A Month of Saving Day 21 in Pictures

Today's tip: Save money, invest in cabinet locks!!!

A Month of Saving Day 20

I am married to a Mr. Fix-it! When it comes to saving money, he comes in very handy! Today, our money saving tip is to try and fix things on your own. A few weeks ago our garbage disposal broke (I think one of the pebbles from the fish tank went down the drain - oops!). I used to just call the repair man without giving it a second thought. However, in the spirit of saving money, Ryan said, "I think I can handle it." So, Ryan and Matthew purchased, uninstalled the broken one, and reinstalled a new one in less than an hour. We have adopted a new way of doing things around here... try to fix it ourselves or at least research what is involved in fixing it before we hire it done. If you don't happen to be married to a Mr. Fix-it, try it yourself or find a friend who is. I have found being able to do research on the internet about how to fix something makes many jobs we used to pay for much more doable. It's amazing the money we can save by doing regular maintenance and repairs on our own. Matthew even enjoys jumping in the fixing fun!

A Month of Saving Day 19

Today, I have been thinking of all the sacrifices my husband makes to take care of our family. There are so many things he does to make sure we have everything we need, but one of the sacrifices he makes is driving a vehicle that is paid off!!! Ryan drives a 1999 Ford Explorer that was actually given to us a few years ago. At that time, he was driving 1991 Ford Explorer, so it was quite an upgrade!!! While I am sure he would like to have a nicer vehicle, he also realizes that not having another car payment is better for our family. So, today, our money saving tip is to save for big purchases and PAY CASH! I know that is easier said than done, but it really is an attainable goal. Awhile back, my uncle went to purchase a used car. Now, he probably has enough money to purchase a brand new car with cash, but that's not the point. He walked into the dealership with $8000 in his pocket. I don't remember all the details, but he was able to walk out with a car that was priced well over $8000 initially because he had the cash in his pocket. Most places aren't going to let you walk out the door if you're making a big purchase and willing to pay cash, not to mention paying cash allows you to save all the interest of a car payment. I work with a man whose family needed to purchase a new refrigerator. They saved all their change for one year (now, that's a lot of change), but they were able to buy their brand new refrigerator with the money they saved!!! Whether it's a car or an appliance or some other purchase, saving at least a big chunk of it ahead of time saves you money in the long run. I am looking forward to being able to buy Ryan a "new to us" vehicle one of these days, but we are hoping to pay cash when that day comes.

A Month of Saving Day 18

Today, it's all about celebrating!! One of the things we like to do around here is celebrate milestones. Whether we pay off a large debt or meet a goal or deadline we have set, we celebrate our accomplishments. Now, of course, I would not suggest the celebration be so extravagant that you end up with more debt than you paid off, I do think these little mini celebrations are fantastic motivators. We do things like: find a cheap hotel on priceline and go away for the evening or weekend, plan an outing to a fun family place like the Children's Museum in Indianapolis, or go out to dinner at a nice restaurant.

I seem to be bombarded recently with reading things like, "You only live once, so do anything you want in moderation" and "If it feels good, do it" and "Go big or go home" type advertisements and advice. I am sure part of my sensitivity to this is that we are focused on trying to save money and this mentality really doesn't fit that lifestyle. While I agree that we are only going to live once, I also believe our ability to make a difference in the lives of our children, family, community, and world will be more greatly impacted if we focus less on the instant gratification lifestyle our society seems to flaunt and be more conscious of how and where we spend our resources.

So, today we are looking forward to our next celebration ~ it may not be wine and roses all the time, but the celebration is just as sweet!!!

A Month of Saving Day 17

Well, I would be pretty surprised if anyone is still reading this by now, but because I am a creature of habit and quite anal about finishing something I start, I will continue with the daily posts until the end of the month.

WARNING: TODAY'S POST WILL ACTUALLY CAUSE YOU TO SPEND MONEY!!!!

I can tell the money is burning a hole in your pocket already! Today, Ryan and I are evaluating where we donate/give to charity. A few years ago, we started tithing to our church during a time in our marriage where we were deep in debt. We have shared this story on occasion with people in our church, but today I am stepping out of my comfort zone a tad and sharing it with... the world. When we got married we purchased a home that we wanted to make some serious changes to before we moved in. We pretty much started from the studs in most of the rooms, along the way accumululating serious balances on our credit cards. Everyone was willing to give us credit, and we pretty much took them up on their offers. Soon, we were around $30,000 in debt. Ryan listened to Howard Dayton's Money Map program on the radio and ordered a brochure leading us through the steps to financial freedom.

Malachai 3:10 says, "Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it."

One of the first decisions we made as we started the journey of getting out from under this financial burden was that we would start tithing to our church. At the time, we occasionally dropped a $20 in the offering plate but figured the church would surely understand that we were a young married couple and we just didn't have any more to spare~the old people could give the big bucks! Well, as backward as it seemed to us at the time, we decided to, for the first time in our marriage, really trust that if we were faithful with our finances that God would supply. We set up our checking account to automatically deduct our tithe and send it to the church each week. I could write a novel on all that transpired in the next year, from making huge payments on credit cards, to receiving a check in the mail at the end for the exact amount we had left to pay; but the moral of the story is: We trusted God with our finances and in less than 1 year our credit card debt was paid off!!!! While we didn't start tithing anticipating to be prosperous, we firmly believe that we were able to pay down our debt because we trusted that God would supply and we were faithful stewards with what He gave. That's it! For us, part of saving money is giving back to the God who has given so freely to us. Case closed.

A Month of Saving Day 16

Tonight for supper we had burritos. One thing I love about cooking is that we rarely have to buy meat at the store. We buy almost all of our meat in bulk. We eat buffalo at our house (similar to ground beef) and it is fabulous to go out to the freezer whenever we need some meat and it is already there waiting. The investment in our deep freezer has been well worth the cost. We have also noticed that there are many meals that we do not eat an entire 9x13 casserole, so we have started dividing the casserole in half and freezing the second half. It is great to be able to pull it out the next time and save all the prep time, not to mention we aren't wasting the leftovers. We also often cook large quantities of ground buffalo, chicken, turkey or pork on the weekends and divide them into freezer bags for use later in the week. Today, saving money is just that simple... it also will save you time in the long run. Make your regular meal and if you don't usually eat the entire casserole, freeze the other half. After a long day at work or a full day of caring for kids or taking care of the house, it is nice to have supper ready to go, just pop it in the oven and voila!

A Month of Saving Day 15

It's hard to believe we are halfway through the month of saving already! Besides some people thinking we are Amish and a few skeptics, we have been enjoying the challenge! Today, as I was thinking about saving money, I started to think of all the reasons why we don't save money. One of the main reasons I think we have done a somewhat poor job at this until recently is a sense of entitlement. No, nothing I am sure any of the rest of you deal with, but for me, I often catch myself saying things like:

"I work part-time, so therefore I can afford to go through the drive thru instead of cooking at home."
"My kids have been on my last nerve today, so I should go buy myself something nice to make up for it."
"My husband had to work late this week, so I can justify spending extra money at the mall since he will be making more."
"My favorite store is having a sale, so I should spend more and get more."

