When The Sun Shine Hot and the Wind Blows Cold...

Not sad to see February go this year. After a couple of weeks of feeling blah and backsliding on a lot of habits, I started this week off right, with productive work days, healthy eating habits, and with a renewed commitment to breaking my internet addiction.

I also figured out a major stressful puzzle---what B will do all summer. I got us into a city run parks & rec camp that his bestest friend from daycare is also going to (They are in different schools for KG but we still meet up for playdates). This was HUGE because the price of this camp is 1/3 to 1/4 of the other camps I've found, even the "cheap" ones. It doesn't run the whole summer, so we will bookend this with vacation and a more expensive camp (that another daycare friend is going to). 

Did you see the part about vacation? We decided to go on a family vacation this summer. For about 5 seconds I hesitated, thinking about the money, but then I got so freaking excited I couldn't sleep and spent hours looking at airfares and dreaming of possibilities. I am willing to sacrifice a lot of other luxuries (and yes, some savings) for this. I know we are lucky to have the option.

I've been shifting--trying to relax--my attitude towards money. I am backing away from stressing about every $1, and focusing instead on making sure our spending matches our priorities & values. The goal is NOT to spend as little as possible, but to spend in ways that bring us closer to our goals. Every way I think about it, I have to admit that having a modest family vacation (at least once every few years) fits in those goals. We are going through some not easy times in our little family right now, so having something to look forward to is good for all of us. Having something to save up for is also terrific motivation to NOT buy, for example, the stunning dresses in the Boden Spring/Summer catalog that made its way to our house.

We had a MAJOR breakthrough with reading for B this week! I really thought he was stalling out, given how slowly & reluctantly he made his way through the 4-page "books" they sent home from school for practice. Turns out, the boring plot-less pages just weren't motivation. Last Friday, when we went to the library on our "special day", he refused to read the easy reader I picked out but read 40 pages of "The Cat in the Hat Comes Back". Then he refused to read again until last night, in honor of Dr Seuss Day,  he read the ENTIRE books of "Green Eggs and Ham" and "One Fish Two Fish". I loved how excited he was, how determined and proud.

I am meeting a friend for dinner tonight, who sadly no longer works nearby, but is making use of her funemployment (or "sabbatical" as she calls it) to do more socializing. Tomorrow morning I'm going for a run with a friend---we go to the same gym class but we can't really talk during it, so it'll be nice to catch up. Next week another great friend is coming to town, and we are going to happy our. And we have a sitter for a school fundraiser next weekend, which will give us a chance to meet/chat with more current & future parents from B's school. I haven't much in the way of social interaction in a while, so anticipation of these outings is also raising my spirits.

And now I must finish my charting and scan the camp registration form. Will be back soon with March goals.

What are you looking forward to right now?