Beauty was all around

As you all may know by reading previous posts, my family took a vacation this past long weekend (5 days)

with Gabriela and another family.

There were a total of 9 kids and 6 adults...

well, we had a pool/churrasco/general guy, a maid, cook and extra girl ;)

(remember, we are in South America and help comes with the house for a nominal fee, not optional)

Now, the natural beauty of the area:

the ocean,

a hill top house that looked over it,

the amazing color and reflections,

the plants and flowers,

the sunset...

(Gabriela and I had fun playing with out cameras this night...the colors were amazing! If you see her blog, her picture has the moon in it! Very cool Gabriela!)

these were all a natural given beauty...

but the real beauty was found in the combination and interaction between our families. It was absolutely amazing to not have any fights between kids, no tv, no internet and complete peace!

The kids had a fabulous time playing various games, exploring around the ocean rocks, playing baseball, trying to fish, finding rocks and shells, kayaking...

they were just the happiest bunch of kids.

And I don't think I need to tell you how that made all of us adults feel...

relaxed, content and also enjoying each others company without a constant stream of interruptions from the little ones :)

It was the best way to spend 5 days with friends that I will always cherish and hope to see again somewhere in the future after we part from Brasil

Not yet...and please, not so excited!

It started out so innocently....

I bought my kids a special treat of a chocolate croissant for after school today. They were very excited and thankful.

They got chocolate all over their faces because these croissants just ooze melted hot chocolate!

I asked my son to clean his face with some water since the napkin wasn't doing the job very well. Then I hear...

"Sister, Mom...come quick, feel! I have a mustache! You can't really see it, but feel!"

Oh my gosh...they grow up so quickly and are so happy when they start the process. I am semi ready for it. I like watching them grow. I like the challenges even though they are so frustrating at times. I hope to guide them in this life...

but sometimes it just comes as a surprise...like a mustache.

I felt it. There were little hairs there, luckily quite light in color. It seems like only yesterday that I ended my ballet career to become a Mom, then the big belly, the waiting game, the name game, and watching as it all took place.

Ok, maybe it is just a little, slight, light colored mustache....

but for me, it is the start of the next phase of our lives.

(oh, and yes, there is an update coming on our AMAZING weekend away, and NO, that is not my video of the octopus, just one from Youtube that I found incredibly interesting) (it's just that growing up is so much more important for one little guy in my family, and I wanted to record it!)

The wonderful world underwater

Have you all seen this yet? How cool and what a beautiful creature!

Enjoy it...and your weekend too.

I am off with Gabriela and another friend, and all the kids for a long weekend away.

6 adults, 9 children...

A glimpse into the past

A friend sent this to me yesterday...

memories of my life a long time ago!

Six Word Saturday

Having all the pieces back together :)

Friday's Fave five

This is my first time to do this Friday post...

I just have some really great things that happened this week, so I wanted to share them all with you!

1. My husband gets home today after a long 2 weeks without him. The kids and I are not used to him traveling anymore...he used to travel more often, so this felt like a really long one!

2. I played a couple of the -opoly games this weekend with my kids. We played Animalopoly and Oceanopoly. What a blast we had together. We were all giggling and having fun. This way, no one cares if they win or lose, it's all about the fun times spent together.

3. I went to confession this past Sunday after a long time. It felt really right with my favorite priest. He has such an aura of calmness about him that I felt he was the right one to confess with; and I was right. He gave me such a feeling of what I imagine every priest should give in confession...that we all make mistakes, and it is what we do afterwards to show our true remorse and self betterment.

4. The weather has become beautiful after all the torrential rain. The sun is shining, but the air is crisp. It is so enjoyable to walk my dog or play tennis.

5. We are getting ready for a long weekend next week. There is a holiday on Wednesday and Friday; so the school gave off Thursday too! We are going with two other families on a mini trip about an hour and a half away. We rented a house close to the beach to enjoy these last days of summer! More to come on this...

Happy weekend everyone!

My Favorite Market

Every Monday there is a street market that sells fresh fruits and veggies, flowers, fish and chicken.

It is one of the most colorful places to visit in the city...

and not just the food is colorful, but also the people!

I love going to the same lady for my veggies

then onto the little lady and man who sell me my chicken and sausage. They cut all the fat off, slice the chicken into perfect fillets, and always have a smile and Bom Dia (good morning) for me!

What a way to start the week...full of color and spice and fresh like a crisp Fall morning!

Sunday summary

It's far too easy for you to criticize the way you look, but it accomplishes nothing -- and the criticisms you voice probably aren't true, anyway. Try to stop seeing flaws that aren't there and grasp only what's real, but not quite as tangible as what you see in the mirror. Check your finer spiritual qualities and your physical qualities will soon line up with them. So start to see how beautiful you are where it counts.

