Blog Change!

I have decided to start a new blog called "SchoolCrafted": www.schoolcrafted.blogspot.com I was not writing this blog because I do not have time anymore to sew or craft. I will this summer though and I'm sure I'll write about it on my new blog, but you'll have to check there from now on!! Thanks for following!

So tired...

My good friend Katie reminded me I have very little time left in January to meet my resolutions. I feel like my creativity is being zapped out of me by my students. I teach 60 American History students and 15 World History students everyday for 90 minutes a period (3) all equaling complete and total exhaustion. I feel fulfilled and challenged, but when I get home the last thing I want to do is A) workout or B) sew/craft. I resolved though and I promise to try a little harder. I will make a post everyday this week and even show you a couple pictures of my classroom. I need some help decorating! Anyways, I'll leave you with this wonderful piece of furniture I think we might buy when we go to Dallas in a week to see some friends!

This year, I resolve...

I came up with this idea to make small resolutions throughout the year, not just one sweeping resolution that will only carry me through February (at best). My problem is I want to follow through with these resolutions, but I'm already at a loss as to where to start.
I would like to start blogging again. I ended when I left Korea because there wasn't too much to say for awhile. I moved to Louisiana by myself to find a teaching job while Grant stayed in Korea and then Alaska for the last three months. He came home in November and we've been just living our lives. We go to work, make dinner together and then go to sleep. There has been very little artistic inspiration in part due to my new job, but mostly because my sewing machine was en route until a couple weeks ago.
This month...i'm going slow here...I resolve to make something new and original with my sewing machine and I plan to blog minimum five times. Will that work? They're more goals than resolutions, but it's a start. It's what I need to be motivated for life outside the box, the box of ordinary I've seemed content with the last half of 2009.

Last days in Korea

Grant and I went whitewater rafting with some friends from the squadron this Saturday. I was really freaked out...why do they give you a helmet?! But I made it back in one piece. Our group was really fun together. Photon made sure I didn't fall out of the raft while Grant yelled, "One, Two!" at the top of his lungs so everyone paddled at the same time. We fell out a few times, but it was mostly on purpose. I'm really glad we went. Did I tell you I'm going to miss all the people I've met here? I leave on Friday for Houston where I will meet Grant on the 4th of July to travel a bit. Who knows after that? We officially got Shreveport, Louisiana as our next assignment. I hope my applications to the school districts there are successful and I can move in August. I will miss Grant the most, but I know it's for the best, specifically for my sanity!

Our bestest friends here in Korea. We went "clubbing" together last Saturday and had a great time. We played stupid games and topped the night off dancing to a few Mexican ditties.

Tara and I both being from Minnesota, requested polka from the bartender at "Wes's Place" (there really are two s's) to no avail. We danced a polka anyways, much to the dismay of the bar . Polka is da bomb, dontcha know?.!

I finally finished a tote bag for my friend Marlene today. I've been working on it for a few weeks. I couldn't get over pinning two pieces with both of the right sides up, so I threw in the towel. I persevered, however, and finally finished it today. I'm very pleased with the result. Any suggestions/comments?

And the day is not even done yet!

I went to a Wives Coffee today at wonderful Marlene's apartment. You can see Marlene in the far left, then Stephanie, Anna and Brynn. We were just chillin' relaxin' all cool for awhile after most of the wives left. Missing is Christina, Tara, Brooklyn and Megan, but they all still got their pictures taken! I will miss the closeness I have with all these wonderful ladies!

Then I went to "Happy Quilt" by myself and picked up some fabric. I might try to go next Wednesday again before I leave. I found the cutest owl fabric and some really awesome Asian-inspired prints. I got about 20 yards total for less than $30. Do you think I should go back? Anyone want anything? Sarah? Katie? Katie, they had some of the apple fabric you used in a pinafore. Sarah, I think of your dolls the whole time I'm there! I wish they had some decorator weight fabric. It's my only complaint and minor at that. I will miss some things about Korea! Especially the great friends I've made here!

Promise to Post

Me and Tara with Jared, "The Subway Guy," after our team triathlon. I would like to say he came to cheer us on, but that would be lying now wouldn't it?! We did get photo-bombed though. Check out the guy in behind us.

