A Fine Way to Begin 2009

One of the local papers quitely reported the good news on December 18th

In 2006 ALPHA was the topic of debate in a Mossoró city hall meeting. The result was that ALPHA was declared to be "useful to the public" by city leaders. That simple statement gives ALPHA tax-exempt status on the local level.

RECOGNITION: The paper reports a new "law" was passed that declares the ALPHA EDUCATIONAL CENTER of Mossoró as "useful to the public". The above article states that...ALPHA is a not for profit organization with the intent to serve the community.

This year, we went a layer deeper. One of ALPHA's Teachers has a good friend who is a State Senator. Together these men guided us through the hoops in getting this same recognition at the state level.

The next step is to acheive federal recognition. It will be the 3rd of 5 steps in ALPHA becoming exempt from paying a 20% payroll tax which weighs heavily on us each pay period. Now, that's something to look forward to!

You Never Know What to Expect

Breaking up some of the rough, cement floor in the canteen area. It will be replaced with a smooth, low maintance floor in this high traffic area.

ALPHA has been undergoing a bit of renovation the minute the kids were let out on vacation earlier this month. There has been a lot of pipe layed for plumbing for two new bathrooms in the pre-school classrooms and even a new foundation/wall where the original wall ajoined with the neighboring property. Yet to come: new ceiling and new floors.

There are always lots of little things that come up when you do a project like this. For instance, wouldn't it make much more sense to install a new floor in a high traffic area just outside the classrooms that they are being remodeled. So...


Tell me this is a joke...

What was thought to be some loose cement that needed to be torn up turned out to be MUCH more...

Just a 7x7 foot hole under the floor. The steel was not in very good shape, so it was a blessing to have "found" this new developement right under our feet. It sure provided a wee bit of excitement for the guys working on the project. :)

The canteen was originally a little house...the hole was a septic or something.

Ok, now we gotta fill this thing in, right?!

A House is a House for Me

The awnings above the upstairs windows, porch on the front of the house and a porch floor all the way around the house are the newbies since we started the big push to get the house done to sell.

When the girls were little we read a book that told about what houses are called for different animals; a hive is a house for bees, a den is a house for bears, etc. Then half way through the book it got silly and started naming houses for all different kinds of objects...a cracker box is a house for crackers, a shoe is a house for feet, etc. Finally at the end of the book it comes full circle and applies it to people...and a house is a house for ME.

Here is a wee bit of our house that Ken has been pouring himself into since before we got back from the US so we can get it ready to sell. It isn't quite done...the finish work seems to take FOREVER, but we keep plugging away.

PAINT!!!! Oops...two shades of blue? Good thing it was BEFORE the second coat.

The stairway going up to the 1st floor. Steps aren't finished yet, but the plaster trim is done and the walls painted downstairs.

Ken's dad, Joe, pitched in to help get ready for our ALPHA staff Christmas party by painting some in the downstairs.

Every year we have a staff get-together the day after school gets out. This year it was at our old house. There might not be another oportunity to have it here ever again, so we poured ourselves into getting the place fairly presentable for this event.

Wiring for electricity wasn't quite done, so Ron strung up enough Christmas lights inside the house to light up the whole place. The girls were extremely impressed!

My happy helpers. All that plaster, sanding and painting makes for a tremendous amount of dust.

Glad to be of service!

Over All Ready?

One of each instrument warming up just before the opening of the Pre-School Closing Program. The Band played a couple of songs and then accompanied the 300+ in attendence in singing the Brazilian National Anthem.


I actually signed something with "2009" yesterday. Good grief! Where on earth has the year gone? I know I say that every year, but this has just got to stop.

A 12 year old Alicia and her birthday cake. Another year races by...

Alicia grew probably 2-3 inches in the 4 months we were in the US. Everyone here wants to know what kind of food they feed people in the US to make kids grow like that. :)

The celebrators and the celebratee.

Sorry to say, because of the flurry of activity at school, I just didn't have time to make a decent cake, so I ordered one. Alicia flattered me when she asked if she could have a homemade cake for her birthday next year. Why? Because mine taste so much better. :)

First REAL snow of the year. While we are roasting in the tropical heat, Jessica is trying to keep warm in Iowa. I hope that smile is still there in February!

