I finally did it!!!

What, you may ask, is so exciting that it requires three exclamation points? Is it a new hair color or finally getting around to painting my walls? Or maybe started on the looong path to finishing my master's degree?

No, I finally spent (a portion) of my Pottery Barn gift card from my parents for my birthday. In April.

I know, you're thinking "I would have spent that in a heartbeat" or "What's the big deal?" Well, let me tell you my story.

When my mom started asking me what I would like for my birthday, I had no idea what to tell her. Knowing about how much they usually spend on birthdays, I knew it wouldn't cover the things we need around the house (like furniture, a gas cooktop, etc.) I have plenty of clothing and more than enough "stuff." I have objets de cuisine coming out of my ears (I've been reading Julia Child's book), so I really don't need any of that stuff. So, I just couldn't think of a single thing that I wanted for my birthday.

Well, then I got the bright idea to ask for a Pottery Barn gift card. It seemed so ingenious. First of all, I ALWAYS ask for gift cards. Because really, is there anything better than the gift of shopping? I thought not. But then, I thought this would be even better, because I can never bring myself to spend money at PB. Don't get me wrong, I love the stuff. But it is pricey.

But, I thought if it wasn't my money, I would have no problem going in there and buying something to make my house pretty. Well, I was wrong.

I went a couple of weeks after my birthday. I walked through and saw a few things that I would like, but I hadn't really given much thought to which room I want to concentrate on next. My kitchen is pretty good and Madeline's room and bathroom are finished. That just leaves the rest of the house...

Well, I left that day thinking I would come home, take a look around, and develop a plan. (Yes, I need a plan. I AM an engineer people, that's what I do.)

Well, I thought I would start working on the master bedroom next. I saw some really cute pillow shams that would pair really well with a solid comforter and the chair that we already have in there. Then I started thinking. We really don't have furniture in there. Well, we have furniture, but it's mish-mash and consists of a lot of pieces that came out of a box and that are not real wood. So maybe I shouldn't spend a lot of money on bed linens and accessories until we get some furniture. What if I fall in love with furniture and the accessories that are only a couple of years old don't match?

Then I thought I could do the master bath. Really, I would just need a few towels and rugs. But, that was the one "department" that they just don't have anything I really like right now. There was a shower curtain, but no other printed accessories to go with it. I didn't want just solid colored towels. So that option was out.

Then I thought I would buy some beverage-ware for a cocktail party we were going to throw. Well, we scheduled it for a bad weekend for everyone else, so nobody was going to be there. And, I just couldn't bring myself to pay the prices for some of the stuff they had knowing I could get almost identical items at Target for less than half the price.

Then my final plan was a patio umbrella. Our patio table is setup for an umbrella and I found one that I liked. But, this was already at the end of the summer and we couldn't find the stand for the umbrella.

At this point, I decided to just wait awhile. This was turning into such an agonizing decision that I wasn't even having fun anymore.

Then, I had another stroke of genius. I would wait for holiday decorations. And I was not disappointed.

This week, I bought some of the cutest (and most ridiculously expensive) mini-pumpkin vase filler for my candle holders. Now I can start decorating for fall (I am jumping up and down right now). I love fall decorations.

And I even have money left over on my gift card. Maybe some Christmas decorations...