Check Out My Ass!

I almost titled this post "Happy Mother's Day to Me" or something like that, because it is sort of about my Mother's Day, but in the end it's really about my ass.

I have to admit I was a little bent that Scott didn't plan anything or get me a gift for Mother's Day. Instead he said we could do whatever I wanted. I really just wanted a nice day with my family. No extravagant gifts necessary, though I did feel like a bit of thought on his part would have been awesome. 

After the kids gave me their sweet cards and Scott gave me the gift of free choice, I was a little salty (only to Scott, not to my precious offspring). 

Also, I might not have been feeling super after the 2 "Bob Drinks" I had the night before, which involve so much vodka it's really like 4 or more regular drinks (Bob is not my friend's real name, obviously, as everything here is anonymous- that is if you don't know me) and I did have to get ready to teach my regular Sunday morning x-bike classes. (Note to self: don't go to Bob's house the night before teaching x-bike. duh!)

Anyhow, somehow I survived the x-biking, started feeling a bit better and decided I wanted a pedicure, Pinkberry and not to be in charge of dinner. I took the girl with me for the pedicures and when we went for Pinkberry my 6 y/o brought his wallet and paid for my yogurt. The Pinkberry people thought it was so adorable and they were right!

Near Pinkberry are several new clothing boutiques that Scott encouraged me to wander in and "pick out something pretty" because he's from the 1960s apparently. So I did.  

It felt a bit odd shopping somewhere other than Target, Old Navy or Marshall's, but I did find jeans that I love. They are Miss Me brand which allegedly is a good thing and they are cigarette length which the sales lady claims are "very in" right now. I did stand looking in the mirror at the length somewhat confused for awhile and let the lady talk and talk to convince me of how "now" this style is. She offered me heels to try on which made me laugh as I don't so much wear heels with jeans, I mean maybe a wedge, but heels? 

I bought the pants because my whole family said I should get them, Scott did not even give me stink eye over the price and if I do say so myself... my ass looks great in them. Check it out:

Lucky for Scott, the day was a win. I probably should have shopped longer and harder, but I really wanted to go home and take a nap. Damn you Bob!


peace & love ;-)

CONVERSATIONS WITH SCOTT... "We should spend less money."

You know how you can be going along enjoying your summer, going on vacations, enjoying patio dining at restaurants, buying cute summer clothes, dropping your computer and anteing up to get it fixed, treating yourself to Pinkberry perhaps too frequently and then you sit down to pay bills only to discover you've spent all your money and then some? Shit! 


I pay the bills because I care about if the bank statement and my spreadsheet match up to the penny whereas Scott is good if the two are relatively close. It's silly for us to both spend our time on the banking, I do it and Scott mostly doesn't want to know the details. But then there are the times when I pay the bills and get grumpy and my bad mood affects the mood of the house and that he cares about. Then we have a conversation that goes something like this:


Scott: "What's with you?"


Me: "We were supposed to be rich when we didn't have to pay for preschool anymore. It's been 2 months and not only are we not rich, I can't find any extra money!"


Scott: "Where is all the money going?"


Me: "Vacations, the Arkansas trip, the kids' activities- they better get good enough at something to get a scholarship,... "


Scott: (interrupting me) "I'm going to teach the 5 y/o to dunk!" (there is a commercial about a dad teaching his young kid to dunk so the kid can get a scholarship. If you haven't seen it, it's funny and it's Scott's new go to line.)


Me: "...an iPad, fixing the computer screen, restaurants, food, clothes, did I mention the kids' activities? If they stopped doing stuff for a year we could go on an awesome vacation, but that probably hurts the scholarship chances."


Scott: "I'm going to teach the 5 y/o to dunk!" 


Me: (sigh)


Scott: "We should spend less money."


Me: "We could stop drinking a bottle of wine a night."


Scott: "Let's not get crazy."


So, yeah, the obvious solution is to rein in the spending. My 3 go to things for decreased spending are:


1. Cut out the restaurants. 


We don't go to restaurants that often, but dining out does add up. Gone. Easy. (Except for my Pinkberry habit. I'm cutting it out, but that ain't easy!)


2. Stay the hell away from Costco. 


If must go, stick to the list!!! Not so easy.


3. Stay the hell away from Target. 


If must go, stick to the list!!! Damn near impossible.


Well, Danger Danger Will Robinson, I needed to go to both Costco and Target yesterday. I had an item to return at Costco. I walked in, went to the returns, got my cash and left. Success! It's like I made money, because the original expenditure was over a month ago and the money was long gone. I had 4 items on my Target list. I went in, I put the 4 items in the basket, I resisted the urge to peruse the store despite the fact that I was sans children, I checked out for a total of $30ish. Success!


I was totally exhausted after those 2 stops. It took A LOT of will power to be so reined in. But, I was also quite proud and impressed with my bad self. Just a few more days or weeks or months of my savings plan and I am sure to feel flush except that the kids need back to school supplies, new sports gear, new cool weather clothes (hopefully the warm weather will last for awhile), Scott's car might disintegrate any day, then there's Xmas (the grandparents have to pretend to be thrilled with those handmade kid gifts, right?), birthdays, BLAH!!! It will never end! 


Now I'm grumpy again. A stop at Pinkberry on my way to Target will surely make me feel better!


Peace & Love :-)