Luka's Latest Additions to his Portfolio

As you know Luka started school a couple of weeks ago. They have been learning about insects and here are two of the art projects he brought home last Friday. I love the butterfly made out of his hand prints...so cute! He is crazy about bugs these days and loves to repeat the words fly, bee, ladybug and of course BUTTERFLY!

But as far as school goes I think his favorite thing (by far) is hanging out with his teacher. It might be his first official "school boy" crush. Everyday I pick him up and I ask him, "Luka, what did you do at school today?" and his response is always, "Ms. Rosa, Ms. Rosa." And if I ask him who are his friends at school Ms. Rosa is always first on the list followed by Amelia, Mario, DooDoo, Yannick (all names of his classmates).

Interview with Alcides

I am very curious to see this film now. So far I can't find any information about a screening in Maputo. Did he find his brother? Where is he now? What can I do to help? Maybe I will write to BYKids - the organization that help Alcides make this film. I will let you know what happens...

Maputo Through Their Eyes

In August 2007, children orphaned by AIDS living in Maputo, Mozambique spent time with American photographers and filmmakers to produce a body of work that documents the joys and challenges of daily life.

In this web video, experience highlights from the children's photographs. The images are set to a song performed by the kids, their friends, and their neighbors at a local community center on August 7. For more images and stories, visit the project website.

I wish I could say that I was part of this project, but I am just a big fan of This House is Small but the Welcome is Big. Today I came across it again on the internet and I wanted to share it with everyone. When you look at the photos keep in mind that they were taken by children who had never held a camera before in their lives. They were given this tool to communicate with the rest of the world and I believe the photos convey a powerful message.

If you like this video you should also check out this link to see a new documentary from one of the kids in this project. It has been accepted at numerous film festivals and won many prizes. The story is very touching and it gives you a glimpse into the life of an orphan in Mozambique. Oh, look I found the trailer on youtube....brilliant!

Happy Birthday Papi

Happy Birthday Papi....I think you must be around 7 years old in this photo (my dad is the one on the left). I really love this photo. You look really happy and it seems like you are celebrating something, so I thought it would be fitting to share it with you on your birthday.

It is now about 50 years from the time you took this photo (yes, folks my dad is 57 years young) and you still look almost the same....just a little taller and the belly is a little bigger. But more handsome than ever.

You know I was remembering today how crazy and silly you are....

When I was a teenager/young adult my dad always used to introduce himself as my brother. It used to drive me insane and he thought it was very funny because most of the time it worked. I thought, "How in the heck are these people going to believe he is my brother...I mean we are 22 years apart." Okay, dad I must admit that now that I am 34 and Luka is 2 I realized that I will NEVER be able to pass as his sister and I am a little jealous. I didn't realize what a blessing it was to grow up with such "young and cool" parents. I didn't think so at the time, but we did have a lot of fun.

I will leave you with another story of how my father liked to fool people...

When I was in 11th grade I went on a school trip to DC. We had roommates from other schools across the country. My roommate was from California. I noticed that all week she left everything locked up and was acting very paranoid when I was around. I just came to the conclusion that she thought all Cubans from Miami were thieves. Finally on one of the last days of the trip the phone rings and she says, "It is for you. He has been calling all week, but you haven't been here. It is your parole officer." No, I didn't have a record. It was my father trying to perpetuate the stereotype that if you are from Miami you must be a criminal. Now I laugh when I think of the story, but I don't remember laughing at the time.

Happy Birthday Dad and thank you for always being a great brother..I mean father.

Lazy Sunday at Laura's House

My friend Laura lives in Naamacha or close to it...right outside of Maputo. She has a nice and open house where the kids can run around and have a great time, while the adults relax and lounge around. A group of us spent our Sunday there. It was great to catch up with friends and eat...a lot. Lau, thanks for making my favorite guacamole dip. It was delicious.

Thank you Paty for taking this great photo of Luka. I love the antique look that you gave it. If you would like to see more of Paty's beautiful photos click here.

Who says Ikea has to be boring?

I am a big fan of Ikea and mixing and matching with other furniture lines. But I always think....how many other millions of people have this same armoire or bookcase? Well, today I was in one of my internet surfing moods and came across Grippiks. This company sells these great surface accents that you can peel, stick, take off and reposition if you would like...perfect to decorate those Ikea purchases. Genius right. I thought so...take a look here.

I think this would be perfect for a kid's room! Enjoy.

i heart this camera

Okay, so it might not take as good photos as my Nikon D80, but isn't this the most precious camera. I have a weakness/obsession for wooden toys (my sister thinks I deprive Luka). But they are perfect and the best thing about it...no batteries.

Well, just wanted to share this find from one of my favorite blogs.

