Deja Vu

Thursday night I was struggling to get Ella's PJs on after bathtime when it struck me. On that very day, Ella was exactly the same age Matthew was on the day she was born. Hello flashback!! I shared this with Ryan and we both kind of laughed and breathed a bit of relief that we weren't adding another baby to the mix at this stage. While we both would agree that Ella benefited from having an older brother to teach her the tricks of the trade eariler, we both LOVE having our kids this close together. We struggle everyday with sharing, juggling our time between them, choosing our battles; but we love that they are already good friends. They are concerned about each other. They laugh at each other and play well together. We love that they already conspire against us and go in opposite directions when we are trying to accomplish anything. We hope they grow up to be best friends.

A Weekend Away

Last weekend I had the opportunity to spend some time away. I was invited by a friend to come to "Scrap Camp." The camp took place at Camp Crosley in North Webster, IN. I worked for several summers at Camp Adventure and attended different camps all the way through high school, so camping is in my genes. I left on Friday night after class and headed up to camp. The whole purpose of the weekend was to provide an opportunity for busy women to take a step away and catch up on a creative outlet. The weekend was fantastic! I was able to get caught up on all of our family scrapbooks and spend time with some amazing women. But, the best part of the weekend: breathing deeply.

Breathing deeply?

Yes. From the moment I stepped out of my vehicle on Friday afternoon until I packed up shop on Sunday morning, I was breathing deeply. Breathing in the crisp, cool air. Soaking up the stories and lives of the other women there. Enjoying every minute, down to the weak, cold shower after only 3 hours sleep. Staying up late because we were having too much fun to go to bed. Pausing out on the deck to take in the beautiful view of the icy lake. Laughing so hard I cried. Being responsible only for myself for the first time in 3+ years.

Don't get me wrong... I love being a wife/mommy. I could hardly wait to get back home to my kids and scoop them up and love on them. But, the deep breaths I was able to take on my time away were refreshing. Enlightening. Uplifting. I was reminded to take time everyday to breathe deeply, to take a moment and step back, to put life in perspective. I came home renewed and refreshed, ready to play, ready to love, ready to live deeply.

I am so grateful that I have a husband who recognizes how important these moments are for me. I am so thankful I can take some time for me and not be made to feel guilty about it before, during, or afterward. I hope all of you have the opportunity to breathe deeply. Not next year. Not next week. Not tomorrow. Right now. In the midst of your chaos. Take a moment... Breathe.

Deals of the week!!

So, last Saturday we started our biannual tradition of stocking the kids' closets for next year. We have been doing this twice a year since Matthew was born. We buy the clothes on clearance at the end of a season for the next season and save tons of money. We have typically been able to spend around $150-$200 total out of pocket and have clothes for both kids for the entire season. I realize I could spend most of the summer attending garage sales and maybe save a little money, but I have found that when I find a good sale, I typically can do just as well in one stop. My parents give the kids gift cards for their birthdays and Christmas for clothes, so we typically save those for this purpose and wait for a coupon before we hit the stores. Here is what we were able to accomplish this week:

1. We had $140 in gift cards to Kohl's. We also had a 15% off coupon and for every $50 spent we received $10 Kohl's cash. So, last Saturday morning in the mini blizzard we headed out to shop. We purchased 14 shirts, 1 outfit, and 8 pairs of pants for Ella and 8 shirts, 1 sweatshirt, and 4 pairs of pants for Matthew. We also purchased 2 puzzles for the little helpers we had with us and a frame for my dad's birthday gift. Our total bill was $157.23. After our gift cards were applied, we paid $17.23. We also received $20 in Kohl's cash since our total was $140+ before tax. Tonight, we returned to Kohl's and spent our $20 in Kohl's cash by purchasing 1 shirt and 1 sweater for Matthew and 1 pair of pants for Ella. We ended up paying $4.55 after the Kohl's cash was applied.

2. I had earned $30 in rewards from Gap over Christmas. Yesterday, I ordered 2 shirts, 1 sweatshirt, and 1 pair of jeans for Matthew and 1 dress and 4 pairs of shoes for Ella. I ended up spending around $20 after the rewards and received free shipping!!!

