Cowboy and cowgirl

We went to the stock show with the kids. They loved it!!! We started with some hotdogs and a 90min dog show which they adored! After that we also strolled around to see the animals. Kaio was very interested in all the details and Josefine took a nice afternoon nap. (With all the 'emotions' from the dog show and a weekend in the mountains, she needed it). Kaio got a cowboy hat and Josefine already had one! The next morning Josefine instantly put her hat on to go to school. Kaio more cautious did not want to ruin it! When I picked her up from school she still had it on! When we got home they instantly started playing cowboy and cowgirl. They pretended to plant, make cheese and Kaio did a beautiful painting about his seeds, eggs and cheese he made in the farm! I love it when they get so into it!

Chinese whisper..

While at a restaurant, after a Sunday filled with activities, kids were a bit tired and cranky... Jason and I pretended to whisper in each other's ear and got their attention.... We went into playing the Chinese whisper for 30 mins. It was funny a dn entertaining. Josefine started with 'the elefant has a broken leg' to finishing the night with 'the city is broken'. At the end they had as much fun as we had seeing them enjoy themselves!!!

Pelada..

While talking to titia (Liesbet) on skype, titia mentioned how cute it was to hear the kids speak English. Josefine promptly said - I speak portugues!!! So I asked - what do you know? she thought for a second and shouted - PELADO!!! (Naked) very funny!!!

Is portugues totally gone?!??

I have mentioned a couple of times that the kids are totally switched to English. We think it is great as they adjusted so well and are perfectly adjusted to the US. However I have started noticing they are really loosing portugues. They understand when I speak portugues but lately they ask to repeat what I say and sometimes ask to say it in English. I have several Brazilian friends married to Americans and living here and they kids have been able to master both languages. It's entirely my fault as I speak English 80% of the time. So I am really going to try and switch 100% portugues with the kids. I believe it is important and they are at a perfect age.

Goodbye 2013 and welcome 2014

New Year's Eve... Very mellow: a nice bath with my 2 cuties and watching a DVD we picked up earlier at the library... The year has flowen by with many changes for our family. But as I think back, it has been an awesome year!!!! We started the year in Brazil, preparing our move to the US. In the us we had to adjust to our new lives here. New schools, new friends, new customs, new routines... But after have been here 10 months, settled in a new home, kids adjusted nicely at their schools, our new jobs, I can honestly say we are happy!!!!! We are happy we made the move, happy we can concurred so much in such a short time, happy the kids are growing up and developing perfectly, happy we are living in the US!!!

Let 2014 come with more happiness and more conquests by our family! Let us continue to be united, support each other, seek new challenges and grow!!!

Happy birthday Josefine!

4 years ago my life changed immensely! I became the mother of a beautiful little baby girl. Josefine was 5 days late and I was eager to hold her in my arms. She completed our family. Kaio was a very proud big brother from day one, Jason got his little girl and I became the proud mother of 2!

Josefine has become such an amazing, smart, caring, determined, sweet and clever girl. She is eager to learn and opinionated - she knows what she wants and what she does not want. She is very spontaneous with loving words, hugs and kisses. She loves to play with her brother and they can spend hours reading or playing together. The can also bicker and argue when they are moody... (They are kids after all)

She knows all her capital and lower case letters and is attempting to read. With some help she can count until 100, she has learned English and repeats words in portugues. She loves to come and snuggle in bed early in the morning (she is a morning person!!) She wants to dress herself and choose her own cloths. She is a leader in her class and teachers often comment in how she is obedient, sweet and smart!

