Offline until next week tuesday *sigh*

Well our internet and phone are down, not sure what the problem is but they won't be up again until at least next week tuesday.

I'm at the library right now and wanted to let all my bloggy readers know what was happening...hence no Slow Cooking Thursday post today and no posts until the internet is back up. Sorry about that!

When I am back online I will announce the winner of the Big Five Magnet Giveaway.

Until then, God Bless, stay safe and don't miss me too much LOL

Reconnecting - Part 7

I think everyone has that one special place that they go to to get away from the craziness of life....that one place that you could visit every single year and YET love it just as much as the first time you set foot on it.

For me it's the Kruger National Park. I have the fondest of memories of our yearly family vacations there, but there is always one thing that stands out and is unmatched about it........the smell. You may think I'm crazy or I've lost my mind or you may even think that I'm talking about some rancid weird smell, but I'm not, really...unless you've been to the Kruger Park, you can't understand just what that smell is.

But anyway, enough of that let's get going, I hope you packed light, it's hot there

Kruger Park is about 4 hours from Johannesburg, so we had quite a few stops for all the kiddies to get out and use the bathroom etc. This was one of the stops just 20 minutes from the Malelane Gate which is one of the main gates to the Park.

One of the first views of the Kruger park and just how enormous it is.

There are tons of lodges along this river and some are just breathtaking....imagine if you will, waking up in the morning and stepping out on to your veranda with views like this before you.

After we made it across the bridge you could feel the anticipation building up. I for one was besides myself, I wanted to literally scream at the top of my lungs with joy, here was one of my favorite places on earth and I was but a few minutes from it.

Welcome to Malelane Gate! EEEEEEEEEEEE


Another view of the gate as you arrive

These huge skulls are displayed right outside the reception door

Once you check in to the main gate, you set off on the way to your camp. Let me just show you a map so you better understand what I mean. (click on the map for a bigger size)

You quickly become used to seeing these all over the place, quite frankly I got tired of them LOL At one point I wouldn't even bother to look anymore because there's just so many of them around.

This guy was on the side of the road RIGHT by the Malelane gate, we would have totally missed him too if my sister in law Lilian hadn't jumped in fright LOL

Fighting for female attention, or for dinner, or out of boredom? Who knows, but they were very much into it LOL

Arriving at our camp Berg-en-dal.....this camp is the closest to the Malelane Gate and we were happy to not have to drive another 2 or 3 hours to get to our camp. It's also one of the best camps there is.....

Alright, now let's head down to the reception area to check in and grab our house keys. Funny just looking at this photo I feel like I'm still there.

On the left we have the store and right in front there's these little steps where they show a nightly movie about the wild. If you continue further down you get to the Rhino Trail which overlooks a watering hole.

Here we are at the house, aren't they amazing?

Living room....see those beds built into the side of the wall? They are very handy when you have a big group of people.

Kitchen area, it's an open floor plan which is great....


The first monkey we saw I believe his name was Curt LOL

The kids all excited to be at the Kruger Park......their faces crack me up LOL

What's a family without one or two model wannabe's? Jasmine and Taryn-Lee are ALWAYS ready to pose.

So we've settled in, unpacked and now we're starving so it's time to head to the store and buy some meat for the grill.....quite a big family we have here and we all walked there instead of driving. My poor grandma tried her best but she did have a hard time on the way back, her legs were just killing her.

Lookie what we spotted on the way? Doesn't that give you warm fuzzy feelings of the UNWANTED kind? LOL I can't stand bats and this just gave me the shivers.....eeewwwww

Yes I know I'm hungry too Curt....he's looking at me with that "Woman, I'm starving hurry up" look

See how he is no longer in this next shot??? That's because he came up to me to ask what I was doing stopped in the middle of the walk with a camera in hand........he obviously has NO IDEA what it means to blog LOL

A view of the Rhino Trail and our friends....they were all over the camp


Sweet little things but quite vicious if messed with. We had to remind the kids not to go near it because as cute and fuzzy as it may seem, they are wild animals and not to be fed or played with.

