What day is it?

Is it my birthday?

NOOOOOOO

Is it Valentine's Day

NOOOOOOO

Is it our annivesary?

NOOOOOOO

It's not any special, but my Honey made it special and bought me flowers!!!!!

That's right Brian bought me flowers for no reason, other than just because he loves me!!

I love you too, Brian!!!

Field Trip!

We went on another "field trip" yesterday. This one was very different, we went to an orphanage. Let me back up a bit and explain...On the base, here there are a lot of bicycles, I mean A LOT! Well when the guys go back to the States, most of the bikes are left behind. Brian's unit gets several of these bikes, fixes them up and every few months brings them to the orphanage. This time, Dalton, Cheyanne and I had the chance to go! We had such a wonderuf time, of course my heart went out to all of them. Especially to one certain girl though....Kim. Kim is very shy, much like my Cheyanne, beautiful and has a sweet sweet spirit.

She caught my eye right away, sitting away from everyone. ( I know that feeling all to well!) Cheyanne and I began drawing with sidewalk chalk, and she came over, and just watched. Then she drew a Korean hopschotch board, but still would not play! My Cheyanne tried so hard to get her to play, I think she felt a connection with the shyness. Finally she opened up, and the girls had a great time.

Dalton, on the other hand, never meets a stranger! He got right in to helping the kids ride bikes, and playing soccer.

Wel all had such a great time. and look forward to going again!

I hope you enjoy the pictures!

Orphanage Visit 071407

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Everland!!

Everland June 23 2007

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Hi everybody!! We're still here! We have not been washed away with the mansoons!

Just dealing with everday life.

We went to Everland in Seoul in the 23rd of June! We had so much fun. I'm not much of an amusement ride rider, but we rode so many! We flipped, twisted, twirled, and went in every direction imaginable!

SUMMER TIME!!!

I know it may seem like it's early in the year, but the water park is open on post!!!! The weather here is getting reallly warm and humid. This water park is really great. It's only about a five miute walk from the house, and the best part is that for a family pass, for the entire summer, is ONLY $100!!!
Can't beat that! The kids had a lot of fun this past weekend. Dalton is not in any of the pictures, so I will have more pics later. These pics show alot of the park but not the olimpic size pool, and also the diving pool.

Memorial weekend fun!

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HAES IDOL

About three week ago, Cheyanne came to me with a permission slip to try out for the school's talent show. I really could not believe she wanted to do this, because she is very shy at times. I signed, reassuring her to doing her best was all that mattered. They were only picking 20 kids to be in the show. She come home the following monday, after tryouts, extra bouncy! I asked her what was going on, as she produce the letter saying she had made the show, and the happy dance started. So far the past two weeks I tryed to get her to practice her "talent", but she always had something else to do.

So last night we attended HAES Idol. No one was going to "win", it was just to showcase their talents. There were eight singers, six kids playing the piano, one very frightened and crying girl reading a friendship poem, one girl playing the guitar, two dancing groups, and my Cheyanne doing a comedic monolgue. Yes of all things a comedic monolgue!!!

She did so good!! We are very proud of her. I'd love the put the video footage of her on the blog, but I have a very old camcorder, so it's not possible. If you have a second read below. This is what my very crazy daughter got up on stage in front of a large group of people and did for her talent:

"Daaaad, do we have to go to grandma's? I mean I don't know what make you think going to grandma is so much fun. I mean you get up early and polish the car like we're going some place cool, like the beach or something. Is it just me or does her house smell like and old antique store couch. After all I'm the one she latches on to, to listen to all her old stories. Well I'm sorry dad if I can't appreciate her "wisdom" right now, but even you can admit the womans a little bit crazy. I mean come on, one time I was going into the kitchen to get myself a drink when I heard her talking to somebody. I didn't want to disturb her, so I was real quiet. She was asking grandpa how much salt he liked in the stew, and he's been dead for TEN years!! I mean come on!! Oh and her cooking! What was that she made us for dinner last time, boiled okra, that's just wrong!! It felt like a hairy calm going down my throat! It took me three to four sips of coke ofter each bit to get it down and keep it down! Yuck!!! I can still taste it! So dad please can we skip this visit, I mean Christmas is only four months away, I sure she wouldn't mind if we just called! Pleeeeeessssse!!!


