June 2012 Stuff

This is what is left of the 40 BIG tomatoes that were on the 7 deck pots.  They were just about ready to pick when the SQUIRRELS got them.  Yes, I have purchased a 410 shotgun and will dispose of the pesky critters in the near future.

Sun flowers are doing pretty nicely in the warm temps!!

OOps, I meant HOTTTTTT temps.  This is not very accurate but the 106 was about right for the day.  TV weather report in evening confirmed temp!!!  HOTTTTTT

Carol preparing a fruit,veggie, chicken salad for dinner.

View of the cove and lake.  Note that the tomatoes are now encircled with wire.  Probably will have to put a top on them, too, as the squirrels are relentless and can get into just about anything.  Lake traffic really picked up this Friday and will continue heavy thru July 4th and following weekend.  Should be one of the busiest weeks of the year.  Don't start any fires.  Colorado is about burned up!!

Wemerson

Helping with the spiderman birthday party.  Notice the hat!!

Lighting the cake at the MTC celebration

Chatting with other dads at the "surprise" birthday party that really wasn't a surprise, as the lady of the house wouldn't leave the house, so we all just wandered in as we arrived at the house.

The most enthusiastic of the group who were wishing us goodbye on our last full day.  He would be in class as we picked up the kids from school and went to the Montes Claros airport.

Withe the family

Saying a prayer for the birthday party

Cement mixer man

Expert tile layer.  He was about 4 times faster than me!!  He has a sense of "level" without using any aids.  I had to use a board to get the loose cement leveled to accept the incoming tiles.

Helping the guys with their homework.  A family project.

He is working on a thesis (Monographia) for the final semester of his theological degree.  Both Wem and Sara will be done in December with their studies at MTC.  Potential plans will most likely include a stay in Montes while working at the church that they have been attending and serving for the past couple of years.  They will have to leave the campus setting that has been home for the last 4 years.

Lucas's 4th Birthday Parties

The set up at the school

We took ll pictures and Lucas never changed his expression.

So I posted one with a girl and one with a boy.  Note that Lucas comes up to their ear.  Just about true for the other classmates, too.

They really drag out the celebration and all the kids are eager to get to the cake!!

A table setting.  Note the apple slices for a nutrious snack.

Even the teacher got a place to sit.  She is very limber!!

                                                  Brothers.

 Whack the piniata please, Lucas.  We want the candies inside.

And the race is on!!!  Hey, Max, let the little ones get the most!!

Now it is another party at the MTC cafeteria.  We are singing Happy Birthday in Portuguese.  At least most of them were, right Carol???

 But, Grandma was clapping in Portuguese along with the other 30 plus people in the room.

This time with a little help from a "friend" Lucas was able to BLOW out the candles.  End of a very busy day for a newly turned 4 year old ball of energy.  Happy Birthday Lucas.  We did the celebrations on May 18.  His real birth date is May 21, the same as Kristi and Shelby's wedding anniversary.  Happy Anniversary a little late!!

Random Shots from Montes Claros

A well known and photographed Catholic church in downtown Montes Claros. 

Travon (spelling) was the "guard dog" that was allowed to run freely around the MTC grounds during the daytime.  Although he could appear menacing, he really just was bored and wanted some fun.  We played "fetch" with him one day and learned that he didn't understand the concept of letting someone pickup the item and throw it!!!  He would immediately try to grab WITH HIS TEETH the frisbie, stick, ball, etc when you tried to pick it up!!  He nipped Sara's leg and got my finger, so guess what??  He was left to play by himself.  Dumb dog!!

We were headed to the city market for some fresh fruit and veggies.  The grocery store carries these items, too, but sometimes the prices were better at the market.

 Typical stall with tables loaded with carrots, apples, oranges, zuccini, okra, bananas, pineapples, etc.

A view of Montes Claros from the hills to the northwest side of the city.  This only shows about 1/10th of the city.  It is quite large and is surrounded by large foot hills which they call mountains.

Downtown Montes.  It had just rained in early morning and we took a quick trip to get some supplies for Lucas's birthday party.

Another street shot.  Shops are right on the street and the streets are narrow.  This is a VERY wide sidewalk compared to most of them.

A look at an intersection from the second floor of a municipal building that has oodles of small stores.  They used to be street vendors, but caused such traffic tie ups that the city built a venue for them and put a paid parking lot underneath the building.  Handled two problems with one structure.

A typical lineup of motorbikes.  They don't pay any parking fees and are a major method of transportation in the city.  You can rent a mototaxi and be the passenger on the back of the cycle.  About 1/5 to 1/4 the cost of a regular taxi.  Many of the students and employees of MTC use this service and have favorite moto drivers on call every day.

It wasn't supposed to rain while we were there (dry season) but for about 4 straight days we had light showers and this really heavy one.

A shot just after the rain had stopped.  The grass was alllll brown when we arrived in early May.  This was mid May and because of the rain, the grass was greening.  One slight problem was that the chiggers and ticks were also "greening" with the moisture!!  Itch, Itch!!

Da Boys of Brasil

I'm not sure if this was a homework session or just a "let's do some fun stuff" diversion??

We washed the car so guess who had to wash their bikes!!

 Coming out from the school.  The cars line up and a school employee recites the names of the students who should be leaving the school to get into their respective rides.  Otherwise the traffic jam is unbearable!!  A long queue line is behind our car, but it stops the double and triple lines that used to occur.

We do lots of homework and it should involve a parent.

Or maybe a couple of parents and a grandparent!!

Max has trouble breathing, probably due to adenoids, so he gets a moisturizing treatment.  Lucas had a stuffy nose and also got to have a treatment.  The first time it happened, Carol and I thought Lucas must have really been hurt.  He was screaming at the top of his lungs and didn't want to put on the "mask".  Now he is quite relaxed with the event.

 Climbing in the young jubuticaba trees on the small plot of land they bought.  It is within easy walking distance of MTC.  The large acreage that adjoins the property was bought by a developer who plans to build houses of some sort in the next few years.  Yes, it was a cold morning with temps in 50's.  Note the crocs and socks!!

Helping Jaziel.  Or were they just playing in the sand pile!!