Have you heard of Webkinz? They're sort of the Beanie Babies of the next generation. Just a little stuffed toy, overpriced of course, with an attached "secret" code that grants access to a web wonderland. The kids' Mimi sent them a little package a couple weeks ago, a card with some spending money came along with. Since indoor activities were on our agenda while Luke recovered, I finally took Lily to get her first Webkinz. She'd be asking for quite awhile, long before I had a clue what a Webkinz was. Luke wasn't with us when we shopped for her perfect pet, but I picked him up one too, just in case. The Black Lab for Lily, the Elephant for Luke. Katelyn and Elly, respectively.

Big hit! They both love their Webkinz. The cute little stuffed animals go everywhere we go, and the web world of games and activities keeps them entertained. In monitored intervals of course!

But there is one problem. My problem.

You're probably thinking the "Web" in Webkinz is for the "web," the internet. Nope. It's for web, as in a trap...tangled up, ensnared. I'm hooked. I sneak on all the time, enter the little world, and play, play, play. I turn the volume really low so the kids won't hear me and ask for a turn. I mine and sell rare gems, I spin the Wheel of Wow with bated breath, I play Quizzy's Word Challenge and Cash Cow until my eyes glaze over. I shop. With Kinz Cash.

It's sick, I know. I actually found myself standing in the store holding a Lil' Kinz the other day, on the verge of purchasing it so I could have my own animal, my own access code, my own "room" to decorate, and wouldn't have to run all my "purchases" by a tight fisted 5 and 6 year old.

I feel David's confused and slightly annoyed stare burning into my back as I play in the evenings while he watches TV. He knows me well enough to know I'll get bored soon so I don't think he's too concerned. But I'm not bored yet...so I wonder why I'm wasting time here!