Not the Stinky Kids

Here's the boys taking a bath. Their clothes might stink, but I try my best to keep the bugs off them. I am so impressed with the bathrooms in this apartment. It's all tile everywhere with a drain in the floor under the sink (you can barely see it just right of the stool) Let's say.... IF a kid... or two, are prone to making a mess and "accidentally" get water outside of the tub - NO WORRIES, it goes right down the drain! And the tubs are really deep. If I were a bath person I guess that would be a plus, but only showers for me. And... we have been able to lower the shower head for the boys and we're teaching them to shower on their own! Could it be possible? A day when I say "get ready for bed" and they shower and brush their teeth all on their own?

One day I will miss it.

Hello Kitty Krazy

I was told Brad's hair would be popular. I was warned the people here will want to touch him. I've seen them stare. I've witnessed all the grabbing and waving.

Today, a girl picked him up and carried him off - right in front of me!

We were at the park tonight and I was standing right under the playground equipment. These older girls were squealing and pointing like he was a rock star. It caused so much attention a lady who was bilingual came over to tell me what they were saying. They finally got up and were on the playground equipment trying to chase them and corner the boys. I felt so bad for them ten feet above my head. They tried their best English asking for their name. I told Brad to say "hello" in Korean and he did. They went CRAZY with delight. The girl who picked him up was a teenager. It turns out she was carrying him over to show her friends. She didn't mean any harm, but my heart dropped!

I am going to have to learn some polite Korean for please don't try to kidnap my youngest child. Cole was cute trying to protect him. He got between them and Brad and kept saying "no, no, no" The girls were excited he was talking to them.

Interesting night. I guess I will have to become the rude American. So far several people have come to the door, but I refuse to answer when Keith's not home. I know they hear us and they stay at the door for at least 3 minutes... just ringing (actually there's a camera at the door, so I can see them and it plays a cute little chime song. All of the electronics play a cute song. A pretty chime when the dishes are done, a happy song when the wash is finished. So much nicer then those awful buzzers back in the States. "BUZZ YOUR CLOTHES ARE DRY") I think it's so you will want to open the door and be pleasant to the strange man standing there. Sorry Charlie.

So far we know how to say hello/goodbye: Ahn-nyong ha-say-yo!
We know the name of our apartments : Pus-co
And we know what the elevator says when it gets to our floor: Sham Shing Mada

That's about it. I keep asking Keith over and over how to say please and thank you, but I keep forgetting. I took 4 years of Spanish lessons to tackle that small feat. We'll see how much I can learn in 11 months. Now, I'm off to tuck in my boys and deadbolt my door. Crazy Rude American.

The Stinky Family

Today I tried to tackle the laundry. Keith showed me how to operate the new washer/dryer in our apartment. It's pretty complicated. The dryer takes all day - not kidding. It took us all day to finish ONE load. A friend here told me that she just takes hers to the laundry mat on base once a week. Sounds simple enough. I loaded up the van with clothes and kids and left. What a horrible idea.

I got three loads started and took the boys outside to run around while we waited. However, people smoke like it's going out of style over here. And, I suddenly remembered I was allergic to cigarette smoke. My nose became a faucet, and was was sneezing so often I couldn't yell at the boys for nearly running in the hole the construction crew was digging. We headed inside and then I got a stomach ache. I proceeded to use the restroom, only to find out as I was leaving, it was the men's. The boys were fighting, Brad fell off the chair and hit his head on the floor, they cried for everything in the vending machines, there was no a/c, and the changer wouldn't take my perfectly straight five dollar bill. To think of doing this every week makes me want to cry. There has to be another way. Until I figure it out, we will be known as the stinky family wearing the same dirty clothes for weeks straight.




Day two of laundry at the Mat on base. This time I enlisted help. He put Brad to sleep and made sure I stayed out of the men's room. Thanks honey! Please notice the sweat on Cole's head and on Keith's shirt. I'm not kidding when I say it was HOT in there!

