August Update

Outside my window . . . the sun is starting to come up.

I am thinking . . . of how Logan will do at school this week. Week 1 was successful so I hope this week will be just as good.

I am thankful for . . . my new work schedule. It's crazy early hours but I'm able to be home in time to pick Logan up from school every day. Plus, I'm not working as much any more & that allows me to get more things done around the house.

I am wearing . . . pj's. I just rolled out of bed. :)

I am going . . . to the east side with my mom this morning. I have to get Logan more shorts (the kid is growing like a weed) & Mom wants to go to a consignment shop. Therefore, we're going to tag team in order to keep Lily & Levi under control.

I am wondering . . . why I have to have allergies???

I am reading . . .Nada. I have given up reading over the summer but am looking for a good read. Any suggestions???

I am hoping . . . to cross off some items on my to-do list this week. I'm off of work until next Monday & have lots of things planned. Making jelly, lunch dates, bug guy scheduled to come out, & canning vegetables are just a few to list.

I am looking forward to . . . Brian having a day off. He is working 7 days a week right now. It's really hard on everyone because he's exhausted when he gets home but the boys miss him like crazy. I'm so thankful to have a hard working hubby!

I am hearing . . . SILENCE!! :)

Around the house . . . are signs of a new kindergartener: papers on the frig, backpack hung in his cubby, new shoes by the back door, lunch box on the kitchen counter. I love it!

One of my favorite things . . . is watching Logan succeed at school. I know it's only the 2nd week but we conquered his anxiety last week & that is HUGE for us. We take this day by day & as long as he tries his best; that's all I can ask for.

A few plans for the rest of the week . . . make jelly with my MIL, schedule a hair appointment, have lunch with Logan at school, bug guy coming to spray, & dinner with girlfriends. I want to find something fun to do with the kids this weekend too. Maybe Smothers Park?

Thrifty Tuesday

Old Navy

4 shirts, 1 athletic pant, 1 athletic short, package of boxer briefs :)

Original price: $87.18
Total paid: $57.51
Total saved: $29.67

Crazy 8

Original price: $64.61

Total paid: $38.77

Total saved: $25.84

The Children's Place

3 shirts, 3 cargo pants, 2 jeans, 2 shorts

Original price: $160.70
Total paid: $76.22
Total saved: $84.48

I took Logan shopping this past weekend for school clothes. Luckily, his school does not require a uniform so we were able to buy his favorites. :) I rarely shop at the mall for two reasons: 1. it's too far of a drive 2. I'm cheap. But this was a special occasion (first day of Kindergarten, people) so I bit the bullet. I checked online for sales at Old Navy, The Children's Place, & Crazy 8. To my surprise they all were having great sales. I also signed up for the e-mails & received a coupon from each store for my purchases. I gave myself a $200 budget & am very pleased to say I spent $172.50 plus came home with $50 worth of spending bucks to 2 stores. Today is a success in my books: 13 shirts, 6 pants, 3 shorts, 1 package of boxer briefs with an average, per item, of:

$7.50 each

August Check List

Anyone that knows me well knows that I'm a list maker. I make a list for everything: groceries, daily to-dos, food menus, budget, financial goals, etc. Brian thinks I go over board but I think that's ridiculous. Personally, there are never too many reasons to make a list! Anyway, I've decided to post my monthly 'to-do' list of things that I need/want to accomplish. Some things are necessary while others are fun. My hope is by doing so that it will push me to cross more off of my list & give me something else to look forward to. So here's my first go at it...

August To-Do List

• Gather ideas for Logan's school lunches (I'm a first time kindergarten mom & appreciate any help with this one!!)
• Find practical ways to lower our utility bill (It is beyond outrageous)
• Date night with my hubby
• Find new curtains for our bedroom
• Begin working on handmade Christmas gifts (Don't judge!)
• Plan another fall camping trip
• Organize our storage room in the basement
• Make homemade bread
• Find fun activities for Levi & I to enjoy while Logan is in school
• Paint the stairway/hallway upstairs
• Print photos for collage project
• Work on a cleaning schedule

Let's see how many I cross off before the end of the month. Ready, set, go!

What's Cookin'?

