Impulse Control Issues

My husband and I have serious impulse control issues. We try to hide them, ignore them, pretend they are not there, but every now and then they raise their ugly head.

For instance, we booked a trip to Italy because I read a fictional story about a couple traveling through France. I don't remember the story, but I do remember them driving from small town to small town eating these amazing meals. Along the way they fell in love.  How does this relate to Italy?  The description of the towns and the food they ate made me long to travel. So one night I said to my husband, I wanted to go to Italy and he booked the tickets. Swear to god.  Since I was terrified of flying, any opening my husband had that got me to even consider flying across the ocean, he would take. We went and it was one of the best experiences of our lives.

We also bought a house one day, simply because I had been at a playdate with a friend who had a recently remodeled kitchen and a full basement.  I loved her house, but that wasn't why we bought. On the way home both boys fell asleep so I was killing time as I drove. Once I parked the car, the boys would wake up and it was far too early to have a 2 1/2 year old and a 6 month old up. So I drove by a house I had seen for sale. Once there, I parked, peeked in windows, walked around the house, peeked in more windows, and called our realtor. We went to see it the next morning, and made an offer that day. Never mind the unlivable condition the house was currently in, without even a functioning bathroom.

Mostly, though, our impulse issues relate to cars. We have, on several occasions, bought cars in the spur of the moment. One day we were driving around our town, it was sunny, and for some reason we decided to look at Jeeps. Just cuz. But of course, we drove one home.  We once had a couple-friend who were deciding on buying a second car. This decision was literally taking months! We laughed at them thinking, what is wrong, just buy it already! (See, serious lack of impulse control!) After our last impulsive car purchase *ahem*toyota-highlander-hybrid*ahem*, we swore never again.

Unfortunately, that impulse to buy a new car is back. It has a pretty strong hold on my husband and is beginning to stretch it's tentacles to me.  The shiny new paint, the new car smell, the clean interior, sigh. I know prudent people would continue to drive the silver mini-van into the ground, but we are not prudent people.

I think the fact that we have owned 11 cars and have been together 15 years speaks for itself.

Hi, my name is Amy, and I am impulsive.