On March 2nd we celebrated Dr. Suess's birthday by having reading night at the elementary school.  Everyone got to wear their pajamas to school, and for some reason my kids think that is really cool!

There were several activities going on throughout the night.  There was  a bookmark making contest andI thought this bookmark should have won! ;-)

The Dolphin Store was open for your shopping pleasure....

We danced the Hokey Pokey....

And listened to the choir sing!

In  the end we listened to special guest read stories to the children. 

But in the end, this is the part I will remember the most...

Camp Better America is a camp that is going to do AMAZING things for military families across the America.  Camp Better America is dedicated to helping military families reconnect after a deployment.  CBA wants to help them personally ~reconnecting with their families after a deployment, professionally ~ helping them by giving them resources and  tools they need to do whatever it is they want to do in their future, and mentally ~ by having people who have 'been there and done that' available for them to talk with.  CBA is going to have their first camp at Ft. Hood, Texas in May, and I am excited to be a part of this fantastic team! 

Right now we are looking for people to attend the first camp, we have a criteria list for this first camp and we need to find 4 families that would like to participate.  This first camp will be the camp that we learn the most from – the families that are selected are going to be accepting the opportunity to let us figure it all out with them so their feedback is essential and will be used in future camps.  Here is some additional information in case you or anyone you might know would be interested.  

The kids will need to be out of school Friday, Monday and Tuesday - in the future the camps will be on long weekends but for this first one we needed more time.

From Ft.Hood the drive is 3 hours and 20 minutes.

They must commit to the full camp stay.

They will not be paid, however they will not pay for anything, it is all provided for them for FREE. They will stay at a beautiful ranch in a Main House with the other families.

All need to be recently returning from deployment
All need to be stationed at Ft. Hood
All need to be in their first marriage
All have 2 to 3 kids between the ages of 8 - 12 (preferred)

The use of HBOC (this is an oxygen system) is available to soldiers if they are interested - considered an alternative healthier approach to PTSD than drugs with serious side effects. We may or may not be able to use this at this first camp. It's good for anyone to use for any kind of stressful experience.

They must not be allergic to animals. This is an outdoor environment with the possible exposure to poison ivy or oak. The use of horses and dogs will be there.

There is also a swimming pool and will be no life guard on duty. This camp is also located on the beautiful Brazos River with steep drop offs.

They must be okay with being separated from children for different events. Kids will have some fun activities with certified Child Life Therapists while adults are involved in adult activities. There are plenty of family activities on the schedule as well. There is a scheduled "date Night" for couples.

We will be filming the entire family and conducting on camera interviews and will be able to use their stories in all media outlets. TV show, web and for promotional services.

We will be using their  testimony in all media outlets. They must sign a non- disclosure agreement for at least a 2 year period of time.

They must sign a liability waiver to come to the camp as well as production waiver.

We would like to know if there are any "dreams" these families have - meeting someone is sports, entertainment, any trips they have dreamed of going on, etc.

If you hvve anymore questions please feel free to leave a message here and I will get back to you. 

Also if you would like to see Camp Better America at your duty station, let me know that as well! 

As I sit here writing this I hear the sounds of tape being pulled from the roll, paper crinkling, and boxes being put together. 

The movers said they would be here at 9AM.  In true Korean form they were here at 8AM.  A long time ago I read that Koreans normally run up to 15 minutes late, I don't know who wrote that or where I read it, but let me tell you, that has not been my experience AT ALL.   The Korean people on a whole (in my little part of the world anyway) are always 15-45 minutes early.

So far this pack out has been unlike any other pack out I have every experienced, and I have experienced at least a dozen.  This morning my house was invaded.  There was a packer in almost every room.  We had 7, yes, SEVEN people packing this house.  At 10:30AM they took a 3 minute break.  At 11:30 I fed them lunch (they wanted Burger King...REALLY?  I ask- BK?  I wanted Korean).  By 1PM my house was 90% done and they started moving things outside.  It is now 3:30 & they have filled 2 crates...only 5 more to go ~ so they say.  I have no idea how they are going to put the rest of our stuff in only 5 more crates, but Korean's ARE the masters of space manipulation so I am sure they will do it. AND they haven't taken another break since lunch time.

Check this out....they made a desk for me so I could write.  (And by the way, they are all voting for my blog.)

