Camp After Hours

This is what happens at camp after the kids go to bed! LOL :) Starring: Gi and Patti

Fatti Patti n G's Ride from Duce Williams on Vimeo.

YAYYY IT'S MY BIRTHDAY!

Today is officially my birthday!!!! While some don’t get too excited about their birthdays, I on the contrary treat mine as a national holiday! Haha... I LOVE MY BIRTHDAY! It is so much fun! I try to look at each birthday as a celebration of life! It’s an exciting close to one year and a beginning to a great new one. It’s pretty cool to think about it. When you think back at cool moments in life you remember how old you were when they happened! How old you are is pretty important to those moments. On June 24, 1986 I was born to an amazing family in Sao Paulo, Brazil. A great mom, dad, and older brother! I was 0 at that birthday! :) When I was five I jumped of a dresser imitating superwoman and lost my 2 front baby teeth...haha. At age 7 God gave me a little brother! When I was 9 I moved to America. Even growing up in a Christian home, it was at the age of 10 that I really accepted Christ into my life. At age 11 I got baptized. When I was 15 I got to have a Quince, wear a big dress with a tiara, dance with a boy I called my prince, and have an incredible party. At 17 I got my license, and at 18 I had my senior prom and graduated high school! That same summer we moved from Pembroke Pines to West Palm Beach. At age 19 I started college. At age 20 I started my first real non baby-sitting job! Also at 20 I got to go on my first mission trip abroad! On my 21st birthday I was in Brazil visiting the family I hadn’t seen in 8 years! Talk about an international celebration. It’s also at that age that I became an official “adult” haha…. Yea ok. :) And all in between those awesome moments are those special memories, those amazing and special friendships, the relationships and dates, the times of singing and performing, leading worship, the good times, the family memories, the camp stories, the gifts that God has given me, and those funny random memories that still make me laugh looking back today. Now, it’s almost 2 in the morning and my 22nd birthday has just started. When the clock turned 12 I lifted up my birthday to Jesus and placed it in his hands! I am so thankful for another great year and I owe it all to him. As I turn 22 I thank him for 22 years of blessings, love and guidance! I lift up not only this year but also the many more to come! Thank you Jesus! You rock! Thank you for my life and for allowing me to celebrate my birthday! Now this is just the beginning!!! I extend my birthday longer than a day! The week long fun has just started!!!! Birthdays are a huge deal to me, and today is an awesome day! So friends, Get ready, cause I’m 22 and the celebrations are just about to begin!

The WOO Factor

Inspired by Holly Farver's Girls' Late night camp conversations:

What is the WOO Factor?

Last night I was at dinner with someone and the topic of dating came up. We talked for a while about things that we consider important in relationships. He spoke about it from a man's point of view, and I spoke from a woman's. We talked about past relationships, what we looked for, and what stood out to us... and then during that whole conversation, something in the back of my head just seemed to stick out. It was something from many late night camp conversations. Something that was taught to us, and that is still very valuable information today. We call it: The WOO Factor!

You're probably saying.."Hurry up and say it already". Sorry about the whole intro, but this is a pretty deep concept hahahaah.... :) It takes a proper introduction. I guess I can start by saying that the WOO factor is a quality that we girls admire in guys! It's not a tangible quality per say (sorry if i spelled per say wrong) :) but instead something that guys do that in turn leave us impressed. Girls like to be spoiled. Little things matter to girls, and when guys go above and beyond their regular gentlemen duty out of their own will, its impressive! Now, we're not talking about wanting guys to call us a billion times a day, or give us daily presents, or anything like that. We also know that relationships take effort on both sides, so girls should also take care of their man. With that said, the concept of the WOO factor is just one that determines major brownie points for boys. It's hard to explain it because it doesn't consist of one set thing. There's so much that can make up those two words: It includes a man who's first love is Christ, and who wants the savior as the center of the relationship. It's a man who has dreams and ambitions and looks ahead in life with confidence and excitment. It's the little things like knowing when to send a special text message, or knowing the right time to call or the right number of times to call. It's the unexpected visits or little surprises to keep things exciting. It's being a gentlemen not only when its just you two alone, but also around friends. It's coming up with creative ideas of how to spend time together and make memories. It's not only listening but also remembering what she said. It's knowing what she likes and spending time enjoying it with her. It's knowing how to turn any typical dinner and movie date into an unforgettable night. It's treating a girl with respect and making her feel taken care of. The list goes on and on...

