Topdong ice skating.

The knudsens and us filled up our two 9 passenger vans with kids and headed down to the super ghetto topdong ice rink in suwon. We usually go to a new nice place, but we found out it was closed right before we were leaving. It was great! It added to the experience.

yeah, these skates have seen a few years. They kill your feet, but it's worth it to feel like you earned your hot chocolate.

So, you have to love korea where you have to wear helmets for EVERYTHING! It doesn't even seem weird or embarrassing to us now. We think we look pretty cool. ha ha. You also have

to wear gloves. We kept getting stopped by the ice police for infractions on all the rules.

rebellious americans. smile.

(hey, wait a minute. The ice police isn't wearing a helmet!)

james, rachel and libby.

(and someone else with an ungloved hand!! gasp.)

I don't know how, but a korean picks out Leah wherever we go and asks her to be their friend. She is the only one too that would love to hang out and hold hands with some girl she doesn't know who barely speaks english. Cracks us up. Way to go Leah!

caroline with rachel.

hailey.

at every ice rink we go to there are the cutest little girls in the

middle figure skating amazingly. They are so tiny and adorable.

It makes you want to take up figure skating, until you get out there

yourself that is, and it is extremely awkward, uncomfortable, and painful just trying

to go a couple of times around the rink without falling. ha.

Also they have all these little boys decked out with speed skates on practicing. so cute.

i take picture of korean little kids wherever i go.

I love them. they are so precious.

and always dressed so stylish.

rebecca and jacob.leah trying to do nacho. ha.
Lizzieabbie.break time.

time to get a drink.

everyone surrounding the hot chocolate vending machine.

One of our favorite things in korea. You can get a cup of

hot chocolate for 30 cents out of a vending machine.

AWESOME!

since it is so cheap, we have 10 each. ha ha.

(c'mon, they are small).

loving jonas' fogged up glasses from his steaming hot chocolate.

love all the rosy cheeks.

and happy faces.

and lizzie looking like a coal miner.

ahhh topdong memories. smile.

"I'm lost without you"

I love finding scribbled down notes everywhere filled with artistic expression.

I had to beg lizzie to put this one on or hers, because it is a very rough draft.

I wonder from what experiences she pulls such raw emotion, what

hard times that she has had to endure. (smile).

priceless.

apple-pear butter. YUM!

So every Christmas, we try out new recipes, new possible traditions. Lizzie picked out this idea and I think it is a keeper. In Martha Stewart's everyday food magazine there was a recipe for

Apple-Pear Butter. A slow cooker recipe. I thought, this would be an awesome gift to

pass out in cute jars. It would be but...... it took quite a while, only made two of these tubs, and was incredibly delicious. I just couldn't be that charitable with my first batch. smile.

So next year, maybe I will be filled with more of the christmas spirit of giving.

Make yourself up a batch.

recipe here

You won't be sorry, and your kitchen will smell so divine all day!

obsessed.

Rebecca is obsessed! with cheesecake.

She just can't get enough of it.

Everywhere we go she has to find cheesecake.

She buys it from the grocery store on her own.

The question is......how does she stay so thin?

ah, the joy of youth. (and she loves to exercise. smile.)

Please share if you have a to die for cheesecake recipe.

Have I ever told you about the maple cheesecake recipe from Martha?

BUNNERS!!

Notice Rebecca's fingers.

What happens when you have 4 older sisters.

what am I talking about, Jacob is just as bad!

Is everyone as obsessed with buns as we are?

Or is something genetically wrong with our family?

(don't answer that. smile.)

so tender and sweet.

he is the yummiest little guy.

Everyone can't help but fall in love with him.

Rachel recently got up in church to speak a few minutes on her youth

conference experience. As she was walking back..Ammon shouts out,

"Rachel, i love you, i love you Rachel."

yep, he loves her, bun pinching and all. and the feeling is mutual.

December 23-26th.

This isn't the greatest picture, but you have to see my shoes! I finally found an opportunity to wear them. I bought them in Seattle at nordstrom's rack the night before we flew out for korea. Is that the most ridiculous and impractical thing to buy knowing I had to add it to our already 40 pieces of luggage. I had to, it was love at first sight. So they finally made their debut at the medical group christmas party on Friday dec. 23rd. I'll have you know that my dress i got at a garage sale here for $20. It had never been worn. Just call me second hand rose. (name that movie!)

That night it started snowing!!! So perfect. We woke up to a white wonderland on Christmas Eve day. Perfect!

So cozy inside.

The girls made chocolate dipped pretzels.

and sugar cookies.

Lizzie was especially proud of this one where she spelled ives.

the kids were put to work making these to pass out.

(thanks for the idea natalie. People thought we were so clever. i gave you credit. smile)

but then the kids pooped out, and no one would help me with the 16 more

that we needed to make.

i turn around and there is dave meticulously gluing on googily eyes and pom pom noses.

He is my knight in shining armor. Radiologist by day, rootbeer reindeer maker by night.

love him.

That night we opened up our christmas eve gifts of pajamas of course, and headed over to the food court to meet up with the other branch families for dinner.

You can read about the story behind the tradition on my last year's christmas post.

after we were out until midnight caroling and delivering gifts. It was so fun. The kids fell into bed with no complaint, while dave and I stayed up until the wee hours preparing for the next day. All of his work came over for Christmas dinner on sunday. That was what they requested, being that they are all here without family. Dave did most of the cooking. He was amazing.

They really appreciated it.

Christmas morning before church we opened presents. Here I am So happy cozied up with my quilt that Rebecca made for me and

pillow that Rachel made for me. It made me cry, I was so surprised and happy.

Leah beyond excited with the camera that she received.

Rachel and Jacob scored Ipod touches and have been face timing each other ever since.

Little ami.

loves.

modeling new clothes and boots.

Mary with her justin bieber perfume.

Dave and the coat he received from ammon. ammon is quite the gift giver. smile.

Since Christmas was on sunday and we had company, Monday was when

we all stayed in jammies and enjoyed our gifts with family and friends.

Here is dave in heaven with his puzzle and yummy breakfast.

then on to a nap in his new track suit. He was so excited to get this.

(remember how he has been so jealous of ammon's. ha ha)

also reading his new bathroom reader book.

I always pick these up for him at the thrift store, he loves them. ha.

the girls dancing with wii dance party 3. It is really fun!

we love it!

Leah and lizzie with neighbor girls lined up all of their monster high dolls.

then picked and chose to play.

Do you remember doing that.

My favorite when i was little.

Ammon with his pooh bears and his new angry bird stuffed animal kickin it on the couch.

Jacob picking his toes. ha ha j/k, he is doing face time with his cousins.

We skyped with my family and it was so fun!

I have never really done that and it was just like we were there with them. so cool.

Leah having fun with her new camera.

she got these sweet photos.

hee hee. love it.

So that's all i got.