So yesterday, we enjoyed our last children's summer movie at Harkins Theater. We missed the previous two movies because we were visiting family in Illinois and Indiana. The show was Freebirds, which Carrick especially likes. It didn't matter to him that he had watched it on Netflix a handful of times this summer, seeing it on the big screen was something he did not want to miss. He still had about $10.00 Fun Dollars to take with him to buy his kid's combo. I also had enough Fun Dollars to splurge on a small popcorn and soda.
After returning from our family visit, Corey and I decided to refine our eating habits. Both of us live with psoriasis, and are serious about eradicating it. This means that the food we eat should be geared towards our goal of clear skin, not self-indulgence. Refined sugars, like those in soda, are on the "do not consume" list. Popcorn isn't necessarily bad, I just wanted to get one bag of popcorn because I hadn't all summer. That's right, we attended seven movies together this summer, Carrick, Lily and me, and I did not buy popcorn until the last movie. It was kind of a last hurrah for summer.
After the movie, I wanted to take the kids shopping for school clothes at Bell's Outlet across the street. It was Friday, and shoppers under the age of 49 get an extra 15% off with their loyalty card. (Folks 50+ get their discount on Mondays.) We were walking through the kid's section, when I felt dizzy and hot. I actually started sweating, despite the air conditioning being on. I immediately knew what was going on. I had made the mistake of having too much caffeine, and not enough food/water. Morning coffee paired with Dr. Pepper and only popcorn was not a good idea. I quickly checked out, and made a dash for Taco Bell.
My order came to $5.00 even. I did not want to mess with going home and cooking, I just needed food ASAP. We came home, and as my hands were shaking, I unwrapped my bean burrito. After finishing my lunch, and sitting on the couch sipping water, I slowly started to feel better. It felt like my last hurrah was more of a belly flop than a cannonball.
I thought that I would give myself until school started to be vigilant about what I ate. I thought that since both the kids were still at home, I would wait until at least one of them was occupied during the day to try to change how I ate. But the truth is, now is always a good time. It doesn't really matter if there are kids around, family to visit, or soda to drink, in the end, the decision is mine about what I put into my body.
This also leads me to a discovery about how I will be spending my Fun Dollars in the months to come. Since there are many things that are getting crossed off my list of "OK to eat", the places I spend my Fun Dollars, and the things I spend them on will drastically change from my previous spending trends.
Also, the fact that Carrick will be in school means that there is one less person I will be spending my Fun Dollars on. All summer, I have spent my Fun Dollars on small treats like Luna bars and coconut waters, many times, buying for and sharing with Carrick. With him gone all day at kindergarten, I will have slightly more to spend on myself.
I am really excited about the next few months of Fun Dollars. I think these changes will only help me become a better version of myself. There really is no Last Hurrah, just everyday decisions that I, myself, get to make.
Popcorn and Soda at the movies- $6.00
Lunch at Taco Bell- $5.00
Balance this pay cycle- $29.00
Happy Spending!
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