Spring 2023 Wrap-Up

 

Yet again, the past few months have been a whirlwind, and I haven't been posting life updates to the blog the way I typically do.  Here's a little rundown of what the past few months have brought to the Geek family:

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We celebrated Easter with my parents, sisters, and their families.  I made the dresses that the girls wore, and the tie that Peanut wore. The cousins had a blast playing together.

Little Bean turned 2 years old!  She loved eating her Happy Birthday Cake at her Happy Birthday Party while everyone sang Happy Birthday to her.  Her favorite gift was her "puter", a little LeapFrog "laptop" that she likes to "work" on while Mommy works.

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Miss Chief was in a couple of performances of Cinderella with her ballet studio.  She played several roles, but her favorite part was her feature as the court jester, the Prince's little assistant during and after the ball.  She got a chance to show off the cartwheel she has worked so hard to perfect, along with her pantomime and comedy skills.

We're quickly approaching the last day of school!  No snow days this year means we actually get out a few days early, and yet it still feels as though the productive part of the year has ended.  It really makes me wonder why we're sending them in for two weeks of parties and field days, but I guess it's good for them to have time to spend with their friends without the pressure of doing actual work.

How has your spring been?

Much love,

The Geeks

 

Fall 2022 Wrap-Up

 So, turns out a lot of stuff happened around here between Halloween and Christmas- stuff which I usually document here, but we were just way too busy.  So rather than giving each a dedicated post, I'll just give you a little taste all in one.  (If you follow me on Instagram, however, you did indeed see some of these life updates!)

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Little Bean turned 18 months old, and in her aged wisdom she decided to leave behind her high chair and sit only in a booster seat in a regular chair, using utensils and eating from her own plate just like everybody else.

In November, Mr. Geek and I celebrated our tenth wedding anniversary.  I had planned to write up this sweet list of marriage advice learned over ten years, but instead I'll leave you with this- we had our parents come and stay with the kids for the weekend and we spent two night in a sweet little historic inn half an hour up the road.  That's it, that's the secret to ten happy years of marriage.

 

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Miss Chief celebrated her 9th birthday on the same day as our wedding anniversary.  The day after we got back from our little getaway, we had a big birthday party for her.   She wore a dress that she designed and I made, and she invited all the girls in her class.  It was the first big party we've had since the pandemic started and we all had a blast.

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In December, Mr. Geek and I joined Miss Chief for 3 performances of The Nutcracker with her ballet school.  Every year, they ask for parent volunteers to dance as the parents in the party scene, and since Miss Chief was cast as a child in the party scene, we decided to go for it and join her on stage.  It was a LOT of work but honestly we haven't had that much fun in a long time!

So yeah, that was our fall!  Hopefully I can get back into posting here on a semi-regular basis.  I sewed a lot of awesome things in 2022 and I'd like to share them with you!

What did the end of the year look like for you?

Much love,

The Geeks 

Currently, Chief is...{8 years}

 This has been simultaneously the longest and the shortest year ever.  The pandemic continues to drag on seemingly to no end, since nobody wants to make the minimum amount of effort to end it, and yet also it seems like I just blinked and Miss Chief aged an entire year.  She has only gotten more amazing as she's grown- check out just how amazing.

Thanksgiving 2020

Currently, Chief is in second grade.  She did the entirety of first grade online, and while it was the right choice for our family, it was a pretty crummy school year, academically.  Thankfully, Chief is self-motivated and seeks out further knowledge on topics she's interested in, so through games, educational shows, and books from our local public library, we've been able to sustain the momentum started with her pandemic-induced independent study in Kindergarten to make up for the absolute boredom that was first grade.  Second grade started out rather boring as well, but she's finally being challenged in Latin, religion, and spelling, if not math or science.  Hopefully she doesn't lose this love of learning and is always able to overcome the limitations of a classroom environment.