Living Tiny Part II

MMMM...pancakes on Sunday morning.

This morning I tried something revolutionary. It started with noticing that the bacon was probably going to go bad if I didn't do something with it. That settled what we were going to have for breakfast. Since you gotta have eggs with the bacon, I fried those up AFTER the bacon. No bread in the house for toast, so why not pancakes? We hadn't had those in eons. +

When I make pancakes, I usually double the recipe making enough for an army. This results in everyone overeating, feeling sluggish and sick and, finally, storing the left-overs in the fridge till they have evolved into another life form because no one wants to even look at a pancake for another month.

Since four people doesn't even come close to a platoon,* let alone an entire army, I started to rethink my reason for making 12 cups of batter (aka double recipe). Then an exciting new revelation hit me...MAKE HALF A RECIPE. Wow, that seems like so little. Well, why not try it and see what happens?

The amazing discovery: there was ONLY one pancake left over, everyone was totally satisfied and my family and the refrigerator thank me for not over-doing it again.

I think I am on to something!

*platoon (in case you were wondering...I was!):
about 26 men consisting of 21 troops(privates), 3 corperals, 1 platoon sargent(nco) and 1 officer.

+Eon:
one billion years of geological time. (ok, so I exaggerated a little...)

Living Tiny

The "living/dining" room...table is just off to the left

Before leaving for the States this past June, we had decided, for various reasons, that it was time to sell our house. It has been a great place and has been very USED: retreats, seminars, church/Sunday school, LOTS of company, and what we have called home for the last 16 years.

Girls' bedroom partitioned off with a curtain from the "living/dining" room.

Even though our house isn't sold yet, because we are still making improvements on it, we have moved to the upstairs apartment in Ken's parents' house. It has been nice to not have to deal with so much STUFF and to downsize using what we really only NEED.

Kitchen...the microwave model is a "piccolo" :)

I realized that I could look at "living tiny" as limiting or as freeing. Having only one bathroom means there is only one toilet to clean...a small living room means our family sits closer to each other and talks more, plays more, interacts more...having fewer clothes in the drawer makes it easier to keep it organized...less stuff in the refrigerator means I KNOW what is in there... I think I choose the freedom that downsizing brings.

Happy Blog Day II

2day is significant for me...I have been blogging for 2 full years. 2 many times I had wanted to share photos with family and friends. 2 attach them as files 2 e-mails was 2 cumbersome. Some people don't have very fast connections. When I discovered that I could put as many pictures up at once without 2 much trouble by blogging, I decided 2 go for it.


2 many people have been trying 2 convince me that I need 2 try Facebook. So, I took the plunge, and now I, 2, am on Facebook.




2 see past anniversary posts:


November 7, 2006 http://loristucky.blogspot.com/2006/11/launch.html

November 11, 2007 http://loristucky.blogspot.com/2007/11/happy-blog-day.html

Heritage

The Stucky farm on Florence Acres Road near Monroe, WA. Some amazing stories have come from this place. There were 11 Stucky siblings who lived in this house and oh, the things they did! How old were you, Dad, when you drove the pickup and ran into the tractor? Grandpa said "move the pickup!" None of the older brothers budged, so in jumped baby brother, Joey...he couldn't even see over the steering wheel. :)

While in the States this year we took our kids to the very places where their grandparents in Brazil, Joe and Jeanie, grew up. They have heard story after story about the growing up antics of their gradparents and even their aunts and uncles. They ask to hear these same stories over and over again. So, why not drive by the "old home place" and let the kids see where some of these things actually took place?

U. Sam's report card was found under the floor of the kitchen.

One day Ken was out with the girls and decided to drive by the Stucky place. They took a chance and went up to the house to see if anyone was home. The lady of the house said, "Oh, your a Stucky! Well, I've got something for you!" The current owners happened to the be the very family that bought the farm from the Stucky family.

As they were remodeling the kitchen, they found U. Sam's 9th grade report card! His claim to fame was that he NEVER MISSED one day of school from Kindergarten through 12th grade. Top that! When we visited him in Salem, OR we surprised him with it.

