Our American Life Through Korean Eyes

Library of Congress Book Fair

2010-09-26T17:29:00.008-04:00

If you are local and have never been to the Library of Congress Book Fair, you are missing out. There is something for everyone and it seems to get better every year. We loved meeting the Cat in the Hat. GaEun is not familiar with this story. I am going to have to bring my books home from school to let her read them.

See those green bags? PBS Kids had goodie bags filled with books, activity books, and a CD Rom as well as many other things.

Betty stood in line to meet all the characters.

Love watching this girl skip down the mall.

It was GaEun's first trip into DC. We didn't have time to do any real sight seeing but we promised we would take her very soon.

It may have been the end of September but it felt like July.

Have you ever been to the Book Fair on the Mall?

Here's The Latest

2010-09-16T21:09:00.003-04:00

Like any good mom, I made sure to take a first day of school picture of GaEun before she got on the bus. She looks tired because it was 6:00 AM. High school starts early here and the bus comes even earlier.

She likes her classes however she is less than excited about US History. But who can blame her? It is not her history so that makes it even harder! She has to read four novels this year for English class. That would be challenging for many high school students who were fluent in English. It is going to be even more challenging for GaEun but I have feeling this will really help her improve her English. If you have any suggestions (currently she is reading "The Mermaid Chair" by Sue Monk Kidd.) please leave a comment. The book can not be one that has been made into a movie...I guess they want them to READ the book!!

GaEun is very willing to try new foods so that makes it easier and very fun. She has already expressed her hatred for pickles but ironically likes Chick Fil A. (They soak their chicken in pickle juice.) She likes Arby's, baked ziti, (thank you TD for the recipe) and of course chocolate chip cookies.

Any suggestions on other foods she should try?

Enrollment and Orientation

2010-09-02T21:16:00.005-04:00

Marcus and GaEun have had a busy day. They went to the high school to register and as luck would have it the school was having orientation later that afternoon and a parent meeting that night. GaEun was excited to stay and acquaint herself with the high school.

Earlier in the day they went to Super H to pick up some more food for GaEun. Marcus said her eyes lit up when she walked through the door! I am so glad she has a taste of home here.

This weekend she wants to go shopping for school clothes. In Korea she wears a uniform so wanted to do a little shopping for clothes when she got her. Can't wait!

Here We Go Again

2010-09-01T19:44:00.004-04:00

I really thought I was finished with this blog. Really, I did. I couldn't delete it because it was is such a great photo album/memory book out of a huge year in our lives. But I never thought I would blog on it again.

But I was wrong.

And I am glad I was wrong.

Monday was the day that everything seemed to happen. First day of school for the girls and back to work for me. So after a very busy, fun, tiring day at school we rushed over to Dulles Airport and anxiously awaited the arrival of GaEun, our new exchange student from South Korea.

We had not planned to host again. Not at all. But to think about it, we didn't plan to host Sojung. It just fell into our laps. Sojung needed a host family or she would not be able to come to the US. She was able to get into a private school so we did it.

Fast forward about two years and same story. GaEun's placement fell through the end of August. They needed to find her a home or else she could not come. Marcus worked hard to find a high school that would take her and a bus route that would work for her and, well, here we go again!

Since this isn't our first time around I have to tell you how much easier it was to prepare for GaEun. The only thing we bought when we found out Sojung was coming was a rice maker! We were clueless when it came to the food. This time around I went to Super H and bought a huge bag of kimchee, Japenese noodles, a new 20 pound bag of rice, udon and ingredients for gogi. I was pleased to find out I hit the jackpot. Many would argue that she should just jump in head first with American food but I disagree. I think she needs to have a little bit of her Korean home in her American home. Having traveled overseas I know how nice it was to have some good ole American food after feasting on the local cuisine.

GaEun is adjusting to the time change, English and, well, us. She starts school on Tuesday.

Please stop in and check up on our journey. Feel free to ask questions. And please comment.

I Need Your Help

2009-02-05T20:53:00.002-05:00

The time has come to close this blog. I don't want to delete it but feel it is time to start another. Your help is needed to name the new blog. The focus on the blog will be our day to day life so family and friends can watch the girls grow up. So you have any suggestions please comment. I will post the link to the new blog when a name has been selected and it is up and running.

Thank you for following our journey this past year.

January 19, 2008 we picked up a total stranger from the airport.

December 27, 2009 we sent one of our daughters back to Korea.

It was quite a year. And none of us will ever be the same.

Saying Goodbye

2009-01-11T20:34:00.005-05:00

Sojung and Michael
This was a very tough day for us. Sojung had become part of our family.

See the security guard behind her? He was not amused I was taking pictures. Sorry!

Sojung~thank you for sharing a year of your life with us. We love you. Visit us soon!

She Goes Home On Saturday

2008-12-25T21:53:00.001-05:00

Whatever will we do without her?

Merry Christmas

2008-12-25T13:34:00.001-05:00

My three favorite girls.

Wordless Wednesday

2008-12-24T22:29:00.000-05:00

Wordless Wednesday

2008-12-17T20:58:00.002-05:00

Audrey's Last Day As An Eight Year Old

2008-12-15T19:56:00.001-05:00

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

2008-12-13T17:21:00.031-05:00

We decided to make this Thanksgiving one that everyone would remember. Last year it was just two of us and we celebrated with a nice quiet dinner at an inn. We spent the meal dreaming about our family. This year we had a family and were excited to make some wonderful memories.

The first time I mentioned driving to NYC to see the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade Marcus looked at me like I had lost my mind. That is a look I am used to receiving. After talking it over for several days we decided to take the plunge.

I called my friend Twice Blessed Mommy who is a travel agent if she knew of any great deals and she was unable to find anything in NYC for less than about $400.00. So, maybe we can just make some memories at home. But she called me a few days later saying she found a deal that we could not pass up. We would have to pay for the hotel up front and if we cancelled we would lose our money. We talked about it and decided to do it.

Of course after making the reservation weather.com only showed rain for Thanksgiving. But we were going to matter what! Turns out it was cold, but dry.

We drove up on Wednesday, with everyone else and spent the evening in Times Square. The girls loved Toys R Us.

The Barbie house in Toys R Us.

