DE LIMA FAMILY

growin' like weeds

2010-03-29T06:57:00.000-07:00

julia was a princess for carnival. we had a party for the kids at the park. her good bud stanley's rockin' out in the background while she fiddles with daddy's iphone....ai, ai!!

three months and growin' strong.

gabriel

2010-03-27T19:43:00.000-07:00

yes, we DO have a son. his name is gabriel macklee and was born dec. 14th. he's super smiley and just so dang laid back. he wakes up at 5ish to nurse and that's it! julia woke up a million times a night until she was 2 1/2, so i really appreciate all the rest i've been getting. this afternoon, he giggled away as i tickled his belly and chuckled back at him. julia's been loving the whole big sis experience. however, this week she's starting to show symptoms of sibling rivalry. now she's overly sensitive and irritable...having a meltdown to some degree once a day. yikes. i hope this part of our experience ends soon. it's probably good for her to get it all out though. it just sucks when it happens in public.

2009-12-14T06:09:00.000-08:00

ok, so here are some of the last prego shots. soon there will be photos of a little, baby boy!!! i hope everyone's in the Christmas spirit...such a wonderful time of year!!

Elephant Legs

2009-12-01T08:36:00.000-08:00

Here are some photos of my gabriel belly, aka the great pumpkin that just keeps getting greater and greater. we took these s hots a few weeks ago and need to take new ones soon before this little guy decides to come out. it's SO HOT, and my legs are super swollen, esp my ankles and feet. i'll definitely have to take some gross photos of that, so that i can prove it later. marcel says i have elephant man disease...so kind. he'd been breech up until recently, but now he's turned and starting to make his way down. yesterday, i started having contractions but they stopped. the doctor is hoping i'll make it till the 15th. now it's just the waiting game.....

Have a Heart

2009-10-09T07:15:00.001-07:00

here's a shot from a b-b-q we had with the family a few weeks ago. here, we utilize ALL of the chicken. the kids are eating chicken heart-kebabs. they're a little rubbery, but pretty tasty if well seasoned. julia LOVES them....sorry ben & pat!

Julie & Janey

2009-09-04T22:19:00.000-07:00

Look how cute these girls are. We miss you!

Cardiff

2009-09-04T21:56:00.000-07:00

You kiddos who live here are darn lucky.

Finishing Up

2009-09-04T21:32:00.000-07:00

I thought I'd start posting the rest of my home photos now that i've been in brazil for a few weeks.

matt rules.

amanda & julia at the yogurt place.

Lunch @ Zorba's & Felicita Park

2009-08-10T09:42:00.000-07:00

We met Catalina at a little greek place called Zorba's. Julia ate tons of olives (of course)& salad and also liked the gyro meat.

Later, we went to Felicita Park and Julia ran around, played with Papa on the jungle gym and made a little progress in getting over her fear of dogs.

This little dog, Sandy, was rescued from Mexico several years ago, and she plays on all the playground equipment, including going down the slides!

We LOVE Uncle Ben & Uncle Paco

2009-08-09T17:21:00.000-07:00

Ben and Pat came down yesterday to spend the day with us. We had subs at Rock-n-Jenny's and then came home and spent the rest of the day chatting. Pat and Julia were out in the backyard playing forever. When I went outside to get in on the fun this is where I found them...picking all the flowers

then RUNNING back to the wagon where they deposited them and then went back for more.

Then Julia would pull the wagon around the yard with all her hippie loot. Needless to say, she slept VERY well last night....and I'm sure Pat did, too!

Kiki came over to check things out just as Pat and Julia were ready for a break from all the running around. Julia always has to warm up to him before she's willing to get in too close.

Thanks for the visit!! Love you guys!!!

Nana's Personal Stylist

2009-08-09T17:15:00.000-07:00

Julia had a ball helping Nana with her hair yesterday. Nana did the blow drying while Julia worked her magic with the brush. Everytime she dropped it she'd say, "That's OK!" Nana taught that to her and it's her new favorite phrase aside from "NO WAY!"

Lunch @ Jamie's

2009-08-09T04:20:00.000-07:00

I had lunch with my good friend Jamie last Thursday. It was fun to see her kids and catch up. This is her little boy, Cole, doing his best Indiana Jones impression.

Jamie & Sage

Da Crew

our girls

Feliz Dia Dos Pais

2009-08-06T16:47:00.000-07:00

We love you, Papai!!! Happy Father's Day, meu amor....wish we could be there with you!!!! Julia has talked about you nonstop during our whole vacation. Beijos!!

