Life as Johnsons

Valentine's Play Day

2012-02-13T00:20:00.001-06:00

The party planner in me has recently kicked in. Maybe I'm just trying to make sure my 2 year old gets to celebrate all our holidays (because we all know she will remember this...). Maybe it is the Pinterest fad that made me need a place to use all the great ideas I see. Regardless of the reason, we had a Valentine's play day and it was great!

E and I made these valentines for our friends (again, thanks to Pinterest).

We followed her instructions to make the crayons. I think the most fun part was peeling all the paper off our old, broken crayons!

I also make envelopes for each of the kids to receive their valentines in. It was cute to see all the kids pulling their letter outs and reading the homemade cards!

We made heart hats and love bugs.

We played 'find the hearts' and 'heart bean bag toss'.

We wrapped up the fun by decorating cookies. Of course E had to have a pink one with LOTS of sprinkles!

It was a great day spent with the people we love.

Anniversary Day

2012-02-03T00:53:00.002-06:00

Another year. Yep, 4 years ago on a very cold day we sealed the deal. Somehow the 2nd of February is repeatedly the coldest day of the year. I loved looking back at our photos of just 4 years ago and my, how much younger and thinner we were...and how much more hair some of us had.

I'm not sure if I've ever shared this photos but it is quite an amazing photo by my friend Catherine (http://imagesbycatherine.com/).

We keep our anniversaries pretty low key. This year I convinced Ben into a trip to Thailand next month as a combined anniversary and birthday gift. I don't often do cutie things anymore (not sure why not) but it was fun to spice up our day a little love.

It started when he first woke up.

Then he had a special delivery girl bring him the next one at lunch.

He then got a grand entrance home from work.

We enjoyed a little pizza and wrapped up the day with come cake & ice cream.

Let's just say it was the least I could do for a trip to Thailand.

The Human Body at Work

2012-01-31T23:56:00.000-06:00

This is a past-due post that I am finally get around to! E got the cast off about a week before we went back to the U.S. for the holidays and since then we've been a little crazy. She has progressed tremendously and we have been so pleased with her progress! While in the states we had her checked up and it was nice to hear Korea did things just the way they would have done it in the U.S.

The night we got her cast off she was scared but ready to get moving again. On the drive home her legs were up over the cup holders of her car seat the entire time. It must have felt good to stretch her legs again! When we got home she rolled around the on floor, got up to crawl and really wanted to hold hands and walk. She reminded me of a new baby deer trying to stand up on wobbly legs for the first time. It didn't take her long to get going on her own.

Here are the x-rays of her bone growth. Yes, her bone is overlapped and not set directly into place. This is because the broken leg will grow quicker than the other due to the trauma of the break. To prevent length differences later in life they overlap the bone 1-2 cm. Her right leg (the broken one) is currently slightly shorter but in about a year to year and a half they will be back to the same length. The human body is quite amazing!

This was taken on October 27, 2011 which was the day they set the bone and placed her in the cast.

This was on October 30, 2011. There was slight movement in the placement of the bone (probably due to decrease in swelling) but not enough to re-set the bone.

This was taken on November 7, 2011 which was one week after we got home from the hospital. A white cloud of bone growth was already forming!

This was taken on November 14, 2011...one week later.

This was taken on November 28, 2011 which was 2 weeks later. The first 3 weeks are critical for positioning. If there was too much movement within those first few weeks they would have had to set the bone again and we would have to start the process over. Thankfully E was still in good alignment.

This was taken on December 5, 2011. It was only 5 weeks and 4 days after it was set and we were cast free!

This was taken on January 9, 2012 (about a month after the cast) when we had returned back from our U.S. trip. We were amazed the the amount of bone growth! As she grows her bone will even out and will not have such a big lump in the middle. I think it's safe to say she'll never break it in the same spot again.

The progress of learning to walk again was quicker than I thought. I had read online about kids not taking their first unassisted step until 10+ days later. E took her first steps on her own only 4 days after the cast was taken off. She had a peg-leg walk and her right foot pointed outward for a while but eventually she corrected herself (just as the doctors said it would). We did take her to a chiropractor which was a great temporary fix. She continues to grow stronger each day and learns to jump and climb and do all that she used to. She is still a little scared going down stairs or being on the edge of places but with time she'll be comfortable with it all. We don't go back to the doctor until July to make sure things continue to look good.

This is E taking her first unassisted steps on December 9, 2011.

This video is one week after the cast was off on December 12, 2011.

This is E today, February 1, 2012. It is hard to tell from this picture but her right leg (on the left) is slightly shorter but not really noticeable. It's hard to tell something was really ever wrong!

Seoul for Lunar New Year

2012-01-30T23:00:00.001-06:00

Lunar New Year is a family holiday for Koreans so the masses exit Seoul and head to their hometowns. My parents just received their shipment and were moving into their apartment the day before we planned to come so we decided to make the drive on Friday night (which ended up being less that 5 hours). Ben had to go back to work on Wednesday so he drove home Tuesday. E and I stayed and flew home on Saturday.

We had a great mix of helping the parents get settled and having fun. We can't wait to go back in a few months when it isn't so cold!

One of the big outings was to Lotte World which is one of the biggest theme parks in Seoul. Thankfully they have an indoor park. The rides were fun with lots of cute ones just E's size. Despite the looks on her face, I think she had a good time. She also loved the parade and riding the train.

While in Seoul we took advantage of the American restaurants (Outback, Friday's, On the Border). It didn't take long for E to discover her new favorite, Krispy Kreme.

We spent one morning at the Samsung Children's Museum which was 3 floors of fun!

We also went to the COEX Mall Aquarium. The mall is huge and seemed to go on forever. Inside was a great aquarium. E later told her daddy that we went to see "fishies and sharks and Nemo fishies and FISHIES!"

We loved walking around the crowded 'hip' market streets at night...just wish it wasn't so cold (I guess we'll try again in a few months). Seoul also got a few inches of snow while we were there so E had a super fun time throwing snowballs at grandpa!

E took a fond liking to my parent's driver, Mr. Kim. He was sweet and gave E some money for Lunar New Year (a Korean tradition). He was great to play with her while mom and I were at the grocery store.

We found the fabric market and I felt like I was in Pintrest heaven. Can't wait to get my project list together and head back!

It was great to see my parent's new place and spend some time in Seoul. They have a great new penthouse apartment in town and next to the mountain. We are lucky to have them closer and can't wait to go back!

Home for the Holidays: Utah with Her Side

2012-01-12T23:17:00.000-06:00

The second half of our trip to the U.S. was spent running around Utah with my side. We left the cabin in Island Park and drove about 9 hours south to my grandparent's cabin in Pine Valley, Utah. We got to spend just a short time with my dad's side in their fantastic cabin. It was great to spend a little time with my grandparents and see some of the family that we haven't seen for a while. It was fun to have the 4 generations together.

We then went back to Murray to celebrate our late Christmas and New Years at my brother's house. We all ended up getting sick but were able to squeeze in some fun (after spending New Year's eve at the insta-care facility for E). The boys went night skiing while the girls went shopping, we took family pictures, took the girls to an indoor carnival and got together with my mom's family. One of the best memories was unwrapping all the re-gifted things my parents brought up from their house. It was fun opening old CD's, games, toys, and junk from their house.

(Family photos taken by Barrus Photography http://barrusphoto.com/).

The time passed quickly and part of us wanted to stay in the comfort of the U.S. but it was a surprisingly nice feeling to come back home to Korea. We weren't sure it will feel like home but after 8 months we feel comfortable and happy to be here.

Home for the Holidays: Idaho with His Side

2012-01-12T00:38:00.001-06:00

We did it. Our first trip back to the U.S.A.! I admit it was a little strange to talk to the store clerks and waiters in English, shake hands with people, have an endless supply of anything you could ever want to buy (thank you Wal-Mart and Target), and eavesdrop on conversations while out and about. There was sure a great feeling about being 'home' and around our familiar things! I feel bad I didn't take nearly as many pictures as I should have.

We spent 2 weeks with Ben's family. The first week we did A LOT of shopping and eating out. I think those were our major goals of the trip. We stayed up way to late, laughed a lot, spent a ton of money and prepared for Christmas. On Christmas Eve we drove up to Island Park to spend Christmas with Ben's mom's side in a huge cabin. This is the 3rd year I have been a part of this every-other-year cabin trip and it just can't get much better than hanging around, eating, playing games, riding snowmobiles, etc. Here is a look at our time.

(Credit to Jeri's Keepsake Photography for the family photos. http://jeriskeepsakephotography.blogspot.com/)

American Thanksgiving in Korea

2011-12-11T07:38:00.001-06:00

We were so fortunate to have my parents here for Thanksgiving. Now that they are in Seoul we will get to see a whole lot more of them! Because we live in an area with plenty expats the locals cater to our needs. B's company put together a huge, nice pot luck dinner. They provided turkeys and everyone else brought the rest. It was a great dinner with tons of food. I will say that holidays carry a little different meaning when you are abroad...hard to describe it...maybe they just don't feel as important. Regardless we had fun and were happy to spend time with my mom and dad.

We didn't do much over the weekend because of E's condition. One morning we took a walk to the waterfall. The fall colors in the mountains were beautiful! The favorite thing was watching grandpa and dad throw sticks in the trees attempting to knock other sticks down. In E's works "daddy and gampa throw sticks and daddy missed." In dad's defense he really ended up knocking them down...

We also went to the POW camp on the island. It was interesting seeing the history of where we live and how different it was only 60 years ago!

We now look forward to Christmas in the U.S. and spending time with both families. We will then spend Lunar New Year back in Korea with my parents. We sure love having people to spend the holidays with!