Times Square

This is for you Twilight Fans.

M & M World

Hershey

Self portrait.

The morning of the parade. We were up and ready to go by 6:30 am.

We were in our spot by 7:30. I had stocked my bag with lots of Halloween candy to keep them occupied. A wise person told me when you are traveling with kids and they start to complain, you feed them. It works!

Nothing like a lollipop for breakfast!

Beautiful Audrey

The lollipop has kicked in!

8:54 am and 37 degrees

The parade starts at 11...

Beautiful Sojung. I think she is still asleep in this picture. Crazy American customs...

This is what has sealed the deal for parents of the year. This is Miley Cyrus.

Trace Adkins

Everybody leaving after the parade. We were actually pretty close to the street.

We didn't have any plans for lunch after the parade. We walked about 6 blocks with the parade crowd and as luck would have it we passed an Italian restaurant that had just opened their doors for business. We were the third family in the door. The food was amazing.

Someone asked if we missed eating turkey and stuffing. No! It is not everyday when you get the best Italian food for Thanksgiving. We'll have turkey for Christmas.

Audrey and Betty enjoyed their first cab ride in NYC.

Would we do it again? Yes! Anybody want to tag along next time?

Truffles

2008-12-04T22:02:00.002-05:00

Sojung helped me make truffles tonight. They are delicious!!!!

Here is the recipe.

Ingredients needed: 1 box of oreo cookies--makes about 20 truffles

1 cup of whipped cheese cream

1 big bag of milk chocolate chips Steps:

1. chop the oreo cookies into the blender until the cookies are very soft and smooth. place in a big bowl.

2. mix the cup of cream cheese with the blended Oreos. mix until you can't see the cream cheese anymore and until you get rid of all crumbs.

3. take out a pan and place foil on it.

4. make little round balls out of the mix and place in a pan.

5. melt the chocolate chips into a pot. place boiling water in one pot and put another empty one on top to be able to melt the chocolate in it.

6. once the chocolate is melted, time to roll up your sleeves! this is the tricky part. if you wait too long, the chocolate will get hard. so you must take one little 'ball' of cream cheese/Oreo cookie and dip it in the melted chocolate. twist the chocolate all around it and try to make it as round as possible and then quickly place into the pan.

7. once you have completed step 6 with all the chocolate balls, place your pan in the fridge for an hour or two, until cold and hard.

The trickiest part are steps 5-6, and DO NOT add milk or water to the chocolate chips!

Wordless Wednesday

2008-11-26T08:26:00.002-05:00

Wordless Wednesday

2008-11-19T21:55:00.004-05:00

Eight Wonderful Years

2008-10-28T22:31:00.002-04:00

Trunk or Treat Part 1

2008-10-26T21:04:00.013-04:00

What a cute witch and cat!
Don't be scared. She is a friendly witch.

What a smile!

The cutest cat I know!

What out, though. She still has her front claws.

We went to Trunk or Treat hosted by a church in Haymarket. The girls thought they had hit the jackpot. Look at those smiles. They are smiling because their bags are bursting with candy.

Thank you!

Let's go get some more!

Taking time to enjoy a free hot dog.

Yum! Now let's go get more candy!

Our loot. Friday we are going to Trunk or Treat at our church. They can hardly wait.

Making Lollipops

2008-10-25T20:20:00.006-04:00

Betty received a lollipop making kit for her birthday.
Juliet was ready to help.

Pour the melted chocolate in the molds.

Add the sticks. They were yummy!

Pumpkin Carving Contest

2008-10-25T19:35:00.016-04:00

We are ready to carve pumpkins!
Like our hair?

Let's start carving!

Sojung is carving her first pumpkin!

This is the hardest part.

This was the part Audrey hated the most.

Concentration

Sticking to it!

This is Cole's creation.

Sarah's creation.

Smores. Need I say more?

The fire help keep us warm.

Toasted to perfection.

This is the winning pumpkin!

It belonged to Sojung.

Thank you to everyone who came out for our 7th Annual Pumpkin Carving Contest and Chili Cook Off. Contrats to Katie who won first place in the kids' division and to Scott for bringing the winning chili. See you all next year.

Wordless Wednesday

2008-10-08T21:45:00.000-04:00

Betty's Birthday Bash! Part 2

2008-09-25T21:36:00.017-04:00

Ready for another party? Betty picked out the fabric for the aprons and I made aprons for the girls that attended the Little Chef's Party! Note the party shoes are on for another fun day!
Let's Party!

Lizzy's here! The party can start!

Nicolas

See our pizzas we made.

While the pizzas we cooking we hit the pinata.

Who doesn't like a candy filled pinata.

The pizza was great.

Andrew

She's 7!

And she's sassy!

Birthday cake from Cold Stone Creamery.

Make a wish. They were all too full of pizza to eat. The cake went back to the freezer.

She was the belle of the ball.

Thanks for coming to celebrate Betty's birthday!

Betty's Birthday Bash!

2008-09-25T20:17:00.026-04:00

Since we hardly have pictures of the girls when they were little, we are documenting each moment of their birthdays. We started the day with singing Happy Birthday to Betty.
She is not much of a morning person.

But she was happy it was her birthday and started to wake up.

Can you tell which one is the morning person?

She's awake! Friday was not only her birthday but also picture day!

Betty picked out the best cupcakes to share with her friends at school.

Pink icing is the best!

Being 7 is great!

Really great!

Nothing like a nice pair of birthday shoes.

At home it was time for a quick nap before the next adventure.

Presents! This is what Uncle Edwin and Aunt Nicole sent.

More presents!

Thank you Sojung!

Carrie (Little House on the Prairie) doll from Grandma and Grandpa.

Take me out to the ballgame!

We went to see the Washington Nationals play the San Diego Padres. None of the girls had ever been to a baseball game. They were in for a fun night.

Sojung

Nothing tastes as good as a ballpark dog.

Yum!

Good birthday hot dog!

They had the best time.

She had a great birthday. Happy birthday, Betty!

Wordless Wednesday

2008-09-24T21:02:00.003-04:00

Somebody Has A Birthday Tomorrow!