Before heading to the store to pick up the food for dinner, we stopped at the local restaurant for some lunch. It was expensive and the food wasn't that great to be honest with you. I much prefer cooking my own meals back at the house.


Sandra is clearly hungry or hot or something something LOL

My poor son was still a little jet lagged, that head on the hands at the table thing became quite popular with him LOL

We finally ate, shopped for dinner and went back to the houses....after some showers and relaxing, it was time to start the grill.

Here's the essentials for a good Kruger Park trip........I labeled it for you just so you can get an idea of what you need to survive LOL

See? You don't need much LOL

Anyway, let's have some dinner and call it a night, it's been an exhausting day.

Literally dinner by candlelight with nothing but the stars above and the sound of the lions in the distance. It's an AMAZING sound, very scary but just amazing all the same.

Taryn-Lee enjoying her chicken :)

Jasmine munching on hers too....

Tiffany was definitely enjoying her chicken


I look at this photo and I want so badly to throw myself back in there again....I miss the park so much.

Grandma enjoying her dinner

Curt and I
My stepmom and dad


My poor grandma, she was cold so Curt went and got a blanket off the bed to wrap around her shoulders LOL

My oldest brother Paul and sister in law Lilian

Me and Lilian - I think the wine was getting to me LOL I don't know what that face was for LOL


Tired happy kids, if there's such a thing....or maybe it was the anticipation of getting up at 5:30 in the morning to go see the animals?

Either way it was a wonderful first day at the Kruger National Park and we had SO many more to come, so go ahead, go lay down and rest because we're getting up at the crack of dawn and riding out into the wild....it will be fun.

Reconnecting - Part 7

So we're back from the coast, we have shells and wonderful memories to remind us of the good times we spent AND we have the anticipation of going to the Kruger National Park building up.

The weekend before we set out on the road again, we all went to Mimmo's Restaurant for dinner......all of us, that is the brothers and sister and our little ones


Curtis, Bruno and Nadine

All the kids together....from left to right: Nicholas, Tiffany, Jasmine, Taryn-Lee, Alyssa, Dylan and Colby


Hayley, Me and Lilian

We had a great time at dinner, it was nice sitting around with all my brothers and just talking about where our lives were now....it's weird when you sit around as grown ups and you can still remember all the naughty things you did before husbands and wives and children were in our lives LOL


The very next morning we headed to my dad's coffee shop for breakfast....we met up with my Uncle Tony. That's Curt and Uncle Tony in deep conversation...not sure what they were talking about *snicker*


Awwww my grandma Odete and my kids

I just LOVE this one, it's so sweet and my grandma holds a very special place in my heart. She was there with me through a LOT of my teenage craziness and during the beginning of mine and Curt's relationship.


After breakfast we headed to my sister in law Nadine's Dance School...she's a dance teacher and my nieces all go to her for lessons. In this photo you can see on the bottom left, Alyssa (Nadine and Bruno's daughter) and in the grey outfit that is Tiffany!

Now while at the studio I got to see one of my favorite people, my sister in law Hayley's little sister Roxanne. Let me tell you when I left Roxy was this bubbly 12 year old and now I return to this amazing gorgeous woman who had JUST had a baby. I couldn't believe it, but look at this adorable little angel.

Roxy, me and Hayley

Roxy and Hayley with the little one


Jasmine couldn't keep her hands off the baby, she just wanted to hold her and hug her all the time. :)

By the time we left at the end of the day, this was the last thing I saw....makes me want another of my own. Of course that would mean that Curt would have to want it too and it's NOT happening there LOL

Tomorrow we're heading to the Kruger National Park, get ready because you're about to immerse yourself in a world of wild animals, walking and going about their lives RIGHT outside your car door, there's no fence, there's no protection between you and them. Unless you're in the camps!

So come with me tomorrow, pack your cyber bags and let me take you to Berg-en-Dal for the week, I can promise that you will never forget it.

Quiet Weekend!

I took a break from the trip posts just so that I could talk about OTHER things. Like the newest book series that I'm completely obessed with, so much so that I got all 3 huge, thick, books on thursday and I'm on the last one, because when I'm enjoying a book I just can't put it down.