Yes, that's my girl!!!!! Just gotta love her!!!!

Pottery Expo and Temple

pottery and temple

click on the above picture to view the entire album. when you get to the album click on the first picture to enlarge and scroll through.

Yesterday I went on a little adventure. I signed up to go on this trip to a pottery expo and temple trip out of town. Can anyone believe I did this not knowing anyone else who was going!! At first it felt like high school all over again, but the majority of the women were nice, and the day turn out good.

The temple was not near as nice as the first won I went to but it is still real neat to see. I hope ya'll enjoy the pictures.

Oh Happy Day!!

Yes I'm still alive!! Brian was gone "to the field" for nine days, and to be totally honest I just really don't do will when he's not here. Then to my surprise he took two weeks vacation when he got back. So I have had my honey with me everyday now for a week.

If you know me you know how much I love and miss my favorite TV shows from back home. Well, I have found a WONDERFUL website, www.tv-links.co.uk, which actually has the current episodes of Grey's Anatomy!!!!!!
Yes, oh happy day!! Check this site out because not only does it have tv shows, but it also has a lot of movies, from some old stuff to some fairly new ones also. I have also missed another one of my guilty pleasures Days of Our Lives. We only have one actual American tv channel here, it play shows from different networks back home. Well starting yesterday, Days of our Lives plays at 3!!! YEAH!!!!!

Other than that not much happening on this side of the world. I hope to visit another Temple and also a Korean Pottery Expo tomorrow. I'll post pics if so.

I'd love to hear from ya'll.

Road Trip

Last Friday the kids and I went on a road trip. We drove, with some friends, across the Korean penilsula to see the Donghwasa Temple. I can't wait to see more things like this.

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Donghwasa Temple

Hello again

Sorry for not posting. My laptop had to be put in the shop to have a new monitor put on. It was supposed to take him a week and cost 250,000 won (that's only roughly $250). Well it's been two weeks today, and come to find out he sent my computer out to be fixed, and has no idea when it will be back. Without internet I feel like I'm half way around the world! Oh wait a minute I AM half way around the world. :) Needless to say I am not very happy about this (it's times like this that I wish I knew how to curse in Hangul!!!!)

Well my loving husband felt sorry for me, so he went and bought me a new Sony Vaio. Compared to my E machine from walmart I'm in heaven. We will still have to pay to get the other one out of the shop if it ever comes back, but we already have a lead on someone who may want to buy it.

I have all my programs downloaded now, so tomorrow I get to catch up with all my daily blog reading.

More later! Promise!!!

Mmm Mmm Good!!!

Here's something I would like to share...

I know I am not the best cook in the world (by far), but I cooked something this weekend that turn out wonderful so I thought I'd share it with you. I would love the hear from any of you who actually ventures to cook this.

Crawfish Etouffee

1/2 cup flour

1 cup oil

3/4 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped bell pepper

1/4 cup celery

1 1/2 pints of water (24 ounces)

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup chopped green onion tops

1/4 cup parsley

2 lbs of crawfish tails*

This is the original recipe. I doubled the ingredents above.

Make a light roux**

Add onions, bell pepper, and celery

Saute' until limp and shiney

Add water and bring to a medium boil

Slow boil for 30 minutes

Add crawfish tails, salt, pepper, onion tops and parsley

Stir well

Allow to slow boil for 20 minutes

Serve over rice

* crawfish tails can actually be bought at Walmart (atleast in Mena anyway). They are located in the freezer section by the frozen fish and shrimp

** What is a roux? A roux (pronounced roo for all you rednecks out there) is the bases for most cajun dishes. It consist of flour and oil cooked together SLOWLY preferably in a cast iron skillet. Stir a lot because it will burn easily. Cook the two until they are the color of a new penny. I know this sounds funny but trust me if you try this you will understand. Roux will continue to cook so be sure to add vegtables before it gets too dark. If your cast iron skillet is large enough continue the recipe in the same skillet, if not transfer to a larger deep skillet.