Life in a Spica Cast

2011-12-11T06:55:00.001-06:00

I don't know much about Spica casts but what I do know is they are super hard to sit up in, make carrying a child very awkward and heavy, are uncomfortable for a kid to sleep with, and they sure get stinky! With every new change we've had over the past couple months coming home with a Spica on was super frustrating for all of us. E couldn't do all the things she used to do, she couldn't sit up very well, and she needed mom to do everything for her. Somehow we managed 6 weeks.

We found ways for her to sit up. A camping chair without arms worked the best but her tricycle also did the job.

And we found ways for her to lay down.

We found good, safe ways to get around town (yes, riding in the front seat of the car on mom's lap is totally safe).

We came to realize that when you get hurt you get more presents than your birthday and mom gets more meals brought in than when she had the kid...yes, we have some really great friends!

Our evening routine of bathing turned into blow drying the cast because of urine leakage. Yes, it was as disgusting as it sounds. They sure don't make those casts very easy for diapers! Plus the poor girl was just potty trained then had to go back to diapers. What a mess! I'm pretty sure when I signed up to be a mom I didn't agree that I would have to potty train the same kid twice.

We got really good at moving around with that thing on! And most of all...we learned how to adjust, make it fun and be excited about what we COULD do and not what we couldn't do (a valuable lesson for mom).

To get an update on E's progress check out this post.

Sat on the Wall...Had a Great Fall

2011-12-07T22:38:00.001-06:00

I can usually look back at most mishaps in my life and laugh...not sure about this one. As we were descending from the Great Wall the unthinkable happened. We were on a switch-back ramp in line for the toboggan slide that takes you down to the village. Being responsible moms we were holding hands the entire way as the guard rails were very minimal. E let go of my hand for a second to grab something, got bumped by her friend, tripped over the 1-inch concrete ledge and started tumbling down the side of the mountain. I have a few visual memories of what happened next but not many. There were several feet of ground that was only slightly sloped until it dropped off. I jumped after E thinking I would catch her. Her momentum had her going quicker than I was. She rolled down the mountain and I was able to slide on my feet and bottom until we landed about 10-15 feet below. E was immediately crying which was good (because she didn't pass out) and had blood on her head. I picked her up and took her to get cleaned up. We were both shaking but got the cut on her head cleaned up a little. When I tried to pick her up to carry her the most painful screams came. I noticed she had a huge knot in her leg and I was pretty sure it was broken.

I won't go into much detail about the medical care and support in China...just know it is not what we would expect back in America. After getting down the mountain we arranged with our 'tour guide' to have a local restaurant owner take us back into town (about and hour drive) and help us catch a cab to the hospital.

Finally, the 3rd hospital we tried would take us. We ended up at the Beijing Children's Hospital in the ER. We got our x-rays and confirmed that she broke her right femur...clean break, right in half. The rest of that evening was a nightmare. After going back and forth from the ER to the doctor they finally decided to treat us. We tried to get it casted as it was so that we could get back to Korea to take care of things. The doctors must have not understood us as they only splinted it. E was in shock and pain and was in no condition to leave the hospital. We decided to check her in and give her some antibiotics until she was stable. I stayed the night with her while my friend tried to make arrangements with B who was back in Korea.

The next day was long, hard and scary. We were trying to coordinate our plans and treatment and there was lots of waiting and confusion. B's company contracts with an international medical help program (ISOS) in the event of an emergency. We were able to work with them on the recommended plan of attack. After a long day in the hospital (we were in a shared room with 7 other sick kids...not ideal at all) we got E in a temporary plastic brace to get her home. My parent's called a long time family friend living in Beijing to come and help me...LIFESAVER! We were able to check out of the hospital and figure out how to get back to Korea.

These pictures are pretty sad...but true. Poor girl was in so much pain and bored and confused. The hospital conditions were poor. We were ready to get out!

We were released on Tuesday night. Our scheduled flight was early Wednesday morning. It was questionable whether or not the airline would allow us on flight with a brace or cast above the waist. We thought we would try to make our flight. At the same time the ISOS was trying to arrange with ExxonMobil to charter a medical flight for us back to Korea. I got a call in the middle of the night with the good news it had been approved! In the morning we headed to our friend's house to wait for the flight arrangements. (We stayed in our hotel this night with our travel buddies thinking we'd go to the airport with them in the morning. When we got approved for the medical flight our friend left on our normally schedule flight). Later that Wednesday evening we were picked up via ambulance to take us to the airport for our private flight back to Korea. We are eternally grateful to whoever approved the flight. ISOS arranged for an ambulance to take us to the airplane's side, fly us, pick us up in Korea via ambulance and take us to the hospital in Korea with 2 assisting doctors.

The airplane was tiny. E was on a stretcher and I was in a seat next to her. The 2 doctors were in reversed seats directly behind the pilot and co-pilot. We had to be airborne by 7:00 p.m. in order to land before 9:00 p.m. in Korea (as the airport would only accept our plane before then). The airport in Beijing stopped all flights and opened a runway for us so we could get off. We landed in Busan at 8:58 p.m.

When we got to the ER in Busan we were so thrilled to see daddy!! I'm pretty sure the feelings were mutual as dad climbed into the ER crib with E to read to her. The hospital was such a step I thought I'd never be so happy to be back in Korea! After a short time in the ER we were checked into a private room. Emma was scheduled to be placed in a SPICA cast the following day (Thursday).

E was placed in her hot pink SPICA cast on Thursday evening. We were told to stay in the hospital through the weekend as they monitored the swelling and the placement of the bone. My mom was previously scheduled to fly in that Sunday. (They are moving to Seoul and were coming to start getting their new life situated here). It was so nice to have her here the first week. E was equally as grateful to her gaga with her. Everything looked great with E's leg and we were released on Monday. The next set challenges then arose as we had to learn how to live our life with a busy girl in a body cast!

The Happy Parts of China: Part 2

2011-12-04T17:42:00.001-06:00

Day 4 in Beijing was another fun one. We decided to walk to Jingshan Park which is directly north of the Forbidden City. Our plan was to walk around the park, go through the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square then hit up the Silk Market. We spent more time at the park as we found it very entertaining. Again there were groups of dancers and singers all around the park. The girls even got some ribbon dancing lessons. In the center of the park is a large hill with a temple on top. At the top someone set up a photo opportunity for tourists just like us! They dressed up in traditional clothes and took our picture on some golden throne. A memory worth having! From the top we also had a good look at the Forbidden City. When we saw the crowds out front we decided to skip that! Again, another fun, cultural day.

Day 5 was rainy and cold. We attempted to go to church but it didn't last long. We stayed inside most of the day.

Day 6 was the perfect day turned bad. The rain cleared the skies and we actually had a clear and sunny day. It was the perfect day to visit the Great Wall. We decided to go to then Mutianyu section as they had a toboggan slide down. E slept in the backpack most of the walk so I was able to walk quite a bit of it. It was very steep in some section with lots of stairs. The mountains were very rugged. You were able to see cities in both China and Mongolia. We rode the ski lift from the village to the wall. Unfortunately we had a little accident coming down from the wall that made our perfect day a nightmare (more info later). The fall colors were beautiful...great time to visit.

The Happy Parts of China: Part 1

2011-12-04T01:04:00.001-06:00

I am finally getting around to posting about China (aka picture overload). It started out as your ideal trip but sure didn't end that way. For now I'll focus on the good...because it was a great trip. A friend and I decided to jump over to Beijing with our kids and leave the dad back in Korea to work for a week!

Day 1 was mostly spent flying and figuring out how to get from the airport to our hotel. The flight was only 2 hours and the girls thought it was so fun to be on an airplane together. When we arrived in Beijing we fought for a taxi van to get us to our hotel. Of course negotiating the price for 2 adults, 3 kids and a bunch of luggage was less than fun. Our hotel was....well....quaint. We tried to stay on the cheap and found an old huntong-turned-hostel place to stay. The staff was very nice and helpful and because we spent minimal time there it was fine.

Day 2 was spend at the Temple of Heaven (and surrounding park) and the Pearl Market. We braved the subway system and found it was no where near disable friendly so trying to get strollers up and down stairs was quite a task at some stops. Plus it was super packed most of the time. The girls did think it was cool to ride the train.

Temple of Heaven park was great. We went early to catch all the Tai Chi dancers and found there was so much more than just Tai Chi. It was quite hilarious! It seemed as if someone would stop at a random place in the park, turn on some music and start line dancing or swing dancing and eventually more and more people would join in. There were several people playing hacky with a stack of metal rings with feathers on top. There were also people dancing with a paddle and ball or with a ribbon. We saw people doing crazy gymnastics, playing dominos, giving massages, etc. It was quite the show. The girls loved wandering through the park and joining in on all the dance.

There were three main structures or temples with the Temple of Heaven being the most famous. This day was forecasted as clear...goes to show how much smog there is and how dirty the air is. The history is so old which amazing considering how young America is.

The Pearl Market was a great experience. Seriously, I loved bartering. I would hate to do it all the time because of all the work it takes but I sure got some great deals. I wish our last day planned for shopping would have worked out because there were a few more things on my list. The aisles of the markets were packed with booth after booth of junk. Every both sold the same bags, scarves, electronics, watches, shoes, clothes, etc. We went a couple days in the afternoon and let the kids sleep in the stroller while we shopped. Great time.

Day 3 was packed with a visit to the Summer Palace and the Beijing Zoo. The Summer Palace was huge with tons of people. It was quite overwhelming. The worst part was ALL the people who wanted to take pictures with the girls. We were all frustrated that every time we stopped to look at something we were bombarded with people and cameras. It made for a not as pleasant trip to the Summer Palace (although the things we saw were quite amazing). The zoo was a great break for the girls to run around and see the animals. The cages and living conditions of the animals were quite depressing but the girls didn't know...they were just excited to see pandas and lions and elephants. The best part of the zoo was feeding the zebras leaves. E still talks about the zebra that kissed (licked) her hand when she was feeding it leaves.

