Let the Parties Begin!

On Friday we had two Christmas Parties!!

The first was at my co-worker Jason and wife Danielle's house. Here we are at their house with them, Justin and wife (Justin used to work with us at TNI too):

After that, we went to TNI's Christmas Party at Costco, in Orem. The previous two years that party was in the morning on a Saturday, but this year they did it on Friday night. It was AWESOME!

We took our friends Jordan and Lindsey with us (and they just found out they're having a girl too!!) and had a great time sipping on Italian sodas, eating crepes and other yummie snacks, playing games for hams and gift cards and doing so much more. I really had a blast!

And even though these parties are so much fun, I want to share a poem from this talk by Pres Hinckley about Christmas:
Everywhere, everywhere, Christmas tonight!
Christmas in lands of the fir-tree and pine,
Christmas in lands of the palm-tree and vine,
Christmas where snow peaks stand solemn and white,
Christmas where cornfields stand sunny and bright. …
Everywhere, everywhere, Christmas tonight!
For the Christ-child who comes is the Master of all;
No palace too great, no cottage too small.

What parties are YOU going to attend this month?

Brazilians Know How to Part-eh!

Every June in Brazil - especially where I am from, in the Northeast part of the country - there is a folkloric party/celebration called São João (Saint John). I forgot where it all came from but we dress kinda like "hicks" and eat mainly foods made of corn, like corn cake, corn puddin, corn soup, corn every-freakin-thing! It's AWESOME!

Because there is a bigger Brazilian community in Utah than one would sometimes like to imagine, some of my friends (the good Brazilians, ha!) organized our own São João party and here are some pics. Yes, you are authorized to laugh at us, it was on purpose that we tried to look as insane as possible!

Me and Rebecca, she organized the party and it was at her house.
She's due next week!

Rebecca's mom who brought a lot of yummie stuff from Brazil!

I seriously ate till I could eat no more! :)

I offered to bring fruit salad. :)

The pretty gals!

The handsome fellas!

Ain't we cute?!

There's a lot of dancing at São João parties...

And even babies get all dressed up :)

All of us, it was so much fun!

I think I should just adopt this look every day. What do you say? :)

The No Name Post

I am so non-creative today that I can't even come out with a name to this post.

I've been tired. And anxious. Weird combination? I think so too! I am tired. So tired! I think I shared that a few posts ago. I am still so tired! What is wrong with me? I am NOT preggers, by the way. And I have this anxiety... it's freaky! I used to not be able to finish my lunch entree because it's really too much for me, but now I eat it all and with a speed like it's the last meal I'll have in my life. And it makes me sick, you know the feeling? When you eat non stop until it makes you physically ill? I've gained back 2 of the 16lbs I worked so hard to lose. I'm gross. Sorry to share this... It might be because I haven't seen my therapist in a month, A MONTH! Poor guy's ears are going to SUFFER tomorrow when I see him :)

Okay, just so you don't get grossed out or pity me, I am going to attach a picture of a bbq we went to on Monday, with some friends from work and etc.

Okay, I'm done venting for the day :)

Till next time!

It's Special...

To have friends whom we consider family.

Marco and his wife Desiree have been my friends since I first got here in 2001. They have been like a brother and a sister to me and I love them so very much! By divine design Marco is Trevor's capoeira mentor and business partner in their capoeira school here in Provo, so needless to say both Trevor and I have a deep love for Marco and his family.

Yesterday was Marco's birthday!! We tried to surprise him but he is too smart! Here are some pictures of the fun party:

I decorated the cake :)

Some Brazilian treats :) Marco FAKING surprise!!

Marco and Desire

This is their dog, Acacia, and if you look close you will see she has her nails done :)

It was so much fun! I love birthdays! And I love FRIENDS :)

Belated...

Birthday Pics here! Sorry, there are just too many to post on the blog... you know, at one point the papparazzi invaded the place and MILLIONS of pictures of ME were taken. What can I do? Nada!

So, yeah, if you want to take a look at the pics click on this link. :)

I will post this one picture here, of my cake made by my friend Aninha, cuz, as you all know, I *am* a STAR! :)





I have been having so much to blog/write/share, but I have also been so tired lately... No, I ain't preggers. I just want to be busy because I like feeling useful but maybe I do need to slow down a bit. I am not sure yet.

