Unplugged

I am a TV-aholic. I love tv. My kids watch too much and so do I. When I found out we were moving, I had this 'plan' to not order tv and just play with the kids. Who needs that trash anyway? Well, day 1 in Texas and I was craving my shows. It did NOT help that it was the season finale of Grey's Anatomy either. I jinxed the poor DirecTv guy by telling him he HAD to have my satellite up and running so that I could watch Grey's that night. 5 hours later and a supervisor coming to help, he FINALLY gets it set up. YAY! Well then the depression hits from moving half way across the country. I have no family and no friends (as of then), the boys are bored out of their minds because it is HOT and they have no one to play with. So I plant myself on my couch and sit. For hours a day, either cartoons or my shows were on. It didn't matter, that television never turned off. (I am so embarrassed admitting this right now). Today that is ending. (I hope) I got up this morning determined today was going to be different. So I ate breakfast and went into the front room and UNPLUGGED the television. The boys sat there looking at me like I had gone nuts. Remember that Berenstein Bears book that talked about Too Much TV? That is how they looked and responded to me. However, they have played marbles, we have worked on school papers to keep them ready for school this fall, they played outside building sand castles, they have read books and Zack learned how to use scissors. They have only asked 1 time to watch TV and when I said no, they moved along to the next adventure. I plan on allowing them short amounts of TV time everyday, but at 8:30 every morning that TV is getting UNPLUGGED. Wish me luck! And any ideas of keeping them busy would be appreciated!