How to Survive Life in the Suburbs

I Have The Gimmes

in Everyday on

I gave up my career more then eight years ago and I rarely regret it.  I know I did the best thing for my family at the time.  When I figured out commute times, daycares, business clothes and lunches, I wasn’t exactly making a ton of money. 
Suddenly today, I’m wondering if I made the right move.  How much further ahead would we be if we had that pay cheque every two weeks for the past 8 years?  Then again, I have always been happy that I am the Mom that could always be counted on for field trips, that I could always be reached if one of my babies needed me, and that I always know where my kids are and what they are doing.  I digress.  This is not about justifying to myself why I quit my career, or to examine the road not taken, it’s about the fact that today, I have the gimmies.

This next year is a big one. I will turn 40.  NEXT May!  Gulp.  Suddenly I have all kinds of things I want.  Need! Kind of like a mini bucket list playing over and over in my head. 

I want hardwood floors.  Yesterday.

Hardwood

I want to re-decorate the girls bedrooms.  Now.

I want to remodel the main floor and master baths.  Today.

I want granite in the kitchen and a gorgeous backsplash to finish it off.

I did not want to replace the air conditioner and furnace.  I did not want to fix the roof.  I sure as heck don’t want to spend money resurfacing the driveway.  This house is a money pit.  Sometimes being a responsible suburbanite sucks. 

I want our annual trip to Florida for March Break.

I want that 40th birthday trip to London and Paris with my Hubby in May.  Oh to buy shoes in Paris!  Le Sigh.

parisFod

I want to go to BlogHer’11 in San Diego.  That’s August.  Air fare is outrageous from Ontario!!

I am a greedy girl and have the gimmes. 

Hmmm….. Guess I will just be thankful that the house is still standing, my  kids are healthy, and I still think my Hubby is kinda hot.  I’ll plan that dream vacation to Europe….even if it’s only to dream and never happens, I’ll let the rest go. 

For now!!

Someone pass the cake. I’m having a pity party.

Linky love: Maybe I can give a couple of you a little something.  Canadian Friends, don’t miss the fabulous giveaway I have going on!  Ends Friday. 

*Photo credit to Fodors

    • Comments

    3. having the gimmies isn’t bad…
      anywho.. truly i think it’s sorta healthy.. lol.. that’s what i say anyhow to make myself feel better…

      lol.. being a responsible adult can SUCK sometimes..

    4. It’s my party and I’ll cry if I want to – Leslie Gore
      It’s o.k. if you want all of those things, your priorities are still fine.

    5. I get the gimmes, too. But, if I went back to work, my paycheck wouldn’t give us any of the things I want anyway.

    6. You made the right decision. You can always go back to work once the kids are gone, but you can’t get those years back when you were home for your family. I did the same thing and don’t regret it for one moment.

      Set aside a little money and try to live on less. Before you know it, you will have enough to do one of the things on your list.

      Chin up. What you’re feeling is perfectly normal.

    8. T just returned to work after 8 years…we have a list as well after doing without for so long…but i doubt we will fill much…it will just feel nice to breath a little easier come bill time…that trip sounds really nice!

    9. craig and i have talked about this, too. how different things would be if i didn’t stop working, yet there are a lot of downsides to how things would have been if i hadn’t stopped working. 🙂

    10. OMG! I think we are twins!! I lost my job 2 yrs ago. I love being here for my kids when they need me and I babysit to make up for the lost money. I want a ton of things like yesterday also. I really miss being able to take a day off, long wekend trips, and vacations. I try to save but house is a major money pit! need new couches desperately, new central air system, I want I want…it just never ends

    11. I decided not to work when we had our babies. I have done some work here and there but nothing long term. Currently I do not work. Although I think my husband is expecting me too. I always said that when the baby was in school that would be the time for me to go back to work. Well the time is here but I have no desire to find a meaningless job.I can’t make up my mind what I want to do and I feel guilty for that because I too have a case of the gimmes. My house needs so much updating it’s not even funny. The cabinet doors fall off on a regular bases and I know if I went to work we could remodel the kitchen.

    12. I’ll have a piece of that cake too, please. I totally feel you. I have my list of 40 things to do before I turn 40. Turns out I could do almost all of them this weekend if I had the money.

    13. I’ll have a piece of that cake too, please. I totally feel you. I have my list of 40 things to do before I turn 40. Turns out I could do almost all of them this weekend if I had the money.