2008-09-18T20:04:00.009-04:00

And it is all she can think and talk about. Getting her math homework completed took a little longer than usual. She was too excited about the snazzy cupcakes we just bought at the bakery.
Too excited to sleep. Pierre didn't help. The question of the day was, "Will my clothes still fit when I am 7?"

Yes! And she was happy with that answer.

Still can't sleep. Remember those days when it took five years for your birthday to get here?

Close you eyes and try to sleep. The sooner you go to sleep the sooner it is your birthday.

It may take a while to get here.

Good night Betty! See you when you're seven!

Wordless Wednesday

2008-09-16T21:13:00.005-04:00

The Wishbone

2008-09-16T21:00:00.003-04:00

We had chicken for dinner tonight. You know the kind. Go to the grocery and buy one they have been cooking all day for you. As I am cutting up the chicken, which by the way my kids think I am super human because I can cut through bones (so they think) I ask Sojung if she wants to break the wishbone with me. She had no idea what I am talking about.
But she won! She won't tell her wish but I think it involves the Jonas Brothers.

Saturday Mornings

2008-09-13T12:52:00.014-04:00

We have a new routine for Saturday mornings...
Get up early (wake mom up at the crack of dawn to make sure we don't miss the class) and have a healthy breakfast. Put on your leotard.

Make sure you have your swim towel and water bottle...

Betty starts off with gymnastics. She was very outgoing and was willing to try everything the teacher asked her. I think this picture will be perfect to show on TV when she wins her Olympic Gold medal.

Can you find the sticker that is falling off of her while I am taking the picture?

Change into your swimsuit and run some laps...

This is as much fun as running in the church. (Which by the way the received permission from the Sr. Pastor to run like maniacs after the service.) Can you see the pure joy on her face?

On to swimming lessons. Go Audrey!

Perfect day!

Listening to the teacher.

We call her Blue Betty when she gets out of the pool. She is so cold her whole body is blue. "Snuggle with me mommy so I get warm."

Audrey will start a cheerleading class on Monday. She can hardly wait!

Until next Saturday!

Bunco!

2008-09-13T12:47:00.003-04:00

Sojung played bunco with us last night. She experienced the ritual many woman practice each month. Although neither of us one, she had a great time.

Wordless Wednesday

2008-09-10T21:55:00.002-04:00

Bus Drama

2008-09-03T21:46:00.002-04:00

Here is the latest on the bus drama. After Sojung and Marcus talked for close to 20 minutes about her bus ordeal we realized the wonderful and efficient folks at Prince William County School Transportation Dept. cannot read a map. The cards they sent out with the bus information were completely wrong. Tax dollars at work! They even admitted it to Marcus when he called. (By the way he is on a first name basis with them. I think Linda will be having Christmas with us!) The time was wrong, the bus number was wrong and the location was wrong. Good grief! The bus they told her to get on dropped her a mile, yes, a mile from our house. Poor girl. Did you see the shoes she wore yesterday? (Check out the picture from her first day of school.) They were not meant for long distant walking! I am so thankful she has been here since January and knows the neighborhood. Who knows where she would have ended up if she didn't know where our house was!

This morning Marcus waited for the bus with her. You see the bus stop is in our front yard. I can hear the bus in the morning in the house. We are that close. Not a mile away. She made it home safely and to the right place.

Sojung loves the school even though it is about 10 times larger than the school she attended last semester. Her exciting news was she met a friend that has a car and loves to shop. I fear we will never see her again! I am glad she is making friends and is excited.

Meanwhile, December keeps getting closer...

Wordless Wednesday

2008-09-03T21:21:00.004-04:00

Sojung's First Day of School

2008-09-02T21:21:00.002-04:00

She's ready, but where the heck is the bus?
It was quite the morning. We were ready for the bus (the bus stop is right in front of our house) but no bus! We were even there about 7 minutes early. The county mailed out postcards with the time and bus number and turns out ALL of the information was wrong. That is helpful! The bus number doesn't even exist and the bus rolled through our neighborhood around 6:30 instead of the reported 6:41. Marcus drove her to school and later called the transportation department to find out what happened with the bus. We are hoping to catch it tomorrow!

Sojung said the school is HUGE and she got lost a couple of times. The funniest part of her day was the trip home on the bus. She didn't realize when the rest of kids got off the bus it was the end of the line. The bus driver didn't know Sojung was still on the bus. Sojung noticed the bus was heading back to the school and walked to the front of the bus to find out how she was supposed to get home. She said when she spoke to the bus driver she scared the poor woman to death!

Labor Day

2008-09-01T20:26:00.016-04:00

We took a trip to Skyline Drive today.
We had a picnic complete with ants and gnats.

We were invited to the neighborhood kickball game.

Go Audrey!

It was the perfect ending to the perfect day.

My Favorite "F" Word

2008-08-30T15:21:00.009-04:00

We are meeting friends for dinner tonight. Dessert will be at our house and I am making cheesecake. It required a trip to the grocery. When I pulled into the parking lot I noticed my two favorite things in the world. Free and ice cream! I didn't even get out, I just headed home and picked everyone up to go back for a tasty treat. They have no idea where they are going.
They thought it was worth the trip.

I want chocolate!

Make mine chocolate too!

Happy Labor Day Weekend.

December 27, 2008

2008-08-29T23:16:00.003-04:00

That is her departure date. We are stocking up on tissues...

Dinner

2008-08-29T23:05:00.004-04:00

To celebrate the first week of school we dined at McDonalds tonight.

Marcus took the day off to help Sojung get her TB skin test done for school. The school nurse called yesterday and said she needed to have the TB skin test done or she could not attend school on the first day. Information we could have used when we enrolled her in JUNE! I have the entire summer off and would have gladly taken her to the doctor. She had it done in Korea but they insisted it must be done here. Marcus had worked a lot of overtime and took some much needed time off to make sure it was taken care of today. They went to see Dark Night afterwards.

The best thing about McDonalds!

It All Begins On Tuesday

2008-08-28T20:49:00.001-04:00

Sojung's schedule arrived in the mail today.

First Day of School

2008-08-25T20:35:00.005-04:00

How cute are they?
New uniform and shoes. Snazzy headbands. And don't forget that very cool backpack. Third grade here she comes!

