What a difference!

I haven't experienced a hair salon in the US for about 7 years...

and I'm sure you can remember my last 6 hour, way too expensive visit the last time I went right?

Well, today I was in and out in 2 1/2 hours, not too expensive and it looks great!

Yea, see the smile on my face?

and no, no pictures...I know many of you ask for a photo, but I have a rule that I prefer to not use our photos on the internet..

so, just bask in my happiness with me in your imagination!

Happenings

I know I have not been the best blogger friend...

my time has been occupied with a tooth that just will not stop hurting, entertaining my family and getting ready to go back to Brasil.

My tooth has been bad for a long time, but there wasn't much pain. So I thought that since I would be here for awhile that I would finally get it taken care of before it go too bad.

Well, now I feel like I should have just left it! I have had a slow root canal....that doesn't seem to ease the pain. The dentist said that the root canal is perfect and that if it is still hurting then something else must be wrong.

Well, I say, figure it out because this tooth pain is bothering me more than the birth of my 2 children!!

My Parents, Sister and her son have been visiting. I probably haven't been the best entertainer, but we have seen around town, visited the aquarium and attended a few sunset festivals. We went fishing and still plan to do some parasailing! They are here with me until we all leave together..my children and I for Brasil and them back to their home.

Yesterday I went to Miami to get the stamp from the USDA for the dogs to travel back with me. I feel bad putting them on a plane just 7 weeks after they got off one, but they will have to deal with it just like the rest of us! It was a fun trip to Miami, but took all day. It is mini lobster season here and there was a steady flow of traffic coming and going.

Well, that is my crazy life for now...I promise to catch up with all of you soon!

News

With the exciting possibility of a storm called Bonnie, to the birthday of Bella and now...

what we've all been waiting for:

A decision has been made!

Bonnie turned into nothing more than a colorful, changing sky, some light rain and choppy waters... but it was fun to wait and watch.

I am not making light of these storms because I do understand the devastation they can cause, but it was exciting!

I know, I know...get to the decision right?!

You're thinking:

I can read about Bonnie in the paper, online or hear about on my local news...

Get to the decision!

Ok, so here it is. We are going back to Brasil.

Not as exciting as you were hoping, is it?

The longer version is:

My husband is still in contention for about 3 different positions. These positions are going to take anywhere from 3-6 months to fill (at least).

In the meantime, he will continue to work in Brasil.

So, we are going back to be with him until the final decisions are made.

The kids and I are both with mixed emotions. It will be easy because now it was just a summer vacation like normal. We know our friends and know the city.

The school is familiar so even though they will miss the first week due to issues with tickets and the dogs, etc.. it is not that big of a deal.

We are all certainly happy to be going back to be with my husband and their Father.

Let's just say that we are on hiatus for a decision..

it will come in the next few months, and there will be a "look-see" visit, checking out the school, etc...but for now, it is back to the

Cidade Maravilhosa

Bonnie Update

It has been fairly calm, and the sun even came out.

Notice in the picture below the wind is fairly strong, and the waves, though they really do not look that big, are really fast and big for here:

In this photo it may be a little hard to tell in this photo, but the dark clouds are coming this way!

Update

As of 6 am, when I took the dogs out, the situation was still calm.

The wind had dropped to almost none and then started to pick up.

It is a little over 100 miles away but the bands will start coming in the next few hours.

Here is the view from my porch...

pretty similar to other days at sunrise.

And here is my Bella who turned 2 years old yesterday, eating her Frosty Paws.

This is a frozen treat for dogs found in the grocery here!

Tropical Storm Bonnie

I will be periodically updating you all so that we can share this storm together!

Tropical Depression 3 has been upgraded to Tropical Storm Bonnie.

We are supposed to start receiving wind from 30-35 miles per hour with gusts up to 55 miles per hour by tomorrow.

State parks have closed to campers and the Key West Marina will close at midnight...

I will keep you updated and send any interesting pictures!

Well...

I am a little nervous...

for the first time since we bought our house we are having a possible Tropical Storm headed our way.

I am getting prepared, just incase, by buying water, dry foods, etc...

It is not expected to be a hurricane..YET!

I trust in God and know that He will only give us what we can handle, but I am a little scared!

I had a post ready to start writing about a book I read, and some things that have been happening...

but for now, I am going to the dentist for a root canal YUCK

and then to the grocery store for stock!~

Say a prayer for us!

This week in review

I have been a bit absent this week....

but for very good reasons (in my opinion)!

My husband has been visiting this week! We still are unsure of our next destination which is quite stressful. We are thinking of putting the kids into school here in Key West for a few months, but haven't made that final decision yet.

I am going crazy!

I am trying to be very calm about it, and really it is the best way to be.

There isn't anything any of us can do to change the situation, so we might as well just put all the colloquialisms here:

1. roll with punches

2. go with the flow

3. relax and enjoy what you have

etc...etc...

But deep down, I am in turmoil. I love our house. Everything here feels like home. Our dogs are with us which makes it even home-ier!

But my husband can not work from here. He has to continue on with the job in Brasil until they move him; which as we all know, are not sure when that will happen.

We made the decision for the kids and I (and dogs too!) to leave Brasil in anticipation of this next move. We also thought it would have been decided by now...with visas being processed (sometimes that can take months), furniture on the ship sailing to the new place, and us having a firm date of when we will be a whole family again.

My son the other day said this to his Dad:

"Papa, you should just stay here, or come back soon because Mom is a mess. She cries that your not here and misses you a lot."

Well, my son is very insightful and knows his Mom!

That said, we have had a great week! This is the first year to not spend the Fourth of July in Pittsburgh. Luckily, we had good weather and so much fun watching the fireworks from a boat! The reflection on the water was beautiful!

The 8th brought about our daughter's birthday..

another first....her Papa was with her which hasn't happened in a few years!

Usually we are in Pittsburgh and my husband saves his days off for around Christmas time, or other holidays. this year he was with her, and it was a cool day!

She wanted to go parasailing...so parasail we went!

We have my in-laws and a cousin staying with us, so the cousin went parasailing too.

Then she wanted my special Wedding Soup for dinner with a chocolate cake with white icing.

It was a yummy dinner and our little girl had a smile on her face the whole day!

Every time one of our family members called she would say:

"Is it another one of my fans?!"

Well, I will leave you with a few beautiful sunrise picture that I took just a few minutes ago...

Happy weekend!

World Cup Stories

As you may know, some big names have lost in the FIFA World Cup Games this year...

my favorite, Italy

France, Argentina, USA and closest to home, (at least at this point in my life)

Brasil.

Well, my husband was still in Rio while that game happened.

Mind you, he works for a

large, international, multi-billion dollar company

but football is above all else.

Everyone stopped work and watched the Brasil games in the conference rooms.

On Friday, they watched as their whole life went down the drain.

I am not exaggerating!

People were crying, unable to control their overwhelming feeling of loss.

One of my husband's most valuable, reliable, predictable employees

asked to go home because he just could not concentrate!

That is the passion of football in Brasil...

but they are resilient and believe 2014,

when the World Cup is in their country,

will be their year.

I still will vote for Italy...

but my heart will go out for all the Brasilians.

Photo on blogger help!

Can anyone help me with the photos?

I used to just put them in my post and you could enlarge them...

Now, they do not enlarge?

Any suggestions?

Little critters

Here are a few new friends around our house

Don't you love the little crab spider. I've been told they do not bite and are not dangerous.

This iguana is very proud of his rock...or maybe of his beautiful color!