Boy 3 stole the computer for a bit to watch a little Sponge Bob.

These guys are amazing....

If you need something frame, 0901 frame shop is the place to go! 

Ms. Han told me to tell you she can make anything as long as she has a picture of it. 

Since I drug you all over the fabric market with me last week, it is time for you to see what I was doing...(I won't mention any names, but one of my faithful readers already guessed what I was doing.)  Before I get started here are subway directions to the fabric market:  Take line 1 or 5 to Dongdaemun take exit #9.  The market will be be the large building slightly ahead of you to the left.

I was having curtains made for our new house in Texas.  Before you ask, no we do not already have a house.  I just guessed. I had the drapes made extra long & extra wide.  If they are too long I will just tack them up.   

On my first trip I found the lady I was going to have make all my curtains.  I don't really know her name, but here is the sign to her shop.  She is in the basement.  She speaks a little English, I speak a little Korean, but what really worked well for us was Konglish.  If you can speak Konglish, you are golden.  I designed most of the drapes I had made.  She drew designs, I nodded yes or no.   She did everything perfectly - just the way I wanted, and they were SO INEXPENSIVE!!

I love these drapes, casual ~ perfect for the dining room and office.  And for a mere 65,000 won per panel!  I know - get out of town! 

And check it out...they are lined and everything!  (The color above is the true color of them.)

Boy 1 just wanted BROWN.  He wants everything in his room brown.  Brown, brown, brown.  The plain brown curtains are for his room, the red are for the master bedroom.  Lined - I can't remember exactly but I know they were no more than 30,000 won per panel.

OH, and check out the curtain rods!!!  Only 12,000 won per rod!  

The sweet young face in the photo is the lady that made all my curtains.  The curtain she is showing off is for Girl's room.  Girl was very specific in what she wanted.  Blue as the main color with pink and green.  Girl's curtains are a sheer with blue fabric behind it.  I learn on my many trips to the fabric market that sheers are EXPENSIVE, so I am not going to tell you how much I spent on these or Hubby might have a heart attack and frankly I like having him around. 

The little boys would be happy with nothing  on their windows, so I picked their curtains...I love these.  Their room is a nautical theme so I bought thick white rope for tie backs. 

The favorite curtains I had made are for the living room.  Aren't they fantastic?!  I also had pillows made for the couch I don't have yet.  Don't worry, I have something in mind.

 

 

The new Commencer catalog was just delivered today ~ check out who is on the COVER!!

For more super cute pictures check out the website:
http://www.cmcr.co.kr/00_eng/01_commencer/sub03.asp

   One of the hardest parts of being a military family is moving. Moving sucks. The hardest part about being a mom of military brats (that is what they are called - Google it!)  is watching their hearts break as they prepare to move. I wish we could pack up all our friends and all move together from post to post.   This is the first time Boy 2 has had 'true' best friend.  F lives right next door, so the boys are ALWAYS together.  They play together, they have sleep over’s, they even lost their 2 front teeth together!  If I can't find Boy 2, I know where he is.  When F's mom can't find him, she knows where he is.  The boys are like two peas in a pod.  

Boy 2 has made several comments over the past week.  One day he ask me..."Mom, who will you miss the most when we move to Texas?"  I answered his question and ask him the same question, as I knew what was on his mind.  He said "I'm really going to miss F.  I'm going to miss his little brother too.  I'm really going to miss playing XBox with F."   A few days later he said "Mom, I hope I can find another friend like F when we move to Texas".  He broke my heart.  This is the first time he really gets it. 

Moving is always a great adventure.  It is so hard to leave, the good-byes are heart wrenching.  I guess that is why so many people in the military choose not to say good-bye; normally we just say 'see you at the next duty station'. 

No matter how hard moving is, once we arrive to our new duty station it only takes that first knock on the door of our new quarters to start feeling at home.  Having a new neighbor knock on your door, (most of the time with a plate of cookies in hand) to say welcome to the neighborhood is where it all starts.....

A long time ago I wrote about a Italian restaurant in Itewawon that went by the name of Antonio's.  I loved this place, until I went there one day and it was gone.  Antonio was no longer Antonio, Antonio turned into LaTavola.  I wanted Italian food, so we stayed, LaTavola is just as good as Antonio's was, so we continued dining here.  As time has gone by, we have eaten at LaTavola so much that our favorite waiter, Alberto -