Not rabbit ears any longer...

but DirectTV is our vehicle for tube entertainment. Two years ago when my back giddy-upped and went, I found myself often flat on it with only rabbit ears input. Husband decided that this event plus our foray into homeschooling warranted a decision on television options.

Regarding TV, Husband and I came from vastly different ranches. The TV was usually on at my house. I remember exactly why a TV tray and a TV dinner were in vogue for years. I saw a lot of TV while growing up. And not always what I should have been watching.

In Husband's home, a TV with cable was available, but he was "one of those" kids with barely any interest in it at all. Give him the woods. And a gun. Or a car engine and a toolkit.

At wedding time, I was prepared to register for a 21" and considered myself quite disciplined at that. Husband suggested that for our first year of marriage that we not have a television but spend the time with one another. How romantic! Well, of course, how does a gooey eyed girl in love turn down that type of proposal. Our first year being spent in Korea where only one English channel existed didn't make the "compromise" all that hard on my part.

Besides, at our one year anniversary, I fully expected to now receive a 25". Husband dropped the other shoe that he didn't really want a television, never had, and was really hoping that after a year without, I would see things his way as well. Ahem. This was an idea to get used to for sure.

But the first five years of our marriage found me listening intensely to good radio and great radio shows, to news and opinions that I'd missed for years. The time in hospital with James was one of intense TV watching as my drug of choice for escape. Coming out of all that, Husband did relent and buy a television for me. It was now the drug of choice for numbness to grief.

Fast forward, like a DVR, to two years ago. We had resisted the cable option, only having it for about 1 year when the monthly cost was under $10. Stepping up to this type of option has certainly had its pros and cons. The boys in the next room watching a Modern Marvels with their Dad brought me to this line of thinking.

I DVR a tremendous amount of History channel programs and Discovery channel shows for supplement to our curriculum. this year so far some of what we've studied has been on pioneers, the west, outlaws, cowboys, frontier homes, Abraham Lincoln, the Civil War, and tomorrow, Ellis Island. I've been able to record programs and documentaries on each of those.

For science, we've studied the planets, stars and comets. Again, multiple shows on these topics have presented themselves. Caveat here: most of these are from the evolutionary viewpoint so the boys practice shouting down the billions of years theories with Biblical proofs while at the same time truly enjoying the amazing pictures.

And Husband and I have become Food Network afficionados. We're all reduce this, saute that, confit there, ceviche here. Working in the kitchen together has a whole new flavor. Intended.

So, while rabbit ears no longer and the monthly cost obviously higher (tho' we're still at the bottom of cost packages!), I appreciate the benefits and continue to practice self-discipline for the cons. It is our reality show.