Lions and Tigers and the Beach, Oh Yeah!

This weekend was monumental in terms of upping the "happiness in Brazil" scale. You know what they say, "a happy wife, makes for a happy home". Well, that's so very true and I'm feeling very happy lately. Happy that my Husband finally figured out that we are able to buy "season passes" for both the Detroit Lions and Michigan football that stream live through the computer. No more Slingbox (cross your fingers that it works) anxiety every weekend. And the picture we get with the new method is crystal clear, just like we were back in the US. We tried it out Saturday for the MI game and then again Sunday for NFL. It was perfect and David was HAPPY!

The winning results helped too...oh and maybe the American buffet I served to all our expat friends- pulled pork, sloppy joes, baked beans, and cole slaw. If we closed our eyes, we might have thought we were back in the USA. We even had a few Budweiser. So yes, my sweet hubby was happy this weekend and I was too.

So on to next weekend, what I'm now referring to as "Payback Time for Momma" and nothing gives Momma a payback like the beach. So off we go next weekend to our (drumroll please).....SHARED BEACH CONDO. Yes, I finally convinced David that a little sand in our crevices on a regular basis would be good for the soul. So when the opportunity came up for a beach share, we decided to go for it. We're going to see it for the first time this weekend , so once again, we've done the whole sight unseen thing. But hey, all I need at the beach is a shelter and a shower, so I know it'll be perfect. We already have the boogie boards and beach chairs out of the storage room and ready for their new home in Barra do Sahy, a little beach town about two and a half hours away.

It's the perfect compromise - football marathon weekend in trade for lazing at the beach weekend.

Now on to the next "happy" maker- 10 days in Buenos Aires . As some of you know, David travels to Argentina monthly and in October he's taking the kids and I with him, for ten whole days (five of which David won't be working). We're making up our list of Buenos Aires "must dos", but just being able to be with David instead of without him, makes going worth it. And our crazy kids LOVE hotel living. We'd never have to leave the place and they'd think it was cool. I'm hoping to see some good Tango demonstrations and find a leather jacket at a decent price (and drink lots of great, cheap wine).

Overall, October will pass in a blur of travel and football, bringing us one month closer to December 16, our departure date for the States. It's true what they say about time flying when you're having fun. Since we've come back from Michigan, I don't know where the weeks have went. I guess life is what you make it, and for all the bad and sad we endure living in this crazy city, we've worked really hard to find the joy, even if it's just a few friends, a football game on TV, and a good meal.

I knew we'd come a long way when I overheard Aidan telling his "old" buddies that there were some new boys coming over and that they were having a hard time adjusting to Brazil and that it was important that they made them feel welcome. "Remember when we didn't like it here and we felt really sad?" he said. Boy has our son has come a very long way.

Now, we've graduated to the Welcome Wagon. We're no longer the new kids on the block. Aidan's first sad months are becoming a distant memory and his empathy is huge. Yes, we're tipping the scale on happy. Now if I could just find a way around this crazy restricted driving schedule. Hmmm, maybe I'll beg for a driver, but that's a whole other post.

Shiny, Happy, People

My first thought on my first morning back home from our beach vacation was "Why am I so tired?", next thought "I already miss the breakfast buffet", then "I don't want to open the blinds and not see the ocean, so I'll just keep them closed"(the blinds, not my eyes.

I dragged the kids from bed, forced them to eat breakfast and shoved us out the door bright and early, a WHOLE HOUR EARLY to be exact. Oops! I set the wrong alarm. At least that explains my first thought.

Now that I'm awake, I'm really not tired at all, just suffering from post-vacation depression, where everything looks gray, tastes bland, and the sound of the washing machine hums in the background instead of the sound of the waves.

Although I love the water, someone told me recently that an Aquarius is an air sign. I have to say, that feels more right to me. I love the feel of the breeze, the smell of the ocean air and the sound of the wind in the trees, especially palm trees. This vacation delivered on all counts. We enjoyed clear breezy days and the sound of high tide on the beach at night.

Of course all vacations must have a few issues and ours were minor. The resort we stayed at (a five-star in Brazil) was reduced to a three-star thanks to a workers strike the first three days. As my house is rated a one-star, this was still luxurious for our standards. I was mysteriously bit by some bug in the night, all over my lower half, a great way to draw attention to the rear end in case you need to. David enjoyed several days of golf in which he also had to fight off real life angry birds, a result of migratory nesting on the fairway. Camryn's very blond hair turned very green from the pool chemicals, resulting in a daily tomato juice before dinner. And our return airport shuttle arrived an hour earlier than scheduled, causing a little last minute chaos and some leftover sand in all the wrong places.

