Why the Heck Am I in Target!?

So I've been "sober" for 17 days.  Technically it's been longer than that since I didn't buy anything the last few weeks of December, but I've been officially on the wagon since Jan 1st.  It has been a bit easier than I thought, although I still have lots of momentum.  I mean who would I be if I couldn't keep my New Year's Resolution for 17 days!?  I think it's February when we're all allowed to stop hitting the gym and starting eating queso again.  LMK.

To be honest, most of my success isn't because I have strong willpower, but because I have been smarter at avoiding situations that will create temptation.  That's why on Saturday around 11:14am, while walking past the sweater section (oh that is also adjacent to the make-up... so soft, adorable clothing to the right and gorgeous colors and shiny packages to the left) I stopped in my tracks and shouted "Why the heck am I in Target!?"  Well the language might have been a tad more colorful but I'm a lady - at least on paper.

So why would I willingly spend a Saturday morning at the place that sucks money out of women's bank accounts even quicker than I guzzle wine?  Like seriously - do you know anyone that knows how to get out of Target with a bill less than $200?  Or without buying something that wasn't on the list? 

But back to the story, I was there.  And I somehow convinced my husband to join Beckett and I on this shopping excursion so I couldn't back out now.  And y'all - John rather spend 2 hours cleaning toilets than go shopping so this was huge.  I needed to buy Christmas presents for my precious niece (don't ask why I was just now doing that because I don't even have an answer for you), plus some household toiletry type items.

It was hard, but I stayed the course.  We still spent too much money, but I didn't buy a single clothing, jewelry, shoes, or make-up item.  Or home decor which is also important to note because a gorgeous gold table lamp and faux marble coffee mug were both hollering my name.  VICTORY.

I thought I was home-free.  Out of Target without breaking any of my rules and headed home.  Then what should I hear... "Hey babe, let's go by the outlet mall."  WAIT WHAT!?  Since when does John want to go shopping at the outlets - especially on a SATURDAY.  The parking lot of the outlet mall on Saturday is pretty much John's version of hell.  I could have said no, but to be fair, he desperately needs new black work shoes and since he has spent about $100 on clothes in the last 8 years (while I've worn out the strip on my Discover card approximately 76 times), I can't enforce my resolution on him.

So off we went.  And I did it!  To be honest, there was a touch-and-go moment at the Steve Madden outlet when I spotted a pair of camel booties for 80% off (80% off people!!!!!) and had to shut my eyes, hold my baby a little tighter, and remind myself why I don't even come close to qualifying for needing another pair of boots.

Rewind a month or so, and I would have gotten a thrill from coming home with several shopping bags.  I would have hung the things in my closet, placed the booties on my shoe shelf, and felt "happy."  But a few hours later, I wouldn't have still felt happy.  The next week?  Not a chance.  It's been 3.5 days since I went to both Target and the outlet mall - and didn't buy a darn thing - and man do I feel happy about that.

I might need to avoid Target for the next 11.5 months, though.