Happy Birthday Mr. Nate

I threw a big surprise party for Nate's 35th birthday. Asher spoiled the surprise of course, "Dad, don't ask me about your surprise party because I'm not gonna tell you anything," but Nate still couldn't believe all of his friends showed up or that all the food I'd made was just for him. He'd imagined a small family gathering and bought my cover story of needing to prepare for a Young Women's banquet (no such thing). 50 people came to feast on "Cafe Rio" pork, sweet potato enchiladas, lots of guacamole, strawberry shortcake and lemon meringue pie. I'd envisioned an ironic "Over the Hill" party but black party supplies are mighty hard to come by in Seoul. 

Jensie was in on it from the get go and got a picture of Nate pretending to be hunched and decrepit. We'd hoped to blow it up to poster size and play "pin the cane on the old man" but alas, not realizing Jensie's silly pictures had a purpose, someone kindly deleted them from the camera's memory card before I could act. I'm telling you about it anyway though because I'm still so pleased with the idea. We did manage black balloons and Asher filled Mason jars with rocks and dirt. You know, 'cause Nate's older than rocks, older than dirt. Get it? And his hat OLD hat made up for most of what we were lacking.

I gave a cash prize to the person who came up with the best "Nate's so old..." joke. This is Nate "roasting" himself as he chooses a winner. The winning joke's not really appropriate for our family blog, haha. Here are some of the prize contenders-
Nate's so old...
When he was born the Dead Sea was just getting sick.
He chiseled 'BFF' in Methusula's yearbook.
The Big Bang screwed up his teenage years.
He took his driver license test in a chariot.
His hometown is Pangea.
My personal favorite? A slip of paper covered in faux reformed Egyptian. As in, Nate's so old he can read this!

I spent so much time enjoying the party that I forgot to take any more than these two pics, but we had a great night--made even more special with the arrival of my parents and grandparents (who are in town for Natalie's graduation). It was a great night to celebrate that old man of mine. Happy birthday, Nate. I love you.

Life Skills for the Zombie Apocalypse

Haha, can your kid do that?

Just Like That

These brothers joined us on our walk home from school. The kids chased cars and played Ninja and laughed about how their PE uniforms make them look like different fruits- blueberries, an orange, and Jensie, a watermelon in green. They giggled and bowed goodbye when the path split and we went our separate ways.

Asher turned to me and shrugged, "Well, I guess we're best friends now." 

Easy as pie.

Important Milestones

Jensie learned to blow a bubble with her gum. 9-21-11

Asher almost learned to tie his shoes. (He's slow and steady, that boy.)

Asher: Mom, guess what! I learned to tie my shoes at school today!
Me: Really? That's great, Ash. Good job.
Asher: Nah, I'm just kidding. I learned how to slip them on and off without touching the laces!

I just helped Frankie make a sign for her bedroom door that reads:

Please no mothers allowed in my room ever.

Rose Water

It's a historic moment folks, Jensie's first recipe! The girl's a genius in the kitchen. Wants to study culinary arts in Paris and be a chef someday. She'd also like to own a bakery, where, she's sorry but, she won't be baking anything gluten free. I'd like to write a lot more about her growing gift, but for now, I leave you with something refreshing on a warm sun-shiney day:

Rose Water

5 really red rose petals

*13 drops of grape juice from a grape

1 tsp fresh squeezed lemon juice

1 qt water.

Combine all ingredients in a pitcher, let it sit for just a little while, stir and sip.

*Cut 1 red grape in half, squeeze 13 drops of juice from half a grape. Save the other half for later.

Gimbap

Just finished my first real semester of College 2.0. I'm four classes closer a degree--woot woot! Since I've got a few weeks 'til the next term starts I thought I'd take a minute to update the ol' blog. I fully plan to bombard you with photos, but since Picnik shut-down I don't know how to edit them and have no plans to learn. Consider yourselves warned.

The kids' Korean tutor, Heejin, just taught them how to make kimbap/gimbap (you decide).

Just a little seaweed, sticky rice, fried egg, crab, carrot, celery, chili pepper, pickled radish, something brown and mysterious, tofu, and American cheese. Delish!

 

PS. Last week she brought a friend and taught "ice-cream flavors." Kamsahamnida, Heejin. You are the best!

Overheard: Anything You Can Dream I Can Dream Better

Asher: I had a really bad nightmare last night. I dreamed I got bit by a scorpion.

Jensie: Was it a big scorpion or a little scorpion?

Asher: Huge.

Jensie: Well then you shouldn't have worried because only the little ones are poisonous.

