Well–I’m doing pretty good but I haven’t bought *nothing*.  I popped into Borders to get Bill the blank book he wanted to create his own monochronotebook and while there *only buying that*–I was so good! I found . . . their 50% off Hannukah table!!!  And I got a few things.  Hannukah stuff is really hard to find in this area and when I do find it it’s not cheap.  This was great!  I found a little stamp set, a kitchen towel set, and a couple of books including Lemony Snickets “The Latke that wouldn’t stop Screaming . . . A Christmas Story” LOL  But I contained myself and was proud of how well I did and what I got :)

I also found an amazing set of tea mugs.  I have a mish mash of tea/coffee mugs.  Nice ones–but mostly coffee mugs.  Yes, I am fully aware you can drink tea out of coffee mugs–that is what I’ve been doing ;)   but it was just that morning that I was drinking my tea from a coffee mug and thinking I wished I had something to drink from that created that zen-like tea experience!  That I could set down in *my* house and have it look like it belonged.  Something that made me feel even better about drinking my tea–to inspire me to drink my tea–which is better for me after all. And since I’d been drinking more tea since both dd’s tea party birthday and my trip to the naturopath . . . well, I was thinking about it.

Imagine my surprise that night when I went into Starbuck’s and found the most amazing set of tea mugs! I wasn’t even looking for it–and had committed to stop buying mugs from Starbuck’s because they are made in China and all the toxic recalls and warnings and such . . . these were made in Japan!  And they were really well priced.  DH loves them–and I weeded out the mugs that were in the cupboard just to have mugs–put them to better use holding little things in the homeschool cabinet where there is always enough little things ;)

I know this may sound like “spending confession” but I really am feeling good about this commitment. We’ve been at home, working on the house, working on the yard.  I’ve been feeling a lot better and when I got the Trocanter belt to help my lower back it made all the difference.  I went all day yesterday and felt great–and have been able to go today too.  I feel like I’m getting my life back.  Ironically . . . the better I feel the more I can DO and the less I find myself *wanting*.  I don’t have to think about what will make my life easier when my life isn’t so hard.  I don’t have time to even think about what I might want when I’m busy doing what I need.  And my commitment to not impulse buy has been a good thing.  I don’t spend a lot of money on impulse buys–but I want to spend nothing on them.  Any is too much imo.  It’s part of my commitment to be more intentional this year :)