No, not really. But feels like it.

I noticed yesterday my deoderant was empty. Dh usually stocks up on sale (as with everything) but they stopped making my particular type and he kept buying the wrong stuff. Which is annoying as all get out for 2 reasons. Firstly because I was happy with it but now it's gone. Secondly, because the things I have dh get now I have to go to the store and get. Gah!

Same with my razors and toothpaste. Which is most of my personal regime. Why does everything have to change? Why do I have to choose from 200 types of Crest Toothpaste, but the kind I have loyally bought for the last 3 decades they suddenly don't make.

So I am VERY frustrated with all the manufacturers.

Anyway, I found a coupon for my preferred brand of deoderant and popped over to Walgreens just a couple of months ago, and all they had of my brand and type was a small container. I contemplated because I had bought another brand for sale, and it costs almost the same for a bigger size. Well as I tried to do the math in my head anyway it seemed like both were the same per ounce. I just used the coupon and took the small - looked like a slightly better deal.

So Wednesday or Thursday I ran out. I have a backup of crappy deoderant (one that dh bought) and I keep one at work. So I figured I would freshen up at work and check out the coupons this weekend.

All that and there are no deoderant coupons in the paper. Figures. LOL.

But I have also been putting off razor shopping. I have been also using the same brand forever and they stopped manufacturing my exact type. Now they have all these fancier more expensive razors that I frankly don't think work a s well. So I will go do some careful razor shopping today. I am peeved. I have coupons for a bunch of fancy varieties, but I don't even care - I am going to look for simple looking razors. That actually work. !!

My toothpaste, we figured they changed the name and kind of figured it out, BUT dh got some the other day and tasted weird. I swore he had gotten the wrong thing, and then I realized it was the usual. They had changed something. Blech. I think he got fresh mint gel and I usually get cool mint, but who can keep it all straight. I can't imagine there would be a difference, but yeah, I noticed it. It tastes really off to me.

& yes, I am a very particular person. So dh is sick of my bitchin' and I have to go do my own shopping now.

Life used to be much simpler. Why has it gotten so complicated?

Anyway, I have been thinking I need to replace my tennis shoes. They seem to be holding up okay, but they are getting tired, and I need really good foot support. The shoes are quite old, and wear my feet a bit on the treadmill. So I think it's time for an upgrade.

So a tennis shoe ad caught my eye. I am quite happy to spend the money on a good pair or work out/walking shoes that I can wear for a few years. BUT I saw some of the nicer shoes on Sale for $20 at Big 5 Sporting Goods. It didn't even occur to me at first that I should peruse the rest of the adds. All the camping gear was 50% - 75% off today, so we may go check it out. I had been dreading that we need sleeping bags and flashlights and stuff, but looks like they had some pretty nice sleepingbags in the $10-$15 range, on sale. Yeah, I am sold. Dh said he had 2 sleeping bags but I just thinking ick and disgusting (he doesn't necessarily take great care of his stuff). So I saw a cute black sleeping bag and I think that is what I will get. Out of my allowance. The kids need some as well. They don't need anything fancy as we aren't doing winter camping or anything.

Of course I also came across some sports sandals which I had never really thought of. I suffer greatly with bad shoes and would never consider walking anywhere without my tennies. But I saw some sports sandals on sale and I may try them out.

Reminds me, last night we went for a long walk in the evening. We actually had a really nice night as my life has revolved around work so much lately, and was nice to just have an afternoon and evening with the kids. We all had a blast. We drug dh on a walk, but it was good for him. At one time I knew how long that walk was but I really haven't a clue. Maybe a mile? Walked half way around the lake to another playground. Kids delight in seeing people walking their dogs, and having a change in pace since we go to the other park almost every day.

I am quite behind on housework. I had considered going to the gym today, but I think I will focus on housework instead. I have no idea how far I'll get. But should be a good workout as well.

Last night I Was craving Japanese buffet (knew that place was BAD) and I told dh and then told him to talk me out of it. I said we had kind of a spendy month and may be a bit irresponsible. Especially since we were also making our date plans for next weekend. (We decided on the movies, and daycare).

Anyway, to talk me out of it I guess he told me dinner was expensive. Good point. We have a 10% off coupon and he actually liked the idea of going for lunch because BM has been eating us out of house and home - clearly a big growth spurt. He said BM would be around $2.50 and he could probably eat 3 adult-sized meals. We decided this is probably a good plan. He has devoured all of the snacks in our house. So it will be an expensive grocery month. LOL. We did the math and decided if we didn't order any drinks that it would only be $20 with coupon, so we decided it wasn't so bad. If BM could fill his bottomless stomach, could be good too.

I feel like in years past we sacrificed much like movies out and eating out. I guess now we are figuring out how to work them back to the budget. I never would have suggested movies for a date night. All I think is $$$$$$$$$$. But dh took the kids to a matinee a few weeks back and it was only like $14 for the 3 of them. I was kind of surprised. So I decided I really would enjoy a movie for date night. Except date night will be date day. But it works.

I guess it helps to make a little more money too, but yeah, it's nice to fit some of this stuff back into the budget. This was all the stuff we dropped when we had kids. With time we have slowly been adding some of it back in. & it's nice to have some of those luxuries back.

Of course our life has totally changed finding this drop-in daycare place. We now experience some measure of freedom we haven't had in a good 5 years. We can now actually go to the movies on a whim and stuff like that. Very nice! & having both the kids in preschool allows us some measure of freedom during the week to enjoy.

I realize the expensive part of kids I never *got* before was everything we do do when we go out is now multiplied by 2 (the cost. As we pay for 4 instead of 2). So having the freedom to do things without the kids, like when they are in school anyway, is quite nice.

But yeah, it's frustrating that all the fun things I did as a single gal now cost 4 times as much. I can't afford the simple thing I enjoyed as a totally broke college student. It's kind of ironic. But I mostly feel like a ditz for not thinking about this before I had kids. You don't realize in the early years because they get to tag along everywhere free. Well, we are taking advantage this year. LM will get into Disneyland free and his entire camping trip (& 4 days of meals) are free. So we are taking advantage. Last hoorah of FREE. Then he turns 3 and free is over. But he is actually old enough to enjoy at this point, so we figured we'd go "free crazy" right before he turns 3.

& taking a bottomless pit to a $2.50 buffet? I guess it works out in some regards.