Ulsan's Spring Festival (part 1)... our first weekend!

Our first weekend in Ulsan... was the Spring Festival... we got our yellow shirts (we were on the yellow team) from Blake's office and we were ready for a day of much fun.  They had lots of things planned for the day... games, jumping castles, food, coffee, races and more... come and check out our day it was a blast and great first weekend.

Here are my boys at the entrance... There were four teams... and not really for sure what made up the teams but I think it was various shipyards or departments within the shipyards against one another.

At the beginning of the festival were some traditional Korean dancers... 

But Pierce could not be bothered... he hit the jumping castles first thing.

Here is the field where the festival took place... a great huge soccer field really close to our home.

 

After the dancing there were some fireworks/streamers... we were really close to these things and since we don't understand Korean we had no idea it was about to happen... I think we all jumped.

Did I mention we were really close... here is the aftermath...

Blake has a co-worker that has children around Pierce's age and they have been counting down until our arrival.  Pierce and JC were instant buddies and were inseparable.  Here they are meeting some new people.

Let the games begin... Here Pierce is lined up ready to play....

 

 

Pierce is in the yellow shirt and blue hat... 

 

 

I was a proud mom on the side lines yelling and snapping the camera.. but then I was grossed out by the last stage of the race.  When all the kids had to get a cookie off a community plate with their mouth... yuck... but Pierce had no problems diving right in.

At the end of race all the kids got a water gun... oh boy Pierce was ecstatic.

 

Some left over powder from the cookie.

 

There are a lot more games to be played (even daddy was in a tug of war and three legged race)... come back for more tomorrow...

Ready to see some Ulsan...

Are you ready to see some of Ulsan... and what has been keeping us busy these past 3 weekends in our new country... well one weekend we went to that beach that we look at out our window... Ilsan Beach and we decided to go for a little hike.  The weather was perfect (a little chilly in the shade) and we love being outside... so off we go...

Check out these pics and the scenery... the walk was not that long until we got to the end but we need to go back and have a picnic or camp out.

This is Ilsan Beach in the distance...

 

 

 

 

We made it to the top and a sweet man took our picture... 

 

 

 

 

 

Our little man was so happy to be on a hike with mommy and daddy... 

 

 

Along the path we were finding all kinds of treasures... and Pierce would call it an adventure... so we took a snack bag and started collecting dead flowers, shells and other odds and ins.

After our hike there was a station that was a high pressure blowing device to get rid of any sand on the shoes or pants... clever.

A boy has got to go when he has got to go... 

We have been hiking a lot and loving the outdoors here (I think we missed all the space and all the green scenery). Come back for more adventures that we have been on... better yet come and visit us and come along on these adventures.

Ladies Tea 2012 at IBC

One of my favorite events at IBC.. is the ladies Tea in May.  This was the first year that I did not decorate a table but it was nice sitting with friends and enjoying the morning (without working :-).  Here are just a few pics of the morning... I was not able to take pics of all the tables... bc by the time I stopped talking the host of the tables were tearing them down.

We were leaving Singapore in a few days so this was a sad farewell with lots of friends... they even had three of us come forward to say thank you which I was not expecting but happy to report that I "held it together".  So thankful for all that the Women's Ministry gave to me, provided me, taught me, and loved on me through the years.
 

 

 

 

 

 

Some pics of some great woman that I would love to "grow up" to be like... friends/sister for life.

Mother's Day Mandarin Concert... at ICS!

Pierce had a Mother's Day Mandarin Performance his last week of school... Blake was not able to be there since he was already in Korea but we both are so proud of him.  He knows more Mandarin than both Blake and I put together... and really enjoys singing (and dancing)... so this was perfect he would come home and practice for this show all the time.  He did a great job and really seemed to be into this year... We sure will miss opportunities like this in Singapore and to see him with all his classmates.
 

One little Indian...


Jesus Loves ME.
 
This is Pierce's first performance where he seemed really to be into all the songs and we are so proud...
QUACK QUACK... mandarin style. We are so thankful that Pierce had this time at ICS learning Mandarin... we are trying to keep him counting in Mandarin everyday and show him these videos to keep up the singing... we just don't want him to loose it... his Mandarin teach would appreciate that :-).

Our initial loves about Korea...

When we first arrived in Korea... we had so many things that we instantly fell in love with that made our new country all that better... first all the toilets are heated and have built in bidets... I personally have never used a bidet but since it was in my house I had to try it out... I will leave my comments out of the blog but I knew that Pierce would love it... and our toilet in the master room had a "kid" function... so next time pierce had a poo I told him about the button... just look at that face... he loves it... and now he has to go poo at home and in mommy and daddies toilet (which is good news for the guest)... but on a side note if you are having trouble getting your child to go poo in the toilet... get a bidet... oh my it will have your children lining up to go poo in the toilet...

Thanks to ViVi and Grandad we had a blow up mattress for Pierce until our shipment came in from Singapore... and boy was it comfortable and Pierce still had to use it even when he had his bed... but the thing I love about this picture is pierce went a grabbed a photo album that his friend Audrey back in Singapore made him when we left... we love that we have these memories and memorabilia to remind us of our friends in Singapore.

The parks... they are everywhere.. and oh boy have we had so much fun playing on them and meeting new friends that love to practice their English with us.  Pierce loves swings and there are two parks that are close to us that have them... life is so good.

Our new home... one of these buildings is ours... and we are on the 13th floor... we love our new home.  Just tonight Blake was saying that all was missing was the pool... I concur but I do also miss the trash shoot... but other than that... we are happy this is our new home.

Another near by playground...Pierce says this one is perfect for baby Asher.

Pierce and I made it to the top of our building... I think the 26th floor... and this was the view... there is a place to hang out and bring a grill but nothing fancy... but the view is great...

 

Blake says his first initial love is for the huge TV that came with the place... Blake was squinting in Singapore... not any more...

Space... there is space everywhere... outside/inside... enough inside for a tent... enough outside to ride bikes and "play tag".

There is a lot more to love and this is really all about our new home... but the first week we were here we rarely left on new condo... come and see more later.