Betty was ready to roll...or fly to school. She had such a great day in first grade that she asked if we could go tomorrow...

Mommy's first day of school too. Mommy is not as excited but is trying to mask it.

Daddy and his girls.

Sojung starts next Tuesday. She is less than excited to give up her "summer schedule."

Lazy Sunday

2008-08-24T20:43:00.010-04:00

It has been a good day. We went to church and then lunch.
Sojung painted a lot of toenails and fingernails. Here is her handiwork on Audrey's toes.

Sojung's fingers.

Betty's foot. After you soak in the tub for an hour your fresh nail polish may not hold up.

I made bulgogi for dinner. It was delicious.

Sojung's parents sent clothes for the girls. Here is Audrey modeling her new threads.

And now Betty!

Thank you Shin family! They are so cute and can't wait to wear them!

Tomorrow is the first day of school for Audrey and Betty. Sojung starts next week.

Here's What's Been Going On

2008-08-23T21:36:00.005-04:00

Guess who's taking a gymnastics class beginning next month...Betty! Audrey will take a cheerleading class and both girls will take swim lessons.
Remember the tasty Popsicles we made?

We have been enjoying them.

They are delicious!

Even Daddy got in on the action.

School starts Monday. (sniff, sniff...summer is gone.) Uniforms are washed and already set out for the first day.

You Should Check Out This Blog!

2008-08-19T21:30:00.003-04:00

Remember our friends that moved to Germany (sniff, sniff)? They have started their own blog. Just this past week they were able to travel to Slovakia and visit the exchange student that lived with them this past school year. They have a lot of great pictures of food and wait until you see what the price of gas is in Europe...be thankful for what we have. Check if out by clicking here.

And stay tuned for another Wordless Wednesday tomorrow. Rebecca - this one is for you!

Wordless Wednesday

2008-08-19T21:14:00.002-04:00

Birthday Swim Party

2008-08-17T21:23:00.004-04:00

The girls were invited to a birthday party for Ashlee. Sojung was invited too but she opted to stay home. I think she would have had a great time if she had gone. the girls didn't want to leave!

They had a great time! Thanks for inviting us, Ashlee. We all had a great time.

Wordless Wednesday

2008-08-12T21:23:00.003-04:00

Is It Going To Hurt?

2008-08-12T20:47:00.014-04:00

Tonight we took Audrey and Betty to get their ears pierced. Sojung went to lend support. Before we pulled out of the car out of the garage we heard a little voice ask, "Is this going to hurt?"
This girl was ready to go! No hesitation from her at all. Her only dilemma was which earring to choose.

So many choices!

I'll be honest. These places make me a little sick to my stomach. I don't know why. I told Marcus I could not be in there for fear I would pass out. Just a few weeks ago I took them to the doctor and they had to draw blood and I managed, but I wasn't feeling so strong tonight. So I did what every good mom does, document their child's pain and post it on the internet. Thank you Marcus for be the brave one.

After the first earring I wasn't so sure there would be a second. But this guy was patient.

We decided to let Audrey go next and hopefully Betty would come around. This is Audrey anticipating the pain.

She's a trooper. She said, "That's it?" Those were the magic words Betty needed to hear.

Round two.

Audrey chose beautiful flower earrings.

Betty choice was a gold cross. She needed a little Jesus tonight!

The girls at the scene of the crime. And look, no more tears.

Tasty Summer Treats

2008-08-12T16:32:00.008-04:00

My mom used to make popsicles every summer for us. She passed down the Tupperware molds and I just remembered the other day I had them. So I pulled out and started making some tasty treats. Betty was more than willing to help. We had just gone to the library and Audrey was more interested in reading the bag of books she had checked out instead of helping. The first batch we made pudding pops. Rebecca - you would be proud. I didn't use instant pudding. I did it the old fashioned way.
Next we made mixed berry ones. I didn't have any kool aid so I improvised and used jello. For a twist we added fresh strawberries.

These are ready to go in the freezer.

Viola! They were a hit. See the strawberries? They loved them. Audrey was able to put the books down long enough to enjoy them.

Delicious!

The perfect treat for a summer afternoon.

Mount Vernon

2008-08-09T18:17:00.018-04:00

We took a little trip to Mount Vernon today. Marcus and I both agree this is one of our favorite places to visit in the area. We went one year at Christmas for the candlelight tour which was amazing. We plan to go this year with our girls.
Nice to meet you!

Andy, (Marcus' nephew) Betty, Audrey and Sojung.

Enjoying the view of the Potomac.

Our free spirit!

The girls in front of the Potomac.

One of Sojung's many talents.

It was fun talking to the actresses dresses in period costume. They told us about what it was like when General Washington lived at Mount Vernon.

It was a perfect day. The birds were singing.

Blue sky!

Having fun.

Playing a matching game in the kids' section of the museum.

Pass the sugar please!

We had to drag Betty out of here. They had a Mount Vernon dollhouse. Do you think Toys R Us carries there?

Mommy and Sojung helping the girls with dress up.

Having tea.

A Nice Summer Evening

2008-08-08T21:59:00.009-04:00

Me and my sweet girls.

The restaurant was right next to the Broad Run train station. The girls enjoyed watching the trains come and go.

We ate here.

We at this. Yum. Fun evening!

A Day At The Pool

2008-08-08T21:34:00.007-04:00

Cannonball!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm flying!!

Handstand!

Look at me! I am swimming underwater!

We love the pool!

We had fun with Reese and Tate at the pool.

Play Time

2008-08-08T12:52:00.002-04:00

If you know you cat Juliet you know that she can sleep anywhere, however she prefers to be in things. Boxes, bags, large purses, and now a baby bed. Betty somehow managed to get her to lie down and stay in the bed. And be covered with a blanket. I don't know how it happened but she was successful. I thought these were too cute not to share.

And if you know Betty she can play for hours which leads me to a cute story about her. Since our trip to Kansas we have been watching The Brady Bunch and Little House on the Prairie from Netflix. Audrey can watch for hours and hours while Betty can take it or leave it. She usually leaves it. The other day the girls were watching The Brady Bunch and Marcus found Betty upstairs in her room crying. He asked her what was wrong. Her reply, "I don't want to watch TV. I just want to play." How many parents have heard that? He assured her it was OK to just play and not watch TV.