Grandma Jeanie's home place north of Huron, SD

While in the Huron area with Sam and Deb, Ken's sister and brother-in-law, we all went to see the old Tschetter farm. This farm also happens to be owned by the same people who bought it from Ken's mom's parents. The kids saw the house where the famous "Jeanie, Reva, Sally" stories came from. When Grandma Jeanie was only 12 years old, she drove the family car to pick up all the neighbor kids for Vacation Bible School. Wow!

Barn on the Tschetter farm with the Stuckys and the Dicks.

Thanks for the memories, Grandma and Grandpa; we won't forget them.

It's my turn

My very own ballot!!!

I have never voted. And it isn't my fault, either. The first election that I could have voted in after turning 18, I was registered and ready to vote in Nebraska, but got called away to my grandma's funeral in Iowa on election day. Every election since I have been in Brazil. Once my absentee ballot got lost in the mail and the other times I haven't been able to sign on the dotted line verifying that everything is true for some reason (usually a resident requirement).

One day in June (while we were in the US) I got my Nebraska drivers license. At the time I was asked if I wanted to be an organ doner AND register to vote. Uhu, you betcha! The day before I left for Brazil, I signed up via email to get my absentee ballot sent to me. Frankly, I really didn't expect to see it, considering all my past failures to make good on my duty as a voting citizen. Well, what do you know...IT CAME! I filled it out and popped it in the mail the very next day. When I asked about the current speed of the Brazilian postal system, the guy said it will take 15 days. Hmmm...might not make it...then again, if HE wants it to get there in time, it will.

Side note: While we were traveling in the US, there was an election in Brazil. Every Brazilian is REQUIRED to vote. If you don't, you get a stiff fine, besides suffer many other unpleasant consequences. Not pretty. So, Ken has to go "justify" his absence and prove that he really was out of the country, thus unable to vote.

So who do you think I voted for? I'll leave that to your imagination!

Oh, now this tops all...check it out if you get a chance.

http://www.newsmax.com/us/odd_long_distance_vote/2008/11/01/146676.html

Welcome Home!

Ivonete, Cristina and Bete getting ready to hand out the "dogs" that Ron and Dad cooked up for the crowd.

I know it has been almost two weeks since we got here, and I shouldn't be allowed to do this post any more, but I am going to rebel and do it anyway. Can't let the opportunity pass me by!

In reality, I just now got up the courage to open Windows Movie Maker to save this little video clip in a size that I can upload it on my blog. I discovered that I don't need a rocket science degree to do it after all. Whew!

The video is of some of my band kids the night after we got back to Brazil. They came out to the church where some of our school and church friends held a "welcome home" bar-b-que for us. Over half of the band kids were able to make it and played 5 of the songs that they have been working on since we left for the US. It was quite a concert. ENJOY!!!

Where there is a will, there is a way

While in the US these 4 months, I was introduced to the frappuccino and fell head over heals. The last one I had was 12 hours before we got on the plane. Somehow I found myself in Target with Ken buying some last minute items to take back to Brazil. There was a Starbucks at the entrance, so while Ken was off hunting down what we needed, I had my last Java Chip Frappuccino...

This is a recipe (from my sister once again!) that will hold me over just nicely till I make my way back to the US again. In fact, I may never step foot in another Starbucks again!

I had been looking forward to making this ever since we got home a week ago. At the grocery store, the ingredients started to come together. Mixed it up when I got home and had it chilling in the fridge for that "mid-evening" relax time after all the pressing things of the day were done.

FRAPPUCCINO

Mix in a 2 quart pitcher:

1 quart (4 cups) Chocolate milk

1 can sweetened condensed milk

8 oz. (1 cup) very strong coffee (either regular or decaff)

Store in refrigerator until ready to use. When ready to make your drink, put ice cubes or crushed ice in blender and pour enough mix in to cover the ice. Blend and enjoy!

A shot of Ready Whip and a little chocolate syrup makes a nice finishing touch. I priced a can of it here at my local grocery store: $ 6.00 a can. In that case, I think I can do without the whipped cream. :)

Starbucks, eat your heart out!

There's no place like home...there's no place like home...

