"Mery chicrimas"

Merry Chicrimas from one of my 3rd graders!

Oh and for the record, this wasn't made in my class!  I would have made her erase it if it was... That's right!  I don't mess around when it comes to spelling!  ***

Shopping, Burgers and Cupcakes!

A couple days ago, I told Aaron that he could do whatever he wanted for his birthday, and that I would pick up the tab!  His response was a simple: "I want to go shopping, have dinner with you at Breeze Burns and then go bowling."   Hey, sounds good to me! 

So, tonight after work, we did some shopping at his favorite store at Lotte and then walked over to Breeze Burns, across the street.  It's one of our favorite burger joints in Nampodong! We normally keep to our budgets and order the cheapest item on the menu when we go out, but tonight, the budget was out the window!   Apparently a beer can be pretty exciting when you're used to ordering waters! :)

Not only can I spell my name with my fingers, I can make a "29" for Aaron's birthday!  I'd like to think I'm fairly creative with my digits!

After gorging on cheeseburgers, chili fries, beer, and diet coke, we took a stroll down the newly Christmas decorated streets of Nampodong!  It looks as though they're confused... Is it Valentine's or Christmas?!  hmmm  We happened to be standing in front of this heart, ready to ask someone to snap our picture when our friend Annie came out of nowhere with her Korean co-workers!  As Annie was taking our picture, her co-workers were ooing and awing at our affection for each other!  Koreans are really shy, and thus not big on PDA with their loved ones... but they love to watch other people be affectionate!  Go figure!

I couldn't believe these little schmooches!!   How could you not want twin girls after seeing these two?!  Their mom said, "hearts," and the girls quickly made these hearts with their hands!!    This picture is for you A!

Aaron decided he'd rather skip bowling and just hang out, so we walked over to Red Velvet, a new fancy cupcake shop that recently opened on one of my favorite streets!  I sang happy birthday in English and Korean, all while Aaron was shushing me...  Hey, I don't care who hears!!  It's his birthday!

Aaron couldn't even blow out his candle before I was ready to bite into my "Red Velvet!" Some things never change!!  I've always been a sucker for cupcakes!

Mint chocolate for the birthday boy!

... and red velvet for his sugar mama!

I have 365 days until he turns the big 30!  That's when the REAL birthday party is in order ~ None of this shopping, burgers and cupcakes stuff!  

So, with that said, who wants to come to Korea next December to celebrate with us?!  Anyone??  Anyone??

Happy Birthday Aaron!

Happy Birthday A!  

Welcome to 29!  

I must say... you're looking more and more dashing everyday, with age!

Love you!

Passport Photo - Modeling pic!

In order to obtain my medical check certificate, which is imperative for re-applying as a teacher in Korea, I had to present a passport size photo of myself to the hospital.  Hmmm, I thought?!  Where can I get one of those?  So, I went to where anyone else in my area would go, NAMPODONG!  I stopped in at the first photo shop I saw and was met by a young Korean girl who immediately snapped my picture, downloaded it onto her computer, and began PHOTOSHOPPING the crap out of it!  

This is all new to me, as I'm sure it is to you if you currently live in America and have had your passport photo taken at your local Walgreens, where you're given 6 "as is" pictures of your mug shot.  Not here, in Korea though, the land where beauty is everything!!  The girl  smoothed my skin, thickened my hair, brightened my eye color, erased my wrinkles, made my forehead smaller, and even changed my smile! ... oh and I should mention, I had to buy 50 wallet size pics?!  It was the smallest package available!  What am I supposed to do with 50 wallet size pictures of myself?!  

There was a man next to me who was asking the girl to make his eyes bigger, nose thinner, and even asked for his hair line to be brought forward!  Apparently that's not a lot to ask for!  Check out this picture where a man was photographed in a red polo shirt and later put in a suit - all in photoshop!  AMAZING... and really weird!

So next time you need a passport photo, come on over to Korea and let them fix you up!  You wanna look your best for your passport, don't you?!  ***

Holiday drinks!

This is my first year where I've cared about "holiday coffee drinks," because before this year, I never drank anything that even remotely resembled the taste of coffee!  But this year, I'm hooked, and experiencing, for the first time, the joys of a hot cup of yumminess!

Last Wednesday, Truchen, Gill and I met up for our weekly Wednesday "tea for three" date, and my eyes immediately stopped on "Cookies and Cream Mocha" when reading the menu board, and the rest is well... history!