Korean Folk Village

I am so behind on my updates! Whew. I am going to give catching up my best shot over the long weekend, since Daddy will be home more than usual(hopefully!).

I'm still working on catching up with the Waggoner family trip to Korea. My dad, mom & brother were able to visit us for 2 1/2 weeks. We had such a fun time...we didn't get everything crossed off of the list, but they are planning to come again! FUN! My family hasn't traveled much outside the US, so this was a big deal. My mom had never even left the country--crazy that her first trip out was to SOUTH KOREA! My little brother used to go to Mexico on mission trips annually, so he has been out more than everyone. I guess I'm not exactly a world traveler! I was deployed to Masirah Island, Oman when I was active duty & I have been to Mexico, but that's it!

Here are some of the pictures we took at the Folk Village. This was one of our favorite trips while they were here. It was COLD. Brrr. I really can't wait to see this place when the weather is nicer...so far, we've only gone in November & December. Cold.

Our first picture of the day...this little guy has a tusk type thing. Weird.

Dad & Mom posing while we could still feel our limbs

Almost to the Food Bazaar...
We walked all the way to the far end of the village to eat. When we got there, only a few of the places were open. We thought it was way too cold to eat outside, so we almost turned around. Luckily, I saw a door open and people sitting at a table. Woohoo. We asked the lady at the ticket booth if we could eat inside & she told us they would help. Because it was so slow, we got the royal treatment (I think it also helped that we had 2 cute little blue-eyed girls with us!). The food was awesome & it was fun to have a traditional meal on the floor (LOVE the radiant heat in the floors here!).



The remains...soups were all good. With the exception of one my brother ordered. Ew. There were intestines & other foul smelling things floating around in it. Anyhow, we brought most of the pancakes home for a snack later on.
My dad was so interested in all the weavings and rooftops here
One of the shows...the Farmer's Music & Dance
This Acrobatic show is really cool...my brother got quite a few action photos!

After a long, cold day a the Folk Village, Abby went to put her pjs on & this is how she came out of her room! Always the princess!

Bloggy love,

The 51 CES Programs Flight Elves...

I did have the camera with me while the gift giving was occurring...with juggling Bekah & the reindeer cookies, I forgot to take a picture! Abby did an outstanding job--she wished everyone a Merry Christmas & even busted out a few Anyoung haseyos! It was very cute. Trust me.

Here are a few I just snapped. It's after the fact (and they didn't really want to do it), so in the holiday spirit, I just forced them in front of the tree! Abby was flipping out at Bekah. Beks was grabbing the little nativity in front of the tree & figured out that she could reach the ornaments. I'm surprised she didn't pull the tree over on top of all of us. Abby tried her best to keep her in line. :) Meanwhile, the dog is going crazy about something under the tree...he's trying to get behind it & stepping over presents in the process. Fun times. This what memories are made of, right?

Hmmm...while Abby isn't looking

Mary makes a nice microphone

Almost...they look a little pained

An actual smile from the oldest
Abby's favorite picture face (see Bek's hand in the background?!)
Bekah...calculating exactly how hard she would have to pull to topple the entire tree

Just in case I don't get back on here before the big day, Merry Christmas! I still have to make some red velvet cake, orange coffee cake & possibly some peanut butter dog treats...oh, and ice those darn sugar cookies! Any bets on how many things DON'T get done?

Bloggy love,

Everland...continued

Here are just a few more photos of the big E...



Bloggy love,

Baking & MORE Baking...

This post is for my mom...

Why did you not talk me out of this? Actually, it was pretty fun...for the most part.

Here, I have the worker bees busy with the ever so difficult reindeer cookies!

Engineer in charge = Cute cookies!

Um, yes, I do believe I told her she had to smile to get to eat her cookie. Bad Mommy.
The 45 bags in all their glory!

Final list:
Butterscotch Nests
Payday Bars
Toffee Squares
Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
Peanut Butter Fudge
Sugar Cookies (that are not iced yet...guess we'll do something with them later!)

