Fail!

Today I was set on finally going to Dongdaemun... failed....
Feels like I'll never make it there!
I dropped Markus off at his School and set off to my adventure. I walked to the nearest subway station with the gigantic stroller "grrrr" should've taken the BabyBjorn. After walking through the biggest maze of walking down to the underground station.... stairs.... why, why so many!!! Half way up some nice haraboji helped me. I don't always get help so I was bowing like a good Korean would, Komapsumnida, komapsumnidaaaa...
When I was preggers with Olivia, at times I would be with Marky on one hand, the Mclaren stroller in another, the gigantic belly & groceries on whatever part of my arm I had left,  trying to go down to what seemed to me like the largest staircase ever, trying to get to the subway. You wouldn't believe, not one single person would offer to help. After the 1/2 hour that took me to get down, I stand in front of where you are supposed to, waiting for the train (after I missed like 4 that came by while I was trying to go down) People start cutting me off and sneaking in front of me... seriously!

In that sign pointing right at her must say; This B... just cut you off

In that sign pointing at her, must say; "This B.... just cut you off

                          Whatever lady, I'll let it slide...
              Meanwhile, why not enjoy the nice ads while I wait.

Sweeeeeet!

As soon as the door opens, nobody waits for the people inside to come out, everybody just fights it off, whomever gets in first gets the seats, no matter if you are preggers or not. There are signs that say this seat is for the preggers, this one for old people, etc... I mean, they even tell you how to sit & how you should hold your bag.

How to Seat...

None of that is gonna work if there are a gazillion people inside... ojo a ojo!


Another day I tried to take it during rush hour.... OMG..... The "Push-Men" exist!!! There are so many people during rush hour, that there are guys just pushing people in, so everybody fits. That's their job! Yes, they push pregnant ladies too... I'll just think he didn't really see my big pipa...

The same thing happens with elevators. There are electric stairs almost everywhere, but, for some reason,  they refuse to use them. They much rather stuff themselves in the elevator. It's not even "elbow rubbing" full, it's more like, "I can smell your breath" full. And if they can, they will push you in a little more. That, my friends, is not the worst. How would you feel inside an elevator that fits 10 at most, but it has 20 people inside, and suddenly.... Yes... it happened.... someone let one loose!!!  fooooooooo..... NOTHING worst than a kimchi fart... trust me!

Don't get upset my K.ppls.... this is it with the worst. There are far more the things that I like about Korea than the ones I don't & the smelly oopsies... ; ) 


After these last experiences in the subway with the belly & Marky, I stopped taking it. The rest of the pregnancy I took cabs & now, I mostly walk.

So today trying to outsmart my iPhone app Jihachul (awesome app) I took a different route than the one the app told me, thinking; what's wrong with this app??... my way is way faster... NOT!... The way the app told me to take, I had to make 2 train changes...the way I chose, I had to make only one. Obviously, If I'm gonna choose, I'm gonna go for the one that has the least changes, since I'm with the stroller and all. I was trying to switch from line 9 to line 1, but to make the switch you had to exit the station, walk a little outside and then take the line 1.

When I went outside I was at the Fish Market, being unsure of which direction to go, I followed my instincts and I did find the line 1!...but guess what... Stairs!!! If it only was the stairs this time, but my lovely stroller's back wheels are to wide and it wont fit trough the ticket booth... Oh the stairs, the stroller, the cold, the STARES... you know, with me being all glow in the dark.  Forget it... Dongdaemun will be another day.

So back I go to the crazy Bus Terminal Station & have lunch in what has become my regular cafeteria, Yummmy, yummy bulgogi would make any day, a great day! 

I ❤ this place!

I had a Bulgogi set...

After my delicious lunch, I walk back to pick up Marky who was in the greatest mood TG, and it started snowing! yaeyyy..... I <3 random snowflakes, so pretty! Not such a bad day after all! 

Dongdaemun... I WILL find you next time! : )

xoxo,

T.

Olivia's Baek-il

In Korea, the 100th Day after a Baby being born (Baek- il) is celebrated with a small feast.  Family members pray & give thanks for the baby's survival and health. Supposedly back in the day, a lot of babies didn't make it this far, due to lack of medical care, extreme temperature changes in Korea and other childhood related diseases.

At first, I wasn't gonna do anything, but then I started thinking why not. Just because it's just us, doesn't mean we can't celebrate our baby, her health & what's tradition. Let's just say, I don't need many excuses to bake me a cake & have a party. : )
I may have not done it the right way (with the praying & the 100 rice cakes) but God knows I pray for my kids every day... I'm sure he's watching out for them.  : )

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Marky said, "She's like a Princess"... <3... I think so too.. : )

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I'm proud to say I did the ordering of the rice cake!!!! It was the prettiest I've seen & really, really good!

