Life is all about choices.

Today is a sad day. We woke up with the news that our dear neighbor was on board of the flight 1907. The plane collided in the air with a small jet and felt in the middle of the Amazon Jungle. He is my dearest neighbor’s husband and they have a 7 year old boy and 4 year old girl. She is just devastated with the waiting till the rescue groups can get to the plane shell. Until now it is just expeculation, and they are saying there were no survivors. We are all praying to God that there are survivors and he is among them.

About 6 months ago, he had a job offer on another state. They offer him double of what he is making nowadays, but he didn’t take it, because the company was located in a NE Brazilian state and it was too far from the “civilization”. He was really divided because he didn’t like these trips to Manaus every month, but on the other hand the company that he was working guarantee that he was moving back to his hometown in 2008. But if he had taken the job… he wouldn’t be in that plane.

I feel for them all, after all they are like my family here…..

Pie Festival

The 3rd Pie Festival was a sucess. The cake that I made was completely sold out.

Now it is just wait for the recipe book.

It is a good feeling when you help those in need.

~Kisses and Hugs~

Rainy Day

Even though the weather didn’t predict a rainy day, we had a really windy, muggy and rainy day and it looks like it will be like this till the end of the week.

I just love days like this. I know people dislike them because of the inconvenience of the umbrellas, rain coats and heavy shoes. But for me it is comforting; to come back home and eat a bowl of soup, without feel uncomfortable because of the temperature. .

The average temperatures are 70/75F. The winds are really strong, so it feels around 60F. I just love to have a break of the warm weather all the time.

Tomorrow it will take place the Pie Festival at my company. It is an initiative of the Volunteer Committee. They invited a few women to bake/donate some cake or pie, some men to bring/donate some soda and they sold invitations to the employee for R$5, 00 (a bargain). Each ticket gives you the right to eat a slice of a salt pie, a slice of cake and a glass of soda. The money will be donated to an orphanage. They do this every year close to the Children’s Day in Brazil (October, 12^th).

I volunteer to bring a chocolate cake with coconut icing. It looks really good and I really hope it tastes as good as it looks.

~Kisses and Hugs~

A morning by the beach

We did as we had planned. We woke up and went to the beach.

We went to Itacimirim. It is a calm spot 30 miles from my house.

The water was cold and it looked like a swimming pool. We could swim and enjoy the sun under the umbrellas in the food stand. We had a few snacks and cold drinks.

It is funny the dynamic of the beach. At this particular place, we could see a lot of families but not the loud groups that drink too much.

I just loved. We could decompress from the crazy week that we had. I hope we go back there next Sunday.

He was so inspired that he decided to give a bath on the dog. I took 2 pictures to show you. I know he hates doing this, but guess what?? It is his dog ; )

Have a nice Sunday and a great week.

~Kisses and Hugs~

It is hot!!

It is official the summer is here.

Today the avarage temperature was around 80 F.

You can't go out in the sun without come back with a few tanning lines.

We decided that we will wake up early tomorrow and we are going to spend the day in a beach a few miles from here. But we will really need lot of sunblock and a huge umbrella to protect us from the sun. I will try to take some pictures.

I hope you are having a great weekend.

~Kisses and Hugs~

PS: It looks like my niece will be born closer to my birthday that my sister would like LOL..

I am happy with the ....

MSNBC Throws a Wedding results.

I just stopped by in MSNBC web site to check what couple who had wins the challenge to have their wedding thrown by the network.

I am so happy that Molly and Jason won because I loved their story and I voted for them.

2001 was the first year I saw the contest and I voted every single item for their wedding. Since 2003, I am back in Brazil but I know that they start the challenge around Labor’s Day, so I keep following the couples till now.

This year winners have a really beautiful story and I just liked them when I first read it.

(Ok, I am a romantic)….

On the grandma front, she was released from the hospital yesterday, but she still is in the same way, no answers, no talking, no nothing, except she is starting to swallow a little water with a syringe. I am happy she went to the nursing home, so my mom can have a routine again!!!

I hope you are having a great week,

~kisses and hugs~

Weird History

I've been meaning to write, but I've been pretty busy at work and when I get home….. I am just very tired.

