I had this post ready..

... but apparently didn't publish it!  Here's some more pictures of the kids and other randomness from our last couple months in Korea.  We are finally back in the USA now, but wanted to share these also.  Rayna looked at these pictures and said, "I really miss Korea."  There are definitely things about it we all miss.

A man reading his Bible on the subway.

One of Luke's last days of Kindergarten!

Rayna getting so big... she'll start kindergarten this fall.

Rayna, Tessa, and our best buddy Kate, on a little walk around the neighborhood right outside the base.

Tessa on Easter in a dress I made.  Definitely looking forward to getting my sewing machine back and hopefully having time to sew.

Rayna and Kate

Rayna in her Easter dress.

More pictures from around here

"4 NE 1" - where we like to get pedicures.  The salon is on the top floor, and "Heavenly Bread" on the bottom.  You can order food while getting a pedicure.  Perfect!

Lanterns are strung everywhere in honor of Buddha's birthday in May.  I love how they look, especially with the spring flowers blooming.

A picture from our apartment building (not our apartment but our neighbors' - they had a much better view!).  This was right after a rain, everything looked so rich and green.

Big Changes

I know I am an unfaithful blogger, so I may be writing this for myself.  But that's okay!  Just want to document some of the things going on around here and some of the thoughts rattling around in my head as we're getting ready to make a BIG move back to the U.S.  It's kind of hard to believe that we'll be flying out of Korea, probably never to return (I know, never say never), in less than a week.  Yikes!

Here's the short version of the last two years, in bullet points:  wink wink

• got assignment to Korea
• didn't want to go to Korea
• didn't matter, moved to Korea
• adjusted sssllloowwwwwlllyyyy to a foreign country
• met some great friends
• had my view of the world expanded
• found myself having fun in Korea (what?)
• visited the BX at least daily
• sometimes felt "base fever", not unlike island fever
• after about a year got over my fear of driving in Korea, helping to overcome "base fever"
• the kids learned to walk everywhere without me pushing them (Korea is not especially "stroller friendly")
• saw my friends on a daily basis (what a treat!)
• loved the "cuteness" of Korea
• bought fabric and furniture, and custom made coats
• gained a better understanding of why our military is here (I'm not a history person, I really had no idea what was going on on this side of the globe.  I guess that would make me not a current events person either!  Pathetic.)
• learned to squeeze my van into tiny places previously considered not possible
• became incredibly thankful for people around the world who learn English... since I know two Korean words (hello and thank you).  Also thankful for the universal language of the calculator - everyone understands "how much?" and the calculator does the talking from there
• formed new loyalties to companies who ship cheerfully and promptly to APO/FPO addresses, and vowed to permanently boycott those that don't.  We'll see how that goes...

I'll stop there for now since that is not exactly as brief as I intended... here's a few pictures instead...

 Taking pictures with some Korean "friends" at Everland.  Luke thinks it's cool now to hold up the peace sign for photos, like many Koreans do (i.e. the man on the right).  Just blending in to the culture!

 In Seoul - the kids were taking a rest right here and a sweet old man came up and gave each of the kids 1,000 won (roughly $1).

 Visiting an old palace, in the heart of Seoul.  Always interesting to see old things with the new built up right around it.

 Inside somewhere at the palace - maybe the throne room?

 A traditional music/dance performance at a cherry blossom festival in Seoul

 The family at the cherry blossom festival.  Thanks to Dan's cousin and family for coming to visit and getting us out to do some more sightseeing like this!

Walking around our "neighborhood" - the main drag in Songtan, the town right outside the base.

Tessa is 2...

...and Mommy is in denial!  I really kind of wanted to skip poor little Tessa's birthday this year, and just pretend that she could still be 1 for a few more months.  She so cuddly and funny and stinkin' cute right now... why can't we just freeze time?!  It is the first of my children's birthdays that I have felt this way.  I have always been glad that they're growing up and moving on to the next stage and becoming more independent, but not this time.  Sabrina, you soooooo told me so!  Now I get your sadness over your babies getting bigger!
But of course, we don't really want to keep Tessa a baby forever.  But just for a little while - that would be okay, right?
In spite of me wanting to enjoy this season of life for a bit longer, time marches on.  And the little girl in fact turned 2!  Here are some pictures of our little celebration at home - some cake, candles, and of course, presents!  Luke and Rayna love that she's not really interested in tearing open the packages so they get to do it for her.  What does interest her is eating birthday cake.  Every. Last. Bit.
Happy birthday sweet girl!

