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I still feel like a child within. I have a hard time looking in the mirror and recognizing a real mature man. I would have believed the birth of my second child would have changed it, yet I still appear to be in denial of the aging process.

In regards to aging — or rather fighting it off — my dear wife and I moved into a brand new home and it possesses enough room in the basement for the exercise room my wife had always wanted. But I’m seeing dollar signs when I ponder the many small and big things needed, from the essential but often neglected weight bench and exercise mat to deciding on the most reliable stationary bicycle. Stationary bikes can be difficult now a days. Do I buy an upright or a recumbent bike? Should you select a digital or old-school analog?

My wife seems determined to get one of those elliptical trainers too. Yes you read that right. One of the stationary bikes and an elliptical machine — not one or the other. My estimate is that the extra exercise equipment goes with the cream for stretch marks she started utilizing after the birth of youngest daughter. I’m sure I’ll regret that joke.

I must be particular with the budget because our new home is more of a fixer-upper. We desired it this way, but we still have to carefully budget every little thing, even to a knob for a cabinet (I’m not jesting). My wife has a pretty ambitious kitchen cabinet refacing project planned, but must remind her the bathroom sink she wishes installed will cost a pretty penny, as well.

Gratefully, she and I both appreciate the rustic, organic look, so we’re furnishing our new house with furniture which is unfinished. It still needs a little finishing, but we can keep our expenses down and produce better furniture than we could purchase anywhere anyways.

I recently uncovered a nice coffee table with some decent, natural knotting and a entryway table in matching mahogany. For our patio outside we’re researching outdoor fireplaces and we’ll go with some budget wicker furniture at first.

Furnishing a brand new home may seem so adult, but I cannot help but feel like I’m merely playing house. The new furniture and exercise equipment merely feel like a new era of playthings.