School, Steak, and Shinshigae

I guess my New Year's resolution to get the blog post done on time is not working out so well.  You will have to excuse me in this because things have been a bit overwhelming lately.  Our adventures have been few and far between recently due to extremely busy schedules with Dave's work, homeschool, and Girl Scouts.  I cannot promise it will be get much better in the coming weeks, but I promise to keep you up to date on whatever it is we have been doing, no matter how mundane!

This post covers the week of January 14th.  That was our 46th week in Korea.  WOW!  We are fast approaching a year here.

On Tuesday, the kids attended another technology class on post.  They are SUPER excited because they are learning how to make LEGO movies.  It is a wonderful opportunity and they are making new friends, too.  They also got an art lesson while we were there.

Mitchell making some adjustments to his and Darci's Lego contribution

(YES, they built that house together ☺)

setting up one of the shots for the film

still making adjustments...this time with a new friend

getting ready for the art lesson

art is right up her alley

I am happy to say that Dave and I actually had some kid-free time this week, all-be-it at a unit function, but kid-free none-the-less.  We actually got to try a new restaurant we have not had the opportunity to try yet.... Zulu's BRAZILIAN steak house!  Yes, I said Brazilian.  It was delicious.

We had a Girl Scout meeting on Wednesday.  I love working with my Brownies!

friendship circle

On Thursday, Darci had her first "REAL" hair appointment, complete with shampooing and everything!  Mrs. 

Alex is the BEST!  I can't believe how quickly Darci is growing up. 

she does not look too happy with me!

On Saturday, it was Girl Scout cookie time again.  This time, Darci got to sell cookies with her friend, Ashlyn.  These two are a riot!  Afterwards, they spent the afternoon playing.

who could say no to those dimples!

goofy girls

sporting their matching muffs ☺  THANKS to Ashlyn

see I told you they were GOOFY

Dave had to work on Sunday, so the kids and I set off on our own.  We decided to take the train to Uijeongbu and visit the Shinshigae mall.  It opened last year and we had not been yet.  The mall is not quite like in the states, but it has 10 stories, complete with a movie theater.

waiting on the train

part of the underground shopping when exiting the train station

here we are

LOOK!  a CLINQUE counter ☺

of course, she had to find the BIGGEST purse there

some home-goods 

Aunt Annies' pretzels....YUM!

schneeballen (a European pastry cover in different flavors of powdered sugar)

 some of the gourmet cupcakes we bought  ....double YUM

I don't know if I would want to eat food off of a conveyor belt

a hotel outside...not quite the MGM Grand

We also squeezed in a night at the movies this week.  After watching all of the Lord of the Rings movies over the holidays, we really wanted to go see The Hobbit.  So we took the kids to the movies on Camp Hovey.  We were practically the only people in the theater and Mitchell and Darci gave us some pre-movie entertainment.  What we saw of the movie was FABULOUS but we missed at least 30 minutes of the movie because it kept shutting off.  NOT COOL!

no where else would they be able to do cartwheels on the stage of the theater

And that, my friends, wraps up week 46.  Thank you all for reading.  I will be back again in a few days ☺

Until then.....

Annyeonghi geyseyo!

From Shenanigans to Shiny Shoes!

Back to being late again, I suppose.  I hope you all are doing well.  We have had a pretty busy week.  Let's jump right in.

Unfortunately, Darci had to say goodbye to some wonderful friends.  So we had one last sleepover with Abby and a FUN filled evening at the Ann House in New City with Abby and Ava.  It was bittersweet.

glad that Ashlyn got to hang out with Darci and Abby too!

gotta love a restaurant where you can get into these kinds of shenanigans

I am proud to say that Mitchell taught me how to play chess this week.  He is really enjoying his new chess set.  He is a GREAT chess player.

On Tuesday, we started our homeschool elective class at Child and Youth Services on post.  I am so grateful to them for offering to teach classes to homeschool kids once a week.  We started in technology this week.  Mitchell and Darci had a great time and made some new friends, as well!

Even though we didn't do much exploring this week.  We did manage to find some fun!

gotta love the hardwood floors

I have also included a few random pics I took this week.  

some of the buildings in Korea are just plain strange

the "Stinky Foot Store"  - am afraid to ask what is sold here!

not the most glamorous Vegas club

well, isn't that sort of obvious?!?!?

