I still feel like a little boy inside. I have a difficult time looking in the mirror and recognizing a fully realized adult. I might have considered the birth of my 2nd child might have changed it, yet I still appear to be in denial of the aging process.

Speaking of aging — or instead fighting it off — my dear wife and I recently bought a new home and this house has enough room in the basement for a home gym my dear wfe has always desired. Of course, I am seeing dollar signs when I brainstorm the many large and tiny things necessary, from the essential but often neglected benches for weight-lifting and exercise mats to deciding on the most reliable exercise bike. An exercise bike can be tricky now a days. Do you go recumbent or upright bicycle? Should I select a digital or analog?

And then my wife seems set on getting one of those elliptical trainers too. Yes you read that accurately. A stationary bicycle and an elliptical trainer — not one or the other. My guess is that it goes with the stretch mark treatment she began using after the birth of youngest daughter. I may regret that jest.

I must be deliberate with the budget because our new house is more of a diamond in the rough. We wanted it to be this way, yet we still must cautiously budget everything, down to the cabinet knobs (no kidding). My wife has an ambitious kitchen cabinet remodeling design projected, but I have to remind her the sink for the bathroom she wishes installed will cost a fair amount, as well.

Thankfully, we both like the rustic, natural look, so we’re furnishing our new home with furniture which is unfinished. Of course, it still requires a little polishing off, but we can keep the costs down and create higher quality furniture than we could find in any store. I found a great pair of coffee tables with some decent, natural knotting and a entryway table in matching mahogany.

And then there’s the great outdoors. For our patio outside we are researching outside fireplaces and we’ll go with some inexpensive furniture made with wicker at first.

Providing for a brand new home might seem so mature, but I cannot help but feel like I am merely playing house. The new furniture and exercise equipment merely feel as a new generation of toys.