Greg Dyche helped load the back of his Suburban and took us to the airport...how all the luggage and 5 people fit, is beyond me!

Unloading baggage at Epply in Omaha.

Eric Townsend met us at the airport with goodies in hand to wish us on our way...little did he know what he would be roped into doing.

We arrived before the ticket agents!

Re-packing in the middle of the airport...oh, the looks we got from other early-morning travelers. What took 10 hours to pack the day before, took only 55 minutes to redistribute the weight and diminish our bags by 3 volumes. If it hadn't been for Eric's help, we wouldn't have made it.

Delta originally told us that we could only take 1 - 50lb bag a piece, but the angel that orquestrated our "check-in" said because our flight originated in Brazil, we could have 2 - 70lb bags a piece. Never mind that she would also check them through to Fortaleza! Woo-hoo! No handling them in Miami!

Eric not only helped with the re-packing effort, but brought breakfast. Cream-filled....mmmm!

Alicia with a very helpful employee at TAM, who just happens to be...

In Rio we had to endure 3 grueling hours in customs (no pictures please!) and missed our flight. As they say in Brazil, "no have problem". TAM put us on a flight that took us to Salvador, Recife and FINALLY to Fortaleza.

....Elvis? Go figure!

yes, Toto...we are on our way home!

Harvest

Anabel posing on the tractor.

Harvest has been fascinating for all of us as we have watched the crops turning from deep green to golden yellow to dry brown. The girls had the opportunity to each take a round and watch the combine fill up with soybeans this past week. If you ask Anabel, she would also inform you that she got to DRIVE, too!

Alicia and a VERY pacient farmer. After his round with Anabel, he wanted to know if Anabel ever stopped talking. Well....

When I was a kid I used to love to jump into the wagon full of beans and just bury myself. The sight of all these beans brought back memories.

Proud to be part of the harvest!

The Right Place at the Right Time

THE TRAIN heading our way as it was taking off from Sheldon, IA . It had just a 15 minute stop, and was mobbed the entire time by anyone who could possibly get up close for a better look.

It isn't too often that you get to see the "world's largest" of anything, but this past week we got a tip (thanks Dad!) that there was a "must see" just 20 miles away. It was scheduled to be passing through Sheldon, IA at noon. My sister, Deb, packed the picnic lunch and we ran off to see this incredible sight...the World's Largest Operating Steam Engine.

The cousins with the engine in the background.

Union Pacific's "Challenger" No. 3985, built in 1943, is an articulated locomotive with a "hinged" frame that allows it to negotiate curves. It is 122 feet long, weighs more than 1 million pounds, has 6-foot diameter drive wheels and can reach a top speed of 70 miles per hour. No. 3985 was built for fast freight service. It was retired in 1959, but UP employee volunteers restored it to running condition in 1981 for special service.

information taken from: http://www.uprr.com/newsinfo/releases/heritage_and_steam/2008/0919_railfest-onboard.shtml

Finally, my very own smashed penny!

As a kid I had always heard of people putting a penny on the track to have it smashed flat by a train. I can't tell you how much I have always wanted to do that. When I saw people placing their hard earned pennies on the track, I could hardly pull one out of my pocket fast enough. After all, I have waited 40 years to have one!

Of course, we didn't forget our picnic in the park!

Ta-Da!

Fuchico (pronounced "foo-she-coo") bed cover that the girls and I made on our travels since June.

Over the last 4 months, the girls and I have been working on a wee project. It started out as something productive to do on those long days we had to spend in the car. I figured after we had worked on the pieces for a while, we would decide what to make out of them. When it was decided that Jessica would stay in the US to do 10th grade, we wanted to make something to leave for her.


A look close up.

Each of the circles is called a "fuchico" which comes from the word "fuchicar" which means "to gossip". I am guessing that ladies would get together and "visit" while they worked. :)

Lest you think I am making this all up, here is a little coffee shop in a remote corner of Brazil we saw on vacation in 2004. These table coverings are made out of smaller fuchicos than we made for our project.

A HUGE thanks to Julie, Johanna and Elizabeth Ratzlaff for helping cut out so many of our circles. I am convinced that we were able to finish only because of your help!