Yes They Match because I'm a Dork

Seeing as how Easter has come and gone now, I thought I would talk only briefly on the kids' outfits. They too are frugal finds...yeah me! Their matching outfits came from Pottery Barn...bet 'ya didn't know they sold clothes did ya? Ha! They were actually winter outfits that were on clearance but seeing as how it is always so stinking cold here until May I figured wool would work out just fine. And lo and behold I was right! Calvin's pants were $14.99 and Emma's dress was $24.99. I know the pants are kind of pricey...that's about my max amount I would pay for pants for myself, but I was dead set on matching outfits and figured I would be hard pressed to find matching anything for that price. So I ordered my little heart out and joyously clicked checkout when I realized I also got free shipping! Calvin's sweater and hat combo I already had; I purchased that set from a consignment shop when he was still in the womb, and that started the cable knit craze! Emma's sweater I got at the Burlington Coat Factory for only $9.99...a lesson to look high and low as they didn't have it in her size but I was so desperate I tried on the 6-9 month sweater on her and sure enough, it fit...weird! Emma's shoes I believe were $5.00 and they also match her Birthday outfit so we will get lots of uses out of those. I am trying to not go nuts in spending when clothing these children. Its hard having cute kids...they should look cute all of the time if they are cute, right?
Speaking of dressing kids cute, I wanted to share a site with you I found. Its Gaga's and it looks amazing!!!! For around $14.99 an outfit you can rent a dress or outfit and keep it for about three weeks! Then you return it to them and they clean and sanatize it for you! For fifteen bucks you'd be hard pressed to find an outfit for an occasion, especially of the quality that they have. Plus you can get matching outfits for the kids. I always swore I wouldn't do this because my mom always had my two sisters and I dressed alike and its not cool when you are fourteen by the way. So I figured since I've had a change of heart I might as well do it now before they begin complaining. Anyway, I am planning on doing this for Christmas time or Calvin's dedication so I will let you know how it works whenever I use the site.

Sisters!

The Bean and I have known one another for a long time now. I realized when I was looking at these pictures...its like we both have grown up in the past six years! The Bean by the way is Nick's sister. So since Nick and I started dating in 2001, that means I have known her for seven years! Wowee! Doesn't the time fly? I am so happy to be able to call her a sister! I love her so much and she's just so darn cute!

My Sweet Prince

Isn't he just the cutest little thing you have ever seen? Calvin (or Kevin as my Grandma calls him) has completely won my heart over! Couldn't help but post this picture of our cutie pie. The funny thing about this little man is how much he is Nicholas' mini-me. Not only is he a dead ringer of Nick but he acts like him too! He is so laid back and already a charmer. We are going to have our hands full with this one if he is as funny as Nick too!

Did You Have a Hoppy Easter?

The official Witwer Family Easter picture...that's right, they are in matching outfits!
Emma unpacking Easter baskets
OOOH...found an egg!
Mommy and the boy...doesn't he look so "toughguy" in this picture?
Laughing! I love it!

I know that we did and it is still continuing! I guess that we are just going to Jesus celebrate rising from the dead all year long...but that's the way it should be right? Easter was celebrated by going to my parents' church and then out to eat at Bonefish Grill...yummy! Then we went back to my Grandma Jean's house for an Easter Egg hunt and Emma (and Calvin) opened all of their baskets. It was so much fun! This Saturday we are going to Nick's Mom and Dad's house for their Easter, which I am super excited about! I am planning on making a cherry crumble from cherry's picked from our very own back yard! I will have to let you know how it is. It will be so great to see everyone and the kids love, love, love Auntie Bean and Uncle Mark. Plus we keep forgetting to give Emma her easter basket from us. I know, I know, how bad would it suck to get your Easter basket two days late, but thats the way the cards fall I guess when you have us as parents. So how was everyone else's Easter? Awesome? When I was at work on Friday before Easter, I noticed how pathetic our world is, even us Christians (at least me). Someone told me to have a Good Easter and I found myself surprised that they said Easter. Isn't that sad? Hardly anyone gets Good Friday off even though that's the day Christ died for us. DIED people. And when I was looking around at church I noticed how sad it was too. What happened to the days everyone wore new gloves, shoes, and hats because it was Easter and Easter is such a big deal? Everyone looked the same. Again...Jesus ROSE FROM THE GRAVE!!!! Let that sink in! Okay, I am done venting. I just think it is so sad Christmas and Easter are being swept under the rug. I think we as Christians should put up some type of fight.

