happy new year!

The hubz and I said goodbye to 2011 with a movie marathon in our pj's at home. We said hello to 2012 by going to sleep! It's so much harder staying up as you get older, no?! Johnny and I were tired even before 10 pm, it's pretty amazing that we stayed up til midnight.

New Year's Day was spent with our new church family for our Sunday morning gathering. From there, we had to jet off to the mountain to go see my in-laws, where my MIL prepared the Korean traditional new year celebratory food, dduk gook. Yum! We couldn't stay there too long because we had to go to our next stop - my uncles house.

I don't get to see my extended very often, but New Year's Day seems to be a pretty big deal for our family. I got to see my little cousins... I guess, not so little anymore since they all look older than me now!

We sae bae (or bow) to my uncles and aunts to show respect and wish them lots of good and new fortune. As kids, we were given some words of wisdom and then some casholla! Now that I'm "older and married" no more cash. :(

My momma with 2 of her brothers.

Then, off to grandma's house! This year, we didn't get to see my dad's side of the family, but of course we had to see my grandma! We picked her up, then off to get a late night snack!

Our family spent the rest of the night playing a traditional Korean game, that's usually played on New Year's Day called yootnori. My mom was going nuts and I think it scared the hubz a lil bit, to be honest. She was seriously having the time of her life.

My older sister cleaned us out and won both tournament style games. Next year, IT'S ON! I'm gonna have to practice throwing the sticks in the air!

While playing this game til midnight with my family, I realized that I missed my other grandma. She really loved this game. My mom shared with us yesterday as we were playing that she remembers being a little girl in Korea and watching her mom (a.k.a., my grandma) playing this game with all her aunts and uncles into the wee hours of the night.

It was a busy day for us, but I spent it the perfect way. With my church family, with my in-law family, and my extended family. A great, great, great way to start 2012.

새해 복 많이 받으세요 - (Sae hae bok, mah he bad duh sae yo). - Just in case you want to impress someone with your Korean skillz.