South America Trip: Part 2- Belo Horizonte, Brazil

Wednesday, July 24th: Day 1

Our trip to Belo Horizonte started early with a 5:30am Uber pickup at our AirBnB to take us to the airport for our 8:00am flight. We got there early enough to grab some coffee and Oliver enjoyed a Brigadeiro flavored frappucino (sans coffee, of course).

When we arrived in Belo, our hotel room wasn't ready yet, so we headed over to the Pátio Savassi Shopping Mall to scrounge up some late breakfast/early lunch and walked around the shops killing time until we could go take a nap at the hotel.   

After a quick rest, we headed to see the Palácio de Liberdade to see the old governor's mansion, but it was closing soon, so we walked around the beautiful grounds instead.   Isa told us the story of the woman whose house was on the grounds of the palace before it was built and was forced to leave so they could build the grand house for the governors of Minas Gerais.  She put a curse on the house and said any governors who resided there would not finish their terms, which came to be true! 

We walked down the Praça da Liberdade and into a nearby museum for a quick look before we headed for a quick snack of cheese bread (pao de queijo...which we ate a lot of on our trip) and then another delicious dinner at Moema Bar & Cozinha.  We told the waiter the funny story about Zoë getting an alcoholic beverage at a different restaurant and he assured us that Oliver's cocktail wouldn't have alcohol.  The waiter dropped it off in front of Oliver and walked away just long enough for Oliver to take one sip and he came back to whisk it away because it accidentally had alcohol, too.  Oliver would like me to note, that there were no apology drinks this time. ;)

Thursday, July 25th: Day 2

We started a little slowly on day 2 as we needed a little bit of rest.  The kids enjoyed some pool time while Chris and I both ran on the treadmills in the hotel gym.

When we were ready to head out, Isa came and picked us up and we went to the Mercado Novo for shopping and lunch.  It was such a cool indoor market with lots of fun shops.  Our favorite was probably the "Made in Beagá" store for all sorts of Belo Horizonte gifts.  We ate a yummy lunch and continued to shop.

After the market, we headed to go see the Sanctuário Arquidiocesano São Francisco de Assis church.  When Isa came to Tacoma in 2019 she brought us a beautiful figure of the church that sits on our dresser and I wanted to see it in person!  It was beautiful at night, but closed so we didn't get a peak inside.

A spontaneous stop at the Parque Guanabara funfair across the street for a bathroom break lead us to two rides that were a fun time.  We found that our family was quite interesting to people there with our redheads and our English.  There were many kids staring at us as we talked.  :)

Believe it or not, we weren't done for the day.  After the FunFair we headed to a mall to shop for some Atlético Mineiro gear for the upcoming futebol match on Sunday. We spent a lot of time picking out just the right jerseys and trinkets.  Oliver helped deflate the ball he purchased to bring home as a momento. :)

Friday, July 26th: Day 3

On Friday we headed out to the Inhotim museum, one of the largest outdoor museums and botanical gardens in the world.  It was really an incredible park with such a great combination of art exhibits and beautiful gardens.  Oliver even said he loved it, which is a pretty good stamp of approval.  We spent quite a few hours walking around and admiring the art, getting lost on the paths and, at the end of our visit, we spied some toucans and a parrot flying back and forth across the ponds. I could have spent at least another full day walking around and enjoying the museum.

The plants were all huge!

A celebrity! This bird stars in the Wild Wonders show at the Point Defiance Zoo were also at Inhotim!  We were excited to see it in the wild! (It's a seriema.)

A beautiful outdoor garden.

In the back of the car together, just like old times.

Saturday, July 27th: Day 4

We had the absolute pleasure of visiting Isa's mom's house on Saturday and also to meet her aunt, cousin and grandmother. Cecilia had a beautiful table set up for us outside her home and spoiled us rotten with delicious food and company. 

Oliver LOVED the cheese bread (and ate the majority of this basket which was, once, full).

Isa's mother (Cecilia) and grandmother taught us how to make cappelletti from scratch. This was Zoë's desired activity while we were in Brazil. It was quite a production with Cecilia making the pasta in the kitchen and a crew packing the stuffing in and shaping in the dining room.  