The wave at the Korea vs. Saudi Arabia soccer game at the World Cup Stadium

Sorry about the lack of posting lately. I've been writing applications for teaching jobs to a place yet to be determined. Grant and I are going through the assignment process once again and are waiting once again to find out where we'll move. I decided to start applying for jobs even though we don't know where we'll be moving yet, but we have a hunch it's going to be...i'll let you know in a couple weeks! If we have to wait, so do you! Meanwhile, I've been trying to keep busy with friends here. Here are some pictures and videos of the last couple weeks.
P.S. I promise to post more! I will be leaving next Friday and want to photo-document some of Korea's daily happenings.

Pawky and I playing at home.

FOUND: Wacky Korean Band Postcard

Wacky! I found this postcard on my nightly walk with Pawky and Husband.

Pawky and Kittens Make Summer Laugh

When we first give Pawky new toys he has to love them for a couple days. He puts one part into his mouth and then soothes the other part with his two front legs. It is the cutest thing. Yesterday he did this for about seven hours. He even took it to bed with him last night! Pawky also lays on anything that's on the floor that's not supposed to be on the floor...like a laptop case.
Please watch this linked video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtX8nswnUKU
It is hilarious.

Observations of Korea, Part One.

We found the "Dream Queen" outside of the aquarium in Busan. It's a complete hybrid of Dairy Queen and Baskin Robbins. It has the hard ice cream in the front and dipped cones and blizzards in the back, kind of like a mullet. Sweet! Literally! I mean it!

Six Rayers. We saw this outside of a Bennigans in Busan. It looks pretty dericious. Honestly, I'm not trying to make fun. In college, I took a Physics of Sound class and learned that most Asian languages (possibly all) don't have the sound "L." SO it makes perfect sense they would substitute an R for the L's. It makes me laugh, but not in a mean "you're so stupid" way. More like, "that's super awesome" type of hilarity.

Some abbreviations we've come up with in the past six months. Note: I will try to photo document each one of the following phenemona with the exception of the obvious. I cannot photograph wind that smells like shiz.

SHIND: shiz wind, hits the nostrils and makes you want to throw up a little. Example: "Man, the shind is really bad over there!"
K.R.R.: pronounced "K-Double R." "Korean Randomly Running." Every so often someone will bolt into a sprint. Witnessed daily.
K.I.S.C.: pronounced "KISS" the C is silent. "Korean in Sitting Car." Most Koreans have televisions mounted on their dashboards in their cars, so sometimes they sit in their cars and watch television. I'm not kidding. Other times a couple makes out or kisses. Sometimes they take naps or just sit and relax.
S.K.I.S.: pronounced "SKIS" doi! "Spitting Korean in Street." Many Koreans spit...in the street, usually preceded by the sound made when one "hawks a loogie."

Busan, South Korea

Haeundae Beach in Busan.

Us in a bubble at the aquarium.

Eating Japanese food at a train station with Tara and Andy.

Grant in his pilot outfit! Yowsa!

We went to Busan, South Korea with some friends for the weekend. It started off with us being stuck on base for an hour and then taking the 2:25 train instead of the 2:27 train to Busan. Two taxis and three train rides later we made it to the beach. It's not warm enough yet to be in our swimsuits, but it was nice to have a change of scenery. We stayed with our friends Tara, Andy and their little boy Tyler in the Novotel Hotel right on the beach. We walked around Busan, ate copious amounts of American food, and visited a really cool aquarium. Good times!

Earlier in the week we said goodbye to Lt. Col. Stokes and their family at a Farewell. Grant just landed so I saw him taxi in the A-10 with his full pilot gear. Sometimes I forget how cool his job can be when we put up with crazy schedules, but a couple weeks ago Grant got his Sandy 1 upgrade finished. It means he can lead search and rescue missions for guys on the ground and in harms way. I'm proud to know someone who is a true hero. Did I tell you i'm the luckiest girl in the whole world?

Who Knew?

