Life changes.....

I was thinking the other day....wow has my life ever changed since I became a mom, don't get me wrong I knew it would but it struck me how much it has changed in ways I would have never imagined.

• Long gone are the days I'd spend $200.00 on a sweater or a pair of shoes just because I liked them (I was finally able to part with an expensive sweater recently that I have held onto for years just because I had paid alot of $$'s for it).   I now buy nothing full price, for me or the girls
• I used to be a Walmart snob......now I sing their praises
• I used to buy a new car every 4 years, mine is now 8 years old and needs to last another 4 or 5, until Tienna hits grade one, although I'd love a bigger SUV it just ain't gonna happen anytime soon
• Shopping for clothes is no longer a luxury that can take hours it's more like "I need a white shirt....ok I can likely get one at whatever store" so I run in with 1 or 2 kids and find what I am looking for pick up 2 sizes that I think may fit, pay and leave.  Once home and the kids are in bed, I try on said shirts and the one that does not fit gets returned.  I bought a new bathing suit last week in this manner, the woman at the cash thought I was nuts as I bought 6 bathing suits.....5 went back!!!!
• I now cook real meals...ok not every day but I do...no more bags of chips for dinner, this is a good thing though :-)
• I rarely watch TV when the program is actually on (other than Treehouse) ...I am so glad I made the jump to a PVR
• Chores are broken down into 1 to 2 hour segments, the maximum amount of free, reasonably uninterrupted time I get at a time
• While I have always been active, I am more conscious of it now, I need to stay fit and healthy for my children and also show them a good example (this is why I eat my junk food after they are in bed, yeah I know bad mom!!)
• It will be another 7 years or so until I can go into the washroom by myself, both at home and in public, it's typically like a party in there for me now, especially at home where I am also usually joined by the dog and a cat!!
• I am way more adventurous with trying new foods now, again trying to lead my example......I now even eat broccoli (still hate it but I grin and eat it!) and I have found I actually enjoy most of the new things I try, so bonus
• I never really felt like I was a part of my community....now I do.  I always felt like I was missing out on something and now I finally feel like I belong and I really love and enjoy it.  
• I have met a ton of people I never would have otherwise met as other than through our kids our paths would have never crossed,  many of these people have in turn become great friends

Ah changes.....what would life be like without them....they keep us guessing at what's around the next corner and you just have to roll with them, embrace them and enjoy them.