Brazilian Party: the kiddos

2009-08-04T03:42:00.000-07:00

I was up at my brother Mitch's house this weekend, and we went to a Brazilian party. My siter-in-law, Sonia, has a ton of Brazilian friends, and they get together all the time to celebrate...everything! This time they were celebrating Sonia's b-day and another lady's trip to Brazil. They graciously included my upcoming b-day in the celebration. Sonia made sure my name was on her cake, too!
Julia LOVED the party and felt right at home. She started the night off by hangin' with Juliet at the kiddie table, and then she really got the party started.

There was a dance floor in the middle of the yard, and she was the first one to get out there. That's my girl!! First, she started dancing, then she chased the lights that were projected onto the floor. She just kept running around and around and around. I thought she'd for sure puke up all the fish and rice she'd eaten.

Cansey was the first taker.

She tried to get Papa and cousin Wayne out there, but Wayne quickly decided that just wasn't going to happen!

Cousin Kaylee was next to join the fun

And pretty soon there was a whole motley crew

This little guy was adorable. He kept kissin' all the girls!!

Here are some highlights of the night:

Here's to Marcel

2009-08-03T14:26:00.000-07:00

to prove that my belly really is huge
!

Tomato Envy

2009-08-02T15:40:00.000-07:00

My dad rules. LOOK at these perfect tomatoes from his garden. They actually taste even better than they look!

Keana's 14!!

2009-08-02T15:22:00.000-07:00

It was Keana's 14th b-day on the 27th, and I'm SO glad that we could help her celebrate! Here's Julia clapping during the happy b-day song & Keana making a supermodel face.

After cake festivities included:
tackling

bonding

and lots of photo fun.

Beating the Heat at Frankie's

2009-07-24T10:12:00.000-07:00

It's been so hot, so we've been spending most afternoons cooling off at Frankie's house. Keana and Carolyn continuously do tricks off the diving board while the rest of us just relax in the water.
Mom, Sonia, Kaylee & Wayne having a Kodack moment.

Like mother, like daughter...same silly expression.

WAP, Final Take

2009-07-24T10:04:00.000-07:00

To wrap up a fun-filled day, we went to the petting zoo!!
This is how Julia started out. She needed some distance to observe.

Hangin' with Aunty Sonia.

Hands on experience.

Her cousins getting in on the fun

WAP, Take 3

2009-07-23T19:15:00.000-07:00

The elephants.
I was taking this photo of Julia cuddling her toys when you called, Marcel.

The baby bump is gettin' BIG!

The Larakeets.
This one landed on my head right when the picture was taken!!

WAP, Take 2

2009-07-22T15:25:00.000-07:00

We had it from a reliable source that the Wild Animal Park has monster ice cream cones. We set out on a journey to look for those pretty early in the day. Of course we found that it was the delicious truth.

WAP, Take 1

2009-07-22T15:10:00.001-07:00

This morning we got up early and headed over to the Wild Animal Park. I went there all the time for field trips when I was a kid, and it was so fun to go back with my itty-bitty. She LOVED it to say the least, esp. the baby cheetahs (that she tenderly called Kiki), gorillas and elephants. Here are some photos from the Gorillas.

Kiki

2009-07-22T15:01:00.000-07:00

Julia loves the neighbor's cat, Kiki. Even though she's afraid of him, she asks to go out and see him several times a day. Here she is having a ball with her Papa, cousin Wayne and Kiki.

2009-07-19T16:31:00.000-07:00

I spent Saturday with most of my family up at my brother Mitch's house.

Playtime with Vinny

2009-07-16T10:25:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, we had more summer fun in the pool eating popcicles and string cheese.

In the afternoon, Vinny and his Grandma Dorothy paid us another visit. He and Julia had fun running around, playing with Hokey Pokey Elmo and making fart sounds.

Balboa Park

2009-07-15T10:04:00.001-07:00

Yesterday, Julia, my brother Ron and I spent the day at Balboa Park. I'd forgotten what a beautiful place it is. It was another hot day, but it was surprisingly pleasant bc there was a cool breeze. Julia had fun and did exceptionally well in the museums...except for the last one when she'd run out of steam.

Julia and Uncle Ronnie in front of the SD Museum of Art

Cronically pulling up her saggy shorts

Playing chase with Uncle

We tried to get her to wade in the fountain, but she SO wasn't havin' it.

Listening to bagpipe music. You have to look closely to see the guys playing in their kilts.

These kids were having a blast racing their boats made of trash.

I had to snap this for Marcel. It was the first time I'd seen these wheely-deelies up close.

Bonding with Uncle Ronnie

The famous El Cid

Mini meltdown

SD Air & Space Museum
This blonde kid's mom made him show his airplane to Julia bc he apparently scowled at her as she nonchalantly strolled across his launch pad.