I've been feeling a little under the weather, so it's been nice to have some down time this week. Pawky and I walked to base yesterday (a good two miles or more) for some exercise. Then I went to wives coffee/farewell for our squadron commander's wife. I have to admit I will be sad when I leave too...despite all the complaining indicating otherwise. It's like summer camp here. The people Grant and I met will probably be lifelong friends. We've all been thrown into a country we didn't really want to visit with people we may not have otherwise become friends with, but here we are...The friendships are intensely close even though they are quickly made due to the brevity of our time here. One of the wives was crying last night and having a hard time putting into words how much the squadron wives mean to her, but we all got it. It's difficult here, but we get it. This weekend a large percentage of the squadron is going down to Busan, a beach community here in Korea to hang out. Who knew I would be excited to hang out with the squadron? I'm not the fighter pilot wife type, but I am realizing there is no type. We're all here together for varying reasons, but we all love our husbands and go through a lot...together. Being here has opened up my eyes to new people and overall made me a better person.

Shibuya.

Sorry about the lack of posting lately. Surprisingly enough, I've been busy lately. A friend I met before I left Korea the first time came back a couple weeks ago. We've been catching up/venting about Korea/laughing almost everyday.
Anyways, I thought I would share a couple videos from Tokyo. The first video is of the Shibuya crossing. If you've seen "Lost in Translation" this is where Scarlett Johansson crossed the street and there was a brontosaurus on the screen. Tokyo wasn't always this crowded. Mostly here, Harajuku (where the girls kind of dress up like Powerpuff Girls) and Chinatown in Yokahama where we saw a baseball game. It should be noted the word "Shibuya" is useful for more than just this intersection. Grant and I say: "That workout kicked the shibuya out of me." or "Get your shibuya in here!" or instead of saying, "Burn!" when someone gets burned we say, "Shibuya." Notice no exclamation point on the end of that one. It is intentional and very important.

This video is of the Yokohama Bay City baseball team's mascot: The Bear. They really had five mascots: people with star heads doing acrobatics around the park, a baseball with a huge tongue and this bear...or pig, we couldn't decide. Grant loved this bear and wanted to a) take it home with us, b) take a picture of us with it or c) film it dancing to "YMCA." He got his wish. The baseball game was pretty similar to what you would see in the states with a few exceptions. There were cheerleaders, as you can see in this video. The Yokohamites also didn't really like traditional baseball tunage like "Charge!" or "We will Rock You." Each time the stadium played those songs everyone would just sort of sit there (except me who was stomping and charging loudly), respectfully wait until the song was finished and then sing the same Japanese song over and over. Oh and there were hotdogs and rice crackers.
In conclusion, Tokyo was the shibuya.

I'm the lucky girl...

Happy Anniversary!

It's mine and Grant's two year anniversary on Tuesday, May 5th. I know we haven't been married that long, but it's been a tough year. Moving to Korea when you don't want to is not for everyone. This year has only made us stronger. I tell Grant i'm the luckiest girl in the whole world to which he replies, "No, i'm the luckiest girl." Silly, but sincere. I embroidered a couple t-shirts for him with this saying so he'll remember how much I love him. Don't worry I won't make him wear the shirts out in the open. They're black because that's what he has to wear underneath his flight suit everyday, so the saying will be hidden, but will remain close to his heart. We're going traditional with our gifts. Second anniversary is cotton...when do will we get to diamonds?! We are also taking a vacation for our anniversary. Last year was camping at the Grand Canyon. This year is Tokyo, Japan. What a difference a year makes. Good or bad, we're both in it for the long haul.

P.S. The embroidery letters were drawn by hand. My "Sublime Stitching" letters wouldn't transfer on black clothes.

Scenes from a Weekend

Nicole, Summer, Brooklyn and Cole having much deserved fun after the exercise.

I hand-dyed and sewed on a dragon patches on these onesies for a baby shower.

Pawky during a walk today. It was finally sunny after a few gloomy, rainy days.

Ships Passing in the Night

Dear Grant, I hope the flight tonight went well. I'm going to Yongsan with Anna and Brynn tomorrow. I will be up at 7:30 and gone by 8:15 to meet them by 9:00. I will be home at 4:00, so I will probably miss you. Tell me what your schedule is tomorrow please! I hope you get to work on your homework some. I love you! Summer P.S. Nicole didn't make it over tonight! Sad! P.P.S. There's tortellini leftover and some noodle salad. P.P.P.S. I put a load of towels in at 10 p.m. Change loads in the morning, clothes in basket are dirty.

Hey Summer, I have to go in at 1 p.m. Should be back by 1 a.m. Have fun with the ladies! Luz, G.

Fly safely! If you fly. I love you so much. Pawky's fed, no poop. Switch loads plz? P.S. Call and order dog food? S.