So now I'm left waiting for the fourth to be released on the 2nd of August and I have to keep myself from biting my nails in anticipation, doesn't help that the movie for the series is coming out in December so then I sit and wish the months fly by. By now I'm sure you're wondering just what the heck I'm talking about, so I'll let you in on it.........

Twilight Series by Stephenie Meyer

I am completely in love with Edward and Bella, the main characters in the series. Edward is this gorgeous vampire and Bella is the normal girl next door type, a human....they fall in love and from that point on their lives are turned upside down with obstacle after obstacle. I literally could NOT put the first book *Twilight* down, I took it with me to the kitchen while I made dinner, to the bathroom while I overlooked the kid's bath time....even in the car so that I could sneak in some reading at the parking lot when I arrived at the commissary or the BX or the drive thru. It's THAT addictive and this is coming from a full grown woman, an adult, a mother and wife...not a teenager who the Twilight Saga was actually aimed at.


In the meantime while I wait for the fourth book *Breaking Dawn* and the movie to be released, I think I may just pick up Stephenie's other book...The Host.



In the meantime I've also been getting back into my Netflix watching and I started with the first movies on the Queue which were "Elizabeth I: The Virgin Queen". It started a bit slow and I got frustrated during some parts but it changed and I actually enjoyed it. Next on the list is Elizabeth: The Golden Age.


I'm doing absolutely nothing today, my house is clean and the only thing I have to worry about is cooking meals, other than that, I'm free.....free to read or free to watch a movie or whatever I feel like. One thing is for sure, it's too darn hot to be outside, the kids say otherwise because well....because they're doing this:



If only I didn't have this self conscious problem about traumatizing the neighbors with having to see me in a bikini, I too could be throwing myself onto that slide.....but I feel bad for spongebob too, I don't think his idea of fun is my fat butt on his face. LOL

Anyway, I'm out of here, it's time for lunch, I'm going to make some hotdogs on the grill. Yum!

Big Five Magnet Giveaway!

All I need you to do is name the Big Five animals of Africa. I don't care if you have to google or not, it doesn't matter to me, I just want you to name them and you will be entered into the drawing for a genuine African Wildlife fridge magnet handmade in Tshwane, South Africa. I brought it with me from South Africa, so if you're interested, just leave me a comment with your name, email or blog where I can contact you and the list of the Big Five. It's open to US and Canada!

The contest will run all week and I'll name the winner on Friday, 27th of June.

Good Luck!

Reconnecting - Part 6

Before I continue with our visit to Ushaka Marine World, I have something for you guys. It's nothing big, just a little contest for something from South Africa.

All I need you to do is name the Big Five animals of Africa. I don't care if you have to google or not, it doesn't matter to me, I just want you to name them and you will be entered into the drawing for a genuine African Wildlife fridge magnet handmade in Tshwane, South Africa. I brought it with me from South Africa, so if you're interested, just leave me a comment with your name, email or blog where I can contact you and the list of the Big Five. It's open to US and Canada!

Good Luck!



Let's go back to Ushaka Marine World, I have some great photos to share with you including one that is mine and Curt's favorite....this purple fish, it's just beautiful.


No clue what it's called, I forgot to check the name so if anyone knows what it is, I would love to find out.

All the kids listening to one of the aquarium staff explain about the little sharks in the tank


This turtle makes me laugh, I can't look at her without hearing that voice from Finding Nemo "DUDE" lol

Love the jellyfish

Ok now the seal show LOL This guy above was the cop

This guy was the prisoner who escaped, he then stole the hate from the cop while he was sleeping and took off running. The cop came out with the seal and they were looking for the prisoner which made his way to the crowd and then took the hate off and dropped it off on an unsuspecting audience member...........yeah, you know where this is going LOL

I was sitting there minding my own business and next thing I know I have the cop yell out "HEY YOU" and call me towards him. CRUD was my first thought, I didn't want to go but everyone pushed me towards him, I could hear Curtis cackling in the background with the camera in hand LOL

I just stood there not knowing what the heck was happening, he accused me of stealing his hat LOL

Then he asked me what I had to say for myself and put the microphone to my mouth and before I could say a word, this loud Yodeling comes on the speakers LOL I about died LOL

He took me over to the wanted poster and told me that it was me, of course it wasn't, it was the guy in the orange suit LOL

And then it ended with him asking me if I like Sushi and I said yes, so he reached into his fanny pack LOL and gave me a little candy bar and sent me on my way....OH after he removed his hat from my head LOL

The seal show ended and it was time for us to head back to Scottburgh, leaving behind this want to come back again and spend more time exploring the Ushaka Marine World.

