Tag Archives: US

Oh Christmas Tree

“For every year the Christmas tree,
Brings to us all both joy and glee.
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
Much pleasure doth thou bring me!”

Did you brave the black Friday sales this year? If you were brave enough, I hope you got some incredible deals!

You know, as crazy as it may sound, I always looked forward to black Fridays. It really wasn’t because of the sales. It was because I got to spend time with family. We crazily braved the crowds together and shopped until we dropped. This is the second year that we missed getting to shop with my dear mother-in-law. I still get visions of the SUV packed so full that we couldn’t even see out of the back window and giggle, clearly we were a road hazard.

After the shopping excursion we’d go home, Mr. B would crash, and I’d be completely wired from the shopping high, so I’d decorate the entire house with all of our Christmas swag. No room was off-limits, even the bathroom had some holly leaves and berries!

The Saturday after Thanksgiving Bean and I Christmatized our home with a teeny tiny Christmas tree. I just couldn’t help myself!

When Mr. B and I started to travel abroad together, we started the tradition of collecting an ornament/ thing we could place on our Christmas tree from each country that we visited. The ornaments were just begging to be properly displayed, plus twinkle lights make me swoon. Yes, it was settled! A Christmas tree was needed to continue on with our holiday traditions.

Speaking of holiday traditions…To Bean I guess it really doesn’t matter what size the tree is, as long as she can squeeze at least some part of her body under it.

Crank up those holiday tunes and enjoy the weekend!

Winter Kimchi

As you can tell, we are huge fans of Korean cuisine, we like to think of ourselves as foodies. So much so that my grandfather joking said when we come home for the holidays they can prepare Sauerkraut or sour cabbage in our honor if we’d like. Isn’t he just a little comedian? HA-HA!

As we continue to travel around Asia we try various kimchi’s. Each with its own distinctive taste. Region to region will differ in taste with what ingredients they use, even family to family differs with their own little touches or traditions. I’ve often thought how fun it would be to make our own kimchi while we lived here with all the ingredients so easily at our fingertips. In the end I’d convince myself that there was no way, the kimchi business has got to be a complicated one! Plus the thought of the word fermentation scared me!

Earlier this month I saw an advertisement for expats to learn how to prepare winter kimchi, or Gimjang. I couldn’t let the opportunity pass me by. I immediately signed myself up and told a few friends too.

At work the ladies were discussing weekend plans. I quietly added in that I’d be making kimchi. They all stopped and said, KIMCHI? Us too! Mind you these were my Korean co-workers. Yes, they too would be making kimchi with their families to have enough to make it through the winter months. Of course they insisted that I bring in my kimchi for them to all taste. Okay, I agreed. EEK! Pressure! Nothing like feeding the staple food of the Korean culture to older Korean woman who have been preparing the stuff all of their lives.

I asked why the kimchi was such a big deal in the fall/winter months? I mean, why couldn’t you just make it in the summer and spring too? I found out that years ago the vegetables that are needed to make winter kimchi were only available in the fall/winter months. Basically if you didn’t get yourself together and prepare your kimchi during the gimjang months you and your family were not going to have any kimchi until the following spring.

Today the vegetables are readily available throughout the year, however Korean’s are big on tradition and their heritage. It’s one thing that I really admire about their culture, quite refreshing to know somethings are not lost as their family continues to grow into the future.

In class we had the basic ingredients needed to make our winter kimchi. Baechu (napa cabbages), moo (radish), pa (green onion), garlic, sesame seeds, Korean red pepper, sea salt, and brined shrimp.

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While we didn’t get to prepare the beginning steps of the kimchi process due to time constraints, we did get to pick up at the fun part! Stuffing the kimchi!

Yes, we filled, smeared and stuffing our cabbage leaves. We were instructed to stuff as much as one leaf can hold between each leaf. Once we stuffed our entire cabbage we had to tuck it under and wrap it up with one long outer leaves. The wrap completed our process of making one whole head of napa kimchi.

We learned that the most important part of winter kimchi was the storing of the final product. To allow for proper fermentation, gimjang kimchi is best kept near 0℃ with little temperature fluctuation. Years ago, Korean men would dig large holes in the ground so that the kimchi jars could be covered and buried. Today, almost all Korean households have two refrigerators. One refrigerator is just your average everyday one and the other is used exclusively for kimchi storage, or in our case used to store wine and other adult beverages.

