The Saturday 7

1. We didn't have school on Monday for Winter Break, so we did something winter-y and went sledding. It was actually perfect sledding weather - enough snow to be fun, but warm and sunny enough not to be freezing. The snow melted a couple days later, so it was good that we had our fun while we had the chance - and by "we" I mean Lena and Levi. Lucy wouldn't dare, and I'm too old and fragile. We went with Cousin Esther and her kids to a park in Ravenna that my kids have never been to. The kids lasted almost two hours, so I'd say it was a success! Unfortunately, I didn't get any good pictures.

2. The sledding was a good distraction for us because I cracked down on screen time starting on Monday. I figured out how to turn off the Wi-Fi for specific devices from the T-Mobile app on my phone. So the kids had zero Internet. Levi went back to listening to audiobooks, Lucy never left her room, and Lena flitted around doing this and that. A while ago Lena found some old Odyssey CDs that I had. She and Levi tried listening to them, but they're so old and scratched that they barely worked. But I realized how much Levi liked them, and decided to take advantage of that. I don't mind him listening to audio books, but it's a lot of work to find any that are free and appropriate. The idea of having a whole library of Odyssey episodes at his disposal - that will not only be entertaining and wholesome, but also teach him things about the Bible and American history - was too good to pass up. So I bit the bullet and signed up for the Adventures in Odyssey Club. Well, actually, I signed up for the two week trial, but at the rate Levi is speeding through the episodes, I think I'll continue with the paid membership when my trial is up. I do worry a little that I'm feeding his need for constant entertainment by letting him listen to it all hours of the day, but I justify it by telling myself it's better than screen time.

3. Listening to old Odyssey episodes is especially nostalgic for me. My siblings and I used to listen to them as they were released on the radio a hundred years ago. And when one ended on a cliffhanger, we had to a wait a whole nother week to hear the conclusion! Kids these days will never know. Thinking about those days made me think of other gems from my childhood that led to this list . . .

You might have been a Christian kid in the 90s if . . .
- You know the zip code for Colorado Springs, Colorado by heart
- You can't search for your hairbrush without breaking into song.

- You learned how to spell/sing "Christian" and "eternally" before you learned how to spell your own last name (especially us Dutchies with the weird last names).

- You used to creep downstairs after bedtime to make sure your parents were still there/hadn't been raptured without you (this might just be a Baptist thing - lol)
- You wore either a purity ring or WWJD bracelet (or both, if you were extra spiritual)

- You know what a sword drill is

- You know Psalty, the Donut Man, and WeeSing Bible Songs - and can probably sing some of their songs to this day.

- You had Veggie Tales and McGee and Me on VHS and had all the episodes memorized.

What else am I missing? Man, those were the days . . .

4. In stark contrast to my nostalgia for the 90s, I did something crazy this week and bought my kids a cell phone. Hahaha. Before you freak out . . . I actually bought us a "home phone" that happens to be a cheap Tracfone with zero data. We've been leaving the kids home alone a little more lately, and I'm always worried about their ability to contact me if they need to. When I'm allowing Wi-Fi usage, they can facebook message me with their tablets, but when the Wi-Fi is turned off they literally have no way to get ahold of anyone in case of an emergency. Additionally, Levi's obsession with Odyssey has been kind of annoying for me, because the app isn't compatible with his Fire Tablet, so he has to use my phone anytime he wants to listen. With this new "home phone," I can turn on the Wi-Fi long enough to download a bunch of episodes for him to listen to, then turn it back off so he can't use the phone for anything else. It also alleviates a little bit of Lucy's phone envy without totally giving in to getting her a phone. We made a rule that she can text/call her friends, but the phone is not allowed to leave the living room. So she can't isolate herself away in there, but she can communicate with her friends. Almost all of them have phones . . . stinkin' Christian school 13 year olds. 😠 I guess it proves that it's not the 90s anymore, when my kids were excited about a "home phone." 😂

5. In more depressing news, I finally got the dreaded letter today . . .

Justin and I were officially denied Medicaid. I spent the afternoon researching my options for health insurance, and let me tell you . . . it is depressing. Like . . . is it all a scam? You're telling me I have to pay a monthly premium, but still pay for every doctor's visit and prescription and hospital stay until we reach an absurd dollar amount that would put us into crippling debt? This must be a hoax. Apparently I've taken Medicaid for granted for way too many years. Suffice it to say, I'll be canceling the appointment I just made for my colonoscopy! If I die of colon cancer, you can blame the government. 😂

6. Well that's all I've got this week. I don't even have many pics or memes. Sincerest apologies.