Christmas 2020

This year has really defined her role as a big sister.  Her brother is finally old enough to play with and otherwise interact with her as a peer, which means he's old enough to annoy the heck out of her.  It's also become exceedingly obvious that he wants to be just like her, and she's equal parts flattered and irritated by that.  Her baby sister was also born this year, and Chief is old enough to be actually helpful, which she absolutely relishes.  She can make her own sandwiches and fetch the baby's pacifier and fill up Mommy's water bottle and even- her favorite- hold the baby and entertain her if necessary.  

'20-'21 Dance Photo // Sterling Ballet Academy

I'm continuously amazed by how mature, how intelligent, how graceful she is- and I'm continuously fooled into thinking she's much older than she is.  She's 8 now, not 18, and I am constantly reminding myself to give her space to indulge in some nonsense every now and then.  I want her to wear princess dresses, and make up silly songs, and cook imaginary food in a pretend kitchen for as long as she wants.

Halloween 2021

Eight years of love, joy, sweetness, and sass; I can't wait to see what her future holds.

Much love, 

The Geeks

Currently, Chief is {6 years}

Another year has flown by, and "my first baby" (which is the title she likes to constantly remind me about) is definitely not a baby.  I'm never sure if I'm ready for the next birthday, but six really is a big deal.

winter recital, a week after turning 5

Currently, Chief is in Kindergarten at our parish school, where she's loving every minute of it.  Kindergarten is a vastly different animal than Pre-K, which was more shocking for me than it was for her.  For one thing, the Pre-K program is physically in separate (temporary) buildings behind the school, whereas Kindergarten is in a regular classroom.  Kindergarteners are allowed to play on the regular playground at recess, rather than the smaller play area reserved for only the Pre-K students.  Kindergarteners get to eat their lunch in the cafeteria, rather than in their classrooms.  The Kindergarteners are expected to wear the regular uniform, rather than the modified dress code requirements for the Pre-K students.  And Kindergarteners have homework!  It's just a handful of worksheets which are assigned on a Friday and are due the following Friday, and they are meant to be completed together with the parents' help; but it's "real homework, Mom, just like the big kids!" and that's the most exciting part, for her.  Again, all of these changes have been a shock, for me- particularly the level of independence they seem to expect out of Kindergarten students, greatly contrasting last year's constant flurry of notes sent home in her backpack with detailed instructions for what to expect the next day.  Don't get me wrong, the teacher is great with communication- I have a copy of her daily schedule, various documents showing the handwriting expectations and general curriculum to be covered throughout the year, and we even get to see photos taken in class at the end of every week.  But for the first time ever, if I want a blow-by-blow rundown of her day, I have to get it straight from her, rather than a written summary.  That's a huge change from years of daycare daily sheets!  For the most part, she either doesn't notice the differences, or else revels in them- like the playground privileges and the fancy new uniform. 

family Christmas card photo 2018

Somewhere along the way on her journey from five-years-old to six, my little girl became a whole new person.  She had exhibited some symptoms of a mild social anxiety the past couple of years, and while I've spent many a night Googling and quizzing her doctor and her teachers for evidence and theories, the past few months have shown a radical change in her ability to handle situations that previously would have left her in tears, hyperventilating, or breaking out in hives.  I'd like to think I've helped her develop strategies to live in a world that largely doesn't care about her comfort, but I think it's mostly been her own sheer will.  Enrolling in a new dance studio is one of the scariest things she's ever done, and she had every right to back out and try a different activity altogether rather than deal with a massive change (a new place, a new teacher, new fellow students, new techniques...)  But this little girl loves being on stage more than anything else, and she dug down deep and found the courage to dive right in because she knew the reward would be worth it.  (Now maybe she just decided that something like soccer would be even more unknown and scary-different, but either way we went from tears and an overall attitude of defeat to a strength of will and a determination to make it work, with no cajoling from me, just a simple, "Are you sure?")  And that's just one example of many throughout the past six months where she has shocked me with her ability to overcome what would have previously been absolutely devastating circumstances and hold her head high.  I honestly don't know how she does it!  And obviously I'm not going to ask, "Hey, how come you're not having a meltdown about this?" because the worst thing to do is suggest that something should be scary if it's not scaring her.  Maybe she internalized my completely amateur coping strategies; maybe she feels comforted by the fact that she *can* collapse into my arms for a good cry if she needs it; or maybe she's just matured to the point where she realizes that if she wants to be in the recital, she has to wear the costume that looks like it might be itchy, so it's best just to try it on without making a big deal about it.  Whatever the explanation, I'm incredibly proud of her, and am excited to keep helping her grow.