You get the point.

I often catch myself making excuses like this for what I buy. Recently, I have been asking myself, "Do we really need it?" While it may be a good price, or I might have had a rough day at work, or we might have a little leftover at the end of the month, do WE really need it? Do we REALLY need it? Do we really NEED it? Do we really need IT? This simple question has changed the way I do things over the last couple weeks! While I am sure we will still be splurging from time to time, we are trying to put an end to the entitlement mentality. If saving money really isn't your issue, maybe the entitlement idea flows over into another area of your life.... whatever it is... take a minute to think, "Do I REALLY NEED IT?

Have a great week!

A Month of Saving Day 14

Today, we went to the bulk food store in Shipshewana. My parents had been there recently and one of my best friends lives near there, so we thought we would check it out. They have TONS of baking items, as well as regular groceries. We bought powdered sugar, Haitian vanilla (the best vanilla on the planet... I was so excited to find), nacho cheese, some dip mixes, and several other items. When we got home, we made 2 loaves of bread, 36 dinner rolls, 2 large bags of egg noodles, and an angel food cake from scratch. YUM!! The rolls are in the freezer, we made paninis tonight with the bread, the noodles are in the freezer, and the angel food cake... well, it's in my tummy!!! Last night, we also made a drastic change in our family room... the TV is gone! GASP! OK, before you start throwing tomatoes at me or something, we still have a TV and this really wasn't about saving money. For awhile now, we have noticed that our children are both glued to the television if it is on. One of the first words out of Matthew's mouth in the mornings is, "Let's watch Mouse." We were getting frustrated that they were always wanting to watch one of their favorites shows and it also let us off the hook in terms of being creative and playing with them. So, we got rid of it! We moved it to our bedroom (thank you, Uncle Kyle), so for the first time since we got married, we have a working television in our bedroom. I really think it will become a dust collector in there, but I am not sure Ryan was ready to move it too far away just yet. We had a great day playing with our kids and they never asked to watch the TV one time!!! Not to mention, I got to rearrange my family room and I LOVE the new set-up! Jason: If you're reading this, we were able to get the leather chair we thought would sell with the house out of the basement last night! It looks great in my family room!
Today, when I thought about saving money, I thought of our flexible spending account. I realize not everyone has this option with their health insurance plan at work, but if you do... TAKE ADVANTAGE!! We have 2 sick kiddos right now, and while we typically enjoy fairly good health around here, we do have occasional illnesses or doctor visits. The flexible spending account is pre-tax contributions from your paycheck that can be used for healthcare expenses throughout the year (read the fine print to make sure you know what is eligible under your specific plan). For example, I am getting a crown on Wednesday and the $450 (puke) that are not covered under my insurance from work, I can pay for with my FSA. While I realize I am still paying for the crown, I did not have to "budget" for it in our monthly expenses. In fact, I was supposed to have the crown in December and called to reschedule it so that I could take advantage of the funds once my FSA reset in January. We are very fortunate to have my mom watching our kids for us, but I believe there is some type of contribution like this for childcare expenses as well if that pertains to you. If you work, make sure you know the benefits your employer provides for you... many employers have deals with cell phone companies, gyms, or other vendors that provide nice discounts or incentives to their employees. One of the incentives from Ryan's health insurance is a 10% discount on a zoo pass!!! I've begun to realize that often there are discounts available and I just didn't know or failed to ask.
Have a great weekend!

If you're really worried about our children's deprivation from television, we do have a TV in the basement that I am sure we will be using from time to time!!!

A Month of Saving Day 13

Fridays at the Peppler house are date night! Ever since Matthew was born, our kids have gone to Ryan's parents for a couple hours every Friday night! We are very fortunate to have this built-in childcare, but today, as I thought about saving money, date night came to mind. It is often difficult for parents of young children to afford date night, let alone the childcare to make it happen. Today's idea is to swap childcare with friends for date night. It is so good for couples to have alone time over dinner, or just a few hours to reconnect over coffee, or in our case recently, to come home and bake (last Friday we made 2 loaves of bread, a recipe of noodles, and a chocolate trifle). Regardless of what date night entails, the time together is what's important. Volunteering to watch your friends' children one evening in exchange for the same gesture in return, will not only gain your children some social time, but also allow you some downtime. If you happen to be in a season of life where you do not have young children but are capable of caring for 1 or 2 little ones, volunteer to host a young couple's children for an evening out for mom and dad. If you happen to be a single parent, I would imagine a night out is doubly important. Finding someone you can trust with your kids so you can get away and reconnect with friends or just take care of yourself, makes for better relationships with your children once you return home. Ryan and I are usually completely refreshed after just a couple hours away and recharged for the weekend. If you can save the cost of childcare by swapping sitting services with your friends or family, you can enjoy date night even more because it is saving money!!!

Happy Friday!

A Month of Saving Day 12

Well, today we are looking at energy savings. As I typed that sentence, I realized I left the light on in the dining room after breakfast and had to get up and go turn it off (great start!!!). Yesterday, I received our REMC bill and on it, it said to check out their Energy Advisor on their website, http://www.nremc.com/. Once there, I was able to click on an Energy Savings tool where I put in our home information (most of which it already recognized). I could even put in the dates of when our furnace and appliances were purchased and then it calculated where we could save money in our home. Now, I realize we will have to potentially spend some money to upgrade the specific areas, but it just might be worth it in the long run. One area that it said we could save over $300 per year was in upgrading our water heater. When we purchased our home, our water heater was over 16 years old. It has just not made it on the upgrade list up to this point, but it might be something we need to consider. The other area of major savings for our home is in light usage. There are simple things that we can do to save energy in this area... turn the lights off when not in use, turn off the closet lights (night lights) in the kids' rooms during the day, unplug appliances or lights when they are not in use or not used at all. In our kitchen/dining room, we could potentially have 7 lights turned on at one time (one of which is a chandelier, not to mention all the appliances). There are times when I walk in the kitchen and at least half of them are on and no one is in sight. We are going to try to save some energy at our house and see how it goes!!! It will be interesting to see the difference in our meter reading next month!

I think the website said you could also have an Energy Advisor come to your house and do a more complete inspection... I am sure that would not be complimentary!!!

Happy saving!!

A Month of Saving Day 11

One of the things we have recently stopped doing is buying fountain beverages. While we both like them better than drinking out of a can or bottle, we also realize how much we were spending on fountain pop everyday. The closest drive thru for us to get a beverage is Taco Bell, and at least 4 times a week we ordered an XL diet and XL root beer totaling $4.04. That's almost $850 every year in just pop! If we purchase cases of pop for $6.00 a case or less, that's 25 cents per can. We might drink 1-2 pops on average per day, so we are easily saving $650-$700 every year on pop consumption. While I still occasionally crave a fountain beverage, I am willing to mostly do without them if it means saving money. We have also found that since we are not buying fountain pop, we are drinking less pop and more water. Double win!!

