Around Here - total randomness

I guess I haven't been blogging the last few days! Here's some of what we have been up to:

We are loving the gorgeous fall weather around here... since we walk lots of places I was getting really tired of feeling hot and sweaty all the time. No more, it's definitely cooling down. Soon it will be too cool - but Luke in short sleeves at the beginning of November? I'll take it!

Today I followed the kids around with my camera. I need to just take it everywhere so I can practice, practice, practice! I saw some cool bright red trees today that I want to take them back to and make them smile in front of. :)

I started a Korean class. It's hard. My mouth doesn't make all those sounds. But I'm hoping to be able to learn enough that even if I speak bad Korean, someone might be able to understand me when I ask where the bathroom is. Or the milk. I know how to say that now. And what is up with languages that have a different way to say goodbye depending on whether you're the person staying or leaving... can't we just say goodbye? Ugh.

I've been obsessing over Christmas cards. I have some pictures I want to use already, and since the mail takes so long here (well sometimes it's really fast but it's unpredictable... we have waited 6-8 weeks recently for a couple things) I want to get things sent to me, then sent out, sometime near Christmas. I love the Christmas card, Christmas letter thing. It's so fun to get them, even though facebook keeps me updated with lots of people all year long.

I've been trying to remember that I need to get all my Christmas shopping done in November, so it can be sent asap... due to above stated mail issues!

We've all been coughing. It just hangs on forever! But thankfully we only had a cough/cold type thing, not H1N1. We don't have the vaccine here yet for dependents (that's me and the kids), but hopefully soon.

We've been cheering Tessa on to crawl, even though I know things are going to get crazy when she's more mobile. But now she's frustrated with not being able to get where she wants to go. Go, Tessa, Go!

Dan and I finished Season 2 of LOST... I would move right on to season 3 but I'm giving Dan a break. He's not as obsessive about things as I am.

Tomorrow night we have a babysitter, the first time here (well I've used one during the day) and it's about time. We need to get into the habit of regular date nights.

I just sold a stroller we bought 6 months ago and I might buy one from a lady who bought hers 4 months ago. Seems we both thought we knew what we wanted/needed, but things change! My "big" kids have been walking everywhere, so I'm abandoning the double, and she's got a single and is buying someone else's double. Lots of stroller drama around here with all the walking!

My dear friend Kelly had a baby girl yesterday, and I want to hold little Zoe Kate right now! So not fair!

Today we got locked out of our apartment twice. One time I walked out and thought the door was unlocked, but it wasn't. The kids were already at my neighbor's house, and I was going back for the diaper bag and Tessa's pack n play, but instead I had to go downstairs to the lobby and have the guy come unlock our door. He had a good laugh with his coworker when I came back 3 or so hours later asking for the same thing. Him: What apartment? Me: 809. Same as this morning. Him: speaking Korean to the other guy, then laughter.
I would have laughed at me, too (they were nice, anyway).
But the second time I had gone back to my neighbors to pick up Tessa who had been sleeping there... it's 2 steps across the hall, so I told the kids to stay in the house while I go get Tessa from Miss Britta's. Of course, since my children always listen to everything I say and obey no matter what, Luke was knocking on Britta's door a minute later. Annoying, but not surprising. But I lost it when then we went back to our door and it was locked.
"This is why I told you to stay in our house! Why don't you listen?! This is what happens when you don't obey!"
Luke felt pretty bad, I think it was a good lesson for him in the importance of obedience. I should have applied the lesson I learned in Bible study that morning about a gentle and quiet spirit. Anyway...

It's a good thing they're cute!