dressed as a 100-year-old lady on the 100th day of school

Along with this newfound ability to cope with a harsh, scary world has come a bold strength that was always building and has finally broken through.  She's never been shy about speaking her mind, and will volunteer opinions whether they are asked for or not.  But she's got a new confidence that manifests itself as a sense of independence, a desire and an ability to take care of herself.  "I've got this," has been her motto since she first learned to speak- describing a willingness to dress herself, feed herself, climb atop tall furniture herself- but now she's "got" so much more.  For example, she heard that her new dance studio holds auditions for their annual Nutcracker, and I had warned her that she may be too young this year.  For the first couple of weeks of class, she pestered me for details about the audition process, and practice schedule, and performance details- details I didn't have.  I told her I would ask, and that there would probably be a newsletter with all the information.  Well, she finally got tired of waiting, so one Monday afternoon before class, she marched up to the receptionist- a woman whom she had never spoken to directly- waited for her to finish speaking to another parent, and then asked clearly and directly, "Excuse me, how old do you have to be to do the Nutcracker?"  It turns out she can't audition this year- she needs to be in a higher skill level class- and she accepted the answer with grace.  We often joke that she's going to be a lawyer when she grows up, but with that sort of assertiveness, maybe she'll be CEO.

first day of Kindergarten

Every year around her birthday, Mr. Geek and I jokingly ask, "What are we going to do with a [X]-year-old in our house?" and proceed to insist that we don't have the room for a child so big, or that some rule says we can't keep her or something.  She likes that joke and has started asking it herself- "What are you going to do with a 6-year-old?"  And you know what?  The question is less of a joke this year.  I'm not sure I'm ready for her to be this old, this mature, this sure of herself.  Surely she's going to learn, any day now, that we're just making this up as we go along.  From the moment we packed up to leave the hospital, Mr. Geek has been sure that someone would decide we wouldn't be allowed to keep her- that even now someone in a black suit with a clipboard would show up and say, "Sorry, you've failed," and carry her off to parents who know what they're doing.  For now, she mostly understands the rules that govern the house and will concede that we know what we're talking about, but someday soon she's going to figure it all out- figure out that we're total amateurs at this parenthood thing, that we're not certified for this, that sometimes we're wrong about things.  I hope she forgives us when she figures it out.

How old is your first baby?  When do you start to feel like a professional parent, rather than an amateur?

Much love,
The Geeks

Currently, Chief is... {5 years}

I just read through last year's post, when my baby girl turned 4.  I was preparing to sit down and write this year's, so I needed to remind myself of the categories.  It was probably true last year, too, but I realized she's just too big for those categories of questions.  Her life is defined by so much more than what she's eating or the way she talks.  So this year's post is going to be different.

Meeting Tinker Bell on her fourth birthday

Currently, Chief is in Pre-K at our parish school, where she's knocking it out of the park.  Her teacher confirmed for me what I have always expected- she misbehaves most when she's around me, and manages to (mostly) act like a little saint every day at school.  (I will sometimes call her "Angel", and she'll remind me- "Mom, I'm not an angel."  Right, sorry.)  Apparently her biggest behavioral problem at school is her overly aggressive displays of affection- hugging people when they don't necessarily want to be hugged.  (Her baby brother can confirm that yes, this is a problem for her.)  Her teacher has also confirmed that she is brilliant, and will be starting a reading program soon with a few of the other more gifted preschoolers. 

