One of my favorite songs by BareNakedLadies is “If I Had a Million Dollars.”
If I had a million dollars
We wouldn’t have to walk to the store
If I had a million dollars
Now, we’d take a limousine ’cause it costs more
If I had a million dollars
We wouldn’t have to eat Kraft Dinner
But we would eat Kraft Dinner
Of course we would, we’d just eat more
Since it’s my birthday, I thought I would have a little bit of light-hearted fun with this post. I was originally going to do a 28 things you probably don’t know about me list. But instead, here is a list of 28 things that I would buy if I had a million dollars (and just for the sake of argument, it’s a million dollars after taxes), which is similar but a more fun list for me to dream up. Some of the things I actually looked up the price, and some I just estimated how much it would cost, and some I know that I’m way off but since it’s my birthday and my fantasy money let’s just go with it..
1. A home in Massachusetts. It’s our dream place to live. We love New England and would just love to live there. I don’t need a mansion, just a nice family home that is big enough for us to accommodate our growing family. Of course, that includes a basement game room, complete with pool table, AND my fantasy craft room. estimated at $400,000 – but don’t worry, I still have $600,000
2. Furniture and decoration for our house $100,000
3 & 4. New cars. Two brand new cars, and since it’s my birthday fantasy, I get to pick, which means that my husband won’t be getting his sports car. If money were not too much of a worry I would totally want a Jaguar ($64,000) and a Range Rover ($93,000). $343,000 left
5-8. Travel. Oh, how I would travel. I love to travel – well, by myself. As much as I love my daughter, it is no freakin’ picnic to travel with kids, way too much stress comes with that. First, I would take the whole family, my parents included, to Florida to visit my sister (because she’s been bugging me to do that), and to Vietnam to see family. Then I would go to China with the munchkin, my husband, and my mom. One of the things on my list to see before I die are the terra cotta soliders. I took an Asian Art History class back in college and that was the one of the things that just blew my mind. After all that, it would be just me and my husband and we would finally go on our honeymoon to Italy. We were hoping to go for our five year anniversary, but that’s this July so that’s so not happening – maybe for our 10-year. (estimated cost: $30,000. I have $313,000 left.)
9. That darned FurReal pony that Chloe begged Santa for. Unfortunately, Santa didn’t like the pony, but if Santa had a million dollars. . . . ($250)
10. Backyard Mansions. It’s a real playhouse for the backyard. It literally looks like a small house. I can just see my children playing in it. I would just be so excited if I ever bought this for my children. ($3,000 with $309,750 left)
11. Stamps. Stamps. And more stamps. It’s a rubber shopping spree! I could spend this much and more on rubber stamps. When I craft, I mainly use stamping. ($3,000)
12. Wedding rings. Before we got married my husband and I had plans for titanium wedding bands. We never bought them and currently wear rings that were given to us by our cousins during the tea ceremony on our wedding day. ($1,500)
13. Diamond ring. I don’t have very much jewelry. In fact, most of my jewelry have been gifts either for my high school graduation or for our wedding. I wouldn’t mind having one really fantastic piece and would prefer that one piece to be a diamond ring. ($10,000 – I told you it would be a fantastic piece)
14. Grand piano. My husband loves playing musical instruments. One of his dreams is to one day have a piano in our home. ($11,000)
15. Speaking of my husband – big screen tv and home theater system ($20,000)
16. A big, fancy party. I love to throw parties. All different kind of parties with different kinds of themes. I’ve thrown every kind of party from mystery parties to summer games to movies. If I had the money I would want to throw the ultimate party for everyone I knew. It would be my pride and joy. ($80,000 and I would have )
17-21. Some things that I wouldn’t buy right now, but would if I happened to have a million dollars lying around the house. iPod ($350). iPhone ($400). Copic markers ($900). Cricut ($280).
22. My husband custom builds his computers, buying all the different parts and making it himself. I’m sure he would want to make some kind of uber computer. ($5,000 and I’m starting to run out of money with only $177,320 left)
23. Books. Lots of books. Prior to having a house to clean and daughter to chase after I devoured books. I hate to admit that at times I will gladly take Chloe to the park or the hamburger playplace when I am desperate to have some time to read. I hope that my children eventually grow to become reading maniacs. When the time comes I hope to have a pretty ample library full of books that will hopefully satiate that hunger to learn. I fully admit to buying books just so that my children will have access to them when they are teenagers. ($8,000)
24. Shopping sprees to IKEA, Michael’s, and Joann’s because I will have to keep my fantasy craft room stocked up with things to make crafty stuff. ($8,000)
25. The ultimate backyard bbq for my dad. ($10,000)
26. Personal trainer. Well, how else do you think celebrities look so good? (does anyone know how much a personal trainer costs? let’s say $15,000 – I want to look GOOD.)
27 & 28. The practical stuff. To my parent’s because they do so much for us ($80,000). Donation to my temple ($56,320). I really do like my temple. The temple that I go to isn’t in a good neighborhood (in fact, the monk there has been robbed several times – to which he says that they needed the money more than he did), and it’s not flashy, but I always feel good in there. The temple that my mom attended as a child in Vietnam had a monk there that felt a calling for a temple in the US, so she sent one of the monks who was taught under her. He runs the temple here. My family found it. I like the connection. It makes it feel like family.
Wow that money went fast. So, what would you buy if you suddenly had a million dollars? Come on, join in on the fantasy. 
Happy day everyone!!
