Korean hillbilly food

Spam fried rice...we eat it at least once every 5 days. Spam of all things is a main staple in Korea. If you go to E-Mart, there is an entire isle dedicated to Spam. The story goes: back during the Korean War, Spam was a food that was distributed to all the American soldiers most days. When some soldiers tossed their cans of Spam off to the side they were picked up by South Koreans who ended up LOVING it for life.

Steve is the one who perfected our family recipe. Of course we start off with a fresh Korean rice cooked in our rice cooker. We add 3 eggs, 1 can of spam chopped to our skillet and cook with a spoonful of oil. Then stir in the cooked rice, a TBSP of soy sauce, 1 tsp Lawry's and stir fry for a few minutes. We love this stuff!!!

Building 63

The 5th graders from Seoul Elementary got to go on a really cool field trip to Building 63...I got to go too. Do you see the really tall gold building across the Han River? That is building 63...only a 10 min. drive from our house.

Building 63 is one of the tallest buildings in East Asia and boy was is neat riding the glass elevator to the top. Check out Seoul, Korea...it's huge! Buildings as far as the eye can see.

Ben took his DSi and to lots of fun picturs of the views and his friends.

Inside Building 63 is some classy upscale shopping and eating. The building also hosts an aquarium. We walk on the glass walkway over some sharks. Funny thing is there were sound effects...about every min. you would hear glass shattering and get nervous.

The kids watch a show with the fish and a diver.

Dr. Fish. Have you heard of them. They are those little fish that eat your dead skin. Ben hung out with the Dr. Fish for 20 min. or more, he loved that gross stuff. My friend Betty has gone to a spa near our house that she says is really nice and has played with Dr. Fish with her feet.

There is also an IMAX theater in Building 63. The kids and adults were all given those little boxes and headphones so we could hear the English version while watching.

There she is...building 63. So far this year this has been our favorite field trip. Not sure whats next, but I know the DMZ...North Korean border is on the 5th grade agenda...I can't wait for that field trip.

My first dresden plate

The other day Madi was home sick. When I am forced to stay home all day I always get so many things accomplished. That day I made my first dresden plate...I can't believe I did it. I thought it was something too hard for me. Now I would like to try another one, it was fun.

Yesterday my kids had a snowday...no school. They wanted to play outside but I needed to make dinner. So even though I am nice and warm in my own kitchen cooking, I can still watch my kids playing outside. The security cameras and built in TV in my kitchen sure come in handy...only in Korea...I love this place.

For the kids after school snack today I made

hot chocolate chip cookies.

My new haircut...it's growing short these days.

Today was great. Living here in Korea makes me feel like...a princess. I had a hair apt. I called a taxi. I ride the elevator down, walk past my doorman and exit the big glass doors to my taxi there waiting for me. My driver dropped me off at that beautiful Dragon Hill Lodge. When moving here to Korea my hair was one of my concerns...I didn't think I would find a good hairstylist...WRONG. Her name is Sonya and I LOVE the way she does my hair. When you are in the spa at the Dragon Hill those Korean ladies take good care of you. It's such a treat.

I took a few pics and couldn't decide which one was showing off my new doo best so I put them all on here. My hair is pretty short these days and I like the layers and flips. After getting my hair done I caught a taxi home because we were expecting company tonight.

My friend Betty and her family came over tonight. My husband works with her husband...Weather Men. I met Betty through blogging before I ever moved to Korea. Blogging has brought me people in life I have needed. My little Madi was saved because I met some through blogging...someone who helped me see the signs of Madi having Type 1 Diabetes. Then with my move to Korea...through blogging I had a friend in Betty who waited for me to arrive in Korea with open arms and making me feel welcome the day I got here. What a fun afternoon and evening our families had together. All the boys played football on the PS3, the little girls did cheers and put on a fantastic half time show for us, all the while Betty and I were in my craft room sewing away. For dinner we ate delicious Korean pizza, while watching a moving about the Ohio State/Michigan saga...Betty's husband is from Ohio too.

The leather grocery bag...

...by Chanel. The other day the military dads had the day off work, so my fun neighbor Liz and I went shopping. Our husbands were so nice to happily watch the kids while us girls went shopping...our favorite passtime here in Korea. This is now my most favorite purse!!!! I love everything Chanel.

I am done!

I started this last summer while still living in Atlanta, Georgia. I took all these hexagons and worked on these while traveing all summer in Ashville, NC, Blacksburg, VA, Washington DC, Philidelphia, New York City, Boston and I finially finished while living here in Korea...PHEW. We all have memories with hexagons everywhere and lost/dropped needles in hotel rooms and in the car. But it's done...I am almost sad because it won't be there for me to pick up and work on anymore. I LOVE it!!!

Now this coming summer we will fly from Seoul, Korea back to Atlanta and then drive across the whole United States to Beale AFB, California near Sacramento....I need to start thinking on what project I can have ready to work on Summer of 2011? I am thinking about a double wedding ring...any suggestions?

S'mores to go

All you do is dip a marshmellow in melted chocolate and then roll it in graham cracker crumbs...MMM! Aren't they cute? Madi's teacher made some of these at Christmas and we had been wanting to try them ourselves ever since. Madi and I had a great time making them the other night.

Playing store...Korean style

This is what kids who live in Korea and have moms that buy Korean made designer purses do. They play store and can barter like the best of them.







In the living room the kids made a mall. OMGosh look at Madi. You could buy video games, candles, bath and body works products and there was a wide variety of those purses.

On Saturday we drove to Osan with some of our friends, other Air Force familes that are here at Yongsan with us. We got to go for a fun day of shopping, eating all together at Chili's and then a fantastic Tops and Blue show. Here is Madi with my new white quilted chanel I got Saturday....just waiting for Spring now.

New winter decorations

After Christmas I like to decorate my house with snowmen or other fun winter things. I do have some really pretty winter things you can see here. But we didn't have room to bring them all to Korea. So instead of whining too much I made a few things. It was fun and they turned out so pretty...much better than no winter decorations.

Look at my handstitched snowflake with a touch of Louis Vuitton. They sell Louis Vuitton ribbon at the Dongdaemun Market for 300 won (less than 30 cents) a yard...so I got 10 yards to play with. So don't you like my Louis Vuitton snowflake...OOOO LA LA.

Burberry

Never before have I had a matching purse and wallet. This round I even got the matching silk scarf...it was only an extra $4. Even though I know this Burberry was made here in Korea it still says made in London. And I paid less than what the tax would be on a real Burberry purse. This is just another reason I love living in Korea.

Winter Hexagons

Out of some scraps I had left over from a shirt I made for Madi, all I could think was HEXAGONS! I love hand quilting and I love hexagons....still.

This is the original photo. It looks better as a magazine.

Here is Madi in that shirt all covered in winter mittens I made her. This fabric was only 3,500 won ($3) a yard at the fabric market in Dongdaemun. I LOVE that place. The other day I found the papercrafts area at Namdaemun Market...I love shopping in Korea!!!