As some of you know I am a member of Utah County's Rape Crisis Team. This week I had my first call to a hospital. I can't really talk about the details of the case, of course, but it was a little bit traumatic for me... I am so proud of the victim for being so strong during the whole interview and examination process and I really pray that she will get the help she needs. I also hope that the person who raped her will go to.... well, you know where!

I don't believe that a person is born evil. I really don't. I think we get to be the way we are because of a combination of examples, environment, experiences and in some cases some mental defects. But I was thinking, if parents taught their children, especially boys, to love and respect those around them, especially women, would we see less evil in the world? Of course I am referring to sexual evil. I don't know. I just can't understand, nor accept, the way some people treat each other, especially people they know. aaaahhhhhh nevermind. Much food for thought here. And I am hungry. And tired. Back to bed...

Hope you'll all enjoy the pics.
Today I have the whole day dedicated to rest and fun, can't remember the last time I was able to sleep in and have nothing planned in a weekend, feels GOOD!

Special!

Today is my friend's Birthday!

Her name is Desirée and, as you can see, she is absolutely beautiful!

There are less than ten women in the world that I completely admire

and look up to and want to be like them when I grow up!

They are:

- my mom Nely

- Kristine Pinegar... my American mom

- Richelle... my mom in law

- Nikki Pinegar... the other mom of my four kids ;)

- Sister Paulsen... my mission mom

- Desirée... my friend and best mom around!

I love these women and love what they represent.

Through observing them I have learned about love, patience, virtue,

charity, service, scholarship, wisdom, agency, motherhood,

sisterhood, wifehood (I think I made that word up), preparedness,

choises, spirituality, friendship, sacrifice, devotion, and

so much more I can't even mention.

If I am a good person it is because I have examples like these in my life.

And I love them!

Desirée, I love you!

Thank you for being who you are!

Happy Birthday!

I Need More Hours!!

The days are just too short.

I sometimes want to move to Mars.

I don't know why but I imagine the days are longer there.

Not because of the position of the sun and all those scientific blablablas, but because I would just like to move to Mars.

But, you know what, that's a whole new post! Lets focus here, Kika!

Today I want to update you all on last weekend, which was full of fun activities!

Saturday I went to a babyshower, and let me tell you, Brazilian baby showers are almost a whole day activity! I got there at 4pm and left at 9pm!!! :) It was *so much fun*!!

Some pictures of that day:

The future mommy of a baby boy, Camilla

This is my friend Ana Amelia who is from south Brazil and attends BYU Idaho. She spent the weekend at my house and se had a LOT of fun!

This is Barbara but we call her Babinha. Isn't she a cutie?















This is Emmanuelle but we call her Manu or Emma, and she is a new friend that I met a couple of months ago but we keep finding out more things we have in common, it's like we are twins!! Freaky, but awesome! :)

The beautiful ANTM Aninha! She was one of the organizers of the baby shower and Camilla is her sister-in-law.















Me and Adriana, she has become one of my best friends here! Love her so!













And why not some group pictures?

Emma, me, Aninha and Babinha.

Most of these girls are my closest Brazilian friends here!

Standing from left to right:
Rebecca, Elle, Babinha, Camilla and Talita.

Sitting from left to right:
Me, Renatha, Aninha, Helga, Adriana, Carina.







And finally, a picture of almost everyone that came to the baby shower. That is correct, some people escaped the picture. Do you understand now why it's such a long party?? Look at how many people came!!! Dang...

And so my Saturday was loaded with fun with the girls!

We helped clean up and left the building around 9:3opm.

Then Ana and I went to my in-laws to pick Trevor up but they had just started watching the movie August Rush and we watched it with them, and it was GREAT! I highly recommend it :)

Trevor took us to the Creamery on 9th where we shared some icecream. So yes, I ate icecream after I don't know how long, and it was 11pm! It was super yummie, but it did make me sick later... oh well.

I have more pictures from Sunday but I will post them later.

So far, so good. Hugs to all! :)

Kika*