Taryn-Lee

Dylan and Nicholas


Heading out, they have this great little strip mall with all sorts of great shops and restaurants etc.

The next morning was time to return back to Johannesburg but it was also Curt's birthday. The night before we had talked to the staff at the restaurant about singing Happy Birthday to him etc. He had NO idea what was coming and his reaction was priceless LOL

He looked up at me and said "why didn't you tell me?" LOL Well because if I had, he would have found a way to skip breakfast LOL

We even got free champagne....

My sister in law Lilian


My dad and stepmom



And with that, it's goodbye Scottburgh and goodbye Durban. I will DEFINITELY be returning next time I'm in South Africa.

Two recipes for you!

I just updated my food blog with two great recipes for dinners or lunches. They're both portuguese recipes so I hope you enjoy them.

EMPADAO RAPIDO - RICE CASSEROLE

BIFE TRINCHADO - PORTUGUESE STEAK

Reconnecting - Part 5

If you're looking for the Slow Cooking Thursday post, it's just below!

So it's a brilliant calm morning at the beach and we have the full day ahead of us, so we got in the car and drove the short distance to Durban. We had lunch and then explored the Ushaka Marine World.....little did I know that later in the day I would become part of the Seal Show.

At the entrance to Ushaka....Curt, me, Nicholas, Dylan, Taryn-Lee, Nela, Jasmine and my dad Dario


A view of the ship which they have turned into an aquarium and restaurant.

Now you may be wondering what the story is behind the Phantom Ship and so far what we've been able to learn is this:

Even stranger is the legend of the Phantom ship first sighted at the turn of the last century sailing into Durban harbour from a southerly direction. Ship’s stevedores noticed it at dusk rounding Durban’s Bluff headland with just one blue-green light swinging at the fore. They waited for the vessel - described as a stem ship with a black and scarlet funnel and two masts - to enter the harbour, but it never did.

Several weeks later it appeared again in the same area, but this time even closer to shore, moving slowly like a stealthy shadow again. It appeared to have no name, answered no signals and flew no flags.

Of course sea folk being notoriously superstitious, all kinds of notions were proffered. It was a pirate ship skulking in the dark waiting for its prey, said some. It was lost said others. Some suggested it was on some secret mission. But with no real answers it wasn’t long before the mystery ship was known simply as that darned phantom.

And there the legend may have remained, part myth, part reality, if it had not been for man’s insatiable curiosity which resulted in it being wrecked upon our shores.

The ship

Having lunch at the Cape Town Fish Market....I loved the restaurant setting, it was great and it overlooked the ocean

Love this photo of me and my dad :)


We all had the Calamari Meal which included this little potjie of muscles in a cream sauce. They were VERY good, but we all later felt a little sick. That's the thing with seafood, you have to be so careful as to not get food poisoning...it may be possible that it was just a coincidence, but I'm just saying.

Regardless of, the restaurant was pretty expensive and the food was ok, I wouldn't go back anytime soon just for the price alone.

Just looking at it now is making me hungry though LOL I could totally go for a meal like that today....

The inside bathroom area of the ship was maintained the same way

I would hate to have to go potty in this place, I can't even handle the normal public bathrooms with the doors that leave that huge space on the sides so that everyone can see you. *hahaha*

Have you EVER seen a Cod Fish as big as this one??? I mean, good grief, look at it in comparison to Nicholas.



Nicholas didn't quite know what to make of this LOL I for one thought it was hilarious especially when right after I snapped this pic he came running to me and said "mommy, don't put it on your blog" LOL

I LOVE dolphins, so watching the show was one of the best experiences for me





Here is a video of the dolphin show and there will be more coming tomorrow!

