Center of the Universe Syndrome

I have no pictures to back up my stories. I feel like I need to blog some of the good the bad and the ugly experiences we have had while living here in Brasil. I will try not to ramble. Ok, so I am totally generalizing and if you are from here don't read this post because you might be offended at some of my comments. Brazilians not as a person but as a driver have a characteristic R and I have labeled it "The center of the universe syndrome"..If you drove here one day in your life you would know exactly what I mean. For Example, today I went to the store. There was a man. There was no parking. Instead of driving a little further away and walking to the store he parked right in back of me and left his car. I came out to leave and could not get out. After waiting some time I am sure it was only 5-10 minutes he gets out sees me doesn't acknowledge what he has done and gets in the car and drives away. Who does that? Well, only people with "The center of the universe syndrome" Another example. I go to school today to pick up the kiddos. I am in a long line of cars probably 10-15 cars in back of me. The car in front of me stops, puts on his hazard and just sits there while waiting for the people he is picking up to get in. There was plenty of room for him to have pulled off to the side and anybody with an ounce of consideration would have been courteous enough to do that but instead he makes 10 cars wait while he is doing his thing. Once again, "Center of the Universe Syndrome". Another example, instead of waiting in line, people make there own lanes. There were already 2 lanes of cars trying to squeeze themselves into a 2 way street. Some lady decides to make three lanes because she doesn't want to wait her turn. She fakes a left and then when somebody lets her through she goes right and totally butts her way through. Who does these kinds of things? Who?

Ubatuba

Poor R babe hates the beach. I would have thought he would have grown out of it by now.

I think he just goes to sleep trying to make it all go away.

The guy selling cotton candy!

We bought it once it tasted funny won't buy it again.

Atleast the guy in the easter bunny outfit wasn't selling it today....Creepy

The guy selling grilled cheese sticks. Yummy

Making soup for everyone.

Riding the waves is so much fun!

M was as giddy as can be spending time out there with his Dad.

He usually stays out of the water but he loved it.

We love these guys!

catching the waves

I was so glad to get a picture of this.

R giving us a sneak peek at how burnt we would all be the next day.

Those aren't his undies showing

C stayed in the water all day long. Love the raisin fingers.

Trying to get some relief from the awful sunburn. They both blistered and peeled.

We have so many fun memories of the past year. It seems like everywhere we go for the first or second time we always plan time in there for getting lost. This was no different. It was suppose to take us 4 hours or so...I think we ended up driving about 6. Once we got out of the city it was a very pretty drive through a long canyon and very I mean very steep and windy road. In some spots the fog was so dense we could barely see in front of us. It Just adds to the adventure. C usually gets sick on long car rides and I came prepared this time. I made sure I had a bag without holes in it this time. Yes he did use it and felt a lot better afterwards. The drive along the coast was very beautiful ! Another successful trip to the beach. We rented a beach house with our good friends and had a wonderful weekend.

us

Thanksgiving 2010

C riding the Mayflower across the ocean!

President R has 12 children and they do this play every year. I can only imagine how many times he has done this.

Getting ready for the play to begin.

We really felt so blessed to spend Thanksgiving with all these wonderful people. It has been such a blessing for our family to know these families that are serving missions here in Brazil. We felt very blessed this Thanksgiving. A tradition that they started years ago and hopefully we can pick up is.. at dinner time they all go around the table and tell 3 things they are thankful for. Some of the things that people were thankful for were: having righteous families, good health, the gospel in there lives, having the Holy Ghost, scriptures, loving parents, and being able to attend good schools.

These are all things that we have access to everyday and need to remember to be thankful for and give thanks for them daily. I was so glad for thanksgiving and it made me appreciate our families back at home and how we can still feel of their love even when we are so far away.

I can't resist

I just can't resist this little guy!

I was so happy to see his curls grow back!

The "Goods"

What to eat first!
The animal crackers it is!

It took a small army of people who love us but it all came. This was just a drop in the bucket of all the groceries, goodies and gifts that were delivered by our angels Ralph and Sharon.