A Whale of a Deal

So I went to Goodwill, armed with my 50% off coupon. I needed to get a basket for a friends shower and look for baby clothes. Nick and the kids went with me but by the time we got there, they were asleep. So I went in by myself (silent YES! to myself). I found this cute sweater with matching shirt underneath from Gymboree for Emma and snatched that puppy up. The cool thing about this sweater is that when you take the ruffly shirt away, its something that Cal will be able to wear when he is old enough. I got up to the counter with the basket and sweater/shirt combo and found out my basket was marked 75% off! Score! Then the sweater was only $2.00 and they didn't charge me extra for the shirt. So I saved my 50% off coupon for another time. Iwas fine paying $2.93 for my items today. Chalk another one up to God and Goodwill!

I’d Like To Thank God and Goodwill

So I have been needing to go to Goodwill. Like a good finance girl who does her taxes, I recorded all of the items I have to donate to Goodwill in an excel spreadsheet and listed their condition as well. I got them in nice pile by the foyer door to take to the store. The only problem? I never made it to Goodwill this past weekend. So there they sit for Emma to rifle through at her own free will and for Nick and I to trip over, seemingly every 15 seconds. I know I could just take the items to a drop box and chucked them in, but I have this microwave to contend with. The microwave seems like a nice microwave until you get it going and then 30 seconds down the road, sparks are flying within…not such a good microwave after all. I would hate for someone to pick it up and then set their hair or house on fire when using it. So we need to take it to an actual donation center with someone speaking some form of English so we can stick a little disclaimer with it. But the other dilemma is, why am I going to drive all they way to the donation center if I am not going to buy something? And since it is not a half off day, I would feel weary to buy something. I know, I know, its goodwill and its cheap, but its also like the Gap…when you know that eventually everything is going to be on sale, you don’t buy at regular price. But what should be in the newspaper today? but lo and behold a half off coupon for Goodwill. Now maybe I have been under a rock for quite some time but I have never seen one of these coupons before, and what good timing it should have to emerge from its cocoon of savings. Thank you God and Goodwill for this miracle today! Now I can shop and drop at the same time!

Coloring the Eggs

Sunday my parents and sister came over for some good old fashioned easter egg coloring. We had so much fun. Emma loved coloring the eggs, especially the part where you put the eggs in the color, or should I say where you plop them into the color and then laugh at the water splattering. I boiled two dozen eggs and I think we may have just over a dozen now...who knew the child had man hands when it comes to eggs? I think this picture is a good example of what I am talking about:

Calvin basically had this bored, "what in the world is with you people?" expression on his face when he wasn't sleeping. I couldn't help but look forward to the Easters when they both will be splashing Easter water everywhere.

Here is Emma using the metal egg holder thingy. I was surprised at how well she did...well how well she tried I guess you could say. She would get the egg on the metal thingy and then it would take a nose dive off. Oh well!

I shouldn't end this without a frugal tip. When doing your grocery shopping after Easter be sure to keep your eye out for the Easter Clearance. That would be a great opportunity to buy your egg dyes and things for next year. They are normally about $4.00 and on 90% off last year I got the dyes we used this year for only about .40. Can't beat that, can you? Plus then you don't have to try to remember to go buy them and accept what they have left if you buy late and don't have what you want; You'll already have them waiting at home for you!

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

Hope you all had a great Saint Patty's Day and still are continuing our celebrations! No green beer or leprechauns here...just some green sweaters and a sign on our door to celebrate the day. Hope you all are having a Funday Monday!

Check Out This Site

While being a blogging nerd, I happened across an ultra cool website, Fun Being Frugal. She always has the coolest freebies and samples that you can find listed together on the web. Some of the neat ones I found today included this Garlic Gold oil, which apparently is olive oil infused with organic garlic. Now does that sound super yummy or what? I also signed up to get this free charm from Lean Cuisine. If its cute enough to merit a place on my charm bracelet, then score! Otherwise I bet it would be super cute as a necklace! There are tons more so be sure to check it out and tell me what you think. I mean do I have good taste or do I have good taste?

