Back to life

As Pat says, I believe that sometimes you just need a little bit of change or a quick break to get more energy and keep going but I'm not sure it really works with vacation. My four days in Hawaii were great, but definitely not enough. I'm proud of myself though, because I didn't check my office e-mail even once while I was away - and that's a biggie for me!

Anyway, after snorkeling with turtles, laying on the beach, attending luaus, eating the best fish dishes ever and drinking my fair share of Mai Tais, I'm back. And I'm trying to focus on the fact that I have so much to look forward to this year that I should only be happy to be back home, working on on real life plans.

Bah, I miss the beach!

Happy in Hawaii

A do or a don't

Yesterday I came back from work to find my neighbors outside chatting, so Scott and I joined for a little bit. The guys were talking about surf, the girls about bikinis. By the way, these are beautiful fit girls who go for a long run in the morning, while I'm either sleeping or commuting (sometimes with a bagel in my hand, I have to admit). Anyway, one of them was saying how she was wearing a bikini by the pool and felt bad because people were looking at her as if she shouldn't, because her body is not 100% back from the pregnancy. I, with a much less in shape body than hers, wear bikinis all summer. Not mini bikinis - and I don't keep walking around without shorts on - but they are bikinis, anyway. Shouldn't I?

This is a four-year-old bikini picture, btw. Don't get fooled by it. ;)

The best friends on earth

I know I'm not doing a great job posting here. This picture is still from Brazil (I've been back for 10 days and some part of my brain still doesn't seem to accept it): two Sundays ago, lunch with most of my dearest friends (we were 7 out of the 10 girls, plus guys and kids).

When we started the VTP it was just us, 10 girls having a really fun monthly dinner at someone's home. Now we bring husbands, boyfriends, kids and even a nanny sometimes. The boys bonded too and I'm sure they would stay friends, even if us girls disappeared from the face of the earth. It's such a great group and, together with my family, the reason why I miss home so so much.

Fernanda was really pregnant on that day and she gave birth to Manuela a little more than 12 hours after leaving the restaurant. I was amazed. I mean, I know where babies come from, but seeing her round belly on one day and the baby (a whole new person) in the crib on the next day just blew me away. Makes you want to have one too, you know?

Bem Casados (Well Married)

I hate to be away for so long. I know that I don't have many guests, but I really do this for myself and I like to be able to look back and remember what I was doing at a certain moment and how I felt about it. Sometimes I skip posting for many days because I'm burried in work and at other times I disappear because I'm having so much fun somewhere that I don't really have time to open my computer. That's rare but, when it happens, I love to be away for so long.

Anyway, this time was a mix of both. The plan was to fly to Brazil for my sister's wedding (last Friday), work for half of the time and enjoy guiltless vacation time in the other half. I did attend the wedding (and all the fun before and after it), but I worked every day. Not all eight hours of everyday, but everyday... Bummer.

These little cakes in the picture are called Bem Casados (which translates to Well Married) and they are traditional in wedding parties. I love Bem Casados and I always take a couple home (they are wonderful at breakfast, with a glass of cold water, on the morning after a good wedding). My sister ordered soooo many (soooo many more than those in the picture) and I've been eating at least a couple everyday :)