Sunday night we went to the mass. We normally go on Saturday nights, but because of the Pasta Night we skipped it.

The mass starts at 7:30 pm on Sundays. So, we arrived 7:30 pm sharp and we couldn't find a parking spot. I thought it was weird, especially because we have to park on the street. We ended up ¼ mile from the church. When we arrived there, I was surprised to see how full the church was and we ended up watching the mass on the church front year. (I am very proud to say that the sound system is really good). But, as we were outside, one thing caught my attention, the teenagers.

It is really weird and completely against the way I was raised, because they go to the church and they end up in the church's front-yard chatting instead of paying attention in the priest. I can´t even imagine if I did something like this when I was a teen. I guess I would be grounded for a year : (

I hope you are having a great week,

~Hugs and Kisses~

Pasta night

It’s been almost a month that we started to plan the Pasta Night.

As this was a long weekend because of the Independence Day, we decided that tonight would be a good day to have this dinner.

Two of my neighbors and I were the party organization team. We charged R$ 15, 00 per person and we bought all the ingredients (Spaghetti, Lasagna, Fettuccine, cheese, ham and so on).

Each woman did something. I was responsible for the Tomato Sauce, another lady for the 4 cheese sauce and ragu sauce, the other one for the Lasagna, the other for the desserts.

We rented tables and we decorate everything like an Italian Cantina. I ended up in the kitchen cooking the past, because I was the most experience cooker. (Who?? Me… Well, I think cooking is a therapy). The atmosphere was perfect. The food was great, the wine too…. Only the weather didn’t cooperate that much. The rain is coming and going all the weekend.

I am glad I had this idea, so we could enjoy ourselves and interact with the neighbors.

I was so busy cooking pasta and having fun that I forgot to take pictures : (

I hope your weekend is going great.

~Kisses and Hugs~

Faz quase um mês que começamos a planejar a Noite de Massas.

Por causa do feriado, decidimos que hoje seria uma boa noite para fazê-lo.

Duas das minhas vizinhas e eu eramos as organizadora. Cobramos R$ 15,00 por pessoa e compramos todos os ingredientes (Spaghetti, Lasagna, Fettuccine, queijos, presunto e etc.) Cada mulher ficou responsável por alguma coisa (eu pelo molho de tomates, outra pelo molho quatro queijos e assim por diante).

Nós alugamos mesas, decoramos o lugar como uma perfeita cantina italiana. Eu acabei na cozinha, pois era a cozinheira mais experiente (Quem?? Eu... Bem... eu acredito que cozinhar é terapia). O ambiente estava perfeito, a comida maravilhosa, o vinho gelado na temperatura ideal. Pena que o tempo não colaborou pois a chuva vinha e voltava a toda hora.

Estou muito feliz em ter tido esta idéia, assim passamos uma noite agradável com nossos vizinhos.

Eu estava tão ocupada cozinhando e aproveitando que esqueci de tirar fotos : (

Espero que vocês estejam tendo um ótimo feriado.

~ Beijos e Abraços~

Next Weekend

Hi Everyone!!!

I hope your are having a great week.

The good news is that our weekend will start on Thursday. On Sept. 7th is the Independence Day and we will have a "bridge" on Friday. I am so excited. So many things in mind... I hope the weather helps.

Hugs and Kisses

Weekend

Hi Everyone!!

I am just stopping by to say that everything is under control and we had a good weekend.

I watched the movie Memoirs of a Geisha. I didn't have the opportunity to read the book, so I was really looking forward to watch the movie.

It is really good and the costumes are unbelievably beautiful. They reproduced all these intricate details and the story is great. I would recommend to everyone.

On the Grandma front…. She recovered from the pneumonia and the doctors will probably release her on the next few days. She is still a mystery, so we don't know what to expect from her recover. My mom finally made up her mind and she will be going to a rehab center. In a country like Brazil, it is a sin to put your seniors in a Rehab Center. I think my mom is doing the right thing, the worst part is to convince a wing of the family that this is the best option to her and that she will get the best care ever.

I hope you have a good weekend.