Celebrate Life

out of my mind

2012-03-04T21:42:00.007+09:00

Our last 2 days in Hawaii, were full of appointments (with the doctor, regarding post op checks, and MRI findings, etc.), and packing, and getting ready to head back to Korea... but we did manage to make a trip to another part of the island that was highly recommended by sweet Lindsay from yesterday's blog post. In fact, she blogged about this amazing crepe place awhile back, and I couldn't get the idea of them OUT OF MY MIND... so we just had to make a special trip to eat some, and check out the beaches on the windward side, near the town of Kailua.

they had me once I noticed they had "Illy" coffee on their menu... it's a good thing we didn't go to this place until the END of our trip...

happy Mama (thanks to coffee)= happy Charlotte

or maybe it was because they put the fruit crepe (berries) right in front of her...

and the spinach one in front of me... (she ended up sharing both!)

Where we left off...

2012-03-04T09:20:00.008+09:00

Hawaii was full of beautiful beaches and amazing countryside to "breathe" in... but my most favorite part of the entire trip (other than spending it with my little sidekick), was that I was FINALLY able to meet a gal, who is near and dear to my heart. Yes, if you asked me years ago that I would make a friend through my blog, and want to meet in person, I'd think you were crazy... only creepy people meet online, right? But not so much in this instance. I found Lindsay's blog almost 1.5 years ago... and we had some similarities... both women of God, passionate about creating, military spouses, lover of all things related to traveling... the list goes on. So thankful I found her in this little blogging world, and even more so, thankful to finally meet her... an amazing friend who has joined me on my adoption journey in prayer and encouragement. I was SO excited for her to meet Charlotte, as I was to meet her myself.

I wish I had put aside even more time, than I did for more visits with Lindsay while I was in Hawaii...but extremely grateful that she was able to give us an evening... we headed up to the North Shore, picked up some sandwiches from Storto's...and headed straight for the beach. While Chris was surfing, and Charlotte was busy playing with her shadow and sand and who knows what else, I was able to "chit chat" with my dear friend... and for me, it wasn't like we met for the first time, but rather were starting from where we left off...

I was so excited to see Lindsay in person, but even more so, to witness her beautiful baby bump... it's something that I have been praying for, for her and her husband, for quite sometime... and seeing her sweet belly... reassured that God really does answer prayers, and that everything truly is in His timing. What a blessing our time together was...

aren't they the most ~~beautiful~~ handsome couple you've ever seen? (sorry I had to make it manly enough, so Chris wouldn't be offended...) their little babe has awesome genes coming their way!

After taking in a glorious sunset, and packing up our stuff back in the car, we headed to an AWESOME frozen yogurt place... yup, still dreaming about eating more of that. Why doesn't Korea serve frozen yogurt with a crazy array of toppings for you to choose from?... I think it would be a hit here. Saying farewell, left me with a feeling that we would see each other again... although I hope next time my hubby joins along... who knows maybe both the Navy and the Air Force will miraculously place us near each other at some point... wouldn't that just be the sweetest thing?

Lindsay gifted me these sweet little magnets, that are SO me... we have such a love for magnets, and the photographer in me was SUPER excited to see the camera on them. PRECIOUS! You can find them in her shop, but I was super blessed to receive my very own pair. I can't WAIT to have fun with them near my new desk area (that I'm working on fixing up right now... I need an inspiring desk area to create, and these little numbers are going to help that out!)

Remarkably Grown...

2012-03-03T08:00:00.002+09:00

Another trip to the North Shore brought us to the Dole Plantation. I mean, we had to try out something sort of touristy, right? Not to mention, I was told before I left for Hawaii that they had an awesome Pineapple Express (train) that Charlotte would love... and she did. We enjoyed an hour or so here one day (definitely not worth taking a full day for), and were given so many fun facts about pineapples, as well as it's history. I've always been a fan of this delicious fruit, but never knew the extent of how they grew... truly remarkable.

this is a picture of the huge (and beautiful) reservoir that "feeds" the plants on the plantation...

We were handed a few chunks of pineapple as soon as we got off the train, and they were delicious. After, we made our way to the garden area and saw all the different types of pineapples as well as different growing stages... truly incredible...

Waimea Valley

2012-03-02T10:04:00.014+09:00

The following day we made our way to a waterfall, on the North Shore, from a friend's recommend. It was super easy to find, but did take us quite some time to make it there, thanks to the wonderful traffic. But that was a good sign right, traffic? sure..it meant lots of people were headed to a beautiful area... and that certainly was the truth.

Charlotte was super excited for a walk, as was I... we saw tons of beautiful peacocks, that she actually pointed out to me... and then she heard it, the cackling of a rooster, and ran right in the direction of it... she looked at me, and said, "Birdie..." to which I kept telling her over and over again it was a "rooster"... and after telling me 14 times it was a "birdie"... she finally decided to completely rename it, "Rudie"... why not, right?

self timer did NOT disappoint me, and I was able to get into 2 photos myself...after a positioning and adjusting all my settings on the camera. It was nice to finally "GET" in some photos on this trip... to prove it was me that brought Charlotte here. For the first time, Charlotte actually looked right at the camera, when I pointed to it... it was a huge milestone for this photographer mama... and it literally only took 1 try...

after our sweet little walk through the beautiful/lush green... we made our way to the waterfall, and found it completely muddy... thank you rainfall from the night before.

this was her face after I told her we couldn't go swimming... she was bummed to say the least, and then said, "um... Ocean..."...

after our stroll back to the car, we headed to the beach. I promised this girl some water, and since the waterfall didn't "deliver"... I knew the nearest beach would...

she even picked up some "hula" skills... or maybe she was just playing with her shadow... either way, she was cute!

until she realized how much sand she got over herself, and she was ready to leave... immediately...

we stopped for a little nourishment on our way home, and it was such a delicious sandwich, from Storto's... she gobbled everything up, bean sprouts and all...

and a sunset in the countryside as we drove back to our room... another perfect ending to a great day...

Never Got Old.

2012-03-01T17:30:00.012+09:00

One of the first trips we made on the island, was a drive around the island, with some fun food stops on the "North Shore"... I'm pretty sure I could live up there, if we were ever called to live on Oahu. It was breathtaking, to say the least. We spent nearly EVERY day up there (always doing something else) after our initial journey/trek up. From where we were staying, it was a 45 minute drive, and once there, most places took about 15 minutes to 1 hour to get to, depending on traffic... and where we were headed. But for this initial look, we stayed around the sweet town of Hale'iwa, because on the day we drove up (Sunday), they had their Farmer's Market. We spent a good hour at the market, just taking in all the locally made items, and grown fruit. I can only dream about living near something like this soon... if not, I just can't wait to start my own garden.

we stopped and tried these homemade jams, fell in love with them... and purchased a set of 3. They are tucked away in the house (even though I'm so tempted to eat them up!) until the hubby comes home to enjoy them with us.

Each and every fruit and vegetable reminded me of the market in the Netherlands (when we lived in Germany) that I frequented often... except with an "island twist". I'm fairly certain that Charlotte was in awe of how different each and every fruit looked, even though she called each round yellow or red object, "Apple". We picked up some mangoes, and now she knows exactly what they are... by the way, if you ever need a good car air freshener, just purchase some ripe mangoes and leave them in your car overnight... the next day, when you get in, you'll be hit with the MOST amazing smell EVER... (and you can enjoy a yummy snack that day).

This bread was my favorite... Lilikoi is apparently the same taste as "passion fruit"... AMAZING.

Just that morning, when I asked Charlotte what she wanted for breakfast, she replied, "Thai food" (I think she missed Korea just a little bit)... so when we saw there was a Thai restaurant on the main strip driving through, of course we pulled over and gobbled up some lunch.

This girl ate the entire plate of Pad Thai. She even had enough room in her little belly for some "shave ice"... and so we made our way over to the famous "Matsumotos' "... but we didn't get our ice from there... the line was way too long.

and by my friend Lindsay's recommend on her blog... we headed to Aoki's... and were not left disappointed. OHHH it was DELCIOUS. Charlotte and I shared their "small Sunset Special" with vanilla ice cream on the bottom, and I could have had 5 more just like it...

It was the perfect way to end our drive up and around Hale'iwa and the surrounding beaches... it completely sold me on the "North Shore" being our favorite part on the island... from the drive up with the gorgeous countryside setting, to the laid back feeling near the water. Completely 100% my scene... and I'm sure anyone else that has ever visited has fallen in love with it, as much I did. From that day on, until we left Hawaii, we visited the "North Shore" multiple times over and over...and it never got old.

Surroundings

2012-02-28T20:37:00.005+09:00

Over the next 2 days, after Charlotte woke up and we were ready for the day, we would make our way over to a huge open field (with a few trees) and an extremely large playground. There we spent a good portion of the morning burning off some of that energy that she had saved up from all the sedation of the MRI and surgery. Each and everyday her eyes started looking clearer and clearer, but still blood shut in the obvious places (as you can tell in the photos below, if you look close enough). But the sweet little one started to finally notice her surroundings. She spotted a huge gorgeous tree that was perfect for some shade, and all of it's beautiful leaves.

and that the roots were sticking out of the ground... made for excellent jumping hurdles for her...

A friend pointed out "Touch Me Nots" to us, and we spotted them everywhere in this field. Such an interesting plant... you need to read up on them. They turn inward, just from the brush of your finger. amazing...truly amazing...

she loved running around in the field while we received a sunshine sprinkle....

and even enjoyed a rainbow...

next stop, time to explore the island... and get away from the hospital and it's surroundings!

Noticing the Unnoticeable

2012-02-27T20:35:00.008+09:00

Our second day in Hawaii... was an early one. We headed to the Pediatrics Intensive Care Unit in the morning at 6:30, for Charlotte to be admitted for her sedated MRI. Oh it was a tough day having to wake up the little one to be there that early... and then sit through a 2 hour procedure... to have my sweet little one wake up as a complete and utter monster. Crabby as can be, as soon as she was able to tolerate fluids, we headed back up the hill to our lodging, where she slept the entire day away. They said her body had tons of metabolizing (of the sedatives) to do, but boy, I didn't think it was going to be ALL day. In the late afternoon, I woke her up, and we spent a bit of time outside... where she was still wobbly and unable to walk straight and by herself. We did manage to play in the grass for quite sometime, and I was able to "take in" the sight of her sweet little "silly/crooked" eyes for the very last time. It's amazing how attached to them I've become... how I have LOVED them, and how they gave Charlotte some sort of weird quirk that was unique to her....

You see, according to the ophthalmologist, whenever Charlotte's eyes would "cross", depending on which one, she would see whatever it was she was looking at, "split"... yes, half of me would be in one part of her line of vision, and the other half of me, in a separate part. So, when looking at me, for instance when I would have her "say cheese" for the camera, it has always looked like she would just stare passed me... If she stared RIGHT at me, one of her two eyes, or both, would certainly be crossed. As you can see in the picture above, and below.

So to deal with this... so that she wouldn't have "crossed eyes", she would raise her head slightly and peek at me... and this allowed her to look "straight" at me, without "crossed eyes"... as pictured below... and as you've seen on SO many of my blog posts.

This poor little one has been living with these eyes for over 4 years... and although I've grown to LOVE them, I knew that this surgery was a much needed one. Her brain is awfully confused, and doesn't always know how to process what she's seeing. One of the things that this surgery will do, is leave her with eyes that can focus on objects more clearly. If we were in a new environment, that she doesn't know, we could walk by a playground and it wouldn't even phase her... she could walk by a bowl of lollipops and not even notice them. She would be so concentrated on just walking carefully without falling, that she couldn't focus on anything else.

Usually I would have to point things out to her... for instance while playing outside, I showed her these beautiful yellow leaves (yellow has become one of her favorite colors these days), and how they look like pinwheels... and she didn't even "see" them, until I passed them over to her. She wasn't sitting right beside them, and yet they went unnoticed.

Once noticed, she played for over an hour with them, and thought they were the BEST thing ever. Everyday following that day, she wanted to stop and say "hi" to the leaves... because she knew they were there... they were noticed.