To be continued...

Smoke Signal

2011-10-15T07:19:00.000-05:00

Korea is lined with old smoke signals near the coasts and on top of the mountains to warn the villages of Japanese attacks. We recently hiked up to one on a beautiful evening.

The view of the shipyard and surrounding mountains. Beautiful.

E inside the tower.

Jinju Lantern Festival

2011-10-14T02:03:00.002-05:00

Last week we were able to go to the Jinju Lantern Festival which is a large international festival held every year in Jinju (a city about an hour away NW of us). This is a very historic city with a large river running through it. It was the location of many Japanese/Korean battles. Along the river is a large fortress E and I went to back in June (see this post). Along both sides of the river were several booths with traditional foods, carnival games, lanterns, lantern tunnels, games, etc. The river was full of huge floating lanterns with 2 floating bridges to go across. It was quite impressive...photos can do it no justice.

View of the river from the fortress.

Lantern prayer tunnel.

Close up of some of the lanterns.

There was a kid's area that had several kid lanterns, traditional games and activities. We made a doll out of rice straw. We also saw E's Uncle Mike (the red Teletubby...don't ask).

It wouldn't be a good Korean festival without a herd of middle school girls attacking E.

Messy Day

2011-10-10T01:32:00.003-05:00

We've been hanging onto nice weather for a few weeks so I decided we needed to have an outside messy day before it gets too cold. Some girls got more into the messiness that others so it was a good thing we had the hot tub ready to wash off. Maybe E is still too young to appreciate being messy but I have great memories of shaving cream fights, water balloons and mud volleyball. E's favorite part was popping the chalk paint balloons with the end of a paint brush...can you tell by looking at her face?

Rice Harvest

2011-10-10T01:18:00.005-05:00

There are two reasons I have become very interested in rice production. First, we are in Korea where almost any flat and empty space if farmed, usually for rice. Plus, rice is started in flooded fields...isn't that interesting to you? Second, I married a farm boy.

When we got to Korea the fields were planted and still partially flooded but young and green. We've recently seen the change in the field to a golden color. Harvest time. Before they pulled out the combines we were able to snap a few pictures. Isn't it beautiful?

Windy Hill and Hakdong Pebble Beach

2011-10-10T00:59:00.004-05:00

A few 'famous' sites on our island are Windy Hill and Hakdong Pebble Beach. We recently spent a Saturday morning there. The goats may have been the coolest thing at Windy Hill and there isn't much better than rocks for this 2 year old. Here is a view of our outing.

And for those who are interested...

This is a Korean squatter. They aren't found in too many places anymore...just parks, beaches, the occasional rest stop and some of those types of public areas. And in case you are wondering (because I know you are), E is the only one in our family who has had to use one yet.

Chuseok: Korean Thanksgiving

2011-09-22T05:45:00.004-05:00

The day after we returned from our Jeju vacation was the beginning of the Korean Thanksgiving holiday Chuseok. It is a 3-day holiday where families get together to visit their ancestor's graves, dress in their traditional clothes, eat and enjoy each other's company. Everything shuts down and our island was a complete ghost town. Most Koreans travel so it is recommended to do minimal travel during that time to avoid the crowds. We laid low and had some great experiences with some great friends.

We decided to get E a Hanbok (traditional Korean dress) to hang on the wall as decoration. We couldn't resist getting a few pictures of this doll!

Monday we went for a hike but it was so hot we didn't last long. That evening we decided to camp on the beach. It was a beautiful evening and the campfire was wonderful. By the time the sun went down our campsite was covered with bugs...not just any bugs...killer bugs. Half the bugs were a cross between a cockroach and an over sized silverfish and the others were rolly pollies that ate through cardboard and paper towels. Sick. We immediately packed everything up and went home. The next morning we went back to the beach and enjoyed the last really hot day of the year. (Side note - we saw several other tents set up at the beach that night that were still there in morning. We wondered if they didn't get attacked by bugs and maybe it was just our location on the beach? There is no way I'm curious enough to try another time!)

Jeju Vacation

2011-09-13T01:41:00.014-05:00

Last week we took a quick trip to a neighboring Korean island called Jeju. Jeju is the ultimate getaway place for Koreans and several neighbors like the Japanese and Chinese. It is a volcanic island and the source of all good products (Jeju grown products like tangerines are better than any other according to most Koreans). It is also a hot honeymoon spot similar to Hawaii. It is only a short 50 minute flight from Busan which was perfect for E. The idea of flying was fun for her and she is at a great age to travel. We had great weather (except for the last day) and were able to do lots of fun things.

Jeju is full of local legends. One is about the grandfathers that are carved from the lava rock placed at entrances as a guard from demons. They also are thought to be gods offering protection and fertility.

Yongduam Rock was created by years of crashing waves but there are several myths like a dragon stealing gems from the mountain and being shot down into the ocean with his head frozen on top or a horse who dreamed of being a dragon was frozen when a soldier stopped him from ascending. Whatever the story it was a beautiful formation.

Chenjeyeon Waterfall is one of several falls on the island meaning 'the pond of the gods'. Seonimgyo Bridge overlooks the 3-part falls and is carved with seven nymphs which descend from heaven at night. E's favorite part was climbing on all the rocks.

Seongsan Ilchulbong Peak (Sunrise Peak) is the top of a volcanic eruption that happened under the sea. It was quite an amazing site from below and at the top of the crater.

Manjanggul Cave is part of the longest lava tube in the world (about 13 km long). Only a portion is open for the public and at the end is this amazing lava formation. E really wanted to see a purple bat in the cave but we had to tell her they were all hiding because they were scared of people. One thing she kept saying about our trip was that she had to wear her jacket because it was cold and that the bats were hiding. It's funny what kids remember!

Jungmun Beach was beautiful! We made several trips back. The sand was course (nice for easy cleanup) and the water was clear, blue and a great temperature. We could be in about 8 feet and still see the bottom. We also loved having some real waves to play in as most of our local beaches are flat.

We decided to go watch a dolphin show and weren't disappointed. It was a 3-part show with monkeys, seals and dolphins. It was great for E and for us!

Jeongbang Falls is the only waterfall in Asia that falls directly into the ocean. Truly amazing.

On our last day we rode the bus to the Jeju Folk Village Museum which is a village created to resemble life on Jeju in the 1800's. Unfortunately the tropical store hit and we only made it to the gate before we went home. Maybe next time?

Overall it was a great trip. E was a great vacationer. We were able to find one of the best burger shops we've ever been to and E found a new best friend that we had to stop and talk to every time we walked by. A highly recommended vacation spot in Asia!

Summering

2011-09-12T01:59:00.013-05:00

In Korea summer ends August 31 (if not before then). All outdoor pools close, the beaches are empty, vacation is over and the long sleeve clothes come out even if it still is 90 degrees outside. We aren't too familiar with the school system but we know kids go to school year round and I think the beginning of their school year is in March. They usually have a 2 week break in August.

We took full advantage of the summer in Korea (and yes, we're still going to the beach and loving the minimal crowds).

The waterfall is one of our favorite spots in the summer because it is cool and a great swimming hole. E with a couple of our playgroup friends.

We also fought the rainy season and sometimes got caught outside in a downpour. We also went to the Ship Building Museum which has a great indoor play-place.

We went to the Geoje Blue City Festival with outdoor performances. One night E was captivated with her friend and the other danced the entire performance (sorry for the poor video). We heard some traditional Korean music (and loved the instrument they use), watched a b-boys group dance, saw a clown performance and watched/listened to an amazing percussion performance.

We tried to enjoy all the hiking around us even in the heat and humidity. Here is a hike to a lighthouse on you can see out our window and across the shipyard. The coastline on the island is beautiful!

Beach, beach and more beach. We've loved having several beaches near with the closest one only 5 minutes away. We pop over to play or swim or eat dinner or hang out for a little bit.

The last weekend in August we drove to Bugok which is about 1.5 hours away. They have a large resort facility with a hotel, amusement park, indoor/outdoor pool, hot spring tubs and tube sledding in the winter. It was half priced that weekend as it was the last weekend for the pools to be open. Like most places we've visited in Korea it was in need of some maintenance but we had a good time. E loved the slides in the indoor pool (the outdoor pool was too cold and the slides were too big for her).

The amusement park was a little creepy as it didn't appear to be open. It reminded me of one of the Shrek movies where they walk into the castle/amusement park and it is quite until they open the door with the puppets. Yes, a little creepy. They had these hilarious animals that you could actually drive around the entire park.

Finally, as part of the half priced weekend they let you into the "Ice Land" for free. It must be part of their winter activities. The sculptures were fun and we even got to ride down a really fast ice slide. We could only spend a few minutes in there because it was soooo cold!

Summer is finally winding down for us with a very welcoming fall. We can't believe we have been here for 4 months and look forward to more fun ahead.

You Know It's a Holiday in Korea...

2011-08-29T01:02:00.004-05:00

When the grocery store is full of extremely over priced gift boxes of Spam, oil, fish, fruit, body wash, etc (you name it, they have it in a gift set). I think I saw a box of 6-8 Asian pears for about $80.

And when traditional honbok's are out for sale. (Yes, I might just have to buy one for E and use it as an art piece to hang on the wall in her room...they are beautiful!)

Chuseok is Korea's holiday similar to our Thanksgiving and is held September 11-13 this year. We are going to Jeju (Korea's Hawaii-like Island) the week before and then will be trapped inside our house for the holiday as everyone says not to travel and don't plan to eat out because everything closes and everyone is traveling to see family. We look forward to our first big Korean holiday in a couple weeks!

Future Star

2011-08-23T00:32:00.004-05:00

So, you know that Justin Beiber movie that came about about his life and how he started in music so early? Well watch out world because you are getting the first videos of this little girl's career (don't forget the video of her busting out 'happy birthday to you' in a previous post)!

