Dr. Flanagan?

Maybe in a few years. On Friday I hit "send" on the final piece of my application for a PhD program in Clinical Psychology at Fielding University. It is a distance/online program. Last time I was thinking about this I mentioned it to my dad who responded, "Dr. Yungblut....I like the sound of that". You would think he would remember after 14 years, that my name is now Flanagan. My brother, Scott thought that Flanagan-Yungblut was an awfully long hyphenation, but thought it could work for me.

If I am accepted, I would "orient" in March in Santa Barbara, CA. I would travel a few times a year for clinicals. There would also be a 9-month period where I would go to Dallas monthly to meet with my cohort.

I am ready!

So what is a Flankinz?

Danny laughed at the name of my blog but assured me that most people would not get it. Hannah joined the millions of schoolers obsessed with webkinz this summer, and we have spent much of our time playing Webkinz, searching for charms, moderating the amount of computer time. The upside is that we have discovered a terrific incentive program using bonus Webkinz time or in dire times, taking away Webkinz times for the serious attitude infractions at our house.

Hannah has two Webkins, Shimmer the pink horse and Furball the Bulldog. Kyla has a Lil'Kinz kitty named Pancake that Hannah takes care of as well. The whole obsession began with Danny driving across Lubbock while on a business trip to find a Webkinz Horse for her birthday. Little did we know what we were getting into! Hannah was on the phone with her cousin Alexa earlier this week (whom we recently gave a chocolate lab Webkinz), part of the conversation went like this, "have you taken Chocolate to Dr. Quack? Allright, well she might be sad because you just lost a game..." and so on.



I am sometimes uncomfortable with the amount of emphasis we have on technology in our home. I want to say that I actively encourage my children to use their imagination and spend time just playing outside and exploring their world. Like the time recently when they went running down to the Ross' house to see the frogs hanging out on the side of their house. Or Friday when Hannah made a shower out of the backyard hose while Kyla and I were in front cleaning my car. Unfortunately, those times are fewer than I would prefer. With every video console out on the market, and literally thousands of games in the house (have I mentioned that Danny is a serious gamer?), it is hard to compete. Sometimes the tired Mom in me just wants to park them in front of another game or tv show.

Does anyone else find it ironic that I am using this particular forum for complaining about my children's obsession with technology (-; Using what little spare time I have while they are in the tub right now sitting in the hallway with my laptop.