Slow Cooking Thursday!

All my slow cooking recipes are now online and starting today, I will add all the recipes shared weekly to my online del.icio.us site too. So if you're wanting to find ALL the slow cooked recipes that have been shared since the first SLOW COOKING THURSDAY, here is the link for you.

Don't forget to add your name to Mr Linky and a link back to your SCT post so others can come by and see your recipe too.

Crock-Pot Chicken Tortillas

Meat from 1 whole chicken
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup green chili salsa
2 tablespoon quick cooking tapioca
1 medium onion, chopped
1 1/2 cup grated cheese (try Monterey Jack)
1 dozen corn tortillas
Black olives

Tear chicken into bite size pieces, mix with soup, chili, salsa and tapioca. Line bottom of crock pot with 3 corn tortillas, torn into bite size pieces. Add 1/3 of the chicken mixture. Sprinkle with 1/3 of the onion and 1/3 of the grated cheese. Repeat layers of tortillas topped with chicken mixture, onions and cheese. Cover and cook on low 6 to 8 hours.

Garnish with sliced black olives.

Quick and Easy Dessert!

I love these, they are so easy to make and so good. They remind me of my school years, I used to bake these at home while still in high school and they were always a hit with everyone in the family.

Portuguese Milk Tartlets or Queijadas Economicas

Reconnecting - Part 4

I think for me the best part of being near the ocean is the mornings, you wake up and you can smell the water and hear it's roaring in the distance. We got up and had breakfast and then made our way down to the beach, the weather was just perfect, not too hot and not too cold......except for that first dip in the water. WOWEE.......*brrrr*

The kids first encounter with the actual cold water, there were a lot of shrieks and laughs

Nicholas pants ballooned up LOL



I just love this one, I caught my nephew Dylan right as he jumped up over a small wave

Well now don't we all know the feeling when a wave comes crashing down and throws us onto the beach???? LOL Jasmine was caught off guard but she thought it was the funniest thing ever




Uncle Paul building sand castles with Nicholas and Taryn-Lee

Me and my oldest brother Paul......excuse the fatness, I shouldn't even be walking around in a bikini LOL

My sister in law Lilian and me

RSTuning SA, this is my brother's business for remapping cars. Don't know exactly how it works or whatever, all I know is that it makes them go a LOT faster, so hey if you're in South Africa and want your car remapped, just contact RSTuning SA LOL *shameless plug I know*

Me and my daddy :)

Downtown Scottburgh, it's this really nice small beach town....loved it!



After the beach and lunch we headed to the pool for an hour or two.

Taryn-Lee and Jasmine....they became good friends really fast

My nephew Dylan :)

The girls in the pool


Mr Diary of a SAHM LOL or Curt for those who don't know LOL

And to end of the pool experience, even I got in...now let me tell you first, I don't swim, just never got around to it but I won't drown though. I can float and get from one side of the pool to the other, I'm just not a swimmer and don't do all the cool arm movements and whatnot LOL


It was a fun filled day which I'll never forget. But the vacation was just beginning, the very next day we got in the car and drove the 45 minutes to Durban to the Ushaka Marine World, just wait until you see those photos and videos.....I was even part of the Seal Show LOL

Reconnecting - Part 3

It was monday morning and we loaded up the cars and set out on the road, heading to Scottburgh. The kids were so excited because they knew that for the first time in their lives, they were going to see the ocean, they would get to play in the water, build sand castles and collect seashells.

The drive was about 6 hours long but we did stop for breakfast at Wimpy and then once or twice more for bathroom breaks and some drinks and snacks.

One of our stops brought us to Pixa's (peesha's). LOL That's not the name of the place, it's just a family joke amongst us because this is what happened. We will never forget it!
Now if you don't want to go back and read that post, let me give you a quick summary....so we're all excited and we're halfway to the beach, next thing we know the car breaks down and we pull into this gas station/restaurant thing...little did we know that we would end up staying at that darn place for 3 days, just watching the cars go by and wondering when the heck we would be leaving.

The entrance to the restaurant, we came in the first day and ate lunch, then came back and ate dinner, then in the morning we showed up for breakfast LOL The staff were looking at us weird, wondering why this family was constantly in there to eat instead of heading on to their destination just like everyone else.