Update: We have been pretty good about not using paper towel around here for the last week. The first major change we have seen is that our garbage can is usually full to the brim each week, and this week we had at least 1/3 of the can empty when we took it to the curb!

Hope you're having a great week!

A Month of Saving Day 10

Today, I wanted to write about splurging and indulging. While these 2 ideas are a far cry from most money-saving ventures, I think they are important if we are going to be successful with this little experiment! For every family, there are some costs that are non-negotiable. I am not talking about a mortgage or car payment. I mean, there are some costs, that although they may be unnecessary, they are worth it for that particular family. For us, one of our indulgences is the use of the Culligan man. We have a well at our house and if the salt tank runs out of salt, the iron in the water starts to stain clothes. From experience, we know that we are just not good at filling up that tank. Not to mention, we spent more money every month buying salt than the Culligan costs us when he comes! OK, maybe that isn't an indulgence, but the next one is: Creme Brulee creamer. We are addicted to it at our house. Last week, I tried to take a half-empty bottle of creamer and add skim milk to fill it back up to try and save money. Let me tell you, we could tell the difference. Ryan told me that the creamer is where he draws the line on saving money! We don't go to coffee shops for coffee, we don't drink expensive coffee (Hello 55 cent coupon Ryan found attached to the Folgers yesterday at the store), so this little splurge is totally worth it for us. Now, if someone can figure out a way to make Creme Brulee less fattening and still taste the same, then we might have another go at it! I really think these simple indulgences are important for us. While we don't spend tons of money on either one, they are enough motivation to keep at it when saving money doesn't seem like fun anymore!

A Month of Saving Day 9

Today, is a household cleaner kind of day. While I work 10+ hours on Mondays and rarely have the energy to do much except manage to get supper on the table, baths, books, and a little play, I like to imagine I have spent the day cleaning my house and try to escape the utter chaos of my family room at the end of the day! Last week I made some household cleaners to try. While I do not often purchase household cleaners, it is something I really do not like to buy. It seems they always end up on my list at the same time and make my grocery bill $15-$20 more just because I have 3-5 cleaning supplies on the list. The first thing I have learned is that vinegar is a fabulous cleaner! Let me be the first to say that I HATE the smell of vinegar. We have used it to clean our coffee pot and I think the smell of hot vinegar has singed my nose hairs into submission. The smell bothers me much less now than it used to. The first cleaner I made was a wood cleaner.
Wood Cleaner:
1/4 c. vinegar
1/4 c. olive oil
1-2 drops lemon oil (I did not have lemon oil so I added some lemon juice. The juice did not kill the vinegar smell as I imagine the oil might)
Mix and place in spray bottle. Use 100% cotton cloth to dust.
** I really did like this cleaner. We eat at our dining room table every night which is wood and I have a hard time keeping it clean and shiny. This cleaner really did get it clean and left it with a nice shine (not sticky at all). I could smell the vinegar while I was cleaning, but it went away as soon as it dried. The best part of this recipe is that it is made with ingredients I almost always have on hand and they are kid-safe!! With 2 little helpers at my feet most of the time, it is reassuring to know they are not going to be harmed if mommy happens to leave the cleaner out unattended.
The second cleaner I made was an all-purpose cleaner.
All-Purpose Cleaner:
1 t. Borax
1/2 t. washing soda
2 T. vinegar
1/2 t. vegetable oil based liquid soap
2 c. very HOT water
Combine all ingredients and shake until mixed.
Did you notice that the first 2 ingredients in this cleaner are also used in the laundry soap we discussed on Day 1? While this little mixture probably cost me about 10 cents to make, it does a great job cleaning the counters and smells good with the addition of the scented liquid soap. With the washing soda and Borax, this one does need to be kept out of reach for little ones!

I borrowed a book called "Clean & Green" from a friend who is much more advanced in her saving mentality. This book is where these ideas came from, but I am sure there are plenty of other great ideas on the internet you can try if your heart desires.

One more thing: I forgot to mention that we added vinegar to our jet dry reservoir in the dishwasher and it works like a charm! Pennies compared with a couple dollars for Jet Dry!!! LOVE it!

I keep forgetting, sorry for all the additions... we also use baking soda to clean our stovetop. We have a ceramic cooktop which we cannot keep clean. We were spending tons of money on the cleaner the manufacturer sells to try to get it clean. Recently, we discovered baking soda works better and with much less effort!!! Really wanted to trade in the ceramic cooktop until we found this little trick!

Side note for Grandma Kessie: We made your noodles on Friday and made beef and noodles with them tonight for dinner tomorrow! They are fabulous!!!!!!!!! Can't wait to eat them tomorrow!

Tomorrow's topic: Splurging and indulging!

A Month of Saving Day 8

We have one week of saving under our belt. Let me tell you that really the difference is in our mindset. Our day-to-day living is virtually unchanged. So, today we are focusing on being optimistic. While this has no direct savings, we are finding that as we try new things and experiment with new ideas, it really helps to be optimistic about their outcome. So many people who we have spoken with over the last week have said things like, "I just don't know how you have time to do this." Well, truthfully, one week ago I might have joined them in their thinking. I work 2 part-time jobs and sell Mary Kay on the side. Not to mention, I have 2 small children and a husband who occasionally require some attention. But, after 1 week of being open to change and being positive about the possibility of saving more money, my response has become, "How can you not take time to at least consider how you might save money?" Think about all the ways your family might make a greater impact on the world if you had the means to do so. I can't wait to see what exciting changes we can make this week to not only better our household, but potentially better our world!!! Stay tuned!!!

A Month of Saving Day 7

Today we are cleaning up and clearing out. Ryan and I are fortunate to have a 20'x12' storage room in our basement. While this is a blessing when it comes to putting things away, we also find it a catch-all when we are trying to clean up. This month, in the spirit of saving, we have been trying to clean up and clear out. While my storage room is fairly organized (we built approximately 120 running feet of shelf space that accommodates rubbermaid tubs. Each tub is numbered and the contents of each tub are recorded on a spreadsheet), we often place things in there that do not belong. We also use a portion of the room for storing items we just don't use anymore. Hence, the point of this post:

If you haven't used something in 6 months or haven't worn it for the season it is generally used for, get rid of it. Sell it, put it on ebay, Craig's list, have a garage sale, donate it to Goodwill, give it to a charity or friend who can use it. My sister and I have a garage sale twice per year. Recently, we have been getting rid of the baby clothes/gear that we just don't use anymore. It is a great way to make a little money and clear out some space. This year at the garage sale we had in April we started out with 21 tubs of baby stuff and sold everything except a couple tubs full. One rule we have with the garage sales is: What goes out does not come back in. If I didn't need it on Thursday when the garage sale started, I don't need it on Saturday when the sale is over. We typically donate any leftovers to Goodwill or some other charity. Recently, I even sold my first item on Ebay. I had a Dell PDA that I was told I would need for grad school. Let me tell you, it was probably the most wasted $300 ever spent on something I NEVER used. Confession: I did break the previously stated rule on this one, but my intention of bringing it back in after the garage sale was not to keep it, but sell it. 4 months later, I finally got around to listing it on Ebay. After 7 days and a 99 cent reserve as the initial listing which I thought was a tremendous mistake, I sold the PDA for over $90. Considering PDAs are pretty much going by the wayside with the emergence of the smartphone, iPod touch, iPad, etc., I felt the money I received was much better than allowing it to collect dust in the desk drawer and go completely obsolete. What do you have sitting around your house that you simply do not need or use anymore? Is there someone out there who could put it to use and you can be left with less clutter and perhaps even a little $$ in the bank?