We also looked over the Shutterfly book I made for Isa before she left our house with her adventures in Washington and our family.

I loved capturing this quiet moment.  Oliver still has stars in his eyes for Isa, even five years later.

We played a lot of this unnamed card game while with Isa (and then brought it with us to Ecuador!) and Isa's aunt, Ana, seemed particularly charmed by Oliver while we played.

Oliver also had card tricks to share.

Day 5

On day five we had a packed schedule (well, that wasn't out of the ordinary for our trip!).  We started with breakfast at our Holiday Inn (the breakfast here was AMAZING...SO many treats and breads to try and something different EVERY day!).

This was about 1/3 of the amount of food out for breakfast every morning (note, this a two-sided counter...there's just as much food on the other side!).

We headed out to a city named Ouro Preto, about an hour and a half away from Belo.  Ouro Preto was the capital of Brazil from 1720-2897. It is a mining village known for it's gold. Oliver was VERY excited to visit because of his need to purchase GEMS from Brazil (that was his one desire while on vacation).  

Pao de Queijo! Surprise!

We found a rock store immediately and Oliver had a HARD time figuring out what he wanted to buy.  The employee at the shop was (predictably) charmed by Oliver's interest in everything at the shop and became his personal assistant as he was walking around the store, pointing out all of the special things she had.  He struggled with finding something sufficiently shiny but still in his budget.  ;) He did come away with quite a pile in the end!

I mean...who doesn't like shiny rocks?!

Also a quick ice cream snack...

We went to look at the Church of Saint Francis of Assisi, which was open to look around and beautiful.

Day 6

Happy 9th Birthday Oliver Finn!

Oliver Boliver you are NINE! Happy Happy birthday to my apple eating, tornado of a boy who loves his sister, baseball, soccer, SCHOOL!, reading Rick Riordan books, riding his bike, helping out with projects, five minutes of funny animals a day, the NYT daily puzzles, asking if he can have a treat, making noise, and bouncing, throwing and spinning balls.

This year you:

-backpacked in the Tetons

-picked up your first book series (Percy Jackson) and DEVOURED it.  

-went to your first Kraken game with Dad

-started taking piano lessons from OJ

-went on your first cruise to Alaska and fell in love with Strawberry Daiquiris

Oliver you are a bundle of energy. You are definitely my mini-me and we share the same propensity to want to be the center of attention and doing something ALL. THE. TIME. It's probably the reason why the two of us can frustrate each other SO much AND how I feel the need to protect you from other people because I know JUST how you're feeling and why you do the things you do. Just a few months ago we were struggling fiercely with your tantrums and stubborn fits that resulted in a lot of changed family plans because of them, but that seems to have been a phase that (fingers crossed) I hope we are out of.

You have absolutely LOVED school this year.  I think you are in the perfect classroom and have finally grown into your own scholarly phase.  You're SO bright and challenged this year that I think it's keeping that smart brain busy and curious, which I love to watch from across the hallway (close...but not too close, amiright?).  Mrs. Rucks gets credit for introducing you to Percy Jackson which you have devoured and it's the first series you've read on your own from beginning to end.  Since October, you have picked up as many Rick Riordan books as you possibly could get your hands on (it's a good thing there are a WHOLE BUNCH) and will CHOOSE to read on the couch sometimes or tell us you're really looking forward to reading before bed. I am so happy you've learned to love a good book and have hope that you'll continue to love it as you get older (and, let's be honest, are finally old enough to enjoy some really juicy books).  You are such a responsible student in your classroom and have only been in trouble once or twice for using that stubborn streak of yours to demand you are right (over the teacher).  I know you are loved and cared for and your brain is stretched and I love to hear you say how much you love school and learning.

Your closest friends are still George and Jaxon although you have added a few good friends this year that are kind and helpful and fun and I love seeing you branch out and grow your circle.  You had the BEST birthday party (truly, it was probably mom's favorite one we've ever hosted) with George, Jaxon and Angelo at our house this past Saturday where you and Dad taught them how to play Pokemon and the four of you happily played for TWO hours without a break at our dining room table.  You all ate your way through many bags of chips and drank SO many Italian Sodas, but it was delightful.