Oh these benches....we sat and lay on every single one of them, we played cards, we took naps, we listened to music, we talked and most of all we stared sadly at the passing cars knowing they were going to the beach and we were stuck waiting for our car to be fixed LOL

As frustrating as it was at the time, now we can look back on it and laugh. If you want to know the full story including what my dad did, then go read this post.


After a few more hours we started seeing the ocean and there's nothing like it. I could do without the clammy sticky feeling caused by the humidity because my hair gets all frizzy and whatnot, but hey, a girl can sacrifice the hair for some splashes in the ocean.

We finally arrived at Scottburgh at about 4pm, here we are checking into the Blue Marlin Hotel, which I LOVE LOVE LOVE and will definitely go back to.

They offered us some really good litchi juice while we checked in.

A view of the kids beds. The bedroom had a double bed and then this separate room with single beds for the kids...they loved it.

Relaxing for a few minutes before heading out to explore the hotel and beach

Right next to the pool area they have a trampoline and a kid's play area

Dad and Nela by the pool

A view from the pool. I tell you it's just breathtaking, you are sitting by the pool and look over to see this

Now we're going down to the beach which is just below the hotel, we had to keep a good hold on the kids cause they were literally running towards it.



I don't think I've ever seen my kids so happy, the look on their faces was just indescribable

After we visited the beach we went back up to our rooms, had a quick shower and changed for dinner. Now let me tell you about the Blue Marlin Hotel, all meals are inclusive and you can eat as MUCH as you want. YES you heard right, as MUCH as you want.

When you're portuguese there is this overwhelming feeling to play this game LOL Of course my kids had to be introduced to it too, it's only fair since they're half portuguese right?

Dad and Nela while we were waiting for dinner to begin. See those paintings in the back? Those are typical african canvas paintings and they were selling them at the hotel. My brother gave us two beautiful ones as a gift and my dad and stepmom another smaller one. They are stunning, I'll take photos and then post them for you all at another time.

Hungry, happy kids...if there is such a thing. LOL Usually hungry means cranky little ones, but they were true sports and were so happy to be at the beach that having to wait a bit for dinner didn't bother them at all.

Here we all are ready to eat

Now let me explain how this works, every meal has a different menu. See the menu above? You get EVERYTHING on there unless you tell them you don't want something. So the waiter comes around and asks who wants the Cheesy Prawns, when you're done he asks who wants the soup.....me, I was in heaven, I love food so I pretty much had everything LOL


Nicholas and his roast chicken


By the end of the meal you usually end up with a ton of plates around you and a very full happy tummy. If you're looking for value for money, you have to check out the Blue Marlin Hotel in Scottburgh, South Africa. You won't be disappointed!

After dinner we headed outside to the bar area around the pool and had some Irish coffees, the perfect ending to a perfect day......the next morning we woke up to this:



And this was the day we headed to the beach, but you'll have to wait until tomorrow for those photos because this post has gone on so long already I'm afraid you're all falling asleep on me.

Reconnecting - Part 2

Morning view - You can see the city of Johannesburg in the distance

We woke up to cloudy skies on Sunday, the second day back home in Johannesburg. If there is one thing that I've always enjoyed was the fact that from our house we could see the city skyline, it's especially beautiful at night. Since we had the barbecue the day before, we settled on one of my all time favorite meals and one which I never have here in the States......Crab Curry!

*Drool* There is NOTHING like crab curry, just look at all that yumminess

Nicholas, Colby and Dylan having lunch

Since we have such a big family, we can't all fit on one table so the kids usually eat first in the kitchen. You can see my sister in law Hayley on the left trying to hide away from the camera LOL


My dad, my grandmother Jacinta (mom's mother) and again Hayley off to the side LOL It actually became a joke between us because she always seemed to be caught in the photos.

