Pororo Park: take 2!

We began 2012 at Pororo Park at Dcube City (for Marc's "babymoon") and ended the year (Dec 31!) the Pororo Park at Lotte World.

January 3, 2012

 Look at how we've changed this year!

December 31, 2012

Here are some other photos from our time there:

Fun times with good friends!!

{{Happy New Year!}}

Merry Christmas!

I haven't joined the bandwagon to send out a Christmas letter just yet... and while I foresee that in our future - I hope you enjoy this video of our family from this Christmas season.

We wish you a very Merry Christmas as you celebrate Christ's birth - and life!  What Good News!

Marc sings!

This is from November 6th... a little late, but much too cute not to share with you! Enjoy!

O Christmas Tree

Marc and I have been (learning) and singing lots of Christmas carols this month.  

Here is an ode to the biggest Christmas tree Marc has ever seen.

O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!
Thy leaves are so unchanging;
Not only green when summer's here,
But also when 'tis cold and drear.
O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!
Thy leaves are so unchanging!

O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!
Much pleasure thou can'st give me;
How often has the Christmas tree
Afforded me the greatest glee!
O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!
Much pleasure thou can'st give me.

O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!
Thy candles shine so brightly!
From base to summit, gay and bright,
There's only splendor for the sight.
O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!
Thy candles shine so brightly!

O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!
How richly God has decked thee!
Thou bidst us true and faithful be,
And trust in God unchangingly.
O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!
How richly God has decked thee!" 

5 years!

Yesterday, we celebrated our 5 year anniversary --- a sort of prolonged celebration, starting in the 14th when Jarrod came home to this "Christmas tree surprise" (that Marc was equally.. or more.. excited about), continued on our anniversary (the 15th) as we ordered in delicious Thai food and then went out to see The Hobbit, first class style.  We are looking forward to continued celebrating at a dinner out, Phantom of the Opera on the 27th, and Hawaii in June (5 1/2 year anniversary~ does anyone celebrate their half anniversary?? because I am milking it for all it's worth!)

I love you, sweetheart! Each year gets better and better! 

It's amazing to see how much our love can grow!

YISS Christmas Dinner

This year YISS treated the staff to a holiday party at the Seoul Millennium Hilton Hotel.  It had a HUGE Christmas tree and lots of fun decorations.. great food.. and a really fun evening out.

YISS students provided music

Hooray for Christmas break!

Spreading Christmas cheer

How can we be anything but happy when we have these little faces lighting up the holidays??

SNOW!

On December 5th AND December 7th it SNOWED in Seoul.  A LOT.  So what did we do?  Go up to our roof to play, of course! ;)

We had a lot of fun playing in the snow (in short intervals..) over the next several days...

Marc couldn't get enough - Emmalyn was delighted.  It was great!

11 months old!

 Marc and Emmalyn when they turned 11 months old

They are so much alike and so very different at the same time.  What a joy and blessing they are!

Ornaments.2012

Sometimes you get discouraged

Because I am so small

And always get my fingerprints 

On furniture and walls.

So here's a little hand print

Just so that you can say

That's exactly how my fingers looked

In 2012 on Christmas day.

-Anonymous

Emmalyn's 1st Christmas, 11 months old

Marc Charles, 2 1/2 years old

Mickey Mouse!

Recently, Marc has been really in to Mickey Mouse.  He discovered Mickey Mouse Clubhouse this summer (when we had cable in the house) and now has a few shows downloaded on our ipad.  He often plays that he is Mickey Mouse, Mickey Marc, or Mickey Marcles... whichever works for him at the moment... and so we go around all day referring to him with that title.  When I ask him what song he wants to sing - it is most often the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse theme song - which was Marc's answer last night.

I started: "M-I-C-K-E-Y!..."
 and then paused for effect before I finished the spelling and got on with the song, when to my surprise Marc chimed in:  "M-O-U-S-E!"

Jarrod and I looked at each other in surprise.

I didn't know if I should be delighted that Marc spelled his first word or dismayed at the amount of times we have sung that song (hopefully he knows it from us singing and not from watching the actual tv show).  I sat there in disbelief that mouse was really the first word that Marc has spelled.

I immediately started spelling his name: "M-A-R-C spells Marc".  But he was not buying it.  He just wanted to finish the song.
And so we did.

The Lord is Good

Taste and see that the Lord is good;

    blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.

Psalm 34:8