PS MUST be eaten over rice, do NOT but butter and sugar in the rice and eat seperately!!!! Love ya Wanna ;)

Korean People

First, I am very honored to have Valerie reading my blog. Thank you!

My thoughts about Korean people you ask...I have very mixed fillings. These feelings may stem from being in a different situation than you were with your exchange students. I am in their country!

Most people here are very polite and keep to theirselves. I have met some extremely friendly people who want to talk, but can't understand that my extent of the Hungal language is "hello", and "thank you"! Then you have the shop owners who want to sell something so bad that when you walk into their shops they are literally on your heels. Most stores are very cluttered to start with then the owner is right behind you, for a person who needs her personal space, this can really keep one out of the shops unless you have to have something.

Personal space, that's something I don't think they know about here. In the states if you are on a public bus and had to sit with someone you don't know, I think most of us would make it a point not to touch the other person. Well I have been on a bus here, not the buses on post, but a actual public bus heading to another town, and have had a Korean man sit next to me. Not only did he not ask, but his leg was touching mine the WHOLE time! I moved as close to the window as possible, this just gave him more room to get closer. Needless to say, that was the longest bus ride!

Cheyanne has actually been pushed aside when we were walking down the street. I guess the old lady thought she was walking too slow! Another man actually tried to touch her freckles!

We are taught "when in Rome". We now take our shoes off before entering our home or anyones for that matter. We even take our shoes off at church! We have been to resturants were we not only take our shoes off but we sit on the floor to eat. My friend laughs at me because my right legs falls asleep every time.

There are some people who are not happy to have Americans here. Thank goodness I have not come across those.

This is such a learning experience, in every way I thought it would be, plus so much more.

Little things!!!!

What is this? Laundry? Folded towels? Oh it's way more than that! This is a picture of the first load of laundry done in the brand new washer and dryer we have gotten in our apartment!!! No more loading up laundry in bags, carrying them down three flights of stairs, then walk about a mile plus round trip, wash, dry, then fold it all, return home to haul it all back up the stairs, then put it all away!!!!!! It's just a washer and dryer, but as I've learned through life, it's the little things that matter most!

More on Flat Stanley

Flat Stanley? He is a character from a book with the same name by Jeff Brown. I'm pretty sure Stanley was normal, until one day he was smushed by a chalkboard, causeing him to be flat. Since becoming flat, he has realized he can do a lot of things we can't, like slide under looked doors, and put himself in envelopes and mail himself anywhere. Flat Stanley has been all over the world. You can visit The Official Flat Stanley Project see my links.

All the kids in the class colored their own Stanleys and mailed them to people they know. So Flat Stanley is here in South Korea. We have to "show" Stanley around town. "He" will then write a paper about his visit here, and return home with pictures and such. Here are a few pictures from Stanley's visit so far:




Flat Stanley with Kimchi and Mandu


Flat Stanley with other Korean dishes at Lunar New Year (ok so this coonass brought hot wings to a Korean meal, lower left! ;) )


Cheyanne and Stanley waiting for the bus



Cheyanne and Stanley with Kimchi pots (these pots are used to store kimchi and rice)

!?!?!?!?!?!!?!?!?!?!?

Brian's asleep, so I have a little free time.

Mindi, in answer to your question, Cheyanne attends Hunpherys American Elementary School, which is actually located right here on the base Brian works. Dalton attends Osan American High School which is on Osan Air Force Base, and that's about 30 minutes away. Both schools are American Department of Defense schools. All the kids who attend the school are associated with the military in some way, either they have a parent in the military, which most of them do, or they have a parent that has a contract job through the Department of Defense. Their schools are fully American acreditted schools.