Baseball and soccer are still your greatest loves and you want to be a famous baseball player when you grow up.  Based on the amount of time you're willing to go outside and practice when it's NOT a mandatory practice...this is not likely.  But you are a STRONG athlete and things still come easily to you.  This year you are playing in the baseball minors, which means you are the absolute youngest on your team (many of your teammates are two years older than you).  I think it's great for your development to play up and have a chance to not be the best.  Dad is coaching your team (the Banana Slugs) this year and I'm so glad you get the opportunity to spend time together.  Last fall, he also coached your soccer team, but it was filled with kids your age and younger and...they weren't the most focused of athletes.  You were asked by another team to come and play with them in the post season and you enjoyed that so much.  I hope you can play with some of the same kids this coming fall.

Zoë continues to be your favorite playmate.  Though the two of you have had more tiffs lately than in the past, you two still flock to each other and love playing all sorts of things (two-square out on the deck, Samantha, Samantha and Laura, basketball up in the upstairs hallway, any game and she still allows you to sleep in her room with her). You certainly know how to push her buttons and she sure has a short fuse when you do, but you're kinder to each other than not, so I'll take it.

Most of all, you have such a tender heart for animals, bugs, plants, most humans (most of the time) and your family that I am ALWAYS proud that you are my son and so incredibly impressed with how you are growing as a human being.  I hope that you always keep your spark because that mischievous twinkle in  your eye is one of my favorite things. I love (hate) that you grab an apple at night when we are just starting our family book reading and crunch it LOUDLY from the couch right next to me.  I love that you ask questions within minutes of a movie starting and we have to remind you every time to WAIT AND YOU'LL SEE.  I love that just last night you said to me as I tucked you in "please can you snuggle with me? I love when you snuggle with me."

I hope you stay fun and funny and full of mischief.  I hope you love to be busy and love that I'll be a part of whatever I can in your life even if you roll your eyes (oh yes...I got one of those the other day about the "Oliver" baseball shirt I was wearing to your game and "was I going to wear that to school"?).  I love you to pieces and am so proud to be your mom.  

Happy 11th Birthday Zoë Maxine!

Happy birthday sweet girl!  You have now run out of fingers to add to your age, though you proudly hold up both fingers as a solution when asked how old you are.

ELEVEN!  

This year you:

-won a tournament with your hockey team in Everett, a SUPER fun event where you got to play in the Angel of the Winds Arena (where the Silvertips play)

-tried out for your first competitive sports team and didn't make the cut...a lesson in disappointment but a good one, nonetheless 

-backpacked in the Tetons, a feat that is impressive for any adult, let alone a ten-year-old

-earned a spot on the ASB exec board as the secretary (your favorite role) again

-attended your first EPIC concert, coordinated by the one and only Teta (Taylor Swift, Eras Tour)

-got to travel to Alaska, a state you've been particularly excited to visit since you studied it in third grade AND got to do it on your first cruise

-crossed off the first trip out of the US (Vancouver on our cruise)

-started learning TWO instruments, Piano and Clarinet

-grew three inches in ONE YEAR

    Zoë, you are still a master of observation and the most measured speaker when it comes to others' feelings.  You can read a room better than most adults, also, and know how to be a gentle leader with the utmost humility.  You are smart (that reading sure helps), LOVE learning, love writing, take care of your chores and responsibilities (most of the time) and are happy to hang out with our family whether we are going out and adventuring or staying home and playing games or watching a show (this year we've tackled Ted Lasso, The Good Place, Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Schmigadoon, Lego Masters, and more). We've read some incredible books as a family (finished the Series of Unfortunate Events series on our road trip, read Little Women, Zia, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Coraline, and many others I can't remember) and I hope that you want to read books with us for many years to come.

