Toto, this doesn't look like home...

After 48 hours of traveling, I have finally made it to Petrolina, Brasil!

Sunday Tim and I landed in Sao Paulo. We had roughly 10 hours before our connecting flight so we checked in the transfer hotel, which is a Marriott close to the airport that you can rent a day room. The hotel helped us set up a driving tour of the city with Pa'. He was super nice and showed us as much of the city as possible in three hours. Sao Paulo can be dangerous so we only got out the car once for a picture in front of the football staduim. Pa' was very proud of this hometeam! The view out my window at the transfer hotel in Sao Paulo

Football stadium, holds roughly 80,000 people!Sao Paulo is home to over 34 million people. Most of the skyscrapers were apartments not office buildings.
Old and new mixed throughout the city.The hotel below was shaped like a giant boat. Sort of a modern Noah's ark!

This statue was given to the city but neither Tim nor I could understand Pa' and who gave it to them. We had a wonderful tour that put us back at the airport for our flight to Petrolina... Monday we start our meetings bright and early.

The Nation's Capital (just not ours)

Well, I have never been to Washington DC, never seen the White House, and I've never seen Congress but now I can say I have at least seen one capital in person. I spent the weekend in Ottawa and I had a few hours to kill before my flight today. It's amazing the similarities between here and Seattle, some 2500 miles away.

I first strolled along the street my hotel was on. It is called the Byward Market and if you put a cover over it, you could name it Pike Place Market. There were lots of vendors set up with temporary and semi-permanent stands selling flowers, trinkets, and clothing. The biggest change, of course, was instead of fish vendors everywhere, it was people hawking real Canadian maple syrup.

I walked a few more blocks past the Canadian Revenue Agency national headquarters (their version of the IRS I assume) and the U.S. Embassy and looked at the Rideau Canal Ottawa Locks. Reminded me quite a bit of Ballard.

After I passed the locks, I walked up to the parliament building and got there just at Noon. This was very interesting because their clock tower has a huge bell and chimes that played for almost 15 minutes. You can walk right up to the building and sign up for a tour without a second thought. I'm sure it's much different back in the states with background checks required weeks or months in advance.

As you walk around the parliament building, hidden behind is the Library of Parliament, a very unique attachment and a little area called the "stray cats of the hill". The little fenced off area had several cats, dozens of squirrels and a raccoon living there. I can only attach a picture of the sign because I couldn't possibly expect to do it justice with my description:

Just behind the parliament building is a cliff that overlooks the water and beyond to the french speaking side of the city. I took many great pictures but here are two of my favorites:

As I headed back to get my car, I stumbled upon the Canadian Tulip festival. The tulips were beautiful although from what I hear, the festival was laughable when compared to it's counterpart back in Washington.

These thoughts of Washington remind me of how much I am ready to be home back in the Great Northwest and, wouldn't you know it, they are calling my flight. Hope you've enjoyed my little tour of central Ottawa and I'll see you soon!!

First sewing project: Complete!!

We have 7 pregnant friends all due this summer/fall! I decided I wanted to give something handmade. So I set out looking for a good project and found burp clothes on handmade by jill blog! They were super easy and I feel they are good enough to give. I hope to make bibs next then blankets then if I am really gunho, I want to make dolls again from jill's blog. Totally recommend her blog for inspiration! If I lived in NYK I would totally want to be her friend!!

Today Colby is delivering our first gift to Seth and Stacie who are expecting a baby girl at the end of May! PS I think Madeline is the best children's book series ever!!

Walk thru and closing date!

Happy Cinco de Mayo to everyone!!
The last two Cinco de Mayo's have rocked!! Last year we had our bachelor and bachelorette parties. This year we may not have hung from the chandeliers but we did have an amazing day!

Firstly, we got our Closing date scheduled!! YEAH!! We will be closing on June 9th, I was so excited I went out and bought a rug for the kitchen. Crazy celebration as you can imagine!!