Breakfast Casserole

1/2 package of cooked bacon, crumbled

1 lb. of cooked sausage

3 cups frozen hashbrowns

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

4 eggs, beaten

12 oz. evaporated milk

3 green onions, chopped

Place the hashbrowns in the bottom of a greased 2 qt. casserole dish; season with salt & pepper. Then add cheese, green onions, bacon, & sausage.

(We love our meats in this house so mine has more than what some may like. Just adjust your amounts based on your preferences.)

Whisk together the eggs & evaporated milk. Then evenly pour it over the casserole mixture. Bake at 350* for 45 minutes.


About half way through, I stirred it up really good so the everything was mixed together well. This was a last minute meal I through together with what we had & it was a huge success. I served it with some toast & fresh fruit. Enjoy!

Changes are coming........

I found this quote today while browsing on Pinterest & it is very fitting for the different things that are about to take place in the Gaiser household. Some of our changes aren't that big or drastic but to us, it's a huge deal. :) Here are the big changes that are coming soon:

1. As you can tell, my blog design has already changed. I thought this would be a great time to re-vamp the look & get back into the swing of things. With so many other changes, why not add 1 more to the list???

2. A huge milestone taking place next month is Logan starting kindergarten. I have so many emotions wrapped up in this one. I'm so proud of him & how much he has grown in the short 5 years he's been with us. On the other hand, he's my first-born & therefore I hover over him like a crazy momma. My feelings range from happiness, sadness, emptiness, worry, anxiety, curiosity, & excitement for him. This is HUGE for both of us & I know he'll be just fine but I'm still entitled to be a basket case until then. :)

3. Brian & I compiled a list of projects we would like to work on around the house. We've been in our new home for almost a year now & are ready to get our hands dirty. Some of the projects are small & simply while others will be quite the task:

• Fresh wall paint in the hallway/stairwell to our upstairs----I already have my picture frames purchased for the collage I want to hang
• Replace the shades in all of our bedrooms & hang curtains----I'm going to reuse the all of our curtain rods & the curtains from Logan's room in our old house to cut some cost
• Put in a swimming pool
• Add a wrap-around porch to the house
• Completely redo the upstairs bathroom
• New flooring in our basement hallway (we replaced the carpet in the living area before we moved in based on necessity)
• Repaint the room we use as a kids' playroom----it's currently a light brown & I want a bright, fun color
• Make handmade furniture for our living room----we have a ton of old barn wood for these projects that will significantly cut down our cost

4. The biggest change (and one that will make the biggest impact) is that I'm accepting a position within my department that will allow me to work less hours so I can be home with the boys more. This is something I have wanted since I went back to work after having Levi & now it's able to happen. I will only work 40 every pay period; which equates to 3 days on week #1 & 2 days on week #2. The biggest perks are that I will have a set schedule (both days & time), no weekends to work, & I'll be off on all major holidays. I have been very fortune to not have to work too many holidays or weekends so far but this will be a guarantee. I love that I will be home about 1 p.m. on the days that I work. This will allow for me to pick Logan up from school, get his homework done, make dinner, & be present for any activities he is in. I'm beyond excited for this change to take place!

5. The 2nd biggest change is that we're completely re-working our budget; partly to make #4 happen but also to see exactly where we can save a little money. Like all families, we have our quirks on what we like to blow money on & I know we can cut some of that back. We still want to be able to go places & do fun things with the kids but maybe scale it back a little. I mean....do we really need to make 3-4 ice cream runs during the summer? (Secretly, part of me says YES! while the rational part of me is frowning)

I can't wait to share the status of our many changes with you. Some will happen very soon while others may take months, even years, to complete but I know it will be an adventure worth the ride!!

Family Vacation: May 2015

When Brian & I discussed our vacation plans for this summer, we knew we wanted to go with his mom's side of the family & somewhere that nobody has been to. In the 11 years we have been a couple, we haven't been on a vacation with them. So we were very excited to have the chance to spend time with everyone for a few days. We also knew we would only be able to plan a shorter trip because of some families' work commitments, softball tournaments, etc. Our decision was quickly made to go to.....Cincinnati, OH. I was very excited to take the kids to the zoo & aquarium (I heard great reviews on both). My sister-in-law found a hotel just outside of the city that was much cheaper than we expected (awesome for our budget!) plus it was close to many restaurants & shopping. 