Nonchalantly Strolling

Jumping with glee watching planes soar overhead

She loves her new doll and stroller. She first named her Uva (Grape) and then Carla (which she'd previously named another doll)

Whale of a Day

2009-07-13T06:48:00.000-07:00

Saturday, I picked up a little whale pool for Julia at Target. She wasn't quite sure if she wanted to get in or not, which was a surprise since she's usually a water girl.
She contemplated going in.

Walked around to get her bearings.

Skimmed the water with her hand.

Thought some more...

And then went in, but only after Hugo challenged her to a duck hunt.

And she dutifully retrieved the ducks one by one

and delivered them into his hands.

After duck hunting was over, our neighbor came over with her two-year-old grandson, Vinny, and they played and played and played and PLAYED. First in the pool, then inside the house and finally up at the playground at Felicita Park. Vinny's a little skater boy with long hair and Julia thought he was a girl. She relentlessly spit out rapid fire conversations, always adressing him as she. However, no one caught on since she's still keen on Portuguese.

And this was the other highlight of our smoldering Saturday, at least for me. I got Julia's soon-to-be baby brother his first clothes. She scooped them right up saying, "Gabriel's, Gabriel's" in an effort to protect them for him. It seems that she'll be just as attached to her kid brother as she is to her daddy.

I Heart Escondido

2009-07-11T06:14:00.000-07:00

Julia and I got here early Wednesday morning after having spent about 17 hrs traveling, and i've just gotta say HOW SWEET IT IS! It's so nice to be with my parents, in the house I was born and raised in and in MY HOMETOWN! I'm still just taking it all in. I love looking around and seeing trees generously peppered through houses and very low-to-the-ground buildings with a backdrop of Southern California mountains...my goodness how I love Escondido.

Julia was a trooper on the plane. She had a meltdown during both take-offs for a total of about 15 minutes of torture. She wouldn't sit in her seat with her seatbelt nor did she WANT to sit in my lap. Luckily I'm stronger and made and affective straight jacket out of my arms, thus bringing on the drama. However, that's a small price to pay for 13+ hourse of outstaning flight time, not to mention how happy and pleasant she was in the airports. And I always have to remind myself that she's only 2.

She opened up to Nana and Papa the very first day. She plays and has full-on conversations (too bad they're all in Portuguese...hasn't quite figured out that no one else besides me can understand her) with them. She understands them, so she just doesn't see the point in switching over yet. Here are some photos of my little girl earning her wings....yet again!

Back on the Blog

2009-03-18T09:21:00.000-07:00

OK, I've neglected our blog for too long. We've been having a great/busy year. We spent Christmas and New Year's Eve at my mother-in-law's beach condo. We stayed for almost 3 weeks, and it gave us much needed time to relax AWAY from chaotic city life.

Julia turned 2 on January 24th and had a super-fun party at "our" park with all her friends. As soon as I find the cable for our nice camera, I'll post some photos. Julia broke our compact flash slot (or whatever it's called!) a long time ago.

I

Daddy Daughter Morning

2008-09-16T09:39:00.000-07:00

Every morning, Julia tries to go out the door with Marcel on his way to work. Today, we all left together, and she was THRILLED...leaping and shouting for joy in the hallway. We went up to the roof and snapped these shots. She was pretty upset when instead of getting off the elevator in the garage, we went right back up to the 13th floor.

Marcel Graduated!!!!!!!!

2008-08-29T05:46:00.000-07:00

I'm so happy to share the wonderful news that Marcel is a college graduate! He's an official journalist now. He's spent the past 3 1/2 years studying full time at night and working full time during the day. He's been gone from 8 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Monday through Friday with only a few months off from school each year. It was a family effort but was hands down the hardest on him. We are so happy to have him home at 7 now instead of just before midnight. Julia has been enjoying more play time with daddy and I've just been enjoying everything.

He finished school in June, but the ceremony was on Monday night. It started at 7:30and ended around 11:30. Julia lasted about 20 minutes in her chair. We spent the rest of the night running around with other kiddies in the foyer. Of course we went back in to cheer for Marcel when his name was called. One more chapter written.
Before the ceremony with Aunty Sina

Marcel's mom, Lourdes, getting in on the fun

We're so proud of you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Marcel with friends from his major after the ceremony. Notice that Julia's SO READY to go home.

We're Back!

2008-08-29T05:09:00.000-07:00

I've taken an extended absence from blogging and decided it was time to come back. We've had a busy month. The end of July, we had a visit from Lazaro. I met him in Vitoria da Conquista, Bahia. It was the last area I worked in on my mission and Lazaro was the last person I taught. He was 19 at the time, and now he's all grown up with a beautiful wife and daughter. It was awesome to see him and catch up on things.