the beautiful ballerina at her second dance recital

Currently, Chief is absolutely loving being a big sister.  She has survived an entire year of living with her baby brother, and has only shown overt jealousy towards him twice- once near his birthday, she cried that everybody who came to visit only wanted to talk about him; and another time at dinner she was upset that we were more preoccupied with getting him to eat than with talking to her about her day.  We try to let her know how very special she is, and how loving Peanut does not mean we love her less; that hearts only grow bigger and more capable of love with each new member of the family.  She is very protective of him, and now that he's (finally) walking, she is so very proud of him and every little milestone he accomplishes.  He's a lucky little boy to have such a wonderful big sister.  (And she informed me the other day that she thinks Peanut is ready to be a big brother, so...)

enjoying a cupcake at her fifth birthday party

Loving her baby brother, and the responsibilities of being a big sister; dance class; cooking; reading; making art; board games.

Hating bed time; time outs; grocery shopping; anything boring; getting up in the morning.

How did she grow up so fast?

Much love,
The Geeks

Currently, Chief is... {4 years}

It just so happens that Miss Chief was born precisely on our first anniversary, so it's just a coincidence that we're currently at Walt Disney World as she turns four years old.  We're really here to celebrate our fifth anniversary and re-live our honeymoon- albeit a slightly different feel than our honeymoon, what with two kids in tow.  But oh my goodness, she is, in fact, four years old now.  It's like I blinked and a whole year passed by.  Let's see how she's grown over that year.

making this whole big sister thing official in December

Growing taaaaaaaaall!  She's got her some long, skinny legs and has pretty much lost all her baby fat, so if you're not paying attention, you could mistake her for a teenager- especially when she's being sassy ;)  She's pretty solidly in a size 5 now, and we shop in the kids section where she's an XS.  Size 4 t-shirts still fit so her closet is full of tops; she could probably go a whole month without wearing the same shirt more than once.

saving babies at the March for Life

Eating much more sophisticated flavors than I was as a four-year-old.  Living in this area, we have an incredible variety of restaurants to choose from, and she's got a "usual" dish for every cuisine- Indian, Chinese, Italian, Mexican, Japanese, Greek...

enjoying a snow day

Talking with quite the mature vocabulary.  She learns a new word at school probably once a week and is good about incorporating it into conversations as often as she can.  They also teach a light smattering of Spanish at her daycare, so she can count to ten and tell you the words for all the colors.  Lately, she starts almost all of her sentences with "Hey, you know-" and then she'll share a little a little anecdote about her day or a fact she learned in school or give her spin on a joke from one of her TV shows.  She has a hard time waiting her turn in a conversation- especially if Mr Geek and I are talking about something among ourselves, she'll interrupt with whatever thought popped into her head, so we're trying to help her work on that.  I do love the long, thoughtful conversations we have on the drive home if I pick her and her brother up from daycare- when she's slightly tired, she's really rather insightful.

preschool glamour shots, because imagining her as a 13-year-old is what I need right now

Making facial expressions that are all her own.  She's got her daddy's sense of humor and her mommy's bossy streak, but her little grumpy face or her "y'all are so not cool" side-eye are completely hers. 

letting out her inner diva at her first dance recital

Listening to songs from her favorite Disney movies- especially Moana, which I think she can recite in its entirety.  She's also sort of obsessed with the show The Lion Guard and loves listening to the theme song, since they use it for warm up in her dance class.  She'll sing to her baby brother if he's upset- normally either the ABC's or Twinkle, Twinkle, but sometimes she makes up her own silly song and he'll stop crying and watch her dance around like a fool. 

falling in love with her baby brother

Sleeping so much better than she was a year ago.  She'll even take the occasional nap at daycare!  (Never at home.  Naps are for quitters.)  She loves that we get to include her baby brother in bedtime prayers, and extra hugs and kisses with him is really the only thing she does to procrastinate going to sleep.  This summer, we upgraded to a king sized bed, and handed down our queen mattress to her.  About a month ago, she was having mild nightmares, and we'd wake up to find her snuggled in between us.  But mostly, she like to take advantage of having her own large bed- large enough for Mommy or Daddy to sit with her even after prayers have been said.  We really have no excuse for not staying and cuddling, so most nights, someone does, until she falls asleep.  She can make even the biggest bed feel small, though- by sleeping entirely horizontal, and filling every spare square inch with stuffed animals.

getting ready to go to the theater

Loving her baby brother, much more than she ever thought she would; the responsibilities of being a big sister; picking out her own outfits; pretty much the entire Nick Jr lineup; finding her sight words on signs and menus and in books; sounding out words to figure out how to spell them; her red tricycle; ballet class; collecting stickers; trying out the filters on Instagram stories.

