Friday Just 'Four' Fun

Here are four of my favorite people to help you get into the Holiday spirit!

Sophie, Sage, Sami & Nathan

Here's the link if you are having troddle (trouble):
http://sendables.jibjab.com/view/agIAgFETkAN1S5rq?cmpid=jj_fb_self_holidays

:) sbc

ps--credit to Jess Allen for Jib Jab

Give Peas a Chance

It didn't feel like Thanksgiving here--it was just another Thursday, but it was sunny and clear and beautiful.  We'll be celebrating Thanksgiving on Saturday with friends and some American soldiers. Can't wait!

Nathan and I did some errands, had an on-the-go-skype with my mom and dad and went on a lunch date to the Seoul Club.

But I couldn't let the day go by without some sort of special meal--it is Nathan's first Thanksgiving after all--so he was introduced to sweet peas. It's not exactly turkey and stuffing, but it will do!

I am just plain thankful--for everyone and everything in our lives.  Happy Thanksgiving one and all!

:) sbc

My Mom's Favorite Day

It is Wednesday night in Seoul.  The Wednesday before Thanksgiving is my mom's favorite day of the year, and I have been thinking about her all day.  I think my mom loves it for the same reason I like Memorial Day: it's the excitement that comes with the beginning of something--the beginning of summer, the beginning of the Holiday Season--it's all so exciting!

Sage, Sophie, Sami

If I lived in the US, I would most likely be hustling over to my mom and dad's and begging Kyle to leave work already, asking him to meet us there.  I can feel the winter chill in the air and the rush of warmth when I open the front door to my nieces (left) exclaiming, "SHELLLLBBBYYYYY!!!"  I can smell the chili cooking on the stove.  I can see the fireplace lighting up the living room.  I can hear my family and Dave and Lynn chatting, making good use of the bar, planning euchre games and trying to remember why we can't have our spouse as a partner. (And eventually someone saying, "Why don't we play a game we can all play?")

This year will be different. Gram and Beepa's house will be quiet on Wednesday night, as the usual cast is dispersed this year. I thought it would make me miss them less, but I am finding that I am having a harder time with Thanksgiving this year than last.

But soon, very soon--like 24 sleeps soon--we will be in the States.  For that I am very thankful.  And I am looking for a euchre partner.

:)sbc

And Twice on Tuesday

On this Tuesday of Thanksgiving Week, we are thankful for two things:

1. We are back to two naps!  Tuesday, Natey Wi took two naps and is officially back to his normal schedule and his normal self! 

2. We received a care package from the Allens! It contained two letters from Sophie, two kinds of baby vegetables, two-toned baby spoons and rice cereal! Just too cute! Thank you, Allen family!

NWC

:)sbc

Breathe In, Breathe Out

It's Monday and that means I get to start my week out like this:

Yoga!

During meditation, Katja reminded us that, in the States, they'll be celebrating Thanksgiving this week. She asked us to pause with each exhale and focus on something that makes us grateful.

Inhale, sit up tall, shoulders down, chin parallel to the floor, eyes closed, face relaxed.

Exhale. Give thanks.

Nathan
Kyle
Mom
Dad
Hadi
Jess
Tom
Matt
Lonnie
Kristen
Sophie
Sage
Sami
Anneke
Jay
Schuyler
Sydney
Brady
Sandy
Phil
Kimmy
Kendall
Carlos
Laura
Claire
Corey
Lexi
Joseph
Pete

Kevin

Annie

Maddie
Gabriel
Ava

And that was just my first breath.

Happy Thanksgiving week!

:)sbc

Take Two of These and Call Me in the Morning

This blog entry was supposed to be about our trip to the very beautiful Seoul Lantern Festival, but alas--Achoo!

A cold? Never heard of it.

Poor Natey Wi, the little man got his first cold.  Kyle recently caught a cold, passed it to me, and like a good germ spreader, I gave it right to Nathan. 

Wednesday was full of sneezes. No problem. Thursday his afternoon nap lasted less than an hour instead of the usual three.

Reading up on some of my favorite peeps in between sneezes

Thursday night, I put him to bed with a very stuffy nose. Poor kid had no idea what was going on. He would fall asleep and, as far as we could tell, kind of scare himself awake because he couldn't breathe. Then he would cry. And cry. Kyle said, "I think it's going to be a long night."