There's so much that goes into the WOO FActor. It doesnt have to be the same for every guy, but it's something that girls definately notice. I would continue... but this is all the information I can disclose on the subject. Boys: I can't give away our secrets. You guys have to find out how to develop your own Woo Factor. Not all girls call it this. This is just a name us Holly Girls used to discuss this concept. However, the concept is true everywhere no matter what name people call it. Whatever you do to achieve Woo Factor ownership status will be worth it, because belive it or not, if you are one that has "The Woo Factor", just know that it definately makes you look good! So I leave you guys, with the question today: Do you have the WOO Factor?? :)

A Great Weekend!

So it’s Sunday night and I’m beat. It’s been a great and busy weekend, and now I’m sitting in the recliner watching a movie and I’m pretty obsessed with this moment. There’s nothing like sitting at home, doing nothing, and just relaxing after a busy couple of days. It was a good weekend. It started out Friday just hanging out and then I had to go into work for an early night shift at 3 pm. Why at 3? I have no idea…Its not very common for people to eat Italian food at 3 in the afternoon. However, it ended up being a very good shift. I think that was the busiest I’ve ever been at work, and I was able to make A LOT of tips which is always a great way to end an 8 hour shift. I really like my job. Serving is crazy sometimes, but for a part time job its good money, and a great way to communicate with people. I meet all kinds of people everyday, and since I love working with people, I have a blast talking to them at work. My philosophy: If you are going to work, you might as well have fun while you do it! Its also fun to people observe… You always get the weird people too…I will go into that another day. You would never guess the stuff people ask you sometimes, or the things they do when they eat. I have unending stories about those…super funny.

Saturday was my day to just hang out! I no longer work Saturdays so Saturdays and Sundays I get to do what I want and just have fun! I took some time and layed out at the pool and enjoyed the 1000000 degree Florida weather. I love the sun. It’s so great. I could go to the pool or the beach all day. I think it’s beautiful and I just like to look around me and enjoy the beauty of a pretty day! At night I got to have a girl’s night with Danielle and Jenna. We ate at Cheesecake Factory at City place and had a lot of fun talking and catching up and just reminiscing about good times….. It was fun… lots of laughs resulted from that night. I would post a pic… but Danielle accidentally deleted the only one we took…. Good Job Danielle! J

Today we spent the day in Pembroke Pines. We went to see my brother Felippe, and visit a lot of our friends! Our life is pretty much up here in Palm Beach now. I love living up here! However, there’s many that we love down in Pines that are like a family to us so it’s nice to reunite. We went by FRC and watched the service there. Good job Pastor Troy! IT was very good! We got to see a lot of our friends and catch up a little. It was good to see everyone and spend time with my brother who I hadn’t seen in almost a month! Then after a family/friends of the family lunch with some good friends we did some house hopping! We had to make a few visits and see some people! I’m not gonna lie... our trips to Pines are pretty productive.

We got home at 8 tonight. We hung out with our neighbors for a bit and that brings me to my current couch potato standing. A nice busy, productive, weekend and now a moment of total unproductiveness... It’s pretty amazing! Now some Gilmore girls with my mom while eating some cocoa puffs and id say my weekend is complete!!!

Am I really blogging?

I had a random urge the other day to make a blog. I've never been much of a writer. Those that know me know I love to talk. I think talking is a gift from God.. :) But this is different and I am always up to try new things. It keeps life exciting. A lot of people really close to me have blogs, so I've checked some of them out, and found them to be pretty cool. But It made me wonder what I would write about if I made my own blog. So I've decided to give it a try and have some fun with it. For those of you that read it, thank you for your time! :) It doesn't take much for me to have good time, and I'm easily entertained so I'm thinking this will be fun...Maybe someone will get something out of my words of wisdom ha...hey you never know....Alright well I think this will be my little introduction. I had a long shift at work tonight and am falling asleep as I write. Stay tuned...more words from Gi...Coming soon! :) LOVE, ME