1.16.10 - Friends, Then and Now

These were taken today (by Kelvin):And this one fifteen years ago at my wedding (I cropped the photo for a scrapbook):
I love my friends, even if we don't see each other as often as I'd like because they live in Brazil. I hadn't seen Ci, the friend in orange, for ten years when we finally got together again back in 2007! Su, the friend in black, lived here in the U.S. for four years and we had both of our children within a month and a few weeks of each other -- we have belly shots and photos of the babies together taken every month or two. She moved back to Brazil when our youngest boys were 7 and 8 months old. I still miss seeing them often. :-(

1.15.10 - Four Kids, Five Years: 2005 and 2010

January 2005:January 2010:

Looking at these side by side almost makes me cry. The first photo was taken a couple of months before my friend, her husband and children returned to Brazil after living in the U.S. for a few years. We used to see each other every month or couple of months (from our pregnancies until our oldest kids were 3) and now we only see each other every year. :-( (a bit more here, at the bottom).

1.12.10 - Sunset at the Lake

taken on 1.9. My brother has a piece of land in the future closed gate community (only lots for now) straight ahead across the lake and he plans to build a house there. My parents have a lot on the community to the left of this picture, but they will only sell it someday.

1.11.10 - Cashew Fruit

The nut is taken from inside the "pod" at the bottom of the fruit after it's dry. I guess that technically the nut is the fruit.

1.10.10 - Public Pay Phones/ Orelhão

"Big ear" - Orelhão, that's what public payphones are called in Brazil. The boys love to play with any they encounter.
Note: Yes, it's a Spanish company, Telefonica, that controls the public phones in the state of São Paulo.

1.9.10 - My Favorite (Girl) Cousin & Her Family

I was thrilled that they came to visit for a day! I had already seen her in Curitiba, but it was nice for her to see her and have K see her family too.

The boy in sunglasses and the girl to the left are her bio kids (with their girl- boy-friends). Sometime I'll have to tell you about her youngest daughter's adoption. She's 6, right in-between Kelvin and Linton in age. The kids had a great time playing together.

1.8.10 - Road Trip

Almost 12 hours on the road back home from the state of Goiás to São Paulo.

1.7.10 - Wedding

I think I never saw so many flowers* at a wedding in my life (both at the church and at the reception), particularly white and light pink roses and lillies. It was all absolutely gorgeous. It was totally worth the effort of making the trip to come to this wedding.

At the reception:* Flowers are way cheaper in Brazil than in the U.S. These decorations still cost a fortune, though. And the party venue? Wow... it blew me away. The bride's family is pretty wealthy.

1.6.10 (II) - Brasília, Brazil's National Capital

In 2010 Brasília will be only 50 years old, having been built from scratch literally in the middle of nowhere and inaugurated in 1960 by Juscelino Kubistcheck, the visionary president who dreamed it into being. This strange city, shaped like an airplane, is the brainchild of the architect Oscar Niemeyer (still alive at 100+ years old). Its modernist architecture is definitely dated and, unfortunately, crumbling in many places. K and I were pretty depressed by our visit...

Panoramic view from the "TV Tower:"

The buildings on each side of the National Congress (in the center with the two thin towers) are the offices of the various "ministeries" or ministry cabinets (called secretaries in the U.S.).

Map:

The National Congress:

The broken sidewalk is a good metaphor for how time has treated this city:

The Country's "Pantheon:"

Alvorada [Sunrise] Palace, Brazil's "White House" (only for living, not working, though):

Planalto Palace, the president's workplace which is currently being remodeled:

1.6.10 (I) - The Road & The Weather

Buying manioc (or cassava) starch and roasted manioc flour at a roadside stand:

Oh, and braided mozzarella cheese, that later that day we forgot in the fridge of our cousin's house... :-(

Storms brewing on the horizon:

Beautiful green corn fields:

Miniature tornadoes?

1.5.10 - Last Pool Day (for us)

The rest of the family remained in Caldas Novas one more day, but we left on Wednesday to visit Brasília, a cousin, and some friends, so Tuesday was our last day there.

A view of the two main pools empty at noon (when it was too hot to go in the hot water). Taken by Kelvin.

Four cousins + an uncle + a floating airplane = fun!

1.4.10 - 20+ Kinds of Fruit Popsicles/ Brooms

From top left to right:
Taberoba, Mangaba, Açaí, ??, Brigadeiro (chocolate candy, not fruit) Tentação (temptation, not a fruit)

Murici, Buriti, Umbu, ?? , Jabuticaba

Cupuaçu, Graviola, Pequi, Milho Verde [corn], Cajá

Tamarindo, Abacaxi (pineapple), Limão Suíço (Swiss lemon), Côco (coconut), Maracujá (passion fruit), Manga (mango), top right - Caju (cashew).

Note: photos actually taken on 1/5, but there were too many photos from that day to share ;-). And the ones taken on 1/4 were "boring."

1.3.10 - The Road & Family Meeting in Pool

Thankfully, we were less than 7 hours on the road (discounting 1h for lunch).

The pool meeting was actually on 1/4, but I like it better than the 1/3 photos I have. It's nice, fresh warm water (they wash and refill the pools every night). This is part of K's family on his mother's side, including his 80+ years old grandma (white haired lady with hair up in a bun).

1.2.10 - Playing with Water in the Rain and After (with Bonus photo)

We had friends visiting my parents' house today and their kids love to play in the rain. After the rain ended, though, they started splashing in the mud and making more mud with the hose. Let's say all that was novelty to my kids (only L joined).

P.S. 1 "Speedoes" are the regular, normal swimwear for boys here in Brazil.

P.S. 2 Bonus church photo, taken by Kelvin. Church with Christmas decorations:

1.1.10 (II) - The Bridge, The Rainbow, The Sunset

According to my friend Rejane, the one in São Paulo is nicer than the one in Boston:

(it has a long curve, it's yellow :-)

The rainbow was a late day treat...

(I like the VW bus in the photo too. It "reminds" me of my early childhood)

...Together with the sunset:

1.1.10 - Midnight Bloggers

Two "corrections:" it wasn't technically 1/1 yet and we weren't actually blogging :-). We were pretending to, though, and it was very close to midnight, so I guess it counts.

It is a great comfort to me to have a SIL who blogs! It was great to spend New Year's Eve at your place, sis'!