Happy Mommy Day!

Happy Mother's Day to all the mommas out there! We had a busy weekend celebrating the moms in our lives. First stop, was our visit to the MIL in the mountains, and then dinner to celebrate my mom AND my sis!



My sis is celebrating her first Mother's Day with bebe Carrier coming sometime in July. I can't wait to sMOTHER another baby!
 

My MIL and my mom are best friends and I grew up with John's mom always around. I loved her like a 2nd mom even before she became my MIL. My mom's other bff is also very important to John and me. She is the wisest woman ever and John and I love her like a 3rd mom. On Saturday, we were able to see all 3 lovely ladies. Twas a busy but fun day. 

To all the moms - Y'all have the hardest job in the entire world. Cheers to you.

mommy & me time

As I spend more time with my momma, I can tell she's getting old, which makes me want to spend even more time with her!  It's often hard to be patient with her because I am her "go to" person for everything, since we live 2 minutes away. But there are days when I just want to hang with her.

With my last week of freedom, before being engulfed in getting my classroom ready, I wanted to go visit my grams!  We don't go as often as we like, since we know she lives in heaven with our heavenly Father!  But once in a while, it's nice to sit next to her tombstone, remember her, and think about meeting her again in the new heavens and the new earth!

I tried to work on my tan but it was so ridiculously hot, we only could handle it for about 5 minutes.  We decided to just leave her flowers and skid-addle.

Our next stop, Home Depot! My mom's favorite place ever. She kept on saying, "This place is better than Disneyland!"  She has wanted a power saw for a while.  I know nothing about power saws, but I helped her pick one out for her crazy gardening needs.

She's seriously hardcore, no?

happy birthday, bro

Last weekend we celebrated my bro-in-law's 3_th birthday at the amazing Terranea Resort in Ranchos Palos Verdes.  Well, actually, my sis and bro were there for the weekend and we just crashed their party for a quick lunch and a major photo session.

The resort is, seriously, UH-mazingly beautiful.  Even the drive up to Palos Verdes is gorgeous.  When I was younger, our family called that amazing city our home and I guess I was too young to appreciate it.  But this weekend, as we drove on the windy road overlooking the ocean and cliffs, I was in awe of God's handiwork.

What a great way to spend the weekend, no?! Happy birthday to the best bro in the world!!!!!  He is the kindest, sweetest, most generous brother anybody can ask for.  He is total Gangnam style!  Happy birthday, hyungboo.

korea - day 8

I said day 7 was our last full day, but I guess technically day 8 was our last day. 

Did you know everything in Korea can delivered?! Not only the regular pizza delivery, but things like McDonald's, your dry cleaning, all the Korean food you can imagine!  Since we were so busy meeting friends and wandering around Seoul, we never got a chance to order in!  So, our last day there, my aunt ordered us nangmyeon - one of my faves when I'd go visit them on the weekends!



I don't know if it's extra delish because it's delivered or because it was in Korea... I have no idea, but it's just soooo good!

We just ate and relaxed until we had to head out to COEX to check in our stuff and catch the bus out to Incheon airport. Thanks to my elderly mother, who looked at the wrong time on our itinerary, we were 2 hours early. Ha! We ended up just wandering around the COEX (mall), shopped some more, and ate more (surprise, surprise).
 

Korean Chinese food

Mochi cream

Macarons

   

Waffle sandwich

Finally got on the bus to the airport, and then from there it's all a blur. I was wayyyy tired.

 We got to the airport and ATE AGAIN! We have major problems...

In the morning, I made sure I went to 7-11 to get some yummy rice triangles for the plane ride home! They cost about 80 cents and it's a perfect little snack.  I was supposed to save them but I ended up eating it in the food court with my jjampong.


 

Finally on the plane and ready to go home!  Just a normal day with my mom and sister - Sister being weird and mom telling us to shut up so she can sleep.

 

As we waited to take off I opened up the Asiana airline magazine to find this!  It's written in Japanese so I have no idea what it says, but I could read the M Burger caption!  My friend Minki's (ex) restaurant!  Super cool!  Super proud.

Like all normal humans, I hate airplane food.  (Main reason for buying those rice triangles).  I especially hate bibimbap.  For those of you who have flown on any Korean airline, you know that they always serve bibimbap. BLEHK!  I would have to say Asiana's bibimbap is worse than Korean Air's. Yuck.  So when they presented us with the menu for our flight home, I was pleasantly surprised to see that they were not serving bibimbap!



