Pies! Pies! Pies!

We finally made it back home just in time for winter! After our long trip from Brazil, we're back in Washington for Thanksgiving and the holiday season. We settled in quickly and were put to work even more quickly! We spent Sunday outfitting the family for frosty weather with Crazy Grandma Cathy in Spokane. After a good night's sleep, we drove into the Little Gallea for breakfast with Grandpa Ed & Uncle Ben (just like the rice!!).  Then we headed out to the farm for an action packed day of egg collecting for Kylie, pie baking for us and loads of Sesame Street and playing! Grandma Lynn picked up dinner from Rancho Chico and was the true hero of the night!!

 I get those eggs!

 Bom dia galinha pintadinha!

 A friendly helper!

 From "chicken Tijuana" to Kowitz Family Farms Egg Division!

 Havin' too much fun!

Special helper @ lunch!

 From this...

 ...to this!

 Cute!

 The best ingredients...

 Working hard, or hardly working?

 Ready to roll!

Clockwise from top: Apple, Pumpkin, Pumpkin, Cherry!

 Falling leaves cherry pie

Finished pies cooling!

Bye-Bye Brazil!

After two years, we are saying goodbye to Brazil, and hello to new adventures. See you soon back in the USA and later in the Marshall Islands!

 Thanks Ben & Firyuza for a great night out in Olinda!

Merry Christmas (in November!!)

It will be a few cold months 'til we're back to coconuts and beach days!
 

 Thanks for all the memories!

November Recap

Here are all the random photos from November that didn't fit into other posts!

 Kylie heading to the beach!

 Coconut time!

 Chocolate Chocolate Chocolate Cake

(I had to use up some extra chocolate!)

 I spy one lady packing for her big trip!

 McHelmet! So we can be safe!

 Dreams really do drink feelings!

 I somehow think that Brazil's "carrot fit" jeans won't make it to America!

 You can't even tell that this we ever put up a palm tree sticker here!

"It's totally removable! Won't damage walls!"

My 3rd place Halloween chili trophy!

Recife Zoo & Fun with Aya

Kylie and Aya have had so much fun over the past two years! Today, we headed out to the Recife Zoo and remembered all the good times!

 BFFs

 Parque Dois Irmãos

80 & 90 cms! Almost one monkey tall!

 Best friends shopping at Extra

 Laughing hysterically at Aya's swinging antics!

Putting Aya "to bed" on the slide and singing her a lullaby

The many faces of Aya and Kyliezinha!

Moving Day

Today (and yesterday, and the day before) we packed up our whole house in preparation for our big trip back to the USA and onward move the the Marshall Islands.

 Mt. Boxes!

"Don't take my toys!!" - Quote of the day courtesy of Ms. K

 Celebratory pink champagne in our former toothbrush cups!

 Recife in all of it's summery glory!

 Last views of Boa Viagem

 A sparkling blue ocean day!

 Oh look...a parade!

 Dancing to the beat!

 More parading!!

 Inland view heading toward sunset

 Our Bomfim wishes that didn't come true...

 Man, those are tough little ribbons!

 

 More daddy-daughter parade play time

 The parading continues at full volume, in spite of baby naps!

Happy times!

Sinagoga Kahal Zur Israel

We finally made it!! The most elusive of all of Recife's tourist attractions, and it only took two years and ten tries to get there on a day that it was actually open. After so many failed attempts, Veteran's Day was the day that the stars aligned, and Autumn had a non-Brazilian holiday off at the same time the the museum was open! High expectations were met, and we had a wonderful afternoon date while Kylie stayed home with Lica. 

 We've arrived, and...

...It's open!!

 The Torah

 View of the synagogue from above

 Ceiling details

 Prayers tucked into the wall

 One last look at Recife Antigo

 The RECIFE sign!

Thanks FIFA!

Carnival masks ready to future Halloweens & Mardi Gras!

5,000 Pieces of Mayhem!

Autumn thought it would be a good idea to buy a 5,000 piece puzzle a week or two before our big move, 'cause, ya know...not too much going on around the house this week!

She almost made it before the movers came!