things above.

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Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. Colossians 3:2-3

house of duke.

Brazil love.

dad +me.

shopping love? not so much.coffee love.

They were preparing for the afternoon rush. If you look behind the pastry case on the plates, afternoon coffee is a shot of espresso, a shot of mineral water, and a tiny bite of brownie.

momma love.

plastic love.

Ordem e Progresso

Come Morning, I wont be around here anymore.
I'll be heading South.
Packing up,
mommy guilt in tact-
I'm taking off.

I always feel bad leaving the kids.
I know, just as well as they do, that nobody can take care of them like I can.

They'll have a ton of fun with Carlos.
I"ll have a ton of fun with my parents.
It will be just fine.
Until heads hit the pillows at night-
that's the hard part.
That's the part everybody hates.
But you sleep it off, and wake up one day closer to sweet reunions.

I keep telling myself that people go visit their parents all the time.
This ain't no big thing.
We've all got to spread our wings a little.
But just the same-there's no place I'd rather be than home.

The top 3 things on my list this week were:
Shampoo/conditoner
laundry detergent
pads (sorry boys)
So I read up on the deals and figured out my game plan.
This these things combined would normally cost me around $25, depending on sales and such. But with a little planning and coupon printing/clipping, I was able to get all of this:

Yesterday, I purchased a
Swiffer Duster Starter Pack (great product)
& Febreze.
Total $10.
I got $5 in back ECB's.
I spent those on
2 -24 packs of pads,
and got $2 back in ECB's.

Today I spent $20 on Aveeno (shampoo, conditioner, and facial cleanser.)
I used:
- $4 off $20 CVS coupon.
-2-$2 off Aveeno coupons
-$2 ECB's
paid $10.
Got $10 back in ECB's.

Then I bought:

Purex 3-in-1 laundry detergent (I had $3 in coupons and a mail in rebate, so these will end up being free, plus $5)
Bounty paper towels
travel toothbrush kit
hand sanitizer
travel size hand lotion
cotton balls
eye makeup applicators

After coupons and ECB's I owed $4.
Got $2 back in ECB's

Approx $54 value for $24.
(I will get $7 back if I remember the rebate)
$2 up in ECB's

The one where I'm still talking about coupons.

First, for the things I never buy...

Fruit Gushers (*a.k.a crack-for-kids, the devil's brew, should be outlawed* were the bribe reward for well behaved little ninos, that allowed their mama shop in peace with no smack downs, or running in the pathway of the elderly in motorized shopping carts.) they were half off-about $1.00.
Alexandria chose the flan for her treat, AFTER I said no to vienna sausages-she's such a puerto-rican :)
Publix Brand Cheese Singles (a.k.a. processed cheese food) was the Publix mystery penny item. So for a penny, I said yes.

The things we got for free after coupons were :
2 bags of Chex mix, 3 Pillsbury refrigerated dough, 6 Yoplait yogurts.

Almost free:
2 Kid's Cuisine meals, 2 Bird's Eye Steam Fresh Veggies, Hunts Ketchup.

Being the perfectionist I am, I still feel like I could have done a little better. I bought the 3 boxes of General Mills cereal at REGULAR PRICE... I never do that! BUT, I had 3 coupons, so I saved about $3.50 or so. Driving around to other stores or waiting for the sales wasn't practical this week. We needed food now!

Also, over the last few weeks I have been getting our fruit from the Farmer's Market...I save about $1.00 per pound on apples (that are delicious!) and they actually have bananas that aren't completely green.

CVS-ing!!!

So, when last we spoke about CVS, I was up $4 in ECB's.

This weekend I find myself in need of some makeup.
MAC or Bare Escentuals wasn't in the budget right then so...
I went to CVS!
I shopped the sales and got a little thing of foundation ($9 value, on sale 50% off)
and used my ECB's... I payed only 40 cents or something silly like that.
I do not love cheap makeup but it's certainly better than none at all.

Today market a new week of deals.
I think I did pretty well.
I'm still learning and establishing my stockpile of coupons.
So with the learning curve and a moderate case of A.D.D.
I managed to spend $19.00 and I walked out with about $45 worth of stuff.

• 1- 24 oz. Dove Go Fresh Body Wash.
• 1- 13.5 oz. Dove Cream Oil Body Lotion
• 3- 2.6 oz. Dove Deodorant(s)
• 3- Colgate Max Fresh Toothbrushes.
• 2-10.3 oz. Dawn Botanicals Dish Soap.
• 1-Burt's Bees Beeswax Lip Balm.
• 1- Burt's Bee's Lip Shimmer.

I think the moral of the couponing story is that you have to say goodbye to brand loyalty.
I don't really mind giving up my favorite brands to save some cash. Also, stocking up is the best way to save. I have never been a bulk shopper, but when you can get 3 tooth brushes for less than the price of one, you've just got to do it. I also bought 3 big tubes of Colgate toothpaste at Target for $2.

oh yeah.

Higher Education.