Hating when Mommy and Daddy are at work and we can't all be together; the suggestion that maybe it might be time for bed, even thought the actual bedtime routine isn't all that bad; not being able to choose her own outfit; pretty much any activity that requires sitting still and/or being quiet; having mealtime conversation cut off so that she can, you know, eat.

Where has the time gone?

Much love,
The Geeks

Call for Prayer Requests

Hello everyone!  I realize I haven't posted since Easter, but we've been a little busy!  We moved (just across town) in early May, a certain tiny dancer had a recital, and, you know, we're getting ready for this little boy!

School photo

This is Miss Chief's pre-school spring photo- they brought in this glamor shots- type photographer who provided the outfit, props, and jewelry.  Apparently the big sister is officially not a baby anymore!

And here's our little diva at her first ever dance recital.  She did the cutest little jazz routine and we are so proud of her.  She overcame a bout of stage fright at the dress rehearsal, got out there, and did her absolute best.  Of course I got teary-eyed, and Mr Geek and I applauded louder than anyone else in that auditorium because she was just so very good.  The best part is she loves dance class and wants to continue, so we'll be doing classes every week this summer and fall, too!

My due date is just around the corner- June 29.  Last time, I was so focused on figuring out this whole childbirth thing that I didn't have the chance (or, if I'm being honest, the inclination) to offer up my labor.  This time, I'm feeling much more prepared, and I have some special intentions on my heart anyway, so I'd like to ask you, dear readers- is there anything I can pray for during labor?

Feel free to leave any prayer intentions either in a comment here, on my Facebook page, in a private message on Instagram, or in an email to ourgeekyadventure {at} outlook {dot} com !

I can't wait for you all to meet the little man!  Please pray for me, too- that this labor goes smoothly and that our baby boy is healthy.

Much love,

The Geeks

Twenty Random Things About Mrs Geek

1. In high school, I thought I was being called to the religious life.  I felt a yearning to do something that made the world a better place, a call to be a teacher, and a desire to travel the world.  This led me to the conclusion that I should become a nun and live in Africa and teach at a school for girls.  (It didn't hurt that the daughter of my parents' friends did that exact thing and then came and talked to our parish about it.)  I also assumed I would be a terrible mother and felt no real call towards motherhood, leading me to believe that I shouldn't get married.  Basically my logic worked like this- women who were good mom material became wives and mothers, and women who were not became nuns.  Ergo, I was destined for the habit.  I don't think my parents ever wanted that for me, though, because they continuously pointed out that I was a little boy-crazy and constantly in need of a boyfriend, which I couldn't have if I was cloistered away somewhere (or, you know, in Africa, but I think they were in denial about that bit).  But then a nun pointed out to my mom that being a nun doesn't mean you can't like boys, so that line of reasoning dried up after a while.  It doesn't mean I didn't really struggle with my discernment to a vocation, especially as my senior year boyfriend and I got ever more serious and I realized the benefits of a potential marriage and a lifelong partner.  Sometime in my freshman year of college, even as I was realizing that this boyfriend was not the right match for me, I all of a sudden felt an overwhelming call to motherhood- I needed to (one day) give birth to my own children, no question.  I still thought I'd be pretty bad at it and struggled with the idea that my potential future children would hate me, but I inexplicably knew that it was what I was supposed to do.