Easter Egg Hunt

Today was our neighborhood's Easter Egg hunt. We took Emma and Calvin out early this morning to hunt down some eggs. Emma was very cold and still sleepy and not in a very good mood. There was this look on her face when she was not out and out crying:

On the verge of tears. Then she decided that it would be cool to start hunting for eggs before everyone else...not so cool, but instead of hunting for them she enjoyed picking them up with her mitten hands and then tossing them to rearrange them...alright I decided, we'll let that pass. Once the hunt did start though, she was a machine, sometimes picking two up at a time. We then went back home and warmed up. We had had so much more planned for today including watching the river being dyed green and craft time at Michael's. But with how chilly it turned and how Emma liked to cry so much we decided to just stay home. We did however get to the library and I made it to the Superette for some ingredients for Chicken Parmesan. Yummy! That's all for now; tomorrow is dying egg day so I will post pics of that!

First Stroll Around

Exploring the park
Wheeee!

Here we are!

At the little kid slide
Loving the big kid slide

Yesterday was beautiful around here...how is it around you? So we decided to head to the park before making dinner. It was one of those times when you just decide that you love your life...point blank. Emma enjoyed playing and feeding the geese. I can't get over what a little girl she has become! I also realized how wonderful my husband is and what a great daddy he is to our little ones. At the end of the day as we began the walk home I just kind of hung back from Nick and Emma and fought back tears as I looked at them and hugged Calvin and thanked God for all of it...He is amazing isn't he? He has given me such a gift in my family, gifts I never could have expected or deserved. I think we may go to the park tomorrow too...especially since it helps me to see everything I have to be thankful for.

First Easter Basket

We received Calvin's first Easter basket in the mail today. Aunt Jan sent it and made it and it is soooo adorable! I am so lucky to have such a talented aunt who can weave baskets! Inside she

had all kinds of cute outfits, socks, a bib, a bunny, a frame, and on and on...so cute and so very much needed. Thanks so much Aunt Jan!

Worse for Wear

Getting ready for bed last night...pictures really make you look at yourself and think, "geesh its like putting lipstick on a pig..." I guess I have just been feeling worse for wear lately, but with two little ones what can you do? Calvin is in one of his outfits from shopping! So super cute. The way that these kids grow it is just incredible. Big thanks to Nick's parents for clothes...and everything else. I have no idea what on earth we would do without them...seriously. They make sure to always take such good care of us and we thank God for such good parents. God is good, all the time.

Nice Hat

We just got back from outlet shopping and I thought I would post a picture of Emma in her new hat. Isn't she cute?

Peep Show

My Aunt Marilynn forwarded this to me and I just had to post it. I know it is really circulating on the internet but I thought it was too cute to miss if you haven't seen it yet! Enjoy!

Price Matching At Wal-Mart-?

I read this article BeCentsAble: Price Matching At Wal-Mart-Your Goldmine and am wondering if anyone else has ever price matched at Walmart? If so please let me know if this is easy or a hassle. Because shopping at one place with all of the deals listed in all of the dumb ads I leaf through sounds heavenly at this moment, especially as gas prices soar (seriously $4.00/gallon by summer? madness!) . So drop me a comment and let me know because if this is doable Walmart could be onto something!

Two Months Old

Calvin is now two months old and I cannot believe how well he is doing. The Prilosec seems to keep him very happy and he is now talking and smiling. He is even rolling over, can you believe it? Last night he only woke up once to eat and then slept, so we are getting close to sleeping through the night! My love for this little boy is growing so immensely each day that often times my heart feels as though it will burst. I am in love!