Happy and friendly

The kids have been in such a fun mood. We are getting into a nice work/school routine during the week and on the weekend (stay home days as Josefine calls then) we always plan fun stuff. In the morning, during the week, we wake the kids up at around 6:15. Both kids get ready by themselves, brush teeth and are ready to go in 30mins! The first weeks in the new house we had some less cooperative kids but, as usual, the adapted quickly. I drop then off and school and go to work. In the afternoon I pick them up around 4pm and we have several hours to go to the library, cook dinner together, go to the store or mall, play outside, meet up with friends for dinner or simply play at home. Jason comes home around 5:30 and also has time to hang out and help with the evening routine. We read 2 books before bed and they are ready for bed at 8! During the weekend we are still very busy with the house but always plan a trip to the museum, a hike or explore the area, a nice meal at a restaurant with friends or happy hour. We are all so happy to be settling in and making Colorado our home!

New house

3 weeks ago we moved into our new Home! We are absolutly loving it. We did some extensive remodeling for the last 2 months and we have been all eager to move. The kids asked several time when we would move but we made it a fun process and went every weekend to paint walls and get ready. 

Kids are loving the big size if the house and several options to play.. They have each a big room, we have a play room in the basement a big living room and a nice size yard for them to run, play and have fun!

Josefine's room has a bright pink wall with 3D butterflies. Kaio's room is painted with a nice yellow and turquoise. I am planning to paint space ships and planets in the wall. Kaio also found a perfect spot for Mr. T.

The neighborhood is great and out neighbors are so friendly... Kaio and Josefine play often with our next door neighbors kids.

We've also had our first dinner party!!! We were so excited to host a nice meal with pepe and have 4 generations sharing the same roof for a day and night!!!!

Vinny has also been a frequent visitor and the kids just LOVE having him around.

First Halloween in the US

OHow much fun!!!

In the morning Kaio had a parade at his school, which Josefine and I attend. It was cute to see all kids in such a creative costumes. After I dropped Josefine at school I went back to Kaio's classroom to help with the Halloween party. He was so sweet and thankful I was in his room and kept telling his friends - this is my mommy!!!!

In the afternoon we went to Jason's office for some pumpkin carving and finished the day trick or treating in our neighborhood. It was windy and cold but the kids went to a dozen houses and loved it. They also enjoyed being at home afterwards to open the door and give treats to the other trick or treaters that came by.

A funny story: when we were leaving josefine's school, several people said to have fun trick or treating and Josefine smiled and kept saying - I will! When we got to tha car she asked - what is trick or treating!!!

Kaio was ninja turtle and Josefine sleeping beauty!

Kaio's first race!

Jason and I have been runners for more than 8 years now. We clock in around 15miles per week. The kids are used for us running, doing races, going to buy running gear etc. Kaio's school had a fundraiser race and we thought it would be a great opportunity for him to get started. He choose Jason to run with him and signed up. The day is the race we had horrible weather: cold, rainy, windy. But we went, all bundled up. They ran the 1mile race and Kaio did awesome. Kaio runs fast, but sprints for 20yards and this was the first longer run. So he sprinted, walked for 10secs, sprinted, walked for 10secs.. And finished his first mile in 10:53mins (which is great) he was 5th in his age group (great accomplishment as it was the day after his 6th birthday!) we were very proud!!!

Josefine and I waited eagerly at the finish line.. She was very cute as she saw people arriving and kept saying - 'whet is Kaio?!' After every person that crossed the finish line.

After the race, everyone wet, we want home for a warm soup and hot chocolate!!! A fun evening!!

Kaio - 6 years of amzingness!!!

6 years ago my life changed. I became more responsible, happy and complete. I understood the real meaning of Love and life, I became more patient, learned to (admire a sleeping baby and my personality softened. I learned a whole new level of happiness, admiration and sleep deprivation. I learned to sing lullabies and play silly. I became more protective, more loving and comprehended the amazingness of giving birth to a child. Most importantly, I became a better person! Thank you Kaio for making me a better person and for being such an amazing son! (The pic above is with his new Pet, a tortoise!  Poor guy has a swollen ele due to a bug bite...)

Birthday party!