It's Better To Give Than To Receive

2008-08-08T11:56:00.004-04:00

Sojung is preparing a care package to send to her friend that is an exchange student in North Carolina. She is not close to a Korean market so Sojung is sending her some comfort food. Enjoy, Sandy!!

Wordless Wednesday

2008-08-06T14:21:00.000-04:00

Sew, What did you Do Today?

2008-07-31T18:43:00.006-04:00

Sojung has been practicing the piano a lot lately. She is having a "piano war" with a friend. I am benefiting from this because he has found a lot of new music to play.
I made pillows for the girls. Sojung wanted to help sew hers.

Do you like these cute pin cushions? Sojung's friend, Seal Ran made them for me. I love them.

Stuffing the pillow. Even Marcy got in on the action.

We also made more headbands. I have quite the sweatshop, I mean assembly line. Sojung irons, turns fabric and gets the elastic ready. Audrey got in on the action this time by helping turn fabric. In all we made six headbands. These three are for a birthday gift for a party the girls are attended this weekend. I hope she likes them.

As soon as we finished Audrey was begging to go back to the fabric store for more fabric. She is going to be a crafter.

Yesterday was Marcus' birthday but he has been sick with the flu. Poor guy. Betty was so upset (in tears) that her daddy was too sick to celebrate his birthday. It was so sweet. We are hoping to celebrate Friday night.

Here's What's Been Going On

2008-07-30T22:27:00.018-04:00

YUM!

Audrey already had a bike so we bought one for Betty. Top it off with two very cute helmets and they are set for a fun day of riding bikes...
Audrey was off with just a little help.
Betty was a little shaky and managed to crash even with training wheels. If anyone could do that it would be Betty. Or maybe her Aunt Rebecca.

She did ride a little bit...before crashing again.

This was not as successful as hoped. We'll try later. When the memory is not so fresh.

Beautiful Sojung.

Watching "The Brady Bunch."

Swimming underwater in the shallow end of the pool can be dangerous.

We stopped him before he ate too much. Pierre really like BBQ chicken and rice.

Walking to the park.

Spending time with Tate. You can read about him and is adorable twin sister by clicking here.

Did I mention that Yoko stopped by? Oh yeah, baby!

Wordless Wednesday

2008-07-30T11:21:00.006-04:00

Good-Bye Kennedy Family!

2008-07-17T10:54:00.005-04:00

This was taken at Red Lobster, the place Jamie chose for her last dinner in America. They are moving to Germany.

Jamie, Kim and Jim right before the left for the airport. We met this family when Jamie was in my kindergarten class.
It's a Jim thing. If you know him, you understand.

We miss them terribly. Even Jim...:)

Are We There Yet?

2008-07-17T10:51:00.001-04:00

Have I Mentioned How Much They Love Uncle Edwin?

2008-07-17T10:48:00.001-04:00

Rock Chalk!

2008-07-17T10:29:00.011-04:00

In front of Allen Fieldhouse.

At first we had been told we would not be able to go inside of Allen Fieldhouse. But we obviously asked the wrong person. The next person we talked to told us to walk on in.

Do you see how happy Marcus is? I think he shed a little tear.

Cheering for the Jayhawks in the most expensive seats in the house.

Having fun.

Topeka State Capital

2008-07-17T09:50:00.017-04:00

Does this picture have you interested? Keep reading!

The Kansas pictures continue. Sorry it took so long. Things have been a little crazy. The upstairs AC decided to stop working. Luckily we have AC on the other two levels. Of course we have to put our time in at the pool. But, here are the rest of the Kansas pictures. Enjoy.

We visited the State Capital and were excited to find we could climb to the top. It was quite an adventure.

This is at the beginning of the climb. Notice the shirts? Can you guess where we were visiting later in the day?
The tour guide pointed out all of the names on the wall. For many years this part of the capital was open and not supervised. So people visited and left their names and messages all of the place. They frown on this now, but it is neat to see names from 9o years ago. Some people were even more daring and climbed rafters and left their names in more obvious places. No thank you.
We are halfway to the top at this point. It was warm and can you believe there wasn't a water fountain in sight!

The view from the top was worth the climb. You could see for 40 miles. Marcus and I used to work in this building.

Audrey enjoying the view

Sojung not so sure she wants to enjoy the view. By the time you get to the top your legs feel like jello.

Going down was harder than going up, believe it or not. The spiral stairs were a challenge. We kept telling the girls to focus on the stairs and don't look down.

This is Betty's new buddy. Zach is the son of our friends, Brad and Renae. We stayed with them while in Topeka. Zach almost made it to the top but decided to stop at the last set of stairs. On the way back down he said to me "I think my cologne has worn off!" He is a cutie.

We were up there!

Mrs. Foster and My Mom Should Be Proud!

2008-07-14T12:03:00.007-04:00

Most of my summers were spent trying to finish a 4-H sewing project that seemed like a good idea when we were in the fabric store. I think I spent more time sewing in reverse (ripping out seams) than real sewing. But because of that I can sew a mean straight line. One Halloween I managed to put together two poodle skirts and them survived the night. When I found this pattern for very cute headbands I had to give it a try. The girls are trying to grow out their bangs and this is the best solution to keep their hair out of their eyes. Plus they will wear a uniform for school next year and this will keep it from getting too boring.

Sojung was a super helper. She pressed seams and turned fabric which made the process go even faster. I used flannel material mainly because it was the cutest this JoAnn Fabrics had and it was one sale. The girls love them! That is what matters. The best thing is the headbands are reversible.

We are off to visit the dentist today. No one is looking forward to this trip. I have promised them another trip to the fabric store after the appointment.

Next, I want to make these.

Thank Heaven For 7/11!

2008-07-11T16:01:00.004-04:00

Seal Ran, Sojung, Betty and Audrey

Since today's date is 7/11, 7/11 is giving away a free slurpee to each customer and we had to be part of the fun! It was a refreshing treat on a hot summer day.

Uncle Edwin and soon to be Aunt Nicole

2008-07-10T09:41:00.003-04:00

My brother popped the question and she said yes! They are getting married next summer. The girls are so excited since they have completely fallen in love with Nicole. Welcome to the family, Nicole.