    Your brother continues to think you hung the moon and stars.  It makes me so proud to see the two of you playing together and loving time spent creating silly stories and secrets at bedtime.  You are still allowing him to sleep in your room, since we got the kittens, and I hear the two of you whispering to each other once the lights go out.  I hope the relationship you have with each other now will carry you all the way through your adulthood.  It really is very special.  That's not to say that he doesn't drive you crazy plenty.  I hear an exasperated "OliVER!" from the other room and sometimes you just want to go into your room and close your door to have some private time.  

    This year your activities have grown even MORE than they had in the past, which is hard to imagine considering how busy you were last year.  You added Girls on the Run after school in the spring, and learning TWO instruments this past fall (piano from your new teacher OJ and clarinet with 5th grade band at the middle school with your teacher Mr. Haven, whom you adore). Your first love is still hockey and while this year brought you the disappointment of not making the travel team, you've realized that your gifts are important for any team you're on and you've grown to LOVE your new coaches and teammates (and still have plenty of time with the teammates you love during Firestreaks practice and of course Coach Ryan). I asked if you were going to try out for travel again this year and you immediately said 'no'.  I then followed up with asking if it was because it was too much heartbreak over not making the team last year or because you like playing on the house team. You wisely and maturely took a moment to think and then said "It's a little of both.  I was very, very sad not to make the travel hockey team and play with the people I already knew and loved.  That was very hard.  But, I have plenty of hockey and like the amount I get to play and still get to do all of my other activities. I also LOVE my team."  What ten year old says that?! Zoë Maxine, that's who.

Taking advantage of your 4th grade America the Beautiful pass this summer we visited Glacier, Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks and saw so many beautiful things and crossed off so many amazing bucket-list travel items.  You river rafted on the Yellowstone River and camped river-side on an epic adventure.  You backpacked in the Tetons, and hiked so many lakes and mountains.  Saw a ton of wildlife, bugs, weather that drenched us and also heated us up quite well
.  Learned about the landscape and how the parks were geologically created thanks to our tour guide, Roy.   You are ALWAYS up for adventure, but always up for reading a good book in a lodge, lake-side, or in the hotel room.

I know that middle school is coming for you, and I am both SO happy and SO sad that this milestone is on the horizon.  I think I've come to terms with the fact that you are growing up and I can't do anything about it.  I am learning that, truly, every year you grow you accomplish so many amazing things and are such a wonderful human being and that the more you learn to fly and spread your wings the more you get to spread your beauty to other people.  And really, the world needs more of Zoë Maxine, so I can learn to share.

Your dad and I are so SO proud of you.  You have so many people who love and care about you and the influence you are having on this world around you is astronomical.  Happy birthday my sweet girl.  We love you!

Happy 8th Birthday Oliver!

Happy birthday my growing boy!  As I was working on your slideshow this week I realized just how much older you look this year than you did even last year at this time.  I would appreciate it if you stopped growing please.

You are a lover of Hot Wheels, your sister, apple snack at bedtime, candy, treats, sugar, throwing balls, playing outside, reading historical fiction novels, recess, video games, baseball, cacti, saying "mom" over and over again, 

This year you:

-had your first school concert ever

-started reading legitimate chapter books

-gained some skills and confidence in skiing (rode the chair lift by yourself-not on purpose!)

-went to Leavenworth on a guys trip with Dad and experience snowmobiling and snowshoeing

-got another set of stitches, this time from school

This year you've really fine tuned your athletic abilities in baseball and soccer.  You are a beast on any field...focusing better in some spots than others.  Outfield was your jam last baseball season but you didn't need to pay much attention out there.  ;) This year you're focused on playing catcher and are pretty darn good looking so far.  Dad says you fit the part because all you want to do is talk and that's a great position to get some chatter in. Last season in soccer was no different.  You're a great forward because you've got powerful kicks and a great goalie because you have a super specialized job but put you at defense and you stand around and talk to your teammates.  It's really fun to watch you play and excel.  

