Summer in Korea

It's summer! It's hot! It humid! Korea has extremes!!! In winter it's very dry, I got sick. Steve, my weather forecasting husband, told me this is the driest place we have ever lived and ever will. It was so cold it couldn't even snow last winter. Now it's like a jungle. We are in monsoon season...we have light rain, hard rain, misty rain, sideways rain, stinging rain...just like Forrest had expained. We have 100% humidity...makes Atlanta, Georgia seem like a cool place. Anyway since it's summer we have been busy everyday. We go swimming, bowling, shopping, to the movies, over to friends homes.... The other day when it started raining and we had to come inside, I made this patriotic mug rug. I sure like pinwheels.




Because I have a friend who knows I LOVE getting mail, she surprised me with a new stitchery pattern...perfect! All those hours at the pool are perfect for my stitching addiction. I only stitched this. I am waiting to see for my new house if I should frame it, quilt it or stuff it.




Look at the sky the other day. Boy am I going to miss this view out of my living room window!!!






The new house we are moving into in California has TWO WALK-IN closets in the master bedroom...I will have plenty of room for all my new purses and wallets. AAAA look at my new Prada wallet and shiny-red-zipper Louis Vuitton.

Stars And Stripes

I really enjoy making things for my home! Hand-piecing is something I love to sit and do. This past year I have made thousands of hexagons so I thought I would step out of my comfort zone and try piecing 6 pointed stars. I think they are very pretty but are a little harder for me. Nothing says Happy 4th Of July like Stars and Stripes :-)

I hand-quilted everything...see all the millions of tiny white specs? I sure like it though.

We have been swimming at the Post pool. My kids can spend 5 hours jumping off the diving board. Every now and then they do take a break and go down the slide.

Look at Ben.

And Madi too.

Today was rainy so we stayed home all day. I made some iced chocolate brownies for all the kids and to share with the neighbors...we didn't need the whole pan...as a matter of fact I don't know why I made them at all, I didn't need a one!

Today the kids spent 5 hours coloring Justin Beiber pictures...at least they all had fun.

Silent Ranks

Unknown Author

I wear no uniforms, no blues or army greens.
But I am in the military in the ranks rarely seen.
I have no rank upon my shoulders, salutes I do not give.
But the military world is the place where I live.

I'm not in the chain of command, orders I do not get.
But my husband is the one who does, this I cannot forget.
I'm not the one who fires the weapon, who puts my life on the line.
But my job is just as tough. I'm the one that's left behind.

My husband is a patriot, a brave and prideful man,And the call to serve his country, not all can understand.
Behind the lines I see the things needed to keep this country free.
My husband makes the sacrifice, but so do our kids and me.

I love the man I married. Patriotism is his life.
But I stand among the silent ranks known as the military wife.

Last week we had a going away party for two of out Weather Wives who leaving us. For a gift, one of the wives recieved this beautiful poem framed like I have never seen before. I fell in love with the poem and thought it would make a beautiful card. So these are my 4th of July cards and I am making a whole bunch because I know lots of military wives. Military wives are like no other. So much is asked of them. They move all over the world. Theye are alone so much of the time. I always say "yes, there are single mothers but I believe being a military wife can be just as hard if not harder". A single mother can live her life. Military wives do a single parents job but have their hearts out there missing their husbands, helping their husbands and caring for their husbands from far away. Our husbands come and go like the wind. I dearly love the wives I know and am thankful for the chance to learn from them and lean on them and to call them my friends...it's a wonderful life.

Apples for our teachers

Ben and Madi gave their teachers these fun cards for an end-of-the-year gift. My friend Amber had made some of these last year and put the pattern on her blog. If you love to cross-stitch like me, go grab the pattern.

I tied them up with a pretty apple ribbon and vintage postcard.

I live in the most fun and beautiful home here in Korea. We are on the top floor with a beautiful view. Our house..see...the top floor on the left.

Now that school is out the kids play outside with their friends in the water alllll day. See I can watch them from inside.

The view walking up from the church to our buildings. See the kids playing on the left in the water.

I see we have a super fun summer ahead! There is another water park here at our house...wait till I take pics of that...yes we have a water park in our apartment complex.

Seoul American Elementary School

Ahhh...Seoul American Elemetary School...it's so big in size but yet it's such a warm and close place. I am so glad my kids got to experience this famous school in the heart of Seoul. This elementary school has over 1,300 kids enrolled. There are at least 9 classes in each grade level. There are 2 music teachers, 2 art teachers.... It's almost the largest Department Of Defense school...some Army base in Germany has 50 more kids than this one. I have never seen a school quite like this one. The old buildings that house Seoul American Elementary School are the buildings that use to be the old 121 Army hospital (The 121 if you ever watched the TV show M*A*S*H) back during the Korean War...OLD...but yet so full of life.

The school is all these little buildings...almost like college campus life.

The building on the left is where Madi's 3rd grade class was and the building on the right is where Ben's 5th grade class was.

Madi's classroom were those first 3 windows.

From this part of the school you can see the Dragon Hill and Seoul Tower.

Me and mine yesterday morning at the bus stop before school. Yesterday was Ben's 5th grade graduation.

My handsome boys!

Today after school the kids and I stayed to play at the park and then walked to the foodcourt and PX. At this point we are near the Dragon Hill getting ready towalk over the bridge. This bridge was not here back in 1995-1996 when I came here for a few days. This bridge connects Main Post and South Post. Back in the day you would have to walk out South Post, walk across Itaewon Blvd. an enter Main Post. This bridge make life much better.

What a WONDERFUL year it has been. We will miss this place!!!

Madi's Birthday!

What a fun few days we have had celebrating Madi!

Friday was Madi's birthday. all nine 3rd grade classes from Seoul American Elementary School went bowling. When you walked in to Yongsan Lanes they took your breath away. All 32 lanes we full.

Madi and her bestest friend Hensley.

I decided to try something easy...rice krispie treats dipped in red and aqua chocolate...not so easy...but they worked.

I bagged and tagged them with - 9 nine These treats were to hand out to Madi's 3rd grade class.

Saturday was the party. My wonderful neighbor Oxana made a beautiful cake for Madi. It looked like a gift with a red ribbon and aqua polka dots...PERFECT!

Oxana is Russian so she made the cake using a delish Russian recipe...look at all those layers, it's so pretty.

Some of our friends who came.

We gave out red and aqua goodie bags filled with Bieber fever items....Madi LOVES Justin Bieber!!!!

Madi's favorite gift was a Justin Bieber doll.

After the party we headed out the door to the Weather Squadron with these rice krispie treats...have you noticed I make these for everything? PCS (moving) season is beginning....it's so sad to say good-bye to such wonderful ladies. We have a Change In Command coming up and last night was a Squadron BBQ for one last get together with the Commander of the 607th Weather Squadron. So what a long fun day we had.

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We went to play in our "backyard". The Korean kids are so nice to Ben and Madi...they get so excited when we come out.