First Day of School

First Day of School!! The Elementary School started school a day before the Middle High School.  The kids got up super early, made their lunches and were ready to go.  The school is only about 3/4 mile from our tower, so we walk to school.  I push Little Monster in the stroller and Little Sis and M&M walk with me, or a little in front or behind because they found a friend to walk with.  Since pretty much everyone walks, the only issue we have is finding an elevator that isn't already full by the time it gets to our floor.  If I didn't have to take the stroller, the stairs would be significantly faster, but elevator waiting it is.

It's nice to see all our friends and meet new peeps as we walk to school.  Here is an adorable picture of my new 1st Grader:

And here is my 4th grader:

The Middle High School is in front of our tower and starts 30 minutes later then the Elementary School.  I walk the littles to the Elementary School and Big Sis meets me at the corner in front of her school on my walk back home.  It's really nice to get a walk in every morning.

Here are some pictures of my super cute 7th Grader:

Big Sis Birthday

Big Sis had her birthday party today!  She invited her new found friends. She really wanted a more grown up party, so she settled on the Bowling Alley on base!  We had all her friends meet us at the Bowling Alley, where the girls had their very own lane.

Kevin and I bowled with the other kids on the next lane over.  This was by far the easiest birthday party I have ever done! It was so fast and simple.

After the kids bowled a few games, we walked back to our house, and the kids had cake and ice cream and Big Sis opened her presents.  In fact, the party went by so quick that we told the parents the kids can stay and play for a few hours after the party.

I know that Big Sis had a great day and definitely felt more mature and older. I can't believe how fast kids grow.  Time simply flies by and before I know it, she will be leaving for college!  Seriously, can't time just freeze.

Gakwonsa Temple

In my church, the people of the congregation have service callings.  These callings are in the variety of organizations in the church, such as the primary (children's group), the Youth, the Women (Relief Society) and the Men (Priesthood).  The time that we give to the organization is all just to help the church and yourself grow.  In my church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, here in Korea, I am working with the Young Women.  As part of a cultural activity, me and the other leaders planned a trip to take the youth to the Gakwonsa Temple.  Since Big Sis turns 12 tomorrow, she joined us for the activity!

It took about 40 minutes to drive to the Gakwonsa Temple.  This is a Buddhist temple that has the largest Buddha statue in Korea!  I was so excited to go because our last fail at the Korean Folk Village to visit a Buddhist Temple. One of the other leaders, Nichole Steadman, did a lot of research before we came to the temple and was able to teach all of us about the structure, the culture and the different sculptures and statues that we saw.

The temple was absolutely gorgeous!  It held the traditional green paintings found all throughout Korea.  The roof's corners all point up towards the heavens as a sign of worship.

Before we approached the steps to the temple, Nichole showed us the huge fountain full of water.  There were dippers there and we learned how to properly wash our hands before entering the temple.  We walked up the steps and since we are not of the Buddhist Faith, we did not enter the actual worship room, but the windows were wide open and we were able to reverently watch the proceedings.

There were three golden Buddhas in the temple, and I learned that there is more then one Buddha and they all represent something different.  I never knew that!  I always thought there was just one.  A man was dressed in the robes of a monk and was performing the rituals.  There was a drum that was being slowly beaten in a cadence as the monk chanted.  The members who were worshiping would stand and bow a few times, then go on their knees and do a low full body bow, then stand and do it again.  Some members would just sit on a small pillow and read out of scriptures.  Another thing the Buddhist do before entering the temple, is remove their shoes.

After we observed the worship for a while we moved on up the hill.   At the base of the hill were mountains of black roof panels.  We learned that the people can write their prayers on one of the roof shingles to be added to the roof of the temple where Buddha would hear and answer their prayers.

We then went up a hill where we found the statue of Buddha.  The statue was gigantic!