Day 1: Brian & I left around lunch on Saturday & made great timing along the way. I packed plenty of snacks & movies for the trip to occupy the kids; not only on the way to & from but also while we were in the hotel room. I also packed some lunch trays for everyone so we wouldn't have to stop for food on the way. Timing was on our side because once the kids finished lunch, Levi fell asleep shortly after. Our drive was about 3 1/2 hours & very pleasant, with only 1 potty stop along the way. :) We were the last to arrive (because I went to STL the day before with my other sisters-in-law to see the NKOTB concert) that afternoon so all we were able to sneak into our evening was dinner at the Old Spaghetti Factory & a trip to Bass Pro Shop.

Day 2: Zoo day!!!

Brian, his brother Jim, & 4 of the boys

Jim wasn't as thrilled about the zoo as some of the others

This was the best pic I could get at the end of a long, hot day

Our only family pic taken on vacation

Day 3: Aquarium & touring day

KY Firefighter's memorial

Historic church inside an arboretum we saw on our way back to the hotel

It was a very serene drive

Another chapel hidden in the trees

On Day 4, we packed everything up & headed back to IN. The kids were worn out every night from our daily adventures, swimming, & general play time with all of the cousins. My only regret is that I didn't take more pictures (I got caught up in the fun times we had & forgot to take pics...oops!) We enjoyed the time we spent with everyone: Nana, Papaw Rick, Nathan, Chrissy, Taylor, Degan, Jim, Nicki, Lilly, Liam, & Daniel.  This was a big group to get together but I'm so glad we made it work!

April's Mid-Month Update

Outside my window . . . it is very foggy. I believe it's suppose to rain today too.

I am thinking . . . of how tired I am this morning. I'll blame it on the weather. :)

I am thankful for . . . my mom. She cares for the boys while we work & I couldn't be more grateful. I know our kids are in great hands & I don't worry about much while I'm gone.

I am wearing . . . pj's. I really should start getting ready for work but this is more fun. LOL

I am going . . . to have a good day at work. A positive attitude is what will get me through the day.

I am wondering . . . what we'll get ourselves into this weekend??????

I am reading . . . 'One Night in October' by Chad Cain. He's my 3rd cousin & just published his 1st book. I couldn't wait to get my hands on it & see what his book is all about.

I am hoping . . . to get several things crossed off of my to-do list this weekend. I need to get the boys' summer clothes stash out of the basement, sort through it, wash everything, & put it away. I also need to pull out of the clothes they no longer fit into. Our poor coat closet has turned into a catch-all so I want to pull everything out of it & properly organize it.

I am looking forward to . . . our vacation next month.

I am hearing . . . Levi eat breakfast & Logan playing a game on the other computer.

Around the house . . . dirty windows. I didn't realize how dirty they are until this morning. Someone should really clean those things!!!

One of my favorite things . . . my quiet time late at night after everyone has gone to bed. It's my time to relax & just do what I'd like to do...mostly read.

A few plans for the rest of the week . . . I have to work today & tomorrow. We have a birthday dinner for my nephew tomorrow night but no other plans for the weekend. More than likely, we'll spend our time outside as long as the weather is good. The boys LOVE to be outside & I adore watching them explore.

From Frumpy to Fabulous!

We have 2 bar stools that I'm particularly in love with. They are plain & simple but for some reason they've been my favorite since we got them. And the best part is that I found them at a garage sale.....for $25 for BOTH!!!! Now we use our bar stools a lot since we eat at our kitchen island for every meal. So that's 3 meals a day * 7 days a week * 52 weeks a year = a lot of eating & a lot of messes to be made. It never fails that every meal involves a spill of sort kind from one of the boys (primarily Levi). Therefore, our chairs start to look nasty very quickly. Evidence below:

(Really gross, I know. Please don't judge!)

