Myeong-dong

We girls had a fun MLK holiday shopping in Seoul at

Myeong-dong.

Dong means Neighborhood in Korean, and Myeong means

bright and clear. It should mean fabulous!!

Do you see their happy albeit blurry faces?!

Myeong-Dong is a huge famous shopping area in Seoul,

and one of Rachel's birthday coupons included a trip here

to go to the clothing store Forever 21.

It has huge dept. stores, and then lots of American stores. All the

name brands. But we heard the Forever 21 was amazing.

I just read that over a million people pass through this shopping

district every day!

We drove to the army base in Seoul and then took a taxi from there.

here we go!

Rebecca went to bed early on Sunday, she couldn't wait to wake up and go!

This 5 story Forever 21 did not disappoint! It was amazing!

and really reasonably priced.

We got to a point where we just set up shop on the top floor.

We all dumped our bags in one place and would rotate who manned our spot.

Yes, we got a lot of funny looks. Look at our pile?

It was hysterical. It was often our dressing room as well. We would

just try things on for each other right there.

It was really hard work and I was sweating by the time i got out of there.

ha ha.

proof of our hard work. smile.

The work really was trying to carry all those bags the rest of the day.

But really we had spent so much time (and money)at Forever 21

we didn't last too much longer.

but we had worked up a hearty appetite. Nothing tastes so good as

eating after a good day of shopping. And we were super excited that there

was a California Pizza Kitchen!!

There were a lot of American restaurants in the area. Which is very

exciting when you live over seas.

Ahhh, perfection. It had the perfect view.

We were so hungry and so excited about the menu...we ordered

a ridiculous amount of food. Yes, they thought we were

crazy here too. Our waiter forgot one of our pizza's and when we

let him know he said, "I'm sorry, there was just so much food!"

Us piggy Americans. hee hee. I mean oink oink.

too funny.

but as full as we were. Everyone had to get something at Jamba Juice.

oh the things you take for granted in the states. smile.

no i didn't get these shoes, but the guy who worked there was so funny.

(see him in the back?)

Have you ever seen a 4 story Dunkin' Donuts before?

Cool huh?

there are a lot of Dunkin' Donuts in Korea. and krispy Creme too!

We barely made it back out alive!

Although the real challenge will be getting past our husbands

with all of this stuff. ha.

the taxi ride back to the base, ahh...it was a "happy sale" day.

(see the seoul tower below?)

the end.

eye candy galore!

(one of the pictures on kelly's pinterest page. I think rebecca's hair will look super cute like this.)

Need some eye candy? Look no farther. My sister's pinterest page fills you up. My sister is one of those people who just exudes style and coolness. People are always really drawn to her because of it. Actually, both of my younger sister's are like that. They keep me young and hip. Or at least they try! ha ha. I love them for it. If you read my blog, you probably know about hers. If not here it is.

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.