When we approached there was a little building off to the side where a little old man was walking around.  He beckoned us to him and used hand gestures explaining how we should properly approach the statue.  First he handed all of us a stick incense and gestures for us to go to the front of the building and light the incense.  He then made a circle motion and held up three fingers, to which we took as walk around the statue three times with the incense.  We walked three times, then he came over and gestured putting the stick into the bowl of dirt in front of the statue, then he bowed three times.  We followed suit.

After we all bowed he motioned for us to follow him to a well of water with dippers, where he gestured for us to drink out of it.  We were all grossed out with the thought of drinking from a huge well of water that just sat there all day with a dipper that who knows how many mouths have touched, so we  all brought the dipper up about a millimeter from our mouths.  I'm not exactly sure if we did it correctly, or exactly what we did, but it was a neat cultural experience.

After we got some pictures, we talked about meditating, then practiced meditating and talked about the benefits.  We are told to search ponder and pray, and meditating is the ponder part. After meditating we went on a nature walk and enjoyed the trees and lush that Korea has to offer.

It was an amazing and educational experience.  I am so glad that Big Sis could come with me to enjoy all that was experienced!

The Halls of Hallasan

Living on base has its pros and cons.  I would have to say my favorite pro is living in the towers.  I love living in Hallasan Tower!  Each floor has long halls that all kids take advantage of to skate, bike, scooter or skateboard.

As you go up the elevator all you hear are shrills and screams of kids having fun together.  I heard about the fun that kids have in the halls before we moved here, so we packed all the kids' skates in our luggage.  I love how we get knocks on the door asking for the kids to play in the halls or go down and play on the playground.

Our kids have had nerf fights, skating parties, obstacle races and many other games in the halls.  As I am making dinner Little A will pop her head in and holler, "I'm going to the 4th floor", and off she goes.  It is such a great experience for the kids to have so many friends so close!

Even Little Monster loves riding his little bikes in the halls.  Anytime the door opens, he jumps on his bike and rushes out the door before I can close it!  It is so cute and funny to watch him.

HHG Arrived!! Christmas in August!

We got an e-mail last week saying our HHG (house hold goods) arrived and are ready for delivery!! We were super bummed because we could have already gotten the stuff, except it got flagged for customs and we had to wait until customs could meet us and check out a box.  You see, Big Sis and M&M have bows and arrows.  When the packers put the bows and arrows in a box, they just labeled the invoice and box as "bows and arrows".  Since those are consider a weapon, we got red flagged and customs had to open the box and decide weather it was a weapon or a child's toy.  Both girls cried all night.

Around 8:00 I got a knock on the door from the movers.  I first went down to verify that all the crates were still sealed and watch them open them and count to make sure all were accounted for.  I then met with the customs officers.  The officers would wait in their car, and then be called up once the alleged box appeared.

Since we are on the back side of the towers, our possessions arrived via a lift through the balcony door.  The girls were so excited when they saw that we get to be one of the people that get our stuff deliver this way.  It is significantly faster then the elevator, especially since one of the elevators were broken!  The kids would run out to the balcony while the stuff was being loaded, then watch it being lifted up.  As the movers unloaded the lift, they would run inside.

The time came that the beloved box arrived with the bows and arrows.  Both girls were circling it like vultures.  The customs came up and unwrapped the box, and sat speaking to one another in Korean.  Big Sis and M&M stood staring at their bows holding each other's hand tightly with tears brimming in their eyes.  The customs officer took me aside and the girls followed peaking around the corner.  I was informed that since they belonged to the girls we can keep them and they will label them as toys. Big Sis and M&M jump out and start hugging each other and jumped up and down.  The officer left smiling.

Luckily, I spent months organizing and dejunking our last house, so the move went rather quickly!  They had the entire truck unloaded by 12:00.  The movers took an hour lunch break, then came back and assembled all the furniture.  I also had them unload the majority of the boxes, so I wouldn't be left with a ton of paper and boxes.

They also unwrapped all the items that had been wrapped in brown padded paper.

By the time they left, about 4:30, the house was in pretty good shape!!  All the rooms were set up with only a few boxes left in each room!