Second grade has treated you well this year.  You have an amazing teacher who challenges you and holds you accountable for all of your shenanigans. You've received student of the month for respectful behavior  and have earned other smaller mentions at school for your kindness and responsible actions.  Your reading has taken off and you love picking out new series to read.  Your current favorites are the I Survived and Ranger in Time books, both historical fiction series. While your besties aren't in your class this year, you have enjoyed being around other kiddos and made some new friends.  You've also made some great friends at the hockey rink.  Those hockey siblings know how to have a good time together spending hours at the rink cheering their older counterparts on.

You continue to be a great brother and son.  You are kind and helpful and have a big heart for others.  I love to hear about what you feel are injustices in your small world of school and home and how you would treat people differently if you had the chance.  You are quite the leader in all of your activities and groups and I am proud of the example you lead.

I am so thankful you are my son.  Happy 8th birthday buddy!  You are loved more than you can imagine.

Happy 10th Birthday Zoë!!!

10. Double digits.  Two hands.  TEN.  What in the world happened?  I blinked my eyes and ten years have flown by since you were born.  I can't even comprehend how that can be possible.  How can all of the memories we have amassed and all that you have accomplished possibly have happened in TEN years? 

Lover of spaghetti (fav food for four years), hockey, playing Uno Flip, snuggling with her pups, devouring a book and then the entire series that follows, school and learning, tap
, singing broadway showtunes, her brother (most days), swimming in the pool, and camping.

This year you:

-ran for and were elected ASB secretary at school

-played in 10u hockey, scoring a 10u hat trick in the fall

-started playing the recorder in music class

-went on your first BIG roller coasters at California Adventure and Universal Studios and loved them

-went to summer camp ON YOUR OWN

-experienced the death of a pet for the first time (RIP Joe)

-performed in your first dance recital in several years

-saw Wicked

Zoë, you are still my wondrous miracle.  I am in awe of the patience in which you react to those around you and the situations you find yourself in.  You have always been an observer first, carefully taking stock in what is happening around you and then reacting or acting.  This continues to be how I would describe you but now it additionally inclues measured way you respond to be fair, patient, caring, and thoughtful to others.  You take after your Dad in this regard.  

You and your brother continue to be the best of playmates.  You still play with Samantha, Samantha, and Laura regularly, build forts in the family room whenever I let you, enjoy snuggling on the couch while watching Lego Masters, and build or create whatever secret and silly games you love to play together. Your after dinner shows are becoming fewer and farther between, which makes me sad, but we spend a lot more time after dinner playing games or watching a show together than we used to.  While you agreed to be roommates with Oliver for at least another year while Ilkay is here, this has not proven to be as easy as you previously thought.  I expect that by the end of the school year you'll be excited to be sleeping by yourself for the first time in four years and having your space back to yourself.  You are now, after all, a tween and deserve some privacy.

Hockey is still your first love.  You enjoy every minute you can get on the ice, only every once and a while becoming overwhelmed with your schedule and needing a night off.  You have become so much more aggressive over the last four months on the ice and still have the uncanny ability to stretch the amount of time you have with the puck before an opponent gets in your way and you pass it right in front of the goal.  You have the best coaches and the best team and the joy you feel doing this activity brings ME great joy. 

Tap has become your second after-school activity favorite and you are so good at it for only doing it for the past year! I tried to convince you to continue with the conservatory classes (including ballet) but you wouldn't have it and committed only to tap.  You're dedicated and know your limits.  I love that about you!

You are still a spectacular student.  School is your happy place and you are successful and extremely bright.  You work harder than most and are so kind to your classmates.  It's no wonder that you were elected ASB secretary.  You are a quiet but effective leader.  This year the highlights of fourth grade so far have been learning the recorder in music class and having the "job" of helping in the lunch room during the K-2 lunch on Tuesdays.  You get to see your brother and help at the same time.  I'm tickled that I get to spend recess with you Tuesday through Friday and you still run to give me a hug every time you see me.  I wonder if (and cross my fingers) that will last through fifth grade.

I have, more than ever, enjoyed your milestones of this past year.  While they seem quieter and not as showy as learning to walk or talk or ride a bike, they are milestones I see you accomplish and my heart swells with pride.  They are the milestones of a girl who's learning about the gifts she can share with others. You are growing into the most beautiful young woman, inside and out, and I am proud of you every day. You are a wonder, my Zoë Bowie.  