Frankie: I had a bad dream too. I dreamed that Jesus got bit by a baby scorpion.

Alright Frankie, you win.

PS. I just Google Translated my way through a permission slip for Jensie's upcoming class field trip. Apparently  she'll be "participation in learning whether the body should porthole." That should be interesting!

An Argument for Art

Doing a little homework for my YW lesson tomorrow night I stumbled upon this article, Confessions of an English Teacher, why we should choose artful literature over romance novels. I love this (click that link to see full article). You'll love it too.

A little taste of what you're in for...
"For example, the hero in the first book I read appears on the scene in a “thick sheepskin jacket, his shoulders broad and powerful, as was his chest, his legs long and lean in the fitted denims of faded blue.” He also has “piercingly deep blue eyes,” a “long straight nose, firm but sensual mouth, and strong square jaw.” Furthermore, he exudes “power and assurance,” his teeth are “very white” against his dark beard, his voice is “deep and attractive, as smooth as honey,” and his face is “deeply tanned.” The heroine discovers on her first meeting with this masculine wonder that “there was strength in the lean fingers that clasped about her upperarm, a strength she felt sure was tempered so as not to bruise her more delicate flesh.” He is, of course, “well over six feet in height, moving with natural grace for such a big man.” ² (She, I suppose, moves as well as she can, considering the delicate condition of her flesh.)"
It's funny!

PS. I don't have facebook anymore. This is the best way I could think of to share good stuff.  It'll do.

She's a Super Geek

Girl got glasses.

J's been complaining about her eyes for weeks, and for weeks I've been ignoring her.  Wednesday night she couldn't sleep because her tired eyes hurt and she was getting a headache. I finally agreed to take her to the eye doc, and whatd'ya know? Extremely farsighted. Oops. I felt so lame. In my defense, Jensie is a total drama queen so actual pain can be hard to gauge.

When I was eight I wanted glasses so bad. I feigned total blindness through several eye exams and eventually scored a pair of pink coke-bottle glasses. I wore them for like three days before I decided they were a nuisance and threw them in the trash. My parents were thrilled (ahem)!

I mentioned this to the doc to excuse myself for ignoring J's complaints for so long. He told me lots of little girls do that. Weird! His policy is to never prescribe glasses to girls unless he can prove that they really need 'em. After a thorough examination it was decided that Jensie's one of the lucky ones.

She picked these frames herself along with a pair of wire-rimmed child-proof titanium ones. The guy at the store said they're guaranteed not to break, which will be awesome 'til she loses them. 

Asher These Days

Go Utes

Nat got accepted to the University of Utah. Whoo!

I am not going to think about what life will be like when she moves back to the states in June (because it will be boring and lonely, waaaaaaaah).

Real Men Run Barefoot

Nate and a few of his co-workers signed up to run a half marathon but it was cancelled last minute. So Sunday morning Nate threw an impromptu Hannam Half- 13.1 miles from our apartment to Seoul's Gyeongbukgung Palace and back. The coolest thing about an unplanned run through one of the world's largest cities? A photo-op at every traffic light.

It was his first barefoot half and his feet got a little "tender" around mile 10. I'll say! 

PS. He ran a 10K with the Seoul Flyer's Running Club the day before this. Awesome, right? Of course right.

Where's Waldo?

on the shiny green couch.

She's in a Tight Spot!

Frankie will sleep almost anywhere.  So long as it's not her big comfy bed.

First Day of School (#448)

Doesn't it seem like we've had a million first days of school this year?  Oh well.  Every one's a party!  The Korean school year starts in March, so Jensie moved up to third grade this morning and Asher started first grade. We attended the school's "entrance ceremony" and met their teachers.  Met is an exaggeration.  They smiled at us, we smiled at them, and then we all stared at each other for a little while. Asher needs to hurry up and learn to speak Hangul already. Anyway, enough chit-chat.  Pictures!

 A Korean soldier came along to help us interpret.  Every time we asked him what the teacher was saying, he'd smile and say "I have no idea." 

 Munchkins!  First graders in Korean party hats.

 Jensie and the Katusa just having a little chat...in Korean.

 Look who doesn't hate school anymore.

 Ash-yo

 Get to class, Jensie.

 Welcome to school packet. I can't read it but I'm sure it's full of useful information.

Asher's new classroom.  School starts bright and early Monday morning. 

 Let's talk about how awesome Korean food is, again.  Today's menu included rice, beef bulgogi, cabbage kimchi, zucchini kimchi, bone broth, and a pile of funky looking mushrooms.  Jensie gobbled it up.  Well done, girl.

Biglers at Bogwang