Random Fun this Summer...

At the beginning of every summer I always ask myself... what are we going to do this summer... how will I ever keep Pierce entertained, learning and having fun... we we always figure it out and have so much fun.  And last year I specifically remember when school started how much I was going to miss the little booger when he was at school... I think I will find myself sad again this year when school starts... but until then check out all the fun we are having.

The doctor has asked that I walk 1 hour a day... so we have been going on many walks and man S. Korea is a great place to walk... Here is one of our walks (the boys rode their bikes) down by the river.

Pierce really loves to be outside... so we took his bike downstairs at our condo one day... he had so much fun just riding around in circles... we need to work with him to get those training wheels off...

 

Also this summer Pierce is eating everything in sight... and always hungry.  Usually he will ask for snacks all day but when he is so hungry right before dinner I make him wait so he will eat a good supper (isn't that what I am suppose to do... he he he)... well he usually tells me he will not get full... and here is a video of him trying to persuade me that "there is no such thing as full"... for him that is.

Pierce can finally sleep in... it has taken many years to teach this boy this "treat to mom" gesture... he will sleep in now until 8 or 9 am even on some days... and if he gets up before then he comes in our bed and goes back to sleep... oh what a treat... Here he is one morning in our bed (it was around 9:15) just to show daddy proof... that our son can sleep in... please ignore that hideous wall outlet... I know who would put that there... good thing my pillows usually cover it up.

Here is another walk around the lake... this is walking distance from our house... and really neat walk that only takes about 35 minutes all the way around but there are a lot of off the beaten track trails... that we have explored as well and gotten lost... 

I convinced Blake to take a family trip down to Pusan (a little over an hour away) on a Saturday so we could go to Costco and have dinner on the beach... he was keen and off we went... we found a restaurant and this is the table they sat us at... not to bad... and while we were eating we realized that we had not been out to eat as a family for dinner in over a month... wow... times have changes since Singapore.

More walking and resting...

Pierce likes to go to the top of our building and check things out... not really sure why but we go and take the elevator up (26th floor) and then we take the stairs down (13th floor).  Here is a view from the top the other day... can you see all the boats in the horizon... 

 

This picture makes him look so big... when did this happen?  We love this booger and we having so much fun this summer as we await the arrival of Asher... 

Random fun at Home...

Don't you just love to stay at home some days... and just play, relax, read and enjoy being home.  Now that the summer has started for us we are getting to do that some... the days we stay with busy with friends is so much fun but I always say after that day is over... tomorrow lets just stay home and enjoy each other... put on a movie, do a puzzle, do a craft and just love being with each other.  Today is one of those days with the rain outside, chai tea on the stove, Pierce happy to be home... life could only be better if Daddy did not have to to work today.

Here are some pics of some random fun at home... we are so thankful to have a great house that feels like a home.

One day Pierce just wanted to cuddle on the couch with his handmade blanket from Auntie Elly and Uncle Keith...

One day I got busted for putting my feet up on the couch a little to long... Pierce got a picture of baby Asher...

Friday in our house is known as Jacuzzi Friday... so every Friday night Pierce gets a jacuzzi bath... just yesterday (wed) Pierce was asking is today Friday... we know why.

I love to wake up in the morning and my son is sitting beside me being really quiet and waiting patiently for me to wake up... this morning in particular... he was reading the newspaper.

We love to fill our days with crafts as well... and this one is a very special craft that we get to play with every day... did you ever make a countdown chain (counting down to something really exciting).  This was Pierce's first experience to do so and we had a lot of exciting days coming up so we had a lot of chains to make.  We took blue and green paper to make the chain and the on the special days we used red (special days: Daddy comes home from Singapore, last day of school/summer begins, ViVi and Grandad get here, Asher's arrival).  So much fun watching the chain get shorter and shorter.

 

Pierce drew on the red links to make sure he would remember why that day was special.  This was the last day of school picture... on the left is his school (in a house) and on the right is his home (high rise condo)... so cute.

And then a picture of baby Asher... already lying down on his blanket.

 

Pretty long chain and since I am behind on blogging about this... we have already reached two red links and now we are patiently awaiting the arrival of ViVi and Grandad (the next red link)... Yeah.

 

Our new home...final stage!

Ok you have seen our new home in 2 different stages 1)  Our walk through and 2) When we first got here with tons of boxes... now take a look after all the shipments, unpacking, sweat, lots of love, a sweet handyman, weeks of labor and making our new condo a home.

