HOME SWEET HOME!

Christmas 2010

Christmas Eve

Lukey started to crawl on Grandma's soft carpet!

Putting up the Christmas tree!

Aunt Danni is going to have a baby! On my birthday! :) Yeah!!

Snow angels and snowmen

Maile got a new princess "nightdown" for Christmas!

So fun to spend time with Mimi!! xoxo

Bringing in the New Year's weekend at Snowbird!

Happy 2011!

Having fun with cousin Gracie! Cutest little girl ever!

Uh- packing up everything we bought.

Do you think we went a little overboard?!!

But I mean, come on I bought 220 diapers in the U.S.

for the price of 60 here. I had to stock up!

Back home to Campina!

Thank you for being sunny in January!

Loving it!

The fair came into town and we had to go!

Even if there are no safety belts on the rides. yikes!

Fun at the pool with cousins.

Yep...speedos!

Lucas into EVERYTHING!

I made these scripture cases for this kid's scriptures. Every week they get a new sticker to decorate them. Aren't they cute? Aren't they Lee?!!

Say they're cute!! :) ha ha.

Lee has been learning to ooh and awe over my projects to please me. :)

My newest source of joy! A laminating machine! Wahoo!

(I know, I have always been a sucker for paper, pens and things like this!)

Thank you Michaels! (and mom)

Maile's favorite Christmas gift was a princess tent!

She loves to sing her favorite Rapunzel song when she's inside,

"Listen to your mudder (mother), Mudder knows best!"

Isso- vai nessa Maile!

Back to school and feelin' confident!

Back to school with hair in "braves". (braids)

I mean, when do you start correcting your kids on their words?

It's just too cute!

Lucas Samuel- 11 months old!

More rice and beans please!

There's nothing sweeter than a sleeping baby.

(And under a mosquito net so they don't get eaten alive!)

Well, I have neglected our little family journal over the holidays but we had the BEST visit at Grandma and Grandpa's house!! I definitely needed to "recharge my batteries" and after a month of winter fun we headed back to Brazil with 10 full suitcases and an attitude adjustment for me. Ever since we got here I have just finally felt at peace with everything and feel like my happy self again. Now when I look out the window and see the little man pedaling fruit on his bicycle or the construction site full of workers and chickens running around all over, or hear the music blasting, I can just smile and enjoy everything more. Instead of taking a walk and noticing the trash piles I can choose to look up at the palm trees and smile! :) So that has made all the difference.

It has been strange to me that when we got back in January everyone was on Summer break and going to the pool, park and planning fun things! Wahoo! Sounds good to me. Now everyone is back in school and Maile is going to a new school where all her cousins go so I think that will be fun for her. She is my little buddy and we have been loving our Del Sol nailpolish that changes color in the sun. "Oh my goodness sakes, my nails are totally pink!" She is such a joy. And of course a total 3 year old! What did she say to me last night because I wouldn't get her milk until she helped clean up her mess? Oh ya- "You're not my mommy anymore, Mommy!"

he he. And as for our little Lucas- well he's not so little anymore. 11 months today! Crazy how time flies. He is loving to eat everything in sight, goes straight for any ball in sight, and is full of smiles. Lee is also in heaven back at work and playing soccer 3x a week! And as for me I am so busy with my church calling: meetings to plan, bulletin boards to decorate, three baptisms this month in the Primary, in charge of the music in sacrament meeting for February, cleaning the chapel, visiting teaching, feeding the missionaries and much much more! Somos abencoados!