WW Tour 2009, Days 3-5

Despite the fact that I slept like a baby on the Korean Air flight to Brazil, I somehow managed to sleep through my alarm on my first morning in Brazil. For those that didn’t spend years trying to wake me up for Seminary, hungry kids, or school, let me just say that I love to sleep. Knowing that my body has at times betrayed me, I long ago stopped closing the blackout shades on business trips. I find that my love of sleep can’t overcome the sun and its persistent reminder that the day as begun. This habit worked to my benefit on Tuesday when I awoke late for breakfast, but on time for my meetings after a quick shower.

I was thrilled to walk to the office in the fall weather, Brazil can be hot with oppressive humidity but the weather while I was in São Paulo was perfect. The days were sunny, mid-to high seventies and the nights were refreshing. I was amazed to learn that while I had left behind similar weather in Utah, spring in Utah isn’t nearly as predictable as one would hope. To all of you who dealt with the snow and cold, I’m sorry. If it makes you feel any better, I looked at the weather in Delhi before I left for the airport today and found that the weather (according to weather.com) was 82 degrees with “widespread dust” at 2 in the morning local time. Admittedly, I had never seen widespread dust on a weather report before, I guess I’ll find out what that means exactly.

In my previous post, I said that I was off to work, work, and more work. More accurately I should have written that I was off to sit in meetings, sit in meetings, and sit in meetings. I’m afraid my rear end may not recover from all of the sitting that I’m planning on subjecting it to over the next couple of weeks. Some people have said that all the travel must be exciting. I admit there are definitely cool aspects to it, but sitting in meetings for 12 hours a day and then on planes for 9 hours straight don’t make the cool list. Honestly though, the only thing that feels more numb than my backside after that many hours of meetings is my brain.

I may be showing my unsophisticated side, but people eat dinner late in São Paulo, we didn’t even start dinner until 9pm the couple of times we went out to eat. How there aren’t a bunch of obese Paulistas either is a miracle or debunks the eating late is bad for you stuff. Anyway, one night the guys I was traveling with said that they wanted a simpler meal, something more similar to what our hosts would eat on a normal night after work. We went out for pizza not far from the office. I have to admit that a whole new world of pizza was opened to me, Portuguese pizza. It can best be described as the ultimate “brinner” pizza, a mix of ham, eggs, cheese, herbs, and a tangy tomato sauce. I may not be skilled enough in the pizza area but this is definitely worth experimenting with for you creative ones out there.

Lastly, and on a much sadder note, I must write of my grandfather, Jay. He passed away today after living to the ripe age of 86. I feel extremely lucky that I was able to be in California last week to visit with and say goodbye to him. I realize that death a natural part of life, but adjusting to life without the Jay part of “B and Jay” seems utterly unnatural to me. My fractured heart goes out to my dear grandmother, my mom, and her siblings. Rather than sit here on the plane and cry/type, I’ll assume those of you that knew him have your own fond memories that you can pause and remember at this point rather than reading mine. Although I will say that there wasn’t anything funnier as a kid than making his chair “lumpy,” nothing more frustrating for him than having his “damned” grandkids out-fish him, and nothing that meant more to me last week than hearing him say last week that he had always been proud of me.

From somewhere 31,000 feet above the Atlantic Ocean and approximately 2427 miles from São Paulo and 3678 miles from Frankfurt, good night.

mouths of babes

While eating dinner...

me: "Owen, turn around and SIT DOWN!"

Abigail: "You'd make a good bus driver, Mom. They say that all the time."

WW Tour 2009, Days 1 and 2

For those of you who think blog posts should contain pictures, I'm sorry to disappoint you but there won't be any pictures in this post. I'm too lazy to snap pics of interesting things and not pretty enough to qualify for a headshot.

I don't know what it is about months beginning in 'A,' but they haven't been good to me over the past year. In August 2008, I embarked on a 17 day trip for work which took me to São Paulo and Singapore. I spent 31 out of 36 hours on a plane, the other 5 in airports in Atlanta and Shanghai. By the time I got back to work, I needed to get my badge reactivated (not really) and someone had to show my to my desk (really, not really).

This 'A' month I embarked on my first legitimate trip around the world. Yesterday I got on a plane in Salt Lake City and flew to LAX. I loved flying over the same stretch of highway that I had spent 12 hours driving the day before. The best part of that trip was actually looking out the window at the mass of roads and houses that is SoCal and recognizing exactly where we were. I was able (at least I think) to pick out the freeway exit for Grand Ave. in Glendora and I thought of my family gathered at Jay's bedside. It was a nice thought considering the circumstances.

