Confessions of a "Reformed" Shopaholic

So I just finished listening to (yes, I said listening) a funny book called Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella. Why was I listening instead of reading...well, it was one way to make use of my wasted commuting time. I don't know why I didn't think of it before, but I can listen to a good book on the way to and from work. It was quite fun actually.

Anyway, getting back to the book. I have to say it was a hoot. I also have to admit....I might have once been a shopaholic in college. I wasn't in debt or anything, but I could have been. I shopped just about as much as Becky Bloomwood. Although I wasn't as addicted to the labels as she.

So how do you change your ways? In light of this Financial Crisis we are in according to the news, I thought I might reflect on some daily, weekly, and monthly spending issues one could focus on to help save a little dough.

So daily, my vice is coffee. I have only recently come to really enjoy a daily cup of joe. Oh how I love the flavored concoction I can buy at Starbucks for almost $4 a cup. So I wondered if I could save some money per week by making my own. I went to the store and found some flavored brew and instant (for time's sake) I might try. It turns out that this works well for me and I save about $20 per week...or more if you count the scone or muffin I throw in from time to time.

So weekly, I usually go out to lunch most days of the week. Yes it gets expensive, but I really hate my own sandwiches. I have not really been able to bring a brown bag everyday...but when I do go out to lunch I try to make a conscious choice to spend less. Subway has a great sandwich for about $5 and if I bring my own chips and drink...it is a pretty cheap meal. Another way to avoid the dreaded sandwich is to bring in leftovers from home. You end up not wasting the extra food you cook and save your family from leftover night.

Monthly, I try to save a little at the store. We shop about 2x per month for big trips and weekly for the little things that need replacing more often. So before I go a menu has to be planned. I decide realistically how many meals I am going to cook in a two week period. I then think about what I actually want to cook and put those ingredients on my shopping list. I also add a couple of "emergency meals" just in case we get tied up and I can make the planned meal. Emergency meals are frozen pizzas, lasagnas, etc. Planning is really important when grocery shopping. I think we all tend to over purchase. You don't have to plan to the letter, but at least having an idea of a meal plan helps to control spending.

So now, I am off to see the movie..as soon as I have time!

I Can Do It!

So what do you do when your baby has learned that she can be independent at least for some of her important daily tasks? What do you do when she insists that she can pick out and put on her own clothes (pink cowboy boots and all), brush her own teeth and hair (with toothpaste all over the bathroom), and tie her own shoes (in a knot)?


Well, this comes with mixed emotions for me. Honestly, I am sad to see my "baby" grow up. I wish she could stay 3 forever. This is my favorite age so far. She is like a little adult walking around the house pushing her doll in a miniature stroller while holding a handbag over her shoulder with her precious "make up" and "cell phone" inside. Don't get me wrong she is a challenge at times. She has always been strong willed and very smart. And learned the best "negotiation" techniques from her older sister. But by and large, she is funny and sweet and a very caring little girl.


So what's the bright side of watching your little ones take those crucial steps in gaining indepence (even if it is just tieing their shoes for now)? Well I am happy to be raising girls who are strong, independent and hopefully and eventually self reliant. I want them to know that we (Glen and I) are here for them whenever they need us, and it is okay to need your parents. But I also want to watch them dance instead of sit it out on the side lines. I would rather them take a chance and fail then to have never tried at all. You go girls!

What a ride?

What a roller coaster ride that was for all those who stayed? I personally spent the days prior to the storm fretting over what to do…stay or go. After deciding to stay, Glen and I stayed up most of the night wondering if the wind was going to tear off the roof and leave my family and house exposed to the wind and rain. We put the girls in our interior closet where there were finally able to get some sleep. At some point in the early morning hours after I woke from a short nap, I thought the sound of the wind would never end. Then to wake up the next morning to mixed feelings as we gazed at the mess all over the yard, street and neighborhood, but thanking God we were all safe and sound and had no major damage to the house. Over the next few days after the storm, I found comfort in making contact with friends to see if they were okay, helped family and neighbors clean their yards and homes. I found joy in spending days with my kids and watching them play in the front yard for hours with their friends on the street. Like any great amusement park ride, there are things that thrill you and things that almost kill you, and I can honestly say I was glad to see Hurricane Ike screech to a halt. But this time, I won’t say “Let’s ride it again!”

My review of this trecherous ride...excellent. Surprised? You shouldn't be.

I learned a lot from my decision to stay in my home during the storm. Other than learning what doors and windows leak with horizontal rainfall, that I really should board my windows, and tall pine trees really can bend to where their tops practically touch the ground and don't actually break in half, I learned their are some truly great individuals who live with and around me.

In my unofficial survey, almost everyone I spoke to after the storm who stayed to "hunker down" in their own homes said they would evacuate the next time a hurricane heads our direction. I too was among those in that camp. But thinking about it now, I would have never experienced the true gift of a good neighbor in those days following the storm.

The folks on our street are normally very social. And I have to say I know most everyone on our street. And unlike most streets, we all know each other and occasionally spend time together. But in the days that followed the tumultuous storm, I was overwhelmed by all the care, concern and help each of us showed toward the other.

There were folks who cut down trees, raked yards, helped remove boards, shared space in generator-powered refrigerators, repaired roofs and the list goes on.

The person of which I am most proud is my husband. He spent hours helping our neighbors, some of whom he had never really spoke to, rake their yard, cut down trees, as well as straighten them. Then he spent more hours helping his parents and their neighbors do the same. He is truly my hero and such a great example to our girls.