I had a b-day. Number 32 to be exact. We had a cake and a house full of family. Woo hoo!
Julia and I made some new friends at the park. Claudia and her three year-old daughter, Stella, live in New York and have been here on vacation for a month. Claudia is so nice to talk to, and I'm definitely going to miss having her around.
We've also had a lot of family activities. The last one we went to was Alinne's baby shower. Her baby girl, Beatrice, is due in October. And let me tell you, Brazilian baby showers are fun and WILD! The pregnant lady has to guess what she got and who gave it to her. If she gets it wrong, she has to do a dare. If she gets it right, the person who gave her the gift has to do the dare. There's lots of music and cheering to boot. I eventually had to take Julia downstairs to stay with Marcel and the boys, bc everytime my mother-in-law had to do a dare, Julia thought her grandma was getting yelled at and would just start balling. It was so cute, but it made me fell bad at the same time.

So that's the low down except for one VERY important event that I'm going to dedicate another post to.

A Day at Agata's

2008-07-14T05:17:00.000-07:00

Wednesday was a holiday, and I spent it with my friend, Andrea, and her 2 year-old daughter, Agata. Marcel had to work, so he missed out on the fun. We spent several hours at a park we don't usually go to. It's super close, but we have to cross a busy street to get there, so I always take Julia to the one on our street. Oh my goodness, you had to see these girls play...cutest thing ever. They ran, they laughed, they climbed, they played in the dirt. Julia's pants were totally covered in leaves and pieces of bark. We went back to Andrea's for lunch and hung out there until evening. Again, the girls had fun playing with shells and toys and running around on the balcony.

Tchau

2008-07-10T09:26:00.000-07:00

Yes, that's how we spell ciao in Portuguese. It's how we say bye, not hello too like in Italian. So here are the photos from the last few days of mom & dad's visit. We had a 3 hr. class with Amanda & Fernanda on Wednesday followed by a visit from Sheila. She's home for a month from London where she's lived for the past 9 years or so. She came the day before mom and dad went home, so they almost missed each other.

Julia got in lots of tickle time with nana & papa before we had to say goodbye. Everything went smoothly at the airport, and mom and dad went on their merry way to Guatemala and eventually San Diego. Julia sneaked off to talk on her cell while I got mom and dad checked in. There's something about kids and phones. Needless to say, we LOVED having mom & dad here with us and are already looking forward to their next visit...and other family/friend visits!!! Come to Brazil!

SP Temple

2008-07-07T15:47:00.001-07:00

We went to the temple Tuesday morning. It was being restored but you can still see how pretty it is. We relaxed and enjoyed the reverence of the grounds. Afterwards, we went to Editora Globo to have lunch with Marcel,which I LOVE bc the food is healthy AND delicious and there's so much to choose from.

Super Saturday, Take 3: Sonia's Family

2008-07-07T14:38:00.001-07:00

Saturday evening, we headed for the south side of Sao Paulo to Kelly's (Sonia's sister) house, so my parents could meet Sonia's family. Both families had been looking forward to this encounter for some time and emotions ran high--lots of smiles, tears and laughter. Sonia's mom, Divina, made sure to thank mom and dad for taking care of her daughter in her place. It's not easy living far from your family...trust me, I know firsthand. We sampled cakes and bread and enjoyed heartfelt conversation for several hours. Julia was glued to Ivan's (Kelly's husband) lap most of the night. She even attempted to pinch his daughter, Ana Beatrice, at one point. Luckily, she was intercepted in the nick of time. Wonderful people, wonderful night!!

Super Saturday, Take 2: Lasagne & Festa Junina

2008-07-07T13:27:00.000-07:00

We had fun in Embu but left in a hurry to have lasagne with the family at my sister-in-law's house . Lasagne here is a little different than the American version. It's layered with ham instead of ground beef and lots of mozzarella instead of ricotta. My mother-in-law's lasagne is especially good bc it's oh-so-saucy. After lunch, we sang happy b-day to my future brother-in-law, Guilherme.

Then we headed over to Giovanna's school for her Festa Junina. We wanted to watch her dance but the program was way behind schedule and we had plans to meet Sonia's family (My brother Mitch's wife). The smoke from the billions of poppers thrown by many a country-clad child bothered my dad's throat a bit, but other than that it was a great time.

