My Own FFA Intervention
I need help and I'm not afraid to admit it. I am utterly and completely addicted to fast food and eating out ... but only for lunch (and sometimes breakfast), as if that makes it okay. It does in my mind. That is why I need help.
It all began on our vacation to Indianapolis. We spent many hours swimming in their pool and watching our children frolic about happily. Now, we own a fairly good sized pool ... however, it is not a permanent structure. It is one of those round blue pools that has the blow up ring on top. We put it up on Memorial Day weekend and pull it down on Labor Day, tucking it safely into the storage garage until next year. My kids like to play in it, but jumping into it is against our rules, as if water begins pouring over the edge, the whole thing goes and we are not sporting the water bill to fill up a 5,000 gallon pool several times a year so the kids can JUMP. Little did we know, once children reach the great age of 5 and 6, all they want to do in a pool is JUMP, so our pool rapidly became uncool ... and all the maintence, chemicals, etc ... was all in vein for AnIowaDad.
Anyway, I decided a "real" pool would be just the thing for us and our family. I priced in-ground pools and decided $30,0000 would not be very responsible to spend that on a pool, when if I could spend that much money, it should be into college funds. SO, I started looking at above ground pools and had AnIowaDad somewhat talked into it ... and then the lightbulb went off in his head, regarding my spending habits eating fast food daily ... for me and my 4 kids. All of a sudden, getting a pool didn't seem like an award winning idea by AnIowaMom since she spends between $15-25 daily on lunch. That money could be put to better use, AnIowaDad suggests, like going towards a pool for the children ... so they can JUMP! Does he know how to make me feel guilty or what?
So, that's where I'm at. I would like to spoil my children with the wonderful childhood memory making pool, but AnIowaDad has put me up to the challenge of knocking out my nasty, unhealthy habit of McDonalds ... and Wendy's ... and Pizza Hut ... and Arby's ... and KFC (ooohh, my belly is growling and it's lunchtime) , before we even discuss it further. I'm panicking as it's the end of summer and I bet we could get some really good deals on a pool this time of year.
He doesn't think I can do it. Is it sad to admit that even though I love my children and want to give them this gift of being able to JUMP ... I want even more to prove AnIowaDad wrong?
I'm off to clean up the breakfast containers (McDonalds Big Breakfast Platter) and make myself a yummy peanut butter sandwich ... here goes nothing. Wish me luck!
It all began on our vacation to Indianapolis. We spent many hours swimming in their pool and watching our children frolic about happily. Now, we own a fairly good sized pool ... however, it is not a permanent structure. It is one of those round blue pools that has the blow up ring on top. We put it up on Memorial Day weekend and pull it down on Labor Day, tucking it safely into the storage garage until next year. My kids like to play in it, but jumping into it is against our rules, as if water begins pouring over the edge, the whole thing goes and we are not sporting the water bill to fill up a 5,000 gallon pool several times a year so the kids can JUMP. Little did we know, once children reach the great age of 5 and 6, all they want to do in a pool is JUMP, so our pool rapidly became uncool ... and all the maintence, chemicals, etc ... was all in vein for AnIowaDad.
Anyway, I decided a "real" pool would be just the thing for us and our family. I priced in-ground pools and decided $30,0000 would not be very responsible to spend that on a pool, when if I could spend that much money, it should be into college funds. SO, I started looking at above ground pools and had AnIowaDad somewhat talked into it ... and then the lightbulb went off in his head, regarding my spending habits eating fast food daily ... for me and my 4 kids. All of a sudden, getting a pool didn't seem like an award winning idea by AnIowaMom since she spends between $15-25 daily on lunch. That money could be put to better use, AnIowaDad suggests, like going towards a pool for the children ... so they can JUMP! Does he know how to make me feel guilty or what?
So, that's where I'm at. I would like to spoil my children with the wonderful childhood memory making pool, but AnIowaDad has put me up to the challenge of knocking out my nasty, unhealthy habit of McDonalds ... and Wendy's ... and Pizza Hut ... and Arby's ... and KFC (ooohh, my belly is growling and it's lunchtime) , before we even discuss it further. I'm panicking as it's the end of summer and I bet we could get some really good deals on a pool this time of year.
He doesn't think I can do it. Is it sad to admit that even though I love my children and want to give them this gift of being able to JUMP ... I want even more to prove AnIowaDad wrong?
I'm off to clean up the breakfast containers (McDonalds Big Breakfast Platter) and make myself a yummy peanut butter sandwich ... here goes nothing. Wish me luck!
Ok, Iowa Mom. I am the perfect person to post a comment about this!
We had the blue pool exactly like yours. We referred to it as our "white trash" pool because, well, it was. It sat behind our old garage among the weeds. It was too accessible to neighborhood kids and I was constantly concerned that someone would get in there and drown.
So last summer we bit the bullet and installed an in-ground pool in our backyard. Can I tell you that this is the BEST thing we've done for our family?!?!? We have spent so much time in our pool area swimming, eating, bonding, and playing. We love it and it has already created many treasured memories for our family.
I could go on and on. We're not rich by any strech of the imagination, but we are confident that this was an excellent decision for our family.
(and remember, we are also an Iowa family!) :)
Posted by
Heidi @ Trendy Dollar |
8/18/2006 1:11 PM
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