holiday – 3rdculturechildren

Catching up with October: Part I – Halloween at the workplace!

We’re already half way into November… Lots have happened: our FS family got our next post assignment – so grateful, the stressful bidding season is over, and we’re happy we’ll be heading out to Brazil!

Bolivian culture is full of celebrations and traditions: the Todos os Santos Day, with the ‘apxata’ and the waiting for the spirits [‘ayayus’], but I will leave it for later.

Right now, need to ‘catch up’ with last month – Dia de Las Brujas [Halloween in 3 ways], School Book Week… and this couple’s 10th wedding anniversary. Due to bidding season, our focus completely shifted towards our imminent future. All good now. 🙂

October catch-up – Halloween at work, for little kids, and big, big ones!

Bolivian culture is full of celebrations and traditions: the Todos os Santos Day, with the ‘apxata’ and the waiting for the spirits [‘ayayus’], but I will leave it for later.

October catch-up – Halloween at work, for little kids, and big, big ones!

5 days away! Santa Claus and his wonderful stories…

Image #15: 20 Days of a Joyful Christmas: Silently listening to Santa, while he reads a Christmas story…

Silent kids during “Breakfast with Santa? Surprising!

What wouldn’t one do to be on ‘his good list’? 😮

Song of the Day: Santa Claus Is Coming To Town (bloggingtonybennett.com)
The Year the Grinch Lost, and Santa Claus Won (reflectionsoramirroroflife.wordpress.com)
St. Nicholas, Santa Claus and German Christkindl (lindermangenealogy.wordpress.com)

{Updated} 24-Days Gratitude Tree

Thanksgiving is getting closer by the day. 24 days to be exact.

I´ve been reading a few blogs/websites, looking for some sort of project to work with the kids, something they could relate to, which would prepare them for the Season to come. I came across interesting ideas to show how grateful we are, instilling values of gratitude, appreciation and giving back, daily; it’s not always easy.

One of the blogs I follow, has a suggestive list of holidays and events for the month of November, and the idea to have something in preparation for Thanksgiving. Among the ideas, is the Thanksgiving Blessing Tree, which I´m sharing now, hanks to the The Education Cafe . the suggestion if for a 30-days gratitude tree. Wait, we don´t have 30 days anymore… we don’t even have 4 full weeks. 24 Days from today, you may be able to read each of our thoughts on gratitude, as you share a Thanksgiving meal and celebrate the holiday together, as a family.

Instructions for the Thanksgiving Blessing Tree:

“Make a tree out of construction paper and hang it on the wall. Every day put leaves on it with things you are thankful for.

By Thanksgiving you should have it completely filled and running over. Just a way to help the kids and grownups to remember what they´ve received. You can make your leaves out of colored construction paper like fall leaves. Or, trace your child’s hand on different colors of construction paper. Hang each “leaf” upside down on the tree.

Curl the fingers slightly by rolling up over a pencil. Write the thankful statement on the palm of the hand.

Cheers to a new tradition and a 24-day gratitude challenge”

The Health Benefits of Saying Thanks (everydayhealth.com)
Gratitude (mothermaryswords.wordpress.com)
Rapper Sullee J speaks on “The Importance of Gratitude” (hypetalent.com)
Be thankful in all things (gnubee.wordpress.com)

If “moving is the third most stressful life event”, let me turn it into a fun inspiration for Halloween!

Did you have any last-minute, crazy idea for your adult costume? I’d love to know! A year’s gone by since I prepared the original blogpost about packing and moving, focusing on the FS events… Over four months have gone by since we packed out from our last post assignment, Recife, Brazil.

This year, I even celebrated my birthday surrounded by bubble wrap & moving boxes – June was our pack out season – but husband and kids found a way to celebrate my special day, despite the craziness we’re all familiar with, when it comes to have your house taken down by movers, packers, filling endless forms and making sure you don’t lose track of your life during the process! 😮

So, now it’s the end of October, and sinc

"packing out couple" — The “packed out” couple.
“UNACCOMPANIED AIR BAGGAGE” & “HOUSEHOLD EFFECTS”

birthday & pack out! — Memories from last June…

A year’s gone by since I prepared the original blogpost about packing and moving, focusing on the FS events… More than four months have past since we packed out from our last post assignment, Recife, Brazil.

This year, I even celebrated my birthday surrounded by bubble wrap & moving boxes – June was our pack out season – but husband and kids found a way to bring joy to my special day, despite the craziness we’re all familiar with, when it comes to have your house taken down by movers, packers, filling endless forms and making sure you don’t lose track of your life during the process! 😮

So, now it’s the end of October, and since we STILL DO NOT HAVE (not yet! I’m always hopeful!) our household effects, I thought about turning the frustration into something, at least, fun, for this year’s Halloween at our local Marine Detachment House. Husband and I went as ‘pack out couple’... Well, a bit of crafting skills, an open mind and a good sense of humorwere the perfect recipe for this year’s costume!

Did you have any last-minute, crazy idea for your adult costume? I’d love to know!

Ready for Halloween? We’re getting spooky!

Trying to be a bit ‘spooky’, thanks to a great suggestion from Ailsa, from “where’s my backpack”, here is our idea of gradually spooking our lives up… This year we’ll likely break a record: between Halloween-themed birthday parties, to school fairs and friends get-togethers, we’ll reach over 10 “Spooky Events’ this season”!

'cereal killer' — A hungry ‘Cereal Killer’ looking for new victims! 😮

Trying to be a bit ‘spooky’, thanks to a great suggestion from Ailsa, from “where’s my backpack”, here is our idea of gradually trying to spook our lives up… This year we’ll likely break a record: between Halloween-themed birthday parties, work celebrations, to school fairs, early trick-or-treats and friends’ get-togethers, we’d have achieved some ten “Spooky Events’ this season”! And we’re still a few days away from the actual Halloween Evening… Imagine! 😮

A hungry ‘Cereal Killer’ looking for new victims! 😮

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[Backstory] Slowly… re-visiting past Halloween ideas… our super-excited kids helping decorate the house for the upcoming holidays, and for birthday parties (I’ve got an October boy, and a birthday girl in November, so go figure all the preps – but we all love it!) Every other year, the Lima Miranda family used to add another “little pumpkin” to our collection. Not happening this time. In fact, we’ve really got a ‘full house’, with 2 kings and 3 queens. We’re good, trust me. Now, it’s just watch them grow, and enjoy! This year will be César’s eighth, Marcela’s fifth & Maria Cecilia’s second Halloween experiences… and, three little pumpkins (all pictured here!) is a good (and sufficient!) number, bringing endless joy to our ‘pumpkin farm’! 😮

Ready for Halloween? We’re getting there! (3rdculturechildren.com)

He’s not a baby anymore… Seven years of joy with our little boy!

Snapshots from César’s 7th Birthday Party. The ‘La Paz Section’ of the Miranda Family opens their house and hearts to celebrate our oldest child’s special day! New friends from school, new families, piñata, music, a huge bouncer in the middle of the yard, and cupcakes… all themed for Halloween (almost here!).