 

The first meal served - pork wrapped in leafy greens aka bossam.  It was actually really good! The second meal was actually good too - Pork & kimchi stir fry over rice.

So, now I'm back home in the good ol' USA!  

Korea trip high:  I would say the 8 days were awesome because I got to explore Korea with my lil sister. (I stole most of her instagram pictures). We've been in Korea together when we met there flying in from other Asian countries, but we've never visited our motherland together for a vacation.

No matter where we went, people stared.  Not at me, at her!  She's the darkest Korean you will ever meet, and in a country where everyone avoids the sun like vampires, she stands out like a sore thumb.  It didn't help that she gave them something to stare at by talking really loudly in English or dancing in the subway.  She's crazy! And in a country where no one talks to strangers, we had random convos with curious people in the subway, elevator, and on the street. There was never a dull moment. Good times.  Wished my older sis could have been there too. 

Korea trip low: Not seeing Big Bang! WTH!





On a more serious note - Korea trip low: Saying bye to our adorable cousins, loving aunt, and super generous uncle.  We only see each every several years and saying bye to them is so hard. I love them so much!  They are the main reason I love going to Korea.

I already miss Korea. I know, I'm crazy but I love it there!  I can't wait to go back with my Johnny, one day, Lord-willing!  But until then, Kpop will continue to play all day at our house. Ha! Johnny thinks I'm insane, for real!  I torture him with music he hates until he takes me back - BEST IDEA EVER.

korea - day 7

Day 7, our last full day in Korea. By this time, Jenny and I were so tired from walking everywhere, dealing with the heat, and adjusting to the time difference. All we wanted was a mellow day but my mom wanted to see a few other things before heading back home. So, our "mellow" day was spent walking around Seoul with the momma.

 But first, I had another friend to meet at Caffe Bene (again)!

 

Meet Jacob! He was a fellow English teacher out in Korea when I was here. He introduced me to the Korean gym and would force me to work out; what a great friend.  After working out, we'd often grab dinner together. I didn't have very many friends in Korea, let alone English speaking friends, so it was nice sharing a meal with another English speaking human. He'd try his best to get me to go out to Seoul with him, until he realized I was a major hermit. :) He is still living in Korea and now is married and has an adorable chunkster son, Jude.

Said bye-bye to Jacob, then I was off to meet my mom and sis in Myoungdong. MYOUNGDONG, my fave place in Korea!




It's stinking crowded, like everywhere in Korea, but it's so much fun! Random cart vendors, great shopping stores like Zara, Uniqlo, Skin Food, and amazing street food!  It also has my favorite place - the ear piercing kiosk. This kiosk is run by this oppa that has been there forever. Whenever I am in Korea I go to the kiosk. It's just so fun to go back to the same place and I was so curious to see if the oppa was old, fat, and bald now! Ha! My cousin, who has gone with me before, was curious too! So was Jenny! He's our earring guy! But no earring guy this year because the huge mall (where he has his kiosk) was CLOSED! They close every other Monday. I didn't get the memo. So sad. Maybe next time. :(

Jenny and I rode the subway back out to the boonies aka Gwacheon, where my aunt and uncle live, while my mom stayed out there to meet her friends.

As soon as we got home, we went out to our last dinner in Korea. Our aunt took us to an "American" style buffet and we stuffed our face.

 *Side note: They had all you can eat bibimbap, which I thought was interesting. I, personally, do not like bibimbap but I thought it was an interesting concept. Grab the veggies you want for bibimbap, maybe a new restaurant concept in CA?!

Moving on, that was the end of our final day in Korea!

Day 7 weather - Hot and sticky. No surprise there.

Day 7 high - Spending the day with my mom. While in Korea with her I can see that she's (noticeably) getting older. I can see a lot of my grandma in her... It was nice spending time with her, shopping in Myoungdong.

Day 7 low - Myoungdong mall closed. BAH! No ear piercing guy!

korea - day 5

By day 5 I was exhausted! But that didn't stop me from enjoying my time here!  We had another busy day starting off with a quick trip to Insadong.



