I am so proud of myself!

OK - OK - I haven't blogged in, like, forever. I had some things happen, end of school year, some sad family events, and others that I just never felt like writing any of it down, but today - I was inspired.

I read a lot of money saving blogs, find on-line coupons, clip paper coupons - all in an effort to save money. I have been doing a lot of "stocking up" for when the kids go to camp or even for when school starts and I pack lunches! Today I went to Pick-n-Save and Walgreens. Wednesday is double coupon day (first 5 coupons) for Pick-n-Save, if you spend more than $25 in a transaction. I did two transactions:

Transaction 1
- Muir Organic Spaghetti Sauce 3/$9 (I had 3 $1/1 coupons from the internet that each were doubled, so I paid $1 per jar!
-V-8 2/$6 ( I had 2 $1/1 coupons from the internet that each were doubled so I paid $1 per container)
-P-n-S had a sale on candy (Buy one-Get one) so the kids each picked a candy bar. I paid $.79 for two candy bars
-I got a coupon for a free chocolate bar from a website that has "free Chocolate Fridays" (You can sign up on Fridays to receive a coupon for a free chocolate bar. I got another candy bar - paid nothing for it!
-Then to get my total up to $25, I bought a Beef Tenderloin (also on sale for $5.88/lb instead of $7.99/lb.

My total I spent was $26.64 -- my total saved was $23.79!!!

Transaction 2 was a bit bigger...I only had a few more coupons that could be doubled AND I am collecting their premiums, so I wanted to make sure my total was at least $50.
*Ground Turkey Breast was on sale for $5.99 - had a coupon for $5 off (that's $.99 for a pound of premium meat!!)
*Roundy's cheese slices were on sale for 2/$5
*Roundy's frozen vegies were on sale BOGO, bought 4 (of which 2 were free!)
*Jack's rising pizza on sale for 3/$9.99 (that's a savings of $5.58!)
*Hormel Pork loins were on sale BOGO (the cheaper one for $9.82 was free!)
*Doritos, 14 oz package (had coupon for $.98)
*Chex Mix were on sale 4/$10. I bought three. Had three $.50 coupons that were doubled for a total saving of $6.87 using P-n-S card and coupons!
*Ronzoni noodles were on sale BOGO, bought 4 (of which 2 were free!)
*McCormick taco seasonings were on sale BOGO, bought 2 (of which 1 was free!)
*Kemps Itty bits/single cups were on sale for $1 each, bought 4 but I also had two coupons for BOGO, so I actually only paid for two of them!
*Various fruits were on sale at 2/$4. I bought 2 pints of blueberries, 2 pints of raspberries, 1 cantaloupe and 1 honeydew melon (at a savings of $7)
*Skippy peanut butter was on sale BOGO (I bought 2, of which 1 was free)
*1 lb bag of peeled carrots (I had a coupon - only paid $.49 for the bag)
The rest of the items were things I needed and didn't have a coupon for...
*Canola oil ($5.99)
*Olive oil (on sale for $4.76)
*Apple cider vinegar ($.89)
*Eggs ($.75)
*Broccoli slaw ($3.49)
*Sliced Deli Ham- a little over a pound ($5.14)
*Jello pudding (2) ($1.70)
*Slivered almonds ($1.75)
*Raman noodles ($.25)
*Tumaro's tortillas - Sun dried tomato and a Garlic & pesto ($6.02)

Total out of pocket for this transaction was $84.87/Total savings was $58.33


Looking at the entire trip to Pick-n-Save...
Total spent was $111.51
Total saved was $82.12

THEN.... I went to Walgreens to start on the school supplies and get laundry detergent. I did the trip in two transactions...

Transaction 1
*All Laundry detergent was on sale for 2/$10. I had 2 $1/1 coupons and then received a $3.00 Register reward after purchasing.
*Colgate toothpaste was on sale for $2.99. I had $1/1 coupons and received a $1.00 Register reward after purchasing.

Out of pocket cost $10.64 / Total savings $7.58


Transaction 2
*Charmin toilet paper (12 roll) was on sale for $6.49 using Ad coupon. I also had a $1/1 coupon
*Notebooks were on sale for 3/$1 using Ad coupon - bought 6
*Loose leaf paper was on sale for 2/$1 using Ad coupon - bought 4
*Folders were on sale for 8/$1 using Ad coupon - bought 8
*2 pink erasers/pkg were on sale $0.29 - bought 2 packs
*Used my $4.00 of Register rewards I received in the previous transaction

Out of pocket $7.67 / Total savings $25.12

For the Walgreens total...
Out of pocket $18.31 / Savings $32.70

I am so thrilled when I can get savings like this and all on products I need and will use. My kids are happy we got some treats, we've gone almost a month and a half without any treats other than the breads that I bake. Now I need to make sure I don't start munching on them!!