My oldest brother Paul and my sister in law Lilian

Me and Curt.....I have to tell you that I HATE having my picture taken, I always look horrible so don't laugh LOL

As the lunch began though I noticed a plate on the table that brought tears to my eyes, and you may be thinking I am crazy for saying that but you have to understand that this was my greatgrandmother's plate. This was the ONLY one she ate on, she had her own fork and knife and glass etc.....we used to laugh about it but now seeing it and knowing it belonged to her, it just brought back so many great memories.

Greatgrandma's plate

My stepmom, grandma and uncle

My poor Nicholas. He was the only one Jet Lagged when we arrived in South Africa, hence the reason he kept falling asleep at any time of the day....here he is trying to eat dinner only to have the sleep win.


And that was the end to our second day in South Africa. The very next morning we set off towards Durban where the kids would encounter the ocean and the beach for their very first time. I'll share all the photos and stories tomorrow so don't forget to check back.

Reconnecting.....the best part of going home! - Part 1

So it's been 10 years since you've last seen your family, you have all these thoughts going through your mind because let's face it, people change, things change and you're left wondering how it will all go down. Will you remember the person's likes and dislikes? Will you find them older, younger, nicer, meaner....you may be laughing but in 10 years a LOT can happen and who knows right?

The day we left started very early, we were at the airport at 4:30 am, tired but excited.

Sky Harbor Airport, Phoenix Arizona

On the last flight to Johannesburg (10 hours), the kids were going a little coo coo

When the airplane landed in Johannesburg after a grueling 23 hour day of flying, my heart stopped in my chest, I was excited, I was nervous, I was exhilarated but most of all I couldn't wait to see everyone again. We slowly made our way out of the plane, through the passport control and to the baggage claim and then the time came, there was no going back and there was no postponing it......the year of planning, the craziness and worry of the passport not arriving in time and the anticipation of what was to come came to a screeching halt.....this was it.

We walked towards the doors and the minute they opened I was welcomed by a sea of familiar happy faces, my brothers all standing near the front, cameras in hand taking pictures. Their faces a mixture of happiness and overwhelming joy, I could see the tears in their eyes and I could feel my own starting to creep up. I pushed it back down determined NOT to cry. I wanted to be strong....and I was for a full minute LOL
Until I saw my sister in law Hayley reach out her arm and then I sank into her hug and let it go. I cried for 10 years that I didn't see them, I cried for the happiness that swelled in my heart and I cried because finally my children were meeting my family, the people who had been there since I was born, through my ups and downs. I WAS HOME!

The kids with Fila, our pug back home. She is so old, she can't see or hear well and has muscle problems in her back legs which make it sore and uncomfortable for her to walk. Nevertheless, they showered her with love and affection and she came to love having them around.

The cousins together. Dylan is not in the picture, he had gone with his dad (my oldest brother Paul) to a work related function but he did arrive later in the day. From left to right, in the back: Taryn-Lee, Jasmine, Tiffany and Alyssa In the front: Nicholas and Colby

Saturday and Sunday we just hung out at my dad's house, the whole family got together, all 21 of us. We had a barbecue and laughed, ate, reminisced about days gone by and allowed the kids to completely immerse themselves in this whole new family they had never met before. It didn't take long before they were the best of friends with their cousins and bonded with their aunts and uncles, grandpa and grandma's and even their greatgrandma's. It was so much fun!

In the back: Me and my mom Front: Grandma Odete, Grandma Jacinta

If there is one thing I absolutely love to death, is my grandmothers. There is this bond between grandma's and girls that remains your whole life through and I can't tell you how much it meant to me to be able to hug them both again.

Nadine, Bruno, Me and Curt - This is my baby brother and his wife....we had so much fun and we couldn't stop laughing

My brother Miguel, my sister in law Hayley (we've been friends for 20 years), me and Curt

From left to right: Miguel, Curt, Bruno and Paul

That day was filled to the brim, we ate wonderful food, we talked, we listened to music and danced. It was great being back in the noisy animated family that I have. LOVE IT!

Me and my Uncle Tony

My baby girl Tiffany. When I left South Africa she wasn't yet 2 years old....I had been taking care of her and watching her since she was 3 months old while my sister in law Hayley and brother Miguel worked....when I left I felt like I was leaving behind my own child..... now she's this gorgeous 11 year old. I miss her already!