I stamped the bags...Brad asked me to only do one side, but we ended up doing something simple on both sides. Then, we tied ribbon on them with the tag. See, you really missed out on my sweat shop. I would've provided refreshing beverages & lots of chatter--maybe next time? :)

Bloggy love,

Todd in Korea!

We had a very special visitor...our friend Todd came all the way to Korea, just to see us! HA! Okay, so he came for work, but we were so happy to see him. After our day at Everland, we met up & had some delicious Thai food. Yum. Here are a couple of pictures to prove he was here!

Todd meets Rebekah for the first time!

Abby wouldn't pose with them...surprise, surprise!

We met Todd way back at Brad's first duty assignment and my first assignment as an officer...Randolph AFB, TX. Our TX gang was a really good group of people & we've kept up with almost everyone. Todd was a saber bearer in our wedding and we were blessed to be by the whole Graham family when we lived in Virginia for a year. We figure it's just a matter of time before we are back in their neck of the woods!

Thanks for taking the time to come & see us Todd! We sure missed seeing Jennifer & the girls, but we understand! :)

Bloggy love,

Everland...CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?

Where is the first place Abby wanted to take the gang? Oh yes, Everland. We have already made the annual passes worth it! Abby is truly addicted.

We went to our first show...it was really fun. It was an animal show--the first animal out was a golden retriever! Very cute. The animals were incredible; we didn't understand a word the girl running the show was saying, but it didn't matter! :)

Abby just had to have her picture taken here with Grandma...don't they look cute? Yes, could it be? Abby is actually smiling for a picture! Can I get a Hallelujah?! I just have to figure out a way for the pictures to be her idea...

The best Everland photo is yet to come (it is one on the roller coaster!)...I just have to figure out my scanner! :)

Bloggy love,

The Big Recital!

Well, the lighting was HORRIBLE. That means that almost every picture we took was not good. Argh. The video turned out great (AND includes some of the funny Abby bloopers!), so once I figure out how to put it on You Tube, I'll have it available for your viewing pleasure! The recital was adorable & Abby's class was too cute. They danced to Head, Shoulders, Knees & Toes and Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star...Abby did more LOUD singing than dancing part of the time! One of my friends even commented on it! It was very funny. Abby told me that some of the girls didn't even sing...the NERVE. And at a dance recital. What is the world coming to? It was a very fun day & we're sure happy that Pawpaw, Gram Lene & UB were here to enjoying it in person! :)

Here's her teacher, Mr. David...he's very talented & great with the kids

Pawpaw was in charge of Bekah...he said she would not sit down! She danced the whole time. So cute! :)

The ballerinas right before their first dance!

The ballerina & her rose!

The whole group...Daddy & Mommy went out to dance for the parent participation during the last dance. Fun times!
Gram & Abby
Mommy & Bekah...this is before she became angry about being denied ice cream. My girls sure aren't shy with their feelings!

We had a great time! I'll do my best to add a video very soon. Still catching up on blog updates & I am VERY LATE on some reports I owe. It's never dull here, that's for sure!

Bloggy love,

Decorating the Christmas Tree

Well, I think I mentioned it before, but we went ahead & got a fake tree. I was against it, but it was probably a good idea...we were a little tired & think Brad needed a break from the 9 million lights he puts on the tree every year. So to get over the issue of "tree smell" I bought a Yankee Candle tart (the evergreen scented one) & now we're all happy. It's our Korea tree & it won't be headed back to the states with us. :)

Before...it just has the candy canes & angel on it. Oh, the top candy canes are dog treats! Indy sits at the tree to beg on occasion. Nothing quite like a little holiday torture...

Our tree is a little narrower than usual, so our LARGE number of ornaments needed a little more room. In steps our littlest tree decorator...

Whew...this decorating is hard stuff! :) It's a ruff life!
Beks & her crazy hair...Grammie tried to get her Christmas hat on, but no luck! Big headed babies in this family!
This pic is for GG Jane...see how cute the sweater is? Thank you! :)
And after...

I knew the fakeness wouldn't be so obvious once we got the tree decorated. I actually love it -- it's so happy & colorful. :) Merry Christmas!

Bloggy love,