The resort was lovely and the people were lovelier. Brazilian woman truly know how to do the beach. I've never seen so many beautiful bodies in one place before. And the food- it was plentiful, mostly delicious, and I loved all the dishes that were Bahian, very spicy and loaded with seafood. Here's a few pictures from the week.

Aidan at the Tamar Project, a sea turtle rescue and protection agency. Locals are soaking in and smearing on the sea sludge from low tide. You can probably buy it for $100 in a US spa -Brazilian Algae Wrap.

The view from my favorite pool chair. There were six pools at our resort to enjoy.

My morning workout at the beach. It's hard work propping up my body.

The marina at Praia do Forte. It looked like a Disney set.

My favorite shiny, happy, people.

Packing, pedicures, and appreciation.

First off, Happy Labor Day USA! Of course, in Sao Paulo, it's just another manic Monday with the added excitement of packing for our big beach vacation.. I just wish I could "get to it". Maybe the American side of my psyche is stuck on taking a holiday and wonders where the beer and burgers are. I'm a little surprised it took a FB reminder for me to even realize that it was Labor Day today, as every American holiday since living in Brazil has been an occasion for longing to be in the States, a sort of Holiday envy as life in Brazil just plugs away as normal.

Today really isn't my normal Monday. Today I'm supposed to be packing for our 7 day trip to Bahia, pretty much the Brazilian version of Michiganders going to Florida. Except strangely, I'm not motivated. I've figured out a few reasons why.

1. I have no idea what to expect, therefore no memory of how great it was last time. We may love it or we may wish we went to Disney World instead.

2. Unlike every trip I've ever taken, I have not bought anything new to wear, slather on, read, perch on my nose, play with, or lay on. No clothes, suntan lotion, magazines, sunglasses, games, or beach towels. Everything in Brazil is just way too expensive, including this trip. No shopping for that cute new bikini. The old ones will have to do.

3. No pedicures or primping. Again, with any salon service costing four times the US rate, I won't be sporting my fresh OPI pedicure in the latest new color. An at home foot massage will have to do.

4. We're leaving on a Wednesday, so there's no one home to be excited with. The kids are at school and David is working, so I'll have to create my own pre-vacation celebration. Maybe I'll make a home made umbrella drink with all the fruit we have to eat before we leave. It will be very lime'y since David and I both bought a bag of limes for our weekend Caiparinhas.

5. This vacation started out on bad vibe. After getting several options from our travel agent , we chose a resort chain we are familiar with that also was the lowest quote , a win/win situation we thought. Unfortunately, we(I) failed to read the fine print (really just didn't read at all) that had the US dollar symbol and not the Brazilian reais symbol. So what looked like the least expensive, actually ended up being twice the price of the other resorts. By the time we realized our (my) mistake, the tickets were booked and paid for. Change fees made it not worth changing. I'm just feeling the pressure to get our money's worth. You know, high expectations always leave you disappointed.

6. I'm just too darn spoiled. Traveling to exotic, tropical, interesting places has become the norm for us. We actually LIVE in an exotic, tropical, interesting place. It never stops amazing me and I'm sure this will be no different. Sometimes I just wonder how much better it can get.

So now that I've voiced my roadblocks, I think I can get around them more easily. I'm going to hope my tiny Brazilian bikinis still fit and if not, I might actually be forced to wear them like the Brazilians, riding up, wedgie style. I'm going to give myself a good home pedicure, soak the feet and all, and hope that my Avon order with the new brown nail polish comes in before tomorrow. I'm going to put on some good vacation music, mix up a yummy drink, and throw all my Summer clothes in a suitcase. No need to worry about outfits at a beach resort. I'm going to under promise and over deliver to myself, keep my expectations in check and be blown away with what we got for the money. I'M GOING TO PINCH MYSELF AND BE THANKFUL FOR EVERY MINUTE I'M ABLE TO EXPERIENCE THIS COUNTRY AND ALL IT TEACHES ME. I'M GOING TO TRY TO CAPTURE THE FEELING OF LANDING HERE THE FIRST TIME WITH EVERY NEW PLACE I VISIT. I'm going to create memories that will make me long for Bahia on every Labor Day.

And just a side note, this trip is already starting out like no other. It is two days before our departure and David is completely packed. This is a first and a big relief that we won't be shoving things in a suitcase ten minutes before we leave for the airport. Maybe this will the vacation of a lifetime after all.