Luka's First Day of School

Today's was Luka's first day of school and we couldn't be prouder. He woke up at 6:15 am this morning yelling, "School Mami, School, School." I think he was very ready to start today. I was so nervous and it was all for nothing. Luka was practically sending JJ and I home when we arrived at the school this morning. When we said goodbye...he kissed us and kept waving "Bye, Bye," so that we would leave.

If I am being totally honest, I kind of wanted him to miss us a little bit. I didn't want a full on cry...but a little pout would have been nice. I am only joking. He was great!

Here are some photos from Luka's big day. Here is a going out the door, ready with backpack and all.

He was walking ahead of us and couldn't wait to get there.

This is taken inside the classroom. He started exploring some of the stations when we got there. We got there a little too early. We are such nerds...well, I am really.

Of course I was worried so I snuck in early and peaked through the window as they did the last activities of the day and lined up to leave. Luka rushed to the front of the line.

Luka is Growing Up

Tomorrow is Luka's first day of Montessori School. I can't believe how grown-up he is. He amazes us everyday. I think that we are more nervous for Luka's first day of school than Luka is. He keeps running around the house saying, "School, school, school." I think he is really looking forward to it.

Let's see how he does...for now I will leave you with this collage of Luka's latest faces. They were all taken within the last 30 days. Isn't he a character?

A little jealous...

My friends Dan & Danielle recently had a beautiful summer trip in Cuba. Okay, so I have always said that I will go to Cuba when it is free...but I think that I have changed my mind. I don't want to miss out on seeing Cuba how it is now and see the real country and see the current Cuban experience first hand. I think that one day when big changes finally happen in Cuba the country will change overnight.

I will never get to see the Cuba my grandparents and parents talk about, but I think that even to this day Cuba has a special mystic and character that will not be there in the future.

Thank you Dan & Danielle for sharing the photos!

PS This is not an endorsement for Cuban Holidays...but if you do go to Cuba stay with a local family and not a fancy hotel.

Tribute to Ted Kennedy 1932-2009

Whether you are a Democrat or a Republican you have to acknowledge and salut his service to our country. This man certainly made mistakes in his past, but he was a real person committed to real problems and serving real people.

Yesterday we lost one of this country's great leaders. His passion and conviction led to many great things for our nation - civil rights, medicare, children's health care and much more.

Take 8 minutes to pay tribute to Sen. Ted Kennedy. There is also a great article here.

Potty Training 101

Okay, I think I need some advice or help when it comes to potty training. A couple of weeks ago Luka did wee in the toilet for the first time (picture above). But then he sort of stopped. There were a couple of days when he would scream and cry at the sight of the toilet. Now we are back to the point when he says, "Luka pee-pee in the toilet." So we sit him down and then he makes noises as if he is going, but nothing. Purely for show...it is quite cute actually.

How can I get him to actually wee in the toilet? Please help.

Attention Fashion Police

Okay, so everyone knows I can be a little controlling (but in a good way). One of the things I always like to have say over is Luka's fashion sense. I know I am his mother, but his boy is one of the best dressed in Maputo. I really love children's clothing and Luka's closet is a testament to that.

But last week I was out running some errands and I called Elizabeth (the nanny) and asked her to put long sleeves and pants on Luka so I could pick him up and take him on tour around town with my friend that was visiting. I usually lay out the clothes, but this time I was in a hurry so I just called her.

Well, when I got home this is what I found (notice that every item, even the socks has a different pattern). I think Luka picked out the clothes himself. I hope that is the reason he decided on this ensemble out of all the great clothes in his closet.

Dani and I were laughing for about 5 minutes. He was so proud of his clothes and I couldn't bring myself to change him...so we went around town in this outfit.

In the end it is not a big deal, but I was a bit mortified that the Fashion Police would issue me a "Uncool Mommy Citation."

Mozambique Makes National News

This past Tuesday we were crossing the South African/Mozambican border and as we were waiting in the car for JJ to process our passports on the Mozambican side and I noticed a BMW unmarked police car and tons of people gathered around smiling giving the person inside the thumbs up. I was intrigued and not sure who the person inside was. My first guess would have been some famous athlete or maybe one of Mozambique's famous singer like MC Roger...no, I was wrong.

It was a notorious killer who has repeatedly escaped from jail in Mozambique. They caught him in South Africa and were bringing him back to Maputo. He is known as "Anilbalzinho." He murdered a prominent journalist, Carlos Cardoso, in 2000. This man has escaped numerous times, this was his third.

Why was everybody so happy to see him and giving him the thumbs up as if he was just voted MVP of the World Cup? I just don't get it....

To see the story on BBC click here.

Our Safari Adventure

Recently Dani and I spent three days at Gomo Gomo Game Lodge. It is part of the Greater Kruger National Park. We were hoping to see loads of animals. Okay and not to sound spoiled because we did see lions, leopards, buffalo, zebras, giraffes and others, but we didn't see any elephants and the amounts of animals wasn't impressive.