Secondly, Ken (Father/Father-in-law) received very uplifting news, all the cells from the transplant are new!! DOUBLE YEAH!! This means as of now the transplant was very successful, and we are now on the uphill swing! Next post I will include a picture of Ken in all his baldness glory :)
Thirdly, the Christmas cactus Colby got me about two years ago bloomed for the first time!!

Thought it looked much prettier in the living room

Sweet, sweet revenge!

Bad goat was on the lamb last night! The llamas and bad goat had managed to jump over their fence and into the yard of their owner's home! Boy, did I ever feel karma was on my side!!

Please note the tree on the left with no flowers or leaves. 24 hours earlier it looked like the tree on the right!

Here bad goat is giving me the one eye chicken.

Don't try this at home...

So, not much scenery from my latest trip to Simi Valley, Ca (I rushed back for an earlier flight and didn't go up to the presidential library). I did have to take a picture of some of the local landscape. The rock outcroppings in the area are gorgeous. I would have liked to have more time there. There are houses built arond these enormous boulders and trees growing through them. It looks like someone took a handfull of rocks and threw them at the side of a dirt hill. Amazing. (Sorry for the poor quality of pictures as it was done without looking at 70 MPH)

Kimmie's nemesis

This past week, Colby was gone Wednesday thru Friday and I kept seeing weird poo in places it shouldn't be... Well Saturday morning I was finally able to catch the culprit! Yes, my friends it was a shrub eating, rosebush killin', poo flinging goat! This is a picture of the goat, staring at me after I tried to walk him home. Bad goat also won't allow me out of the house after that! Every time I would come out he would proceed to attack with hooves a flaring and horns a hitting. Finally I was able to talk with the bad goat's owner, who got him to come home with good ol' oats. Goat 1 Kimmie 0...

My, you even vacuumed for us!

Sunday's visit to the house was amazing! The house is ready for a quality control inspection. We were told there are only two more before the house will be ours!! They finished landscaping both the front and backyards! I am starting to envision the gardens we will plant! I would start now if they would let me! I am so darn excited, I want to bring a hose and start watering!
This picture was from Tuesday as we didn't take a new of the front this time. The stickers on the windows have been removed and everything has been cleaned!
Mom, I thought you would appreciate a picture of the vacuumed carpet! I thought they had very good form :)
Neat angle of the front window, and wall coming together.
Later this week we should know our new closing date. This week's QC will give them the final list of things to fix and finish before our walk thru!

Sod, plants, and a front door!!

The house seems to change every time we go there! This past week we were excited to see the house really looked like a home. The front yard landscape was started and the back was almost finished! They delivered the appliances as well!
The only thing missing in the kitchen is the last few tiles behind the stove.
Looking out the back door at the yard.

The front door wrap was removed and the handle was on!
This is looking from the dining room at the stairs. We both really liked the angles of the half walls.
Colby checking out the smurf tubes. His IT degree at work! All I know is that the tube will allow us to have TV!!! Which we haven't had for 2 months and three days, not that I am counting or anything!

The Weather in _______ is _________

Well, today it's Salt Lake City and the weather is getting worse. I won't bore you with pictures today but it was overcast and mid 40's when I landed and now it is getting windy and starting to snow. I'm so glad I am leaving soon. Thursday's trip should be much better. Headed to Cali and hopefully to some sunshine.

We talked to our agent, Chris yesterday and he said it was ridiculous that they wanted him present to walk through the house. We will test that theory tomorrow if we make it back to the house.

As far as we can tell, here is the rough list of what is left on the house:
Plumb Trim Complete
Heat Trim Complete
Fireplace Trim Complete
Mirrors and Shower Doors Installed
Wire Shelving Installed
Carpet Installed
Deliver and Install Appliances
Finish all millwork including stair systems (if applicable)
Install Interior Package (Door Knobs, Towel Bars, Door Stops, etc.)
Install Landscaping
Final Inspection Complete
Final Drywall and Paint Touch Up
Final Clean

It seems like a pretty short list for 2 months to go but we haven't heard about any changes yet. We keep going out and expect nothing to have been done but they have been busy busy busy.

Hope everyone is doing well!!