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!