Happy 7th Birthday Oliver Boliver!

It's your birthday sweet boy!  Seven years have gone by in a blink and I swear you went from a toddler to the boy you are today overnight.  You are officially too heavy for me to carry you from the carseat when you're dead asleep to your bed, or really in any fashion unless it's a piggy back ride.  You are nearly as tall as your sister who is two years older than you.  You still wear your clothes backwards on occasion, are the messiest eater I've ever seen, and love to walk around our house in your undies or, more regularly, completely naked, so I guess we've still got a little boy on our hands in some regards.  

Oliver, your favorites include: gnocchi, Pokemon, baseball, baseball, baseball, riding bikes in the cul-de-sac, playing soccer at recess, reading graphic novels, playing baseball on the Switch, snacks, singing loudly to musical soundtracks, drawing, Star Wars, Marvel heroes, and snuggling.

This year you:

-played your first season of baseball, coach pitch

-performed in Annie at the Tacoma Musical Playhouse

-went white water rafting

-went on two backpacking trips, carrying your own stuff both times

-turned into a fabulous reader

-started your FIRST FULL YEAR of IN PERSON SCHOOL in 1st grade

-learned how to ice skate

-rode most of the scary roller coasters at Disneyland, California Adventure, and Universal Studios

Sports have become one of your favorite things and you have lived the last 9 months for the start of baseball season again.  You had such an amazing experience last spring playing your first season of ball and even got to play up with the bigger kids to do coach-pitch.  You are fantastically gifted at picking anything up quickly and making it look easy and did the same with baseball.  We were so lucky to have you placed on such a nice team of kids and coaches and I'm tickled you get to play with the same team again this year, but in player pitch.  You have your heart set on being a pitcher; we'll see if you get the chance to do that this season.

Your request in the fall was that Dad coach your soccer team, and thank goodness for him and his patience because your team was a handful! You should have been playing up a year in soccer, too, but were placed with same age kids and you were really great at being patient and not hogging the ball.  It helped having your dad as the coach and you two spent more time after each practice just kicking the ball around together.

Your sister continues to be your favorite playmate. It's so wonderful to see you two disappear for an hour or two each day on the weekend while you happily play together with Samantha, Samantha, and Laura, or preparing a show to do in the living room, playing with you dollhouses, or playing with your Lego guys or some other figurines.  You have an admirable imagination and you put it to good use with your sister.  Sometimes I'll even walk into Zoë's room (you're still sleeping in there with her!) and you two will be reading quietly side-by-side. There have also been times when the two of you have had QUITE ENOUGH of each other and the bickering begins.  But it never lasts for long and you two are back to playing together again!

Oliver, this year you have honed your stubborn digging-in-your-feet skills and also your negotiating skills (ANYTHING from 5 more minutes on video games to another treat to another bedtime story). There is no one that can throw a tantrum like you and derail family plans.  We are working on taking breaths and moving past problems but it's definitely been a work in progress.  You always come around but it definitely takes a while.  You're also a MASTER negotiator.  You love to ask for your "treat of the day" because treats are the only reason you eat anything healthy (that's not true...but it feels like it sometimes at dinner time).  You have also started to eat like a little boy and will have three or four healthy snacks AFTER dinner some nights because you're still hungry.

My favorite, FAVORITE thing is that you INSIST on giving me hugs and kisses before I leave for school in the morning, often yelling from upstairs "WAIT! I have to give you another kiss!!!" and thundering down the stairs to catch me on the way out the door.  You also don't mind me stopping in your classroom to give you a hug and saying hi to you (and your class), or coming into the lunchroom to hug you and take a bite of your corndog.  You give the best hugs and kisses and your demand to "snuggle, please?! Pleaaaaaase?" at bedtime will always sucker me into ten more minutes laying with you.

You have such a sweet and caring heart for your sister, your family, your friends and I love to see your care for others grow.  I hope you remember to have the same care for yourself and remember that you are so loved and appreciated in our family.  We love you SO much, Oliver Finn, and can't believe that you are SEVEN!