Day 1: New Year, New You (Or Something Like That)

 If I had a dollar for every time I restarted this daily blog, I'd probably be rich. 

Rich like, enough to buy a gallon of gas rich. 

One gallon. Not a tank. Just so we're clear. 

But you know, "New Year, New You", or something of the sort. I was talking with a friend today (on Facebook messenger, which is relevant to my point in a minute) about how I wish I wasn't so dependant on social media (see the connection now?) to keep up with friends, family, etc. Yes, it's a wonderful thing. But it's also addictive, a time waster, stupid, etc. I need to install some sort of 15 minute/daily timer to the app on my phone. 

But the other big thing I love social media (particularly Facebook) for is the daily "Facebook memories", where I can see what I was up to in years past. Since I'm a frequent poster, I usually have something fun to look back on. Which is great and all but that should be able to fall into that 15 minute a day slot. 

So you know what I'm going to try to do (again), is blog instead. Daily. The 365 day challenge has returned! Of course I'm starting on January 4th, and not the 1st, because the 1st would be too easy, and it took me 4 days to figure out my New Year's resolution. 

So there it is. 

First of all, let me geek out (literally) about our new daily calendar. It's a space-themed daily RPG, where each day we continue our story, make decisions about what to do, roll some d20 dice, save the universe (or die), etc. 

I mean seriously, is there anything cooler and nerdier than this?

Today our hero (a droid) successfully broke out of his cage. Now they're in for it. 

Also today, I took Calen shopping after swim team practice. For Christmas, my mom got each of the boys their own $50 gift card to Safeway, to "buy all the things that Mom says no to."

I mean seriously, this is a brilliant Christmas gift. 

Calen, donned in his slick 90s style Pizza Planet jacket, swaggered through the store, gasping and chirping with excitement. "This is so fun, it's like being an adult, it must be SO FUN to have your own money and buy your own groceries and not have to share." He started in the deli, and moved to the bakery, where he checked the price of an entire chocolate cake, then laughed and said no and moved on. "Where is the cereal?!" He demanded happily, for if there is one thing I say "No" to on a regular basis, it's cereal, because it costs. so. much. So we march down the cereal aisle and Calen looks at a couple boxes and snaps "HOW DOES CEREAL COST THIS MUCH??" and promptly returns the cereal to the shelf and moves on, while I'm behind him stifling my laughter. 

See? Your mother isn't crazy. Buying a box of cereal for $7 that will last LITERALLY three days is crazy. 

A wild Calen on the hunt in the cereal aisle

The only "rule", per say, that my mom gave the boys was that it couldn't be all candy, and that Mom (me) gets final say. For the most part today I gave Calen free reign, within reason. Out of $50, he spent $18, and was delighted with himself at self-checkout and had to announce to the entire checkout section of Safeway that he had managed to "save four dollars!! I can't believe it!" 

I wish I still had that kind of fresh faced enthusiasm when I save $4 at the grocery store. 

So what do 13 year olds with gift cards and free reign buy for $18? After much deliberation, Calen picked:

The spoils of war

A bag of Salt and Vinegar chips
Four meat sticks
Salt and vinegar almonds (hey it's almost healthy)
A bag of lemon drops

So basically, his snacks are covered for the week, he was raving about the almonds in the car, and was over the moon with being able to go grocery shopping on his "own".

Best. Gift. Ever. 

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