So thank you again for reading.  Until next time....

Annyeonghi geyseyo!

From New Year's to Napkins

Wow!  I can't believe it is Monday and I am actually getting the blog done on time.  Yay ME!  As always, I am so grateful to all of you who return week after week to check on us.  I hope the New Year is treating you all well.

The week began with New Year's Eve.  Not much to share there!  We didn't have any major plans and brought 2013 in by watching Korea's broadcast, which I must say had to be the most humdrum New Year's celebration I have ever seen.  It was very strange to not see the typical partying, screaming, fireworks, exciting displays that we are used to.  I took a short video of the event for your viewing pleasure.

As for the rest of the week, one sentence about sums it up!    It was COLD and it SNOWED!  I am really starting to miss GA winters.  The kids and Dave spent some time playing in it once again.  I also included a few other pics I took to show off the snow.

 

this is Fahrenheit, by the way, and not coldest morning which was -1

 

I think the lights look so pretty in the snow

 the green glow is cool

Darci and Abby playing in the "fort"

 he is just one big kid

 always trying to outdo his dad

taken after he finished playing with the kiddos

On Saturday, I went with Darci and her friends down to the weekly craft class that the apartment complex hosts.  This week we decoupaged!  It was fun and a good change from the paper folding.  The flyer said it was the Art of Napkin ☺.  So now we have 2 napkin holders decorated with napkins!

she sure is going to miss these guys!

There you have it folks.  Not too exciting, but we made memories, none the less.  Hope you all are making memories too.  Until next week....

Annyeonghi geyseyo!

Santa, Skype, and Some Snowmen

Christmas Eve began our 43rd week in Korea.  We spent the day hanging out, playing games, and just enjoying being together as a family.  Of course, we made cookies for Santa.  It was fun for the kids to watch Santa's progress online and be one of the earliest stops that he made.  By the time he made it to Japan, the kids were rushing to bed ☺.

 

Daddy's little elf doesn't look too happy

I love it when Dave dons the apron

enjoying a family game

this is what they wanted to leave Santa and the reindeer

I am sure Santa was glad we only left 2 cookies

Christmas morning was exciting, of course.  It actually took us quite a while to open everything because we were able to Skype with everyone and open presents with them.  It wasn't the same as being home, but it was the next best thing.  Santa even left a little snow on the ground, as he made his way through Korea.  The rest of the day was spent cooking our BIG Christmas dinner, which is not an easy thing when you have an oven the size of an EASY BAKE.  If it weren't for my 3 crockpots ☺(thanks to Dave and the kids for the new one, and my good friend, Erin, who let me have her old one), we were able to have a wonderful meal that we got to share with two of Dave's coworkers.

BEFORE

Santa came

reading Santa's letter

I love his letterhead

love my guys

skyping with Nana

do you think they were excited?

they really do LOVE each other

my new pajamas that Darci got me

AFTER!!!! 

yummy!

glad we had plenty of transformers

must have a group shot

the boys enjoyed an afternoon of video games

On Saturday morning, we were able skype with my family and see my grandfather who was in the hospital.  It was his 92nd birthday and we sang Happy Birthday to him and watched him blow out his candles.  I really look forward to next year when we can be there in person.  The good news is that he came home from the hospital today ☺.

Happy 92nd Birthday, Granddaddy!

It really started snowing pretty hard on Saturday, as well.  It was GREAT!  It was a good snowball/snowman making kind of snow.  

thanks, Sarah Kauble, for the new hat

Dave had better watch out

me ☺

he hates getting his picture made, but he smiled anyway

Mitchell and Elliot

Darci and Ashlyn

getting started

looks like Sarah's hat has a new owner

he looks really good 

I like him the best, but here are a couple of others that people made

a family...complete with pets

some Korean girls made this one

he even has a bowtie

she wanted the biggest one 

so with help of Dave and Jay

and all the kids

she got the biggest one!

love this pic because it caught some of the big snowflakes

And that my friends was Christmas week.  Thank you all for coming to visit us once again.  I know I am behind on the blog posts, but I will get back on schedule now that the holidays are over.  I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season and will have a very Happy New Year!

Annyeonghi geyseyo!