The next morning, we had to check into the Surgical Admissions Center at 7:30 am (we got to sleep in for 1 hour longer than the previous day). Once checked in, Charlotte was given her "pajamas" to change into...so thankful to Tripler Army Medical Center for having YELLOW colored ones for her. She was ECSTATIC to change into them. We had to wait until 10 am... which was probably the toughest wait we've had yet. Charlie kept asking me for water and breakfast, and I kept having to say, " later sweetheart." I took some last few photos of those sweet little eyes, to remember them one last time... I'm pretty sure she was really annoyed with me at that point.

Thankfully the anesthesiologist came in at just the right moment... she was so sweet, and told Charlotte that she was going to go to sleep for awhile... to which my little bug took the sheets on her bed, pulled them up to her chest, and stated, "Okay everyone, it's time to hibernate... like da bears." Yup, she pulled out a Sesame Street "Word of the Day" from one of her favorite episodes (about Little Bear trying to hibernate), and it left EVERYONE in the room with side stitches from laughing so hard. We rolled her into the operating room, where I stayed with her until she "fell asleep". As I was leaving, the doctor ordered me to get some coffee, get something to eat, and then to rest as much as I could with a nap in the family waiting room. But who can rest while their little one is being operated on? I did not get coffee (until well later)... I did not get anything to eat (even though my stomach was growling)... and I certainly didn't take a nap... instead I went to my Heavenly Father for rest, and spent the entire 2.5 hours in prayer over my little girl. It was the BEST rest I could have asked for...

She slept another 1.5 hours after the surgery was completed. Charlotte's doctor said it "went well" and that we would have results of her MRI by her follow up appointment (a week later)... and that today when she wakes up, it was going to be a whole new world for her. Charlotte's exact words when she woke up to me rocking her in a chair, were, " Oh wow, look at 'dat"... and then she fell back asleep off on for the entire rest of the day. We were discharged later that afternoon, and had a lazy day in our room, and an early night. I sat outside all that late afternoon, while she was sleeping, and just praised God for the work He had done (and took in the beautiful view of Pearl Harbor)... not just for the doctors and that they healed her eyes, but for having opened my eyes, and my husband's eyes to the "unnoticeable"... the orphans... If our eyes hadn't been opened, we would NEVER have met our daughter... and she might not ever have been noticed.

We had a rough night... I had to make sure she didn't "rub" her eyes, and had to wipe all of the bloody tears that were flushing out of her eyes throughout the night (from her ointment). But that next morning, Charlotte was fully charged, and ready to finally SEE Hawaii... and so was I!

That Start Of It.

2012-02-27T11:31:00.007+09:00

Arriving in Hawaii, we were greeted by the beautiful 80 degree weather, sun, and a dear friend who helped us get settled in. We made our way to get some coffee, to check in to Tripler Army Medical Center (let them know we arrived safely, and filled out all of our paperwork), and then final stop was to check into our lodging. It was a super long day, with little to none sleep on the plane... but we did manage to head to the Waikiki Beach for a beautiful sunset, and some yummy American {comfort} food. Couldn't have asked for a better way to end our crazy long day.

The next day, we headed straight to our eye appointment at 10:00...I HAD to wake up the little monster, otherwise, I'm fairly certain she would have slept in until noon if I had let her.

During our consult, Charlotte's eyes were thoroughly inspected... they pulled out every test that they could to see what has been going on with her eyes. They even dilated her pupils, and did this whole inspection of her optic nerve, using these cataract clamps, and used some sort of scope to take photos. The doctor didn't warn me about how painful this would be for her, considering she was awake for it... but it needed to be done, and I had to pull a brave mama face the entire time my daughter screamed her head off (I don't blame her, it looked so uncomfortable/painful). After the pictures were taken, the doctor took a closer look at Charlotte's optic nerves, and noticed that her left one looked "weird". She then sat us down for the complete diagnosis...and stated that Charlotte's eyes were a severe case, that needed to be treated immediately. She didn't suggest that we stay in Hawaii to have surgery, but rather DEMANDED that I let her "fix" Charlotte's eyes. Also, Charlotte was to have an MRI to take a closer look at her optic nerves, and brain. So, this was just the start of our crazy 12 days in Hawaii...

A blur

2012-02-26T20:06:00.012+09:00

How is it possible to not hear from me for nearly 2 full weeks? No, I haven't been sick... No, I didn't have a broken computer of some sorts... No, I did not go crazy and land myself in the looney bin (although at times, I feel like I should have been checked into one)... Charlotte and I embarked on what was supposed to be a full 2 day adventure (to Hawaii for her eye surgery consult) on 13 February... and we just NOW made it back safe and sound. We packed for just 2 full days, and somehow (it's all quite blurry to me still), we were there for 12 full days. Those 10 extra days, were days I was not "prepared" for... not with our apparel, snacks, mindset, etc. But who needs clothes, snacks and a peace of mind while in Hawaii, right? Nothing that a trip to Target couldn't fix.

So instead of stressing and fretting over the words that Charlotte's ophthalmologist spoke at our consult (something along the lines of Charlie having a severe case of strabismus that needed fixing ASAP), we embraced every word, and prepared ourselves for immediate surgery. The first few days were a blur... jet lag, a last minute MRI, eye surgery and recovery... we spent countless hours at Tripler Army Medical Center...

all to say goodbye to these sweet little crossed eyes...

And after surgery, while recovery began, we started to finally take in our surroundings and enjoy Hawaii...

We saw countless rainbows throughout each of the 12 days...

indulged in plenty of YUMMY things...

ventured around the island to take in the sights...

took in quite a few breathtaking sunsets (each one so different from the previous one)...

and last but not least, enjoyed some much needed rest and relaxation time...

So stick around... I have a lot of goodies for you over the next week...

after all, each part of our trip deserves a massive blog post for you with tons of photos... it'll help me get all the days of our trip "straight" in my mind... like I said, it was such a blur.

"8" down "4" to go

2012-02-14T20:00:00.002+09:00

Dear Charlotte...

8 months have come and gone... wow... we just keep inching closer and closer to the 1 year mark. CRAZY!

What a month this has been... and how quickly it passed by... you've started school (Mondays and Tuesdays), you recognize letters everywhere we walk (except when you see Korean hangul and get confused...most of the time you think that is the letter "L"), you made it to the states yet again...and not just any state, Hawaii... you LOVE to play "pretend" all the time, and you are certainly starting to march to the beat of your own drum (no one else's)...

This month was the first month where it was just US ladies, and although you miss Dada terribly, we did just fine. You are reminded of him every day when I tickle your neck with kisses, or rough house you as best as I can. Every time the phone rings, you think it's him, and you get SO excited about the possibility of "talking" to him. We talk as often as we can, which often isn't often... but we take what we can get.

This month, you've hit a mile mark... you were able to fit into your 3T jeans (gifted from a sweet friend of your Mama's), and you LOVE them. Other than skirts, these are your "go to" pants, and they don't slide off your butt at all... in fact, they make your butt looks so cute (for now, not when you're 16...)

This month, you've started walking around the house, saying, "Quit complaining" or "Stop your complaining"...and I wasn't sure if you were talking to yourself out loud or to me... until you said the other day, "Quit complaining doggie"... in regards to the dogs next door that continually bark ALL day long (they're quite annoying). It made me chuckle...

Oh, how you make me laugh all the time. You're quite the personality, and life would be completely boring without you... you are so loved dear Charlie...

we LOVE you,

Mama and Dada (indirectly!)

I kid you not... the girl did all of these motions, without knowing what, "Hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil..." I didn't direct or anything... she's a genius!

to get these images, she might have been plugging her ears from a loud plane over head, might have been playing peek-a-boo, and might have been surprised by a huge burp that roared out of her mouth...

a {LOVE}ly one...

2012-02-14T08:00:00.000+09:00

For Valentine's Day, I made Charlotte the cutest little skirt... but unfortunately, we aren't in Korea for Valentine's Day for Charlotte to wear her skirt to school. So, I let her wear it the week before this {LOVE}ly holiday... and she LOVED it. I think this is her favorite skirt (that I have created) to date. And it's probably the most simple circle skirt that I have made yet. I chose bright/bold colors...I know my little girl loves those... so Alexander Henry's "Heart to Heart" fabric was a no brainer.

This little girl barely sits still these days... so I have to catch her with the camera when she does.

I get her to sit as long as possible by asking her to "cross" her legs. It's a challenge for her, and she sits still until she does...

and then she's off...

until, she realizes that she can go play with her shadow... and off she goes! I'm fairly certain that Charlotte lives in her own little world, and that her shadow is the only other "thing" in her world...

and then the only way to grab her attention, is to tell her that she's beautiful... and loved...

and then she comes and clings to your leg, and wants to show you your shadow...

Happy Valentine's Day... may it be a {LOVE}ly one...

Dada... this is how much Charlotte loves you... that's as wide as she can reach...but trust me, if she could go wider, she would.

Destination- Warmth

2012-02-13T10:22:00.003+09:00

We leave in just a few hours for Hawaii...aka, warmth. Although it's a quick trip (only 2 full days), we're going to make the MOST of it. Charlotte has a doctor's appointment for her eyes (pray they are willing to take on her surgery and that our sending base here in Korea will approve it), I FINALLY get to "meet" and hug sweet Lindsay, and most importantly...soak up some warmth. It has been awhile since Korea has been warm, and I'm SO ready to shed my jacket/boots for a few days.

he (above) obviously didn't get the memo that fur babies weren't allowed on this trip...

handmade Valentines...

2012-02-10T20:22:00.006+09:00

Creating a simple and scrumptious Valentine was on our agenda the other day (and then I passed along these sweet little tips to some fellow mothers of pre-schoolers at our MOPS meeting)... and I'm not sure who enjoyed the crafting more... me... or Charlotte ? Pretty sure my favorite part was seeing something super easy and simple like cupcake liners, turn into makeshift flowers...and for Charlotte, I'm thinking she was just excited about the lollipop at the end of the crafting session.

If you are a pinterest addict like myself, you more than likely came across the cupcake liner flower (with photos and a message) craft, like I created and photographed below...

I wanted to try something different, and of course add a little bit of candy to some handmade Valentine's... cupcake liners are something we ALWAYS have in our house, and it just so happens I had special Valentine's Day themed liners. I decided to try something a little different with the liners. Yes, the photo Valentine is super cute, but lets face it...kids don't want photos of other kids... they want something sweet in their life. So, I decided to fold some of the liners in half, and then into quarters to see what I could come up with. Boom... it hit me... punch a hole at the bottom, and then stick the lollipop through. Add a few layers (4 total), until it looks like a makeshift flower...

because the liners could slide off... I then created a little message banner and glued it around the stick, to act as a barrier, so they wouldn't. Yup... the sweetest, cutest flower Valentine I ever did see...

Many of you know the premise behind creating a paper rosette... if not, there are THOUSANDS of tutorials out there to check out. I just put a little spin on the rosette, and added a lollipop. Super simple and easy, and it looks like a little candy flower now.

A Valentine's Day message is added (to keep the rosette from sliding down), and it's a win win... Valentine and candy= can't go wrong.

Go, make some handmade Valentines for this special day this year... it's way more personal then sending your kid into school with the "same ol' same ol' " and costs a fraction of the price.

Sweet measures

2012-02-07T23:14:00.004+09:00

It's been quiet over here the last few days... Sorry... we've been smelling the flowers...

and licking our lollipops...

really... it's just a tactic (keeping a jar of lollipops on the table) to keep the little one's attitude in check (yes I use a little bit of bribery... tough times call for ~~desperate~~ sweet measures)... and a little quiet.

Little {w}ray of light.

2012-02-02T22:09:00.006+09:00

Today was one of those days... I was going on day 4 of not having a shower... 1 month of the hubby being gone, tons of errands to run, but had to wait around for the repairmen to show up and fix our pipes (for the water... it ended it up, it wasn't frozen... there was some damage done to it)... the repairs took 7 hours to get done... and I just couldn't "handle" being stuck in the house one more day with Charlotte (since we had a full day in the house yesterday as well, thanks to those water pipes). It was a day that I quickly want to forget... yup, just go to bed, and wake up experiencing a new day. But before I do... I had to share the little "light" of the day. Wait, let's call it the "{W}ray of light"... since it came from my very sweet Charlotte Wray....