I decided to give my chairs a scrub to get rid of the nasty stains. I only used 2 household ingredients: baking soda & Dawn dish soap. Add some hot water & you have yourself a very cheap, easy cleaning mixture. I couldn't find my scrub brush that I normally use so I just used a dish cloth & it worked quite well. I went over the fabric twice with my cleaner & this was the end result after it dried:

 





I'm very pleased with how my chairs turned out. There is 1 pesky stain left but this is a vast improvement compared to 'before'. Now if only I could keep the kids from getting them dirty again........







Go Rest High On That Mountain!

My grandpa & Logan

 

On Wednesday February 11, 2015, my grandpa went to be with our Lord. He lived an amazing life for 89 years. He lived his life true to the bible & anyone who knew him would attest to this. He served our Lord through his church, volunteering at our local food pantry, our family Christmas tree farm, & in his every day life. I'm beyond blessed to have had such a wonderful role model & man in my life. He was a very kind hearted, soft spoken, loving man & I will miss him dearly. Below are some pictures I wanted to share to show you a little bit about my Poppy. :)

 

My wedding day: 3-4-06

My family (including my uncle Bill from ND) celebrating my Poppy's 89th birthday last March

Poppy teaching Logan how to sort the pecans they gathered

Obviously, I was VERY excited about my rocking horse: 1986

 

Logan & Poppy enjoying a cookie & Ski in the barn: 3 years ago




 



February's Mid-Month Update

Outside my window . . . it looks dreary. We're suppose to get a lot of snow with the winter storm that's heading our way. I don't have high hopes but we'll see.

I am thinking . . . of a lot of life changing decisions to be made. I want what is best for our family but am torn on what to do. :(

I am thankful for . . . a husband who helps me catch up on chores on our only day off together. Now that I work more, the house gets neglected more than ever. Today we tackled the play room: organized, trashed an entire bag of broken/mismatched toys, donated 1 trash bag + 2 Target sacks of toys to the Christian Life Center, rearranged the furniture, & hung a couple cute decorations. We aren't done but it's an amazing start! (Pics to come soon)

I am wearing . . . my church clothes. I splurged last week & took advantage of Kohl's winter sale & my Kohl's cash & get myself some really nice, comfortable outfits to wear.  

I am going . . . to dread this work week since I work 4 shifts in a row.

I am wondering . . . how this month's budget will look compared to last month's???

I am reading . . . 'The Auschwitz Escape'. I'm normally not a history buff but this book is interesting & has opened my eyes to what Germans suffered.

I am hoping . . . to finalize the plans for Levi's birthday party next month. I have the date & theme but need to work on the menu, party/food supply list, & reserve a bounce house.

I am looking forward to . . . Brian building a storage unit for the boys' play room. We purchased the supplies tonight & all I lack is ordering the tubs from IKEA.

I am hearing . . . 2 little boys eating ice cream. Yes, I know it's February, but that hasn't stopped a Gaiser before. :)

Around the house . . . are clean rooms. Brian & I worked our rear ends off today to clean the house. I'm enjoying this moment because I know it won't last long.

One of my favorite things . . . is spending a day at home with my family. No particular plans or menu; just flying by the seat of our pants.

A few plans for the rest of the week . . . I'm off work tomorrow but work the rest of the week. We may go to the DU banquet on Saturday night but that's all that is planned so far.

What if.....

 

 

I saw this post on Pinterest earlier & giggled at first (about the eating your brain part). The more I thought about this quote, the more it makes sense. I'm an organized, list-making planner & when something doesn't go according to how I 'planned', my anxiety rises. To many people this sounds strange but to others you can totally relate. Either way, this quote got me thinking about my 'what ifs' in life:

 

WHAT IF........

I stayed at home with the kids instead of work? Would we be able to afford it?

 

Logan isn't prepared for kindergarten? What do we do then?

 

I had left the house on time? Would we have been the car involved in that horrible wreck?

 

I didn't answer that call from Brian so many years ago? Where would we be now?

 

 I didn't loose our precious baby? Who would you have become?

 

Cancer didn't exist? Would my father-in-law still be alive?

 

I stopped worrying about the 'what ifs in life?

 

 

I've come to realize over time that worrying about things that are out of your control is simply a waste of time. God is in control & knows exactly what is/isn't going to happen & when. I truly believe that putting your trust in Him will take the 'what ifs' away. It isn't an easy thing to do (trust me!) but it's worth it. I believe I'm now a happier, less stressed, organized, list-making planner thanks to letting my 'what ifs' in my life go.