In LAX I spent an hour of my three hour layover wandering the airport, first taking an underground passageway from my terminal to another terminal in the wrong direction. I then took the tunnel back (in both cases the down escalators were broken) to the original terminal and got directions to go outside and walk to the international terminal. As all of you who travel in this day and age can imagine, I was a bit bummed out to find that I'd have to go through security again, the bottle of water I'd purchased in SLC to be either consumed quickly or disposed of wastefully. For anyone going to LAX and the international terminal, when they say limited concessions ahead, they mean it, don't plan on getting full in LAX's international terminal after you clear security.

The best part of days 1 and 2 was my flight to São Paulo, I flew a Korean Air flight with an entire row to myself. I felt a bit guilty laying down at some point, but not so guilty that I stayed awake worrying about it. I was asleep and remember very little of the efficient army of Korean Air flight attendants. Arriving in Brazil is always a thrill for me, one I hope I get to experience many more times in life. I love letting the familiar sound and rhythm of the language wash over me. There is a smell as well, not a bad one, one of rain, tropical heat, and people. I think if I was drugged and awoke without anything to go by besides my nose, I'd still be able to identify that I was in Brazil. I am grateful that it is a country that brings me such comfort and great memories. I have three days left to spend in Brazil, work, work, and more work probably before I head to my next destination.

For now, I sign off, amazed at how much you can miss your loved ones only a day or two after bidding them farewell. From the Marriott Executive Apartments on Rua Profesor Filadefo Azavedo, good night.

I kept hearing Andrea's voice in my head, "You've got to have a picture with your post," so I caved.

Because I know you've been DYING to know what we've been up to...

I've put together a few photos. Thanks for indulging me, now I can start blogging again.

WARNING: This is quite a lengthy post, and the photos date all the way back to Thanksgiving.

We spent Thanksgiving in California with Alec's parents and grandparents. While there we went to a desert zoo, where Nate LOVED the petting zoo, whilst I was totally grossed out. And the kids also got to go bowling for the first time. (Their faces make it look like it was very serious work, but I'm pretty sure they had fun, too.)

Abigail at her ballet class.

Us girls (sisters and sister-in-laws) had another successful and enjoyable year of decorating a tree in honor of my mom for the Festival of Trees. (Sorry, Mary and Marianne, I don't have a photo with you guys in it!)

Seeing the lights. First in Ogden.

And then on the "dibble-docker" train (as Owen calls it) to see the lights at Temple Square.

Encounters with Santa. Nate mostly stared at Santa, and tried to eat the microphone.

Showing off all the teeth she's lost.

Owen looks like he's praying, but he is actually reciting his well-prepared script of Christmas wishes. He couldn't spit it out fast enough at our ward party, so he practiced for his next chance at Santa's ear--rocket ship, toy dog, and toy Rudolph.

Christmas Eve with my dad and his wife Gail. Lots of cousins=lots of presents.



Christmas morning. Nate loved my new slippers and carrying things on his arm; Abigail loved her new giant bear, Morris; and Owen loved the voice changer found in his stocking.



Abigail and Owen have had tons of fun playing in the snow this winter. It was a very sad day when only the remnants of the snowman were left.

Abigail loved making these flower Valentine's for her class.

Well, there you go! You're all caught up--or at least somewhat.

Alright, it's official

The Bachelor has forced me out of my blogging hiatus. I just watched the finale, and all I have to say is, there's three hours of my life I'll never get back. Three hours I could have spent blogging. What the heck was that all about?!?

But you know I've got my Tivo set to record the historic, sure to be THE most dramatic EVER "After AFTER the Final Rose Special" tomorrow night.... Even more scenes of a teary-eyed dad running down the beach to his oblivious child, more talk of "those eyes", and even more Chris Harrison hyperbole. And who knows? Maybe some more leg-hugging from Melissa?

mouths of babes

Being in a preschool classroom can really provide you with some good quotables. I enjoyed this one heard during circle time at Owen's class on Monday.

Ms. Fatma: "Anna, what did you do over the weekend?"

Anna: "I saw Santa Claus!"

Dillon: "That guy is everywhere!!"

mouths of babes

"The street that Emily lives on is just a merry little lane." --Abigail