I love this photo, me and my baby brother Bruno. (Nevermind that he's 30 years old, he'll always be my baby brother)

In this photo we're missing Colby, he decided he didn't want to be in it LOL But Uncle Bruno made the kids laugh that's why they're all so happy. I miss all my babies so much, it breaks my heart!

My dad who is always making us laugh, when he walked out like this the kids thought it was the funniest thing ever LOL

I miss my daddy, he is one of the smartest and funniest people ever.

And that was the end of the first day back home in South Africa. Portuguese people are very passionate and very loud LOL We could be talking about the weather and if you didn't know better you would think we were about to get into a fist fight. Here's a little short video of what usually goes on during our get togethers.

This is my stepmom Nela, Tiffany and Alyssa dancing to a typical portuguese song.



And that's it for now, tomorrow I'll take you through our second day there and share more photos.

Home and Jet Lagged!

It feels great being back in my house with my stuff around me but I wish I could enjoy it more, because I am Jet Lagged.....BAD! Wow do I feel horrible, I'm exhausted, I'm sick to my stomach and throwing up and just feel completely out of it.

I'm trying to get the bags unpacked, clean the house, do laundry and all that other fun stuff but I'm getting nowhere fast. I'm hoping by tomorrow I'll be well enough to start sharing all my photos and stories with you.

I also checked my bloglines and almost fainted when I saw that I had over 1500 new posts...needless to say, I won't be reading them all, I'll come by and say hi but I doubt I'll be able to fully catch up on everything I've missed the past month.

Anyway, I'm heading back to bed, I'll see you all in the morning. HUGE HUGE hugs to my family back in South Africa, we already miss you all terribly.

Here is one of my FAVORITE photos from the trip to South Africa, this was taken at about 4:30pm at the beach right across from the Blue Marlin Hotel where we stayed. It's just breathtaking.

Just 4 days left!

This has been an amazing month, I don't need to tell you how it feels to come home after 10 years and to be able to hug and kiss your loved ones, to sit down at the table with a cup of coffee and reminisce and talk about what you have been through.

Now there are just a few days left and I'm ready to go home to my house and my pugs but also sad to leave behind my family again.....there's plans to return next year, but still, it's not easy to leave.

I wanted to come in quickly and say hi and let you know that I'll be back home this friday and as soon as I get everything unpacked and back to normal, I will start sharing my journey and photos...LOTS and LOTS of photos. I'll also try to catch up with everyone.

Today we're taking it easy, we're going nowhere, doing nothing and just about to immerse ourselves in boxes of old photographs so that I can pick the ones I want to take with me.

I hope you're all doing well, I wish I could stop by each individual blog and say hi, but I can't. I do want to send you hugs from Africa and thank you for always stopping by even though I'm away and leaving such sweet comments.

Oh and I'm bringing back something from Africa to do a contest with, whoever wins will have their very own special memento all the way from South Africa.

Hugs and kisses,

A little more Kruger Park for you!

Beautiful South African Sunset

I have so many more photos I want to share with you and once I'm back home in the States I will, but for now I wanted to leave you with a few more pictures taken during our stay.

We stayed at the Berg-en-dal camp and it was amazing, especially at night, you turn off all the lights and are surrounded by the night sounds....crickets, hyenas off in the distance, lions hunting and the occasional bat swooshing by your hair. LOL (I'll tell you all later)

These are the houses we stayed in, they had 2 bedrooms with double beds, shower, bathroom and another bathroom with just a bathtub, a kitchen and two extra beds in the living room. They were wonderful!

The camp has a trail called the "Rhino Trail", it's fenced in all around and you can walk along it to see the animals.......the above picture is of the drinking hole that is part of the trail. At the end of the day you can see the animals coming down to drink.

Now for the animals, I'm not going to post ALL the photos because we would be here forever and I do want to save some for when I get back...then I'll be able to take you pretty much day by day of my trip here and let you see what I've been doing.

And there you have it, just a little bit of what I saw and experienced, I have to say if you want to relax and completely immerse yourself in the wild life, you need to head to the Kruger National Park, and if you have any questions about it or bookings etc, just email me and I will point you in the right direction.