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. 

September Update

Outside my window . . . it's still pitch black out since it's so early.

I am thinking . . . this fall will be the best one yet. We have so many exciting things planned & I can't wait to experience them with the kids.

I am thankful for . . . medication. Logan has a severe double ear infection that has caused his right ear drum to bulge (and possibly rupture). I'm hoping the medication he's taking will prevent it from rupturing but there's no guarantee. Luckily, the medication will knock out his infection & get him back to normal in no time.

I am wearing . . . my pj's while I eat breakfast. 

I am going . . . to start a new job this month. This decision was very difficult for me considering I've been at the credit union for 11 1/2 years & love the department I work in. I'm very excited for this opportunity but am scared all at the same time.

I am wondering . . . what Levi & I will do with our time on the East side while waiting for Logan to get out of school.

I am reading . . . My reading has come to a screeching hault since moving.

I am hoping . . . everyone in our house feels better soon. Levi is at the end of his antibiotic for an ear infection. Logan just started his medication for a severe double ear infection that possibly ruptured his ear drum. Brian is battling bronchitis. I need the germs to go away!!

I am looking forward to . . . the upcoming craft shows this fall. It my favorite time of the year!!

I am hearing . . . the Disney Channel & the furnace running.

Around the house . . . are bare walls. I need to work on putting more decor up since we have everything unpacked now.

One of my favorite things . . . is the sweatshirts & jean weather that is quickly approaching. I love the fall & the weather & all of the changing colors. :)

A few plans for the rest of the week . . . lots of things today: Logan's school, run errands while he's at school, quick lunch, Logan's therapy, & be home by 2 to wait for the internet people. I work tomorrow & Friday. On Saturday I'm going to the Kuntzfest in New Harmony with my mom & sisters. On Sunday, I plan to relax after going to church with the kids.

August Update

Outside my window . . . The sun is rising & casting a beautiful glow on our 'sold' sign in our front yard. :)

I am thinking . . . the next week will fly by considering there are so many things to do before our move.

I am thankful for . . . my youngest sister. She has helped me out time & time again by watching 1 or both kids for me. Whether I've picked up extra hours at work, had to take Logan to therapy, or just needed some time to finish house projects, she's been here to help out. It doesn't hurt that I know they're in perfectly good hands while I'm gone.

I am wearing . . . my pj's while I eat breakfast. 

I am going . . . to knock out a lot of packing this morning before I head over to our new house. 

I am wondering . . . how time can pass so quickly??? Seeing all of the back-to-school posts made me realize that we'll be in the same boat next year. Logan is excited to start his 2nd year of preschool in a couple weeks but it makes this momma a little sad. 

I am reading . . . The Left Behind series. I read these books years ago when they were first released but decided to start the series over again. I love re-reading a book that I truly enjoy.

I am hoping . . . we have good weather next weekend while we move. Typically, it's so humid in August you can't breathe outside but we've had a very mild summer so far. I cross my fingers it stays that way until after next weekend.

I am looking forward to . . . seeing Logan's progress with his therapy. He's only gone for 2 weeks but I'm already anxious to see where he is a month, 2 months, 3 months down the road. (I know I'm jumping the gun just a little bit)

I am hearing . . . Mickey Mouse Clubhouse on the TV.

Around the house . . . are boxes, boxes, & more boxes.

One of my favorite things . . . are snuggling with the boys when they first get out of bed. Unfortunately, that doesn't last too long.

A few plans for the rest of the week . . . lots of packing today & tomorrow, Brian & I are picking up our new furniture on Saturday morning then placing it in the new house, & on Sunday I'm going to have a major cleaning session at the new house before we move everything in.

The Gaiser's Are Moving!!!!!

We were approached with an amazing opportunity & snatched it up as quickly as we could! This has been a topic of discussion for several months but has recently taken off. Brian & I are purchasing my parents' house & we couldn't be more excited!! When we purchased our current home we really wanted to stay on the West side but couldn't afford what we were looking for so we moved to the Northeast side of town. We love living here, the neighbors, & the easy commute to either side of town but we've always had a special place in our hearts for the West side. When this opportunity presented itself we thought about it long & hard. There's a lot to think about when you're looking at taking on a much larger home with 5 acres to care for. After much discussion & prayer, we made our big decision & put our house up for sale. We decided to go with the For Sale By Owner option through House Hunters Realty & it worked fabulously. 

We sold our home in 2 months!!!!!

 

With us on a deadline to be out of our current home, my parents moved out this past weekend. So Brian has now kicked it into high gear to make the changes to our new home before we move in (we only have 17 days until our scheduled move date). Here's our to-do list before we move in:

Paint Logan's room

Paint our room

New floor in our room

Paint the main level walls (living room, kitchen, bathroom, hallways)

Replace carpet in basement

With a short time frame to get everything done & ready to move, we are very busy these days. Brian is taking charge of the home projects while I'm working on packing up our current home. (This is more difficult than I thought with a teething 16 month old who is constantly attached to my leg!) I'm trying to capture as many photos of this experience as I can but left my camera at the new house so my 'before' pictures will have to wait for another post. 