Love you! By the way, "setted" is not in the Scrabble dictionary. Rematch?

Hey Grant, Can you take Pawky out to pee one more time? I have to be at base by ten, but I hope to see you for a little bit. What time do you go to work. I love you! I miss you! Summer

I have to go in at 1:15 p.m. Wake me before you leave. Luz, G.

This is our only conversation for the past three days with the exception of twenty minutes this morning when I woke Grant up. I can't wait until this exercise is over!

Grant's Birthday

Buddha's lanterns. They are hung for the living and the dead. On May 2nd, You can write your names on the paper underneath the lanterns and the monks will pray for you.

Lunch. It wasn't terrible...just not good.

Birthday boy next to Buddhist temple.

Grant and I went on a trip through the travel service company on base. Originally we were supposed to see the cherry blossoms, but the company changed the trip because there weren't that many cherry blossoms blossoming. First we went to Mt. Mai 2 1/2 hours away and then Donguk Temple in Daejon. The weather was perfect, but we were expecting more sitting and less hiking. It was fine for Grant and I, but the couples we were with had small children making the experience less than ideal. The travel company tried to make it up to us by providing us lunch, but hmmm...no...it was not good...at all. We ate ten melted Snickers bars after lunch to make up for lost calories.
Other than that, Grant was happy. That's what counted. He turned 31 Saturday a number I will be approaching soon, but until then he is officially robbing the cradle.
By the way...I finished my first original design for a wallet. I hope to come up with a prototype by tomorrow!

Closeup of Purse!

This is the latest purse I made for Lynne. If you want one yourself let me know! You can pick out the fabric yourself (which Lynne did while I was visiting her in Texas) or you can trust me to put some fabric together. It stands up on its own because I put a lining inside it.

This is the lining inside. It has three pockets, one for keys, one for pens and one for Lynne's Blackberry. Let me know what you think?
Any suggestions on how to make it even better?

Sewing Again

My sewing room. Pretty simple, but it works. I have two bookcases with a tabletop perched on top. The laptop is next to my sewing machine so I can listen to "The Story of Edgar Sawtelle" on audiobook. I also sit on a panda cushion given to me by one of Korean students for my birthday. Notice the tangle of wires to the converter box. We tried the best we could with what is available here!

It took me awhile to get back into sewing. Some things seem so overwhelming its hard to get started. I took the whole day today to devote to my friend Lynne's purse. I'm a little rusty, but it turned out well. This was the first purse I put pockets inside the lining. The next project will be some little wallets I MIGHT sell at the flea market on base. I went to the Osan Piecemakers Club meeting last night with my friend Nicole and will try my hand at quilting squares. I'm a little nervous, but I think it will only help my sewing. I learned how to do yoyos (small fabric circles) last night. I'm loving the cute vintage look they give quilts. I'm thinking of cascading them down a plain white t-shirt. I'll let you know how that goes!
I also booked a trip to Tokyo, Japan with my husband for our second anniversary. I'm really looking forward to leaving Korea for a little bit and seeing more of Asia. I promise lots of pictures!
Other than that, life is as normal as normal goes here. Grant continues to work a ton and I try to keep myself busy.

Quiet Please

Grant and I went on walk today to see more cherry blossoms with Pawky. When we were finished we made lunch and then Grant went to work. He'll be there probably until two in the morning tonight. I try to keep myself busy during the day... I went to the library and read, stopped at the travel center to discuss a possible vacation in May and worked out in the gym. After four hours of not talking to people the silence of my own voice becomes louder than my own voice. I took the bus home after my busy afternoon and listened to This American Life in hopes of Ira Glass' narration replacing my own. The bus stopped at the college close to my house and picked up around fifty talking students. Unable to eavesdrop in on someone else's story, let alone contribute anything, I imagined their conversations. The lone boy flirted with the girl next to me and the girls behind me whispered in jealous gossip. Their chatter carried me off the bus into the waiting sea of silence...it's only 8:42 p.m.

Happy Pawky after a good day of exercise and Grant being home all day!

Some of the yellow flowers around town. Pawky pooped right next to these. He doesn't appreciate the beauty of Spring quite yet. I think he's just happy to not be in the apartment too!

Cherry Blossom buds down the street from our house. I'll show you an after picture in the next couple days. These trees are everywhere.