By the way, I made 2 more loaves of bread after a somewhat disappointing first try and it is DELICIOUS! Ryan and I made paninis with it for lunch today! YUM! Persistence pays off!

A Month of Saving Day 6

Today's entry is not really a new concept for us, but something that has made a huge difference in our day-to-day spending. We use a budget. I have every monthly expense on a spreadsheet that we track and watch pretty intently. Now, of course, during several seasons of our marriage, there have been times when we have been more focused on this than others. The last 2 years have probably been the most lax, as we have been spending time learning how to be parents and less time worrying about where every dollar goes. As we are learning about parenting, however, we are realizing that part of being parents is modeling good money habits. I have spent the better part of naptime this week reviewing our budget. I got on a website with a loan calculator and started figuring out how we can pay off our debt more quickly. As we have reviewed our finances and discussed ways to cut costs, we have come up with 3 goals for our financial future:

Short-term goal:
Pay off our van in 2011 (2 years ahead of schedule)
Medium-term goal:
Pay off all student loans in 2012 (8 years ahead of schedule)
Long-term goal:
Pay off our house by 2016 (7.5 years ahead of schedule)

While we realize unexpected expenses arise, and we cannot be certain what the future holds, we can be diligent in putting extra money each month toward our student loans, mortgage, and any other outstanding debt we might have. It is pretty incredible if you look at an amoritization table with any of your outstanding debt and compare the savings in interest when you pay something off ahead of schedule. While writing the check for the same amount every month is easier and takes less planning and thought, I prefer to pay the banks and other financial institutions less interest and save the difference. If you're interested in seeing how much you can save, simply google "loan calculator" and have some fun!!

Have a great weekend!

A Month of Saving Day 5

Today has been quite a productive day at the Peppler household! I made homemade bread (great flavor, a little dense), made my own dusting spray and managed to dust most of the main living area, and made an all purpose cleaner for the counters which I really like!!! I plan to discuss homemade cleaners a little more later in the month, but for today, our money saving tip is: Do your own photo editing!!!

Last year, we spent $270 on sitting fees for 3 photo sessions (plus the cost of prints). While we really loved all the photos we received from these sessions, we also noticed that our children are not really themselves during these wonderful little outings. We purchased an SLR camera back in July (since our previous camera somehow ended up floating in Daddy's glass of water), and we decided to start trying to crop and edit some of our own photos. For the holidays, we had 3 more photo sessions with different portions of our families and we were able to create some beautiful Christmas gifts for the cost of the prints alone. We utilize http://www.picnik.com/ to edit our photos. We are considering upgrading for a small fee each year but currently only use the free editing tools. I am sure professionals can tell the difference, but the cost savings is phenomenal. We have also been told to try http://www.gimp.com/ for photo editing but have not done so yet.

So, let's say that the 3 additional photo sessions at Christmastime would have cost us around the same amount as the first 3 sessions last year. We would have paid $540 for only the cost of the sessions (no prints included). This year we are going to try it on our own. While this may take a tad more patience on the part of Mommy and Daddy when trying to get the perfect shot, we also realize the cost savings for us. If we can manage to get 3 year and 2 year photos of Matthew and Ella and maybe a family picture here and there, we will likely save over $500 this year on pictures!

Edited for FREE on Picnik!!!

Original

A Month of Saving Day 4

Today is kind of a no-brainer, but something we have not been good at recently. It is really two-fold:
1. Make what you can from scratch. While this takes more time on the front end than preparing something out of a box, it is usually better tasting and better for you on the flipside. It's amazing how many things I usually have the ingredients for in the cabinet that I either never use or just don't want to take the time to prepare myself. We delivered some homemade cookies over the weekend and the feedback we received from a man whose wife cooks primarily out of a box was, "It's probably a good thing my wife doesn't know how to make these." Cookies are not the only thing we are making from scratch around here... pie crusts, noodles (Grandma Kessie I need your recipe), cakes, mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, bread, etc. Flour has many more uses than a box mix of any kind. I am not a chef by any stretch of the imagination, but with some patience and a little creativity, we have had some pretty stellar meals around here recently!
2. Eat leftovers. I used to be the queen of not eating leftovers. For some reason, I felt it just wasn't necessary, so we didn't do it. We wasted WAY too much food. I am embarrassed to admit this, but we probably threw away more than we were eating at home. Due to the "NO EATING OUT" commitment I talked about on Day 1, we have had no choice but to eat leftovers. Man, some things leftover are FABULOUS!!! Lasagna, chili, pot pie, white chili, to name a few. Last night we had a turkey pot pie, and today, we finished it at lunchtime. It was stinking delicious!

So, while I can't put a concrete number on the savings we will incure by making food from scratch and by eating leftovers, I would say it is safe to say that for every homemade meal and every meal where we are eating leftovers, we are saving ourselves a meal out. Cha-ching!

Stay tuned tomorrow for another exciting experiment!

A Month of Saving Day 3

Well, today's change is probably the simplest of all so far. We have stopped using paper towel for everyday uses. We probably were running through 1+ rolls of paper towel per day here. I NEVER used washcloths for wiping the kids' hands or wiping off the counter. We are going to try to only use paper towel for minor emergencies. Let's face it... I am the mother of a 1 and 2 year old. I am sure I will still be using paper towels at times, however, we are making a conscious effort to not automatically head to the paper towel roll when the kids are finished eating or when we need to wipe off the counter. For math purposes, let's say paper towel averages around $1/roll. If we can decrease our use of paper towel by 75%, we can save around $275/year. I am also toying with the idea of starting to use cloth napkins for dinner. We do not usually utilize napkins on a regular basis, but we often had paper towel at the table with us. We may need to dig out some of the cloth napkins in the near future!

As we are evaluating our spending and the habits we have grown into, we are quickly realizing that the changes we are making really do not change our lifestyle that much. It is simply an intentional adjustment and our everyday lives remain virtually unchanged.

A Month of Saving Day 2

Well, today brought a simple money saving decision. We cancelled our gym membership. We have been members for over 1 year and have probably utilized the gym about 20 times between the 2 of us. We have a treadmill in our basement and we both prefer to run outside during the spring, summer, and fall. We also attend a church that has an elliptical and a walking track that is free of charge. At the end of the day, the last thing I want to do is go to the gym. If I can't walk downstairs or out my front door and begin my workout, it is too much of a commute for me at this stage of life. I am sure at some point having a gym membership will be a benefit to our family, but for this season of life, it is $57.25 that is not going to good use. So, we just saved $687 over the next year by recognizing that working out at the gym is not practical for where we are in life right now.

