Bull Fight

A little while ago we were able to go to a local bull fight. Here they block off a street and have a bull fight. Which entails the bull being let out of its pen and then urged (teased) up and down the street until he is put back in a pen at the top of the street. This particular bull fight is in a town right next the base so we were able to be behind a fence instead just out on the street.








This man was "acting" brave and then he got stuck on this pole for five solid minutes. Other men kept trying to distract the bull with blankets and umbrellas but I think the bull just wanted to teach this guy a lesson.








This is how close we were. You can see the pens in the background. Also, they board up the lower halves of buildings and windows. The bull almost took off the board that was protecting the Spirit House.






The bull is on a leash held by a group of men. They are all in the same clothing. They try and convince the bull to go up the street by tugging the rope. I think they are also there to help control the bull. The bull, soon after this, jumped up onto the wall where those kids are.






The kids really liked hanging on the fence. But when the bull came close I quickly moved them back. I don't know how many other bull fights we'll go to, but since this one will happen again next year I'm sure we'll go to it again.




Rob got this pretty sweet video. Don't worry he wasn't hurt.

Swimming in the clouds

We wanted to go for a drive up to Serra do Cume which is the top of a mountain that overlooks the city Praia on one side and on the other side overlooks Angra. We we pretty excited until we got closer and saw a cloud engulfing the whole tip. We decided to drive up any way and ended up having an awesome time swimming in the clouds. The pictures might be out of order but there are a lot so I'll just try to caption them to make sense of it all.




This is the road going up. It was such a pretty drive.




You can't even see the top. This was after we had already come down. We thought at the worst it would just be a rainy drive.






This was also on the way down. It took it because ten feet up the road you couldn't see a thing and then right here you can see the bottom of the cloud, right where it clears up.






This was the most visibility we had while up there. Kind of scary with the tight corners, narrow roads and oncoming traffic, but obviously there wasn't a lot of traffic. I'm so glad we decided to drive up anyway. You'll see why.






After our swim in the clouds our hair was quite wet. It sort of felt like I stepped out of the shower, but different. It wasn't raining at all, not even a mist so you didn't realize how wet you were getting until you were out of the cloud.



Sean's cloud styled hair.


Kaelin and my own hair was both pulled back. Kaelin's was actually pulled back quite tightly. Swimming can do that, I guess.



Savanna's just got better as it started to dry out. She had curls all around her face and ears. It was crazy finger in socket kind of hair.



This is why it was so much fun. There is a platform that looks out of the largest city, Angra, but as soon as you step to the edge it was like a wind tunnel. Check it out.

She not flashing, the wind just kept blowing her shirt up.




Just being silly ended up being one of my favorite pictures





Sean was too scared to go out on the platform so we all did some flying together.




I could barely hold on to my shirt it was that windy.



At first Kaelin was nervous too. So Rob would run down and back with her.





On a clear day you could see over the whole valley but this day all you could see was a few feet in front of you.





Savanna was fine until she went to the end and then she didn't like it too much. She would stay on the platform but not to the end.






Not even close to the edge but she like it so I'm happy






I think it would have to be a tie between me and Kaelin as to who had the most fun.





Part of the valley just at the bottom on the mountain.

We have been looking for some patio furniture for our backyard. We finally found one that would fit our whole family. We know that it gets very windy in the winter and that we would need to bring it into the garage once the weather turns. We took a risk getting a table with an umbrella, but we have been enjoying our outdoor dining experiences.




















Everyone was happy, BBQ chicken, mashed potatoes and garlic bread on a beautiful evening. We loved having this as an option.




But....
We took the risk of having an umbrella and a glass table. Sadly, we lost our loving table. It kind of looks like water but its all glass. It got everywhere!


The whole table top fit into this box.

It wasn't even that windy. I'm not sure what happened. But we stepped out to start the clean up and you could still hear the glass breaking. It was really hot to the touch also. I don't know if that helped it break or if it was a side effect of the breaking. After sweeping, vacuuming, more sweeping and then a good hose down, I think the patio is clear.

Just like Daddy!

Sean loves to dress like his Daddy. Every Monday Rob has to wear his "blues" so Sean will dress in as much blue as he can. He calls it his "Blues clues".





And whenever his camouflage is in his drawers he'll wear it all to try and dress just like Daddy. He's pretty bummed when he realizes that he only has one pair of camo shorts and one camo shirt. Its still pretty cute when he does it. Sometimes he even goes all out and wears a hat and boots. But he doesn't like that they don't match Rob's so its not too often.