Hope you enjoy... and there is plenty of room for you... so come and visit... check out the guest room (screaming your name?).

Our family room...
 

 

 

Asher's Room... still needs some love... working on something for the wall... but this room definetly turned out smaller than we thought... but how much room does a baby need?

Master Bedroom... we are so pleased the Indian rug finally made it into the bedroom and not under our dining table... no more sleepless nights wondering if anyone is going to spill something on it
(HE HE HE).  

We really did not have anywhere to put our desk... and it is not ideal to have the desk in the bedroom but with the baby coming and the space... it turned out to the only place we had for it... so it is tucked away in the corner and seems to work fine... we just have to make sure everything is silenced before we turn out the lights... no alarms, bells, whistles, dings and honks please...

 

I have never had a vanity area... and I love it... I love to sit here in the morning and get ready... where has this been my whole life...

 

Prince Pierce's quarters... we brought the blue curtains from Singapore and they worked out great... and they make his room like a caccoon at night just like he likes it.

 

This outdoor (enclosed) space runs the length of Pierce's room and the guest room next door... it is a great place to store more toys and play.  And these buckets you see at the bottom of the picture catch the water drippings from the aircon unit that is run every night... oh the joys... this place was not built to have aircon units so this is how we get around that.

The entrance way...

The guest room... screaming your name....

 

 

 

 

 

This wall is my favorite bc it has tons of storage space... we got it all filled don't worry with all kinds of goodies... Pierce loves going in the gift closet part and seeing what "gift" he needs for the day...

Hope you enjoyed our virtual tour... wish you could be here in person.

Random moments at home...

Here are some random moments at home that are worth sharing... God sure has been so gracious in this season of our lives while relocating to Korea.  There are many times in the day where He shows me just how amazing He is... and that no matter where we go He is there.  It is in Pierce's smile just at the right moment, the way we get to spend more time with Daddy and friendships that have already been created here... Thank you God for taking care of us and showing us little glimpses of just how in control you are.

Pierce loves that the oven is on the "bottom" so he can kneel in front of it and watch his dinner.  This kid must be growing... he is eating, eating, eating.  He will finish a huge lunch or dinner and say he is done and then 30 min. later want a snack... we can't keep up and he is only 5.

Here is that smile I was talking about... and I recently put out a survey to the family whether or not we should cut Pierce's hair... our house is divided but the family was pretty much unanimous... they all said cut it but I can always count on my friends most of them say "let him have it while he can".

And I am actually enjoying cooking... this is not a great picture (nothing I would post on pinterest or anything) but one night we had fish taco's with homemade cilantro/garlic dressing, black beans, fresh garlic and jalapenos... even Blake seemed to enjoy them... I do feel like I am constantly in the kitchen trying to keep up with feeding Pierce breakfast before school (we actually have time for a hot breakfast), then packing his lunch and 2 snacks for his day at school and then dinner for all (and left overs go with Daddy for lunch).  I hope I can keep up the madness... but so far it is going well (my mom would be so proud).

One night Blake and I were sitting in our living room and we heard some fireworks.. we looked out the window and yes it was fireworks... we got a great 5-7 min show... not sure what they were celebrating but it was a great treat from the couch.

Yeah... our Texas shipment has arrived... and we have all had fun unpacking, seeing all the treasures, cleaning the toys and doing laundry... but most of all Pierce has enjoyed playing with all his old toys and he reminds me all the time that he is happy to share with Asher.... we shall see...

This is my favorite moment in the past few weeks for sure... I had placed the laundry basket in the middle of our room so I would remember that I needed to do it today (it was getting a little overloaded).  I heard Pierce grab the laundry basket after school one day and pull it into the laundry room... and then I heard him humming... I peeked inside and he was sorting.  He saw me and said see mom I know the lights go in the lights hamper and the darks go in the dark.  I grabbed my camera and he was happy to smile.  I did not even have to ask him to do this (nor have I)... I recently taught him how to take his clothes off and put them directly into the right pile (light/dark) and this must have sparked a fire.  I am so thankful... my cup runneth over with this one... I love this little boy.

And here is a sneak peek of the nursery... a little tease to leave you with... more to come and it sure has been fun setting it up.  The bed and bedding was used for Pierce when he was little, it sure has been fun setting it up again.  And thanks to my sweet Grandma (great mama) the room was all pulled together with her sweet hand-made afghan for Asher that matches perfectly (it is draped over the chair).  Thank you Grandma... you are always so thoughtful.