Losing myself

Okay so this sounds like I am emotionally changing, but that is not the impetus for this note. I have been working on losing weight. I had set a goal to get down to 125 pounds, a place I have not been since before I was married. I had gotten so mad at myself for getting up to 161 pounds. I blamed everything besides my own habits. While sitting around the house and watching TV, I learned about keeping a journal for the foods one eats and that it works. There were all these people being interviewed and they showed off those notebook journals (screw that - I need something on the internet!). I began using a site I found called Everyday Health. I was intending to prove to my doctor that there was something medically wrong as to why I could not lose weight even though I had been exercising three times a week for two years! Immediately I began to lose weight.

The goal is very close.

This past week I wanted to test myself and my own ability to maintain without keeping a journal. I figured a real challenge would be over spring break when I am in the house - a lot (especially with the weather we've had lately). I eat when I am home. Better stated, I snack (and snack and sneak snacks) when I am home all day. I weighed myself today. I am down one pound!!!! 128.2 pounds. Can I type that again just to admire that number? 128.2 pounds. Yep, loving it!

How did that happen?!? I went out drinking Friday night. I had to have consumed 2000 calories of liquor that night. I have snacked this week, but I was not sneaking them. I forced myself to get on the exercise bike. I also was “driving it like I stole it!” This is a piece of advice I received from a friend. She recently lost her husband and frequently gives profound advice to her married friends…Thank you Kate, I think the additional activities have not only helped in the weight loss but my relationship with my husband. This week has been wonderful – I am more in love with my husband than ever.

I am three pounds away from my goal. When I go back to work next week, I will go back to using the food journal. I think I will continue until I have reached my goal and maintained for a month or so. By then, the habits I've learned since August should be ingrained.

I need to thank my husband for his support. He has never been critical. If I have a bad day or even a bad week, I've received no judgments from him. When I have a good week, he makes me feel even more successful. He has always made me feel sexy and now I am starting to feel it myself.

Here's to You Grandma and Grandpa!

My Grandparents have always been there for their kids, grandkids and great-grandkids. They are getting older...they cannot physically "be there" even though they desire it. That is why I wanted to visit them. My folks and my family live the closest to them right now (only 2 hours away). I guess that makes us the lucky ones. Making the drive, visiting and going back home is easy to do in one day(when you are not dealing with bad winter weather). Here is a picture from our last visit with them!

Christmas time is special for us for three reasons (1) Celebrating Christmas as the time of Jesus's birth, (2) My daughter was born on the 23rd of December and (3) Grandma and Grandpa's wedding anniversary; it is the 26th of December. My family wanted to visit with my Grandparents because they just celebrated their 67th year of marriage. Are you wondering if I typed that correctly? Yes, 67 years. Amazing. Their secret? Their faith, their patience, their humor and their love. What great role models!

Here's to you Grandma and Grandpa! Thanks for being such good role models! Thanks for being you! We love you!

Merry Christmas, Santa and family

One of the hardest thing about the holidays is all the food...cookies...cookies and more cookies. The kids (and I) love to decorate cut-out cookies. Here are some pictures of our fun we had and our final products! Picture 1: getting all the supplies ready:


















The kids doing their thing...

















The final products...yum yum yum.















Beside the yearly fun of cookies...the kids make all types of creations as school. This year our son made gingerbread houses minus the gingerbread. They use graham crackers, frosting and all types of food related items for decorating.















The Piepers did their traditional Christmas eve activities...
We had supper at my parents' home. After that, we opened gifts and then headed off to church for Christmas eve service. Every year we take a family picture in front of the tree. This is our 2008 photo!

We had a wonderful Christmas day. All our purchases were done with cash this year...a first. We've been dealing with some debt issues so with careful planning, cutting on other household spending/bills and purchasing items at a big discount, the kids were able to received some of the things they really wanted.

Santa brought our daughter some Kohler Blue Bombers clothing, an iPod, an iPod docking station/alarm clock and a few small items in her stocking. The rest of the items were from family. She loves everything! She is an appreciative receiver of gifts - so many smiles - so thankful - so gracious. I believe the fact that she knows the truth about Santa and that mom and dad bought everything might help.



Santa brought our son a new bike, a race track, a robot with remote control and a few small items in his stocking. The rest of the items were from family. Our son started off the morning as a gift snob (really pissed off the hubby and me). He acted like he hated the bike and couldn't care less about the track. All he liked was the robot. After about 3 hours, he was exited about the track and bike. I just don't know about that boy. We were about to strangle him.


We thought it was funny that each of us received some kind of footwear for Christmas this year. We thought it would be cute to take a picture!

My have things changed!

I've been busy - aren't we all?

I've also been playing in a new place when I have free time - Face book. If you've missed me posting anything recently, I've been posting them there instead of here.

I read back at my previous entries...sorry for being such a bummer. I was bummed when school started (now my adrenaline never stops) and I'm always on the go, but I like it! I was really really bummed after the election, partly because Obama won, but mostly because I watched my husband work so hard and put himself out there like that and lost. I feel better. Alex may run again. We recently learned that VanAkkren put his hat in the ring to run for Mayor of Sheboygan. Should he win that race, the assembly seat opens up again and Alex could run for that position again. He is not sure if he wants to do that again - it really drained our family's energy and it really hurt us to receive the types of letters and phone calls we got last time. The things said to us were lies - yet people feel the need to propagate them.

So, as I said, things HAVE changed...my attitude, my car I drive, my size of my clothes and my hair. Even the kids are looking different. Here is a picture of me with the kids taken just today. Take a good look...



Did you figure it out? Allison had about 8 inches of hair cut off. In addition, she got her ears pierced (for her birthday...for the third time). Okay, when she turned 7, we took her to get her ears pierced for her birthday. Within a few weeks the dog jumped up on her and knocked it out. We tried to put it back in but the hole already closed in those few minutes. Try number two happened when she turned 8. This time the earrings lasted until March but then when she was allowed to change to new earrings, the holes got so infected so fast that we had to take the earrings out and let the holes close. The third time is going to be the charm. If you look at Christian, he even got his hair cut...no more scruffy hair. It's short and styled.

I want to point out and show off my hair...still red (love the color) but I wear it shorter. I have gotten so many compliments from friends, co-workers and students as to how fun and funky my new do is.

Next, my size...I started a new online food journal on July 28th this summer. I document what I eat (foods, portions, everything). It is quite an eye-opener seeing how much one can eat in a day, especially snacking. I used the site's food calculator to determine how many calories I should be taking in if I want to safely lose weight. I then saw my doctor and told him about the site and he said that everything that I was doing was safe and should proceed. However, I not only changed my diet, but continued to work out three days a week. Currently, I spin Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings at 5 am. It may seem early, but I enjoy it. There are a great group of women that I work out with! I am now down 21 pounds! I was wearing size 14 shorts and large shirts and now I have size 10 pants and jeans and medium for tops. I am more than halfway to my goal. I want to have a BMI that is not in the obese range - for my age and height, that puts me at 125 pounds. I only have 15 more pounds to go (okay - do the math now and figure out where I started). I realized how good I was doing when I was able to put on a dress that I haven't worn since the gift opening after Alex and I were married.



As for my car...We sold the Audi A6. It was a sad day (mainly for the hubby). It was a sexy car. It served us well. My hubby met a great group of people and became friends with them because of this car. We needed to sell it because it was going to take too much money to repair the transmission. We now purchased a Taurus X. I actually like this car. It is not something I'd turn my head at as it goes past me on the road (our Audi made heads turn). It does have seating for 6. It is better for a family, our family. Financially it is a better fit because the car payment for this car is $80 less per month than what we were paying for the Audi.



My attitude has changed. I don't know how to put into words how it is different, but I generally feel different and I exude a different attitude. I can tell from my interactions with others around me. I am feeling fulfilled with what I am doing at work. I am feeling connections with my students in the midst of teaching them about the periodic table (really, how much do you remember or care about the periodic table? My students are doing a phenomenal job of learning about it!). I am loving my career. I am looking forward to Christmas break, but not because it is a break from school, but because it is more time with my family celebrating a truly joyous time!

Tired

Yes - I am physically tired. I have been up late and up VERY early...constantly working (first quarter ends today), and not eating well. I am also upset about the election results. So many emotions...My head aches; I think too much; I feel angry.

I've never declared a party...but now I never want to be a democrat.
*election fraud - you never hear of republicans leaving MPLS or Chicago to falsely register in WI...no, it's the (the bad) democrats that inflate their numbers by voting multiple times. Wisconsin has had investigations that prove election fraud is rampant in this state and these investigations are stopped by (democratic) judges and our (democratic) Governor.
*bribery - ACORN - enough said.
*intimidation - (the bad) democrats frequently came into the republican headquarters and threatened the volunteers working there. Alex and I received hate mail. We also received threatening phone calls at our house by self-professed democrats.
*the media - It is amazing that any republican can get a decent message out to people with the media as hell-bent as it is on slamming and criticizing them! There were independent studies done that told of how many negative stories were aired about Obama vs McCain. The ONLY fair network had 40% of their stories negative for both candidates was the FOX network. MSNBC was the most unfair network with negative stories about Obama happening in the teens while negative stories about McCain were occurring over 70% of the time!!!

I am sick to my stomach. I guarantee at my measly pay (less than Obama's $250K, $200K or even $150K) that my taxes will go up. I will be paying for someone else's health care, their welfare and their laziness. I will be paying more for the stuff I need because businesses will need to charge me more to make up for the taxes imposed on them! I am upset about the changes that will occur - how marriage will be defined, abortion, socialized medicine (yea - that's what will happen...)

Those that I spoke to today feel as I do. So now we will have to endure. Sigh...

Too Funny - Happy Halloween!

After seeing this, Alex and I were reminded of a comedian who was using the idea of trick-or-treating to explain taxes.



Parents...if Obama gets in, we get to take a hell of a lot more candy from the kids to explain what taxes mean! Is that a good thing?!???

Stewardship

A lesson taught in church this morning...yes, the pastor showed a music video. This story really touched our family in more ways than imaginable.

A Normal Day

4:15 am - Alarm goes off for me to wake up, brush teeth, get on workout clothes, pack up for the day
4:30 am - Out the door, get in car - drive to Plymouth
4:50 am - Walk into Riverview school, put stuff in locker room
5:00 am - Spinning class
5:50 am - Showering, getting ready
6:30 am - Drive to PHS
6:45 am - Set up lab for today; finish correcting tests
7:55 am - Sub during my prep time
8:45 am - Teach
10:15 am - Still correcting those tests
11:32 am - Handing back the recently corrected tests; begin new chapter on the Periodic Table
12:22 pm - Eat Lunch, make this post
12:50 pm - Enter grades
1:10 pm - Teach
2:45 pm - Work at the After School Academy AND do the Detention room
4:15 pm - Negotiations Meeting with School Board
6:00 pm - Pick up kids from Alex (who is now teaching his class at SFHS)
6:30 pm - Make supper
7:30 pm - Check kids' homework, Make sure the son takes a shower and both kids get their reading in for the day
8:30 pm - Kids' bed time; Correct essays & Lab reports; plan lessons
12:00 am - go to bed, sleep for 5 hours and begin again.

And I wonder why with being a room parent, a soccer mom, a Girl Scout leader, helping with Boy Scouts, helping with Alex's campaign and part of a book club that I have no social life...AND why I am tired all the time. When will summer vacation get here?

Growing up

My husband and I have been talking a lot as to when to have the talk with our daughter. Oh, not the sex talk and how your body changes...I've already started those talks with her. No, I'm talking about Santa, the Easter Bunny, St. Nick and yes, the Toothfairy. I remember CLEARLY the night my mother told me there was no Santa. I was in 4th grade (my daughter is in 4th grade). I was in the minority in my grade (being a believer, that is). My parents didn't want me getting teased in school. It happened on Christmas eve on our way to church. It sucked! I cried. I was mad. And then I had to "keep it a secret" from my little sister. I told my hubby we were going to talk to our daughter well before Christmas eve. We've been working up the nerve and the right time to talk with her. We know many in her class have older siblings and those kids in her class have been talking about 'No Santa' for a couple of years.

We did it last night.

No tears. No anger. She was quite impressed that her father and I have taken such great care in keeping her faith in Santa so strong. She was even more impressed when she thought of all her gifts - "So you and dad bought me my bike? And the guitar? The My Twinn doll? When would you do that? Where would you hide them? How did they get under the tree?" She actually smiled, like she was ready to hear it all. Then she told us to have no worries about her little brother, that she'd probably forget it all by morning. That didn't happen. She was in the bathroom with me as I am getting ready asking me more questions and I needed to tell her "not now; Your brother will be up any minute and may hear us talking." Throughout the day, my mind has wondered to my little girl, who is growing up so fast, and wondering if she is bursting inside to talk about the new information she now has.

She'll be 10 soon. She is still my little girl. My girl who now knows the truth. Losing a tooth, Christmas and Easter won't be the same. I feel sad.