I love that I’ll get to look back at these pictures and remember all of the fun I had learning how to make kimchi in South Korea. I giggle looking at the photos of my two girlfriends too. No matter what the environment is we always have a great time, love surrounding myself with people like that!

Now, If you’ll all excuse me, I’ve got to go invest in lock & lock container, seal all the kimchi smell into the container and not our refrigerator.

Day of Thanks

“To make bread or love, to dig in the earth, to feed an animal or cook for a stranger – these activities require no extensive commentary, no lucid theology. All they require is someone willing to bend, reach, chop, stir. Most of these tasks are so full of pleasure that there is no need to complicate things by calling them holy. And yet these are the same activities that change lives, sometimes all at once and sometimes more slowly, the way dripping water changes stone. In a world where faith is often construed as a way of thinking, bodily practices remind the willing that faith is a way of life”. ~ Barbara Brown Taylor

Today, I started my Thanksgiving morning off reading this quote. To me there was so much meaning in it. I couldn’t do anything but smile and ponder.

I continued my morning laying in bed much later than I typically do, smiling, pondering, enjoying blogs, news articles, photos, all of others sharing their gratitude for loved ones, delicious holiday feasts, health, family Thanksgiving traditions, you know…all the things we tend to get very mushy gushy over these times of the year. (Don’t worry, there is nothing wrong with that! I’m mushy gushy too!)

I always love working the days that lead up to the big holidays. I don’t know about you, but I feel like I boast and exhale so much positive energy during these times! I feel like it affects everyone. I see it in my co-workers as they inhale and exhale it too! This then affects the customers that we serve, they feed off all of the holiday buzz, even being so far away from loved ones here in South Korea. They are cheerful, more understanding, friendlier. What an incredibly intoxicating feeling! A holiday high! But why, why do we need the holidays to feel like this? To be reminded of the simple everyday things we take for granted? (Don’t worry, I’m guilty of this too, a work in progress).

Continuing my pondering from bed this Thanksgiving morning, I cant help but think of all the many whispered prayers on this day of thanks, including mine. These Prayers will consist of many thanks, personal pleas for guidance and help, prayers of recognition to a higher power, our inner cores, our dear loved ones (to include our pet companions), friends, and the planet that unites us all together in one way or another.

Family, friends, enjoy your day! Please remember, give thanks, take all that mushy gushing and make something of it! Give back! Pay it forward somehow and someway.

…

We are so blessed and thankful to have met the G family while living in South Korea. This marks our second year getting to carry on the Thanksgiving dinner tradition together. This year they so graciously opened up their home to us! We couldn’t imagine passing up the opportunity to spend time with them and enjoy their sweet little munchkins too.

Now bring on that homemade cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie! (You should know by now, I’ve always got my mind, and sweet-tooth, on the most important parts of the meal) Dessert!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Take Time

“Don’t forget to take time to smell the roses…”

When is the last time that you stopped and smelled the roses?

I don’t know about you, but for the most part I get so wrapped up here with living life and work that I forget to simply stop and smell the roses. Forgetting those things that make me happy because I feel I can get to them another time. Nine times out of ten I never take the time to loop back around to those things.

Why?

Do I feel guilty taking the time to enjoy those things? Yes.

Why?

Good question! I have every opportunity to, I am encouraged to… so why? Ugh…

We are told so often by our elders that life will slip right by you so quickly. That we need to seize all of the moments that we can. Take the time to enjoy ourselves a bit.

Where I am going with this?

Well, with Thanksgiving only a few days away it’s important not only to serve others and put them first, but also never forget to take a break from time to time and do a few things for yourself too.

This morning on my elevator ride to down to the parking garage with my husband, I too was reminded that sometimes a person just needs to stop and smell the roses from time to time. That person might have a non-stop crazy work schedule, a full course load with school, miss a night of sleep from time to time…If there is a will, there is a way… they figure out a way to keep enjoying the things that make them happy.

I think I really relate to Paul in Colossians 4:1-18. “Although I may be in chains my heart is free!”

Today after work, I bought myself some beautifully colored Fall flowers, Then I took a few minutes to stop and smell the roses…or mums in this case.

Oh, if you didn’t notice played around with some photo editing fun too!

Thanks beebs.

Foodie Pen Pal

This month I took a chance and decided to try a foodie pen pal program.

What fun!

I’m so glad that I did! I had a blast gathering up all my Korean treats and sending it out to my Pen Pal to experience. I too was just as eager to see what was making its way over from the states for me.

