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Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Getting creative during the freeze!

Korea's winter freeze has definitely set in and the days of hanging out outside after work have quickly fled! With the change in weather has come a change in entertainment around the Osteen abode!  Our shopping in the markets, hiking in the mountains and photo walks around the neighborhood have been replaced by nightly games of Jin Rummy
(which, as you can see, I sometime dominate) ...

... and Christmas movies!  We've begun a new tradition in our first year of marriage, to...

So far, it's been really fun, and who doesn't love having a Christmas movie on while they sit and play cards 
on their heated floor!?

Aaron has an unhealthy obsession with peanut M&M's, probably because they're few and far between in Korea, so when he sees them, he practically squeels!  So, when I found a giant bag of fun size peanut M&M's at our grocery store, I quickly swooped them up, hid them away in my apartment and slip one into Aaron's Christmas stocking once in a while!  I always do it right after he's done something extra nice, like washed all the dishes or cuddled with me during our movie!  Then when he finds the M&M's in his stocking, I tell him, "Oh, Santa must have seen it when you...." :)  He loves it, and sometimes will ask me if Santa saw it when he did something.  LOL

A couple nights ago, the weather had warmed up enough to not have to completely bundle up in 5 layers, so we took a little walk around the neighborhood. I'm going to miss living this close to the harbor.

and then over to dinner at CHAM!  What's new, right?!

Last Sunday afternoon, I met up with Gill and Sam for "Tea for Three" and Gill whipped out this stamped leather pin that says, "I make stuff" and told me that her and Sam found it at a cute little boutique shop in Nampo and had to buy it for me, since "I make stuff" described me to a T!  hahaha.  Now, it sits proudly on my Christmas tree!

So, speaking of making stuff... Aaron and I have been busy in the kitchen, almost every night, cooking dinner together!  This was part of our taco salad that we made on Tuesday night!  We even made tostada bowls by wrapping flour tortillas over our cereal bowls, dusting them with a little oil and baking them for a couple minutes!  To. die. for!

Then, on Monday night, we decided that we're going to send out a Christmas card to family and friends to celebrate our last Christmas in Korea!  So, I decided to make a little banner to hold in our photo!  This is just a little glimpse, but the whole things says, "Merry Christmas" in Korean (메리 크리스마스)!  The best part is that I used an old brown and gold tweed dress that I was going to give away for the triangles, and a nice pair of dark blue jeans that were too big for me for the lettering!  Custom, fun, and free!  Be looking in your mailbox soon!

Last night, A and I met up at a yummy Vietnamese restaurant for dinner, then had coffee at Angel in-us coffee shop, did some shopping in Lotte, and then headed over to DAISO to pick up 2 coffee mugs for a little Christmas date night art project!  We each decided to decorate a Christmas mug for each other!  
As you can see, Maverick was curious as always!

After designing and coloring our mugs with the permanent markers I brought with me from America, we threw them in the oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, and wala!  Now we've got ourselves 2 custom Christmas mugs, from each other, that we can use and reuse every year!  Can you guess whose is whose?! 

Yep, you guessed right!  Mine is the one that is a bit over decorated!  Can you blame me?  I love this kind of stuff and I only had 1 cup, so I had to take advantage of every square inch!

I'm usually partial to my own designs, lol, but I personally LLLLUUUVVVV Aaron's cup for me!  Simple, classy, and sweet, just like him!

Today is TEST DAY for elementary school's in Busan, so I've got the morning off, but just when I thought it was going to be the best day ever, I was asked to grade the tests!  SAD!  This weekend we're heading to a traditional Korean dance performance with Jestine and Bobby, then over to a Christmas dinner with Gill, Sam and Salome!  Then, Sunday we've got a photo shoot scheduled with Meagan and Dave from Ulsan! Should be a fun weekend full of friends and entertainment, and maybe, just maybe, some snow!!

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13 comments:

  1. You and Aaron are creating so many amazing traditions. It really seems like you are soaking in your last few months in Korea. Only thing left to do is visit Cheongju ;)

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    1. If I don't come see you before I leave, I'll just die! It WILL HAPPEN!

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  2. There's so much I love about this blog, starting with the snowflakes you added to your background and the picture of the veggies for the tostada bowls which by the way look SO GOOD, I'm drooling at my desk this very moment! I hope that I have a marriage like you and Aaron :).

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    1. That's so funny that you love the snowflakes. I was actually thinking of removing them before you said that, but now I'll leave them up just for you! :) We should cook up something fun and vegetarian for dinner with you guys on Monday night. Wanna come over and cook with us? And for the record,I have no doubt you'll have a marriage just like mine one day! :)

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    3. :)Ya that would be awesome!! The only thing is, the earliest we can get to you guys would be 5:45-6:00. Is that alright

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    4. haha! Well, in that case... It may be ready when you get there! :)

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  3. Love it Jillers! :) Thanks for reminding me about the mugs, their too cute! Glad you're still having so much fun while it's freezing outside! Hugs! Kirst

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    1. Kirst, you should have Caeden and Caleb decorate mugs for grandma Molly and Grandpa Chris and Jay's parents! It would be such a fun gift for them, and cheap for you! :)

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  4. Just when I thought you guys couldn't be any cuter...
    Love it!!! Love the pic of Mav too!
    This post has put me in the Christmas spirit. I haven't felt much in the Christmas mood since moving here. Hope to see you all soon!
    Let's get dressed up and go to Tap & Tapas!!!

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    1. You, not in a holiday mood?! I can't believe it! You're always so festive! Aaron and I would love to have a dressy night out with you guys to T&T!

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  5. I sort of delurked a while ago to congratulate you on your engagement (okay, a loooong while ago) but then I went back to lurking. I feel like such a stalker. Lol. At the time you asked where my husband and I had taught in Asia and I didn't see it until some time after you commented so it seemed weird to respond but now I guess I'm going for ultimate awkwardness so...we taught in Japan. Anyway, I'm about a year older than you and my hubby and I have been married 10 years now (I know, we were young young young). We have an almost 3 year old boy and an 8 month old girl. We visited Korea for three weeks when we were in Asia and loved it. Now we're currently too tired from late nights with our poor sleeping tots to be quite the travelers we used to be but we're hoping we can get back over there again when they're a couple years older. So... for now I live vicariously through you. Whew! TMI, right? Anyway, I've followed you from the beginning of your time in Korea and I feel almost like I got to sit in on your fun adventures. I told my husband tonight that I'm so bummed you're returning to the states. Happy for you. Sad for me. So live it up for the rest of your stay!

    Oh, and cute cups! :-D

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    1. Wow, Sharon! I'm honored that you've been following along for so long (That's A LOT OF READING!!) and have lived vicariously through my adventures! Please don't feel like a stalker at all... These days, with technology, I think we ALL do it to an extent! Just don't be a stranger anymore. :)

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