Freedom has a scent, like the top of a newborn baby's head.

Welcome to the world Lucas!

And props to Kelly on a drug free birth!

*update*
We felt it was only appropriate to celebrate this beautiful day with cupcakes.

It just felt like the right thing to do.

gonna go where the bright lights and the big city meet.

I think I will title all my entries after U2 songs from now on- In celebration of the upcoming U2 show on 10.06.2009.

Dearest James,

I'm gonna need you to mail me those tickets.

And thanks for getting me them for me on the pre-sale,

you know how I enjoy a bargain.


Love you. mean it.

Holly

So, the fam and I are going to Jacksonville next week.
I'm either going to be meeting baby Lucas, or giving Kelly REALLY BIG pep talks about it's perfectly normal go a little past estimated due dates. Either way, I just need to see my Rumbachs.

Dear Kelly,

He will come out.

I promise.

Seriously, he'll be here before you know it.

yours truly,

Holly

I need to see a lot of people. I need a recharge of love, family, and friendship. I need to smell the salty air, and eat at Sierra Grille.

So, I've begun to get ready by for the trip, well mostly I've just been stressing out about the drive. But, I did some shopping today, and, for the first time ever, I SAVED MORE THAN I SPENT AT PUBLIX!


I owe it all to Southern Savers, that website has changed my life.

The deals that blew my mind, after coupons and sales prices I spent:

$2.25 for 2 huge boxes of Cheerios.
$2.00 total for 2 boxes of 100 calorie packs, AND a gallon of milk.

"A penny saved is a penny earned." --Benjamin Franklin

Outside is America,

Today, started with the feeling that days had merged, combined, morphed into a blob.
It started at 4:22 am, the alarm sounded like laughter...ha ha, ha ha, hahaha
And then there was hair/makeup/basic grooming and finding my ugly yet completely practical new work shoes- they are like walking on a cloud- a soon to be covered with steamed milk and various syrups cloud. They remind me of old man house shoes- totally 1980's Bill Cosby. He would be sporting these bad boys with his p.j.'s. Every time I look at them I think of Bill Cosby. But they're comfortable. You've got to understand, I have permanent scars from breaking in new work shoes. With one particular pair, I thought I might loose my feet to amputation...they were blistered and swollen. I got so many compliments on the shoes, but they were bad- pure evil. But once you start breaking in new shoes, you can't quit, It just postpones the enviable. You gotta push through. I work 8 hour shifts, on my feet for most of it, and finally, after 4.5 years, I went for comfort. I guess you can teach an old dog new tricks after all.

I get a par of shoes for work, and I wear them until they fall apart. Why not have 5 pairs in rotation at all times? It's just not my style I guess, I need one good pair, broken in and ready. Truth is, I don't want to devote anymore than I have to work. I feel that work consumes 60% of my time and 80% of my energy. My job is a real energy stealer. There is so much more to life.

It occurred to me today. How hard we all try. It all seems so unimportant and mundane, but it matters to us deeply. It's amazing and strange- how much people can care about a store, and pleasing customers. And the higher-ups want everyone to do better, and work harder and so we do...even when we think it's impossible. It's some strange combination of devotion and slavery.

We are the bottom of the food chain.
We are the heart of America.
We are champions.
We are a dysfunctional family.

When I went to get the kids, Carlos was leaving work. So, they all jumped into the Volvo, and we ran an errand, got lunch, then returned home for the most dreamy nap ever. I woke up feeling like it was Sunday. Life felt really easy.

My kids are impossibly adorable.
I have a hilarious husband.
I am behind on laundry.
I will be okay.


"I am the gatekeeper of my own destiny, and I will have my glory day in the hot sun." -Nacho Libre.

Cheating on Howard.

If you know me, you know, I like free stuff.
So when I heard about "Free Mocha Monday"
I knew it was my opportunity to see what my (sbux's) competition is up to.
I will begin this review, by admitting that I do not drink espresso very much.
My chosen sbux drinks are caffe' mistos or iced coffee with milk.
I have come to love brewed coffee, and the fact that these drinks have a fourth of the milk than a latte, settles better with my belly. (and they're way cheaper)
But, I have tried iced mochas from sbux many times, and I wanted to see how they compare.
Alexandria, Matthew & I got a sample and, well...we liked it.

I will say that iced espresso beverages are a little more fool-proof. You don't run the risk of the milk being burnt or re-steamed, etc. I'm not sure if I would like the hot one.

The 7 oz sample I was given, tasted very strong like espresso, with bittersweet chocolate and yummy whipped cream.
It was a little smoother than ours, I'm pretty sure they use chocolate syrup.
We use mocha that we mix each day, it's cocoa and powered sugar.
(I think it's a little gritty in cold drinks)

It took FOREVER for them to make it, I can't imagine how much
it would back up the drive- thru if they had a long line of cafe' drinks to make.
They don't have the good ice that we have, it melted very quickly-but I'm an ice freak,
I like lots of ice.
And who knows if their water is triple filtered like ours- something tells me it's not.
I think it's probably perfect for coffee light-weights...I'm pretty sure that Mc'baristas would frown upon complicated orders.


Alexandria liked it okay, she thought it was a little too bitter.
She also thinks free samples should be bigger- entitlement issues much?

Matthew, who pretty much drinks straight espresso, enjoyed it.
He added "The roasty, full bodied espresso pairs well with chocolate. The low acidity and earthy undertones delight the palate- as it finishes clean and smooth." Just kidding- he asked for a happy meal to go with it.

Bottom line, If I was traveling, and there wasn't a sbux around, I would buy an iced mocha from this place- maybe.

And just in case you didn't know- Howard is the CEO of sbux.

going campin'

Alexandria is leaving tomorrow for a 4 day camping trip with a church group.
Earlier, the boys went in her room to tell her their going to miss her. When she lifted her arms to do the "get out of my room hand motion" (like directing traffic) they thought she was reaching out, so they both went in for a hug. It was clearly not her intention to hug them, it made for a pretty hilarious moment. It's going to be so boring without her around, she's quite the firecracker!

lucky number seven.

So my exploits at CVS continue, and I got all of this for $7
Two boxes of Cereal alone are ordinarily about $8!

This is how it all played out...
Cheerios were 2 for $6 with 2 ECB'S back.
I also had $1 off coupon, and I earned $1 ECB with their quarterly earnings program thingy.
So I spent $5 and walked out with $3 ECB's.
This week there are several deals where products are free after ECB's,
Like pencils, tape, and feminine hygiene products.
So, those things were purchased with the $3 I had, which earned me the bucks right back.
A lot of the deals this week coincide with coupons from today's paper.
Like the razors, there was a $2 off coupon, they were priced even lower than the ad, and I earned $3 back. So $8 razors were about $2!!
I was disappointed that they only had one more febreze thing left, (I'm going to try it over the cat box.) My original plan was to buy two for $13, use $8 in coupons, and get $5 back in ECB's...but it's cool.

hippie fair finds.

After years and years of hearing about the hippie fair in Belo Horizonte (an open air market in the middle of downtown held on Sundays.) I finally had the chance to see for myself the marvels, the wonders, the steak on a stick, the crazy people screaming in the street...it was great fun! Here is some of the treasures I found...

My new life goal is keeping ketchup off this table runner.

Pink flower towel for the bathroom,
& several plain white towels.

things above.

\

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