E & N ~ we are so happy for you! Let us know if you need anything. I know where you can find a lot of purple candles and the price is right!

If you want to see the ring, click here.

Uncle Edwin and Nicole

2008-07-07T16:20:00.009-04:00

Uncle Edwin (my younger brother) and his girlfriend Nicole visited us for a few days. We had a great time. We had a picnic at Iwo Jima.

Nicole and Edwin at the World War II Memorial. It is best at night! Nice shirt, Edwin!!

Lincoln Memorial

Marcus gives the best night tours in the area. He is also a very good photographer!

At the Korean Memorial. Betty kept saying, "But mommy I'm not tired!"

Still not tired...

Sojung

Just having fun!

2008-07-07T16:14:00.005-04:00

Little House on the Prairie

2008-07-06T21:26:00.002-04:00

Raise your hand if you either read the books or watched the TV series about Laura Ingalls Wilder. I did both and wanted to be Laura. Minus the one room log cabin, no a/c, outhouse. I was interested in the cute prairie dresses and the adorable braids Melissa Gilbert had.

We visited the Little House on the Prairie site in Independence, KS. They really enjoyed it. In fact Audrey and Betty wanted to wear braids in honor of Laura. My mom bought both girls a Laura doll and they haven't stopped playing with her yet.

Audrey and Betty were amazed that all grades went to school in one room. As a teacher I am thinking there could not have been enough planning periods in the day.

Wheat

2008-07-06T21:21:00.002-04:00

The girls were able to see a wheat field while in Kansas. The last picture is Sojung with my dad. The girls had fun eating the wheat and playing in it.

Bingo and Cowboys

2008-07-06T21:12:00.004-04:00

When we crossed the state line from Missouri to Kansas Audrey and Betty were convinced that Meme (Marcus' mom) made this sign and put it up just for them. Too cute!
We spent an evening at the Chautauqua County fair. The girls had fun playing bingo. Audrey and Betty both had a bingo at the same time.

Sojung was able to sneak into the rodeo and see real live cowboys. This is her first time on a horse.

St. Louis

2008-07-06T20:59:00.010-04:00

We made a stop at the Gateway Arch in St. Louis.

This was our elevator to the top of the Arch. It seats five uncomfortably.
In the elevator. It takes four minutes to reach the top of the Arch and three minutes to get back to the bottom.

We made it! The view was great! Betty wanted to slide down the Arch but we convinced her to take the elevator.

Road Trip!!

2008-07-06T20:52:00.001-04:00

We loaded everybody up and headed for Kansas for a nice vacation and a chance for the girls to meet family. The DVD player in the van was well worth the money!

Fun In The Pool

2008-06-16T21:00:00.006-04:00

The Kennedys

2008-06-15T22:45:00.002-04:00

This is a picture of Sojung's rep for PIE. Jim and Kim Kennedy and their exchange student Tina from Slovakia. They were on their way to the Army Ball. We really appreciate what the Kennedy Family has done for Sojung. They have planned several day trips and included Sojung. She has even spent the night at their house on more than one occasion. Jim's passion for history made learning US History a little easier for Sojung. The Kennedys are moving to Germany next month and we will really miss them. Thank you for everything you have done for Sojung!

Happy Father's Day!

2008-06-15T16:00:00.013-04:00

The girls wore matching shirts that said "I love Dad."
Marcus and Audrey

Sojung

Let me start by telling you what terrible parents we are. We could have gone to McDonald's for lunch, but no. We are selfish, horrible parents and chose to take our family to The Cheesecake Factory. I know. Call Child Protective Services. Miss Betty was not thrilled at all to be here. (If you click on the picture to enlarge it you really get the full effect.) She would have much rather be dining at a restaurant that included a toy with her meal. But I cannot stomach another restaurant that throws away our dishes when we are finished. She was so upset she decided she wasn't going to eat. OK, that is fine. We told her she could eat at home. After we ran some errands. She decided that maybe it wasn't so bad to have some cheese pizza and cheesecake. At least she tolerates us.

Nothing changes cranky pants to happy pants like a little cheesecake!

Marcus opened gifts when he got home. Sojung gave him the third season of Lost.

Audrey giving Marcus a present.

He loved it!

Betty could hardly wait for him to open it!

Another shirt!!

Betty decided she had one more gift for Daddy. She ran upstairs and found one of her Barbie DVDs. Luckily Marcus didn't already have this one.

Cow Pie High

2008-06-13T09:56:00.003-04:00

That is what Sojung's new school is lovingly called. While the school is about 40 minutes from Washington DC, it is still very rural. It is surrounded by cow pasture in the middle of a very little town. Those of you reading this from my hometown would even consider Nokesville, VA small. From what I can tell there isn't much else to Nokesville other than the main street that runs through town and the dozen or so businesses that line the street. It is cute and quaint and has a real Mayberry feel to it.

Sojung enrolled yesterday and while Brentsville High School is the smallest high school in Prince William County, it is much larger than the school she attended last semester.

Here are the classes she will be taking:

Algebra 2
Oceanography
PE
English 10
US Government
Music Theory
Art

She seems very excited, especially since there really isn't much of a dress code. And she gets to ride the bus. (Something I did a lot! Trust me, the excitement wears off.) The bus stop is in our front yard so she won't have far to go.

It's Official...

2008-06-09T21:58:00.002-04:00

We have taken a huge step. One that we have been able to avoid much longer than most of our friends. Yesterday we purchased a minivan. I know...I can hear the gasps from here. But it was time and I was ready. The minivans of today are not at all like the ones when I was a kid. And I am thankful! (Sorry, no pictures. They will come soon. I will let the girls give you the grand tour of the van.) We are the proud owners of a 2008 Toyota Sienna. It is salsa red and come with all the bells and whistles. The girls will be able to enjoy DVDs and wireless headphones on their upcoming trip to Kansas. There is also an electrical plug in that enables us to use the Wii. (I think that was the selling point for Marcus.)