As I have said several times all ready, even the simplest things are different over here. As everyone knows it's tax time. Well at home I gather all of our stuff together, bring it to the accountant, return in two days to sign the papers, then in about two weeks we have our money. Well needless to say there are no accountants over here, American any way. I found out you can go to the Tax Center on base and they will do your taxes, same day, and Efile them for you. Easy enough right!?!?! Of course not! Yes they file your federal taxes for you, so that part is done, BUT you have to file your state taxes. Is there an easy way to file your state taxes online, I ask? Oh yeah, just go on line to the state web sight, download the program, and follow the directions. Again, easy enough right?!?!? Oh noooooo! Did any one know that Arkansas is one of only three states that if you are filing your taxes online you must file Federal and State TOGETHER! Since our Federal have already been filled, we have to file the old fashion way for state! NEVER in all my life have I had to do this!!!! IT's so much fun living in a foreign country!!! ;)

Oh by the way HAPPY MARDI GRAS
I want to wish some Hapy Birthdays also:

Happy Birthday to my neice Rae Dawn, my friend Carrie in Mississippi, and my beautiful god daughter Kasey Marie!

Kasey if Nanny has the year right, Happy 18th. I love you and will call you!

Catching up

Ok, so I haven't made an entry in a little while. Sorry! Brian has been off a lot the past couple of weeks. Both he and the kids had a four day weekend this past weekend. Lunar New Year was celebrated this weekend. It's a chance for Koreans to travel to their home towns and pay respect to the elders in their families.
Everything here is going fine. The kids are doing fine in school. The weather has actually been wonderful the past few days. The temperature actually made it up to 53 today!
How is everyone out there? I'm beginning to wonder if anyone, besides Lawana and Mindi, even read this blog. Commenting is very easy, I'd love to hear from everybody.

He's Here!!!!!!!

From flat stanley

He's finally here! Flat Stanley has finally made it to Korea, and I am so excited. This is a project I am helping Kaitlyn, a friend's daughter back home, with. He is here for a few weeks to see what it is like to live in Korea. We plan on taking him out to eat, as well as to school with Cheyanne, and to work with Brian. When he is finished with his visit, he will return home with a story and pictures of his visit with us.

Funny Stuff

I can so see Dalton doing something like this! I hope it brings a smile to your face like it did mine.

The day has arrived

The day has finally arrived!! Dalton startes school today!!!!!!! I really don't know who is more excited, me or him. I think he is a little nervous though. He needed to be up at 6am. Right now it's 6:03 am, he has already walked the dog, ate breakfast, brushed his teeth, gotten completely dressed, made is lunch, and is waiting. They don't go to the bus stop until 7am. I really hope is day goes well. I'll let everyone know how it went this afternoon.

A good day for Brian

Today was good day for my Honey! He was promoted to E3, Private First Class (PFC). Janurary 10th completed his first year in the Army. When the pinned him with his new rank today they also presented him with the Army Achievement Medal. We've gotten a kick out of reading why the award was presented to him. The award states: "Due to PV2 Rimmer's selfless service and personal couragehe reacted without hesitation to a dangerous situation, enabling him to save an entire family. PV2 Rimmer's selfless service set an outstanding example for others to follow. Your exemplary performance reflects great credit upon yourself, the Nightmare Battalion and The United States Army."

Okay, this is what happened. The unit Brian is in was out in the "field" for week or so in September. Brian and several other soldiers were by the river when the heard some comotion down river. They headed down to see what was going on. When the got there, they found a Korean family who had gotten their 4wheel drive minivan stuck in the river and were in danger of being taken down stream by the current. Brian and the other soldiers hooked up the the van and pulled them out. And so it is that he saved an entire Korean Family. Basically it's good public reealtions.

Tid bits

I love tidbits of information! You know the kind of information you don't NEED to know, but are just fun to know. Some would say I have way too much of this type of information in my head, right Jae! Anyway in one of the blogs I read daily, I came across LOTS of tidbits I'd like to share with ya'll. I highly recommend this site called "meanderings" to everyone. I do not know the author personally but in a round about way. She is the sister-in-law to one of my favorite people in the world, Lawana. Valerie, the author, has a great since of humor. She writes about so many different things, sometimes seriuos, sometimes funny, but always entertaining. To get to her site just click on "meanderings" on the left side of my page under links. To read the tidbits scroll down to "Just Trivia". I promise you will enjoy.