Watching her play this piano is hilarious because she has some serious rhythm in her shoulders! Now if we can keep this motivation for playing the piano she'll be much better off than me.

And here is just a little bonus video.

Party for Monsters

2011-08-21T18:02:00.005-05:00

For E's birthday party we just decided to an extra special playgroup at our house. The party planner in me had to do a little something! Here is a glance at the theme...

We made a monster bean bag toss and monster eye cupcakes.

There was lots of chaos and fun with about 20 moms and kids.

We are so grateful to have such great friends here in Korea. They sure did make E feel special.

When E saw her monster cupcakes she was more excited about eating the jelly bean eyes than anything else so blowing out the candle was of minimal interest...at least we were able to pull it off since we didn't do it on her actual birthday! Her favorite part of the birthday experience was opening presents. She is still asking for more presents to open...I guess we'll have to re-wrap some and let her go at them again. Thanks to all those who have sent their love her way!

Two

2011-08-17T06:50:00.010-05:00

We celebrated yet another year of us (as parents) managing to take care of this little cutie.

We started a tradition to give our kids a couple books to read the night before their birthday. We plan to have them based on their 'birthday theme' that year but we'll see how that goes. This year E was having a monster party so she got a couple monster books (which she hasn't been able to put down).

The 15th (E's birthday) happens to be the Korean Independance Day so daddy had the day off work. We decided to go to Tongyeong for the day. Tongyeong is the closest city on the west side mainland (it is a much shorter bridge than to Busan) and takes about 45minutes to get there without traffic. We joined the crowds at the Hallyeo Cable Cars. I think half the population of Korea was there. I'm pretty sure B told me it was a really stupid idea as we were walking up to the ticket booth. Somehow we lucked out and were able to walk right up to catch our ride up the mountain. (We are pretty sure the ticket lady gave us the foreign treatment and gave us immediate tickets when everyone else was given a time frame in which they could ride...but we weren't complaining!). The cable cars take you up the mountain where a trail was constructed to get you to the summit. Many people would then hike down but we didn't come prepared for that.

Side note: Korean's carry their kids on their back for years. We took up this custom and love it! This carrier is way more convenient around town than our huge hiking backpack.

After the ride we went to E-Mart. This is only noteworthy for us because we love finding new stores that carry a wide variety of items. Besides Costco this is the most familiar store we've been too...and with a huge selection (more like Wal-Mart). Nice to know it is fairly close!

E was then spoiled with presents. I had to go through the house and pack up or get rid of lots of old things to make room for the new. Our next children are totally getting re-wrapped gifts! E knew exactly what to do with the wrapping paper and took her job very seriously.

One of E's favorite gift was her piano from her dad. The video below is hilarious! She totally busted out singing "Happy Birthday" out of no where as we had only sung it a few time before. Love this little girl. Happy Birthday!

Beach Babes Festival

2011-07-29T06:05:00.003-05:00

We've had a busy week! Sometimes I feel bad that B has to go to work while E and I just play all day. We have had several nice sunny days at the beach with friends. E is becoming quite the fish...not too afraid of the water, tries to walk as far as she can before getting water in her mouth, doesn't mind the waves splashing on her face, etc. It probably helps that it has been so hot and the water is a perfect temperature!

This morning we got up early to head around the island to the Geoje Marine Festival. The festival is several days with lots of different activities. Today they had a Sand Volleyball Competition and Aerobics...aka gymnastics/dance. It was super fun for me to watch a little volleyball. E and her friend loved watching the sparkling uniforms dance and maybe do a little dancing themselves. They were quite the celebrities with all the dancers...but that is usually the case with these two blond hair/blue eyed girls. All I'm going to say is we had a few laughs at the music, dance and uniforms.

Across the Big Bridge

2011-07-26T00:59:00.006-05:00

This past weekend we headed to the big city...Busan. The main reason for our trip was to hit up Costco. I went to Costco when we first got here with a friend but this was our first time to navigate by ourselves. I whipped out my Korean language skills (thanks to the missionaries who are teaching us...and of course Google Translate) and figured out how to work the Korean GPS on my phone. Worked like a charm! I'm not sure how we would ever get around without that. Busan is much, much larger than our little towns on the island. I'm glad we ended up living where we are!

To get to Busan we cross a new bridge from the island to the mainland. Part of the bridge goes under water to allow ships to cross. Pretty amazing. Amazing enough that it costs about $10 to cross the bridge each way. That being said, for the money it takes to get there and back we wanted to enjoy more of Busan than just Costco.

We heard the aquarium was nice so we went to check it out. It was great. E loved looking at all the fish, penguins, sharks, turtles, etc. They had a great glass tunnel you could go through and watch the fish swim overhead. Made for a great morning adventure.

The aquarium is located on Haeundae Beach which is Busan's famous beach. It was hilarious because you couldn't even see the sand with all the umbrella's set up. Korean's don't like the sun on their skin. They try to be a pale as possible. That is why they swim in the ocean fully clothed and walk around in full body coverage. Totally opposite of us American's! While we were standing there looking at the beach a guy asked if we needed an umbrella...yes, we're tourists. How could they tell?

At Costco we are a freak show. Korean's go to Costco as a normal grocery store and buy 3 or 4 things. When we go we overfill an entire cart. But we have to...we are stocking up for several months. It is great to watch the Koreans faces as they walk past our cart...they are truly appalled at how much stuff we have. We got a great laugh at that. Then the poor cashier has to deal with ringing us up...and did I mention they only take cash? So we spend somewhere in the ballpark of $700 (US) and Korean bills are mainly $10 (or lower) with a few $50 as the largest bill (the $50 is much harder to find). It's great carrying a wad of cash then trying to count it out. Despite all the hassle it sure is nice to walk in there...I feel so at home!

Keeping It Real

2011-07-24T06:52:00.009-05:00

Well, we've gotten into the swing of things here and just living our very exciting but fairly normal life. Here is a little of what we've been up to.

We started a small container garden on our rooftop. We still have several things to get planted but here are a few. We love watching things come up quickly and can't wait for the rewards! (Broccoli, Lettuce, Cucumber, Mint, Rosemary).

E and I have stayed busy with our playgroup. Most activities are either indoors or in water as it is getting very hot and humid. We recently went to the Geoje Sea Spa which has a "funny park" (as they called it) at the roof. It was several pools with water slides. E couldn't get enough of going down the slides with mom. We didn't take our camera up but it was great. I love this photo of E and her friend in the locker room...oh 2 year old's! Notice the swim caps...everyone must wear one in any pool in Korea. Strange.

E recently got her first black eye while falling into the corner of the coffee table. We put a bag of frozen peas on her eye to help with the swelling...once E saw the peas she wanted to eat them and got over the fall as quick as that!

Church is...well...let's just say not quite the same when you don't understand the language. We are in a small branch of about 25 attending each week. We meet on the 3rd floor of a small building that consists of 3 rooms, a small kitchen and an office. We make the 3rd husband/wife family in the branch (one of the other families is also American). There are several single members or members without an active or member spouse. There are very few children. We meet for 2 hours. First is our Sacrament meeting followed by a combined Sunday School. We have 2-3 young women so they usually do a class together. Primary is hit or miss depending on who is attending that Sunday. There is a baby (probably about a year old) that E runs around with but no nursery. The missionaries translate for us so we get the translated version of the meeting. The members are very nice and patient with the translation and such. Ben was called to be the Elder's Quorum President (they haven't had one for years) so we'll see what he can do!

E has become quite the painter. Fortunately she isn't as expressive as her friend (see photo below) but you know I love seeing the craftiness come out already. The coolest part about the painting experience below was the colored water in the bath afterward!

I can't believe we are planning a 2nd birthday already. We have been in Korea for over 2 months now and I've been amazed at how much growing up E has done since we've been here. We just love the little girl she is becoming. Watch out America's Next Top Model...

Where We Live: Part 4 (Fun and Friends)

2011-07-06T06:49:00.007-05:00

Every day life in Okpo is pretty similar to life back home. There are many foreigners here so we get our taste of normal English conversation fairly often. Because most people are in the same situation here with their husband's working at the shipyard, living in a furnished apartment (that you obviously didn't pick the furnishings), trying to find the food you like, keeping your kids busy, etc. you bond very quickly. We have also kept ourselves busy with some Korean children's classes and reading at an English children's book store. Here is a taste at what keeps us busy!

Playgroup - Made up of kids from France, Ukraine, Korea and America (all English speakers). We go to the park, or the beach, or someone's apartment, or the indoor play-place.

E has also made herself a lil' sis to this cutie who she calls Consti. She is in the states for a few months so we'll miss having her around.

"Class" as E calls it. We attend a mommy & me class with music, activities, gym...similar to a Gymboree class back home. It is adorable and we love it. Of course we don't always know what the instructor is saying (being the only foreigners) but it is easy to follow along.

(Somehow E and the kid she ran into didn't end up on the floor.)

English Bookstore - A friend introduced me to this English children's bookstore. It is very cute and carries a lot of our favorites. The store does reading time once a week where kids come listen to books and dance to songs (similar to our library time back home). Because my friend (another American) went home for the summer I have become the authentic English reader each week. E love to dance and play with all the big kids...and they LOVE to touch her hair, tickle her and hold her hand. Koreans love babies...especially blonde hair/blue eyed ones!

If we aren't busy with the above we find time for arts and crafts, playing at the park or swimming in our little pool on our rooftop.

So this ends our Where We Live series. I hope I've inspired you all to come visit!

Where We Live: Part 3 (The Beautiful)

2011-07-03T07:05:00.008-05:00

Korea is beautiful. We've been lucky to see so much of it already...with much more to come.