We really are so thankful to our family and friends who have helped and supported us while we are here in Brasil. The kids were SO excited to get birthday gifts, toys and treats. It was just like an early Christmas. Thank you Grandmas, Aunts and friends for all the little gifts and treats that remind us of home. We are very grateful!

Waiting patiently!

I love this Picture.

R was gone for the week to Chile. We all miss him so much when he goes. M opened up the door to the elevator and waited patiently for his return. We always tease each other who gets the first hug upon his arrival. I guess M was determined to get it this time.

Halloween 2010

Severed Fingers

I got this fun recipe from my MIL. They are always a hit! I think I made about 60ish so each of the kiddos had some to share with classmates. It really took most of the day and my house was a mess afterwards. Too bad all of Maria's hardwork from the day before was gone. Oh well she will be back next week:) hee hee hee

J and her good friend.

She is from Korea. I think it is fun they meet people from all over the world!

J did her own make-up this year. I think she did a great job!

We had such a fun time making this pinata. It was quite the task with limited supplies.

We could have gone trick-or-treating here but since it was a sunday we did our own thing. Saturday night we had some friends over from the ward and had a little party. We had a fun Halloween dinner, made donuts (which were delicious) and ate them off the string keeping in tradition with the Annual Gillings Family Party and played a few games. It was really loud and crazy but a lot of fun!

What we like to call home...for now!

We love our new place. We live in a gated community. It really has been such a blessing for us to be here. The kids have plenty of space to run and play. There are members of the church close by and the kids have friends from school. We couldn't ask for anything more! Well maybe a few things. I could do without the fear of getting electrocuted by my kitchen sink every time I do dishes. Other than that it is great!

Cleverly Disguised

This past sunday was a doosy. I think it was a combination of fasting, having a headache, R being out of town, two tired little boys and trying to sit through sacrament meeting all in portugues of course. I have to say sacrament meeting seems soooo long for me I can't imagine how the kids feel. I have R babe who is so tired and hungry. Then I have the little TURD. I know I shouldn't be calling people names but he is such a little TURD. This litte guy can melt my heart and in the next second I want to give him the pile driver (whatever that is, but it sounds fierce). The whole time in church I asked him to be reverent or fold his arms and he would counter with his new line in a not so quite voice. "Your being mean to me...I don't like you anymore." Then to top it all off I got off the bench to clean up a mess he made on the floor and jumps on my back like we are going to wrestle. That was it I couldn't take any more. We left and I didn't look back. We drove home and I tell M he won't be eating a thing and he will stay in his room in his church clothes until church is officially over. Mind you there was really only about 20 minutes he would have to endure of this sentance. I am sitting on the couch while being reimbursed with a foot rub that I had been promisied by J the day before and in comes M. Not just M but he had this on. Little did he know that I knew it was actually him and not Buzzlight year. You can't fool mom this time around little guy. It just goes to prove time and time again how mad I can be at you and the next second you break me down and melt me.

His Kung-Fu skills in action

We live in this new apartment and you know how every home has its little quirks. So All the doors in this apartment have a lock and no keys. We get a nice breeze through here sometimes so the doors will slam shut if caught by the wind. The kids, for some unknown reason to me, were playing with the locks and just happened to leave this one locked but the door opened. As you can guess the wind caught it and the door is locked. We thought about waiting until Monday to see if the landlord had keys. It was driving R nuts because his baby, (not the kids) but his computer was in there. After pacing the floor in a nervous fit he decided to free his baby and kick down the door. Yes kick it in! I really don't blame him and actually thought it was rather funny. The week had been very eventful with the move and everything and this was just the icing.

The poor door it was so pretty with all the trim.

Rocks Rocks Everywhere

Our kiddos love rocks. It seems that is what they always spend there hard earned money on. They counted up there money before we went and couldn't wait to find the perfect stone. This store was 3 stories and each level was completely packed with rocks.

How to make sense of it all.

