I don't feel like we are missing out on anything. If we do go out to the movies, it is a family event and something to look forward to as a treat. We have cut back on eating out (fast food trips maybe 1 time a month at most) and sit down nice meals, only every other month. Which come to think of it, hasn't happened since before Christmas! This way we all decide as a family where to go, and it makes it that much more special. We have cut back on many things, including satellite service, and now have it all bundled. Now we only have the bare minimum, but if it every came down to it, I would have to give up tv time. We have started family game night, which is now wednesday evenings after dinner. It has become very fun for the entire family. And it gives us more time to spend together uninterrupted.
We are currently saving to go to the Grand Canyon in April, so that has been a nice incentive for saving money and not eating out.

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Be careful what you wish for because it might just come true!
I love my life!

Oh boy, what do I miss? My first thought is eating out several times per week, but we started cutting back on that as our first step and it happened to be timed to when DS started eating baby food and the whole hassle of getting his stuff packed along with entertainment was just not worth it. Now that he's 2, scarfing down a meal to beat the time ticking on the toddler restlessness clock is still not worth me not doing dishes.

I used to love to shop for recreation but now I don't find it fun. I know that I am going to have to buy some new spring and summer clothes to replace all the holey t-shirts and I am dreading it. I have planned DH birthday gifts so that they can all be bought online (at one store even).

Last week, the local news showed the horrible "nanny-cam" videos which made me shudder to think about having to leave DS with someone else. Suddenly, none of my "wants" that we were doing without seemed like such a sacrifice after all. I get to spoil myself with his "I love Mommy"'s instead.

I have some shirts like that. It was easier to replace things or took less time to recover from a setback when I was working full-time, but I don't miss the stress of having to take care of the kids, house and my job too.

i FEEL THAT way too

I thought I missed eating out, but we've been out to eat quite a bit in the last month and been mostly disappointed. Everything that came from a chain restaurant was completely mediocre (and this is coming from someone who hates to eat her own cooking). The couple of meals I did enjoy were at the few and far between locally owned and operated places, luckily my stepmom knew where to point us to find a decent meal in her town!

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:love: