Random Shannon: Peep Pandemonium

The pictures posted below represent my most obscene collection. It's nothing less than shocking. I didn't know how seriously bad it was. I'd never had the entire lot out at one time until a few weeks ago. As I opened the first storage bin and began extracting one thing after another, embarrassment set in and I began to wonder how this collection had spiraled out of control. It started out innocently enough. About five years ago, a new take on an old product hit the store shelves: plush decorative Peeps! I was thrilled to see Peeps in a different form (other than pure sugar-coated sugar). I've always liked Marshmallow Peeps. Something comes over me - some kind of wonderful - each time I behold a newly stocked aisle of cheerful, colorful, symmetrical Peeps. I like the way they look on display, so crisp, so perfect. The epitome of orderliness. And they are so cute! Peeps chicks and bunnies standing at attention, preparing to make their silent descent into idling grocery carts. I admittedly don't like eating Peeps as much as I like looking at them. I loved eating them when I was a kid, especially stale. As I grew, I lost some of the appreciation I'd had for snacking on them. They just don't taste as yummy as I remember. So when the plush Peeps and other merchandise began appearing in stores I was instantly smitten. They were adorable! They were just the thing I needed . . . and so the madness began.

Warning: the pictures below are ridiculous.

Over the course of three or four Easter seasons I collected - okay, hoarded - all the cute Peeps loot I could justify. In my defense, most of it was obtained after Easter at markdowns of 50-75% off. And I mean it when I say I didn't know how much of it I already owned. I kind of had a hunch that maybe I'd reached my quota, but I literally couldn't make myself pass up a cheap Peep. As I accumulated new ones I'd toss them into storage boxes until the next year. Then for two years I didn't unload any of it at Easter because I didn't want the kids carelessly scattering it around the house. All the while whenever I'd see any on clearance I'd get some and tuck them in with my ginormous stockpile.

I think I got my fill of Peeps merchandise. It kind of makes me sick to look at it. I really, really didn't mean to collect that much of it. It just happened, I swear.

When I had the thought to take a picture of it all my first instinct was to leave a lot of it out, "accidentally", so people wouldn't know just how insane I am. But I couldn't do that. I didn't see any point in lying to myself and others about it. Afterall, it's not a current issue. I'm not obsessed with Peeps any longer. I'm over them. They aren't available in stores anymore. I think I bought them all. Nobody else got any and they are now extinct. I rescued three or more generations of them. They are safe with me. Safe and sound, home with Mama.

Look at this stuff, isn't it neat? Wouldn't you think my collection's complete? Wouldn't you think I'm the girl - the girl who has every(peep)?

I found this t-shirt at Savers one year during the height of my Peeps craze. I was SO excited and amazed and I knew it was there just for me. It made my heart swell to think that I could have missed it completely had I not gone in there that day, had I not been browsing through the shirts that I normally don't bother looking at.