There I was waiting over 2 hours for the repairman to show up today (2 hours that I totally could have ran my errands, or gone somewhere to shower, etc... but no, I had to wait for them to show up)... getting frustrated and felt like throwing my own 29 year old temper tantrum. I retreated to the bathroom, to "get away from it all"...don't worry, it wasn't the one that smelled like an outhouse... and just started crying. It just felt like too much to handle at once, and oh how I dreamed of being a little girl again, with absolutely NO responsibilities.

I looked at myself in the mirror (these photos were taken later, to help you picture what I looked like- 4 days no shower )

looked down at the water in a bowl that I was saving (was on my very last jug) to brush my teeth... and fill up the toilet in order to flush it.

and then I looked in the mirror, and read the notecard that I placed there MONTHS ago...wow, I think it was even a year ago.

Yup, thank you for that sweet little kick in the pants... and for that awesome reminder God....

I quickly shed tears of relief, instead of tears of frustration... and in walked the little Miss Charlotte Wray... "Oh Mama, it's okay... it's reallllly okay..." and then came that little bit of light out of her, as she started singing, " This is the day {echo} ... that the Lord has made {echo}... We will Rejoice... {echo} and be glad in it {echo}. This is the day that the Lord has made, we will rejoice and be glad in it, This is the day {echo} that the Lord has made"... you know, from Psalm 118:24.

It's a song that I often sing to Charlotte (helps her snap out of it) when she's about to have a meltdown or is complaining... and today, my sweet little one reminded me to REJOICE and be GLAD in it... She was SO meant to be mine...

Totally Overrated...

2012-02-01T16:58:00.003+09:00

Last night we had a little more snow for this winter season... so hoping it's the last. Along with the snow, came frozen water pipes (even though I did everything to prevent that from happening)... and right now as I type, they're still trying to fix it (it's 7 pm...and they've been at it since 4:30). It just so happened to occur on a day when I already had skipped a day of showering... yup, pretty dirty over here. It's amazing how much we rely on clean water. I have 2 loads of laundry to do, dishes to clean from food I attempted to cook with bottles of water, teeth to brush, bodies to wash, etc.... and without water, it's like your life stands still... and you can't do a thing. WOW... reality kicks in, and you start to go into panic mode. I decided the upstairs bathroom is the designated "out house toilet"...aka the keeper of all waste, until we have running water again. Friends, this puts SO much into perspective, so much we are to be thankful for...God is good, and at least we have heat on this cold winter day. After all, smelling good is totally overrated... especially since the hubby is gone for awhile.

What I love...is how a couple weeks ago that hair hid well under that hat... and now it's sticking out!

Better than a lolli...

2012-01-31T08:00:00.001+09:00

There's nothing better than a lollipop... according to Charlotte... than a new skirt for school yesterday. She JUMPED for joy yesterday morning, as I showed her, her very new skirt... and was super excited to get home from school, to take pictures just for you! I purchased half a yard of this beautiful Amy Butler fabric online, and it made the sweetest little circle skirt for her. I keep on surprising her with something new for each new day of school, and I'm probably digging my own grave. I'm thinking there's going to be a day when I'm WAY too exhausted to create, and she'll wonder what happened to me! But for now, her joy keeps me going...

not just her joy... but small little chit chats with the hubby totally keep me "sane" as well.

Cupcakes and Corsets

2012-01-30T08:00:00.000+09:00

With Valentine's Day right around the corner... I decided to host two separate "Cupcakes and Corsets" parties... where clients, sweet friends of mine, would have fun decorating cupcakes and then would pose with those cupcakes... of course, in their lingerie. The photos are to be gifts to their husbands for Valentine's Day, or possibly even a treat for themselves. There's nothing like dressing up and making yourself feel pretty... and celebrating beauty with other women. These ladies totally BROUGHT it... and rocked it. Here are just some "details" of the event... we'll leave the other photos for their husbands.

Chicken...

2012-01-29T08:00:00.002+09:00

it's what's for dinner... for the next few nights anyways. I followed this recipe, off of my friend Haley's blog the other night, and lets just say... it is Y-U-M-M-Y ! Seriously, we only ate a fraction of it the first night, and are going to be working on it for next few nights with other meals...because it made THAT much. I usually don't like cooking with bones and what not, but the chicken fell right off the bones after cooking for 6 hours on high, that I was able to grab all the yummy meat off of it with tongs, and then used the tongs to throw out all the extra "parts"-bones, skin, etc. SUPER delicious, and I'm sure we'll be using her other recipe to create tomorrow's dinner.

"hers"...

2012-01-28T07:00:00.001+09:00

I completely failed to post pictures of Charlotte's second day of school outfit. It was too cold that day (I'm talking in the negatives that day with the windchill factoring in), and so, I waited for it to warm up, and redressed her in it. As soon as I pulled out the skirt again, she was SO excited. It's a handmade skirt, by moi.... and she just adored it the second time wearing it, as much as the first. To make this skirt a little different then the first... I kept it a single layer, and added a pocket to the front. I even added some hand stitching, a completely small touch, that adds so much cuteness to the skirt. I had to make sure that it passed all of her requirements... and I'm pretty sure it did. Hoping to keep up with this trend of creating something one of a kind/handmade for Charlie to wear each time she has school... we'll see how long this lasts. I suppose seeing her reaction to each and every creation, and that big smile she gets knowing it's "hers"... completely makes it worth it.

On a separate note, yesterday it was warm enough to ditch the boots (for the day) and pull out my old Vans... and it felt SUPER great.

on PURPOSE.

2012-01-27T09:14:00.009+09:00

Remember how I was supposed to finish this wired frame over the weekend... well, 3 weeks later, I FINALLY managed to get around to it. I plan on changing it out every season, with updated pictures, and fun sayings that relate to how I'm feeling right now... but for now, this is what I came up with. I LOVE seeing pictures of my sweet family, all together...

...especially these photos with the hubby in them. He's doing well in his schooling right now... really tough, but enjoying it as much as he can. I felt like this quote is perfect for encouragement to him, and also to Charlotte and I as we're separated from him. It's hard to find joy each and everyday when your other half isn't near... it's hard to cook for only 1.5 persons... it's hard to want to go out and see Korea without having my partner in crime with me (who enjoys the SAME things that I do)... it's hard to parent for two (although, I totally don't mind giving the little one extra kisses)... it's hard... but, I have to LIVE my life on PURPOSE. And that purpose is all for God's glory. So it's okay that joy is a battle to achieve at times, that I sometimes pop in a microwave dinner, that going out in Korea means visiting the new playground nearby, or that I have to do all the disciplining around here... I'm doing it ALL for Him.

a new week... means new flowers to enjoy...

Linking up with Lindsay over here.

Do Not Mock Me

2012-01-24T09:31:00.004+09:00

It was an ordinary evening...

Until she turned around, and I bursted out laughing... "What Mama... what is it?"

I'm pretty sure "something" got stuck while she was on the potty, and she totally didn't realize it until I pointed it out... I still don't understand how it didn't just get caught up in her underwear/pants, but hung OUT of them instead? haha. enough said.

She was so excited to see she had a tail JUST like kitty cat's.

That's Runyan's "you better not be mocking me!" face...

On that note... I'm going to go clean those windows... they are FILTHY!

spotlight

2012-01-23T18:45:00.002+09:00

Someone hasn't had much of a "spotlight" on the blog lately... so I snuck up on him, during his 5th morning snooze, and of course... he brought "it" like he always does. He's such a sucker for the camera...

Filled

2012-01-20T20:49:00.002+09:00

It was such a great ending to a week, when I received this...

in my mailbox today! We have been waiting since November for her social security card, and it's great to finally say she's "official"... like 100%. She has her US Passport, all of her documents are in order, received a gas mask (we each get one of those...for living here in Korea), and now she has a social security #.

I am SO filled with J-O-Y right now...

You've Got Mail...

2012-01-18T20:22:00.002+09:00

Sometimes we get so wrapped up in social media... and electronic mail... we forget what it's like to receive "snail mail"...

Well, my husband is going to remember what that feels like really soon... Enjoy sweet love of mine... I think I bought out the entire Hallmark section of the Base Exchange the other day.

A-okAy

2012-01-17T15:55:00.010+09:00

With Charlotte starting school today, I knew I had to sew up a sweet little number for her very first day of school... so she would remember it as being a special day. Then I had this crazy idea... perhaps for EVERY day she has school (which is twice a week, unless it's a holiday), I will create something handmade for her to wear to school... because I want her to LOVE handmade as much as I do. After all, it's a one of a kind item, for my one of a kind girl, right? We'll see how long that idea lasts... but for now, this cute little double layered skirt will do for the first day. It's made out of some of my VERY favorite fabrics to date, Michael Miller's Children at Play by Sarah Jane. Adorable fabric makes an adorable skirt (not to mention its simplicity)... did it meet Charlotte's requirements?

As long as it's fabric that she "likes" with colors that she "loves"...

As long as she can run in it... (and even adjust glasses mid run)...

and twirl/dance in it...

without it falling off...

and all accessories "match"...

and lastly, as long as there is still room to grow into it...

then it's A-okAy with this little one...

I'd say that's a check. check. check. check. check. and... check.

Oh La La

2012-01-16T18:57:00.004+09:00

This is how my weekend looked...

and then it turned into a nasty stomach bug... but that aside. I needed to get the little one out of the house, and she starts school on Tuesday (2 days a week!), so I wanted to do something special for Charlotte. Something to get her excited about school, even though, I'm pretty sure she didn't need anything to excite her. Since she's been a big girl (going potty with no accidents for almost 2 months now), and is settling in well (ready for interaction with other children), I figured (with a nudge from a friend) that it was time for Charlie to start Preschool... it's only 2 days a week, but for now, that's perfect for her... and so I figured since she's such a big girl, it's time to let her do something "big girl" ish... paint her fingernails!

So, I sucked up this "not feeling well" face, and took her to the Skin Food Store. I told Charlotte we were going to paint her fingernails, and she looked at me, like I was crazy. I asked her if she wanted some "Oh La La" on her nails, and she immediately said, "Yeahhhhhhhhh!".... so these are the colors my little one picked out.

I then showed her what we were going to do, and she squealed with delight.

which color did she pick? why yes... for tomorrow's first day of school, this little one went BOLD and PINK...

and she ADORED them... watching this little girl's smile and "ohhh look at dat... look at my petty (pretty) fingers." is the BEST medicine any Mama could ask for.

A whole new level

2012-01-14T17:20:00.007+09:00

Dear Charlotte,

Sometimes days seem to blur together... especially since Dada left 1.5 weeks ago for a 6 month TDY (deployment). Our schedules have been so busy, and yet, today I took the day off (not just because I have a huge head cold) to celebrate with you our special Gotcha Day... it's been 7 months!

In this last month, you have taken learning to a whole new level... since Dada has been gone, you've figured out how to count all the way to 20, without my help... you not only sing the "A B C" 's all day long, but you can also recognize 20 of the letters and point to them whenever we are out and about. You are even doing word association with each of those letters. Sweet girl, these are things we NEVER dreamed that you would be accomplishing (so soon...) and we are astounded by your desire to WANT to learn.

You have learned the art of "smiling", although you still like to tease us, and hide it every time the camera comes out. The only way to get you to cooperate, is to bribe you with a tv show (Sesame Street... your favorite), and that seems to do the trick.

You have TONS of energy these days... and this Mama can't keep up with it by herself... it's been difficult (but not impossible) without him. You certainly miss the "rough housin' " with him... it usually got out a lot of that extra energy. For the time being, we'll stick to running around outside, especially on days like today, where it felt like it was autumn again (because it was in the mid 30's instead of single digits!) Sometimes all it takes to get you exhausted is a quick run up and down the nearby temple's staircase a few times.

Oh how we adore you sweet girl... keep growing... keep learning... keep being YOU...