Furniture

Dan got me a new computer for Christmas, a better one for photos and stuff than our laptop.  Since we've only had a laptop for a while we needed a place to put this new desktop.  We went to Home Plus and got the tiniest computer cart you've ever seen for $30.  The keyboard barely even fit on the little tray meant for it.  But it worked for the moment, and we planned to get something more substantial when we got back to the States.  Then I went with some ladies in the FREEZING cold to a furniture warehouse place nearby.  When it's cold outside, it is even colder inside this place!  I wish I had a picture of us all huddled around the propane heater.  It makes shopping decisions faster, that's for sure.
Anyway, I came upon this piece for a steal, and snatched it up!!  I have always wanted a desk that would completely close up like this, and this is nicer looking than anything like it I have seen.  I'm quite excited about it!  :)  Mr. Kim delivered that same afternoon, then rearranging session #137 began, in which Kellie tries to fit more furniture in her apartment than it will hold, after she swore she would buy no more.  There are certain advantages to being here after all... one of them being lack of bills.  For instance, we pay $18 a month to keep both of our prepaid cell phones active.  I think we are going to be in major shock over such things when we move back to the mother land.  But that's another story altogether!
Isn't it pretty?

Snow Fun

It snowed Sunday afternoon, so Monday after school we took the opportunity to do a little sledding on the golf course with our pals Sam and Kate.  It was cold.  Tessa's newest phrase is "so cold".  And she says it all shivery and pathetic sounding whenever we go outside!  She said it a lot when we were out sledding!  She went down the hill with me a couple times and seemed to have fun, saying "weeeee!" and "so fun!" but then she wouldn't want to go again, and cried most of the time we were out.  Poor girl, it was only about 20 degrees.

It didn't phase the big kids, though.  They had a BLAST!

 Rayna, Luke and Kate getting ready for a sled race!

 Sam and Kate

 Tessa was appeased for a little while when I put my huge scarf on her.

 Kate liked going with no hands!

Our Neighborhood

This cold, cold winter, the kids have been having a lot of playtime in our building's hallway area.  I am relieved that everyone on our floor (at least I think everyone) is okay with the kids being out there in the afternoons.  They do make a bit of noise.  Okay, a LOT of noise.  But it saves me from letting them watch way too much t.v. and playing way too many video games.  There are a few kids that gather almost every day, and it is kind of nice not having to haul everyone down to the playground.  :)  We welcome warmer weather, though!

Our neighbor Sarah pushing Tessa on the scooter

 Luke and his buddy Josh playing a little soccer

Me and Tessa in the big, random hallway mirror.  By the way, I'm already thinking I want to grow my hair out.  I need to stop cutting it off thinking I'll like it better.  When will I learn?!

Girls Rock

We love us some Lego Rock band around here!  I wasn't sure about getting Rock Band for the kids b/c it looks crazy, like being at a rock concert (go figure) and I think the game has a lot of "grown up" images that I wasn't too fond of the kids seeing.  Then they came out with Lego Rock Band!  Woohoo!  All the characters are Lego people (so cute) and the kids LOVE it.  We got it last Christmas, and it has made a come back in our house this winter... it is so cold we are not going outside at all, so I am glad we have some fun options like this that we can do together.  In the photo below, Rayna is rocking out with her friend Kate.  Sometimes we have "family rock band" and Luke and Dan will play guitars, Rayna will "sing" into the mic, and I'll do the drums.  Yay for fun indoor activities!
It has been an unusually cold winter for Korea, I guess.  I honestly can't remember how long it's been since it's been above freezing at ANY time of the day.  Today started out at 11 F and the warmest I saw on my car when I went through the car wash this afternoon (only water though - the soaps and shampoos were frozen) was 30.  Almost there!  Yes we lived in Minot, and yes, it was colder.  The difference is we are out in it much more here.  There are too many places on base that are really too short to drive (although that doesn't always stop us) but are quite a long walk when it's 15 degrees.  In Minot we just ran from our house to our car, car to store, etc.  There was no walking outside for extended periods.  And in Minot our remote car starter worked from in the house.  From our 8th floor apartment with the van in a parking garage across the street from the building, that handy little thing we had installed in Minot is useless here. 
Here's hoping we'll thaw out soon.

This is Rayna with a few of her classmates at a recent playdate.  Love the princesses, chearleader, and Minnie Mouse!!  By the way, even at only age 4, 5 girls create a LOT of drama.  Just sayin'. 

The "Baby"

The "baby" of the family is no longer a baby.  When did this happen?  Who is this little girl who likes to "bush teef"?