The Ultimate Target Trip

I love a good bargain! I love knowing that I'm able to get things we need at a great price. For most people that I know, money is a touchy area & everyone seems to look for ways to stretch a buck (as do I). I was stoked when I saw the Sunday ad two weeks ago for Target. They had an awesome deal on diapers & baby food. Luckily, I was in need of both so the timing couldn't have came at a better time. Since we have an upcoming move quickly approaching, I decided to get 3 boxes of diapers & 1 box of Pull Ups to last until after the move. When I arrived at Target, they already sold out of the Pull Up size I needed. Therefore, I adjusted my plan & purchased 4 boxes of diapers instead. This is what I walked away with:

2- large boxes of Pampers

2- large boxes of Luvs

2- Gerber Puffs

2- Gerber Graduate meals

4- Gerber Graduate pouches

5- Ella's Kitchen pouches

Here's where the exciting part comes into play: If I would have paid full price for all of these items, I would've spent $122.61 + tax. I spent some time going through my Target & manufacturer coupons to get the best deal. The biggest saver was the Target coupon for $20 off of $100 spent on baby items. With that discount, my Target coupons, manufacturer coupons, & 5% off by using my Target debit Redcard, my grand total came to.......... $96.52 after tax!!!! The even better part of the deal is that I walked away with 2- $10 Target gift cards as well! That's like paying $76.52 for everything. Woohoo!!!!

A little bit of time & planning can save some serious bucks. This is how I happily contribute to our finances & because my $35 savings, we purchased some small items needed for our home renovation. I'm excited for my next savings adventure!

July Update

Outside my window . . . The sun is out there somewhere but it's rainy so she isn't out. It doesn't look promising for a pretty day. :(



I am thinking . . . this moving process has been really stressful on everyone & I look forward to the day that it's over. Now that we're working on projects in the new house, I can see an end in sight. Yippie!



I am thankful for . . . a husband who likes to help me with decorating rooms. I had the hardest time finding a comforter for Levi's room to match the theme I insist he has. After a lot of persistence & Brian's opinions, I finally found 'the one'. Too bad I have to wait until 7/21 for it to be delivered. :(



I am wearing . . . my pj's while I eat breakfast. My work clothes will be put on all too soon.


I am going . . . to take Logan to his first movie on Thursday. A local movie theater shows previously released movies for $1 all summer long so thought this would make a great Mommy & Logan date. I can't wait to see how he does!!


I am wondering . . . when we'll get a phone call in regards to closing on our home.



I am reading . . . 'Balancing It All' by Candace Cameron Bure.


I am hoping . . . get the bedroom flooring picked out & ordered this week. With us painting in the near future, we need to order the flooring so we don't get behind.


I am looking forward to . . . my lunch date on Friday with my BFF. We don't get these often enough.



I am hearing . . . Some thunder every once in a while.


Around the house . . . are empty walls, which make me sad. Packing makes the house look 'blah' but I know it's all for a good cause.



One of my favorite things . . . is watching Logan learn how to write letters. His concentration is adorable!

A few plans for the rest of the week . . . Work my normal schedule, meet with a mortgage lender, have a fun Mommy & Logan date, & get some more things done at the new house. I hope to make it to the Franklin Street Bazaar on Saturday...I've wanted to go since it's started but something has always come up.

June Update

Outside my window . . . The sun is setting. It's a bittersweet sight because my vacation is coming to an end. :(



I am thinking . . . this vacation was my all time favorite. It was the kids' first time to the beach & things went well. We had a few bumpy days with Levi's teething & not adjusting to the different environment but things got much better once that stubborn tooth popped through. I'll post about our vacation in a few days (if I can get the site to upload my pics).



I am thankful for . . . time with my family. With today being Father's Day, it quickly reminds me of how short our life really is. Brian's dad was taken from us at the early age of 58 & today is always a rough one. I truly cherish each day I'm able to spend with our family & friends.



I am wearing . . . jeans shorts & a union t-shirt.


I am going . . . to be swamped at work tomorrow after being off for 10 days.


I am wondering . . . if we'll get more calls/inquiries now that we've changed some things with our home ad???



I am reading . . . 'Balancing It All' by Candace Cameron Bure.


I am hoping . . . to start on our first project in our new home soon!


I am looking forward to . . . more family visiting at the end of the month. My uncle from North Dakota visits every 2 months since my grandpa has been in the nursing home. Now a couple cousins will make the trip in a couple weeks. It's always fun to spend time with them!



I am hearing . . . Brian watch a hunting show on TV.


Around the house . . . are small piles of things to go into each boy's room from our Florida trip. I've worked hard today to get the house back in order but a few things still linger.



One of my favorite things . . . reading blogs in the morning while I eat breakfast.

A few plans for the rest of the week . . . I'm working an extra day this week to make up for being off last week. We'll also have dinner with my dad at some point since we couldn't get together today (he's running a fever). This Saturday, my niece, Lily, is getting baptized & I can't wait to see everyone together!!