Love,

Dada and Mama

Wired

2012-01-13T15:15:00.005+09:00

It's Friday... and all this Mama can think about, is when the little one will be heading to bed, so she can get some "shut eye" in herself. The problem with that is... every time I try and head to bed around the same time (or shortly after) Charlotte does, I end up with a million and one ideas in my head that need to be jotted down (note to self, lay a pad and pen on my nightstand next to the bed), or think of a craft idea/project and how it needs to be "tackled", or poses for photography, or just an item that I need to remember to pick up at the grocery store. I've been so super forgetful, that I have to write on my "to-do" list, to remember to tank the car full of gas... lets just say I nearly ran out a few days ago.

I've been resorting to "staying alive" through coffee... and I'm thinking I might just have to cut myself off... I know {gasp gasp }... at least for a little while... I'm so WIRED that I can't seem to fall asleep at night, and I think the caffeine seems to be playing a huge part of that. So for now, I'm cutting it off after 12:00 in the afternoon... which is the toughest, because that afternoon cup of coffee is ALWAYS my favorite cup...

In the meantime, one of the craft projects I'm hoping to finish up this weekend, is my chicken wire frame... It's going to help turn my boring dining room into something FUN, and WHIMSICAL, and RUSTIC... or so I hope!

on a separate note... every week the hubby is gone, I'm buying some flowers to display in the jars on my dining room table. It's amazing how something so small and little brings a smile to my face.

Linking up with my sweet friend, Lindsay over here.

b.e.a.u.t.i.f.u.l

2012-01-11T14:46:00.004+09:00

1 week down... how many to go before we get to see Dada again? Wow, it's so hard to believe how SLOW this week went. I had such a great time getting together with friends for coffee/lunch/crafting/etc... tried keeping myself as busy as I could. I did the same with the little one... we crafted, played A LOT, colored a TON, learned a lot... in fact, this little one is becoming a pro with her "A B C's "... she can say the letters more clearly, and can recognize about half of the alphabet without any help, and associates words with that letter.

and we did a lot of this...

some sweet snuggle time that usually turned into a nap...

oh how she fights a good nap SO much, but NEEDS it...

Sometimes this Mama has to fake taking a nap, just so she will fall asleep (even with the clicking of my camera.) Have I mentioned how she never wants to take off her new blue glasses? Oh, and how she needs me to promise that I'm not going "bye bye" while she sleeps...

... and then she finally caves... and I get to stare at those beautiful lashes... they are just b. e.a.u.t.i.f.u.l

Celebrate Each and Everyday

2012-01-09T20:45:00.008+09:00

Remember this post, with the flip book idea I created for the hubs to take along to school? Well, I just remembered that I never actually shared the photos that were taken for it (as well as Christmas gifts this year). I used my self timer for all of the family shots, otherwise the hubby and I switched off and on for the others. All things considered, I LOVE them... and it is such a great representation of who we are as a family, and life we celebrate each and everyday.

A sweet Jester... I mean Gesture.

2012-01-07T08:00:00.000+09:00

I have been invited for coffee left and right the last few days, and it has been so sweet. I love how friends think about me, and my love for coffee, and realize that I would need some adult interaction. So, when one particular friend invited me out for fellowship, coffee and pies.. I couldn't say "no." There's this place nearby, Jesters... and for those that know the area, you must check it out. It's near AK Plaza in Pyeongtaek... and it was SO different from anything I've had here in Korea, yet. Tons of different pies to choose from... both savory and sweet... I shall be going back until I try each and every one of them.

and we dug right on in... literally...

We finished our time off with a yummy apple custard pie.

Affirmation

2012-01-06T19:56:00.004+09:00

This is the first time that the hubby and I have been apart from each other, for as long as this will be (as long as he doesn't fail out). Not only is this the first time... but add on having a little girl that you just recently adopted. As difficult as it's going to be for me and the little one... I know it's going to be REALLY hard on him... Since one of his dominant love languages is "Words of Affirmation", Charlotte and I created a very special little flip book for him. This would work for ANY situation... a fun birthday gift, a deployment, Valentine's Day gift, etc.

I took some recent photos (self timer pro) of us, index cards, washi tape, and self laminating paper... and put them all together, to create this:

Photos on one side:

Verses (about perseverance and endurance) on index card... embellished with washi tape on the other side:

laminated, punched holes, and then added them to a metal ring:

Voila... a little flip book for the hubby to take along on his journey.

Bad Ju Ju

2012-01-05T18:43:00.002+09:00

Yesterday, before we said our farewells and sent Dada off at the bus station... Charlotte and I went downtown to try and have some patches corrected for his extra flight suit that he'll need while in school. After we crossed a fairly busy street (full of taxis), I looked down at Charlie, and noticed that her glasses weren't on her face. I asked her where they were... she immediately pointed at the pedestrian crosswalk that we just had crossed and said, "Over there..." Just as I was heading back (not even 30 seconds since we had crossed the crosswalk), I spotted her glasses... and then I spotted a taxi car... DRIVING OVER HER GLASSES. Yup, another $145.00. It felt like a scene in a movie...

This was her second pair (her first pair broke the day Kim Jung Ill passed away)... and now we're onto her third pair. Seems she has bad ju ju when it comes to her glasses and monumental events, considering that this happened the same day that Dada left.

And Just Like That...

2012-01-04T23:25:00.004+09:00

..... he left.

why is my daughter glasses-less... oh, that's a blog post for tomorrow...

UP in the sky...

2012-01-03T21:10:00.004+09:00

Charlotte and I took a little walk today, while the hubby was tying up a few loose ends at work today (in preparation for his departure tomorrow)... I took Charlotte to a little sanctuary not too from the house, and we hiked up a hill a bit (there are lots of stairs... her favorite). I tried to explain to her Dada's 6 month deployment a little... and how we won't talk to him too much (maybe once a week, since it's an EXTREMELY tough school). I shared with her that he'll be back, but he'll be gone for awhile... and that we'll talk to him on the computer when we can, but that it was going to be tough. I'm pretty sure all that she got out of the conversation was, "Dada bye bye to work awhile." Then I asked Charlotte what she loved most about Dada... and she replied:

UP in the sky (translation: when Dada flies her up in the sky... throws her up, or tosses her... after all, it's his job to rough house her).

cuddle wit Dada... smoothie juice (he makes the best shakes ever)... umm... tickle my feet... and UP in the sky... (clearly I'm going to have throw her around a bunch while he's gone).

Can you blow Dada one last kiss... one that'll last forever because he can view it on the blog whenever he wants to?

How much do you love Dada, Charlotte?

Umm.. dis much.

Lists/Predictions/Resolutions... Happy 2012!

2012-01-01T10:23:00.004+09:00

Wow, welcome 2012! We didn't quite make it to "ring in the new year" at midnight. Charlotte passed out by 10, and I followed at 11:00 pm. But we did shout "Happy New Year" to one another this morning... and we didn't feel quite sleep deprived! We'll just enjoy our sparkling apple juice with dinner this evening. A new year, means new to-do lists/resolutions/predictions/etc.... and I think for this new year, for 2012, I just plan on taking one day at a time. However, I have one prediction for you...

"Oh hey... Happy New Year... I'm just showing you how well I stretch out and fit on a stair."

"Yup, my toes nearly touch the end... soon Mama can say I'm a stair length long... if people measured themselves by stair lengths... hmm... that sounds weird."

"But... back to what Mama was saying... she says she has a prediction for 2012... what might that be Mama?"

".... seriously... I'm waiting here... not going anywhere... "

Prediction for 2012: I'm pretty sure this belly is going to grow even more so than it already has!

Escaping Responsibilities..

2011-12-31T10:19:00.005+09:00

It's amazing, how in the half year that we've had Charlotte, how we've barely escaped the responsibilities that come along with the new title as "Mama" or "Dada"... usually, one of us gives the other a break, or we leave Charlie with a friend for an hour here or an hour there... but last night, our sweet friend Lauren took our little one off of our hands for us, so we could have a date night. Not only that, but she kept the little bug ALL night, so we could SLEEP IN! I usually let the hubby sleep in as much as he can on the weekends, so this was RIGHT UP MY ALLEY! Being overseas, without family support around, it's difficult to "get away"... but my sweet friend so willingly gave herself... her time, and I couldn't say "no"... with the hubby's departure for 6 months coming soon, I took her up on the offer. We packed C's basket full of all of her things, and some yummy dinner for the two of them to enjoy, dropped her off (she was SO excited to get rid of "Mama" and "Dada"), and then made our way "downtown".

As we sat in the car, driving over, we were trying to decide where to eat? hmm... you see, Charlotte isn't difficult to take out to eat... she eats everything, and most of the time, sits still, like a lady... so it was tough figuring out where to eat, that we normally wouldn't eat with her... As we made our way out of the car, took out a little cash at the ATM, I looked over to my left, and realized, "SUSHI"... so that's where we made our way... It felt so strange walking and holding hands, without a little one between us. It felt so strange to not have to worry about cutting up someone's meal before enjoying my own. You know, those little responsibilities you get so "used" to...

halfway through the meal, I looked at my fingers and realized I wasn't wearing my wedding/engagement ring...and then I looked at my hubby's fingers, and the same went for him! Yes, it really did feel like we were "dating"... totally not done on purpose.

It's amazing how much you miss being able to sit in the quiet, and enjoy a cup of coffee... so we did that as well...

Such a super sweet night, filled with reminiscing, sharing Charlotte stories (it's inevitable that you will talk about your child ), and cuddling... It was hard not to find myself thinking about my love leaving for 6 months... and there may or may not have been a crying meltdown on my part while snuggling together. But I savored as much as I could, including sleeping in until 9:30 this morning! I enjoyed a cup of coffee, catching up on some of my favorite blogs, edited a few photos, and then started this post, before picking Charlie up from her sleepover. It's amazing how much we missed the "noise" that comes along with Charlie, and as soon as we picked her up, we felt complete again. All those little responsibilities came flooding back in, and it just felt as it's supposed to now.

Not So Hidden...

2011-12-29T18:13:00.006+09:00

Charlotte and I played a game of "Hide and Seek" today... she didn't do so well... unless her goal was for me to find her!

Playing this game with her today... reminded me of a few things... how we can NEVER fully hide who we are from God. That we're completely transparent to Him, full of sin, darkness and yuckiness (Charlotte says it's a word)... and yet He still seeks us out. He's a PERFECT, LOVING, ALL MIGHTY God... do we seek Him?

Matthew 6:33: " But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you."

Young At Heart

2011-12-27T08:00:00.000+09:00

Yesterday we celebrated a birthday in our household. Since we've adopted Charlotte, the only other birthday we've celebrated has been her own (and she really didn't understand the concept at all.) We've been letting her watch a Sesame Street episode lately, that all is all about birthdays, "Stinky's Birthday"... and we think she is STARTING to understand it. She was so excited this morning when she came downstairs to wake us up... she came right in to the room, wishing Dada a "Happy Birthday". We started the day off with a cup of coffee, and an omelet with sausage and birthday candles. Since the hubby has a Physical Fitness test in less than a week, we had to keep the cake away. But, we'll be sure to bake him something delicious for the moment after he passes his test.

Presents were handed out... and then we were on our way to start our day... (after we eased into our morning of course... )

We stopped for some scrumptious Indian cuisine before heading to the arcade.

One of the hubby's presents was to "stay young at heart"... so we took him to his favorite... an arcade, where he could spend $10.00 however he pleased.

and before we made our way home... we made our way to Starbucks for an afternoon cup of coffee... while Charlie annihilated a chocolate muffin!

shhhh... a secret

2011-12-26T08:00:00.001+09:00

{Nudge} {Nudge} by Mama

Oh hi there...

... do my pigtails look okay? are my glasses straight and not blurry? Are you listening to what I'm about to tell you.. it's kind of monumental. Come a little closer please... this is a secret after all...

Great... you're just close enough... shh... don't tell anyone, it's a secret... but my Dada, he turned "30" today...

That's right... the big "3" "0" ...

Wait... hang on... let me make sure I got that right...

Yup, there's no mistake... my Dada is "30" today!

Nothing to worry about Dada... I heard it's the new "20" !

We LOVE you... and we are so excited to celebrate this special day with you...