Such a God Thing

Do you ever have those times in your life when you just know beyond a shadow of a doubt that that was all God? I had one of those Sunday and the goosebumps are still evidenced. This past week Nick and I were talking about our relationships with God. I was talking about my views and I said that being a Christian shouldn’t be about a long list of dos and don’ts but it is more of a relationship where you love God so much that your whole life is just infiltrated with him and you want to do everything to please him. I used the example of a marriage. I don’t do laundry and clean and stay faithful and cuddle because those are the rules and what you do when you are married, but I do those things because I love Nick and want to take care of him and make him happy. So yesterday we were in church and what example should the pastor use but the same stinking thing. I know that was like a lightening bolt to me. Because its true. We should love God so much that all we want to do is make him happy. We don’t want to upset him or frustrate him. It shouldn’t seem like a long list of rules of things to do, things to stay away and the such. Loving God just consumes your life and suddenly those things that seemed to hard to avoid and not do before just aren’t that big of a deal. My biggest problem sometimes is gossiping, specifically about people that I work with. I catch myself and think, oh Emma might hear me. But Emma is small and God is immense and can hear my words, and knows the thoughts in my mind, and the troubles on my heart. I desire to make Him happy because I love Him, not because I feel I have to.

I Wish Someone Would Give Me a Pink Slip...

...or a blue slip, or a yellow slip, preferably a white slip, but I would even take a risque black slip at this point. Just in case you were wondering, apparently it is now uncool to wear a slip if you are a little girl. At least that is the only thing I can assume since no one sells slips anymore...anywhere. Except Amish supercenters. But around here I have looked long and hard (okay not everywhere so if you see them anywhere let me know) and cannot find one in sight. I had a sure bet tip to go to Burlington Coat Factory to buy a slip but lo and behold they didn't have them. What is this world coming to when you cannot buy proper undergarments. The sad part is I am sure it would probably be easier to find Emma thong underpants than it would be to find her a slip for Easter. So if you know of somewhere I can find a slip for Emma, please let me know.

Spring Cleaning

Amy Clark, the writer of momadvice.com has a terrific blog up about Spring Cleaning that you should read...it is wonderful to know that I am not the only one getting the Spring Cleaning bug! While you are over there you should peruse the rest of her website...she has an amazing site for busy moms and women. Fridays are my favorite time as they are Amy's Frugal Friday's; on these posts she posts freebies available online that you can sign up for...who doesn't love free stuff? Amy and I live in the same area and she does television spots on WSBT, our local news station. So when she talks about deals at Martin's or the like, I know what she is talking about...just being able to keep up with people's conversations, let alone relate, gives me the warm fuzzies (like hey I'm not an idiot after all!).

Anyway this weekend I have big spring cleaning plans...not sure what those plans are yet, but plans nevertheless. So lets all get our fab rubber gloves on and get cleaning this weekend. You never know what you may find in, around, behind, under the couch. Maybe enough change for a manicure! But now is the time for Spring Cleaning as Spring isn't here enough to be outside but you just want it to be spring soooo bad. This will put you in the mood and then all of the crappy jobs will be out of the way for when the weather is nice enough to be outside. Happy Cleaning everyone!

Blog-o Recommend-o

Have you ever been to this website? Super cool website that has up to the minute deals on baby items! It is worth checking out even if you aren't shopping for a little one as the other day she had an article about joining the synovate opinion panel and some great pointers for shopping consignment sales

The Stitches are Gone!

We went today and had the stitches removed in the Doctor's office. Geesh, I thought she screamed when they put them in, but oh how she screamed this time. They had to put her in a papoose thing which was basically a backboard which they velcroed her into...btw she was not too into that. Kitty came along for this ride as well which was oh so cute! So now the little dear is napping, oh how I love the napping.

My First Day Off

So today was my first day off and it has been a lot of fun. Calvin slept last night (albeit in our bed but we will deal with that problem when we have slept). Anyway, we've had a good time playing, relaxing, and actually getting some housework done. When Nick came home for lunch we all were nice and civil and acting like our well-rested selves...yeah!

photo courtesy of allposters.com...thanks!

When the mail came I was delighted to see that I had gotten a card from Jaime...yeah! I was so excited! She sent me a Napoleon Dynamite talking card which made my day. What made my day even more were the wonderful words she wrote...thanks so much! Did I mention that you made my day! I was floating on cloud 9 and still am from that! What made it even more perfect was when Emma pointed at Napoleon and said "Daddy". That's right folks, Emma thinks Nick looks like Napoleon Dynamite...I see a halloween costume forming! But seriously: Jaime thanks for thinking I am great; you are great, so I guess this is why we are family. And you made me almost wet myself as well...we'll keep that one an inside joke. That and "where's my tools?" That one I had to throw in there.