This was seriously the best day ever!  It was like Christmas in August.  It was so wonderful to sleep in my own bed!  It was amazing to sit on our super comfortable couches!  It was fabulous to have more clothes to choose from!  Such a wonderful day!

Going without our stuff for so long made me realize just how much we have that we don't really need.  It made me realize just how little we could survive on and be happy.  But on the other hand, it is so nice to finally feel at home.  To have our stuff, and the extra frills in life.

Korean Folk Village

Three Families came to the Korean Folk Village!  Us, the Rusts, and the Mayos.  Great Friends!

Kevin had the day off today, and we wanted to go off base to experience Korean culture!  We decided to go to the Korean Folk Village.  I did some research to find a way to get there via public transportation.  There were two other families that wanted to join us on our adventure today!  We walked the 15 minutes to the Songtan Station and caught the subway.  When we got to our subway stop and got off, we found that the direct course that google maps had us on, was directly though a guarded gate of a business parking lot.  We asked the guard how to get to the Folk Village and he directs us to take the street and turn left and walk for a while then turn left again.  Lucky for us there were street signs to show the way to the Korean Folk Village.  Sadly the path was not a direct path and took about 45 minutes of walking.  By the time we arrived at the Folk Village, the kids were all exhausted, complaing, sweating and beyond hot.  The kids were all asking if we could go home.  So far, it was not turning out to be a good trip.

Luckily, right outside the gate, there was an icee machine, so for a moral boost we bought all the kids grape and blue-raspberry icee's.  After the kids finished, they were cooled down and had the sugar rush needed to continue on the adventure.  

The Korean Folk Village was really neat.  When we first walked in we saw a few huge rocks with rope and paper all over it.  It was the stone tower for making wishes.  There was rice paper with pens where someone can write a wish.  Once the wish was written, the wisher would tie it onto the rope for it to be burned on the first full new moon of the year along with the rice sheaves.  The wish would then be granted as the ashes go up towards heaven.  We took the time to all add our wishes to the stones.

The Folk Village had four shows that happen twice a day.  We missed the first two shows but made it just in time to catch a horse show.  The girls were in heaven.  There were about six riders that went around doing different type of stunts.  Some used weapons such as spears and bows and arrows.  Others were jumping on and off their horses.

After the horse show, we went to see a traditional Korean Wedding.  This one was a tad boring.  The kids lost interest quickly, because the talking was so drone and there wasn't much to see.  I found it very interesting, but I felt bad as the kids were sitting in the sun.  When the wedding was finished we had a few hours until the next show, so we went to one of the restaurants in the town.  They had a delicious pork cutlet and an amazing salad.  We also took the time to explore the pottery house, the stables, and the grounds.

The grounds were extremely gorgeous.  The traditional Korean architecture was ever present and gorgeous.  

The Folk Village had little houses that we could walk through.  Little A pretended she was grinding grain.

Around the houses were the most gorgeous gardens and flowers.  All the kids took time to stop and smell the flowers.  They begged for a picture with the flowers.

We caught the last two shows:  the traditional music show and the tightrope walker.  During the music show, Kevin and I took Little Monster and went exploring.  The music was so loud and sounded more like a wailing child so we went out and saw more of the grounds.  We returned in time to see the tightrope show.

We only had about 30 minutes until we needed to catch the shuttle back to the subway station.  We used that time to see the Buddhist temple and the absolutely gorgeous WanHyangRoo.

When we got to the temple, the kids were just so excited that they could actually go into a structure, that they all went running inside and started banging the drums and running around in the temple.  They ran ahead of us, so we were not able to stop them; however a small little Korean lady came swooping in and yelling at them in Korean and pushed them out of the temple.  I felt so terribly bad!  The kids were not respectful at all in the temple and so we very quickly left.  I will make it back to a Buddhist temple while I'm here and have a chat with my kids about respecting other's religions.

The day was long, but it was filled with beautiful places to see and rich Korean culture!  It was a great day!