Now, that does not mean we will not be working out. Ryan and I are considering taking part in a half-marathon again a little later this year. We find we are much more motivated to stick with a training regimen if we are actually training for a specific race. We will see how it goes.

One other money saving tip we have started is loading coupons onto our Kroger card. Ryan does a good deal of the grocery shopping for us, so he can take the credit for the money saved. By spending 12 minutes the other day looking through the ad and searching for coupons online, he saved us over $25 at the grocery yesterday. I am sure this is amateur savings compared to many of you, but we are also being very adament about sticking with a list at the grocery and only buying things we actually will use/need. We are now the proud owners of 82 rolls of toilet paper, so I would say we are stocked up for awhile. If you need to go to the bathroom, we can accommodate your paper needs!!!

It is simple things like this that are saving us money. We don't intend to change our lifestyle a great deal. I don't intend to be "weird" about being green or so frugal that we are not realistic, but by investing a few minutes in loading coupons and recognizing where our family is in terms of working out and going to a gym, we have the potential to save over $1300 this year. I can't wait to see what else we can do that will enable our family to reach out more and make a bigger impact on our world!!!

Have a great day!

A Month of Saving

Today begins an experiment in the Peppler house. We are embarking on a cost saving journey. There is really no hidden agenda for this little experiment other than just to see how being open to change might broaden our world and save us money (I am not pregnant as my family seems to believe).

On November 1, 2010, Ryan and I made a commitment to not eat out for 1 year. While this may seem a bit extreme for the average person, we were spending more money every month on eating out than we were on groceries. We knew we had to make a major change if it was going to stick. We have not been through the drive thru or out to dinner since that time except for 2 meals out with gift cards. We were eating out probably 4-7 times per week prior to the beginning of November. The cost saving for us has been incredible. We had a pipe break in our house at the beginning of November and because we were not spending the money eating out, the $770 it cost us to fix the pipe did not have to be withdrawn from our savings account. Our grocery bill has also decreased because we have been planning meals and shopping with purpose. So, with the positive change we have seen with not eating out, I began to think of other ways we might save some money. That is the purpose of this post and hopefully a few more posts throughout the month. We are going to try some new cost-cutting measures at our house and see how they work.

Today's project: Make our own laundry soap. I must say when I first saw this idea, I kind of dismissed it. I want my clothes clean and I am not about to walk around stinky. But, I have several friends who do this and have had success with it, so I decided to try it. Ryan bought me the ingredients today at the grocery and I began mixing our own detergent. So far, we have completed 2 loads (one had my running clothes in it from today), and the result is: The clothes are clean and smell clean (I smelled the pits of my shirt and for anyone who has seen me after a run, I STINK!)! We also received these dryer balls for Christmas that you fill with water and put in the dryer instead of using fabric softener or dryer sheets. They steam your clothes while they dry. The jury is still out on the dryer balls because I haven't used them on any dress clothes, so that will be the true test. So, the cost of my laundry soap: about $0.50 for 2 1/2 gallons of detergent. We do a great deal of laundry at our house, so I figure this might last us about a month. So, if this laundry detergent business pans out, I figure we can save about $25.00 a month at our house! Not bad for about 15 minutes worth of work.

I know you're all dying to try this in your own homes, so here is the recipe I used:

1/3 c. grated bar soap (I think the recipe calls for Nepthal soap, but I used Dial and have been told really any kind is fine. I would say stick with a white color so it won't stain your clothes. I also grated almost the entire bar even though it only called for 1/3 c. I figure the more soap, the more clean)
1/2 c. Borax
1/2 c. Washing soda (NOT baking soda)
Essential oil (your favorite flavor) - optional (I did not use any of this in our first batch)

Grate bar of soap. Boil 4 cups of water. Add grated soap to boiling water and stir until completely melted. Add Borax and Washing soda to hot water and stir. Put in large pail. Add 2 1/2 gallons cold water and stir. Put 1/2 cup of detergent per load (for really heavy loads, I would probably add a little more). The detergent will be the consistency of a gel and will likely need stirred before each load.

There you go! Stay tuned for other experiments we try this month!

My husband's publicist...

I read a post today on jillsavage.org and it made me think... Do I spend more time giving my husband good press or bad press? I have a really awesome partner in life, but sometimes I am not a great publicist for him. A publicist in the book world is someone who promotes a person's book. So today, I will be Ryan's publicist. Here are 50 things I love about him:
1. He loves Jesus.
2. He loves me just the way I am.
3. He loves our children.
4. He plays on the floor with the kids at the end of the day.
5. He does the laundry (almost all of it!).
6. He takes out the trash without me asking.
7. He works really hard.
8. He laughs at me.
9. He lets me laught at him.
10. He does the baths for the kids so I can take a few minutes to clean up the family room, or kitchen, or wherever the latest mess has happened.
11. He lets me have time for myself.
12. He is thoughtful.
13. He is patient with our children.
14. He cooks most of the meat at our house (I really hate to touch uncooked meat).
15. He is open to new ideas.
16. He supports me.
17. He takes the kids to my mom's on the days I have to be at work early.
18. He is an otter.
19. He is not afraid to change when change is needed.
20. He has a gift of fixing things.
21. He is steady.
22. He understands me.
23. He models being a man of God for Matthew.
24. He can handle puke and blood.
25. He is willing to live with less so our family can do more.
26. He is committed to us.
27. He takes time for us.
28. He will do anything I ask of him around the house.
29. He can tell when I am at the end of my rope and he steps in without a second thought.
30. He likes to shop with me.
31. He is a good leader.
32. He helps in the kitchen and is probably a better cook than me.
33. He has the best "concert" voice (you'll have to ask him to hear it)!
34. He gives me time away when I need it.
35. He has a heart for youth.
36. He is creative.
37. He has tons of energy.
38. He loves coffee as much as I do.
39. He takes care of our yard.
40. He can make almost anything.
41. He can read me.
42. He knows when to help and when to just be there.
43. He is proud of the work he does.
44. He loves spending time with family.
45. He has a great family who care for us.
46. He knows about things I have no clue about.
47. He doesn't mind wrestling with the kids.
48. He puts others ahead of himself.
49. He is still as cute as the day I married him.
50. He is my best friend.

What kind of publicist are you?

"Not-To-Do-List" for Christmas

I saw this on a friend's blog and it made me think what was on my "Not-To-Do-List" during this wonderful, busy holiday season...

I will NOT:

1. I will not take for granted the days I have off work over the holiday. I am going to enjoy my time with family and not stress about the mountain of paperwork I left behind.
2. I will not lose my cool with my kids over the simple things. I will remember they are 1 and 2 and not perfect. I will not raise my voice when they are just being children at Christmas and instead, I just might join them.
3. I wll not fret that my house is not perfect during this crazy time.
4. I will not go back to the store one more time before Christmas. If I don't have it, we don't need it.
5. I will not sacrifice nap time (trust me, my kids need it).
6. I will not be going anywhere on Christmas morning. We are so excited to begin some family traditions with our family of 4.
7. I will not try to fake it if someone comes to the door with a gift and we do not have something for them in return.
8. I will not forget the Baby who makes all this possible! Happy Birthday, Jesus!!