Super Saturday, Take 1: Embu das Artes

2008-07-04T12:14:00.000-07:00

OK, so we had a very busy/fun Saturday, and I'm going to break it up into 4 posts. We got up and had breakfast at Trigonella, a great bakery one street over from us. Then we went to Embu das Artes, a small city just outside Sao Paulo known for its awesome handcrafted furniture. They have other handicrafts for sale in stores and on the streets.
Julia & some kids ready for Festa Junina

SO blue steel!

We're a happy family, we're a happy family, we're a happy family, me, mom and dad!

Festivities

2008-07-04T11:02:00.000-07:00

We had a Welcome/Birthday party on Saturday the 21st. We welcomed my parents and brought my dad's 71st in with a bang. The family had fun trying to communicate and Marcel and I got to do a whole lot of translating. It was interesting to watch emotions being conveyed right and left without any interferance from the language barrier. My dad followed Brazilian birthday tradition and cut the first piece of cake from the bottom up and then gave it to someone special...my mom of course!

Early Morning Fun

2008-06-26T06:26:00.000-07:00

What a way to start the day--breakfast on the roof! We took my parents up to the pool area for some fresh bread, yogurt and fruit on Saturday. It was fun for them to see the city.

As if that weren't overwhelming enough, we climbed several flights of stairs to get to the true roof and an even better panoramic view of the city.

Here at Last!!

2008-06-26T06:13:00.000-07:00

Mom and dad got here last Thursday night and we've been loving every minute of having them close. Friday, we went to Ibirapuera park (Sao Paulo's equivalent of Central Park). We enjoyed nature while eating ice cream cones...ahh, the good life!
ice cream moments on a park bench

I Love Papa!

Hide & Seek

Julia loves Ibirapuera!

JuJu Bee & Friends

2008-06-16T14:58:00.000-07:00

CPTM CITY

2008-06-13T20:34:00.001-07:00

This video is part of Marcel´s senior project.

To see more access www.ambulantesnotrem.com

Full Weekend

2008-05-28T17:59:00.000-07:00

We started the weekend off with Marcel's b-day! He turned 33 on Friday, and we had some family and a few friends over to celebrate. We ate chocolate cake with brigadeiro filling and lots of chocolate and nuts. Happy b-day, sweetie!

On Saturday, we went downtown to take some photos of a train station to finish up Marcel's senior project and stumbled on an exibition. From the mid 60s to the mid 80s, Brazil was ruled by a military dictatorship. The gov't imprisoned free thinkers, lots of college students and the likes, many of whom were brutally tortured, and some murdered. Some of the cells they were held in have been preserved, and are currently open to the public with photos and historical information.

This is one of the buildings where this all took place. The preserved cells are on the ground floor behind the white wall. The torture sessions took place on the third floor, but that area has not been preserved and is now an art museum.
I felt an overwhelming heaviness and reverence for those who suffered as I took it all in. The fact that this building is smack dab in the middle of downtown in one of the largest cities in the world. How helpless they must have felt being in the midst of tens of millions of people knowing that no one could help them. Sometimes it's really comforting to know that God is just and that we're all responsible for our own actions.

Urban Hike

2008-05-22T18:32:00.000-07:00

Today was a holiday but since publishers never really close, Marcel didn't have it off. My friend, Heidi, and I took Julia on a stroll through our very own concrete jungle. Luckily our neighborhood has lots of fun street art, charming boutiques and delectable bakeries to enjoy.

We had a great time, and Julia especially loved all the running around she got to do. Too bad some of that running was done with only one shoe though. I didn't even notice until we were in the elevator going up to our 13th floor abode. Goodness gracious, what a fun day!

Delicious Snack

2008-05-22T06:12:00.000-07:00

Last night after her bath, Julia swiped her soap, climbed up on the coach and started sampling its deliciousness. Based on her expression, not the yummiest of snacks.

Belly Laugh

2008-05-19T05:43:00.001-07:00

Here's a fun blast from the past!

MOM

2008-05-11T17:22:00.000-07:00

A few things that make you cool:

Mother of 6 (5 rascally BOYS!!!!)
Accomplished musician
Service Oriented
Arizona State Tennis Champion
Long-time soccer player
Veteran Den Mother
Supporter of any underdog sports team
Outstanding Teacher
See's Candy Nuts & Chews Lover
A Grandma who has gone/goes the extra mile to see her grandkids: Hawaii, Italy, Tennessee, Louisiana, Palmdale...Brazil!
A dedicated Daughter who took her mom with her on many of those trips

Mom, I love you. Thanks for being there & for being you. You really are the best. Happy Mother's Day. We can't wait to see you in June!

Go Glaucia!

