I love technology and Apple Products, But.......

We've been crazy busy here. Soccer season for my little Caveman and another meet for Flippin Princess this past weekend. We drove to Myrtle Beach, SC with some friends. She competed at the Coastal Classic. Sarah did very well and had a great time. 

**Free Pokemon and Starwars Notebook covers at the end of this post!! **

I love technology...specifically Apple Products. I use ALL Apple products. Iphone, Ipad and a Mac desktop. I've never been hacked on an Apple device. 

I was *thinking* about switching to an Android phone for the storage. I was getting a pedicure and these two ladies walked in. We started chatting and she had the new Note 9 phone?? Not sure but it was an android phone. She was my age or perhaps a bit older. She was telling me that she had the phone for a few months and had already been hacked. Well, that was the end of that!!! 

When my older two children were younger, we'd use a regular HP desktop, etc. I could get a new computer and within 6 months be having problems. It would crash in the middle of the school year. Not very reliable. When Sarah was about 4, I told my husband that I wanted a Mac desktop. I got one as a  Christmas gift. That was 6 years ago and I'm still using the same one. Worth EVERY penny!! 

I use Amazon Echo's in my home. Dots in the bedrooms. I use them as intercoms, alarms, timers and dictionaries. I love technology. My children have Kindle Fires, Dots in their bedrooms and my daughter uses my old Iphone 6plus around the house on wifi. That thing still works very well!!! 

My 8 y/o, Caveman, has a Nintendo Switch, a Kindle Fire and an Echo dot in his room. 

What I'm trying to point out is that I'm NOT anti-technology. I'm not Anti-technology for children. 

What I have noticed is that children today are entertained EVERY MINUTE OF THE DAY. 

I was sitting in the doctor's office with David. He and I both looked around and saw 6 other children sitting quietly. ALL of them looking down on their phones. ALL OF THEM!!! None of them looked up. David looked up at me with a smirk on his face and said, "Can I use your phone?" Without taking a breath I said, "Nope." and smiled. He smiled and then picked up the Sports Illustrated sitting on the end table next to him. He started telling me about something he was reading about baseball. I almost regretted not giving him my phone because I hadn't understood one single word. 

I began to think back to when my older two children were younger. They're 28 and 27 now. We didn't have cell phones when they were 7. Not like today. Parents didn't carry them around and we certainly didn't have games and apps on them. When we were at the doctors, the children would start talking and playing. They would socialize and parents would chat. We'd all share why we were there...talk about education, etc. 

Today it's very different. Children are too busy being entertained to socialize. I was saddened by what I saw. David eventually got up and started chatting with a crying 3 y/o. I could see the mom was actually relieved that her toddler was being entertained. I smiled and I thought about a time where that was normal. When children would make friends ANY WHERE they went. Today, we have children who are too busy playing games to socialize. As a homeschooling mom, I find the lack of socializing ironic. I've gotten that question over the years again and again. 

I can assure that today any parent needs to worry about that. My children make friends on vacation, at the store, in the doctors office. Not because they're "Socialized". Simply because they don't have their heads down looking at their phones. 

This is funny snapchat video that my 10 y/o and I had fun creating. We don't rehearse these. She actually picked the topic too. We have fun doing Edna and Bertha. Seems like Bertha isn't sure if she's a Brookly Jew like my grandparents or a Southern Yenta. I'll have to practice that. 

I created these cute notebook covers. Pokemon and Starwars. Free downloads. 

Please do NOT share these files with anyone. Have them come here to my blog. 

Click Here to Download

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April's Calendar AND The Coastal Classic

I can't believe it's March!!! The time goes quickly! 

In Feb. I posted a blog with March's Calendar. 

Now I've got April's Calendar and Weekly Calendar!! I don't date them so that you can use them year after year! 

We're heading down to SC... Myrtle Beach!! Sarah is very excited. We're traveling with our friends, the Spencers! There are a few times in life where God brings people to you and they quickly become family!! This is them!! I love creating fun, colorful printables, and these cute photos. These girls have worked hard!! Sarah's competing USAG Silver and Khloe is competing USAG Gold!! Gold is a tough level. The competition is fierce and the judges are much tougher on the gymnasts. Khloe worked hard and I'm sure she'll do great! These two really do enjoy each other. What I love is when I hear them encouraging each other, or confessing when they're struggling with something. They push one another to be better, not just in gymnastics but in Godly Character. Of course when I walk in a room barely dressed and hear, "Oh Hi Mrs. Paulsen!!" I want to kill them. LOL Face time is a great tool but also annoying. 

No matter how they do this weekend, we always celebrate their hard work. To celebrate, I'm posting Aprils Calendars. I've got a two-page spread and a weekly calendar so that you can post it on your fridge for all to see. You can add your meal plan to the day as well. 

These pink and lavendar calendars can be laminated or put into frames. Or you can print them out and just write on them. Plenty of space to write in your daily tasks along with extra room on the weekly page. I love putting the weekly one in a frame. You can write on it with a fine tipped Sharpie and wipe clean with Alcohol. Collect the whole set!!! Always Free!!! 

**I do NOT Require that you follow or subscribe to my blog, but I'd love if you did!! You will get an email with every new blog post. This is an easier way to keep track of the printables I post. 

**Please do NOT share these with anyone. Have them come here to download the files directly. This helps with advertising. You can follow me here on my blog. Also Facebook (Laura Paulsen) , Instagram and Youtube.  I posted a video on how to edit the notebook covers. 

Click To Download