2. I've always wanted to be a redhead.  In middle school and high school, I pestered my mom to let me dye my hair or at least get highlights, but she never let me- she always said it wasn't a good idea to damage my hair when I was still so young, and I think secretly she was afraid the color would turn out awful and I didn't exactly need any help in the awkward department.  First I wanted a dark chestnut brown, then goth black, then strawberry blonde, then cobalt blue, then real ginger red...basically anything but my mousy, dirty blonde.  By the time I got to college, I still had an itch for red hair, and the ability to do something about it, but I never pulled the trigger.  After we got married, I did the whole post-wedding chop thing, and I promised myself that when it grew back out, the next extreme hair-makeover I did would be to finally dye it.  Buuuut then I got pregnant.  And then, you know, the baby was born.  And now I just don't have time to get my hair done (though if I did, I'd want more of a maroonish red with dark undertones).  But I feel like if I dye my hair red now people will just think I'm copying my (beautiful) daughter...

3. My drink of choice is a whiskey and Sprite.  Maker's Mark, to be specific.

4. Reese's Peanut Butter Cups are my favorite candy ever.

5. If I had to pick one city to live in for the rest of my life, I'd choose Blacksburg, VA.  It's a beautiful town and is consistently rated one of the best places to raise a family- it's not your typical college town.

6. I've performed with the Moscow Ballet.  It's really not as impressive as it sounds- when I was in middle school, they were touring their Nutcracker and auditioning for the children's parts in each town.  I auditioned and landed a role as a mouse for both the matinee and evening performance.  I know, I know, it's silly, but it was one of the only children's roles that had a part in both acts of the show, so I had considerable stage time compared to some of the other kids.  I brought my old pointe shoes and had some of the professional ballerinas sign them.

7. I secretly love Taylor Swift's music, even though I can't stand her as a person.

8. Hallowe'en is my favorite holiday because costumes!  Also candy!

9. If you're wondering what to get me for a gift-giving occasion, kitchen supplies are a safe bet.  Mr. Geek and I have a shared Google Document with a list of things I'd like for the kitchen in case he's ever stumped on what to get me.

10. Saint Augustine is my favorite saint.  Seven-year-old me had always seen saints as perfect, untouchable beings who I could never hope to live up to, but Saint Augustine was just a normal boy who became a very bad boy who completely turned his life around and made it to Heaven after all.  Of course, the more I studied the saints, the more I found stories of extreme conversion (which is kind of the point of saints), but Saint Augustine was the first to give me hope that holiness is truly achievable for all of us.

11. I hate snow.

12. Belle is my favorite Disney princess but Leia is a very close second.

13. Disney Imagineering has always been my dream job.  I'm still holding out hope that I'll get there one day.

14. Mr Geek and I recently discovered Archer and we LOVE it.

15. While I loved the Song of Ice and Fire book series, I'm not a huge fan of the TV show.  I only watched maaaaaybe half of season 1 of Game of Thrones and was just not impressed.  Part of what I like about the books is the pace- which, yes, is slow, because there is so much detail.  And not like Jules Verne details- it's not hundreds of pages describing the colors of the fish swimming by- but character-building details, so that when people do things that seem completely out of left field, it's at least not out of character.  The TV show, by nature of the medium, just feels so rushed by contrast.  Also I keep hearing about all the plot changes and I just have no desire to watch that, so.  Here's hoping he finishes the books...

16. I love the Disney show Gravity Falls.  Mr. Geek always asks me how old I am when he catches me watching it, and I tell him to shut up because it's super clever and funny.

17. I have a serious baby clothing habit.  I just can't help it.  Little Miss Chief has a completely full closet and I can't. stop. buying. it.

18. Iron Man is my favorite super hero because his super power is his BRAIN.  He's an engineer!  I mean seriously.

19. I'm not a beer drinker.  I'm not intentionally trying to be annoying or anything, I just prefer cider.

20. I'm very particular about the way I sort laundry.  I sort by color- like, individual colors- and then group like colors together so that in the end I do a load of whites, a load of darks, and a load of brights.  I could just sort them that way to begin with, but I have to have my process.

All right, there we go- 20 things!  What are some random things about you?

Much love,
The Geeks

Oh, Internet... {57}

We've reached the end of my first week of blogging on my new Surface Pro 3- and I love it!