A walk to Neungpo Yangjam Sculpture Park.

Lighthouse on a pier near the shipyard.

Butterflies also know as "flies" to E.

The terraces rice patties.

The burial mounds along the mountainsides (some better maintained than others).

Mundong Falls on the first sunny day after a lot of rain. (Remember this post?)

Where We Live: Part 2 (The Streets)

2011-06-26T23:46:00.010-05:00

Here is a little about what we see each day when we walk the streets of Korea. (I must note that it takes us twice as long to walk anywhere as it normally would because everyone has to stop us and talk to E, touch her hair, look at her eyes, etc.)

First, the not so glamorous Korea...trash on the streets. Trash must be put in red bags that cost about 50 cents for a 20L bag. Trash is left on the side of the street to be picked up. The streets are often covered with trash because there are close to no public trash bins. There are certain areas of town scattered with "lady cards" which I hate...reminds me a little of those parts of Vegas. There is a recycling system here but we honestly don't know much about it. We see very old men and women coming around with carts picking through the recycle bins so they must be paid for what they gather. They also have small food waste containers that they put all their food scraps in (because there are no disposals in the sink). I think it is gross so I don't do it.

(The picture below is not the greatest shot but it is the back of a cart an old woman was pulling to gather her recycling from our apartment recycle bins.)

Driving in Korea is a little crazy. Rules are almost the same as they are in America but there is a blatant disregard for the rules most of the time. It is a race to get anywhere so whoever can make the most illegal moves and gets there first wins. Lots of running red lights, double parking, cutting people off, you get the idea. If you put your flashers on that means you are sorry...and you can park in the middle of the road. There are lots of buses and taxis and they pretty much rule the road. Plus the scooters and occasional 4-wheeler can go on the road or sidewalk or pretty much wherever.

You'll find laundry hanging and the random garden plot.

There are several 'exotic fish' tanks at the entrance of most restaurants.

On sunny days most Korean women have umbrellas to shade themselves. Sun on their skin is not okay.

On holidays you may find a parade in the streets like this one celebrating the Okpo Great Victory against Japan.

Where We Live: Part 1

2011-06-21T17:43:00.013-05:00

We live in Okpo...and we are very proud that E has learned that. The square mileage of the city is small making it easy to walk, bike or hike from our home. We love that. This is usually how we get around town.

The most intriguing thing about living abroad is food, right? How do we get it, what do they have, etc. Here in Okpo there are 2 foreign stores that sell most of the 'familiar' items we would be looking for. Although pricey it is worth it to have the things you like (especially if kimchi makes you want to barf). Costco is in Busan and takes about 1.5 hours to get there plus $22 in tolls so when you go it is a $600 trip. There are also a few Grocery stores (like GS Mart) that have a fairly good selection. Home Plus (our Wal-mart) is another great option (no pictures yet).

The best place is the outdoor market. It may be stinky, have flies landing on the fish, have things at foot level to be collecting dirt, have fish drying on clotheslines (can you spot that in the photo below?), etc...but something about it is very charming. The 100+ year old ladies sitting on buckets peeling garlic and onions, the colors of the fresh fruits and veggies laid out, the variety of good, etc. I haven't taken too many pictures yet because I'm a little embarrassed and don't want to offend anyone. I guess you'll just have to come visit and see for yourself!

Hooked Up

2011-06-16T23:06:00.006-05:00

This week I've been totally hooked up and connected. Last Saturday we ran up to Mr. Han's second hand car lot and found this beauty. (Sorry for the poor pictures in our parking garage).

I can't tell you much about it. I know it is a 2007 Kia Sportage with low kilometers, 5-passenger leather interior and that it works great. Mr. Han does a lot of car sales with expat's so he gives you a good price then after 24 months will buy it back at 50%. Let's just say with the money Exxon gives you to help buy and then sell the car when you leave we made out quite nice. And why would we drive anything other than a Kia (or a Hyundai) in Korea?

Isn't it super cute?

Then on Tuesday the hubs came home with this! (Since the company provided him with a basic phone I know he really got this for himself and lets me use it during the day.)

I've never owned such a fancy phone. Again, I can't tell you much about it but I know it is an Adroid and has more features than I could even think of using. We are very excited about the GPS (much needed here), the mapping features (for our hikes and bike rides), internet and even Skype (if I can figure it out). Now I can totally fit in with all the other expat wives. Ha.

Jinju Fortress

2011-06-12T23:14:00.006-05:00

Last week a friend and I packed up the kids and headed onto the mainland to a city called Jinju. The drive is just over an hour. They have an amazing antique street filled with tons of historic junk, i mean treasures. There were actually some beautiful trunks that I may have to get my hands on before we leave (like this beauty my friend got here).

After exploring the antiques and trying to keep the little one's hands off the breakables we headed to the fortress along the river. It was beautiful and had hundreds/thousands of years of history...something we American's don't quite understand in our country. The walls surrounding the fortress still remain and most of the buildings are reconstructed originals. Every year they do a lantern festival on the river that we will be attending. Enjoy the photos.

Deokpo Beach

2011-06-05T00:12:00.007-05:00

It's a holiday weekend in Korea with their "Memorial Day" on Monday. Unfortunately any travel plans we were making were put to a halt as we found out Ben had a safety meeting on Saturday (which E and I rode in a bus with the other families to meet for lunch) and then has to work on Monday. We decided to spend the evening at the beach to enjoy some of the nice weekend. Deokpo beach is the closest to our home (only 5 mins or so away) but not as nice as some of the beaches on the other side of the island.

It is nice to have a place to let the engineer(s) do their work...

And enjoy the nice scenery and very cold water and maybe finding a treasure or two.

It was also nice to see the huge clean-up crew as there was tons of trash and debris. Koreans do everything in masses.

And finally, we are trying to teach E how to do a peace sign for the camera so she can fit in.

Waterfall

2011-06-03T06:59:00.003-05:00

We got hooked up with a playgroup this week. It was refreshing to have other little kids for E to play with. The next day one of the ladies took us for a nice stroll up to a waterfall. I loved it so much we went with daddy for a picnic tonight. (Sometimes I think we're living in a dream.) The water was pretty cold but E kept wanting to scale the wall to the top of the waterfall. A girl after my own heart.

Buddha

2011-06-03T06:43:00.003-05:00

So I always pictured Buddha to look a little like this one from China...

Not in Korea. We took a little stroll with friends to a small Buddhist temple up the road. Although small it was very beautiful and ornate.

Guksabong Peak

2011-05-28T08:20:00.008-05:00

Today we decided to venture to the mountain side to find a trail to hike. It has been rainy the last couple days so we were ready to get out. We came across this path and started up. We weren't sure how far we'd go but we ended up summiting Guksabong Peak at 462 m (1,516 ft). Korean's don't believe in switchbacks or anything like that so we basically went straight up the mountain. It was so humid today it felt like we were in the rain forest. Unfortunately there were still several clouds (eventually we hiked right into them) because the view would have been incredible from the top. Here are a few photos from the trip.

(Please excuse the sweaty pits...E and I were just doing the Dora "we did it" dance. And yes, I am still wearing a shirt from high school...don't judge).

A Saturday in Korea

2011-05-22T01:19:00.006-05:00

This is what I hope a typical Saturday in Korea will be like.

In the morning go on a hike (we can't wait for our shipment to get here with our backpack carrier for E).

Take a rest at a pavilion.

Make it to the top of the hill for a little park and exercise. (These Korean outdoor exercise facilities are great!)

Enjoy the view from the pagoda.

Then dad goes for an extreme mountain bike ride with some other foreigners while mom and E go to the beach. Hopefully there will be many more Saturdays similar to this.

Cruising the Boardwalk

2011-05-16T22:09:00.004-05:00

This morning on our exploration we found the boardwalk and trails that run along the coast. I'm sure we'll spend a lot of time here (especially when our shipment comes with our baby carrier backpack).

Here is the view back to Okpo. The small building is Ben's work. Our apartment is on the right.

Here are some of the views along the way. It is amazing how many ships are being built in the port! The island is beautiful and we can't wait to explore more.

Last Days in the U.S.A.

2011-05-16T21:19:00.009-05:00

Our last days in the U.S. were a whirlwind of activity! We decided to drive from Houston to Idaho Falls to deliver Ben's truck to his dad. So, we packed up the truck and drove a straight 28 hours. Remember...we have a 20 month old. Let's just say we made a few memories. We left Houston around 1 p.m. on Wednesday and arrived around 4 p.m. on Thursday. It was quite an adventure but we were glad to be able to drive straight through.

We spent a few days with Ben's family then went to Salt Lake to see my family. Then it was back home to Houston for a day before we headed out.

When in Idaho we attempted to go to Yellowstone Park. Unfortunately there was too much snow still so (because all I wanted was to see a bear) we decided to hit up Bear World instead. (Note the billboard below...it rang true for us).

In Utah we were able to see a lot of my extended family which was great because I haven't seen many of them since our wedding. E and her cousin L became best buds. She also go to love on the new ones.

Back in Houston we got one more trip to the fountains with gaga.

Korean Sanctuary

2011-05-13T20:16:00.018-05:00

We made it. Wednesday morning we boarded a plane to fly 13 hours to Tokyo, layover for 5 hours then fly another 1.5 hours to Busan, S. Korea. Once in Busan we had a 1.5 hour drive to our home in Okpo, Geoje Island.

The flight wasn't too bad because we were in 1st class. I wish that anyone traveling with small children on a 13 hour flight could be able to fly like this. I was too embarrassed to take photos with all the business travelers but this is what made the flight nice.

We are still exploring, getting settled and recovering from jet lag. Here is a little tour of our place. Our building is called Bo-Kwang. The only English on the outside of our building says "Sanctuary". Not sure why. Below is our building from a few blocks away. We are the top floor on the right (white part of the building). We are in the middle of town which makes getting around pretty easy.