 



 





January's Mid-Month Update

Outside my window . . . it's pitch black out & I just got home from work. I can't wait for it to lighten up more. This darkness is depressing!

I am thinking . . . of all of the things I'd like to do with our tax return....wishful thinking, huh?

I am thankful for . . . heat. It's a simple thing to be thankful for but I'm such a baby when it comes to cold weather that I couldn't imagine not having it. Plus, it makes me think of those who go without it (whether homeless or can't afford it). I will say an extra prayer tonight for those people. 

I am wearing . . . my comfy clothes while I wait for dinner to finish. 

I am going . . . start tracking our expenses this month. Brian & I did this for a couple years but lost the vibe when we moved last fall. New year, new intentions. It's time to get back on track!!

I am wondering . . . how soon we can get Levi into an ENT. My poor baby needs tubes in his ears. 8 ear infections last year has lead us to this point. :(

I am reading . . . 'The Auschwitz Escape'. I'm normally not a history buff but this book is interesting & has opened my eyes to what Germans suffered.

I am hoping . . . for good news when the Trailblazer goes to the repair shop on Monday. Brian started having trouble with it last week & replaced the battery (thinking that was the problem). Unfortunately, it wasn't. So Brian has been driving without heat the entire week because every time he turns it on, the truck tries to die. So off to the repair shop she goes...

I am looking forward to . . . the weekend. It's my long work week so I'm ready for some times with the kiddos.

I am hearing . . . Madagascar going in the living room.

Around the house . . . are piles of clean laundry waiting to be put up. All of the laundry is COMPLETELY caught up & that is a miracle within itself. I need to bask in this moment. :)

One of my favorite things . . . seeing the boys greet me when I come home from work. It melts my heart.

A few plans for the rest of the week . . . Work tomorrow then spend the evening at home, Brian has to work on Saturday but we're taking Logan to the Ice Men's game that night (I won free tickets from work!!!). Then we'll spend a relaxing day at home on Sunday after church.

Christmas 2014

I know I'm WAY behind on posting about our Christmas but here it is. We had a lovely Christmas Eve spent by having lunch with my grandma then dinner at Brian's uncle's house. It was a long day for everyone since we were gone all day but the boys were troopers & behaved extremely well. 

My niece, Lily

She doesn't realize it yet but I'm her favorite aunt! :)

The madness of our Dirty Santa exchange

My grandma loved the Dirty Santa gift she received (Donut Bank coffee, gift card, & cookies courtesy of me!)

The excitement of Christmas continued into the night as Brian & I helped Santa by wrapping all of the boys' gifts. I sure don't remember buying that many!!! When Logan woke up on Christmas morning, at 5 a.m., he checked on the gifts but luckily he was so tired he fell back asleep for another hour :) He told us that Santa brought him & Levi 100 gifts & he was so happy. Here are a sample of the pictures I was able to get of our Christmas morning madness:

Santa went a little over board :)

Levi knew exactly which presents were his

Logan was very excited about his super hero underwear!

Logan couldn't believe that Santa brought him & Levi his own Ranger! Now he can drive next to Daddy everywhere they go.

After we cleaned up our mess & played for a while, we ventured to my parents' house to exchange gifts with them. Of course, Logan had to drive his new Ranger up there. It was the cutest thing ever!!! For those of you who don't know, we only live a stone's throw from my parents. Mom made a couple breakfast casseroles while Brian made his biscuits & gravy. We enjoyed a delicious late breakfast before digging into the presents. We didn't even get out of our pajamas--it was awesome! Here are a few pics from that craziness:

Mimi went WAY overboard.....as usual

Lily loved the Dora chair we got her :)

Happy boy!

Levi's favorite toy

Our Christmas Day wound down by playing with all of the new toys & watching Polar Express one more time. Unfortunately, the stomach flu woke us up at 1 a.m. when Levi was hit with it. We spent the next 4 days sharing it with each so that was a bummer but at least we enjoyed the day. We have 2 more Christmas gatherings this weekend to make up for what was cancelled while we were sick. This was a memorable (and unforgettable) Christmas.