Who Doesn't Love a Random Post?

Yes it's about that time people!

One: Our neighbours are having a party. It's a BIG one complete with lots of Whohoo's and chick screams wafting over the brick wall between us. I am told he's a cop so I am confident things won't get too rowdy BUT our retarded dog is freaking out about every 10 minutes. He launches into a barking fit and runs through the dog door to the side of the home where he stands barking right below the girls' windows while they are trying to sleep. He's now barking inside the home at some of the people out front. I can't hear them but I have to assume they are there because he's going nuts. I could really wring his neck tonight. I honestly don't love him like I should. It's just that he's very annoying. He barks a lot. Like Rienne says, "He's like a door bell that you have to feed." (that kid cracks me up!) My reply: "I suppose you're right. I guess we made a bad investment then. A door bell would have been cheaper and less hassle."

Two: I woke up to find Ally in our bed barfing next to me this morning. Nothing says "good morning" like hearing my child heave. She lost it all over my pillow. Thankfully my head was not on it. Poor baby. We had a full day of fun planned including my nephew's birthday party at Pump it Up. We got to lay on the couch and watch 2 movies instead. BORING! I am praying the other two don't come down with this as well. She still has a fever but hasn't had another episode since.

Three: I am avoiding TV again. Honestly, I find that the more I watch TV the more I stick around for even a few minutes to view the catastrophe that is cable and I don't EVER want to be desensitized to that kind of stuff. Nothing but a total freak show. My flesh nature can't help but stop to take just a peek at the raging lunacy. It's come down to a matter of protecting myself and my time. I have too much to accomplish in life to spend my time camping out rotting my brain. It's cable news for me and that's about it. There just really isn't anything worthwhile on television these days and while I'd love nothing more to sit on my lazy butt and veg out for a while I can't even watch prime time commercials without being offended. TV IS SO NOT KID FRIENDLY ANYMORE.

Why does selling tooth paste need to be sexual? Can anyone explain that to me? Honestly, now they've turned chewing gum into an experience that a woman cannot complete without wrapping herself around some random stranger and making out with him in a grocery store. What's next? They've yet to sexualize house cleaning products. How long do you think it will take to have a half naked woman scrubbing the toilets with some special cleaner? I don't know whether Ad-Exec's mistakenly believe we are that depraved OR if it's truthfully effective advertising and the sad fact is that our society will purchase anything that has a little sex tagged on with it over something that is advertised straight up. That's a scary thought to me.

I read this post and it made my heart heavy only because I ,too, am haunted by the messages our kids have probably seen hundreds of times already in their short little lives. How many times have my kids seen billboards of half naked women driving home the message that when the girls in this society grow up they should aspire to be objects of lust for others' gratification. Why just yesterday, actually. Rienne and Rory were commenting on the beer billboard that showed only the scantily clad shoulders through the waist portion of a woman. What in the world?! I didn't know women drink beer through their belly buttons...... or nipples for that matter. YUCK. I need a shower.

The sad truth is that as hard as hubby and I try to protect their innocence and sense of self from the distortions our society places on sexuality the messages will still reach them. Earlier and earlier these days.

........Parenting requires a battle plan, I tell you.