What will you NOT do this Christmas?

Christmas celebration #1 complete

Ella's face says it all... she was an absolute crazy lady at our first Christmas celebration of 2010. I am not sure what got into her, but she just was absolutely off the hook! We are hoping she begins to calm down for the remainder of the celebrations!

Merry Christmas to all!

From our family, to yours...

Merry Christmas!!

Shaken

You just never know when someone is going to say something and absolutely shock you. Today, was one of those days for me. I was completing a new hire physical at work on a lady. She was 40 something and on the paperwork they complete for me, they are asked to answer some family history questions. I noted on her paperwork that both of her parents were killed when they were in their 40's in a train accident. I don't usually ask too many questions around something like this, but for some reason today felt compelled to ask her. She told me that when she was 8 years old her parents were preparing to move her family to a different state, as they were preparing to retire from 20+ years in the military. She was with her 3 siblings while her parents were running errands and were hit by a train and killed. Our conversation continued as I noticed she had also listed all of her siblings, but had no information about their medical history. She told me that her aunt took her older sister, younger brother, and baby sister in, but that she was placed in a children's home for the next 10 years of her life. She has not had contact with her siblings since that time. My eyes filled with tears as she recounted this story. She also told me that her aunt made it so she was not allowed to be adopted and would have to remain at the children's home until she was 18. Now, of course, there are many details missing in this story that I do not know, but I have never had a physical reaction to someone sharing their health history like I did today. I could not help but think of my own precious babies. I know they would likely be fought over in an event like this, but as a mommy, I cannot imagine what this little girl must have been feeling and must have experienced during her time in the children's home. She told me the day she turned 18 she was given her belongings and placed on the front step of the children's home and told they had no further obligation to take care of her. Can you imagine? I suppose in my naive perspective I can imagine that things like this happen, but in the comforts of my small world I choose to not think about them very often. Today shook me. It certainly reminded me how blessed I am to have each of you in my life.

Trick or Treat

Almost 1 year...

Ever since we purchased our new camera, I have been having trouble uploading pics. I think it takes such large pictures that blogger has trouble uploading them several at a time. I am too impatient to upload them individually. Here are a few shots of Ella and Matthew in the backyard. Since we have a new camera, we are going to try to take Ella's one year pictures ourselves! Ha! This was a little practice session last night!

I can't believe my little baby is walking. In just a bit more than a month, she will be one and the baby stage will be all over in this house.

Don't let the smile fool you, she hates the hat. I can't believe I have any pictures of her with it on. She usually removes it faster than I can get the cameral on!

I love this one! She looks so innocent! If you've been around her for any period of time, you would know she can keep up with the best of them!

Stay tuned for more picture posts. I think after I edit them they are easier to load onto blogger, so hopefully we will have more pictures to post again soon!

Happy Birthday, Matthew!!!

Matthew had his 2nd birthday on August 12th! Our little boy is 2!!! I really have been trying to post an update for some time, but have been having issues getting pictures uploaded, so here we go! The photos in this post are from his party. We had a zoo-themed party as he is a HUGE fan of the zoo these days and Bill the Lion. We had a great time with family and Matthew was quite excited about opening his gifts this year!

The post below is from my cousin's wedding. Mollie and Kevin were married on Saturday and Matthew and Jacob were asked to be ring bearers. They did a great job! Aside from the fact that we do not have one picture of Matthew smiling from the entire day, he did walk right down the aisle behind Jacob and even gave the preacher and Kevin bumps at the front of the church. Mommy does not want to have too many more days with only a 30 minute nap for awhile, but we survived! Congratulations, Mollie and Kevin!

The only other worthy news from the Peppler household is that Ryan and I are training for a half marathon to take place on our anniversary. We have both run 8 miles this weekend in preparation. It has been fun getting back into running for the most part. We are realizing how much different it is to train when you're almost 30 compared to 18. We do not bounce back quite as quickly these days!

Hope you all are well! We are looking forward to fall activities: carving pumpkins, raking leaves and a little cooler weather! Until we meet again... take care!

Mollie & Kevin

Dad Life (Father's Day Opening 2010)

Catch up

It's been awhile. Sorry. We have been busy enjoying the beautiful, hot summer weather we have been having. This is a picture of Matthew at Grandma and Grandpa Kessie's pond on the 4th. He LOVED the fireworks and had a great time playing in the pond.

Matthew and Ella find each other fairly hysterical these days. We caught one of those moments the other day in the backyard while they were playing catch!

Here is our family at Winona Lake over the 4th. We really had alot of fun!

Ella has figured out how to tackle and crawl all over Matthew. The best part of this is that Matthew loves it! He often lays down in the middle of the floor when Ella is around with the hope that she will attack him.

Matthew and Ella cheesing it up!

We are having a great summer and enjoying every minute. Matthew will be 2 next month and Ella is just 8 months. She is crawling everywhere and cruising her little heart out. Matthew is talking in sentences sometimes and is still enjoying our frequent trips to the zoo or the 4-H fair to see the animals! Hope you're having as much fun this summer as we are!

Thankful Thursdays

Today, I am thankful for...

1. Summer camps. Church camp was a HUGE part of my life as a youth and I am so thankful that lives will be changed this summer at camps. This will be the first summer in a long time that Ryan nor I will be taking an active part in camps as a camper or counselor, but we are definitely excited to hear about the changed lives of our friends!

2. The zoo. This is the 2nd summer we have had a zoo pass and Matthew is very excited about going to see the me-me-muls (animals)!

3. A storage room. I am so glad we have a storage room in our basement. I have no idea what we would do with everything if that didn't exist. It's amazing, I had a garage sale 2 months ago and already the garage sale pile is quite large for this fall!

4. The idea of a full night's sleep. Ella is still not consistently sleeping through the night. And on the off chance that she makes it through the night, Matthew seems to wake up and cry about something. I think it's a conspiracy! I am still hopeful that one day I will sleep through the night again.

5. Online bill pay. I do not know what I would do if I had to write checks for everything. I think I am still on my first order of checks from when Ryan and I got married almost 6 years ago! We use our debit card/online bill pay whenever it is available! I LOVE it!

Have a great weekend!

Thankful Thursdays

Today, I am thankful for...

1. Viruses. Yes, I cannot believe I am typing it either. We have had several viruses at our house this Spring. Although, fevers, cranky kids, and clinginess are somewhat irritating after awhile, I am thankful that all we are dealing with are viruses. My babies are healthy and happy most of the time, so I figure a virus here or there is a walk in the park compared to what others have to deal with.

2. A little mini vacation. We are going to see Adam and Rachel's new house! They recently moved into a beautiful home close to Cincy and we are stopping by for a visit soon! Can't wait to see them!

