I, the Fun Snatcher

My family is fun-loving. The outdoors are great. Biking in the mid-day sun is kind of our thing. Picnicking with our favorite foods in the park, throwing water balloons at each other in the summer is something that’s enjoyed. Glitter, mud puddles, and Play-do…oh what fun!

Let me make a correction. My family is fun-loving, but I am not. When fun is sought in our home, the children go to their dad. I am the official snatcher of fun in our home. If someone wants to go outside for any reason, I ensure I inform them of the intensity of the sun, the bugs, the dogs that could potentially be off their leashes, or how it’s allergy season and they’ll only return miserable. The best time to go bike riding is between 6:30 am and 7:15 am, before the sun comes out and begins to bake my dark skin. I dislike sweating outdoors, because it just feels weird, and I’d prefer to keep the release of any type of bodily secretions to my home, if at all possible.

When my husband and I go out on dates, I’m what he considers “the cheapest date ever”.  So basically, if we’re supposed to go to a movie and dinner, I’ll look for a place where we can do dinner and movie at the same time, or see if I can convince my husband to omit the movie altogether. My favorite is going out to Paradise Bakery, ordering a Southwest Caesar Salad and sharing it. Why Paradise Bakery you may ask? Uhhh…no tip…duh!

If we have a baby-sitter, I count the amount of fun we can have based on how much we can save. Even if we told her we’d be out for about four hours, I see if we can get back in three. I like to be mindful that most young people would prefer to hang out with their friends rather than watching someone else’s children. Also, that means I spend less on the service and can save a few extra dollars.

Some may laugh. Some may shake their heads. Some may say, “Yep, that’s the cheap Esther I know.”  Yah…yah…yah…I guess I’m an extremist. I don’t care to be out in the sun. I dislike picnics, and I don’t like spending money unnecessarily. I can give reasons for each of these, and they may seem unreasonable to many, but that’s just who I am.

It’s funny how our experiences, from our earliest memories to now mold us into the individuals we are. For each of my idiosyncrasies, there seems to be a story behind it.  I think it’s the same for each of us. However, I’m coming to realize that our days on this Earth aren’t long, and the moments we have with our families really need to be cherished.

I’m not saying squander money or spend like there’s no tomorrow on toys and trips. It’s the little things. For instance, in my case, as much as I dislike the outdoors, I have promised my children at least 45 minutes of bike riding every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday morning this Summer. Also, I was blessed last month with some unexpected money. My first thought was, “I’m going to save this for our move.” Noble as that was, I realized it’s not often we have a little extra money. We seldom do anything spontaneous, because I, the fun snatcher, like to plan out the least expensive way to enjoy our time.
                                                                                                                                                A friend was getting married about two and a half hours away recently, and we had said we wouldn’t be able to to make it, due to car issues and other reasons. However, my husband reminded me of how I’d promised to try to be more spontaneous, knowing I really wanted to be there to support my friend but didn’t want to cost our family additional money. Due to the realization that we have never gone on a day trip as a family before, I remembered my husband wanting to go to Pima Air and Space Museum, I surprised him by suggesting we leave earlier in the day and add the museum to our itinerary.

Interestingly enough, we all had a good time, and we actually ATE at the museum. Granted, I made he and I share our meal, as well as the two youngest, but I’m trying, folks. Just suggesting the addition to the itinerary was greatly appreciated by my husband, and it meant a lot to him, so my goal is to attempt to be a little more spontaneous, not so scared of spending money because of my concern over all our bills, and to enjoy moments with my husband and children. It all goes by so quickly, and making new and fun memories is something I have to be purposeful about. We’re nothing but dust. Our days are numbered. We should enjoy the ones we are blessed to have with one another.