cha-CHING!

It has been an expensive day.  

It began with an 820am appt at the dentist with child number 4's cleaning.  Let's just say that no one should have to hear that kind of news before 10am without the benefit of a couple of good stiff drinks.  THEN, I had to go in at 1050 for my appt and I was SKAIRD!  Turns out mine wasn't as bad as the girls' but it wasn't great.  One cavity.  One tooth that is in dire need of a crown (which dentists have been telling me for about 9 years) but the filling IS still in place, two old fillings that need to be replaced...but not IMMEDIATELY.

I think teeth are overrated.  I mean...steak still tastes like steak if you process it and drink it through a straw right?  Been meaning to lose a few pounds anyhow.

Then I toddled off to the farmers market for what I hope is the first of two batches of spaghetti sauce.  That's a job, peeling 50 lbs of tomatoes.   But it's made, now it just has to cook for 2 days before I can it.  The only "drag"  will be the inevitable question of "how much did you pay for the tomatoes?" and positive confirmation that they could have been had elsewhere cheaper.  I also picked up 3 huge bunches of basil to make my last batch of pesto.  We eat alot of pesto here.
Here is the spaghetti sauce:

So, once the sauce was cooking, the husband went and picked up the pick up.
Here is where I try to justify/rationalize/excuse myself for doing what I swore I would never do:  I put a vehicle in my 16 year old's hands.
1.  He worked this summer FOR a car.  To have him work as "physically" as he did then tell him..."sorry, no can do", didn't seem fair.
2.  He goes to a HS where we are within the walking distance boundaries, and I have NO problem with him walking.  However, for 1 of the two miles he needs to walk there are no sidewalks and if he goes the most direct route, he is walking on the shoulder of a 55 mph highway.
3.  This vehicle works towards MY convenience.
And none of this makes me feel better about what we did.  However it's done and I won't second guess myself.  I will say that the boy did NOT get the vehicle he wanted (he contributed 1/3).  He got the one I wanted for him:  a Ford Ranger.  It's small enough that the mileage should be pretty good.  While it is an extended cab, I doubt many teens will be willing to cram themselves into the back of the cab so he has limited the number of distractions (are you catching the rationalization going on here?) in the vehicle with him.  It is 4WD because it IS MN.  And it allows us to use the bed to haul things if we don't want to hook up the trailer to the 'Burb (mulch comes to mind).          I dunno...I think he's come around.  What do you think?

So, while I said we weren't second guessing ourselves, don't be fooled, we are.  Is it ever a good idea to give your kids what you didn't have?  Did I turn out poorly for having had to pay for my first car myself?  Have I destroyed the possibility of building his character by trying to make him happy? 

I guess time will tell.