Leaving on a Korail train...

Aaron and I are headed up to stay the weekend with Jessica and Carlos near Jeomchon!   Jess and I are planning on getting crafty and making our yearly Christmas cards again (the art supplies are all packed up!), while Aaron and Carlos watch football, play ping pong, drink beer, and do whatever boys do when they're together!  Should be a great 3 days away!

See you all back on Monday!

Paper Christmas

With paper as my only resource for decorating in my classroom, I decided to put the kids to work in making their own Christmas decorations for the classroom!  I enlisted my 3rd grade after school English class as my Christmas decorating team!

Last Wednesday, I traced their little hands and had them cut out their handprint!  Then we glued them together to create Christmas wreaths!  I made the bow out of paper too - my very own design! :)

Then yesterday, we made Santa cards!  I found the pattern online and changed it up a bit, so they would be able to make it!  They had so much fun making Santa's face...

... and of course decorating the inside with their dream of the perfect Christmas scene!

ahh, to be a kid again!

"Merry Paper Christmas" from Gamjung School!

Chocolate class!

I finished teaching my kindergarden English class yesterday and as I was leaving the classroom, their teacher was carrying in a tray full of chocolate bars for their weekly cooking class!  I literally stopped in my tracks!  She laughed and asked if I wanted to join!  Um, yes please!

So, there I was, a student in a kindergarden cooking class.  That should tell you a lot about me and my cooking skills!  This weeks lesson was "making chocolates!"  I learned how to melt chocolate by placing it in a metal bowl (and stirring), while it floated in another bowl filled with 50 degree celcius water!  Good to know!  Then, I helped pour it into special holiday molds.  I'm not gonna lie... it was informative, and I REALLY appreciated them allowing me to participate!  :)  ***  

What I appreciated even more though was when Nicole, one of my students, walked all the way up to my classroom, on the 4th floor, to give me the chocolates I made, along with some popcorn, and a banana! 

That's cereal (special K) on the tops of the chocolates in the front!  It's to die for!

To say "I love my job" is a bit of an understatement!  Don't ya think!?

Welcome Christmas!

Christmas season has officially begun as far as I'm concerned!  I've been playing Diana Krall's Christmas Album, and The Rat Pack Christmas album (thank you Jessica Perlaza for the recommendation) for the past couple days!  There's something about having Christmas music on that makes me wanna cuddle up close to Aaron, with a comfy blanket, and a cup full of Korean coffee (the one's from the sticks!), and maybe sneak a kiss or two!

Aaron helped me decorate this year, and I thought this was a fitting picture!  My mom gave me this ornament a couple years ago to match a "J" that I already had.  When she originally gave it to me, it stood for Anderson, but Aaron likes to think it's HIS ornament!  I guess he's right... A for Aaron!

I love this picture!  Thanks for helping A.

Ever since I was a little girl, I've dreamed of having a HUGE Christmas tree with a beautiful home to decorate for Christmas!  I lived that dream for a couple years, and loved it while it lasted, but I'm more than happy with my mini Christmas tree and handmade stockings this year!  Less to tear down in January too!

Now, time for some shopping, so I can lay presents under the tree!

Merry Christmas family and friends!  

20,000

Are you the 20,000th visitor of my blog?!  (Look above at the counter)  If you are, you're getting a prize!  Just leave me a comment to let me know you were the 20,000 visitor, and there will be a little something special for you in the mail! :)

Happy Tuesday!