2008-04-23T18:47:00.000-07:00

My sister-in-law just passed the bar. Last weekend, we went to a ceremony in her honor and then celebrated at a local bar/restaurant. Here's Glaucia celebrating with her boys...

...and Julia with her new friend.

The highlight of the night was watching Julia admire the live entertainment. She was like this most of the night. Was it the singer or the music?

Here she is thinking of a way to get his attention. And yes, she found one! She turned around once again, and threw her water bottle up on stage. Then she just waited for her rock star to return it.

That's my clever baby girl!!

Aguas de Lindoya

2008-04-22T10:19:00.001-07:00

We went to this cute little town in the countryside a few months ago. It's known for its fresh spring water, and there are random faucets all over the city where you can fill up your jugs. We shared the hotel with a bunch of retired people, mostly women. They were so much fun! There was live music during lunch and dinner, and that's when the ladies got to boogying down and flirting with the musicians. On the last day, it was especially funny to see the same ladies leave with their canes and wheel chairs...hmmmm.

Friends

2008-04-02T03:43:00.000-07:00

So these shots are almost 2 months old, but I thought Maria Antonia needed to be introduced to everyone. She's one of Julia's friends from the park, and her mom, Daniela, and I sometimes have lunch together. She's a great cook! Anyway, they usually get really silly when they're around each other (and sometimes a little competitive...very funny to watch).

Easter

2008-03-26T18:10:00.000-07:00

We had a nice Easter weekend. On Saturday, Marcel was gone most of the day working on his senior project: a documentary about people who sell candy on the train. I taught in the morning and organized the house with Julia. When Marcel got home, we took Julia to the park. As you can see, she had lots of fun riding the horsey with daddy...maybe she'll take after her cousin, Carolyn.

Then we went to the store to get her an Easter egg. In Brazil, you give a giant chocolate egg instead of an Easter basket. The two halves open, and inside there is either a toy or more chocolate.

As you can see, I mixed the two traditions and gave her a giant egg in a basket. We threw in the doll, which she picked out...such a big girl!

On Sunday, we went to church. Here Julia is with her friend, Melissa, who was born just 2 weeks before she was.

After church, instead of eating the traditional Easter meal--cod fish baked with potatoes, onions & olives, all drizzled in olive oil--we had salmon, rice, potatoes and salad. The cod's more complicated bc it's dried and salted, so you have to soak it for a day or so to get most of the salt out. I've never made it and my mother-in-law was out of town, thus we went with something safer.

Walking Evolution

2008-03-21T05:52:00.000-07:00

Here are a few shots of Julia walking over the past 3 months.

Auntie Bonnie's Blanket

2008-03-18T05:33:00.001-07:00

Here are some shots of Julia with her blankey. It's so soft and comfy...she loves it! Thanks for all your hard work, Auntie Bonnie!!

Pink & Purple Wheels

2008-03-05T17:30:00.000-08:00

Check out Julia's new ride. She got it for her birthday from Tais, Luis & the girls. Her favorite feature is the seat that doubles as a secret compartment. She's always putting random toys and legos in there.

Look Who's Walking!

2008-03-05T05:29:00.000-08:00

OK, so I'm a month late in letting you know, but Julia started officially walking on February 10th. That's the same day Grandma Jarvis died several years ago, so I think she was helping her along. Photos of her walking evolution to come!

Sneaky, Sneaky!!

2008-02-19T16:52:00.000-08:00

When Julia sees a something she wants, she goes after it. Notice the red bowling pin.
Victim: Stanley, Culprit: Julia, Witness: Joao Antonio

Carnaval

2008-02-19T02:43:00.001-08:00

Carnaval was a few weeks ago, and we took Julia to a special dance for kids at CESC Pompeia. The tradition is for the kids to wear costumes, Julia was a creamcicle!! There was a brass band and a singer, and the music was an older style samba mixed with popular children's music. The band started on the street (inside the community center) and they played and walked to an auditorium and we all followed and danced and threw confetti along the way. They played a while there and then went back out to the street, and we all followed again. It went on like that on and off all day. It was in the 90s so we only stayed a few hours, but it gave Julia plenty of time to have some fun. The highlight for her was definitely the confetti!!

Vivian's Engagement Party

2008-02-12T14:58:00.000-08:00

Marcel's cousin, Vivian, got engaged and had a b-b-q to celebrate. The party was in a small city about 1 1/2 hrs. outside of Sao Paulo. We ate, played volleyball, listened to Marcel's Uncles and cousins play music and watched an outdoor slideshow at nightfall. Great time!!

Cardeal Stairs

2008-02-08T05:58:00.000-08:00

Good times with dad on the stairs.

