not control what happens the other days of their week BUT I can influence them and help give them the tools to react well and discern wisely.
* There are good times, golden moments, that I have to hold onto. There are inside stories, moments of laughter and acceptance, and things unique to our home and our family that we can all cherish.
* My feelings and emotions are not wrong or bad or shameful. As much as I often do, I don't need to feel guilt for finding aspects of this new "hat" difficult.
* As much as it sometimes feels lonely, I am not alone. My Love and I are in this together and I trust him with all that I am. I can trust him enough to share the truth with him when I hurt. I can trust him enough to ask questions. I can trust him enough to include me in the moments of joy. I can trust him enough to protect all three of his girls. I can trust him to live truth too.

Conversation between My Love and I has often centered around truth. Speaking truth, in love, when it's hard. Knowing when to speak truth into lies. How God is truth and shines through the darkness. He reminds me often that Truth wins. Even when I feel like I'm tripping and stumbling, even when it seems like lies abound and the enemy is digging his claws in deep, even when I'm lonely and want to allow myself a good cry, I can know that truth wins. Perhaps only in bits and pieces now but victory, oh, sweet victory, will come and will come on the side of truth.

And so today, I know that step-mothering is an art. Instead of hating that I feel like toddler, today I'm going to try to remember, with all the grace that I can muster, that not even the world's most renowned artists painted their masterpieces on the first day.

Current Read

I couldn't do it. I posted a while ago about a book I was going to read, a book that was good for me and different from what I had been reading. I knew it would be a challenge and that I might need a little help. As it turns out, I needed a lot of help and, well, ended up distracted, reading these instead. And yes, they are worth the hype! I'll get back to that other "good for me" one eventually.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Girl Who Played with Fire, and the Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest, Stieg Larsson

It seems like no matter how early the day starts, no matter how frustrating the situations we find ourselves, no matter how much we chauffeur or cook or clean, no matter how many loads of laundry await or how much homework there is, it seems that the end of the day brings rest. Together we laugh, we catch up, we tell our stories, we cry, we hope, we connect. It's in those moments, at the end of the day, that I can say "I am my beloved's and he is mine" and it is good.

Top Ten Health Reasons to Drink Coffee

Here is an article on the top ten health reasons to drink coffee. Love it. Who cares about the heavenly taste?! Now it's healthy too? Well, we knew that before but here's another dose of proof supporting my case. Haven't had a cup all week thanks to work scheduling but just might go brew a pot (of decaf) right now!

I sent this little note out to a few friends and family earlier today and, after some consideration, thought I'd toss it up here too.

Hey friends,

Over the past several years, I have been thankful for my position at 
the pool. It's been a flexible way to supplement my position at 
Journey. I have been thankful that it has been a bit of a safety net, 
providing an income, over the last several months of transition. It is 
becoming apparent, with the instability of the scheduling at the pool 
and the effects of budget cuts across the city, that it is very likely 
not a long term solution for our family. Unless something changes with 
the city, for stability and sanity, it seems like it would be a good 
time for me to start poking around for a new job.

That's why I'm dropping you this little note. The truth is, I have no 
idea where to look. I'm not sure what i want to do or what's out 
there. But two heads are better than one, right? If you hear of 
anything that you think would be a good fit for me, feel free to let 
me know and, in the meantime, your prayers would be appreciated!

Thanks,

Stacey

I really don't know what I'm looking for. Hopefully by putting a couple heads together, some idea somewhere will start a little brainstorm for me or present the right opportunity and I'll be off!!

It's true...and a little frightening. I see it in the way that I approach the world - very different from the way it was 10 years ago - but, even more dramatic, is the way I see it in the way Colin's girls, my step-daughters, approach the world. They are plugged in kids who hang out with plugged in kids.

In some ways, the use of technology has made so much of what we do easier. Information is more accessible, world wide communication is easier (isn't skype a beautiful thing!?), entertainment is everywhere and we can do things online we never imagined.

From my perspective, though, there are things that are lost. The art of conversation, for example. Family time seems harder to find. Who remembers car rides where you had conversations, listened to music (together) and played silly car games to pass the time? Now there's dvd players, ipods, etc. Patience seems at an all time low. So much is at their fingertips...and ours...and it seems we expect so much more to be immediate. The internet is fast so why shouldn't everything else?

Expectations are different too. Before texting, there was email. Before email there were answering machines. Before answering machines, there were busy signals. We waited. Now, no matter where we are or who we're with, it seems, we jump and make the buzz of the phone a priority. If, heaven forbid, you are one of the few that will let their phone sit, the chance is good that the person on the other end make all sorts of assumptions. You are mad them. There's something wrong. As an employer, perhaps their frustration boils...even on the weekend. We are expected to be accessible all the time but at what cost. And what about the school system? When I was in school (and yes, I recognize that was a long time ago), we did not need ipods, laptops, and internet access everywhere to make our education happen. I recognize that times are changing and I recognize that some of these tools can make learning easier. I see the advantages but, again, at what cost socially, educationally and financially? Then there's the pressure and expectation to "have" these things. Ipods, ipads, phones for everyone in the house (what age is the right age for a cell phone, by the way?), multiple tvs, pvrs (which I admit, I'm addicted to) and computers. 

As I'm trying to figure out what it means to live well and to help raise two girls to live well, there's a lot of questions in my mind where the use of technology is concerned. I know, too, that there are many different opinions to the whole discussion out there. How do we figure out how to utilize the strengths of technology without letting it control us?