3. Scrapbooks. I am almost completely caught up on our scrapbooks. With only about 10 pages to go, our scrapbooks will be up-to-date. The problem is, life continues to happen, so by the time I finish these 10, there will be 10 more waiting I'm sure.

4. Sunshine!

5. Tootsie rolls. It is never a good idea for me to buy tootsie rolls. I have the final 4 wrappers of the bag I purchased on Sunday sitting in front of me right now. I ate them ALL!!! They make me happy, so therefore I will not worry about what other rolls they cause on me at the moment and savor the final one.

Enjoy the long weekend!

Thankful Thursdays...

I thought about making an excuse for not having done this in awhile, but decided that would be silly since it may have been six months since I last posted one. Anyway, my absent Thankful Thursdays certainly do not mean I have nothing to be thankful for. Here is an update.

Today, I am thankful for...

1. Matthew and Ella. Matthew turned 21 months old yesterday and Ella will be 6 months old next week. I cannot believe how big they are getting and I find myself enjoying each moment more and more. Matthew is very good at recognizing his ABC's and his numbers (except he never says 3... he says, "1, 2, 1, 4, 5, 6,...) Not sure how to fix that one. He knows many of his colors and some shapes. He is quite active and loves being a boy! Ella can sit up by herself and has tried just about all the baby food items. She loves Gerber puffs and Mommy loves that she can feed them to herself while I cook or clean or something...

2. Ryan. They have been busy at work since spring hit. He has been working long hours and then as soon as he gets home Matthew and Ella want his undivided attention. He does such a good job providing for our family and is still involved in all that goes on at home!

3. My job. I have had the opportunity to wear a bit of a different hat at work recently. I have been coordinating some wellness activities for our staff and the community. It has been fun and a bit of a change of pace from the regular stuff I do each day!

4. Busy weekends ahead. We have plans every weekend from now through June. We have friends getting married, a trip to Cinncinati to see Rachel and Adam's new house, church receptions to plan, baby and bridal showers to attend, birthday parties... the list goes on. Typically, I might be a bit hesitant to put this on my thankful list, but after our successful trip to St. Louis, I am looking forward to more opportunities to go on short little trips/outings.

5. Our garden. We are getting ready to plant the garden as soon as we are sure the frost is gone! We can't wait to have fresh tomatoes/cucumbers from the garden this summer!

Hope you have a great week!

I used to wonder...

When I was a child I used to wonder what it would be like to be a mommy. I would carry my dolls around, play house and dress up for hours. I was sure no one could take care of my dolls better than me (even though sometimes I colored on their faces or forgot to put their clothes back on them).

Then, I became a teenager. I didn't care what it was like to be a mommy and I certainly didn't think I needed my mom telling me what to do.

Then, I went to college and I missed my mom so much! I wanted her advice and for her to tell me that all that was wrong with the world would sort itself out and I didn't need to worry.

Then, I became a nurse. I watched people become mommies and watched people lose their mommies. I celebrated and cried with families over both.

Then, I got married. I certainly could not have picked a better partner in life than Ryan, but we had so much fun just being together, that we didn't know if we would ever have children. He had a great career and I was busy getting my Master's.

Then, I became a cynic. I saw women with their children and said things like, "When I become a mom, I will never let my child behave in such a way."

Then, my sister had a baby. I saw how much love our nephew created and I knew that I wanted someone to call me Mommy.

Then, I became a mom and everything I knew flew out the window.

As the years have passed, I have realized 2 things:

1. You only get one mom. I have an incredible mother, one who would do anything for me. I do not know what I would do without her. I am so thankful for my own mom and for all the women in my life who have acted as a mother at one time or another. Women have an amazing way of nurturing other women and I am certainly grateful for all the wonderful women in my life!

2. There is nothing quite like being a mom. It certainly has its share of craziness, but I wouldn't trade it for anything. The 2 precious babies in my life make each day an adventure!

Happy Mother's Day to all the women out there who have impacted the life of another person. Whether you have biological children or not, you have been a mother when someone needed it most and the world is a better place because of YOU!

Family pictures

Well, this started out as a Mother's Day surprise, but Daddy has a little trouble keeping secrets. It worked out great because we ended being able to get our family pics taken at the same time. Here are a few of our favorites.

Behind again

Still in our jammies!

Playing under her jungle gym.


Caleb, Jacob, Ella & Matthew on Easter!

Well, I must say my blogging skills have definitely fallen by the wayside. I cannot seem to get down here to post anything in a timely fashion... Here's the latest: Matthew is 20 months old. He currently has croup, but a mild case and he is on the mend. He LOVES to play outside with the neighbor kids. He is in love with his little sister and is very protective over her. When I take them to the Y to the childwatch program, when I return the first word out of his mouth is "Ellya!!" He is so afraid I am going to forget her! Uncle Kyle is the only person he will talk to on the phone. He is very curious about other kids. The other day at the park he was going up the stairs when 2 little girls about his age came up to him and they all just stared at each other. One of the little girls put her arm around him and patted his back (future mommy). I couldn't get the camera out of the bag fast enough!

Ella will be 5 months old on Sunday! Her favorite hairstyle is pig tails as long as Mommy can get them done on the first try. She slept through the night last night, although I wouldn't say that is the norm around here. She is still often waking up once per night and thinks she needs to practice her vocabulary (which consists of squeals and jabbering). Daddy does not hear any of it, but Mommy gets to enjoy late night discussions with Ella. She has been able to avoid the croup up to this point. She LOVES to swing and play outside as well. She is eating cereal like a champ most of the time and is almost sitting up. She is working on her 3rd tooth and will be ready for some real food soon! She hates her tummy and rolls over almost instantly anytime someone dare put her on the floor! She also thinks her big toes taste good. I had her in a dress on Sunday and whenever I put her down she would throw her legs up in the air and put her feet in her mouth!

We are enjoying the spring weather! We took Matthew to the indoor water park in Shipshewana a couple weeks ago with Jacob & Caleb and they had a blast! Daddy even got to go down the big slide while we were there! Looking forward to having lots more fun in the water this summer! Well, that hopefully gets you pretty up-to-date with our little family. I will try to do better! Have a great day!

Little Stinker

Matthew cracks me up!! He has recently learned to shake his head no and is using this new trick much more often than Mommy thinks is necessary. He has also learned several new words over the past couple weeks thanks to Uncle Kyle and Grandpa Dave (constipation and sperm whale to name a few). We find ourselves laughing at him all the time and love it that he is developing his own personality. He is trying to put 2-3 words together and form sentences, but currently it sounds very jumbled and Mommy and Daddy are usually the only ones who know what he is saying. He is at the library right now with Daddy and Ella and I are supposed to be cleaning. So far, I have the floors swept and mopped. Looking forward to a fun weekend with the family! Better get back to work!

