If I Won the Lottery...

If I won the lottery I hope I would give most of it (if not nearly all of it) away.  I would give to organizations like Blue Monarch (the amazing non-profit my mom founded), Amazima, Ride for Reading, The Raining Season, Nyama Dua and a variety of other ministries that are near and dear to my heart.

But for the sake of a light-hearted post, let's assume someone FORCED me to use it on myself.(Similar to the way my husband forced me to spend money when we were first married.True Story.  We were 20 years old,  married, still in college, pretty broke (I was working at JC Penney and Sean was a worship leader) and we were definitely counting our dollar bills at the end of every month. Dairy Queen was a luxury if that tells you anything.  One Saturday morning I woke up and Sean was already up with a huge grin on his face.  Before I could even ask what was going on, he said, "pack a bag."
"Huh? What for?"
"I have a surprise...."
"What is it?!???"
"I've managed to save money without you knowing and today you're going to pick a hotel in the city (35 minutes away), a nice restaurant to eat dinner at, and we're going shopping.  We're NOT coming home until you've spent ALL of this money... on yourself."

I about flipped. I'm the girl that "keeps her eye" on that really cute $4 clipboard at K-Mart but won't pull the trigger until it goes on sale.  The idea of spending all that money ON ME?? Crazy. Spending money on myself always made me feel kind of guilty. But spending money BECAUSE I WAS FORCED TOO?!??  Now that's a loop hole I'll participate in any day. He's a good one ladies. )

Anyhow... Where was I? Oh yes....I've won the lottery and I'm forced to be selfish...

Here's what I'd do...

I'd buy a farm and build the best compound EVER.  It would have enough separate living spaces for all my loved ones to visit on holidays, vacation in the summers, or EVEN LIVE THERE FULL TIME. The farm would be so close to town though that our favorite restaurants would be only a block away. We could walk to town and then escape the hustle and bustle on our property. This place exists somewhere right?

... and since there would be numerous houses on the property, we'd get to each other by way of zipline. 

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Next, I'd buy a massive pickup truck and go muddin' with my friends on the weekends. Then I'd drive it around town with all that mud caked on and not even care... a truck is always better lookin' dirty.

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I would eat at my favorite Mexican restaurant in town at least twice a week and I'd get the guacamole EVERY TIME.  (I really dream big don't I??)

I'd rent a house on the beach for 3 months out of the year. It would be quaint but spacious, and it would be right on the beach with a pool.  I would have friends and family visit me throughout that time. I'd get great company and they'd get a free vacation :)

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I would have a hair stylist do my hair every morning.

I would get massages once a week... or everyday.  Whatever.

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I would open a little store front... Shop-Around-the-Corner-Style (You've Got Mail Anyone?) and then hire someone else to do be there all the time.  I would just pick out the inventory, decorate the store, visit with the customers when I wished, and then say, "TaTa" and go get a latte at a nearby cafe.

I would open an awesome art center for kids with my good friend Brittany.

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I would have a personal stylist pick out my outfits for every occasion. They would bring the clothes to me, lay them out on my bed like a first grader, and then I'd just say "yes" or "no." 

This is something I would say "YES!" to. 

I would have a pool at our house (the kind that makes it look like you're swimming in the jungle)... but there would also be a lifeguard on duty b/c I'm really scared of kids near pools...

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Lastly, I would have a personal assistant... just because that would be fun. 

What would you do if you won the lottery?

mae

PS: Get out those old photos and link-up with Mrs. Thriftary and me on Thursday for the Throwback  Partttayy.  Good, bad, ugly, adorable, gorgeous, humiliating... you name it, we want to see it. You may just make some new blogging friends... nothing like bonding over a good pair of Osh-Kosh's, a bad hair cut, and a killer pair of Jellies am I right?