Ethan and Isabeli

Turkey day!

  And there goes my favorite holiday! I cannot believe how fast this year is going by. We had such a great thanks giving... Gayle as always made the most delicious dinner ever. She outdoes herself every year! Sooo yummy!! Everyone gathered together and we had a very good time. We played Taboo afterwards and laughed a lot. I love this time of the year... the getting ready for x-mas time. Starting to listen to x-mas music and soon decorating the house and all. Fun, fun, fun! Now, look at this adorable photos of my soon to be Supermodel! hehe

E la se vai meu feriado favorito! Nao da nem p/ acreditar como esse ano ta indo embora rapido. Nos tivemos um dia de acao de gracas muito bom... Gayle como sempre fez o jantar mais gostoso do mundo. Ela sempre melhor e melhor cada ano. Muiiito gostoso! Todo mundo se juntou e nos divertimos bastante. Jogamos Taboo e rimos muito. Eu amo essa epoca do ano...a preparacao p/ natla. Comecando a ouvir musicas de natal e logo logo decorar a casa e tudo mais. Muito legal! Agora, olhe so essas fotos lindas da minha futura supermodel! hehe

We also tried to get a family photo. Too bad lighting wasn't great! Still I like it how everyone look good. Can't wait to print them out and have them in my house. Wanna do the same thing next time I go to Brazil.

Tentamos fazer uma foto de familia. Pena que a luz nao estava tao boa! Ainda assim todo mundo ficou bem. Mal posso esperar p/ imprimir e coloca-las na minha casa. Quero fazer a mesma coisa qdo for p/ Brasil da proxima vez.

Photos!

I have just added some new photos of the kids to the Mais Fotos album.

Acabei de colocar fotos novas das criancas no album Mais Fotos.

Soccer/Futebol

That's it! The season is over! We all had a fantastic time. Coach Douglas was so nice and always made sure the kids were above all having a good time. Ethan has soccer in his blood and is becoming an amazing player. Who knows, maybe this is his true calling!

Acabou a temporada! Nos divertimos muito! O treinador Douglas foi otimo e sempre fez questao que diversao viesse antes de tudo p/ os meninos. Ethan tem futebol no sangue e esta virando um jogador espetacular. Quem sabe esse nao e mesmo o futuro dele!

I miss home again!

I was going through my blog looking for some pictures from when I was in Brazil last time and stumbled across this post:

    "Being in Brazil is always a pleasure! It reminds me of things I have almost forgotten throughout the years living away from here. I miss the simplicity of life and the energy of my people...how caring and loving they are and always ready to help no matter what. I miss the extreme happiness and laughs and friendship, the kind of friendship that fills your heart with warmth and love..that kind that seems like you know that person for years...even though you have just met. I miss having my family around...seeing them when I first wake up in the morning and sharing our problems, frustrations, accomplishments and laughs together...I miss seeing my parents growing older, my sisters turning into such beautiful ladies and fighting for what they believe in, spending time with my grandmothers and uncles, and aunts and cousins...sharing a little of their lives with them. Our beautiful beaches, lagoons and rivers...and the untouched green we still preserve. There is so much beauty in this place...it makes me proud to say I am "Alagoana"( person who is from the state of Alagoas).

Of course there are also bad things...the poverty is something I can't close my eyes for, the amount of kids in the streets begging for some money or food, and young teenagers who are pregnant and starving walking on our streets mostly victims of sexual violence, the roberies, the POLITICIANS... but you know what, it's all REALITY... reality that is part of every country in this world, but that most wont show. We have it all... from the poorest to the richest. The diference is...we are happy people,all of us, no matter what. We always find that little something to smile about even when things couldn't be worse... and that's what I miss most about being in Brazil.

But at the same time I think about the life I have with my husband who I love sooooooo much and my son (and soon new baby)away for here. I love every minute of it. I have to thank God for showing me the way to John. Love you bebe!!

I learned throughout these years that I can live without all those things I mentined above for a year( they are part of me and will always be, I never forget where I come from)...even though I love them so much. What I couldn't do is stay away from my huby for too long(I am here for 2 weeks and can barely stand the distance already)...  wouldn't be able to miss his laugh, angry face(hehe), his sweetness when dealing with our Ethan, all the complaints( :) ), how unbelievebly inteligent and caring he is, how much he loves me and our babies...yah I can say for sure...he is THE MOST important thing life has ever given me (together with our babies...of course!).

Don't know why I decided to write all this...was just here thinking about things and started to write them. So here it is a bit of my thoughts for you...

Also wanted to say we are having a great time here and both Ethan and the new baby are doing very well, this week I will be fiding out the sex of the new addition and will let you all know. But for now that's all!

Much love,

Amanda"

I was telling John, I know when it's time to go home when I get this empty feeling on my chest whenever I think about my family. And I am getting there! I can't really stand the fact my dad and nanda haven't been able to meet my little girl yet. I look at her and all I think is "gosh, dad would love to meet you little one". She is already getting so big! I know I probably won't be able to go any time soon so I am trying to at least keep all the records that I can. Pushing myself to getting her scrapbook organized and up to date so when I go they can feel like they didn't miss much. My dad said to me he likes the photos I take of the kids coz even though he isn't here, the photos are so cristal clear it makes him feel like he can almost touch them. It made me choke! Most of you know about my strong relationship with my dad. How important he is in my life. I miss him like I can't even tell you. We are best buddies. I love when I go home and get to hang out with him. We enjoy the simplicity of things... like a crab getting sand of his "house", or watching a hummingbird drinking sugarwater from a cup he set up on our yard. It's funny...most people would call those things "boring" but they are probably the things I enjoy the most. Anyways... Belinha fell asleep. I better get her to bed.

beijos, me. :)

Halloween

How adorable is she!!! :) Our halloween was very nice...we got to do tons starting on monday, october 30th. We had a very fun get together at our friends Rochelle's and steve's house. The kids dressed up and played so good. It was so fun to see them in their costumes and snap some pictures for posterity. Isabeli was a very fussy girl since she seems to be getting her first tooth(I know...way too early!). Thanks guys for inviting us, we had a great time! On Halloween day Tierra Linda(Ethan's school) had a parade for the kids. The kids wore their costumes and were so excited to be able to see their classmates dressed up too. Ethan also had a party in his classroom. very fun!

At night Julia and her friend Kelsey came over and handed out candy to the trick or treaters while john and i went over to our neighbors halloween party. Thanks Girls, it was fun having you over! I finaly watched The Sixth sense with them (most of it!) Which is a huge deal for me since i don't do scary movies! Belinha wore Ethan's old caw costume and looked so, so cute in it! She is so long now...but still a skiny one! :)