Mama and Me (your little Charlie)

Christmas 2011

2011-12-25T15:52:00.007+09:00

Not sure if many know... but we actually celebrate Christmas on Christmas Eve. It's a tradition I grew up with (totally the Germany side of me), and it's a tradition that the hubby had NO problem joining in on. We still have a wonderful Christmas day... but the gifts are all opened on the Eve. We spend Christmas Day reflecting on Christ... snuggling/cuddling/relaxing... and Charlotte LOVED every moment of this sweet arrangement. She doesn't understand everything, but that doesn't mean we don't explain it to her over and over again... one day she will.

1 John 5:11

"And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son."

Sometimes playing with the wrapping, is way more fun than the actual present... especially if it resembles her "glasses"...

Grammy "D" this is how Charlotte REALLY feels about the elf...

Christmas morning, the little one slept until 8:15... came downstairs, got ready for church, and played with her new toys. She just adores everything, and even more so, her new dress, and first time wearing tights.

Merry and Bright

2011-12-24T13:20:00.003+09:00

and may all your Christmas' be white... like ours is!

Express Bus take two!

2011-12-24T12:47:00.005+09:00

We had to get one last trip to the Express Bus Terminal in Seoul, to see the Christmas lights/trees and beautiful decorations ONE last time before Christmas. Apparently they're up until Lunar New Year, but it was still so much fun to visit just a few days before Christmas. Charlotte is loving the lights... and she just adores getting out of the house and seeing things, so any trip into Seoul makes her day. Going along with friends and their little girls (along with Charlotte)... well, that makes my day!

Best thing about going out and about with friends that have adorable kids... All the attention isn't JUST on Charlotte! It helps out my little girl's ego BIG TIME!

Introducing... blackberries

2011-12-22T08:00:00.000+09:00

This "almost" winter season, we introduced Charlotte to blackberries... they are AWESOME this time of the year. Super sweet and delicious, and each time I make a grocery run (about twice a week), we pick up 2 pints of these lovelies. They only last about a day in this house. We stick them in our smoothies, eat them by themselves... they are just that yummy. The little one can't get enough... I kid you not...

Resting and Enjoying...

2011-12-21T13:03:00.003+09:00

Christmas is only a few days away, and although we've had a busy last couple of weeks... things have seemed to calm down. Just in time for us to enjoy this season. I scrambled putting packages together and shipped to the family, so they could the presents could get there in time to be opened... The house is slowly cleaning itself and staying "organized"... and we're ready to spend some quality time together as a family. There will be some blog posts here and there, but don't be surprised if it's quiet over here for a little while... we're resting and enjoying sweet moments like this:

Can't Get Enough.

2011-12-19T20:40:00.004+09:00

For the next few weeks, the hubby will be studying lots for his schooling he's attending come January for 6 months... and yet, this little one still wants TONS of attention from him... I guess she'll take whatever she can get. We all sort of retreat to the floor these days... it's the way that Korea heats their homes (I've mentioned this last year on the blog), and it's so snuggly warm... we just can't get enough.

A paper sack Christmas...

2011-12-17T08:00:00.000+09:00

When wrapping up Christmas gifts... or presents in general, I love to use items I have "on hand"... and keep it simple. I'm not a fluffy/shimmery/ need to "put a ton of color" on something kind of girl. Something I ALWAYS have on hand, are brown paper sacks (from the grocery store), buttons, felt, stamps, paper doilies, ric rac, and washi tape... essentially... the rule of thumb for me... if it's in the junk drawer, it's free game. Do you have a special way of wrapping up gifts? I think I'll have a few others to show you in a couple of days (once they're made and ready to be wrapped)... until then... enjoy your weekend!

But the BEST part of wrapping up these beautiful gifts, is stamping the words "mama" and "dada" on them... in a million years, I never would have thought this time would come, and here it is...

Roll Ups

2011-12-16T14:56:00.004+09:00

Some updated "roll ups" are in the shop... available in some old colors, as well as some new! Get them while they're there. If you're military living overseas, I will refund you shipping! Make excellent last minute gifts... unfortunately they won't get to the states in time for Christmas (but here in Korea I can have them for you just in time).

Oh... Christmas Tree

2011-12-16T08:00:00.000+09:00

Oh sweet Christmas tree... when you are lit up... I forget about the ugly air conditioning unit behind you, and just bask in all your beautiful lights... and then, I take out my camera, and have a little fun, thanks to this tutorial from an awesome photographer, Rachel Brenke. Go.. play with your camera, have a little fun with your tree, blog about it, and then come back and leave me the link on this post. I want to see how your lights look at different manual focuses. Have fun playing friends... I sure did!

Happy 6 Months Charlie Horse

2011-12-15T11:54:00.007+09:00

Dear Charlotte... little Charlie Horse...

Yup, that's right, you've been named a new nickname... "Charlie Horse"... and it fits so appropriately. In this last month, you have pushed our boundaries... you understand the meaning and correct use of the word, "No..." (used it a number of occasions)...and you NEVER leave our side (while we're at home... out and about you could care less whose side your by). We knew it was inevitable... and at the same time, we're sort of happy that you're going through this phase a little bit, because it means you feel comfortable enough with us... you can be that little "Charlie horse" in our sides at times, but we're okay with it... because we love having you at our sides... Runyan on the other hand... he just thinks you're naughty for always wanting to pull his tail. But, I think he'd rather you pull it, than some random kid...

This month we've hit 6 months... that's a whole half of a year... and it certainly feels like it's flown by, now. Lets pray the next 6 months go just as quickly, because this is the last month we'll be celebrating your "monthly Gotcha Day" as a whole family... the next time we celebrate, it'll be with Dada in Vegas, for your 1 year Gotcha Day, after he graduates from his schooling (as long as he graduates!) Mama knows he's going to miss out for 6 months while he's gone, and we're still trying to figure out how to explain to you that he isn't going to be around for awhile... but for now, we're going to take 1 month at a time, and enjoy these last few weeks with him around. You two have formed a sweet little playful bond, and even when he's only been gone to work for a few hours, you run around the house saying, "Where Dada?" Mama fears you're going to be doing A LOT of that over the next few months. And oh the joy on your face every time he walks in... it's a sight Mama won't see for awhile, and it breaks my heart.

This month, you've learned how to jump (without holding on to something or falling)... you've managed to execute a perfectly formed somersault, and your climbing skills have reached new heights (you have no fear of heights)... You are potty trained (almost... except at night) with minimal accidents, and you just adore wearing big girl "unders" (that's what you call underwear)... You want spaghetti for dinner EVERY night... and bananas are still your very favorite snack. You sing ALL the time, and play guitar ALL the time... and when you're not, you're looking at yourself in the mirror, and "pose"... we think you're going to be a performer one day! But for now, we love when you sing us to sleep...

We love you little Charlie horse,

Dada and Mama

Must Like Peas { recipe }

2011-12-11T09:39:00.003+09:00

I'm all about a yummy meal, created very quickly, and without my help (other than preparation)... which is why today, I'm sharing a slow cooker recipe. I think in the next few weeks, I'll be doing MANY of these, because I love just being able to add ingredients to a vessel, and let IT do all the cooking. I love being able to walk away from it, get my chores/errands done, come home, and enjoy a meal that I barely spent time on. It's truly brilliant, and I'm unsure why I haven't started these sooner... but on a cold day (filled with snow flurries), this makes for an awesome way to "warm" yourself up... but, there's one thing... you have to like peas! Enjoy friends...

Ingredients:

1 (16 oz.) pkg. dried green split peas, rinsed
1 meaty hambone, 2 ham hocks, or 2 cups diced ham
3 carrots, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 ribs of celery plus leaves, chopped
1 or 2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped, or 2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes

1 tbsp. seasoned salt (or to taste)
1/2 tsp. fresh pepper
1 1/2 qts. hot water

Preparation:

Layer ingredients in slow cooker in the order given; pour in water.

Do not stir ingredients. Cover and cook on HIGH 4 to 5 hours or on low 8 to 10 hours until peas are very soft and ham falls off bone. Remove bones and bay leaf. Mash peas to thicken more, if desired. Serve garnished with croutons. Freezes well.
Serves 8.

Wrap a little here... Wrap a little there...

2011-12-10T22:46:00.004+09:00

Today I woke up to this...

which makes for a great day to sweetly wrap some goodies for packages needing to be sent out... TONS of wrapping going on, in this side of the globe... how about by you?

Great Indicators

2011-12-09T08:00:00.001+09:00

Oh how I love feet... seriously, they're the sweetest, especially the smaller they are. I know some people are completely creeped out by them... but not I. You see, to me, they're one of the greatest indicators of growth and age... sort of like our hands as well. Every time I see my little one's tootsies, I can't help but stare. They're getting bigger and bigger each and everyday. When taking her for her check up on Tuesday, we were told she grew 9 cm in 3 months! I don't know how much 9 cm is in relation to inches, but it just sounds like a decent amount of growing... I kind of miss how tiny her toes/feet used to be... but then I'm so excited they're growing, because it's a constant reminder of the nutrition she's receiving.

Eye Break

2011-12-08T12:01:00.005+09:00

This lady had a date with her sewing machine yesterday (more to come on that, because you see... I've moved on to a new one!)... you see, my eyes desperately needed a break from staring at the computer (while editing my last photo session for the year). I recently picked up some very sweet Korean crocheted lace, and I was just inspired to use it in some new clutch designs. It adds the sweetest little feminine touch to a simple design. For now, I've created using the fabrics down below, but you probably will see more colors in the shop soon. I made clutches and matching snap purses (sold separately, or as a set), and they are currently being listed in the shop. What a great little break for my eyes... Now I get to work on a little something for my little one's 6 month Gotcha Day that we'll be celebrating next week!

"Look At 'Dat..."

2011-12-06T08:00:00.000+09:00

This past weekend we put up our Christmas tree and decorations... and the greatest thing was just listening to little one "rave" over it all as it happened. I think DaDa and I heard, "Oh wow, look at 'dat"... about a million and one times. She just couldn't get enough of it... She just kept pointing at each and every light on the tree, and then at each and every ornament. What a blessing to witness a little one's first time decorating for Christmas.

The best part, was all of the cookies from the swap, were set out for us to enjoy as we decorated... and Charlotte couldn't believe that there were THAT many cookies to choose from.

This is Charlotte's "you really need to stay back from my cookies" face... or her "don't judge me... the Dr. said I need to gain a little more weight" face...

Charlotte and I picked up our first "family" ornament at the Express Bus Terminal last week. She even calls the big owl, "Da Da", the middle one "Mama" and the small one, "Char Char"...

Last year, I decided to start my own tradition... taking a polaroid picture of our feet under our tree on Christmas Eve... I can't wait to take one this year with Charlotte's feet added to the bunch.

The best "view" this time of the year...

Cookie Swap

2011-12-05T09:17:00.006+09:00

How have I never been to a Cookie Swap before? This past Saturday I was invited to an evening out, full of food... ornament exchanging... a rotten dirty Santa game (where I did receive the sweetest gift that wasn't stolen)... and of course, cookie swapping. I might have been complaining the whole time I was baking these... but in the end, I received 30 other cookies that were DELICIOUS! It was totally worth the time/effort I put into baking my own cookies to exchange. All of the cookies were wrapped up so sweetly, and most had recipes involved, which means I'll be baking some of them up these upcoming weeks. Thank you Amber and Christiana for a beautiful evening... I will never ever skip out on a cookie swap ever again!

A look at some of the cookies that were packaged up (a closer look at them in tomorrow's post)...

There's nothing greater than a cheese ball... seriously...

and fruit and veggie platters to balance out all the cheese I ate...

a sweet get together, wouldn't be the same, without ending it with a self timer group portrait!

Karlsbad Cookies (recipe)

2011-12-04T19:45:00.005+09:00

The other day I managed to bake 30 cookies for a cookie swap... and not the easy kind of baking... the kind where you create dough, cook it in the fridge, roll it out, cut out the cookies, cool them in the fridge, bake, frost, and assemble. Seriously... they weren't supposed to take me too long, and according to the recipe book, they are only level 2... but they felt like they were level 5 (even though I have no idea what a cookie on that level would feel like). So, I tell myself that I mastered a level 5 cookie... and you can too, because here's the recipe:

Karlsbad Cookie (named after the town in Germany where this traditional recipe came from!)

