A “nature walk” with the girlies…
Chalk murals on the back patio (of course there were rainbows involved...)
Plus:
- Another yoga class (I am totally digging yoga right now...)
- A mother/daughter double date at the movies with Audrey, Miss Aimee and her awesome five-year old daughter M...
- Our couples book club, which included the most amazing comfort food themed meal prepared by the equally amazing Julie and Tim (beef stew, no-knead bread, salad with pomegranate vinaigrette, homemade chocolate cake…)
A smidge over two weeks in and I’m actually finding the hiatus, well…kinda easy. Sure I still see lovely things that I want (and I post about many of them, sorry...), but it’s almost a detached admiration, like say, going to the museum. I’m enamored, but I know I’m not going to purchase them, so there’s no real lusting.
It’s strangely freeing. I’m not thinking about buying anything or returning anything or feeling guilty about buying something I perhaps shouldn’t have, so there’s a lot more time for playing and reading and hanging out…and a lot less buzzing in my head.
I’m officially digging this.
And, I’m especially digging the fact that we now have 44 folks in the support group. So cool! How are all of you doing?
29 comments:
I went to a pilates class for the first time and ran three days this week. I also made three meals a day every day of the week. I agree - when I'm not planning my next shopping trip, there is much more time to do things I find more fulfilling.
You are awesome and I love the shots of what you did with your girlies! Happy monday my dear!
xo
Melis
Don't care about the shopping stuff ;-)
but what are you reading in your bookclub. I've been reading a bunch of really bad books on planes and it is making me stupid.
Deleted my previous comment to say that I slipped, and I've dedicated an entire post to the slip I made this weekend that will publish tomorrow. I swear I'm not a pushover. It was just something I have had my eye on at Anthro since early fall, and it was 50% off. Not even all those 40 some watching eyes could stop me...
It is freeing, indeed. Even moreso that I imagined. I still have my internal battles though. I drove by the shopping center where Borders, J.Crew and Anthropologie are twice and had to remind myself that I do not need anything and therefore I would not turn into the parking lot. I also quickly deleted the email I got from Hable Construction that had a coupon in it!
This week for me is all about bringing lunch to work instead of eating out (not originally part of my plan) but that has as much to do with nutrition as it does with money. We'll see!
This may just be the thing I need. I'm off to check out the support group now! P.S. Love your blog!
I love that you're doing this! And, that rainbow is just perfect.
Husband and I don't start until February 1, but it's very encouraging to see that everyone here is doing well.
Thanks for starting and leading this little revolution!
i love stumbling upon children's chalk drawings on sidewalks!
Love the rainbow art. Hasn't it just been perfect nature walk weather around here... and now today it's so drizzly and cold.
Congrats on week 2. Wish I could join you, but as I just found out we're on a home tour I cannot possibly go on a spending hiatus. I know you did one in December - any advice?? (I'm sure I'll need to do a spending hiatus once the tour is through!).
I'm experiencing the same thing! It's freeing, because I don't have to agonize over whether to buy something when I see it. I just know I won't buy it.
I'm so glad you got this rolling!
doing great! my parent are in town until wed---so we haev had lots of fancy meals for FREE :) helps with the spending :) I am enjoying it too! BTW: we need to sign up for that sewing class soon.
it looks like you had a lovely weekend! way to go for sticking with the yoga classes (and of course, the shopping hiatus!)
hibly -- we just finished Loving Frank about Frank Lloyd Wright...it was v. good, before that it was The Road and Water for Elephants.
Kotori -- we'll have to get a drink and talk about home tours ;-)
Joslyn,
I have been wanting to tell you about an artist website, www.carisreid.com. Caris finished commissioned portraits of the style editor of Veranda Magazine two daughters. One of them is on her site under news. She just moved back to Brooklyn from Berlin. (she is a former Dallas girl)
Take a look you might like her paintings.
mb
your week sounds wonderful. i too feel more free from it all. i thank you for giving me the nudge i needed.
love the rainbow.
glad to hear it is getting easy.
we haven't technically started, we start feb 1st with this in combination with something else, but I did pass up a bag a Anthro today. A good head start i'd say.
(im still haunted though)
sounds like you had a fabulous weekend with your family! yeah!! for the fun days.
I find it pretty freeing as well & it's a fun challenge. I did purchase a printer & a book for a class I'm taking but those are things that I really do need so I feel fine with those expenditures, but it's nice to know that I'm making a conscious effort not to clutter up my life with things that I really don't need! I even passed on magazines today while at Barnes & Noble buying the above mentioned book...those are my total weakness so that was a nice feeling! At least I still get my subscriptions in the mail! Good luck with week 3!
Thanks for the reminder posts - keeps me more on track. we realized how much our kids keep us so busy we don't spend money! We had Saturday afternoon w/o them so we went to a lovely new marketing in St. Louis and a wine store. But food and wine are essential, right? Okay, I feel better now.
Dora -- yes food and wine are essential ;-)
xo
I'm doing okay... BUT, I did buy about $150 of closet organizer things the other day for a {home improvement project}...does that count as falling off the wagon already OR is it okay because I am organizing and purging the contents of our closets? :-)
jenny
jenny...we'll i'm not the "decider" ;-) but i think that wouldn't count...it's home improvement...not needless stuff.
but that's just me...
I just started on Sunday, and love reading these posts so I know what to expect in a couple weeks.
I am excited to learn how much of what I spend money on is unnecessary.
I love the Chalk murals.
I've been pretty good so far... But I admit I will need to do one of those "This is what I really want to buy" post soon! I'm sure it will, but I'm anxious to see what difference it will make to my monthly expenses.... I want numbers!
I love the photos of your and your girls out and about. It sounds like you are making good time out of this no-shopping gig.
You know, I have been enjoying the spending hiatus as well. I did buy a pair of skinny jeans because my only pair got a hole in the bum after two years of almost constant wear. But the thing is- I didn't feel bad about buying them, because I had the money and hadn't spent it on stupid stuff.
And I've been getting a lot more inspired with the things I already own. Cosmetics especially. I think this is sort of a process of reinvention for me :) Which I will probably blog about soonly.
~Amanda
http://onehappypanda.blogspot.com
came here via adorable Amy T. Sharp, I've never heard of a couples book club, how lucky for you!
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