Mama Llama at Shoparama

What a crazy world we live in. This is where we went on Sunday. A six level Costco. Really, 4 levels were parking so they didn't have too much more than the average store in America. We did find out the hard way they only accept a Samsung card (which we didn't have). After about 3 hours there we left with new tires, vitamins, a bathmat, gummy bears, and steering wheel cover. And you thought only in America.




I was very tempted by this little beauty. A Korean Dyson!! It was so small. And expensive. The DC22 Animal.

Our next stop to visit:

Keith says it's like six Super Wal-Marts all under one roof. I know I should be exploring the country and taking advantage of the history that surrounds us, but I find this fascinating. I'll get to the learning stuff later. Oh, I did get a new Puma bag (real, sorry Keith) and a new Bvlgari watch (fake). It was such an experience getting the watch. We had to tell her a "friend" sent us. She pulled them out from behind her refrigerator and kept an eye out for The Law. It was very rushed and hush hush. I'll let you know if my arm turns green next month. Then I'll be taking orders ;-)

Calgon, Take Me Away

I can't make this up. This is my life. This is what I clean on a daily basis. I don't know why they have so much energy and make such big messes. I can't figure out how to stop it without locking them in small cages.



If you ever find me banging my head against a rock, this is why:

They are pretty cute. Even covered in Spaghetti dinner. Where was I you ask? The bathroom. This occured in 2 minutes flat.

Ahhh... that's more like it

On the other hand.... it looks like the boys have made themselves right at home.

Quick Recap of our week:

Sunday Night: Arrived in Korea
Monday: Not much sleeping. Brad stayed up ALL night long. In processing on base. Ration Cards, Enrolled in DIBS, Visas, SOFA stamps, Home Plus trip, Played in water fountains, toured local park
Tuesday: Less sleep. Commissary trip. Keith made the comment that the boys should NEVER go to the store again and we should work out a system of going when he's off work. Sounds great, but does he remember that I've been doing solo grocery shopping with them for 5 years now? Drove the Van for the first time, not too shabby!
Wednesday : Dropped Keith off at a meeting and drove around for 40 minutes looking for a parking spot at the BX. If I didn't have a sleeping child, I would have walked from the apartment faster. Came home boys refused to nap. Brad colored on the couch. Finished unpacking
Thursday: Laid low, hit a wall, must sleep

Sleepy Me

I **think** it's Thursday. When I worked for Southwest, I wore a watch all the time. In fact, it was part of our required uniform. I looked at the watch more often then most people. I couldn't live without a watch. I guess times have changed. When we left on Saturday, I went to the airport without a watch. I don't even own one anymore. It's so sad how much I've relied on my cell phone, car, and just sitting at home to be able to tell what time it is. So after a 24 hour flight and landing at who knows what time... my body clock was OFF!

Since I've been here, I haven't been able to tell what time it is anywhere! (All of our appliances are in Korean, so we can't set the clocks) Not a problem for the man with a watch, but I've been lost! I went to the BX and got the cheapest one I could find. Keith promises me a new fancy one. I'm pretty sure he's thinking he can get away with a knock off. Silly Husband.

Now that I know what time it is, we are slowly adjusting our schedules to this new time zone. The boys are taking it hard, and I'm taking it harder. I am so tired. I'm sure the boys will be excited once I'm rested and less grouchy. I will be when they are less whiny and crabby too. Poor Keith. He was living the dream till we showed up. Nobody warned him of the adjustment he had to go through again. I'm sure he was so excited to see us. Now we're all angry bears who would just like to eat him alive for being so chipper and well rested. Seriously, this phase alone is totally making me reconsider having more children. I forgot how mean I was without sleep. I'm meaner than normal. And if I notice it, you KNOW to watch out! Everyone here says it takes 2 weeks to become completely acclimated. Let's hope we all survive another 11 days of this!