Ingredients:

1 c. all purpose flour

2/3 c. butter, softened

1/2 c. granulated sugar

1 c. finely ground almonds

1 tsp. finely gratedlemon zest

1 tsp. fresh lemon juice

Glaze Ingredients:

2/3 c. confectioner's sugar

1 tsp. fresh lemon juice, or more as needed

2 tablespoons seedless red currant or raspberry preserves

Directions:

Refrigerate two cookie sheets. Sift the flour into a medium bowl. Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at high speed until creamy. Mix in the flour, almonds, and lemon zest and juice toform a soft dough. Divide the dough in half. Press into disks, wrap in a plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Roll out half the dough on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of 1/8 inch. Use a 1 1/2 inch cookie cutter to cut out the cookies. Use a spatula to transfer the cookies to one of the prepared cookie sheets, placing them 1 inch apart. Use a 3/4 inch fluted cutter to cut the centers out of half the cookies. Re-roll the centers with the remaining dough and repeat the cutting out procedure. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Bake for 6-8 minutes, or until just golden and the edges are firm, rotating the sheets halfway through for even baking. Transfer the cookies to racks to cool. Mix the glaze, until it's a thick paste. Spread the tops of the cookies with the glaze, and

and then package up all sweet and cute... (helps when you have this place nearby)

Make it Tradition...

2011-12-02T10:12:00.004+09:00

Along with the start of December, comes baking... or at least in the beginning, the preparation of "which cookies" to bake. I am by no means a fabulous baker (you can talk to the other ladies in the family about that... I think my sister sucked up all those genes from my mom/grandmother)... but Ido want to make it tradition to bake each and every year, especially since Charlotte enjoys helping me in the kitchen. I pulled out a book my mother gifted me a few years ago, and started marking a few cookies that I'd like to "try" out. One in particular I'll be attempting today, because I have a fun Cookie Swap Party to attend on Saturday. Do you prepare cookies around this time of the year? If so, what are some of your favorites?

Seeing these, reminds me of our time in Germany/Netherlands... they were scrumptious!

December 1

2011-12-01T22:24:00.004+09:00

I cannot believe it's the last month of 2011 already... seriously, where has this year gone? I'm not going to dwell on the fact that it's nearly over, and I'm certainly not going to complain about this being the last full month that Charlotte and I have DaDa home before he leaves us for 6 months (there will be plenty of blog venting at a later date... or you just won't hear from me, because I'll be too busysitting in front of the tv watching chick flicks and eating ice cream for awhile).... so today, to welcome in December, Charlotte and I headed to the Christmas Shop/Flower Market in Seoul, at the Express Bus Terminal. It was decorated so beautifully... and I didn't take too many photos, because I was busy trying to keep Charlotte from touching EVERY single light on EVERY single Christmas tree (there were A LOT... I'd say enough to decorate every South Korean home)... but I did manage to take a couple. I will certainly be heading there again, perhaps next week after I pull out all of my Christmas decorations. What I can tell you, is that it was a place filled with inspiration... I'm pumping myself up to decorate the house. My favorite sight, was definitely the yarn ball ornaments... I feel like I need a million of them all around the house...

Baker's Alley

2011-11-30T10:23:00.009+09:00

An adventure is only complete, when you have friends to enjoy it with... and that is what we did yesterday. Some very dear friends of mine (and their wee little ones) and I (and my little one) embarked on adventure yesterday to seek, locate, and conquer (with our wallets) "Baker's Alley" in Seoul. I'd say we did just that. What an awesome place, filled with anything you could ever imagine that a baker would need... or a person who enjoys lovely packaging (like I do!) This will definitely be a place that I go back to, again... again... and again... I don't think I could ever tire of this place.

and no adventure into Seoul is complete without a picture taken in the "subway"...

I used the directions from this blog, to get there... and they were pretty accurate!

The Sweetest Mail...

2011-11-28T09:06:00.005+09:00

Charlotte's favorite thing to do lately, is check mail. YUP, this girl has received so many sweet care packages, that she thinks that going to the mail box means she'll get to open up a gift. Thank you to all who have sent her the sweetest mail lately, you pretty much MAKE her day.

Who says PJ's are only for "Nie Nie" time?

Time to Give...

2011-11-24T12:46:00.006+09:00

I'm so thankful here in Korea... because my husband's squadron gets together and deep fry's turkeys and people donate side dishes/desserts... I don't have to cook a huge elaborate dinner for Thanksgiving. I know... some people LOVE hosting a beautiful dinner and creating lots of scrumptious things. Well, this girl doesn't. I don't mind hosting... it's the whole cooking/baking ALL day long that would drive me crazy. So, when I'm asked to bring a side dish and dessert, it means I have extra time to do something special. I made a double batch of these lovelies... and wrapped up a special basket (recycled basket from a farmer's market in Italy) of pumpkin cookies for the soldiers that are manning the gate at the base today. Many of these folks are TOLD to work.. not given the choice... and boy are we grateful for them. This Thanksgiving, why not show someone in your community that you are thankful for them and their service... maybe it's not in the military... but perhaps it's your local fire fighters that are "on call", or police officers... maybe even stop at the hospital and drop a batch off for all of the nurses and staff.

I have a feeling that when we get back to the states, Thanksgiving is going to become more of a giving time for my family, instead of an eating time... I would LOVE to volunteer my time at a shelter to feed those that are less fortunate on Thanksgiving (jotting that down in my memory for next year!) and it's something that we hope to continue to teach Charlotte... after all, she has a huge heart.

A Happy Thanksgiving to you sweet friends...

Like it...

2011-11-23T17:13:00.008+09:00

While editing some sessions today, I received a phone call from the hubby at work... telling me to look outside. Yup, we had some snow flurries! I quickly put a hat, gloves and sweater (not sure why, but I forgot a jacket for both of us!) on the little one and we made our way outside to check it out. Pardon the lack of color coordination with her outfit... I grabbed whatever was nearby to put on her. I'm fairly certain (without a doubt in my mind) that this girl... my girl... has NEVER experienced snow before. I couldn't imagine the nannies in Charlotte's room putting warm clothes on the kids, and pushing them (because most barely walked, even Charlotte was rough on her legs when we first met her) around in the snow with their old/decrepit hand-me-down strollers. Yes, that would be an assumption on my part... but again, fairly certain that is the case. I'm sure she stayed inside ALL Winter long, and never saw snow before. I cannot even begin to even describe how excited she was when I took her out... and I don't think the pictures do it justice... it was a sight tobehold.

Charlotte... what do you think of the snow?

"like it... " (exact words)... yup, that's my girl.

On another note... we rushed inside, not because it was cold outside... but because Charlotte had to go potty (yup, she's been using the big girl potty for nearly 3 weeks with an accident here and there)... and I learned a valuable lesson, that I thought I should pass along to y'all: While wiping your child's butt, it's best if you didn't still have your long scarf hanging around your neck...

{ BOW }tox

2011-11-22T15:54:00.008+09:00

The last two days with the little one have been a little rough... she's been extremely naughty...

pretty sure it's because she finally feels comfortable enough to "think" she can always have her way with me... I've been in a little slump... needed a little medicinal crafting time... and came across this awesome tutorial.

So, with all the felt scraps I have... which seriously, is a lot, I decided to try a little { Bow } tox... treatment in which I would craft bows to rid myself of the ugliness that I was feeling towards her behavior. The tutorial for these bows is simple and classic. Seriously.. who doesn't love a good bow? Bows can adorn ANYTHING... once made, you can attach them onto hair clips, pins, clothespins, etc! You can make them look different by adding a strange texture, like twine, or even lace... or change up the middle portion of the bow by choosing a different color felt. Super easy, and super fun!

With all my extra scraps, I made a bunch of clothespins that I'm going to use for a packaging technique this year for my cookies and other special gifts for family. Then I took some extra scraps and created hair bows to send to some special girlfriends in Charlotte's life (and cousins-wink wink!)

Makes for some inexpensive, one of a kind gifts for some special ladies. Oh, and I'm pretty sure, if you attached some elastic to them, you could even turn them into little bow ties for those special guys in your life.

A Class By Herself...

2011-11-19T11:01:00.005+09:00

A sweet dear friend of mine, Ashley, recently sent me a copy of E.B. White's "Charlotte's Web"... and I'm pretty sure it's something we are going to TREASURE for eons. It's the little things like this, that just warm my heart. Although, it's WAY above Charlotte's head right now, I have a feeling (hope really) that this book becomes one that is near and dear to her heart... and not just because of her name. I think the last few lines of the book actually sum it up perfectly, and I LOVE how similar my Charlotte is with spider Charlotte... Wilbur refers to his true friend Charlotte as being "in a class by herself..." and that is exactly what I think about my Charlie.

linking up with Lindsay over here.

Delight...

2011-11-17T08:00:00.012+09:00

It's amazing how in one week... all of the Fall color completely disappeared. I knew this was inevitable, but there was a part of me that wish the colors could have lasted forever... it was a wonderland to my eyes the last few weeks, and I could live in Fall forever.

but alas, all the cabbages are being cut down, the gardens are being "fed" by the compost... and the color is completely fading...

The thing about faded color, is that now it's my chance to get away with a "loud" outfit on my child... Charlotte LOVES all colors, and any colors... and the more layers she has on, the better she is. Does she match... nope! can you see her... yup! She doesn't fit right in with the drab Korean background... she brings life to her surroundings... In the summer time, you couldn't really get away with a "loud" outfit like this, but now that we're slowly turning into the Winter season over here... it's completely acceptable.

Hey Charlotte... look what Mama brought outside for you to "play" with...

Ohhhh yeah... it's exactly what you think it is...

You can't hide that smile sweet girl... I know it's in there!

She adores camera... and prefers to play with vintage... yup, she's my daughter.

Even though the Fall color is quickly fading away... don't forget to delight in the little bit that is still left...

Pumpkin Cookies- recipe

2011-11-16T17:42:00.003+09:00

Last year I asked my sweet sister-in-love for a recipe of pumpkin cookies... and she delivered... it's my go to recipe in the fall, and of course I had to make a plate of them to take with me to our MOPS meeting today. I'm passing along the recipe, because I'm pretty sure EVERYONE needs to have it (a few have asked for it)... although, after you read what goes into them, you probably won't want to eat them anymore. enjoy friends...

Cookie Ingredients:

2 cups sugar
2 cups pumpkin (1 15 oz. can)
2 sticks margarine or butter
1 cup shortening
2 eggs
2 tsp cinnamon
4 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda
4 cups flour

Mix together sugar, pumpkin, margarine, shortening, and eggs. Add cinnamon, baking powder, salt, baking soda, and flour. Drop rounded tablespoonfuls on baking sheet and bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes. After cookies cool, spread butter frosting on them. makes 3-4 dozen cookies (depending on the size of the cookie batter scoop)

Butter Frosting
1/3 cup margarine or butter
4 1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup milk
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

In a mixing bowl, beat butter until fluffy. Gradually add 2 cups of the powdered sugar, beating well. Slowly beat in the 1/4 cup milk and vanilla. Then slowly beat in remaining powdered sugar. if frosting is too thick, add a small amount of extra milk.

Upside Down is Right Side Up...

2011-11-15T20:05:00.003+09:00

Charlotte is quite talented... she reads upside down... and backwards... and every which way. Yup, that's my girl... the good thing about that, is that when she reads, I can read too... because

it's the right side for me... and she flips the right way for me. Not only that, but she pointed out a few things in the magazine that are now officially marked with post-it notes to create in the next few weeks... oh yeah, there will be plenty of crafting going on in these neck of the woods.

Into Our Hearts

2011-11-14T14:20:00.004+09:00

Dear Charlotte...

Happy "5 Month" Gotcha Day! Little one... at first, it felt like time stood still... and now we just can't believe where it's flying off to. 5 months ago we walked you right out of the orphanage, and you walked right into Mama and DaDa's hearts (I know it sounds like a cheesy Hallmark card.. but I assure you, it's exactly what happened!)