Betty had mixed feelings about the van. While she loved it, she was sad to say goodbye to our 2005 black Camry. (I understand this was how I felt when my parents sold their yellow banana, I mean car when I was a little girl.) Betty told me she hoped the dealership would keep the car until she was old enough to buy it. She asked Audrey on the way home if she missed the black car too. Audrey said "No way! Goodbye black car, hello paradise!"

Celebration!

2008-06-09T21:45:00.008-04:00

The girls were invited to a school's out party at our friends' house. They rented a moon bounce and I believe we all got our money's worth! I remember how much fun these were at the county fair. And now you can rent one for around $100.00. If that was available when I was a kid I think that is where all my money would have gone...

I think Betty's face is priceless!

The girls had a great time and came home very tired.
Sojung was at the party but didn't get in the moon bounce. She did take the pictures. Thank you Sojung!!

Sojung's Teachers

2008-06-09T21:39:00.007-04:00

Mrs. Vergara - US History
Mr. Saliba - US History (while Mrs. Vergara was on maternity leave) and Chapel

Mrs. Rector - Algebra and Geometry

Mrs. Lowe - Art

School's Out For Summer!!

2008-06-09T21:27:00.009-04:00

Sojung and Seal Ran (pronounced "salon") playing the piano in my room after their last class of their last class of the year. They are both very good pianists.

Our little graduate!

After graduation Betty plans to spend time at the pool, go on vacation to Kansas and begin the first grade in the fall. They grow up so fast...

The graduates!

Audrey receiving the Super Speller Award. She also received recognition for an outstanding job in Social Studies.

Audrey's class hosted an Author's' Tea. The parents were invited to hear the students read their original stories.

Audrey's class also hosted an Egyptian Museum. If you have any questions about

Egypt, Audrey is now an expert!

The pool is open!

2008-05-25T23:50:00.007-04:00

Mommy, the water is really cold!
BBRRRRR!

Sojung had the right idea. She watched from the chair wrapped in a towel.

New suits!

Strawberry Festival

2008-05-25T23:37:00.009-04:00

Water balloon toss! I think she dropped this a half a dozen times, however it was Audrey that ended up wet.

Lunch!

This is fun!

The finish line!

Plenty of room to run and twirl.

We went to Delaplane, VA for the annual Strawberry Festival. The weather was perfect!

Mother's Day

2008-05-11T20:48:00.007-04:00

Happy Mother's Day!

Sojung gave me a beautiful silver heart necklace. One side says Mom and the other says I love you. So sweet. Marcus took the girls shopping and bought a Vera Bradley messenger bag...it is time to break out the Mommy bag since I am officially a Mommy! They also bought a very cute Vera Bradley photo album.
Audrey created a book for me for Mother's Day. I was very impressed with her artwork. Looks just like me! So cute. The cover of the book says "Top Ten Reasons Why I Love My Mom" Here they are:

You correct me with gentleness. (OK, what 8 year old comes up with that? I asked if she came up with these herself and she told me her teacher put some on the board and used them and some she thought of herself. I am going to assume she copied this one.)

You care for me with cloths, (exact spelling!) food and warm blankets.

You love me when you help me with my homework.

You rock me when I feel sad.

You read stories to me.

You fix me breakfast.

You let us play.

You take me to the mall.
You turn up the volume in the car.

You let me sleep in on a Saturday. (However she doesn't let us! Those little darlings are up with the sun!) Betty created a cookbook at school. (She has a fantastic kindergarten teacher, wink wink) The kids all picked their favorite food and then told how to prepare it. There are some really interesting recipes in there like Banana Bread that takes 5 large onions and 3 carrots. Uh, no thank you. Betty's recipe was for Birthday Cake. You are going to want to rush to the store and get the ingredients for this. Here it is:

Betty's Birthday Cake

17 scoops of chocolate and vanilla ice cream

Put in cake pan and bake at 150 degrees for four hours. Then cut and put on a plate for your family.

Pretty toes

2008-05-10T20:45:00.005-04:00

Sojung and I went out for pedicures today. It was nice and relaxing and Marcus agreed to let us sneak in a nice lunch of sushi and a quick shopping trip while he was home with the girls.

Pencil vs. Chopsticks

2008-05-08T20:42:00.003-04:00

The other morning as we were pulling into the school parking lot we saw one of the high school students walking up to the building. This student is very tall and slim. Sojung said, "He is like a chopstick!" I had to laugh because in America we would compare a very tall and thin person to a pencil.

My three girls

2008-05-04T15:08:00.003-04:00

These were taken in our backyard.

Life keeps on changing...for the good!

2008-04-30T21:14:00.002-04:00

We found out tonight that Sojung will be extending her stay until the end of the year. Sojung expressed an interest in staying longer several weeks ago. We explained to her that it may be difficult to get into our local high school, epecially since she was only going to attend one semester. After saying our prayers we made the appropriate phone calls and got the ball rolling. The school called this afternoon and left the good news on our voice mail. Sojung is thrilled beyond belief and we can't wait to share 4th of July, Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas with her!

Sojung will be attending Brentsville High School. Sojung is excited about getting to ride the bus to school, attending a larger public school and the fact she will be finished with school everyday at 1:50!!

Life as we know it has changed forever!

2008-04-22T21:55:00.002-04:00

And in such a great way. Sorry I haven't posted for a while. But we have been a little busy!! We brought the girls home this weekend. Transition has proven to be difficult at times, but we know it will be worth it in the long run. I cannot imagine what these little girls must think. They are in a new home with strangers and trying to learn our rules and fit in. On top of dealing with their past. They are very sweet and Sojung has been the best big sister ever. Before they met her they started calling her "Big Sissy" and fell in love with her the minute the laid eyes on her. Sojung is more than willing to play with them and help them feel comfortable.

The picture was taken just minutes after we met the girls.

Here They Are!

2008-04-14T19:42:00.002-04:00

We started with this...
And ended up with this. I say we...I spray painted the letters white. Sojung did ALL of the art work. She did a great job, didn't she? We started the process yesterday afternoon and she finished them tonight. You cannot see in the picture, but we painted the sides of Audrey's letters purple and Betty's pink (their favorite colors.) We are going to hang them on the wall with the ribbon you see in the first picture.

Busy weekend

2008-04-13T20:49:00.009-04:00

Sojung and Lady
Me with Lizzy and her mom, Linda.

