Children's Grand Park

We had another adventure today. Katie, Meghan, Dillan and I went to Children's Grand Park with some neighbors/friends. I am so glad they invited us because we really had a lot of fun. It was our first time navigating the subway without Shane along and may I just say we did it perfectly :)

The park has a lot in it. We just did the tip of the iceberg I think, but we will definitely return sometime because the park is free!

You will notice in the pictures that the 2 littles did Miniature horse/donkey rides...we did have to pay a bit for that, but it was worth it.

Without further ado...for your viewing pleasure :)

This slideshow design created with Smilebox

Cooking Day

I spent a day in the kitchen today. Here is what I accomplished...

 

 A loaf of whole wheat bread

Frozen smoothie pops for our lunches tomorrow

Cinnamon Glazed Popcorn to snack on

 

Whole wheat cheese crackers

Granola Bars

 Refried beans (still cooking--smells yummo!!)

Whole wheat tortillas

Granola cereal

 

And I still have ice cream to make this evening...

And yep! Everything is from non-processed ingredients!

Have a yummy day!

Moving to Korea--Updates

Things are finally coming together for us. We got into our house yesterday and got internet set up (believe me that is really important for this family). We get all of our household goods tomorrow--can't wait for that chaos.

 Last night was great though. It was really nice to be out of the hotel and in our new home. We began putting away all of our things that we brought with us and will finish that up today. I made a first commissary run--just to get things to eat yesterday...today I will go again and get everything we need for today through Friday. It is so nice to have a kitchen again...on tap for tonight--fajitas, tomorrow Lasagna (I figure I can put it together today and then just have to throw it in the oven tomorrow night after the movers leave) and something in the crockpot for Friday while we are unpacking. I'm not sure what just yet. We will still have sandwiches for lunches for a few more days--although now with homemade bread :) And I'm going to mix up a batch of granola so we can have that or oatmeal for breakfasts...have to keep things simple until the house is put together.

I also made a PX run to get all the things you have to buy new when moving...broom, mop, toilet brushes, shower curtains, bath mats, etc. etc. Today I'm going to run again and get some command hooks and things that I've already figured out we are going to need and get them up. Trying to get all caught up before we have to start again tomorrow...

On a non-moving note...the girls made the swim team. They practice Mon- Thurs for 1 1/2-2 hours so it is wearing them out and making them HUNGRY!! They are really excited! Dillan did a tryout, but didn't make it. I really didn't think he would, but he really wanted to try. He swam his little heart out, but 50 meters is a LONG way and he just doesn't quite have the technique for the strokes yet. The coach loved him though--loved his attitude and effort. He told us to have him take some lessons this summer and then try again next time. I'm so very proud of him!

And me...I have an interview for a first grade classroom tomorrow morning...yep right before the movers come. Please pray for me. I'm really excited and really nervous all at the same time. I have been away from the classroom for so long--it is definitely time to go back, but will be a huge adjustment for us all. Not only, will I have to deal with the changes of working everyday and doing the job, I also have to figure out how to manage the house and the kid activities without being home. Yes, I know many, many, many, moms do it and I can too...I'm just talking adjustment and figuring it all out. It will also be a challenge with Shane not here. For those of you that don't know...he has his own 2 BR duplex about 90min-2hours away from us. That is where his command is...it was just a better choice for the kids and I to stay here because of schools and such.  Anyway, prayers first that I get the job and second prayers for an easy transition for all of us if I do.

Well, I guess that's it for now. I just wanted to give an update on what is going on with us. I will keep you all posted on the goings on of tomorrow.

Seoul Zoo

Our adventure today was to the Seoul Zoo. We started by taking the subway...a first in Korea. It went quite smoothly. We spent quite a bit of the day wandering around and looking at all the animals. It was quite enjoyable...Dillan LOVED it!!  He especially loved the bugs, snakes, and crocodiles...yep he's a boy. We stopped at a couple of the food stands and just pointed to random food on a stick...everything tastes good when it's deep fried and on a stick :) No it wasn't healthy, but it was a day out for fun...once in a while is ok. We saw a dolphin show and we rode a sky lift. It was a really fun day...basic day at the zoo.

Our day ended with Meghan being the brave eater again. Shane offered a treat to whoever would eat a bug that a vendor was selling. Meghan took him up on it. She did NOT enjoy it and kept saying she wasn't ok...we were really afraid she was going to vomit. She didn't and she earned a donut.  She has turned into quite the crazy girl!

A bit of a side note...We have noticed that the Korean people really love our blonde headed boy :) The other night when we went out to dinner a random guy wanted to take his picture. He has had teenaged groups of girls point and giggle at him as if to say "isn't he cute?" And today at the zoo we had a Korean family ask to take a picture of their children with all of us "the foreigners." It is just really funny.