What a crazy month this has been... a month full of fun and adventure/exploring... oh boy were we constantly on the "go". We think you're still trying to play catch up with all the sleep we deprived you of, since we skippednap time A LOT. But you visited so many beautiful places here in Korea, ventured on the bus/subway to Seoul countless times, and experienced the most gorgeous fall we've EVER seen. You received so much fresh air... you should be good until Spring time. What won't be good until spring, are your shoes... those poor TOMS are completely done... Pretty sure we can't sell them to anyone as "gently used" or even donate them to the thrift shop... you definitely walked miles in them.

You've become our navigator, even if that means we usually end up at the park or play place...

and everywhere you go... you're constantly climbing on things like a little monkey... it's as if you "just can't help it"... and so there's only one thing we can do, and that is sign you up for tumbling class next month... We're going to help you with that itch... (must be the Ukrainian in you!)

Mama received her new camera this month... and although she was really thrilled to take pictures of you with it, you could really care less...

but that doesn't stop Mama from snapping away... sorry sweet friend... Pretty sure Mama is still hopeful that all of a sudden you'll become a "ham" for the camera.

You have become quite the little lady... legs crossed...

accessories galore... you even wore your very first Korean handmade one recently.

We just can't get enough of you... oh what will the 6th month bring? We're not sure... but we're super excited!

We LOVE YOU Charlie,

Da Da and Mama

Family Day

2011-11-10T20:29:00.013+09:00

A few weeks ago we received the sweetest gift from some friends of ours... Day Passes to Everland... and amusement park here in Korea. With today being a "Family Day" (a day that the hubby had off from work), and not a Korean Holiday... we headed straight to the park to check it out and have some fun.

Everland felt magical, as soon as we entered... not sure if it was the sweet music playing over the entire park, the way it was decorated with a "Winter Wonderland" theme, or the fact that they had CHURROS on their menu?

Some people come to Everland JUST for the popcorn... and we have to agree, it's super delicious. We'd return just for another round... we knew we should have purchased the refillable tub!

Some come for the T Express... the 3rd tallest wooden roller coaster in the whole world... unfortunately, the waiting line was 1 hour, and with a little one, it's nearly impossible to take turns (adults of course) riding the roller coaster... we'd spend more time "apart" then we would together the whole day! So it was a day of walking around, riding Charlotte rides, watching the "Amazing Animal Show" and visiting the zoo.

There was so much to see and do at Everland, but I think our favorite thing was the zoo portion. She just adored seeing the animals... for the first time ever, I feel as though Charlotte actually paid attention to the animals, and not to the people.

I think the hubby and I both agree the best part of the day, was feeding the parrots. They totally tickle your fingers, and it was something we had NEVER experienced before.

You know it was a GREAT day, when you leave with fingerprinted/foggy glasses, Churro'd faces (cinnamon lips) and a ridiculously cute and very Korean headband.d

Hiatus...

2011-11-08T23:11:00.003+09:00

Wow, it feels like it's the season of blogging hiatus' ! I've been on one... and so have the bloggers whose blogs I read... it's like one serious drought out there. Well, not for long... even though I have tons of photo shoots to edit, I'm going to try and make some extra time these next few days (even if it means less sleep for me!) to do what I miss... and that is blogging!

Before more days slip away from me... I did want to share our time at our Air Show that our Air Base here in Korea put on a few weeks ago. It was a glorious day in late October (seriously, I think I got a little sunburned even with lotion on my face)... and the show that the jets put on was awesome... and who can forget the yummy food I had- there's nothing like a corn dog!

Our little fashionista had to have the proper attire for an Air Show... so 2 days before, I found a flight suit for her downtown, and had her own patch made, with her call sign, "Smack Jr." As soon as she put her suit on, I kid you not, our little one said, "Hi... my name is Da Da!" and smiled HUGE. It was a hit... and she sure was a hit in it at the Show... just about everyone was photographing her... and she ate it all up.

Apparently she's a sucker for a man in a uniform... wait... strike that and reverse it... they're definitely suckers for a little one in uniform (the pigtails totally help).

Charlotte's Da Da usually flies on the E3... better known as the AWACS... and we were so lucky as to have it on "display" at the Air Show. Of course I had to take tons of pictures of my sweet girl in front of it.

She was pretty excited about receiving a patch from the E3 team that was out visiting from Japan...

Fall Harvest Shoot

2011-11-05T20:59:00.004+09:00

Today I hosted a Fall Harvest Shoot, and photographed 9 families (each had 30 minute sessions)... and wheeww I'm exhausted. But it was a good time, filled with gorgeous smiling families, hot cocoa, and bread cakes/muffins. Did I mention it was at 90% chance of rain last night, and miraculously it ended up staying clear and bright ALL day.

Make it... or break it...

2011-11-05T08:00:00.001+09:00

Remember how in yesterday's post... I wrote about creating a great makeshift backdrop? Well, along with a great picture, is always a great outfit! Your outfit, can either "make it" or "break it"... A few weeks back (yeah... it takes me forever to get to things) I received the sweetest package from a blog reader (and one whose blog I follow) who has become my "friend", sweet Alison from "Apearantly Sew" ! She sent the sweetest handmade goodies for Charlotte and I... and so sweetly wrapped, if I do say so myself...

As soon as I saw the skirt she made Charlotte... I knew... I just knew it needed to be used for a look into what the "Fall Harvest" shoot would look like. I also couldn't resist putting the fairy wings on her (I had to "rip" them off her body in order for her to take her nap!) Alison, what a masterpiece you created... and Charlie gets excited every time she sees the skirt! She says, "ohhh la la"! Thank you dear friend... and for those that haven't seen her shop... you ought to check it out.

I don't think I mentioned it... but to Charlotte... it's the PERFECT spinning skirt...

A special thanks to Lisa for sending those adorable wings! We had A TON of fun with them today...

Yes, my child's TOMS are completely worn out... what can I say, she made good use of them?

Capturing a Better Picture: Creating a Makeshift Backdrop

2011-11-03T18:08:00.015+09:00

On Saturday I'll be hosting a "Fall Harvest Shoot" at my house here in Korea... and I've been super excited getting things ready/prepared for it. Lots of little details go into these things, because I want to try and have "different" looks for different photos (so that my clients receive crazy amounts of variety). Some people search high and low for a great shooting location, and although I tend to take my clients to some other favorite places of mine (that I searched high and low for), other times (such as in thisFall Harvest Shoot), I have to stick close to home, because I'll havefamilies arriving back to back to back. So many of you have beautiful backyards with gorgeous trees to take photos in... andyou should take advantage of that. Others, might not. So today, I just wanted to show you how you can set up some fun places to take pictures without creating something grand. Simplicity is often the KEY to a beautiful photo... after all, you don't want your eyes to go somewhere other than on your subject.

For an easy and yet fun look, I chose white paper lanterns up against an Oriental Maple Tree whose leaves are nearly all fallen off.

If your subject doesn't want to necessarily stand in front or near your prop... don't fight them (trust me on this one... it's no fun!) Instead, try and use your prop as a background blurred color or texture. In this case, it would have been more fun if the lanterns were a different color... but I just wanted to show you an example.

You can even try to shoot from above, and look down low... focus on the subject, or the prop... it'll make for a different shot...

Now lets try a different location...

Go from drab...

... to fab! I found some rogue tree branches, that I dug deep into the ground, and created a fun little banner... that I think will go with most of the colors that everyone is wearing. It adds a little pop to a dreary area.

and then just have FUN with it... staged poses don't always work out... in fact, most of the time, they don't. While some of you might like that... really, what are the odds that you're going to catch your subject with their "natural" smile, not blinking, etc if they're posed. Posed=odd... go for the natural... it's usually the one that tells a story...

Sometimes it's all about just a simple prop, and the right angle... remember, it doesn't always have to have a "smiling" face in order for it to be an interesting picture...

in fact, it's usually the ones that don't, that turn out to be some of the best.

Sweet Farewells

2011-11-03T08:00:00.000+09:00

Not sure if you knew this about me... but I live in a lime green house here in Korea... yup, bright lime green. We actually call it the "Key Lime Pie" house when we refer to it to others. So, only naturally... we made some key lime pies tonight to bid my dear friend Becky farewell. What you might not know, is that she is the master of making key lime pies... so of course I had to see if she could create some for us in some cute jars... because remember, everything is better in a jar... and she did just that!

Yes, these last two photos are the only two photos that I have of the two of us together on her trip here! This is what happens when you bring two photographers together... you get pictures of each other, but never together.

WIWW- DMZ Style...

2011-11-02T10:43:00.011+09:00

One of those "must sees" while here in Korea, is the DMZ... for those that don't know what the DMZ is... check out some info on it here. It's the closest we can get to being in North Korea, and able to "see" into the North. Although it was a very serious day... I did manage to snag a few photos of my outfit for the day for (What I Wore Wednesday-WIWW) and even had my friend Becky share with me what she was wearing that day. After all, we had to be fashionable tourists.

Sweater Vest: Base Exchange

Thermal Long Sleeve: Mossimo-Target

Jeans: Levi's

Boots: Target

Leather Jacket: handmade in Downtown Songtan- Italian leather

Mustard Yellow Long Sleeved Shirt: Eddie Bauer

Mustard Yellow Hat: www.skhatshop.com

jeans: Eddie Bauer

shoes: Clarks

Railroad Tracks: Greatest Photo Prop EVER...

JSA Officer's uniform: Standard Issued Uniform

Tai Chi Position and Aviator Shades: Strictly for intimidation purposes...

Although it started off as a rainy day, it certainly cleared up just for us... and we were able to see the rest of the DMZ without an umbrella at least.

North Korea's "Propaganda Village" in the distance...

Linking up over here.

Grabbing Fresh Air

2011-11-01T23:10:00.010+09:00

Fresh air is the greatest, isn't it? We can't get enough these days... and although many would say how horrible Korea smells... I don't seem to mind it (it has something to do with the fact that we've been visiting places amidst the mountains...) Today's agenda brought us to Wawoojongsa Temple, where we strolled around the grounds, and took in all the beautiful colors, buildings, statues, etc. I can now officially say that I've seen the World's Largest Wooden Buddha... yup, he was there, at the tippity top.

Along the way up (it took quite awhile, because Charlotte climbed these massive stone stairs all by herself), we took a few little "sit down" breaks for Charlie... and the one time when we sat, she noticed others on the stairs, bowing down, in worshipping mode with their hands folded (towards Buddha of course)... and so, would you know it... my little one folded her hands and started praying to God. Yup, she did... it went a little something like this: "Ta too vor dis day Dod... Amen." And now I shall translate, "Thank you for this day God, Amen"

Stopping to "smell the roses" has become a common occurrence these days. She never used to pay them any attention, and then all of a sudden, voila! I actually have to tell myself, it's okay to take things a little slower these days... my little girl needs to enjoy the little things as much as I do. It just gives me more of a chance/reason to snap more and more photos of her.

Here in Korea, Charlotte is a ROCKSTAR... the Koreans eat her up everywhere she goes (I'm surprised there's still pieces of her left!)... but what the Korean don't know... is that Charlotte thinks they're ROCKSTARS!

Sometimes random "time out" locations, are not very effective... note to self...

Same picture... just a different focus...

So... GO... get off the computer... and grab some fresh air... it'll be worth your while.

Soaking It In..

2011-10-27T21:00:00.006+09:00

I've been to the Korean Folk Village before, but being it was a different season, it warranted another visit. With the leaves turning colors, it was completely worth it. Every time I go, I just enjoy strolling... but yesterday I enjoyed strolling and taking in all the colors. Friends, I'm not sure if I can ever live in a place forever, if I wasn't able to enjoy all 4 season... there's just something magical about each and every change of season (even into Winter!) Do you see the change of season where you live? I just adore Fall... and I'm a little scared to welcome Winter, but right now, spending time outside while I can (before those below 0 degree days come) is helping me soak it all in...

We're working on "smile"... yup, it's very foreign to my little girl (pretty much as foreign as Russian as to me)... I can't believe we actually adopted a little one who doesn't like the camera...

This girl can make a friend WHEREVER she goes... seriously... she has no social bubble... and she's great at POPPING everyone else's.