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The cake I made. I ran out of Icing so i couldn't do the roses I wanted... : (  It's so hard to find confectioners sugar here. All I found was tiny bags of 100g, a small box of Domino's  is 453g... You know how many of these small bags I need... a lot! 

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Markus <3 Hyeah!

Yeayyy... It wasn't just us! 

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Finally all together!

Olivia's Baek-il was the same day as Three Kings Day or Epiphany. This is a very special day for Puerto Ricans, specially for kids. You are supposed to collect grass and put it in a small box under the bed , so the camels would eat it and in return they leave a gift. 

OK...... truth is... I forgot the grass!!!! So hard keeping up with all these traditions, also there is no grass here, it's all dried up! Still, apparently my kids were so good, they still got a gift! ; )

Or was he so good?!?!... This Pocky thief of mine!

And as it was in my home when I was growing up, the Three Kings are poorer than Santa, so the gift is much smaller.... : ) 

You don't know how happy a book makes my kid! : )

Reading to Woody <3

Her first book.... Olivia!!!!! : )

Y colorin colorado..... este cuento ha acabado! 

Till next time! : )

Fun for me!

"Time you enjoy wasting is not a waste of time"... by John Lennon : )

Who knows me well, knows I'm all about crafts. To me, there is nothing more gratifying than enjoying something I made or giving it as a gift. I tend to my kids & the little free time I have, I'll spend it crafting or baking. It makes me happy. : )

So browsing online for Olivia's Baek-Il, I got a little inspired by a baby's breath garland I saw & here Is what I made.

 I used Origami paper, brown paper bags & some old Crane cards I had left without the envelopes. I cut the bird shapes without the need of a template, but here I found one you can download & print. : )

I did not have nor I found, fabric coated wire, floral snips, or a small hole punch, like the materials listed in the how to here said.  I used regular scissors, twist ties & I did the wholes with a thick needle. 

Very happy with the end result! : )

These I did for the Cake & the cupcakes. 

 Super easy to make, super cute & super fun. From now on, I won't buy any commercial decorations for my kids birthday's for sure. Marky's B.Day coming soon.... can't wait! 

I'll do a post on the Baek-Il & how it all came out soon. I still have to upload the pictures. : ) 

Olivia is 100 days!!!

Today is Olivia's 100th day with us (Baek il).  It's Korean Tradition to celebrate a baby's 100th Day of being born.  I have to admit, I love all these extra excuses I get here to do a little celebration! : )

When Markus turned 100 days, we went to NY (we lived in PR).  His Mom & Sister threw a little dinner party to celebrate & have the rest of the family meet him.

preparing the food for the Baek il

How cute Marky, he was so little!

The food was delicious! baek il

The rice cake. Baek il

A regular cake.

111 Days, because we did it a 11 days late : ).... pretty cute!

100 Days celebration

Even though we're not having our family over & we won't have 100 people to give rice cakes to  (hopefully she will still have a long life). We will most definitely celebrate! She has been such blessing & brought so much joy to our life. <3

Happy 100th day Olivia!

Happy 100 days Livy, we love you! I will try my very best, to do something special, just for us. I hope I can make my Mother in Law proud. I'll post pics over the weekend : )

xoxo

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year Everybody!
We didn't do anything special. We just watched the current Korean Drama we're on. We stopped it ten minutes before midnight, turned TV on MBC, and watch the countdown. Nothing special, It was over so fast.




Did some "Skyping", with my siblings & Mom, a friend from college... "Yeayyy for all of this". Don't get to Skype with my Mom to often, since there's no Wi-Fi where she lives. (country side, think rain forest).




I haven't had time to do any posts lately, but I will do some this week. Markus started preschool Yesterday & Olivia has been waking up every two hours again... grrppp....

first day at school in Korea

She must be going trough a growth spurt. I am exhausted.
Sean takes care of Marky on mornings, (I do Olivia all night) but now days, I have to wake early too.  Make Oatmeal, Olivia feed, dress Markus, her, 20,000 layers.... myself, like a crazy lady, since I'm already late, walk him to school (at the 2 year old pace) drop him off, wonder around for two hours (the first week), come back, deal with "sir-cries-a-lot", feed him lunch, Olivia feed, a little argument for Marky to go to nap, Olivia nap, start dinner, Markus finally on a nap, She wakes up, feed, Marky up, feed him & so goes on..... I feel I'm always hungry & never have time to eat, only on weekends when Sean's around.....
The worst part is the two hours I have to wait for him. It's not enough time to do anything. If I walk back home, by the time I'm here, I have to go back. If I walk to Shinsegae (mall), same thing. If I take a cab there, because of traffic, by the time I'm there I have to come back again. I have to just sit at a cafe, I guess is the best option with this cold weather, but I feel is such a waste of time. I guess I should enjoy my two hours of quiet, but I'll be honest, I miss his loud voice, always singing, always whining, always telling me no, for everything. Well that's him, and I love him. : )
I'm sure next week will be easier. Looking forward to it!

xoxo