At 10PM, I called my sister-in-law Laura (a pediatric nurse) to double check the dosage of infant tylenol and then stopped by my good friend Katja's for some all natural remedies to help us get him some relief. It was, as Kyle predicted, a very long night.  For the first time since I don't remember when, we saw every hour of the night--a very severe departure from our norm (we are very lucky, as I can count only a handful of times--during the first months--that he has woken up during the night). At 4AM, we cancelled our Fridays and decided to head to the doctor to ensure he didn't have an ear infection.

Headed to Dr. Yoo 

Friday morning we saw Dr. Yoo.  Nathan has an upper respiratory infection with high fluid levels in his not-yet-infected ears. We filled our prescriptions and headed home. Naptime was very good (for all of us) and Nathan was back to his old self last night. It's Saturday evening here, still no fever and we have our fingers crossed for another good sleep.

:)sbc

Civil Defense Siren

Today we had a Civil Defense Drill. At 2pm Seoul time, sirens sounded throughout the ROK (Republic of Korea).  I was driving.  Everything came to a stop.  Cars, pedestrians, traffic lights--all stopped.

It seems they used to call these Air Raid Drills. Even with the more friendly title, it still serves as an eerie reminder of the tension in the Korean peninsula. I can't decide what is more strange: That they actually practice their reaction for being attacked by the North, or that they do so without the slightest bit of panic. 

From where I sat, it looked like a well choreographed "Busy Morning Street Scene" from a movie, and the sound of the alarm was like the Director shouting "Action!" 

I did not leave my vehicle and seek shelter in the nearest building. I locked my doors, wished I was home with Nathan and called my husband. He didn't answer (probably seeking shelter and following directions), so I just waited for the "all clear." I am such an American. At 2:15pm the sirens sounded again, people got in their cars, traffic began to move and we went on our way as if nothing had happened. 

Sometimes I realize all over again that I really am in a foreign place, and it stops me in my tracks--literally!

But look who was waiting for me when I got home!

Nathan waking up from his nap

:) sbc

Cheeks

I love these cheeks!

Out for a bite to eat on Saturday night

Must kiss the cheeks--can't resist

:)sbc

Towels & Tradition

When I was little bath night was a big deal, especially Sunday night. I can still remember the feel of my favorite towel (and the less dreamy feel of the scratchy option that we sometimes got stuck with). Those towels have long since been retired to the cottage, and sometimes I come across my favorite--a golden mustard, super soft and very frayed towel--and I smile.

But the best part was after the bath.  In the fall and winter, my dad would make a fire. Once we finished with our baths, we got to run out to the living room in our towel and enjoy the warmth of the fire while we dressed in our PJ's and got our hair combed out.

It was during these times, I believe, that my do-tah do-tah (signature toddler butt wiggle) was born. That, friends, is another story.

So, here we are on one of Nathan's first Sunday evenings in the fall, continuing the tradition.

Fireplace all set and ready

First, we get nudie in mom and dad's room

Have to get used to the water

Getting clean 

Splash!

Stole the washcloth from mom

All clean

Drying off by the fire

Warm and toasty. Time for PJ's 

Ready for bed

Goodnight! :)sbc

The Race that Stops a Nation

That's right, it's Melbourne Cup time! Technically, the slogan is "The Race that Stops the Nation." But, since it's not my nation...whatever, I still just love this event!

Each year, a few weeks before the Melbourne Cup, ANZA (Australia and New Zealand Association) has a hat party. It's basically a game of chance with wine. Sign me up!

While many of my friends perused the aisles trying on several hats and fascinators to find just the right one, I repeated my strategy from 2010: All the hats are named. If I came across a name that I had a connection to, I put my card in that hat. I allowed myself one "like" card to go toward a hat I thought was pretty.

                       

                         Rebecca!

Sophie!

My "like" hat

Nathan loves Stephanie

He perked up to see which of his ladies got their favorite hats

Nathan even helped some of them accept their hats

Leslie and Nathan having lunch

My name was drawn for the "Alexandra"

As you can see from the pictures, Nathan stayed very busy at the party. I am so fortunate to have friends that want to hold him and feed him to get their "baby fix" while I get my "adult fix."

Fast forward a few weeks to the big event:

The Stage

with Kelli and Susan

On either side of the fedora-man are my friends Bronwyn (L) and Kelly (R). They were up for best hat!

with Natey Wi's girlfriend (aka Stephanie) and Leslie

The finish. Photo All Placings. What a race!

Many of my friends brought their spouses this year. I think next year, for my last Melbourne Cup, I am going to have a date with Kyle. Such fun!

:)sbc