 Here's a look at some of my favorite things from the internet this week.

Kendra at Catholic All Year shared a beautiful reflection on death for Hallowtide.

Allie at Everyday Adventures took an adult tap class...with a bunch of kids.  Would you have stayed for the whole class, or chickened out and went home?

ModCloth is having an INCREDIBLE giveaway!  Go enter!  (Except don't enter because I want to win ^_^)

What happened on your internet this week?

Much love,
The Geeks

Guilty Pleasure

I'd like to say I have pretty discerning tastes when it comes to the television I watch.  You can divide pretty much everything I watch into three categories: Educational, Skills Competitions, and Shows That Make You Think.

On the Educational front, I watch a lot of cooking shows and home renovation shows- mainly cooking shows, though.  I've been obsessed with Food Network since I discovered my love for cooking right before I left for college.  I've memorized Food Network's weekday schedule, and I've watched enough Restaurant: Impossible to have given up any thoughts of opening a restaurant.  On any given day, I'm watching Giada or Ina or Ree or Trisha while nursing Chief and getting ready to make dinner myself.  Aside from Food Network and HGTV, Mr. Geek and I love Mythbusters and Top Gear (and yes, I'm lumping this under the Educational umbrella because at the end of the episode, you have, in fact, learned something about the feature car, even if it's just how fast The Stig could take it around the track).

When it comes to Skills Competitions, I'm a huge fan of So You Think You Can Dance for obvious reasons (namely, my former life as a dancer) and also Project Runway (including the All-Stars and Under the Gunn spin-offs, though neither is as entertaining as the original).  With my aforementioned love of cooking shows, I'm a huge fan of the competitions on Food Network- mainly Chopped, Guy's Grocery Games, and Cutthroat Kitchen.

But I do watch fictional TV shows, too- it's just the minority of my TV-watching, and it tends to be in the drama or sci-fi category and less in the sitcom category (and they are Shows that Make You Think).  If there's nothing good on Food Network and if Top Gear is all re-runs, we're definitely watching Law and Order on any given day.  I used to love Special Victims Unit, but now that I have a daughter, I find it hard to watch stories of sexual assault and child abuse.  We like crime shows in this house- we both wish Criminal Intent were still on the air, as it's the best of the Law and Order spinoffs; we love older episodes of Criminal Minds, though that show has jumped the shark lately; and we'll gladly watch reruns from the first few seasons of the original CSI.  I think we both agree that LOST was the best show to ever be on television ever, and we're planning to re-watch it (again) soon since we own the super-extra-special edition.  We started watching Once Upon a Time on our most recent snow day, and the storytelling format reminds me of LOST (though obviously it's nowhere near as good).  I'm a sucker for British television, too- Downton Abbey, Sherlock, and Doctor Who are all favorites.  We do watch pure comedy on occasion, but it's generally just South Park and Futurama which are really quite smart shows, once you get passed the poop jokes.

All of this is to say- I don't really watch what is traditionally meant by "reality TV".  I can't stomach a full episode of The Real Housewives of any city, I couldn't care less about the Kardashian clan (they're only famous because of a sex tape, right?), and I don't understand how The Bachelor still has enough viewership to be on the air.  Stupid, shallow people being stupid and shallow are not my idea of entertaining subjects.

But there is one exception to this rule.

via E!

I once fell asleep on the couch with Chief while watching a movie and when we woke up, this show was on.  And it is hilarious.  Whomever is writing the script for this show deserves an Emmy because seriously, this is some funny stuff!  All reality TV is scripted in some way, be it contrived situations, creative editing, or outright written lines, and this show definitely falls into the latter category.  This show is infinitely quotable because it's written that way- there's no way these people are that witty and clever on their own, spontaneously.  Someone please- give these writers an award!

So yes, I admit it- while I don't watch it regularly and I don't DVR it, if #RichKids of Beverly Hills happens to be on, I'm all over it. 

What kind of TV do you watch?  Do you have any television guilty pleasures?

Much love,
The Geeks