Butter vs Margarine

It's amazing how much can change in one week.  On Thanksgiving day, Lucy was in diapers and Clara was toothless.  No longer!  Lucy (though not accident-proof yet) is officially using the big girl potty and I am relieved to report that Clara's first tooth is a middle-bottom one, not a fang. 

I talk often about how once I get used to one phase of life, the girls have moved onto the next.  At Clara's four-month check up today, her doctor gave me the OK to start solid food.  I knew, myself, she was, as she tries to lunge at and attack any food she sees us eating.  Here we go! Another chapter in life for Miss Clara, and no more buying two sizes of diapers!

For the record, teething and potty training will go down as two of my least favorite parts of being a mom.  I've been pushing the potty for at least six months now.  Any seasoned mothers who would like to share tips on avoiding accidents, the advice is welcome.  I usually get all kinds of unwelcome unsolicited advice (even from people who don't have kids or have just had babies younger than mine...) and I am openly asking those of you who have potty trained or are in it yourselves for some good encouragement.  Thanks in advance!

So there it is.  Life as we know it is over.  Yet again.  It looks like Tony will have to go to the grocery store and pick up some rice cereal and mashed up fruits and veggies!  (Hilarity ensues and great pictures will be posted shortly.)  Yes, Tony is still doing all of the grocery shopping.  Now that we are a couple of weeks into it,  it has been interesting.  For me, I have felt less pressure and stress because I'm not hauling two littles in and out of the car into a cart, into the store.....you get the idea.  However, while Tony is (I'll admit it) spending less, I don't know that he's doing the best job of getting more for our money.  Let's just say he isn't buying the things that I would normally buy (because they are the cheapest, I know because I've done my research, because it used to be my job....).  I could share several examples, but last night it really came to a head when he came home with margarine when I had clearly handwritten butter on the list.  He explained to me that it's cheaper and "the same thing".
Umm, no. 
No, it's not. 
Butter is made from cream, margarine is made from oil...it tastes completely different...and it's not the same at all...and I am really actually having a hard time with this... I am so worked up about it as I write that I am feeling a giant lump in my throat. 

My dear husband laughed and said that maybe I am just too "fancy" and "high maintenance" for him to afford.  I told him if it's the difference between butter and margarine for the rest of our lives then I guess he is right.

I need to move on before I get anymore upset than I already am about the fact that there is not a single tablespoon left of butter in my house right now...

On a lighter note, I had quite the photo shoot for my Etsy.com store here in my living room last night.  My generous friend Lynne told me she does photography on the side and came over to take pictures of all of my ruffled creations.  She did not tell me that she actually has backdrops and portable lights among some other serious photography equipment.  I am a bit jealous.  She did an excellent job (thanks again, Lynne!) and I am very excited to see the pictures and share them with you and of course get my shop up and running.  I would like to have Ruffle Couture (featuring Anna bands ;) ) going by this weekend but I have a very very busy couple of days ahead of me including (but definitely not limited to) a cycling class tonight and CycleBox again tomorrow.  I can feel the burn already.

A couple of my friends and I have started up a team for the YMCA'S GetFit Challenge.  There is a BeFit and a GetFit.  I am clearly on the path to getting fit.  There are about eight of us I think and it's very official with weigh-ins and all.  I wish it were starting up now because I still have six pounds to lose before Christmas (yes! only six now!) but we are starting in January.  So, do I hang on to that six pounds for January so I can have an extra six that I will have lost by the weigh-in? Or do I lose six because I want to look better by Christmas?  Sounds like a win-win to me either way.  Does anyone know what the prizes are?  I could use some extra motivation!

As for our Total Money Makeover, Tony has gotten pretty deep into it.  I haven't yet as I have been a bit consumed making Christmas gifts, taking care of the girls, just keeping up with laundry (I could think of a million more reasons) but I plan to...and soon!  The one part I did read last night was about car payments and how having a car payment is really not a smart thing to have in general.  Dave Ramsey talks about how you need to get over what other people think and drive a junker until you can pay for another car with cash.  His advice is sound and he makes some excellent (and eye opening) points about interest and depreciation.  Tony is, of course, on board with this idea and I agreed "maybe after we pay off the Acura...".  Not that I necessarily think expensive/newer cars are safer, but safety is my number one priority in a vehicle (followed by color, number of cup holders, how cute I look in it...). I do love my Acura and do I hate admitting that I care what other people think.   Ugh.  Apparently building wealth means letting go of keeping up with the Joneses.

...and real butter.