Gummy Bears

We finally tried the gummy bear kit Bianca got from Mindy for candy secret santa last Christmas. Bianca mixed the ingredients and Giovanna helped dropping the gummies in the tray. After twenty minutes in the fridge they were ready to be eaten. And they were delicious!

My girls love the song I am a gummy bear. My mom even brought them a CD with the Brazilian Portuguese version of it. (Did you know there are versions of this song in sixty-three different languages? Crazy, huh!). Every time they ask for gummy bears I sing this song. And every time it gets stuck in my head.

Valentine season

Giovanna loves Valentine's day. Every year she looks forward to do our traditional chocolate fountain. This tradition started in 2015 when we got our first chocolate fountain (which we still use).  After dinner (sometimes I cook, sometimes we eat out) I cut bananas and strawberries, then we eat them covered in chocolate. The girls love it because it is the only time of the year I let them eat chocolate as much as they like. Not even at Halloween I let them eat this much of sugar. So, it is a big deal!

Last week we made some Valentine cards and crafts to decorate the house. Even Ale joined us in this activity. I was a fun family time!

Leatherby's

It's been almost a year since we went to Leatherby's last time, and I was dying to go again. Leatherby's is my favorite creamery of all times! I love their cheese fries, chicken fingers, fry sauce, and their HUGE banana split (with four cherries on top and nuts on side!).

Yesterday Ale called me during the day and told me we would be going there later on. He knows how to make his girl happy! Actually, his girl-S happy.

Back to our room

The mattress is back to our room and the girls have been sleeping there every night now.

Every night they ask me to lay by their side until they fall sleep. Sometimes it takes time and a few silly pictures to make them sleepy.

Mary

Since the new adjustments announced by President Nelson on the last General Conference, every week our family get together to study the new Come Follow Me curriculum.

"As Latter-day Saints, we have become accustomed to thinking of "church" as something that happens in our meetinghouses, supported by what happens at home. We need an adjustment to this pattern. It is time for a home-centered church supported by what takes place inside our branch, ward, and stake building".

The focus of our study has been the New Testament. These three past weeks we've been learning about Jesus birth and His mission, John the baptist, and miracles. 

Our weekly study has been so special! The girls love it and they always look forward to sit down and learn. I usually show them pictures from the stories we are learning about, then I ask questions and we watch one or two movies related to the lesson.

This time together has been easier and more pleasant than I thought it would be. I remember when President Nelson announced the changes I got a little overwhelmed, specially because I had no idea how to involve Bianca who is only three (an energetic three year old) on our studies.

I am so proud of my girls. They love learning about Jesus, and they remember every lesson. It is the cutest thing! Today I asked Bianca what she was playing. She had dressed up as young Mary and pretended her little dolly to be baby Jesus.

Milena turns ONE

Past weekend we celebrated Milena's first birthday. I can't believe she is already one! Time REALLY flies! We had food, cake and fun games. Giovanna even won a dance contest and cashed $2 doing the splits. It was awesome (and hilarious)!

 Happy Birthday Milena. You are a princess!

Home

I love being home with these two beauties. They make my day so much happier!

We set up a yummy table for breakfast, then we played house in the beautiful house our family made for the girls a couple of Christmas ago.

We played for hours while the snow fell outside. Delightful!

MLK

The girls and I spent Martin Luther King day swimming at Provo Rec Center. The pool was full of people of all colors, shapes and sizes (although you can't see any of them in the pictures). It was so much fun! We missed Ale who stayed home working and studying.

 "We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools"

-MLK

Te amo Giovanna!

I can't handle how big and how beautiful my Giovanna is getting!

"Of all the creation of the Almighty there is none more beautiful, none more inspiring than a lovely daughter of God who walks in virtue with an understanding of why she should do so".

-Gordon B. Hinckley 

Big girl bed

This year Bianca turns four. She’s been always slightly bigger comparing to Giovanna when she was a baby, and she is already too small for her crib. We moved Giovanna to a big girl bed when she was three years and seven months old. Bianca is three years and five months old.

So we took off the stationary side of her crib and converted it into a toddler’s bed. I placed the beautiful comforter my mom sewed for her on her bed and she sat all her favorite animals in it. We also had to move a few furniture to better accommodate everything.

Her room looks really cute and, most important, Bianca is enjoying it. I think it will work out for a few more months until we buy a real bed for her.

Growing up

I've been cleaning all our closets and getting rid of a bunch of things we don't use or need anymore. For a long time I kept my girls clothes from when they were babies and I decided it was finally time to say goodbye to them. I usually keep thinks I cherish until I am ready to let them go.

It was a bittersweet moment for me- I miss my little babies! Have I already mentioned I do have a hard time seeing them grow up?

Later on Ale took us to have dinner at a Brazilian steak house. After dinner we stopped at Marshalls and we had fun trying on accessories, playing with the toys and taking a bunch of silly pictures.

Finding Nemo

One of Bianca’s favorite thing to do after her tumbling is watching the colorful fishes swim in their tank at Provo Rec Center. Once her class is over Bianca heads to the spot she knows she will find a chair near to the fish tank waiting for her to climb on.

And there we stay for several minutes watching the fishes swim up and down, and from one side to the other. Our favorite is a cute clownfish Bianca calls Nemo. I keep asking her "where’s Nemo?" every time he hides behind the leaves. Then Bianca answers with excitement: "there he is!"

I love the fact she still loves all animals! What a special little girl!

Family Night

Last week Giovanna’s school surprised its students with free tickets to a family night at Classic Fun Center. After taking our both cars to the mechanic we headed to the Classic Center to skate and have some fun. The place was busy and all Giovanna’s friends from school were there. 

I brought my own skates and we rent a pair for Giovanna. Ale and Bianca played on the jumpers while I helped Giovanna skate. The first two minutes she fell hard on her back and didn’t want to skate anymore. Poor thing, she cried so much!

She joined Bianca on the jumpers and about half an hour later we went back home.