We enter the building from the road into a parking garage. We enter a key code to get into the elevator and then go straight to the top.

The entry has a few closets for you to take off you shoes and put on your slippers. You then cross a sliding door that goes into the house. To the right is a bedroom (E's room) and to the left is a bathroom. Straight ahead and to the right is the living room with the kitchen to the left. Continuing forward is the master bedroom.

E's room.

Bathroom.

Living Room.

View from our living room. The shorter building with the wavy top is Ben's office.

Kitchen.

Straight through the kitchen is the laundry room. Off the kitchen (to the left of the kitchen photos) is a random room with our closet.

Master bedroom and bathroom.

View from the master bathroom.

After you go upstairs you enter an open game room with a desk, several shelves, wine cooler and bar. We love the cabin-feel upstairs.

Just to the right at the top of the stairs is another bedroom.

Through the game room is a loft-style bed and bath. Our roof-top entrance is a small door in this room.

We love how much space and storage we have. We especially love the mix of Korean classic and modern!

Moving

2011-04-28T20:29:00.004-05:00

Ugh. Does anyone really like moving?

It starts with getting this in the yard...

And continues with many lost hours of sleep doing this (separating an entire house into storage, shipping and airplane piles)...

Then having a crew come for two days to do all of this...

It couldn't happen without grandma and grandpa watching the babe and all the other support we've gotten from our ward family.

Future post: Welcome to Korea

Bunny Rabbits and Eggs

2011-04-28T19:54:00.009-05:00

We tried to get into Easter as much as we could this year. Mostly because E has been really interested in bunny rabbits (which she 'says' by holding up her pointer finger and thumb and bouncing them up and down like a hopping rabbit) and eggs.

Grandma and I took her to the community egg hunt, which was her first real hunt. Boy, she sure knew what to do!

Waiting, waiting, waiting...

And she's off...

Sorting through her findings.

Hooray!

We then had a neighborhood egg hunt with Easter Bunny! E couldn't get enough of the bunny. She kept going up to him to say hi and took every opportunity to sit on his lap! I guess Santa needs to look more like a bunny. By this time E was a pro at the hunt.

Easter Sunday we got all fancied up for church. After church we had our annual hunt and egg decorating at my parent's house.

A Moment to Celebrate

2011-04-19T20:59:00.007-05:00

Let's be honest...we don't have much time for celebration. The move has currently taken over our life. Luckily for my hubs I don't require much for my birthday. I was just happy to not have home projects and packing to do tonight! (A happy note...the house will be on the market tomorrow morning!!)

So we went and got a little frozen yogurt here...

With my favorite people...

Then came home and ran in the sprinklers.

And it can't be a good birthday without a good present from the hubs...

Fat Guy in a Little Coat

2011-04-09T20:52:00.005-05:00

Remember this?

Well, tonight E insisted on putting this on over her jammies.

She pulled it out of her closet and kept saying "bath"...probably because the one time we used it was in the hot tub at her grandparent's house. Every time I asked if she wanted to take it off she just said, "no". Hilarious...I think I'm still laughing!

The Joys of an International Move

2011-04-06T15:04:00.011-05:00

We've been busy. T-27 days (ish) and we're S. Korea bound!

We've had to read and fill out lots of papers like this (including E's passport with the most adorable photo and many doctor visits)...

We've been stocking up our American supplies...

And clothes...

And diapers...

And toys and English DVD's...

We've had to decide what to sell or give away...

And what to store or take with us...

We've had to eat a LOT of food (or have people over for dinner every night)...

We've had to get the house ready to sell by doing some home repairs and paint...

All this and I don't think we've regretted the decision to go...yet.

Pack in the Fun!

2011-03-27T14:44:00.009-05:00

March is the best time of year in Houston. The weather is wonderful and it is the time to do everything! It doesn't help that we are trying to do all our fun things before we move. We've been quite busy with all the hustle and bustle around I don't think it has even set in that we are moving.

Earlier this month some friends and I had an awesome ladies night out. We went downtown for dinner then off to the ballet where we saw our dear friend Sara perform as Aurora in Sleeping Beauty. It was amazing and she is an outstanding dancer! (Thanks Bri for taking pics).

We then had our 3rd annual Houston Rodeo weekend with the Nydeggers and Walkers. It unfortunately wasn't our best year as Jackson was sick. One year we really will do as we always say and leave the kids at home. It was still wonderful to get together before we leave. I regret not taking many photos but here is E and me in the petting zoo.

Over the past several months we've been preparing to be a Ma and Pa for our Stake's Pioneer Trek. When we found out we were moving we weren't sure if we were still going to go but had made arrangements for Ben's mom and sister to come down to stay with E. We ended up going and were grateful for the experience. I think Ben's family was glad too! They must have had fun because after they left E only wanted to go to the park and play outside and with her new golf set. We miss having them around!

I hate to reveal any awful "Little House on the Prairie" pictures of me but this one is such an example of how awesome our trek family was! I hardly did any pushing of the handcart (as you can see them forging the river and me taking my leisure time across). Doesn't the gentleman in the bottom pic look hardcore?

Now that things have settled a bit we are getting ready to go full force on the moving arrangements. We plan to leave the beginning of May!

Paris

2011-03-06T15:39:00.014-06:00

I had the great opportunity to accompany my hubby to Paris while he was on business. Lucky for us he had a one-day meeting on a Monday so we flew in early Saturday morning and rushed to do everything over the weekend. We flew home on Tuesday making it a quick trip but enough time to do just about everything.

Day 1-Arc de Triomphe, Sainte Chapelle and Notre Dame

The weather wasn't great. If it looks cold and rainy it is because it was.

We had a 2-day museum pass which allowed us to go in and up most places. The view from the top of Arc de Triomphe was amazing as it is in the center of the city and has 12 streets coming straight into that round-about. (Below is a view down Champs-Elysees toward the Louvre).

Sainte Chapelle was breathtaking. It was built in the 1200's and the stained glass is amazing!

Notre Dame was beautiful inside and out. It was great to go up top and get close and personal with the gargoyles. We went up to one of the bells where B got in trouble for knocking on it causing some intense ringing.

Day 2-Louvre, Musee d'Orsay, Eiffel Tower, Night Cruise on the Seine

The Louvre was fascinating. There is no way one could see it all in one day. We hit the main three (Venus de Milo, Winged Victory and Mona Lisa) before exploring more. Not only was the artwork amazing the actual structure and design of the palace was outstanding.

The Eiffel Tower was amazing...much, much larger then I expected. It was beautiful at night. We had fun with our camera and lenses here.

Day 3-B's Meeting, My visit to Sacre-Coeur, Shopping and a Stroll down Champs-Elysees (fashion blvd.)

Here is the view of the Grande Arche from outside our Hotel (Renaissance Marriott). Overall it was a whirlwind but such a great trip...lots of culture, lots of great food and lots of fun!

"Wear the White and Blue"

2011-03-04T23:43:00.007-06:00

Yes, I can sing the entire BYU fight song and it came into use here.

A few weeks ago we made a quick trip to Fort Worth to see the famous Jimmer and his Cougs work their magic on the court.

E spent most of her time going up and down the stairs, in and out of the arena, and dancing to the band...which, of course, allowed us to have complete focus on the game. Good thing more than half of the stadium was fill with Mormon families not easily distracted by someone else's kid.

"We'll raise our colors high in the blue and cheer our Cougars of BYU!"

Month 18

2011-02-18T12:27:00.006-06:00

Our little E is becoming a big girl! By big girl I mean she is just acting grown up but still in a little body! B and I can't stop talking about what a good girl she is. I'm not sure how we lucked out so much. Here is the rundown for E.

Height: 2' 6" (10%)

Weight: 20 lb 10 oz (5%)

Head: 46.5 cm (49%)

We have moved up to 12 month pants (mostly due to length and not her waist) and can wear 12-18 month shirts. She is getting enough hair on the back and lower parts of her head to make some pretty cute pigtails (see pics below).

E's vocabulary is getting much better! We were trying to list her words last night and here is what we could come up with...mama, dada, Emma, more, backpack, map (she likes Dora), teeth, juice, fish, shoes, bubbles, ball, baby, beep, trash, baa (sheep), moo (cow), neigh (horse), roar (lion), grrrr (bear), vroom (car).

She loves to read books, play with her baby doll, play pretend kitchen (stir and stir), color, watch movies, clean the house (vacuum, wipe the floor, sweep), play outside (especially climbing the playground equipment).

If you can't tell by now, we just love her!

See Ya Later...

2011-02-11T20:27:00.005-06:00

We have HUGE news...and it's time to let the blogosphere know! Let me just give you this picture.

That's right...we're moving to S. Korea! It is amazing how quickly the word gets out so we are settling all rumors now that we have more information. We don't have all the details worked out but we know it is going to be a very quick process.

Ben works for ExxonMobil and has been assigned to the Arkutun Dagi topsides projects. He will be building the platform for offshore gas production off the coast of Sakhalin Island, Russia. The work takes place in the city of Okpo on the island of Geoje which is off the coast of Busan, S. Korea. It sounds like we'll be living in a expatriate community but aren't sure of all the details yet. We are pretty sure Ben will start work over there the first part of April. E and I will join him shortly after that once things are settled in Houston (selling the house and cars, moving things to storage, getting visas and a passport for E, etc). We will probably be there for about 2-2.5 years.

Shocked? We are too. We can't wait for all the new experiences we'll have. Of course, we'll keep the blogosphere posted as new information comes in!

2.2

2011-02-02T13:07:00.014-06:00

It started out 4 years ago with these...

A year later we went here...

To do this...

With all of them...

And then we added her...

And became this...

Now we celebrated by going here (Harlem Globetrotters)...