Then on the subway an elderly gentleman came over and gave Dillan 3 pieces of candy. He was kind and shared with his sisters. The man saw that and wanted to give him more. Dillan was being polite and told him no--I told him he should bow to show respect. Dillan does know a proper bow from Taekwondo and gave the man a full from attention bow which resulted in the man walking over and giving him an entire handful of candy. It was really nice.

My overall view of the Korean people is that they love children and they are all quite kind. It makes being here quite pleasant.

A free slideshow design by Smilebox

Life is Coming Together and Some "Little" Surprises

We have been in country for almost 2 weeks now. Most things are starting to take shape and come together while others are requiring a little more persistence...to put it nicely.

I got the kids all registered for school in the fall. That was a big thing. The 3 younger ones will be starting Taekwondo here on 1 July...Katie doesn't think that is soon enough :) They are all 4 trying out for the swim team...we will see how that goes:) Brendan has made some friends. He has gone to Club Beyond and is going on a paintball trip this weekend. He also just called as I was starting this post and asked to take his first excursion off post with some friends. They are going to eat. What else would a 15 year old boy want to go do? Oh, and he went to his first football practice today...haven't gotten to talk to him about it yet, but I'm assuming it went well. So, yep, the calendar is once again filling up with all the kids' stuff.

Persistence...well that came into play with the housing office. I don't know how many of you were aware before we came that we almost didn't get to come at the same time. We were told that because we required a 5 bedroom house, Shane would have to come ahead to secure housing off post since they wouldn't have any available for a year and then we could come. We fought that right away saying we have never had a 5 BR and probably never would so 4 BR was fine. Ok. We get here and we were having trouble even finding a 4BR available in an area we really wanted to be in. So, by chance a friend moved into her house and noticed a vacant 4BR across the street. I went to housing and was told that it was actually a 5BR, but we couldn't live there because it was only for Sergeants Major. Even though we found out it was sitting empty for 6 months AND was across the street from the BN Commanders' quarters where we are supposed to live, but can't because they are all 3 BR. Ok so long story short, Shane didn't accept that answer and today I signed for a 5BR 4 Bath duplex! We move in on Tuesday and I can't wait to get out of this hotel and cook my own meals!!! On that note I will leave you with a couple of photos of the quarters and then I'm off to create a menu and grocery list :)

From the center pretty door left is ours--yep both floors.

One of the bathrooms

 

Living/dining area

Kitchen

PANTRY!!!!

Laundry room

First Days Exploring Seoul

We were finally able to get off post and do some exploring the past couple of days. Yesterday we went out to Itaewon Market and walked around a bit and had a Korean dinner out. It was delicious I might add.

Today we took the Seoul City Tour Bus around. It was a great way to be able to just get the lay of the land a bit and see where the different sites are. There are quite a few we plan to go back to tour another day when we have plenty of time. For today we only made a couple of stops. The first one was to the National Folk Museum of Korea. It had quite a bit of stuff that the kids enjoyed looking at and we were able to be outside walking around. There was also and indoor part, but we didn't spend much time in there.

The second place we stopped was kind of by accident. The bus was "taking a break" I guess for about 20 minutes and the tour guide told us that the changing of the guard would be happening down a couple of blocks at Deoksugung Palace. So, we took the walk down and got to enjoy that as well as another yummy Korean meal around the corner.

Our final stop was the Namdaemun Market. We once again just walked around and looked a bit. We had some pineapple on a stick and watermelon from one of the vendors. Then we got back on the bus and returned to our "lovely" hotel room.

I will be so happy when we finally have a place to live...hopefully next week. We did have a great day though, and are really looking forward to exploring more of Korea over the next 2 years.

 

Create your own picture slideshow

Hello from Korea!

We made it to Korea safe and sound. We are settled in the hotel and trying to get the lay of the land. Our big hurdle right now is cell phones.  UGH!! The plans are so complicated. They don't have family plans so it's an individual plan for each person...expensive! They have pay as you go "dumb" phones, but Brendan and Katie would blow through the allotted texts so quickly that we would end up paying just as much as a contract smart phone...so the research and decision making continues. :(

The next hurdle is housing. We have an appointment next week to go look at a townhouse...hopefully it will be an ok place and we can sign for it and move in quickly.  We shall see.

In the meantime, hotel living it is. That make eating well a bit more difficult.  Although not impossible. We went to the commissary today...ok it is quite difficult...this place is going to take me a while to get used to. The options on non-processed food are very limited. I will be making a lot of homemade from scratch things when we have a house. For now...we will do the best we can. I only have a microwave so...breakfast is consisting of oatmeal or grapenuts with fruit. Lunches are sandwiches with fruit, and snacks are things like larabars (one kind only), Triscuits, fruit, nuts, etc. Dinner is the one meal a day we are eating out.  I'm sure that will get quite old after a week, but we don't really have many other options right now. So it is what it is.

Beginning when we get a house, I will try hard to do better, but even that is going to be tough. Just walking through the commissary today I can see that I'm not going to be able to buy many of the things I normally do...oh well...I am an Army Wife! I will make the best of what I am given.