I was driving home from picking M up from school and sitting at a traffic light. I wish this picture was more clear because it really is pretty funny. Look close at all the white circle signs. There are a total of 6 you can see from where I was sitting. Apparently at this stop light you can't turn left but you can turn right unless you are a truck. No U-turns are allowed either. People to the left of me have to go straight and may not turn left either. The people to the right of me can either go straight or turn right. I feel like this spells out Brazil perfectly. It is all so confusing at times but some how it all works out.

Holombra

The city of Holombra.

On the weekends we usually go on a day trip and try out a new place. We had been wanting to go and check out the city of Holombra. R had researched it quite a bit and from everything we read it seemed like something we just couldn't pass up. We invited our friends to come along and we were hoping for a fun filled day. We did have a fun filled day but only because we were in good company. We drove 2.5 hours to get there only to find a whole lot of nothing. All the flowers that were supposedly there must have already bloomed. We found nothing but a small town a little main street and a 2 foot dead Iguana on the road with its guts squishing out. There were no flowers no telephone booths made out of clogs and the Fazenda/farm that was suppose to have a cool butterfly exhibit was closed and guarded by ferocious dogs.
What we did find was a fun little nursey that sold all sorts of Orchids and other flowers for a reasonable price.

Then we spent the evening eating dinner and chatting with our friends while letting the kiddos play on this not so safe swingset (if you can call it that). Any how they had a great time playing Tarzan and swinging from the vines.

This is really not a great picture but it brought me little warm fuzzies. On our way home I looked out the window and told R that looks just like a temple and it made me a little homesick. Then we figured out it was in fact the Campinas Temple. I had to get a picture because it reminded me of all the late nights driving home from my parents house and seeing so many temples lit up in the night.

I loved to see the Temple. Especially that night.

Too many "1st's" in 3 days

Our 1st and last time staying in a Hostel.

This was the room we all slept in. I don't know if it was the moldy walls or the moldy dishes that creeped me out more. Or maybe it was the fact that we had to use the bathroom shower water to wash the dishes because there was no hot water plumbed to the kitchen sink. Maybe it was the crack under the door and in the windows or the oh so funky smell.

I have to say R warned me. We had no idea what we were getting ourselves into. I do have to say we will remember this place for a really long time.

1st time we slept in a place I wish I brought some sort of weapon, Just in Case! Although R tried to reassure me we were actually safe. He then tells me he has stayed in places like this before. NOT HELPFUL! He won't be traveling for work any more if I have anything to do with it.

A little mold problem won't kill you...or will it.

1st time ever showering in a doorless shower. The bathroom had a door. Let's just say you could shower and go potty at the same time. There were also some pretty cool bugs on the wall I have never seen before. Now I know what my brother was talking about when he said he would always shower with his flip flops on while living here in Brazil. If that doesn't give you the heebee geebees I don't know what does.

The drive up the coast was so pretty.

There was beach after beach. We stopped at a few on the way home and had a great time.

Anything to keep us out of the hostel.....

J looking as beautiful as ever.

1st time taking our car across the ocean on a fairy boat.

We went to the Island of Ilhabela.

1st time I was actually not very impressed by waterfalls,. The hike was not very long but the mud just wasn't doing it for me. Not to mention we all had our Havainana's on aka thongs......flips flops that is.

Cool pictures we took on our way to the not so cool waterfalls.

We call this "BIG WAVE BEACH" I could have stayed all day watching

the waves come in.

1st time mom actually ruined the family photo.

Look at the curl on that.

My little flamingo

1st time R babe actually ran toward the water instead of away from the water.

I love all his footprints in the sand.

A little love from the biggest brother.

Munching on some fresh salted and buttered corn.

Love the beach food!

Small Medium Large.

Pretty in Pink.

1st time R babe has worn pink.

It was getting cold and windy. His clothes were wet from playing in the ocean and J was kind enough to share her shirt

1st time passing over a bridge that looks unfinished but actually is finished .

The car in front made it safely. Cross your fingers kids and say a little prayer.
I am sure we will be fine..... while chewing on my fingernails.