And by getting this (telephoto lens)...

Happy Anniversary! Here's to capturing many more!

Growing Up

2011-01-17T20:09:00.007-06:00

I snuck into E's room tonight to put away some things and as I glanced into her crib I thought to myself, who is the big girl in there? Seriously, she's not a baby anymore! I mean, she is 17 months now! We are only 1 month away from nursery at church...yippee! We went to the doctor today so I better note our major accomplishment...20.4 lbs. Yes, we finally crossed the 20 lb mark!

Here is a little about E (mom's bragging moment):

-She is becoming an expert at animal sounds and pointing out animals by their sounds. Her favorites are 'boo' (that is moo), 'dodo' (as in cock-a-doodle-do), 'hu,hu,hu' (with head moving forward like a dog barking), 'errr' (that would be an elephant) and 'raaar' (lion). All of the sounds and speaking is a huge accomplishment as E has been seeing a speech therapist for her delay in speech!

-She loves pointing out body parts including her (and your) eyes, ears, nose, head, teeth, chin, toes and belly.

-She is an expert waver for Hi and Bye! She also frequently says the words with the wave. She is also great at blowing kisses.

-She loves being outside! We've had fairly nice weather this winter which is great. It gets hard when it is too cold or rainy.

-She has learned that she needs to say 'more' (which sounds more like 'bore') when she wants more food. It is great because when she starts whining all you have to say is "what do you say?" and the whining stops and the words come out!

-She has a real sweet spot that has been coming out! She gives great hugs and is often found hugging dad and patting his back when he gets home from work. She gives open mouth kisses and often makes kissing sounds. She LOVES her baby. It brings tears to my eyes to see her walking around cuddling her baby and kissing her.

-She folds her arms for prayers by putting her hands on her chest (still working on getting a photo) and says 'men' at the end of the prayer. Today she kept saying 'men' during the prayer to tell dad to stop praying!

She loves to laugh! She is also one active girl which makes church a challenge. She loves to hide and play chase...or just run away from me. She has become quite good a peek-a-boo!

These are the moments that make all the struggles of growing up worth it!

Our Christmas Break in Photos

2011-01-12T21:14:00.011-06:00

Houston Aeros Hockey Game

Newman Ranch - We met up with Ben who was hunting that morning. We mingled with the long horn, picnicked and shot the shotgun and rifle.

Blue Bell Factory - Stopped in for $1 scoops of the best ice cream!

Port of Houston Boat Tour - In the rain...after the tour Mucho Mexico for lunch.

Bowling - Mike (who is on the HS bowling team) schooled us but we all made him sweat at times.

Black Light Mini Golf

Not Pictured - movie theater (True Grit), eating, hot tub, eating, crafting, trimming bushes and raking leaves, eating, baptisms at the temple, delivering Christmas gifts, more eating, playing tennis, watching movies, playing games, sleeping in, missing Bobby Jill and Linley, and finally....even more eating.

Christmas Eve and Day

2011-01-09T20:07:00.006-06:00

Christmas break was spent about 15 miles north at my parent's house. My sis and her new hub were here from Utah for 2 weeks so we vacationed with them. We missed my older bro and family as they were expecting their baby boy anytime (he came a few days ago!). We had a great mix of relaxation and fun. Here is a glance of our Christmas eve and day. (The rest of the vacation pics are coming...)

E opening her PJ's...super excited to tear into the paper!

It was awesome being Santa's Helper! E is such a fun age and totally got spoiled as the only little kid this year. Some of her favorites were her big pink chair, baby and stroller, little people farm and airport, safari jeep tunnel thing, marble maze, books and puzzles...just to name a few. Spoiled. B and I also were spoiled! I got several new toys for my camera and some sewing gear. B got fishing supplies and several other toys. We didn't take too many pics but here are a few.

In Case You Missed It

2011-01-03T20:03:00.003-06:00

Believer

2010-12-19T21:52:00.004-06:00

The first time E saw Santa was in our neighborhood park. She loved him. I just took her up to meet him, sat her on his lap and got a smile for the camera!

The next time, at the mall, wasn't so great. We got one photo taken before the tears came. Not sure if it was the lack of sleep that day, the chaos of 4 moms and 6 kids trekking through the mall together or all the big lights and cameras. At least I got one photo for the small fortune I paid.

Do you think that one day (when she is a little older) she'll notice how different these Santa's look? Not sure how I'll explain that one...

Christmas Came Early!

2010-12-12T14:45:00.003-06:00

Christmas came about 2 weeks early for me with this nice, new present! (I wanted it to be like the car commercials when I wake up on Christmas morning completely surprised to see a new car with a big red bow on it parked in my driveway, but that just isn't realistic.)

A 2008 Mazda CX-9...with most of the bells and whistles. I love it. I'm a real mom now that I can fit up to 7 people and all the toddler gear! Thank you Santa!

Thanksgiving Week

2010-12-07T15:07:00.008-06:00

We spent Thanksgiving in the frigid state of Idaho. Seriously...coldest weather I have ever been in. We're talking -14 F at night and like 3 F during the day. We always bring the coldest weather! It was great to be with B's family for a few days. I only took a few pics...

Family Photo Shoot

E's Thanksgiving Bow (I know...Cute!)

E with her Grandparents and Great-Grandparents

Quick Trip to Temple Square (The light were beautiful but we only stayed a few minutes because it was FREEZING!)

B went home a day before E and I so we got to spend some with with my family in UT.

Finally, my old college roomie and I met up for lunch and some catch up time. (Unfortunately her cutie son was sleeping when we took the pic.)

HP and the Sleepless Nights

2010-11-20T09:22:00.004-06:00

First, the happy note...this week the girls went to the midnight showing of Harry Potter. I know, we're crazy. There were a group of 8 girls (most of us moms) staying up until 3 am to watch this movie then getting up at 6 or 7 with our kids. Ouch. It was super fun though! We got there about 9 pm to save our seats which was perfect. Lots of good chatting time before the movie. I put E to bed at grandma's house (because B was out of town) so I could escape. When I got home at 3 am grandma was up with this crazy girl who hasn't been sleeping. So this sleepless night continued until about 4 when E feel asleep for another 2 or 3 hours. I'm not made for these sleepless nights anymore!

This week has been crazy. B was out of town on business (again) and I had several things going on. It didn't help that it was a teething week for E! She has been a nightmare. I know what they mean when they say it feels like you have a newborn again. She normally is a rock when she sleeps but has been up every 2 hours all through the night. She won't eat and is super cranky....just not my normal happy E. Grandma gave her a fudgesicle (she prefaced it with informing me of the sugar-free nature of the treat) to help with the teeth pain. This was a mess for grandma to clean up! Of course the night B got home E is sleeping through the night again so he doesn't have to experience the misery. Somehow that is how it goes every time.

Pull Up A Seat

2010-11-16T16:23:00.002-06:00

Nothing like finding a good place to sit and pulling out a good book.

Deck the Halls

2010-11-15T19:57:00.006-06:00

I know we haven't even had Thanksgiving yet but there are only 40 days until Christmas! I'm not sure what it is about this year but I know I am getting super excited about the 25th of December. Maybe it is the fact that we're going to be home this year and we have a little one who we get to spoil. Because we'll be in Idaho for Thanksgiving and the hubs is out of town this week I made him start the decorations early.

The light setup...with E who was such a big help. Don't worry, I haven't turned on the lights yet...I just wanted them up so I could enjoy them the minute we're home from Thanksgiving.

Last week my mom and I had a girls day out at the Nutcracker Market. Here are just a few of my purchases. (Thanks to my mom I decided on a lime green and brown theme for my decorations).

Wreath I made and the beginning of several pillow I'm trying to get finished.

Now, to top off the holiday feeling this is a must! (A shout-out to my college roomie A for introducing me to it several years ago! Great treat with a warm brownie just out of the oven.)

Let the countdown begin!

15 Months

2010-11-09T15:48:00.003-06:00

Well, almost. We went to the doctor yesterday for E's routine checkup. This little girl is still little! I think we only gained onces in the last 3 months. I guess that is what walking does for you. And maybe because every waking moment of this girl's life she is on the move!

Weight: 19 lbs 12 oz (4th %)

Height: 2' 4.75" (9th %)

Head: 18" (55th %)

E is totally becoming a big girl. She is losing that baby look and showing her toddler personality in full force. She is into climbing into and onto things like the bathtub, bins and buckets, on top of shelves and windowsills and into cabinets. She loves to be outside. She loves to place chase and hide and seek. She screams when she's excited and runs and falls into my arms when she's playing. She give great open mouth kisses and is such a joy! We love watching this little girl grow.

Captivating: Part II

2010-11-08T15:46:00.004-06:00

On Saturday E and I took a quick trip to Costco to pick up a few things. As we were cruising down one of the freezer sections a cute old man in a motorized cart stopped to admire little E. This isn't unusual for us so we stopped to say hi. He went on for a while telling me how I should have submitted her to be the next Gerber baby and how I could make millions off of her. After a while of chit chat he asked me if E likes ice cream. I said yes, not thinking of what would happen next. He then reached into his pocket and pulled out $6 and asked, "How much is ice cream these days? Like $5 or $6?" I tried to refuse the money saying we had a couple birthday parties we were going to and we didn't need anything. He insisted saying, "I just HAVE to buy her one. I retired 4 years ago as a millionaire and I still am...I don't need the money." We chatted a little more about his life until his wife (also in a motorized cart) yelled from across the room for him to leave us alone because he can't take E home.

What an adorable man! I feel bad because I didn't buy her an ice cream but we'll put that $6 in her piggy bank so when she's 3 and wants ice cream we can relive that moment. Just another captivated member of E's society.