Sao Paulo Fashion Week

2008-02-05T16:00:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago, we had our first official date since Julia was born. She stayed with Grandma Lourdes all day while we checked out Sao Paulo Fashion Week. There were some cool exhibits, but Vivienne Westwood shoes was our favorite. We got to go to the Marie Claire/ Quem (like People Magazine) lounge. The lounge was nice, but not nearly as glamorous as it looked in the magazines afterward. Overall, fun experience but more normal than expected.

Happy One Year, JULIA!!

2008-02-01T08:42:00.000-08:00

We had Julia's first b-day party last week here in our building. It was a double party for her and her cousin, Felipe. She had a great time until about 8. She had fallen asleep and woke up to everybody singing the happy birthday song. She just kind of looked at all of us and then started crying after Giovanna blew out the candles. Other than that, she had a blast.

WAYNE

2008-01-28T03:45:00.000-08:00

I forgot to add this one. This is my nephew, Wayne. He's such a cutie, and he's SUPER strong. He's going to be in the NFL one day...just wait and see!

Unlce Ben & Uncel Paco's

2008-01-28T03:35:00.001-08:00

We had a great time at Ben's 40th B-day party. The food was great and the company even better. Here are some photos at Ben and Pat's brunch the day after.

We LOVE Grandpa

2008-01-28T03:20:00.000-08:00

Julia and her cousin Wayne love their grandpa. Here are some fun times they had with him at Uncle Mitch and Auntie Sonia's house.

Dinner at Julie's

2008-01-28T03:06:00.001-08:00

When I was in California, I got to see some of my good friends. Here are some photos of Amanda, Julie & Joe, and Julie's niece Kimber. We had delicious lasagne and caught up while eating bon bons around the Christmas tree.

A few more

2008-01-26T02:10:00.000-08:00

Here are some of Marcel's favorites

Christmas at the Beach

2008-01-15T07:10:00.000-08:00

Here are some photos of our Christmas. Julia wore her Santa suit from Nana (Grandma Jarvis)for Christmas dinner. Brazil follows the Catholic tradition that Christ was born at midnight, so that's when everone eats. Marcel and Dona Lourdes had to wake us up for the festivities, but as you can see, Julia stayed up all of 5 minutes.

First Day at Mongagua

2008-01-09T04:35:00.000-08:00

Here are some photos of our first day at the beach in mid December. It was a little overcast but so refreshing to walk and swim and just be away from the city. As soon as I find my cds from my trip home, i'll post some shots.

I'M BACK!!!!

2008-01-04T12:40:00.000-08:00

If you haven't heard from me for many months, don't worry, you're not alone. I'm so behind on e-mailing and updating the blog. I've been off the map since mid-October. So here's my life in a nutshell:

Trip to CALI-FOR-NI-A (NOV 5th- DEC 7th):

AWESOME...need I say more? No, but I will. It was so great to see my parents, family and friends. We got to spend Thanksgiving with family and even got to go to Ben's 40th!!! I can't begin to describe how important this trip was for me and Julia. I'm at peace knowing that she knows her grandparents, many aunts and uncles, friends and a cousin, and I can't wait for her to meet the rest of the gang next time around.

Christmas and New Year's:

We got back to Brazil on December 7th and got to see Marcel after a month and some change away. For those of you who thought Julia might have forgotten her daddy, think again, she went right to him!! The next week, we went to the beach where we spent Christmas and New Year's Eve and then returned to SP on New Year's day. We all have a nice tan and a refreshed spirit to start 2008 off right.

Stay tuned for lots of fun photo updates from the past few months.

2007-12-16T08:52:00.000-08:00

More Pics

2007-11-15T13:50:00.000-08:00

First Time at the Beach!!

2007-11-14T20:25:00.000-08:00

Back in the USA

2007-11-14T18:53:00.000-08:00

First Time in the Pool

2007-10-23T08:27:00.000-07:00

This weekend, we went to a ranch a few hours outside the city. Our friends had a party to celebrate their daughter's baptism and their other daughter's b-day. It was SO HOT!! Julia went in the pool for the first time and LOVED it!! She didn't cry at all.

2007-10-23T08:03:00.000-07:00

I'm going home in 2 weeks & I'm so excited!! I can't wait for the family to see Julia. She's going to have so much fun with Nana & Papa & cousin Wayne!! I'm trying not to think about it, because it makes it hard to concentrate on other things. Here are some photos of Julia from last week. She loves clapping her hands now. She does it everytime we leave the house, and randomly when she's excited about something.

Steppin' Up

2007-10-20T13:58:00.000-07:00

Julia loves to use anything she can to help her stand up, and she's gotten pretty good at it the last few weeks. Here she is in action!