We found a "wish" tree... where everyone write their wishes on ribbons and hangs them on the tree (love this idea)... well, Charlie actually found wishes on the ground... picked them up, and wanted to "wear" them...

Matching with Fall

2011-10-26T20:48:00.014+09:00

The other day, I received the sweetest package in the mail, from Lindsay... and I felt like a little child on Christmas morning. Everything was so neatly packed in the box, it was a little difficult to break into it all. Don't you just love nicely wrapped packages? I'm telling you this lady sure knows me, because everything screamed, "Karen!"... seriously, and I just had to take some photos in my new dress that she sent along to me (although in these pictures, I'm wearing it almost as a tunic shirt, since it's getting chilly here in Korea). Thank you so much Lindsay for increasing this Mama's wardrobe with another hip/trendy piece of clothing! I just ADORE it... and it matches the fall colors here perfectly. We headed out to the Korean Folk Village today, where all the leaves have turned their beautiful golden colors... and I passed along my camera to my friend Becky at one point to snap a few photos of me. More photos tomorrow on how beautiful the Folk Village looked this time of the year...

Mustard Yellow Dress: (worn as a shirt) gifted to me by sweet Lindsay

Dark Grey Long Sleeved Shirt: H&M

Jeans: Levis'

Boots: Target

White Scarf: H&M

Sweater dress: A gift from her Omi (my Mama)

leggings: Carters'

black boots: Target

Gorgeous Fall Leaves: God's beautiful creations...

Linking up here today...

My Favorite Kind of {W}ray...

2011-10-25T23:28:00.007+09:00

Enjoying the rays is something we love to do around 3:30-4 pm these days as the sun starts to set. We're getting to the point in fall, where the days are becoming shorter and shorter, and we have to take as much advantage of the sunlight as possible. Speaking of rays... do you know what my favorite ray is? It's a Charlotte {W}ray Davis kind... yup yup... she's my favorite. She lights up my life like no other...

Feeling Royal...

2011-10-23T20:35:00.002+09:00

What to do when your husband says he'll watch your little one, and you have a friend in town? Yup, you find yourself navigating your way to Seoul, to enjoy something you might not have enjoyed with a 4 year old. I know I know... I should have sat down in a coffee shop with a very large vanilla latte and book... but, since I do have a friend here who travelled all the way to the other side of the globe, we needed to get out and see something. I think I've told you, how much I love the area in Seoul, called "Insadong"... it's the artsy fartsy district of Seoul, with tons of handmade shops, tea shops, coffee shops,etc...

However, this time, instead of shopping, we went straight to the Palace, thinking that we'd have time to do some other things after... but that wasn't the case. We strolled for quite some bit, because the Palace was HUGE (totally not a bad thing, just an unexpected thing). While walking through the Secret Garden in Changdeokgung Palace, it's easy to imagine yourself years ago walking alongside some Royal folk... but at the same time... while the Palace itself was gorgeous (and all surrounding buildings)... I was focused on the signs of Fall around me... and couldn't help but make those the primary focus of my "shooting" around the Palace. It turned out to be some beautiful... PEACEFUL time without my little Charlotte on my side.

{Fall}ing in love with the Little Things...

2011-10-21T20:13:00.010+09:00

Each week, one of my favorite bloggers, sweet Lindsay from "Aisle to Aloha", runs a link up party on the "Little Things"... the little things that make us smile, and get through the week... because often times, we don't stop to think about them. It's so amazing how great a Fall walk feels this time of the year (no humidity here in Korea, when we were used to 90% humidity days in the Summer)... but more so, when you have absolutely NO agenda, and just walk to walk, to take in the view and enjoy the colors around this time of the year... and that is exactly what we did today with my sweet friend Becky... we shared the beautiful Korean countryside with her...

One last photo of the rice before it's harvested...

A look at the field after it's been ~~run down by hurricane Charlotte~~ harvested...

The textures that "stick out" and tickle us...

The colors that make my heart smile...

Or just knowing that a friend is enjoying it all with you...

When Guests Come Into Town...

2011-10-20T08:02:00.006+09:00

When guests come into town... I get so excited. Other than 2 months ago, when Courtney (Charlotte's aunt) came for a visit, we haven't had any guests over here in Korea. I know, we are on the other side of the globe, and for most people it's not their #1 place to visit... it's not quite as touristy of a place as Europe was, when we lived in Germany (not to mention we were next door to Netherlands and Belgium-only 15-30 minute drive to either). But, Korea has become home to us, and we just adore the people, culture and surroundings as much as Germany. You better believe we'll be showing Becky (our visitor) all there is to see/experience here in Korea...Especially since all the fall colors are out!

Yesterday (yes I'm such a last minute person) I started preparing our house for her arrival...

sheets were washed, welcome baggy created and placed on her bed...

flowers picked and made pretty in vases... (they smell delicious)...

bananas needed to get eaten... so muffins were made...

We're ready for you Becky! Can't wait to show you Korea...

At Her Fingertips...

2011-10-16T18:41:00.005+09:00

Things have been quiet around here, and I do apologize... adopting our little one, Charlotte has been a HUGE part of our lives the last few months, and I know that she's pretty much taken over all these blog posts. For some, they enjoy seeing her progress, and my transition into motherhood... for others, they've jumped ship. I just can't help it... as much as I enjoy crafting, and photography (and occasionally cooking/baking)... there hasn't been enough time to fully enjoy those things, let alone blog about those adventures...

That being said... what I do know, is that this Mama can seriously get "burnt out" not enjoying the things she used to enjoy... I'm constantly wiping butts, blowing noses, and kissing boo boos. Don't get me wrong, I adore being a Mama, but sometimes I forget who "Karen" was... and that's not good. This blog used to be filled with crafts and recipes, and it's been lacking in that department the last few months... and for that I apologize. Trust me, I've had to apologize repeatedly over and over to the "Karen" side of me... because the Mama side totally took over. It's easy to loose side of who you were, when a little one demands a lot of time and energy...That doesn't mean you'll never hear Charlotte updates and crazy motherhood stories ever again... it just means you're going to see more of the old stuff around here again. Each and every day I've been giving myself at least 1 hour to create (whether it be in my sewing room, in the kitchen, with my camera, or even with Charlotte), and I hope to share more of those experiences/adventures on this blog in the next few weeks. After all, I need to open up my little girl's eyes to the world of creativity, right? I know it's right there... right at her fingertips.

Swinging and Smiling

2011-10-14T14:54:00.007+09:00

Dearest Charlie Wray,

Oh, how much has happened in the last month... but first, let me say, Happy 4 month "Gotcha Day" ! This month surely flew by, and I'm certain it had something to do with the fact that we were always on the go. We embarked on a huge journey this month, to the United States... and in that short amount time, you stepped foot in 2 countries (Japan and the US) and 6 states (California, Illinois, Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Texas).. whew! You received countless compliments throughout this whole month on what a wonderful little traveler you are. Both Da Da and I have to agree with all these compliments (even though it was Mama that did all the traveling with you!) You truly were meant to be our little Air Force brat... looking back (especially on our trip from Ukraine to South Korea) we would never have "pegged" you as being such a traveler, but now... after flight delays, missed connections, and long flights (your longest has been 14 hours)... you are one amazing traveler... never complained once. Who are you? Most little ones your age were terribly rotten on the plane, but not you my dear...

This month marked a HUGE happening... you became an AMERICAN CITIZEN... and we couldn't be more excited (except for the fact that we have TONS of paperwork to do now). Next stop is Social Security # and US Passport. Slowly but surely everything will get done. |

This month was the first time where you've been apart from Da Da for more than one day... He has been gone for schooling in the states, and every day you look for him. What's sad is how excited you get when Skype rings, because often he is on the other line, and you get to video chat with him. You've had a few days here and there, where Mama has had to rock you to sleep... We pray that you never feel like we're going to leave you... promise, Da Da being gone is only temporary. You're a strong girl though, and you're the best companion for Mama.

We can't forget to mention how much swinging you did this month... on toddler swings, on big girl swings, and even on tire swings... whenever there was ANY kind of swing in sight, you were swinging.

This was also the month that you FINALLY started to realize what the thing around Mama's neck all the time, is... a camera... yup, Mama's permanent accessory. As much as you hate looking up to smile, every now and again Mama caught your ridiculously adorable grin.

Every month you deliver something new to us Charlie Wray... what will month 5 bring? Hmm... I suppose we'll see soon enough.

Love,

Da Da and Mama

Dealing with the 'Lag

2011-10-14T09:55:00.003+09:00

There are a few different ways to deal with jet lag... Charlotte seems to think, that falling asleep while eating dinner will do the trick... and she's RIGHT! She slept all night (from 7:00pm -8 am) and seems to be adjusting nicely. This Mama, is relying on coffee instead...

Yes, I made sure I removed her last bite, before "tucking" her into bed... poor thing couldn't even finish chewing and swallowing...

29 compliments

2011-10-13T11:16:00.002+09:00

A few have wondered how my flight home was... and really, it was the worst flight(s) I could have been on... but, I've been home for 24 hours, and have been able to reflect on it. I was only supposed to have a 21 hour day, but instead it turned into a 30+ hour day- due to toilets not flushing (they realized this 2 hours into one of my flights, had to turn around-which took an additional 2 hours, and then they re-boarded us after fixing the plan 2 hours later) and an unexpected sleepover in Japan. But, we made it safely, and I received 29 compliments (yes, I counted... it was a game for this Mama) from other passengers/flight crew, that I have the BEST traveller as my child... and I would totally have to agree with them. Charlotte never once complained, and was completely content, even when this Mama was ready to break down. I'm pretty sure I hugged her and kissed her multiple times and thanked her for being such a great child. At one point, when I had a massive headache, she even "itchied my back" (her term for a back scratch) for me...

Thankfully, almost every terminal we waited in, had one of these across from it... to keep Mama sane.

Thankfully, on our long plane ride to Japan, our seat had a power outlet, so the little one had unlimited "Dora" and "Sesame Street" time...

After 30+ hours of travel... you use whatever you can to amuse yourself... my little one resorted to her socks.

You know she had a great night's sleep and then some, when she wakes up with a "rat's nest" of a hair do! She is such a trooper... Lets just say it took some time to comb that one out.

Not For Pepsi lovers...

2011-10-13T09:59:00.009+09:00

Before heading back to Korea, we spent the night in Atlanta to make it easier to get to the airport at 5 am... while in Atlanta, we HAD to check out Coca Cola World... even though there's TONS to see (we didn't have too long there). What a fascinating place... loved seeing all the old Coca Cola antiques, commercials, production line demonstration, and our favorite was definitely the "Taste It" area. It was amazing how many delicious different Coca Cola products, and it was amazing how horrible tasting others were... (there was a product out of Africa that smelled just like cat pee! I do not lie...)

As we were heading out, and made our way to the parking lot, we passed by a park, which in Charlotte's world, means "Stop! Need to check this place out" So glad that we did, because we "bumped" into friends that we met when in Ukraine. Catherine and her husband Travis were in Ukraine, while we were there, adopting their 2 little girls, Victoria and Francesca (making their child count to 6!). You can read about their story here. What precious little girls these two are, and to FINALLY be able to meet them, and hold them, was SUCH a gift. In just a few days, Catherine is going to be getting on a plane with them, to take them for much needed surgeries... if you feel so willing, please donate to help out! You can do that here... It was seriously, the best way to end our time in the states... but of course, saying farewell to Omi and Opa (and to Da Da) was uber difficult.

History Packed Day

2011-10-10T10:00:00.006+09:00

Our last day here in Montgomery, we headed to the historic district- where the Capital Building is, as well as the First White House of the Confederacy. We had beautiful weather to tour the area, andjust enjoyed all the history packed into one tiny location. It was the perfect way to end our time here in Alabama. Today we'll be heading to Atlanta for one last day with Omi and Opa, before we part our ways. Charlotte and I will head back to Korea on Monday... and Da Da will join us in a week back home... but, I don't want to think about that yet... so I'll just get offline a few more days... and you'll hear from me soon (unless my 24+ hour travel with a toddler kills me beforehand!)