Samsung Lions

We have a new couple in our ward who so happens to belong with the Samsung Lion's baseball team here. Mitch Talbot was playing professional ball in the states and became a free agent last year and was signed here. I have become good friends with the wife Julie and she is just about to have a baby and will be leaving to go home next week. They won't know if they will be here next year but before she leaves she wanted to let our family come to one of Mitch's games that he was pitching in and last night was the night.

We had VIP seats and the works. The moment we sat down we had drinks in front of us (unfortunately it was coffee). Then we were were given two coupons for a free large bucket of chicken. Spicy! And yes we are getting used to the spicy stuff here and we are liking it. After the game one of the Korean teammate's wife told us that the chicken comes not spicy too. We just laugh because we don't know and no one asks because I don't think that they know how to ask, and it is just normal for us. I now know what it is like for the immigrants who have moved to my country not knowing a thing and trying to survive. It just becomes pretty humorous and we just try to go with the flow, we never know what we are going to be getting even when we are told that it isn't spicy.


It was pretty interesting to see how another country watches the games. They have these big clapper things and pound them all night long. Our seats were great too. Braxton and Brandon had front row tables just off from home plate. and Isaiah and I were right behind. Unfortunately the Lion's lost this game, and it was hard to tell what the score was because we couldn't read the sign and if you weren't paying attention after they scored you never knew who's score you were looking at. I was good just to figure out where the strike, out and ball numbers were.

The boys even scored with a signed ball from Mitch and his friend Brian Gordon who is also another pitcher on the Lion's team. Fun night! Nice way to start our holiday weekend!

Officially a Weeblo and Armed Forces Day

Last weekend we had a busy schedule. We began with heading over to Braxton's crossing over ceremony. And then to finish off the day at the Armed Forces Day here on post. They opened up a section that we had never seen before. It was fun but it was a hot and tiring day. The boys were thrilled just to be able to climb all over and in the military vehicles. They even had a bull ride that the boys had to try out. Fun, Fun, Fun!

Donghwasa Temple

We took the boys to a small Buddhist temple close by that has a tradition of every night around dusk playing music before they pray to Buddha. It was pretty fun to be able to see it. This is such an interesting time of year here. It is Buddha's birthday on Memorial Day this year and everywhere we go we are seeing the lotus blossom lanterns in Buddha's celebration. Very pretty grounds at this temple and Braxton's favorite part was the little waterfalls and so that is why I added a picture in there.

$20 Find

Brandon found this cute desk for $20 from a guy who was getting rid of it at work. It is Korean made. We gave it to Isaiah because he doesn't have any shelves and needed a bigger desk to work on. Now he has a big art area where he can make anything which he loves. He also has more room to store more things. I am thinking of painting the white areas a different color, but until I have time to even think about what I want to do with it or find out where to go and buy supplies for it (here in Korea there aren't any yellow pages as to where you can find anything, you just have to walk in a store and look at what they are selling and remember where it is the next time you need it). So as for now it will just stay this way for a while.

Hanji and Paper Mache

I have started taking some of the craft classes that are offered here, and I am really enjoying to learn new things. I was approached by a lady in our branch about taking a doll making class. She had told me that it was going to be offered at a Army base about 40 minutes away, and that the class was only offered once a year and they may not offer it again next year. It was also going to start at 2pm, the exact time that the boys get out of school. I told her what my problem was and she decided to change the time. Well, I was enjoying the class and on week two of the class I was offered a long term sub job for a first grade class for the rest of the school year. It wouldn't start for another three weeks and asked the lady in our branch what she would prefer that I do. I really wanted to take the class, but I didn't know how I would be able to finish. She asked me if I could come an hour early to class and stay an hour after to see how far we could get. I was also taking a hanji class that she also teaches in Daegu and for a few weeks I would be able to come an hour early to those to work on my dolls. Well with that said, I still wasn't going to be able to finish my dolls, but she decided to take my dolls home and help me to complete them. What a wonderful lady!
You can see at one point I had made an attempt to make the face of my doll and it looks quite a bit like an alien. My instructor quickly helped me get them back on track. Everything on this doll is made out of some sort of paper (including toilet paper)except the wire inside and the little tassel that is hanging from the girl dolls hanbok. What a fun and tiring project, but they are keeping me busy. I am starting another hanji class next week and the project are getting more difficult as we are learning new techniques.
I am exhausted after my long days back to school and 1st graders are suck a different breed from what I am used to, but taking my classes is a time for me and I am going to continue to take them as long as the boys will let me, because they have to come to my hanji classes, but they do get to benefit there too as everywhere on post they can watch American TV.

Rain Gutter Ragada

Last weekend Braxton had a great time at scouts. He was able to make a boat with his dad and float it in a rain gutter ragada. He is just so handsome in his uniform. He didn't place, but he still had fun! Wahoo! Braxton!

Gyeongbokgung Palace

This weekend we decided to have an adventure and explore two other bases here in Korea. Osan Air Force Base and Yongsan. Yongsan is in Seoul and Osan is about 1 hour and 10 minutes south of Seoul. There is a free bus that took us up to Osan (3hrs away)and we spent the day catching our barings and trying out a little shopping there. It was nice to be able to have a larger BX and even get to eat lunch at Chili's (Yes, American fatty food). We then stayed the night on post. That night we decide to let the boys rent a movie from the base library and each boy got to choose a movie. The boys got to watch Braxton's movie the first night and we told Isaiah that he could start his in the morning. Well, that night the boys kept coming into our room to use the bathroom and we found out why in the morning. Isaiah decided that he would watch his movie at 1:45am. We didn't hear a thing! Oops!

From Osan we caught another bus to Seoul. We then explored the subway station there. We were very nervous due to the fact that here in Daegu we only have two lines and it is pretty hard to get lost on them, but in Seoul there are about 8 (I'm guessing). To our luck, our destination wasn't too difficult and we didn't get lost and are now pretty confidant that we will be able to get ousrselves around on another visit.

In Seoul we saw a reenactment of the changing of the guards that was done back in 1479 (Joseon Dynasty). The guards duty at that time was to devout himself to the peace and security of the dynasty by protecting the monarch and his family living at the palace. The ceremony has been passed down and so that the have a pretty accurate ceremony. The ceremony starts with a drummer who then calls the musicians who are followed by the guards. Then everyone changes up and the drummer starts up agian and then the musicians leave followed by the leaving gurads. Pretty cool! Isaiah wasn't all that impressed except for the drumming, it was so loud and he said that the drum was making his heart pound. But we all thought that the ceremony was very entertaining. We then explored the palace grounds and were facinated with how massive they were. The grounds were very beautifullly kept and we were very impressed. We were starting to get tired by that point but had a little bit of time before our bus took us back to Osan, so we explored the Korean Folk Village Museum that was also attached to the palace grounds. Very interesting to learn about a new culture.

We had a great time even though the majority of the weekend were walking the entire time. Came home with some pretty cool gifts, and some ideas for Christmas! I now own a Korean tea set. It now is sitting on some shelves in my bathroom. Braxton told me that he really likes my antiques. Wow! They must look old to him. Funny kid. We all slept well the night we got home.