Catch Up

Just want to do a quick catch up blog to document what we have been up to and all of Hudson's antics.

We stayed home and had a build your own pizza/movie night on New Year's Eve...

Can you tell how into it these two were!! Excited to say that this is the last year I will be able to make the call to my Mom and say "You are so last year!"

Elaina got a microphone for Christmas and Hudson likes it just as much as Elaina. What I really need is a video of him "singing".

Really getting into it.

He also loves to get Elaina's sippy cup because it has chocolate milk in it. He lays down to drink it, so he gets every last sip.

Promise you we would never have let A or E do this....lucky third child!

He got into the fridge and got a juice box. Totally thought this would be fine, but he ended up chewing a hole in it and it made quite the mess, but as you can see he's happy.

MMMM!

Dad was out grilling and Hud wanted to help...
Let me out!


Yea! You're back.

That same night Aiden was trying to make a snowflake with a tortilla, but he got a little carried away.

Hudson definitely takes after me...

Mopping at 14 months. Makes this Momma proud ;)

Trying to get a trash bag in the trash can. What a smarty pants!

A couple of weeks ago a bunch of us took our kid's to one of the many indoor play places here in Korea. Will totally miss these. This one was called Tiger World and it was awesome!
Playing on the little soccer field.

In one of the many little house play places.

Loved the ball pit.
Favorite was definitely the cars. This was the best pic. I got. He is blurry in all the rest because he's bouncing up and down so much.
Aiden jumpin on "Cloud in Sky"...love those names.

Last weekend we went up to Seoul. We were looking for a beer fridge, but didn't find one that we liked. However, the market was interesting. Restaurant supplies galore...

Alley after alley of this. Crazy.
The front of the market.
Fish anyone? We also saw a dog for sale. Skinned and cut open with it's head still on and teeth still in it's mouth. 2.5 years in Korea and it was our first time to actually see a dog like that. The practice of eating dog still goes on here, but mostly with the older generation. I wanted to take a pic, but the lady wouldn't let me. Our thought was if you're going to do it, do it and own it. Don't try to hide it. Oh well, it was pretty gross anyway.

He's discovered M&M's...
and he a monster! Left this in the pantry not closed well and Hud spilled them. We couldn't pick them up fast enough. He kept trying to get them before we could. It was really funny.

We also hit up Insadong one more time. It's the art district in Seoul. Will really miss it.

We picked up 5 pairs of these lovelies. Rice paper wrapped chop sticks.

One last Insadong pic...
Giant brush statue. Will miss collecting those, also.

Our little valentine found Elaina's vaccum (with her help). And he LOVES it. He drags it around the house with him everywhere. Sure wish it really worked.
Getting the kitchen.
Done with Aiden's room and on his way to Elaina's.

Our sweet Valentine's....love these kid's more than anything.

Night-Night, Night-Night, Night-Night

Hudson saw his night-night in the dryer and this is what happened....No words needed!

Merry Christmas!

The week before Christmas the kid's were in the church's kid's Christmas program. They sang some songs and they each had a line. They did really well. Elaina got a little shy when it was time to deliver her line, but she delievered it and that's all that matters. The videos will be at the end of the blog. After church we went to brunch with Santa at the O'Club....3 Christmas in Korea and 3 Korean Santa's....can't wait for an American Christmas next year!
Elaina stayed behind Aiden for the first couple of songs, but finally came out towards the end.

Afterwards we headed to brunch.
Getting ready to go eat and had to get a pic of our 3 Christmas angels before we headed in.
Nope. Hudson still does NOT like Santa. Maybe next year.

On Friday night the 25th did caroling. Here is a pic of what we opened our door to. It's such a fun tradition. We had a hot chocolate bar set up for them. Then we joined in and caroled to the other 25th families.
30+ people singing Joy to the World, the 25th version.


On Christmas Eve we had some friends over to see Chanie and Bodey off (they are greatly missed already). It was lots of fun up until the goodbyes. Afterwards we headed to church. The kid's performed again there and several people have told us that Elaina stole the show. Unfortunately the video is too big for the blog. :( All the kids that were over for dinner. Wish I had gotten one of the grown-ups.
Trying to get one of our 3, but Hudson was having none of it. This was the best I got. We tried.
All dressed up for the service. Merry Christmas!
When we got home it was time to get dressed for bed and put our Christmas cookies. I only got to take 1 pic. Hudson wanted those cookies BAD...we had to put him straight to bed or Hud was going to eat all of Santa's treats.

We woke up on Christmas morning and had a wonderful day. We stayed in our jammers most of the day and then had a nice dinner and played some games. I don't take many pics on Christmas. I do mostly video, so there's not a whole lot to see. Also, my camera was on a funky setting and there were bad shadows on the pics. I attmepted to lighten them up, but they still aren't great. Aiden and his General Grievieous (sp?) helmet.
This was really funny. Hudson dumped this over looking for more stuff. He was a little disappointed not more came out.
Helping Elaina open a present with an Elmo fork.
Elaina got a microphone and she hasn't stopped singing yet. It's really funny. I'm going to have to take a video.
Dad and Aiden in there hats. Elaina got Dad a packers "summer hat" (her words for it) and Santa got Aiden a broncos winter hat.