Family Photos

2010-11-05T11:37:00.004-05:00

Yes, we got new family photos. E was pretty busy but we managed to get several good ones. For those in the Houston area check out Susan...she's great! I can't show all the pics because they might be coming to your mailbox soon but here are a few (aside for the ones up top).

Halloween #2, #3 and #4

2010-10-30T21:54:00.006-05:00

#2...Zoo Boo. One crazy day at the zoo with friends! They had a pumpkin patch, trick-or-treating and fun decorations. It was worth the trip!

The gang...

#3...Carnival at the old workplace. In an effort to keep my mom out of the house for her surprise birthday party we took E to the carnival at my old job. Despite the exhaustion from the zoo earlier that day our little cupcake had a blast playing games and chasing balloons. She also got 2nd place in the costume contest!

#4...Trunk or Treat. Tonight we had the ward trunk or treat. We had to pull out the classic car decoration (classic because it is a hand-me-down from my mom who made it about 20 years ago) and put on our costume one last time.

Ahhh...now I think we're done!

Pumpkin Messes

2010-10-30T21:41:00.006-05:00

E surprisingly liked digging into the pumpkin! Good thing dad was able to make something of our mess!

Pumpkin Patch

2010-10-24T15:34:00.009-05:00

We searched and searched....

Then found the one...

Halloween #1

2010-10-24T15:05:00.006-05:00

I'm not sure I can express my feelings about Halloween. Let me just list the things I love (in no particular order)...

1. Costumes

2. Fun food

3. Candy

4. Decorations

5. Parties

At work I used to run a haunted trail for the community ever year. I kind of hated it because there was A LOT of work and time put into it. Now that I get to do it for fun I love it much, much more! This past weekend we had a small party with friends. Let's just say the costumes were adorable, the food was fabulous, the decorations were great and the friends were the best.

E told me she wanted to be a cupcake this year so of course dad and I had to be the bakers.

Here are the kiddos...minus the ladybug and duck.

And the wonderful food...minus the bones and blood.

Rise and Shout

2010-10-20T10:17:00.005-05:00

Well...the cougars weren't completely out on Saturday, but we were! This weekend we met the B's sis and hub in Dallas for the TCU vs. BYU game. Although we lost we had a great time with the Hobbs and taking E to the game. Our little future cougar (yes all you BYU-I fans, she'll be a cougar). We also stopped by the Fort Worth Water Gardens before the game... reminiscent of my childhood. Overall a great weekend.

Mommy's Girl

2010-10-11T12:00:00.002-05:00

Makes you want to never do anything wrong...ever.

One Year Ago

2010-10-09T20:10:00.004-05:00

After 8 long weeks in the hospital, one year ago today we brought our sweet baby E home! Our life was never as good as it is with her in our home. (Yes, I am feeling a bit nostalgic.)

Then (my tiny little 6 lb baby who was red from the blood transfusion she received the day before)...

Now (my little 19 lb - yes we can't seem to break that 20 lb mark - big girl on her new bike we got at the neighborhood garage sell today)...

Captivating

2010-10-07T10:56:00.003-05:00

The other day I was at the mall with E. Shopping wasn't going well so we made our way to the indoor play area to let her run around for a while. While we were there the funniest thing happened! She was probably the youngest walking kid in the area and the others ranged from about 18 month to 4 years. I looked over and E had a group of about 5-6 other kids following her around! They mimicked every move she made! If she went down and crawled, they all went down to crawl (yes, even the 4 year olds)...If she went running to one toy, they'd all go running. Of course E was totally oblivious to the fact that she had a following. I just found it amazing that all these kids wanted to follow this little girl who is stumbling on her feet and can't do everything that they can do. You don't see big kids following around little kids very often!

When I came home and told the hubs of this he said, "Well, yeah...E is captivating." That is what she is! Everywhere we go I am stopped by everyone (old, young, male, female...) telling me how cute she is or trying to talk to her. I'm not sure if it is those big blue eyes, that bald head, those chubby cheeks or what but something about my little E is just captivating...don't you think?

Welcome Fall

2010-09-29T13:52:00.005-05:00

We welcome you with open arms...or maybe outstretched claws grasping onto you so you will not disappear from us again leaving us with that humid, hot summer weather. Please tell me you are here to stay...but I fear you are not. So we will try to enjoy these few days of fall because they are the reason we think it is bearable to live in Houston.

(E's idea of a fun day at the park includes finding a quite place to sit down out of mom's view so she can eat the acorns and wood chips without interruption).

A Whole New World

2010-09-21T15:12:00.007-05:00

My dear hubs had a wonderful post the other day that got erased when trying to upload a video that didn't work...so I will try to recreate his words.

Lately I have been loving life with E. She is at such a fun age where she is exploring and learning. She is on a great schedule and is so easy to take out and about (which means I probably spend more money than I should). There are some hard things (like trying to drop her off at the Kid's Club at the gym...too mommy clingy) but overall we're great. One of the most fun things is watching her progression with walking. This girl is a crack up! We have numerous bumps and bruises but she handles it well. Now that she's fairly confident in walking she has discovered a whole new world...both inside and out and wherever we go! (I know some warn of the independence with walking...but I'm kind of loving her exploration instead of grasping onto my leg all day. I may hate it once my house is destroyed.)

This is another great one that totally shows E's personality. She is tons of laughs these days. Her favorite game is chase and she loves to be spooked. She also loves to be tackled and rough housed. I can't get enough of that laugh.

B is finding himself in a whole new world learning to hunt in Texas. The season opens Oct. 2 so I'm saying goodbye to the hubs for the next several months. He has staked his claim on some friend's property toward Austin and set himself up a deer feeder. He says he is doing this all to provide for his family...ya know, to put meat on the table. I told him I'd be okay with just buying some chicken at the store but I guess that isn't good enough. Hopefully he reaches his quota the first weekend or two so we'll be done. He's got a pretty good shot...and is consistent (notice he shot his own arrow)!

Finally, this is my whole new world. I have the tiniest pantry and am into food storage right now so it just didn't work. We converted a coat closet near the kitchen to my storage. Thanks to my friend Sarah for the deal on the Shelf Reliance system and to my hubs for the shelves I now have this.

5 States in 2 Days

2010-09-09T17:05:00.009-05:00

As mentioned in the previous post...we try to pack in way to much for our vacations. So when we heard my sis was getting married in Cali we thought...let's just make a super trip of it. My grandparent's live in Vegas and have a vacation home in Pine Valley, UT. So, we left Houston (TX-1) and flew into Las Vegas (NV-2). From there we drove to Pine Valley (UT-3) passing through AZ (4) on the way. The next day we turned around, drove back through those couple of states and ended in San Diego (CA-5). So in 2 days we were in 5 states. A few more days were spent in San Diego doing wedding things then we headed back to Houston. To sum up how much fun we had and how busy we were E slept for 15 hours the night after we got home. The wedding was beautiful and Aunt C and Uncle T are a wonderful couple. We're all happy to have them both in our fam.

In Pine Valley we rode around town in the golf cart, shot BB guns from the porch, toured the oldest operating chapel, and went on a hike...all in one day.

When in San Diego most of our time was spent doing wedding things. Everything was really nice, including the weather! Unfortunately I didn't get many pics...I guess that is why you hire a photographer! After the temple we had a luncheon at a beautiful country club. My sis in law made the cute dresses for the girls! We got to spend one day along the beach before it was time to go. Busy, fun and now done.

Go, Go, Go

2010-09-07T20:20:00.010-05:00

Quoting the hubs...Goodman's don't know how to vacation. We sit around and talk about what we want to do for like 4 hours, then we go crazy and pack in about 8 hours worth of activity into 4 hours. We just go, go, go...then crash when the week is over. Everyone came to Houston for a little reunion and my sister's (C) wedding party.

I couldn't resist the naked bath pic of E and her cousin, L. Let's just say they both look like their dads (my hub and my bro) making them look nothing alike. They were hilarious together! L is 2 months older than E (but seems a little older as they are really supposed to be 4 months apart). L didn't really want anything to do with E but E tried SO hard to do everything L was doing. It was super frustrating for E. It was hilarious how jealous they got, especially when L was with grandma (E is a little grandma's girl). It was great to get them together!

One evening we made a quick trip to the fountains. We didn't realize the girls would go straight for the water. I thought E would be scared of them for sure...but I was quickly proven wrong. Good thing grandma had a few towels in her car.

A trip to the beach.

And to the Children's Museum.

There were several things in between all that like tennis, volleyball, swimming etc. Finally the week ended with the Pool Party. Yes, C is so cool and pulled off an awesome pool party as her wedding reception. The pool was beautiful and super fun and the weather was perfect. Not to mention the bride and groom were adorable!

Touch a Truck

2010-09-07T20:06:00.007-05:00

Not sure why The Woodlands decided to put an outdoor event in August because we were sweating the entire time we were there...which was only about 45 minutes. We went with some friends to go touch the big trucks. E isn't quite old enough but she loved the fire trucks!

Stats

2010-08-30T17:31:00.003-05:00

Today was the 1 year doctor appointment for little E. Better record the stats...

Weight - 18 lb, 12 oz (15%)

Height- 27 3/4 in (15%)

Head - can't remember... but was 80%

So, pumpkin head remains my pumpkin head.

If you want to see some super cute pics of E taken about 3 months ago visit this site. (You may have to download a free application to view...but it is worth it!) Enjoy.

http://www.photodex.com/share/drbuff/2kbm8mg4

And So It Begins...

2010-08-23T10:28:00.002-05:00

Party Girl

2010-08-17T15:43:00.008-05:00

E had an awesome sprinkler party in our backyard with friends. We had a great time. Here are some pics.

The patio and table decorations...

The party favors and ice cream cone cupcakes...

Playing with grandpa in the sprinklers, E's friend J playing in the sprinklers and kids in the pool...

Loving the cake...

Opened tons of presents...

And had a great time!