Mommy's little princess

Ella was baptized over the weekend (pictures of that soon). As I watched her this weekend, I realized that my little girl is already 4 months old and she is changing everyday. I also realized how much the Mommy in me has changed over the past 4 months. When Matthew was born, I was most concerned about making sure he had strong male role models in his life and I am so thankful for his daddy, grandpas, and uncles who provide excellent examples for him everyday. When Ella was born, something changed in me. Growing up, I didn't have a great self-esteem. I thought I was ugly and fat and was sure that no one would ever see me as beautiful. I remember people telling me things like, "You are so smart" which translated in my head to, "Thank goodness you have brains because your looks are certainly lacking." All I ever really wanted was to be beautiful and I went to some pretty ridiculous extremes to try to attain it. In 5th grade, I went from 120 lbs to 93 lbs by eating only 1 Oatmeal Creme Pie for the entire day. In high school, I stopped playing volleyball after my freshman year and started playing soccer because it required more running and I thought that would make me beautiful. I would even go to 2-a-days and then go for a 5-6 mile run afterward to try to become beautiful.

When I met Ryan, he made me feel beautiful, and slowly, some of my issues faded into the background. But when Ella was born, those feelings came flooding back. I made a decision that I did not want my daughter to struggle with her self esteem the way I did. I think as women we all have moments where we look in the mirror and tell ourselves that we are fat or that our hair looks terrible, but as a Mommy I am trying to make a conscious decision to love myself so that Ella will learn to accept herself just the way she is. I think as moms this is probably one of the best things we can do for our daughters, not just telling them they are beautiful, but believing it about ourselves. As I watch Matthew learning so many new things each day, I realize most of what he learns he absorbs by watching us. If I model a positive self image for my daughter, my prayer is that she will also have a positive self image for herself. I know she is Mommy's little princess, now I just want her to believe it!

Some random thoughts...

Today, I found out one of my dear friends from high school is pregnant with her 2nd baby. Her children will be 16 months apart. Needless to say, she is slightly overwhelmed and experiencing many of the same feelings I had a few months ago. There were so many questions like: What would I do if both kids were crying at the same time? I had anxiety about what would happen if Matthew got hurt while I was caring for Ella. I had nightmares about losing my babies in a crowded place. There were moments when I wondered why God chose me for this and although I typically consider His sense of humor amusing, I was not the slightest bit amused.

When Ella was born I remember the first night at the hospital having this feeling that I could not breathe. I knew I could breathe and I knew there was nothing physically wrong with me, but I was definitely on the verge of a panic attack. The nurse brought Ella in and once I had her in my arms, I was just fine. That was the first of several new experiences for me.

I also had post-partum blues with Ella. I did not have one ounce of the blues with Matthew. I never cried or was weepy. I was out walking around the block within a couple days of having a c-section. I really didn't feel like my life was altered that much other than I was able to bring this beautiful baby boy along with me wherever I went and have people gush over him. It was a little different experience this time around. I was not weepy until we came home from the hospital. I was still having moments of anxiety and I felt like I didn't know how to manage my time between my children. My recovery was much more intense this time... probably because I didn't do what I was told. I hurt much longer than I remember hurting with Matthew and my incision did not heal as well this time. I can't really describe it other than to say that I felt completely overwhelmed and inadequate for several weeks following Ella's arrival. I was so happy to see that pass and I can definitely empathize with women who struggle for longer than I did.

After we made the initial adjustments and I realized that both babies were going to cry at the same time and Matthew was going to throw a fit when I had to feed Ella for the 10th time that afternoon, I started to settle into a routine. I began to realize that I didn't have to be supermom. I didn't have to feel guilty when I needed to have a break for 10 minutes (I remember one day saying to Ryan when he came home for lunch, "I am going to get the mail, I will be back in 1 hour"). I didn't have to get the final dishes put in the dishwasher before bed... they would certainly still be there in the morning. I didn't have to feel bad that I looked forward to naptime, or date night, or coffee with a girlfriend. All my kids really needed was for their mommy to love them unconditionally and I have done that the best way I can.

I cannot believe Matthew is 18 months old and Ella is already 3 months old. I know we will look back at this time and laugh at how crazy it was. I know we will laugh at how naive we were only a few short months ago. I know I will laugh as I think of myself trying to get in and out of places with 2 little babies (I am sure other people are laughing at me as they watch)... but what I am most thankful about is that I am laughing along the way. I love being a mommy to 2 of the most precious little faces I have ever seen, and I can't wait to see where this ride takes us next (it will not be to a 3rd child... unless God REALLY has a sense of humor)!

As I think of all the other mommies out there who are struggling to try to figure out this crazy roller coaster called parenthood, I hope we all can just enjoy the view from the top and hang on tight because it's bound to be a wild ride! Have a great day!

Mary Kay

Well, I am officially a Mary Kay consultant... Even as I type this, I am not sure what I was thinking! I am hopeful that this little venture will be a chance for me to meet a few new people and perhaps make a little money as well. The best part is that I have always used MK products and will receive a nice discount for selling them. Don't worry, I won't be hounding you to buy from me... I hate that. I may send you an occasional email or letter in the mail, but will hopefully be able to mainly go with word of mouth. If you know anyone who needs a MK lady, give them my name!

In other news, Matthew had his 18 month check-up today. He is 27.5 pounds (75 percentile) and 34.5 inches tall (90th percentile). He and Ella both have shots in the morning (pray for Mommy).

I have also had a spurt of energy devoted to their scrapbooks over the last couple weeks. I have done about 15-16 pages total and am almost caught up! I am so happy to be on the ball for once with their memory books. By the way, I LOVE my Cricut!

Have a great week!

YMCA Musings

Well, we joined our local YMCA a few weeks ago and let me tell you I always leave there with a story to tell. We are so thankful for our Y membership and have been utilizing it almost everyday (at least one of us). Here are a couple things that have happened since we joined the Y:

1. One day, there was a man on the treadmill next to me who smelled so strongly of B.O. that I nearly passed out. I was so paranoid that someone would think it was me, so I cut my workout short and moved to a different machine.

2. Today, there was a woman on the treadmill running > 8 mph. I am pretty sure some vehicles do not move that fast! She was flying!!!! I am going to stick with going around 6 mph for safety sake.

3. Once, when I stepped on a treadmill the woman beside me leaned over and said, "You might want to wipe that down, there have been 2 people on it who didn't wipe it off." I am not sure why some people do not think the rules apply to them. If you touch the machine, you are then entitled to wipe it off!

4. Our Y has a childwatch program where I can drop Matthew and Ella off while I workout. I LOVE IT! It is so nice for them to get to play with other kids and Mommy doesn't have to feel guilty for getting in a good workout. I found that trying to workout at home with them here is about impossible! However, it is almost as much of a workout for me to get both of them into the building as it is to complete a workout!

5. We have taken Matthew swimming in the pool several times and he is loving it! He even will jump off the side into Daddy's arms. We are thinking about taking a swimming class this spring. The only downfall I can see to the pool so far is that he thinks the bathtub is also his own personal swimming pool which makes for large messes sometimes! He got in the tub with his clothes on the other day while Daddy stood there and watched! That was a soggy diaper!