Matt is done with the little kid program at church.
He's on to bigger things in the 1st - 6th grade program.

He's taking it all in stride.

frugalness.

fru·gal (frgl)

adj.

1. Practicing or marked by economy, as in the expenditure of money or the use of material resources. See Synonyms at sparing.

2. Costing little; inexpensive: a frugal lunch.

---

[Latin frglis, virtuous, thrifty, from frx, frg-, fruit, virtue.]

---

fru·gali·ty (fr-gl-t), frugal·ness n.

frugal·ly adv.

So, I have a new passion to add to my list of things I'm passionate about!
couponing!
I LOVE saving money.
I always shop sales at the grocery store, and refuse to pay full price for certain items.
Things that my kids will consume the whole package of in less than 14 minutes like cereal, chips, yogurt... any snack foods really. I always shop the buy one get on free items (hereafter referred to as bogo.)
Like we say here in Alabama... "If it ain't on sale, momma ain't buyin' it!"
Okay, I never say "ain't" but still, I'm sure you get the point, right?
Every week, Publix has a great variety of foods that are bogo.
Did you know that if you can use a coupon for both things?
For example, If Wheat Thins crackers are bogo and you have two coupons for 50 cents off Wheat Thins (Publix will double coupons 50 cents and less.)
So, lets say wheat thins are $2.89 a box, you are now getting two boxes for $2.89.
But wait! You have two coupons that each double!
You just payed 89 cents for two boxes of Wheat Thins!
See what I mean?
It's incredible!
The website "Southern Savers" has really helped me.
Basically, they teach you to stockpile coupons from the Sunday paper, mailers, and online coupons. Then you wait until items are on a really good sale, at that point you but the items already on sale with your coupons. It works best if you shop at 2 stores so the sales are revolving. (And when items are bogo, you can just buy one and save 50%, it's not necessary to buy 2. Read the signs though, because lately Publix has been doing more buy 2 get one free.)

So this is all great, very fulfilling to frugal hearts such as mine.

But wait, there's more!

There is apparently a hidden gold mine in the couponing community and it's a little place called CVS!
I had only been to CVS a few times when they carried my favorite shampoo. I usually only visit drug stores for last minute things like grabbing a card on the way to a birthday party. But now, I will probably be there ever week. Read This for the full story. But I will tell you a story of my new found CVS love. This relationship is only a few hours old, but I have high hopes for a long and happy partnership.

Yesterday I got word of a "hidden money maker" at CVS. It was $10 back in Extra Care Bucks (ECB's) with a purchase of any 2 Neutrogena sunscreen products. Well, the smallest size available was $1.99. So If I spent about $4, I got $10 back in ECB's. I did this (kinda) I really spent $8 because I could only find one of the tiny size, so I got the next cheapest one for about $8 but I had a $2 off coupon, so I spent $8 and I got $10 back...not as awesome but I was still happy. We needed sunscreen and I basically got it for free.
Today a new week of sales started and they had a deal on Softsoap bodywash. $4 ECB's back with the purchase of 2. So I got my 2 bottles and paid with my $10 ECB's. I ended up owing only 64 cents! At the end of the transaction I was given $4 in ECB's. now, I will watch the sales for other items that I earn ECB's back for and I will pay for those items with my existing ECB's. If I do this correctly I can actually shop for free at CVS!

Pretty exciting huh?

My CVS bounty.
(Street value, approx. $20.)
$8.64 cash investment, $4 up in ECB's.

sweetness.

Pomp and Circumstance.

Promptly finding his seat, at the promise of a rice crispy treat.

Classic Matthew smirk.

I have been caught off guard by the amount of emotion I feel at the end of these kindergarten and first grade school years. Saying goodbye and thank you to the woman who took such good care of my children.

I started the school years with such concern and worry, wondering if they would be nurturing enough. And in every case, we made out like bandits. For Alexandria, is was Mrs Dent. Oh how we loved her! For Abraham, is was Mrs Moon for first grade (we homeschooled for kindergarten.) She is a jewel, and I'm really hoping Matt gets her next year. And For Matthew, we had Mrs Wilson. She was perfect. She has been teaching for over 25 years, a graduate of University of Florida (go gaters!) I never saw anything from her that I didn't like. I found her amusing as she interacted with the children. Scattered yet together as 20 little kids all needed her at the same time. She had a beautiful rapport with the kids, she treated them like little friends. Today, as she hugged them goodbye, I saw wiping her tears...so sweet!

And the fuss they made over the 5th graders graduating was quite unbelievable. The honors ceremony, picnic, commemorative self portraits of all the kids, a free movie, pizza party...the list goes on. All of this payed for by donations and run by volunteers.

Little neighborhood schools with teachers who care, hair stylist who become friends, baristas who know your name, Jamaicans at the corner store (yes, I'm obsessed with them.) They make the world seem smaller. Community matters. We all matter.


And guess who's done with 3rd grade?
Not much pomp and circumstance for him, but he was happy with a nerf gun and an icee. Oh middle child syndrome- you make life so easy.