This month my foodie pen pal sender was Melissa from Quincy, IL. Melissa was so sweet! She sent me a wonderfully articulated card explaining everything she included in her package.

So what was all included you ask?

Melissa decided that she wanted to share her local delicacies with me.

Salsa, mixed nuts, handmade dish towels, some of her favorite hot teas, Sesame sticks, and some other little yummy things.

I could hardly contain myself when I opened the package, I instantly had to Melissa a thank you back.

I cannot wait to see who I get to linked up with in October after such a great experience!

Labor Day Weekend

We survived the typhoon. I apologize for not updating and posting that in a more timely manner. Most of the storm took it’s toll on the southern portion of the peninsula. Thankfully it wasn’t nearly as bad as they had predicted it to be. Unfortunately there were some casualties, our hearts and prayers go out to their families.

I can’t believe I’m saying this already, Friday was the “unofficial” last day of the summer. Labor Day marks we Americans last chance to extend everything we love about the summer months, i.e. wearing white pants, throwing Backyard BBQ’s, doing yard work, watching fireworks, getting in the last beach trips of the season, and the best for last, just our patriotic excuse to get together with family and friends.

Labor Day is quite different in Korea… For starters it’s a US holiday and is not recognized in the Korean culture. The typical patriotic feel from past years being at home isn’t quite there as well.

That’s okay! We took full advantage of the downtime and extended weekend. We quickly realized that it’s you who creates the mood and feel for each holiday or celebration. Near, far, wherever you are. Hope you were able to make the most of it too!

We drove to the East Coast. It seriously looked like Seattle, don’t you agree?

Mr.B enjoyed multiple days of scuba diving.

I tagged along too, read the entire book my best friend sent me in my birthday package. (Thanks again B)

Dug my toes into the sand.

Played with this cute little guy on the beach, well..until it bit me…Eek!

Watched the surfers in the waves, secretly wanting to join…maybe ill work the nerve up sometime in my life.

Ahhh… there is just something so relaxing about the beach!

Speaking of summer lasts… I enjoyed what I believe may be my last potbingsu…

on the beach…

in white short…

Just kidding, I had jean shorts on. Talk about almost enjoying the apoditimy of summer in one sitting. All that was missing was the hum of lawn mowers, the smells of freshly cut grass and burgers on the grill lofting in the air, and fireworks lighting up the sky. For the moment I was reminded of home.

We did grill out the first night at the beach. Our friend Alan is a master grill sergeant! He used a rustic Korean grill..I should have snapped pictures to share with you. When I say rustic I’m talking really, really, rustic. No complaints here, he grilled up really tasty chicken kabobs and we are still alive to tell the tale, HA-HA! I think you would have enjoyed it too, perhaps next time you can join us?

The second night we “grilled” I use the word in quotes because techincally yes we did grill, however we did it at a Korean BBQ restaurant. Hey! It counts, right? We had a blast story telling and enjoying good food with our friends.

The weather was much cooler these past few days. There is a real sense of Fall in the air. The humidity is slowly moving out of the weather forecast too. You think the weather stopped these diehard divers? Nope. wet suits and smiles is all I witnessed getting on and off the dive boats each day.

Happy Labor Day!

Grab the map coordinates here .

One More Sleep

Until my best childhood best-friend arrives in Korea for a visit. By best-friend I mean the kind of friend who would go all the way to KOREA to visit you. I’m so blessed to have the most amazing people in my life.

I cannot express how excited I am for her to be here! I think I’m just excited to share all the things that Mr.B and I fell in love with since moving here. Most of all just having her to make me feel sane, have that familiarity and major part of my US life with me again.

AhHH!! One whole week!

I’m envisioning lots of exploring, shopping, touring, eating, oh and we signed up for a Korean cooking course to do too!

Look out Korea! You are in for it 🙂

Crannies

Just some crannies of our South Korean life according to that little iPhone of mine 😉

1. Can it really be?! Bits of green and teeny flowers springing up!

2.These two obviously up to no good...

3. From the snow storm this week

4.The snow-covered mountain view from my work

5.Peaceful sunset over the subway station

6.mMMmm Chilsung Cider. We may or may not be a little overly obsessed. Plus it's still served in a glass bottle what's not to love?!

7. Always a blast sharing our favorite chicken place with good friends

8. Hmmmm.....

9.Miss Beanicus Maximus go-to position, laying on anything I'm working on

10.No post can be complete without including a picture of the light, fluffy, Korean strawberry cream cake I enjoyed this week