The day before Christmas Eve we went up to the Express Bus Terminal because we were told they had a lot of Christmas decorations. They were right. What fun that was to see ecspecially since we don't get to see a lot of this stuff here. Only 50% of the country is Christian and my ajima told me that even if you are a Christan (she is) Santa is not a real big deal. Most don't have a Christmas tree and if Santa come he only brings 1 -2 gifts.
Dad checking out the Christmas goodies.

Elaina's turn. The prices weren't great. Ususally things in Korea are a lot cheaper, but that was not true here.

A Few of My Favorite Things

Since this blog is also sort of Hudson's baby book (I know, I know...poor 3rd baby) I wanted to give a little update of his favorite things. I only wish I had some pics to go with it. I'll have to work on that. The toilet...if it's open he will try to play in it. My blush brush also ended up in there. Closing doors. That one makes me nervous. I get worried about his little fingers. However, he slams doors and then bursts into tears. Even if we're in the room with him. My makeup. He loves to go into our bathroom and get our my eyeliner/lip pencils and chew on them. Yesterday he figured out how to take the lid off and colored our bathroom floor. Thank goodness for tile. Toilet paper. If he can find a roll he will shred it. We keep joking that we keep getting tp'd. Throwing things away. We finally got a cabinet lock because everything was ending up in the trash can. If he could reach it he was going in the trash. Kisses and hugs. Giant open mouth kisses and giant open arm hugs. It's the sweetest thing in the world when he walks down the hall with his arms open and squeezes your legs. I hope I never forget that feeling. He is into everything he can get his hands on and we love him to pieces. What fun a 1 year old is!

Thanksgiving, Cheerleading, Basketball and More

I only have 1 blog left to do before Christmas after this one. It's the kid's Christmas program at church. Super cute. Hopeing to get totally done, so that I have empty cameras for Christmas.

We had a great Thanksgiving week. The kid's each had parties at school and then we did the annual Thunderbolt Feast where we cook and serve all of the maintainers in Dad's squadron. It's a really neat thing. Over 200 people come out for it. After we eat we head out and watch Pilots vs. Maintainers play a flag football game. Pilots won for the 2nd year in a row! Yea for the old guys!

I am adding 2 videos of Elaina cheering at the end of this post. The first is of her big intro. Before they cheered at half time they got to run out and do whatever they wanted. She always did a front roll. The second is of her halftime cheer. She's so sassy and cute. Love her!

Hudson and I went to Elain's school for a little feast and they started off with a song.
Our little Indian. She was so cute.

Later that day we had Aiden's Thanksgiving. It consisted of putting all the 2nd graders and there families in the cafeteria for a feast.

The family feasting!

Here are a couple of extras. This is Hudson's new trick. He has figured out how to climb up into his chair. It makes me so nervous while he tries to turn around (he's kind of got a big tooshy)

While I'm climbing up I think I'll pull down a few Christmas books.

I did it! (I think we've outgrown this chair). He was so tiny when we brought him home and put him in it. A year sure does make a big difference.

Elaina and I were trying to find Santa in a look and find Santa book. Hudson was not having any of it and sat on the book and tore a page out. Sure, Hud, we'll read while you're napping. All eyes on you.

Aiden played basketball and Elaina was overjoyed that she got to be a cheerleader. It was so cute. They didn't cheer for any particular team. Just went out and cheered for both teams.

Our little athletes. Hope we have a bigger version of this for many years to come.

Hudson had his last "first" with Thanksgiving. Unfortunately it's hard to get a pic during Thunderbolt feast, so we don't have a pic of him eating his first Thanksgiving meal. Trust us when we say he enjoyed it!

The fam at the end of T'bolt feast. It is held at the cafeteria at the high school on base. Dad is on his way out the door to go and play some football!

The day after Thanksgiving we headed to Everland for some Christmas lights. They don't celebrate Christmas like we do in America. In fact only 50% of the country is christian. Our ajima, Mrs. Kim, told us that Santa only brings maybe 1 present and noone puts up Christmas trees or lights. It's just not that big a deal. So, you can imagine how much we love to see Christmas lights. We think we'll try to go one more time if it's not too cold out. The temps have been dropping quickly here though, so we'll have to play it by ear.
The kid's at the entrance to Everland.
Family pic in front of the "tree of life."

I brought cupcakes to Aiden's school for his birthday. He had fun. I guess the big thing is to be the kid who gets to pass things out, so I think that was the hi light for him.
First bite of cupcake and being a silly goose.

We had an awards ceremony, so that the kid's could get there medals.
Elaina and her cheer squad. Aiden and his basketball team. He had gotten pretty good by the end of the season. He scored 2 goals in his last game!! Yea Aiden!!

The base had a Christmas party and Santa was there. If I had known I would have taken my good camera. The camera I had with me has no flash. Oh well.

Hudson is NOT impressed. Can I just say this is the best Santa we've had in 3 years...he's not Korean!

Aiden earned a trophy in TKD. No easy task. He had to get 100 stickers. Your peers and Master Moon administer the stickers, so he was pretty proud of himself.
Check out my trophy!

Now check out my smile! I'm losing teeth like crazy!

We took Hud in for his first haircut. It's not good. They chopped so much hair off the top. I almost started crying. He was a champion though and I know it will grow back. Plus if I comb it over you really can't tell. He only cried when they put the cape on him.
chop chop chop! No more baby. Now he looks like a little man.