Lizzy took this picture. Pretty good for a six year old don't you think?

We all went out for Korean food.

The bags on Sojung's feet were to protect her shoes from the spray paint. I think the paint fumes were starting to get to us by the time this picture was taken.

Our big news is that next weekend we get to meet the girls we are adopting! We thought we would be picking them up in June, however things have changed and we will pick them up this weekend. To say we are scrambling to get things ready would be an understatement. My friend Linda, (see her picture above) graciously gave us bunk beds for the girls. Mattresses included! What a blessing. I have known Linda for over six years...I met her when her son was in kindergarten and she was pregnant with Lizzy. Lizzy is now in my class and one of the seven cute faces I get to see every morning. Linda's family are some of my favorite people. We went to their house to pick up the beds and then to dinner at their favorite Korean restaurant. It was delicious.

Sunday we spent preparing for the girls. Marcus has been getting the room ready and Sojung and I started painting the red bunk beds white. They are looking good. Sojung also started painting wooden letters that spell out the girls' names. You will have to wait for that picture. She has one name finished. They are BEAUTIFUL!! Sojung has been a big help in getting ready for the girls. She is very excited to have sisters coming soon.

Our cat Juliet has to be on anything that new that comes into the house. So the minute the mattresses made an appearance she was all over them like a bad rash. Pierre couldn't miss out on the action either.

What is a Rock Chalk?

2008-04-13T19:40:00.003-04:00

I was asked this question several times since my last post. Well, wait no more because here is your answer.

This one is for Edwin!

2008-04-06T20:23:00.000-04:00

We had friends over this evening. They know how much Marcus loves KU basketball. Sojung walked in the room and our friend said to her: "Hey Sojung, Rock Chalk!" Without hesitation she said "Jayhawk!" Marcus shed a little tear. He is so proud.

Rock Chalk Jayhawk!

2008-04-05T23:08:00.003-04:00

Enough said!

Top Ten Reasons We Are Glad We Have An Exchange Student

2008-04-05T18:03:00.003-04:00

Several weeks ago I posted Sojung's Top Ten. Now here's mine.

10. I have a carpool buddy (and can use HOV! If you don't live in an area that has a lot of traffic you have no idea how valuable this.)

9. I have a shopping buddy.

8. I have learned about 40 words in Korean. I can't hold a conversation but I can ask you to "stop!'' and tell you I am going to throw up in Korean. Please don't call me if you need a translator.

7. It makes me appreciate what I have in the USA.

6. It opens up a whole new food group.

5. It increases my English vocabulary.

4. It perfects my 'Win, Lose or Draw' skills.

3. I know where all the Korean food is at Super H and Grand Mart.

2. I can see things from a different perspective.

1. I have a forever Korean daughter.

One down, one to go!

2008-04-05T09:14:00.001-04:00

It is so hard to believe that Sojung has been here long enough to complete one quarter of school. Yesterday was the end of the quarter and we enjoyed a half day of school. Monday she has the day off because it is a teachers' work day.

Sojung worked very hard this quarter, especially in US History and Algebra II. A big thanks to Marcus to helping her with US History. I would hear them at the table studying and I would be amazed at what he remembered from high school.

Our plans this weekend are a little more low key than last weekend (Cherry Blossom Festival). We plan to have dinner with friends at their favorite Korean restaurant in Centreville and church on Sunday. If Sojung has her way we will squeeze in some shopping too. That would be fine with me.

Martina In America

2008-03-31T21:28:00.001-04:00

Here is the link to a website our friends put together for their exchange student. I thought you might be interested. http://www.martinainamerica.com/index.html

Betcha didn't know...Part 2

2008-03-31T21:08:00.003-04:00

In Korea, when you address the older brother or sister in your family, you do not call them by name. If you are a girl you call your older brother "oppa" and your older sister "on-ny." If you are a boy you call your older brother "hyung" and your older sister "nuna." The older siblings call the younger siblings by their first name.

When a student addresses a teacher, they never call them by their name. Instead of calling them "Mr. Smith" the just say "Mr." or teacher. If you address a teacher by their name you are being disrespectful.

Stay tuned for more Korean Culture 101.

Rock Chalk Jayhawk!

2008-03-30T21:29:00.001-04:00

Sojung has been getting a crash course on March Madness. Tonight Marcus' Jayhawks played Davidson and in a nail biting ending, KU won. Marcus isn't typically glued to the TV for a game unless it is during the mad, mad month of March. She will get her next dose of March Madness Saturday when KU plays UNC. Rock Chalk!

Cherry Blossom Festival

2008-03-30T21:14:00.006-04:00

Saturday we went into Washington DC to see the cherry blossoms. They were in full bloom and beautiful! It was very crowded!

The Jefferson Monument behind the cherry blossoms.

Sojung and her friend Seal Ran.

I know this picture is dark, but if you click on it you can see it better. This was taken in the Rosslyn metro station.

Betcha didn't know...

2008-03-28T21:52:00.002-04:00

When taking a picture in America we ask people to say "cheese." Ever wonder what word other languages use? Well, in Korea they say "kimchi." There...now you learned something both interesting and useless today.

Traditional Korean Funeral

2008-03-25T19:42:00.002-04:00

Odd post, I know. However earlier last week Sojung's grandfather passed away. Tonight during dinner she started to share a little bit about Korean funeral customs as well as how things were done in the past. Here are a few links you may find interesting.

http://www.asianinfo.org/asianinfo/korea/cel/funeral_rites.htm

http://bosp.kcc.hawaii.edu/Horizons/Horizons2002/Traditional_Korean.html

Happy Easter!

2008-03-23T21:13:00.003-04:00

We celebrated Easter by going to church this morning. We came home for lunch and had an Easter Egg hung for Sojung, minus the eggs. Korea doesn't celebrate Easter with the Easter bunny so we wanted her to have a true American Easter experience. I found a few cute things I thought she would like, school supplies, lip gloss and these really cute slippers. I wrapped them up and hid them throughout the house and made her go looking for her gifts. She loved it! Later this evening we met friends for dinner at our favorite Japanese Korean restaurant. The dessert was delicious! We hope you and your family had a wonderful Easter!