Tonight we (read I) am making Chili with cheddar-pepper cornbread. Yummy! Well yummy to me, not so much to Nicholas as he thinks I make the world's worst chili. Such kind words he says! And just to let you all know, last night at Meijer I saved more than I spent. Can I get a woo-hoo from the crowd please? I spent $43.23 and saved $51.00. Yeah! God is good all of the time, right?

Just Too Busy

Today I am so busy things are just really starting to pile up around here. I don't think that I am actually busy as much as I am completely and utterly exhausted and therefore even the simplest of tasks seem daunting right now. Tonight I am going grocery shopping, an event I usually love, but I am dreading it because of the lack of sleep and I just can't seem to get myself together enough to make a grocery list. I also need to do the vacuuming and laundry done and new sheets put on our bed. Calvin has taken to not sleeping in his own bed. We put him in there and he just cries. Very annoying. Also annoying is the fact that Nick and I are now so tired that we are jumping on one another about everything. Sorry baby, I love you, I forgive you, I know you forgive me and hopefully soon we will be able to sleep. Hopefully I will feel more refreshed tomorrow and I will write more. Hope you all are doing well!

Butter Me Up!

My frugal tip today isn’t so much a tip as it is just plain old boring common sense. My advice to you is to simply look around you while you are shopping at all of the options available to you. You never know what good deals you will find. My fabulous example of this is the butter I bought this past week while grocery shopping that is now neatly lined up in the door of my freezer, like little baby ducks. Cute. As I perused the dairy section of the grocer’s, I spotted a gynormous display of store-brand butter, all marked down to $1.00 a container. This was a savings of $2.10 per container!) The butter had a “sell by date” that was slated for sometime this week. This is simply the final date the inventory can be sold in the store, not the date that the product will spoil by. Plus if you freeze butter it lasts for months. I grabbed five packages supermarket-sweeps style and kicked myself all the way home for not getting more. However freezer space is a precious commodity and we already had 5 packages of butter in the freezer. Now, before you go and think we are huge porkers, I should mention that I love to cook and I have found that braised veggies, sauces, and roux's just don't come out the same with margarine. Have you ever had a margarine sage sauce? Um, let's not go there as it is just not the same. Plus I love baking cookies and in baking, nothing beats butter. So there is the explanation to the year's supply of butter.

So anyway, back to my point, take some time and look around you before you dart out of the store to run your next errand. I know if I had had my blinders on in the grocery store and had just picked up the shredded cheese I was after I would have missed my amazing deal. Take just a couple of moments to soak in you surroundings and see what deals there are. In our grocery store there is always a section of clearance items that often times harbors amazing deals. Things that are seasonal and therefore marked down, that you can still use coupons on. So stop and smell the bargains!

The Weekend is Over

Don't you just love this hat?

Sorry I've been AWOL for the last couple of days. Calvin has not been sleeping at night and we have been moderately busy which leads to me being mummy-like, stumbling through the days trying to accomplish even the most simple of tasks.

On Saturday we went to visit Nick's sister, the Bean, and her husband Mark. She is pictured above with Baby Calvin. On the way there Em puked her guts out which was gross but helped us figure out that she must be getting car sick. This only seems to happen when we have been in the car for more than a couple of hours. There always seems to be something, doesn't there? So if you have any suggestions as to help a two year old conquer motion sickness let me know. Anywho at the Bean's we had quesadilla's and banana splits, both of which were amazing! It was nice to get away and just relax and not be worried about all of the cleaning I need to do or anything else.

Today we went to church with Nick's mom and Al Denson was there performing...just amazing! He sang some of his songs which were great of course but then he also led us in a few medleys of old hymns. The hymns you grow up with that make your skin tingle because you can just feel the spirit of the Lord is in this place. I was awestruck and so grateful...I needed that. Of course God always knows what we need right? Can I get an amen?

And now we are back home and just trying to enjoy one another. I am going back to work this week and tomorrow is my first day. I am kind of nervous about going back but also very sad. I wish I could stay home with my children permanently. But what Nick said is right: I tend to thrive when I have structure and a reason to get out of my sweats, which is what work gives me. Plus it is only a few hours a day, a few days a week and I can handle that. I know that, I just need to keep convincing my heart of that as it feels crushed. Please be praying for me and I will let you know how it goes!