Top Ten Television Shows

Before I share my top ten television shows, I need to make a few disclaimers.  First of all, I don't watch a lot of T.V., and I'm sure that I haven't been exposed to most of the shows that the rest of the world watches.  Second, I watch a show to feel uplifted and happy afterwards, so all the CSI's and Law & Orders that I used to watch are no longer on my DVR.  I always feel worse after I see one of those episodes.  I'm not judging other people who watch them....I just don't like to do it.  Next, I am a food network fan, and I love cooking shows in general, so they end up in a lot of my top spots.  Finally, I am fickle, and my favorite shows will change quite often.  These shows just happen to be my favorite as of November 18th, a few days before Thanksgiving, 2012.  With that said, here is my countdown:

#10:  MONK



Brandon got us started on these shows, and they got better as the seasons progressed.  It was always good for a laugh, even if it was a bit ridiculous at times, and the series had an awesome ending!  We streamed them all through Netflix too, so we didn't have to wait for each season.

#9:  STORY TREK



This is a newer series on BYU TV and the premise is that everyone has an interesting story.  Each episode they randomly pick a different state, city and street to start knocking on doors.  They keep knocking until someone agrees to let them in and tell their story.  Nearly every person begins by saying that they don't really have a story, but without fail they end up having a compelling and often very moving story.

#8:  THE COSBY SHOW





This is another show that we had to stream, but it is rich with humor, and wisdom!  My kids all loved watching them, and I loved the memories of my childhood that came back watching with them.

#7:  PIONEER WOMAN




Ree Drummond has long been one of my favorite bloggers in her blog thepioneerwoman.com.  I even have an autographed cookbook that a friend gave to me.  I love her writing, and it is fun to watch life on the ranch and see her in person on her show.  I love that she is real and down to earth, and the kids love to joke about the amount of butter and cream she cooks with.

#6:  IRON CHEF




As many people know, Nathan and I have had a couple of Iron Chef competitions of our own at home.  We are tied, and Nathan vows that we will never have another one.  We love to mock Cat Cora, and my favorite chef is Michael Symon.  I have learned a lot about cooking from watching that show.  Another similar to this that I also love is CHOPPED.

#5:  THE FOOD NANNY






This is another show from BYU TV and Liz Edmunds is on a mission to rescue dinner time.  She is a mother of a large family and always made dinner a top priority.  She goes into homes and helps them to learn how to make it work around myriad of concerns.  She also shares her recipes that are simple, inexpensive and healthy.  She has been to a huge variety of homes.  We have tried out several of her recipes and love them.

#4:  MASTERPIECE THEATRE



This is the only show that Nathan and I watch without the kids, so it is a treat that we look forward to in the rare moments we have to ourselves.  I love many of the classics they make as well as a lot of the mysteries.  I do have to be selective, because some of them are inappropriate, but many of them are great!  I loved when they did all the Austen's and Dicken's!

#3:  RESTAURANT IMPOSSIBLE



This is a great show that has a practical purpose.  Robert Irvine selects failing restaurants and in 48 hours finds out their problems and fixes them, so they can be successful.  Sometimes they cook horrible food, sometimes there is bad management or improper pricing.  They always do a $10,000 remodel that looks amazing.  I love seeing all the lives changed for the better.

#2:  19 KIDS AND COUNTING




A lot of people like to mock this show, but these are amazing people!  I love this show and all they stand for.  I appreciate their desire to be an inspiration to other people, and they are to me.

And finally, #1:  STUDIO C



Most people haven't even heard of this show, but it is stand up comedy that is clean!  It is a new show on BYU TV, and they get funnier with each viewing.  It is a show that our entire family likes to watch and quote routinely the rest of the week!  My favorite segment is the Romeo & Juliet spoof!  They are most famous for their shoulder angel routine:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIePw-Zm9Aw  I highly recommend it!

My First Born

I was curious this year about how Brandon would do in public school.  He had never taken a test other than the required national testing in 3rd, 5th, and 7th grades.  He had never had a graded assignment and I was his only teacher through all the years with the exception of a science class in 8th grade.  I really didn't know how he would handle all the pressures of public school with the deadlines, assignments, grades and tests. 

The first month of school was very challenging for him.  He felt overwhelmed and had no idea just how much homework he would have, so it took him a while to get on his feet.  Tests were especially tricky for him and they were a little rough at first, but I am proud of his perseverance.  After just one quarter he has figured things out.  He is doing great in all his classes and is learning a lot.  I am especially happy that he is loving his experience.  We are lucky enough to live in walking distance and get to have him home with us for lunch every day, so we don't go into withdrawal for his company.

I see in Brandon wisdom and perspective beyond his years.   He sees things as they really are and hasn't been sucked into the high school culture.  He is mature and diligent.  I never have to remind him to do his homework, and though at first I looked it over from time to time, I have stopped doing even that and trust that he will figure it out.  At parent-teacher conference all his teachers appreciated how well-behaved and respectful he is.  He is also highly social and has a number of good friends. Basketball tryouts are this week, and I am sure he will do outstanding and all his hard work will pay off. 

I am drawn back to when he was 4 years old and I took him to the school we were zoned for in Redding.  I knew that I could never send him there and thus began the search for a new path.  I often questioned and re-questioned my decision to homeschool him, but I feel that time answers a lot of those questions.  He is well on his path and is setting a bright example for his younger siblings.  We have a wonderful, close relationship.  I feel blessed to have had him so close to us for so long.  It is a gift that we have all been given.  I hate to think that in just 3 1/2 short years, I will have to say goodbye to him, but I know that he absolutely will be prepared!