Sheena is a Punk Rocker

2007-10-15T09:22:00.000-07:00

Oh wait, make that Julia! Yesterday, we got her all dolled-up for a photo shoot at the park.

Watch this...

2007-10-08T15:51:00.000-07:00

My Celebrity Look-Alike

2007-10-08T14:25:00.000-07:00

Here they are:

2007-10-08T05:50:00.001-07:00

We Love Joao Pedro!

2007-10-07T17:16:00.000-07:00

Saturday's Highlight: Family B-B-Q/1st b-day party for Julia's cousin, Joao Pedro. He was born with some serious problems & the docs weren't so sure he'd make it, so it was really awesome to celebrate his 1st year of life. He still has serious problems, but he's making progress and is such a cutie. He's in the photo of the kids with the cake along with his 7 year-old brother, Eduardo, and Julia & Giovanna.

OK, no Sunday highlights this time because little Julia's crying. Photos to come...

Passport

2007-10-03T13:52:00.001-07:00

We went to get Julia's Brazilian passport today. We got her American one when she was around 2 months, and everything was so fast & easy. This time it was really easy,too. We just had a little trouble getting her to stop playing to take the photo. She kept moving her head and arms around. The lady finally got a shot, but Julia's head came out just a wee-bit crooked.

Fun in the Tub

2007-10-02T06:23:00.000-07:00

Julia loves playing in the tub. Last week, she gave us a scare when she bit a chunk out of the soap. We were worried it would make her sick and ran around like chickens with their heads cut off getting everything together to take her to the doctor. When we got there, she just laughed and said she might have diarrhea the next day.

Bye, Uncle Doug

2007-09-28T05:39:00.000-07:00

We said goodbye to one of my students on Monday. He started having classes when Julia was 2 or 3 months, so she got really attached. He just moved to L.A. for work. He's a great artist, and if you want to check out his work, just click on this link: http://www.nacionale.cc/

Busy Weekend

2007-09-25T16:03:00.000-07:00

We had a great weekend. We went to our friend Leila's wedding on Saturday and had a family b-b-q on Sunday. It was busy, but we still had time to rest...the best mix!

The wedding was pretty traditional. It was in a big Catholic church right up the street from us. It has a huge, blue neon cross and is perched above like a hundred stairs. I'd always wanted to go inside. There were approximately a gazillion people in the wedding party! All the girls wore sparkly, red dresses. The party went until like 5 a.m., but we cut out somewhere around 1. Julia was sleeping and the music seemed to get progressively louder as the night went on.

Here are some photos of Julia & Marcel just as we were leaving for the wedding and just before we came back home. The other photo is of my sisters-in-law, mother-in-law and Giovanna all dolled up.

Fun Day

2007-09-20T02:45:00.000-07:00

Why Tuesday was so great:

1. I noticed Julia's first sharp, little piece of tooth coming through her gums.

2. Marcel turned on the camcorder for a few seconds to test the battery, and look what he captured...

Back to Blogging

2007-09-18T17:13:00.000-07:00

The past few weeks, we've been battling sinus infections here at home. It's been hot and dry, and the pollution is really bad!

I took Julia to our neighborhood park today. It used to be an abandoned alley until all the neighbors rallied to get a park. I take Julia as much as I can, and it's nice to see all of her little friends. This little two-year-old, Arthur, loves her. He glues himself to her side whenever we're there. Today, she wanted his yogurt drink, and it didn't take much to get her way. Her doc says she shouldn't have it until she's 1, but I figure a taste won't hurt her....she LOVED it!!

Hello!!

2007-08-29T11:40:00.000-07:00

I decided it was time to enter the world of blogging. I figure it will help bring São Paulo and all of Julia's adventures to you.

Marcel and I went downtown early this morning to drop our camera off at T. Tanaka. It's the only store that fixes Nikons in Brazil. There's one here and one in Rio. Our camera's been broken for about 3 weeks now, and it's high time to get it fixed...don't want to miss any more photo-ops. As soon as we get it back, I'll post lots of new photos, promise!

Tatiana (tah-chee-ah-nah), who used to take care of Julia in the morning, moved and now another sister from the ward, Dorinha (dor-ee-nyuh), has taken over. Julia LOVES her! She smiles and does the penguin dance when she gets here and when she leaves. She takes care of Julia one full day and 3 mornings. She has two girls: Larissa, 8 and Mikaeli, 17.

Julia got a walker last week and it has opened up a whole new world. Now she can pull everything out of the closet and play under the kitchen table....oh, the joys!

So welcome to the blog and please come and visit us anytime!!