parque das aguas

a few weeks back, when henry was sick and all three of us had a terrible case of cabin fever, we packed up in the car and decided to go for a drive. we have had a few people talk about parque das aguas in a nearby (ish) city so i looked up the address and we set off. there was almost no one there and the sun was hot! like reeaalll bright. 

we walked, talked, and scouted the roosters out. we chased a rabbit, walked through bamboo and took lots of pictures. 

^^^ i love this picture. brothers! i'm glad they have each other, and i am glad i have them. and i am so glad that we have warm weather! all the time here!

this week we are going to spend as much time as we can outdoors, my boys do so much better when they are outside. and- wasn't women's meeting so good?! also, niell marriott and her 11 kids? that was amazing. i texted daniel right then and told him i wanted to have a jumping picture like the one she showed someday with our 11 kids... !

xo

breakthrough!

a day to remember.

henry daniel neeleman went an entire day with the same pair of big boy underwear. z-to the-o, zero accidents that is. we are all jumping for joy!

naptime.

henry and charles are quite that duo these days. they absolutely love playing together (when henry isn't jumping on him). i think i hear the phrase "i'n charley play cars, mama!" about 5467 times a day from big brother. henry is making little charles grow up so fast. all this car talk, book reading, bed jumping, slide climbing, dirt eating stuff that is going on around here- geez, they'll be goin on missions tomorrow.

lately, charles and henry have been napping at different times in the day, and well, it is actually really nice. when charles naps in the morning henry is right by my side as i clean, helping me in every way possible. he squirts the cleaner on the floor, vacuums, washers all the chairs with the bubbly rag, puts the clothes in the dryer, starts the dryer and puts the silverware away impeccably. he talks the whole time, too. daddy, lunch, friends, cars, hippos, waffles, and "charley sleepin', mama...".  it is so nice to have one on one time with him. then, after the lunch mess and henry is sleeping charles and i hit! oh and we party.

this plant is his "go to place", i mean, for good reason.^^^

one year.

 can you believe that one year ago today we moved to brazil?

so much has changed and just as much has been learned. we miss family a lot (a lot!!) but we also love how close we have gotten over this past year. you really depend on each other, ya know? i'm really cherishing this time together with us four.

so thanks, brazil. thanks for the friendships, people, language, weather, porch garden, corn ice cream, soccer games and everything in between. we havin a ball.

xo.

we did it!

this is me practicing during sunday school with daniel. i didnt know he was taking pictures....^^

we did it everyone. i talked for 5 whole minutes (in portuguese) at church yesterday. i learned so much from doing it. daniel and i were talking after we got home and he said, i think i am going to ask the bishop to have you talk every sunday, you learn so much! ha. thank you, daniel. but no thank you.

i am happy it's monday today- it's raining here and the clouds are covering the sky in a thick gray color. all the doors and windows are open (as they almost always are here) and the moist, crisp air feels so good. the boys just had pancakes and maple syrup and are now sorting through every. single. toy in the toy bin. at some point soon we will all do yoga together, fold laundry and water the plants.

life is good.