Birthday Party!!

We had a family birthday party on Savanna's actual birthday, but there was also a big bull fight that same day so we planned her big party for today. She was pretty happy about it, two cakes, two days of presents. She's going to expect a week long birthday from now on.





She was supposed to be sitting pretty for her 2 year old picture, but she was being such a ham!








I wanted to have Rob take my picture making her cake. There might be a separate post about Moms being in more pictures. It might have been Sugardoodle or something like it that did a post about Moms being "there". So I'm am trying to get more pictures of me as proof that I was there. So this is my proof that I make their cakes.





Savanna wanted a "neigh neigh" on her cake. I had an idea for her party cake, but for her family cake, I ended up just winging it. I was pretty happy with it. If you look in the one before you can see my fancy cake decorating tools. A plastic knife and a tooth pick. I try not to boast or brag about too many things but I was really happy how this horse turned out.





She did really well blowing out her candles. No burns and did it by herself so I call it a success. And Sean didn't hammer the cake either.








This was my idea I found online. I had to make fondant (first time) and then outline the pony with Royal Icing and flood the outline. It was a mess but overall pretty easy. I'm so excited to try again, now that I know its just like working with "edible Playdoh", as an online blogger called it. Its not too smooth and I had to cover a hole with a big sun but hey it was my first time.



Our little family picture. It was not cold today but Sean wanted to wear long sleeves and pants and Vanna wanted "Twinkle twinkle little star" shirt and comfy pants. Does it seems like we are all tan? I've noticed it in my kids but looking at this picture I look just as tan as they do.



Very intently listening to her birthday cards being read.




Hugging her new Terceira bull backpack. All the toy bulls (salt and pepper shakers, shirts, toys etc) just look like black and white cows with big horns. I have yet to see a real black and white bull. Anyway, she loved it and is now sleeping with it.



Thanks to everyone for the gifts and birthday wishes.

My baby is 2!!!!!

Beach Day

We went along with some neighbors to visit the beach for our first time. I'm not used to just packing up and going to the beach so I was excited to go. We went to a beach that was a little more secluded. It is smaller than the more well known beaches and easier to keep an eye on the kids.




Sean was a little skeptical at first. The last beach we went to was in Florida and that was over a year ago! He was definitely nervous about the two inch waves that wash ashore and a little worried about the sand not coming off. It didn't take him too long to start digging in to the sand and having a lot of fun.


Kaelin ran straight in. She had no hesitation and even swam far enough out that another mother was worried that she was too far out. I was worried at first and then she stood up and was only hip deep, but the way she was swimming in it made it look so much deeper. She was playing with all the Portuguese children that were there, trying to figure out the game they were playing. Then, she went to digging. I think our grass-less yard in Memphis taught them how much fun digging in dirt/sand/mud can be. They always revert back to digging.




Savanna was totally weirded out by the sand sticking to her hands and feet. After I told her it was okay she was all about it. She would sit with me in the waves and wait for them to wash up on us and then we would both exclaim "Woah, that was a big wave!"



She was so cute when we first walked over the little dune and could see the water, she started yelling at me, "Mommy, the ocean, the ocean, I see the ocean!" She was so excited to be that close. We live on top of a hill and to get to the commissary (grocery store) or the BX (ultra mini-mini-"Tar-mart" ) or anywhere else on base we have to go down this hill. As soon as you come up over the rise you see the ocean and the kids made up a song that goes a little something like this..."Hey ocean, hey ocean, why are you all alone? Hey ocean, hey ocean why are you all alone out there by yourself, with no friends?" Makes you feel bad for the ocean but I love hearing them be so concerned for the ocean. I mention this because that is why Savanna knows what the ocean is and why she was so thrilled to be close to it.




Savanna, Sean and, as Vanna lovingly calls, our friend "Silly Mia" throwing handfuls of sand into the waves.
The sand kept reminding me of something and I couldn't figure it out and then sitting there in the waves running my hands back and forth through it, it finally dawned on me that it totally reminds me of brownie mix. Weird but true. It looks pretty black in the pictures but its actually dark brown with like yellowy-gold mixed in. The last beach we went to was white sand and now we are on the opposite end.




They were watching the waves come up and it would touch their toes and then they would run away. It wasn't the warmest day or the warmest water.



Kaelin joyfully just running in the water. No one was chasing her, she was just enjoying herself that much.




And after this trip, I went to the BX and bought her a better fitting swim suit. :)





I think we will be visiting the beach and that lonely ocean many more times.