At times as we were driving in our safari vehicle it seemed like hours would go by without seeing a single animal. That is the thing about a safari...you never know. It is the luck of the draw.

With that being said, Dani and I had a great time and we met some really nice people on the trip. The food was terrible (just being honest), but the ambiance was good. You can't have it all right!

To see more pictures click here.

Girl's Night Out

Last night most of our hubby's were out of town and we wanted to give Stacy (on my right) a proper send off. She will be moving soon and we thought that a Girl's Night Out was the perfect way to say goodbye. We started off with drinks at Dani's (strapless top) house then we were off to Sassa's for drinks, dancing and some seriously entertaining people watching. We danced, but the real fun was watching other people dance to the kaleidoscope of music that this DJ was playing. In a span of 30 minutes he played Michael Jackson, Madonna's Isla Bonita, Kool and the Gang, Latin music (don't remember the names), techno, disco, Ace of Bass and other's I don't know. We had so much fun...let's not wait so long to do this again. We should make it a monthly event.

But I have to be honest with you...my age has caught up with me. It was extremely painful to wake up the next morning after getting to bed at 2 am. How did I do it in college and just a couple of years ago? Oh, yeah....no kids. Luka doesn't care that mommy was partying the night before. He likes to party early in the morning. I have to thank my friend Dani that is visiting....she let me catch a couple of more hours of sleep when she woke up. Thank you soooo much.

Some more photos from our night out...Say cheese Stacy!

What is everyone drinking? Hey where is my capirinha...they make the best ones at this bar!

Saying Goodbye to Friends

Our friends the Miranda Family will be leaving Mozambique soon. For now they will head back to DC and then from there who knows where their next adventure will take them. We wanted to let them know how much we will miss them here in Maputo. I hope Raquel and the kids had a good time at the party today. I know that we will see each other soon...either in the states or in one of our upcoming posts.

It is always hard to say goodbye to the friends we make while we are living abroad, but with some you know that you will see them again. I have a feeling that Cesar and Luka will have a play date real soon!

Click here to see more photos from the party.

Splish Splash Luka's Taking a Bath

Luka absolutely love to take a bath! He also loves to pose for the camera. I call this look his "fake" smile.

More photos of Olin...

Luka and I can't wait to meet Olin on our next trip to Holland. JJ, the proud uncle was lucky enough to visit him on his recent business trip to the Netherlands. Isn't he the cutest?

Mommy and Olin...don't JJ and his sister look alike???

Here he is striking a pose with his daddy, Rick.

Having fun with Dani...

Here is a photo of the day we went to Maputo's Central Train Station. The station is beautiful and is sort of unique because there is a restaurant, bar and art gallery right on the platform of the station. Here is Dani outside of the train station. If you remember from the movie Blood Diamonds the station was used as a "hotel."

After the train station Dani joined me at an event that I had. My friend was coordinating a conference to promote business at the Port of Maputo and she asked me to have a table with the photo cards and prints that we sell of Mozambique. You can see more of the cards here. What is up with those glasses? You either love them or hate them.

Dani, decided to enjoy a coconut drink while trying to sell some cards.

She also got to see a performance from Milhoro...the same group that performed for Luka's birthday party. They are really great.

On Friday we drove 3 hours to Nelspruit and here we are enjoying a delicious lunch at Orange - the best restaurant in town.

After lunch we spent the rest of the day at the mall for some retail therapy. I was getting a little loopy as the stores were closing. I had to rush to get all the things I wanted. The stores close at 6pm. Doesn't that seem early to you?

The drive back home on Saturday was a bit of a nightmare. The line of cars that wanted to pass through the border went back 2km. It was insane!

On Sunday we went to the Southern Sun Hotel (formerly a Holiday Inn) and enjoyed some pina coladas by the pool.

What have we been up to...

Our friend Dani arrived last week and we have been busy showing her around town and hanging out with our friends from Maputo. Here you can see Luka and some of his friends last Saturday as they stare outside at the crazy rainstorm. We floated back home. The roads were insane...here is a sneak peak.

Later on in the week we took Dani to AISM (where I used to work) and Luka got to spin around and laugh at us trying to spin around as well.

We had to do some shopping so we took Dani to the Central Market.

Crab anyone?

After the market we crossed the street to Casa de Elefante (my favorite capulana store), where Dani bought some beautiful fabrics to take home. Luka gave his "thumbs up" on her final selections.

On the way home we spotted some clouds and rain in the distance.

During the week my friend Laura and I took Dani too Maputo Shopping Center for some retail therapy and coffee. Not much to buy there, but the coffee and rice cakes or "bolo de arroz" were delicious!

Digging for Crabs

Luka loves the beach and when he heard that his friends Frani and Peter go digging for little crabs on the beach he didn't want to miss out on the fun. So we all went to the beach, but the crabs were hiding out that day. It was a little cold for the little creatures to come out and play. The kids didn't find any, but they still had a good time.