We celebrated Kaio's birthday this weekend. He opted for the ninja turtle theme and we were able to find so many items. His favourite, a ninja turtle piñata!!! Which the kids really enjoyed. We had several friends and family over and had a wonderful day by the pool. We had a special, personalized cake for him and sang happy birthday in English and Portuguese! His actual birthday is on Thursday and both Jason and I are taking the day off the celebrate this special day with an amazing 6 year old!!!

New schools

As we will move soon to our new home, the kids changed schools! Kaio started kindergarten again and is at Aspen Creek. After morning class he gets the bus to the school where Josefine is for kindergarten enrichment. The are both really enjoying the new school and excited to go.

Yesterday we completed 6 months in the US. Yesterday was also the first day of remodeling the house, starting with taking a huge wall down. I feel we are settling in and finally building a home and a place we consider home!

Stubborn girl

Josefine is stubborn! I guess she is a mini me and my mom said I acted very similar to her when young. The other day we were at a play park and she was playing against the 'flow' of the other kids. (A snake which was being used as a slide, but Josefine sat a the bottom, so nobody else could go down). Most kids just have up after waiting a while for her to move... However there was a older girl that also seemed strong minded and sat at the top for a while... Both kids stared at each other until, suddenly, Josefine gave in an ran away.

Restaurant play

We purchased a new home and while we are remodeling we got the kids a toy kitchen with tons of fake foods, plates, utensils and serving trays. They have been enjoying it and after spending a while 'cooking' they come to ale our orders and then serve us. The other day Josefine came with a full tray and announced that she was the 'bringer' (waitress) and Kaio was the 'cooker' (chef/cook). She was also very adamant that we finished our food before getting dessert....

 

Kungfu fighting...

The kids heard the song at school and saw the videoclipe... And now they Love it... Josefine keeps repeating "Kungfu fighting as fast as lightning.." Her rythm is a bit off but it is adorable and she said she loves the song because she knows it! She also said she will know how to whistle when she gets older (part of the song is a whistle solo). Kaio is fascinated by the video where the show kungfu!

They have really started taking and interest in adult songs... They have really enjoyed Dave Matthews as we play it all the time!

Another doc check up

We went for a regular doctor check up today. We had not visited a pediatrician since we arrived... Almost 6 months ago! Kids were all in good health. Both kids are in the 50-75% for their height. For weight, Kaio is in the 25-50% and Josefine at 50%. 

They are getting all ready for their new schools. Kaio will start kindergarten at Aspen Creek and Josefine will go to Primrose (where Kaio will have kindergarten enrichment after school). They are both very excited!

Our athlete

This week they held mini Olympics at the school! Kaio was eager and was ready with his running shoes! The first say they had 3 categories (long jumps, running and frisbee (?)). He came home with 3 medals! Gold in the first two categories and bronze in frisbee (which is not really a sport) we were so proud and he was very happy! The following day the had a multi sport event and again he came in first! He truly is very good as sports (he beats me when we race...)

A woooolf

The kids have been very impressed with the coyotes we have been seeing (I saw 4 the other day) and as I described them as being a type of wolf, the call them that! Actually, Josefine has merged (unintentionally) the word wolf and woof (dog bark) and calls them woooolfs. It drives Kaio crazy as he tries to correct her and she keeps on calling them woooolfs!

Personalities...

I am always amazed in how diferente my kiddos are! As I am working full time now and want to fit in a workout without compromising time with the kids, I wake up at 5am to run. At that time it is still dark/dusk and I enjoy the freshness of the greenbelt and lakes around. I also enjoy the dozens of bunnies and birds I come across... This week, however, I came across 2 coyotes. It is well known they are in our neighborhood, but we had not seen them so far. When I arrived home the kids were awake and I told the story about the coyotes... Both of them were hooked and wanted as many details as possible. At the end Kaio, being very considerate and careful said "mommy, don't go running in that area again" and within a second Josefine says "mommy, can I go running with you?"