So, we have quite a good start on clothing for Matthew and Ella for next winter for around $40. I realize we really spent more than that, but by taking advantage of clearance merchandise, coupons, gift cards, and rewards, we have been able to put our money to the best possible use!

Happy Birthday, Papa!

Dad's birthday was Sunday. Each year we try to take some type of picture with the kids and NAPA gear. This year, the parents got in on the action! Happy Birthday, Dad! We love you!

One more for Keepin it Real...

I forgot this one yesterday: Sunday mornings are probably the most stressful morning of the week at the Peppler household. There never seems to be enough time to get everyone ready and out the door, but when we get to church, it's all smiles and we act like the All American Family!!! We're only fooling ourselves!!!

Applesauce

Ok, first batch of applesauce complete. I just followed a recipe on the internet I could find and then added marshmallows as a starting point to see. Original recipe:

8 apples cored, peeled, and chopped
1/2 c sugar
1 t cinnamon
1 1/2 cups water
Bring to boil and let cook for 15-20 minutes or until apples are tender. This is where I added a couple handfuls of marshmallows to let them melt. Once cooled, put in blender and puree.

I think the next time I will amend this recipe as follows:

8 apples (I used red ones)
NO sugar
1/2 t cinnamon
1 1/2 cups water
Several handfuls of marshmallows
Cook the same.

The first batch tastes really good, but is a little sweet and cinnamony for me. I think taking the sugar away and maybe adding a few more marshmallows will give it the good Grandma flavor!

A little perspective...

I read on a friend's blog today about keeping it real. Thanks, Deanna! So, in the spirit of keeping it real and being authentic, I am going to take a few moments to present to you... the truth:

My husband is currently folding laundry in the laundry room while I am blogging and checking my email (did I mention he does almost all the laundry at our house)??

My dining room floor is littered with Ella's leftovers and we are having company over for dinner tonight.

My goal everyday is for my children to nap for at least 2 hours (definitely more for Mommy than for them).

We were in Warsaw this morning and stopped at the gas station on the way home in the unexpected white out. Instead of spending the gas card we received for Christmas on gas, we bought 2 fountain pops and gummy worms instead!

I ran 3 times this week, but I also ate a dozen cookies one day.

My daughter has my temperment, but don't tell anyone I admitted it!

I often pretend I am asleep on Saturday mornings when our kids wake up before 7, so Ryan gets up with them.

I am teaching a 3 hour lecture this semester and as much as I like to hear myself talk, I am exhausted at the end of the 3 hours!!!

And the one Truth that is more important than any of the rest is that I am a child of God, saved by grace, and nada without Him.

So, that's the truth for today. Happy shoveling!

A Month of Saving Update

We made our second batch of laundry detergent yesterday and the Ivory soap dissolves much better. We, of course, had nothing to compare the first batch to, but the second batch is much smoother. Again, we did not add any kind of essential oil mainly because I do not have any. The Ivory soap is also much easier to grate. The funny thing is, right before we started using the homemade detergent we actually had just purchased detergent from the store and we have't used it. I guess we'll keep it on hand just in case we run out!!! I did a little more accurate figuring on the detergent and with a coupon for the Ivory, I figure the entire 3 gallons of detergent cost between 80-90 cents. We probably had enough left to finish out the month, but we went ahead and made the next batch. We also have been putting two 1/2 cups of detergent in each load, more out of habit than necessity. We do BIG loads of laundry at our house.

We are getting ready to make some homemade applesauce. I wish I had my Grandma Pease's recipe. I think she added marshmallows to it and was it ever YUMMY!!! Matthew keeps asking for applesauce and with the blizzard, we haven't left the house since Tuesday, so I am going to try making it on my own! We will see how it goes!

We are also almost out of dishwasher detergent here, so we might try the recipe I read where you extend powder detergent by adding 1/2 as much baking soda. I will let you know how that goes.

Hope you're enjoying the snow! We are enjoying time inside mostly with brief excursions out to play! We have fantastic neighbors who love to play with our kids (at least they seem to be excited when we come out). They are so great with them and Matthew and Ella love playing together! We are so grateful for Samina and Hammad! Enjoy your day!