Isn't this an interesting horoscope that I received today. This is so true, and quite how I have been feeling lately; and exactly where I need to go.

Let's all grasp what is right there in front of us and enjoy the time at hand, the beauty surrounding us...

the beauty that is our spirit and our soul

Six Word Saturday

Waiting for the adventurous next step

Snow Rain Day

Today is the equivalent of a snow day...

school was cancelled due to heave raining and flooding.

It has been raining heavily since yesterday morning...

I feel so sad for the people in the favelas, (the poorest neighborhoods) where some people do not even have windows in their houses! They suffer terribly in these storms.

There are reports of petty crime in the downtown area due to these people needing any little bit of money they can get to help themselves.

I could complain about the endless towels that I have to wash and dry to keep up with the incoming water, or how difficult it is to walk the dogs in these deluges, but then I remember, and thank God that I have a roof over my head, food to feed my children and windows to keep me dry.

Easter

I know that I am a day late, but we had an enjoyable but busy day yesterday.

As you all know, I gave up sweets for Lent...

so my adorable son made a treasure hunt for me. He left clues in 6 different spots with the last one being...

I want an omelette. So, I went to the egg container and there was a big Twix and a white chocolate bar from Argentina. It was such a sweet gesture and so yummy!

We went to mass where our favorite priest was finally back from his journeys for the Vatican. He gave an uplifting and beautiful message for Easter Sunday about starting new and the beginning of our life.

The other priest that takes his place, though he does speak English, gives a trying hour and a half sermon on how much we DON'T do that we could be....it is almost the same sermon every week, and we all get tired of hearing about this priest's work in the favelas, how he doesn't like the Vatican. etc...etc...and his mass doesn't even really follow the proper procedures...anyways, very frustrating. And so joyful and liberating when our favorite priest comes back!

Then we spent an enjoyable afternoon with our friends and their children.

All in all, it was a relaxing but busy weekend...

oh yeah, we also took the kids to see "How to Train Your Dragon"...

very sweet film with a great message of be who you are meant to be!

So, I hope you all had a Happy Easter for those that celebrate, and a good weekend for those that don't!

Good Friday

Today is the day that our Lord, Jesus Christ, died for our sins.

The cross that he carried for our mistakes...

the salvation that he brought to us about to come in His resurrection...

Matthew 16:21

From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.

John 3:16

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Numbers

What is it about numbers that can fascinate you, or make you upset or just drive one nuts?

For example....multiplication.

My daughter is wondering how to remember them all through 12, and I believe it is because she is more of a visual person. To just have to remember them all is an annoyance.

My son is a whiz with math. He loves it and it comes very easily to him.

Look at statistics...

we love to read what percentage of one thing relates to another, or what is the likelihood of something happening in this year or the next. Truthfully, I am going to be so on top of this hurricane season now that I have a house that is likely, statistically speaking, to be in the path of one. A teacher friend of mine used to say....

I'm going to be on it like white on rice...one of my favorite sayings from high school.

Then there is...

THE SCALE

(which was really why I was writing this post anyways ;-) )

Those numbers have a whole new set of rules. Those numbers can boggle one's mind from one day to the next. They can make you feel elated one day and totally defeated the next.

I have been trying to shed a few pounds. I do not want to be back to my dancing weight....but maybe my Venezuela weight would be nice! I gained close to 10 pounds since coming here to Brasil. The funny thing is, that I can't seem to take it off. Is the scale conspiring with the refrigerator against me? Did those numbers take on a life of their own, playing with me...toying with my mind? Maybe...but most likely, maybe not.

Maybe my drop in exercise has a big thing to do with it...

Maybe my excessive excuses that are allowing me to eat the delicious sweets they have here has something to do with it....

Maybe, I am just getting older and the body is just slowing down...

Whatever it is, I have vowed to undo at least some of it. I am exercising more, though still not what I was in Venezuela. Due to Lent, I have cut the sweets completely. Of course, Easter Sunday is upon us, and my day of chocolate/ice cream/candy/dessert breakfast/lunch/dinner is calling me! Though I have thought about still cutting down the sweets...(just after Sunday).

The scale, a few days ago, finally let me in on a secret. Weigh yourself extremely early in the morning (3 am works). Then, at this pristine hour of the am, when you have had very little to eat or drink in the last few hours, went to the bathroom because your dog woke you up, and decided for some insane reason to check (at 3 in the morning) how the diet/exercise program was going...

then the scale gives you a break.

2 1/2 pounds off....only 7 1/2 more to go!

I have to think I can make it...

that's the real secret...

Just believe in yourself and believe in your beauty.

And that my friends, though not easy, is something I tell myself and my children...

You are beautiful, in every single way...