 
 
 



 


 


 

We had a traditional lunch at a place that specialized in gaechang, a marinated raw crab dish that can be made spicy or with soy sauce. Then, off to the crazy street to do more shopping and people watching.

There are so many foreigners here I think I heard more Japanese and English than Korean. It was fun walking down this street, seeing all the goods that the street vendors were selling, looking at cheesy Korean souvenirs, and of course, my favorite - eating all the random goodies. We had some coconuts, ice cream, and hoduk! When you're on vacation everything is zero calories, right?!

 


 

**Isn't this car the cutest thing ever?! I'd trade my mini in for this any day.

After Insadong, we went to EMART my fav place in Korea! It's like a Costco, Target, mall, department store all wrapped up into one. By this time I was seriously feeling like death. Super tired and in need of a nap! But I had places to go, people to see!

Next stop - to meet up with the preschool teachers where I used to work. It was sooooo nice to catch up with them, chat, and laugh about everything and anything. I realized my Korean is way sucky now, but we managed with Konglish and hand gestures!



 HA! Koreans! So concerned to make sure she has a peace sign that she doesn't even realize she's covering my face! Ha! The Korean teachers work so much harder than the English teachers!  It's insane. 

 

Attempt 2 - much better.

Day 5 weather - You guessed it, hot and sticky.

Day 5 high - Emart!  I know that sounds really dorky but it's so much fun!  I stocked up on oil pastels for my class for $3 each package.  What a steal for a pack of 20 colors!  I also had the best time visiting the taste tester counters. Delish Korean food. Yummers.

Another high - spending time with my mom in Korea.  She was off on a mini vacay with 10 of her childhood friends and we didn't get to see her for a few days.  It was our first day out together!

Day 5 low - Saying bye to my friends, knowing I won't be able to see them again for a few years. So sad. :(

4th of july

This year's 4th of July was filled with food, fun, and family! Well, minus my sisters who are too cool for school. My hubz had a day off of work (what a great change!), so we went over to my mom's house to celebrate America's birthday!

My mom invited her bestest friends over, one who happens to be my mother-in-law and the other, pretty much my 3rd mom. We never call her "3rd mom" but I've known her forever and she has grown to be a mentor in John and my life. So with my mom, MIL, 3rd mom, her 2 younger boys, John and I, we had an amazing Korean style BBQ that included KBBQ and grilled spicy squid (my fave)! 


Then some intense speed scrabble with the boys - one who is the king of collages and the greatest videographer. Ever. (You can see the video he made for us here. *SHAMELESS PLUG* You can hire him for any occasion!). 

Moving on, John and I ended the night watching fireworks. Our city, every year, has some crazy fireworks by our crazy neighborhood people. Think Disneyland style from every street corner. It's insanely loud and scary - in a fun, exciting way! 


 Happy (3 days late) 4th!

momma's weekend

First things first - thank you for all the encouraging words on my previous post... but, after reading the bff's post, I realized I should be (even more) grateful that I have amazing friends, siblings, and cousins that allow me to "mother" my little nieces and nephews.  Thank you for letting me mother and smother them!

To celebrate our amazing momma, we hung out with her all day Saturday and Sunday. It was pretty tiring but I haven't seen my momma that happy in a while, and in the end that's all that matters.

Most of Saturday was spent in the momma's garden, bbq-ing and s'moring.  Here are some instagram shots from my lil & big sis.

We decided to arrange our own vase with flowers from the local wholesale florist.

Best s'mores ever. EVER.

Sunday was a busy day too!  Per my momma's request, lil sister and I went to church with her, where John picked me up (he had to work), then off we went to eat lunch with my MIL and John's family. Then back to my momma's house, so we could go to dinner w/ the big sis and bro-in-law at Mastros.

My cute momma, the most delish butter cake, and my mouth watering pork chop.

My mom is an amazing, strong, stubborn, loving, smart, motivated, caring, hilarious person. You will not meet anyone like her.  She's bossy as heck and likes things done her way, but that's her charm. I really think she should have her own reality show because, seriously, there is no one like her! 

Mom,

Thanks for being your crazy self. You are amazing. I love you and can't thank you enough for all you do for me (and our family). And to close, I'll quote my favorite poet, Tupac, for you - "... there's no way I can pay you back but my plan is to show you that I understand. You are appreciated."

Too bad she doesn't read my blog...