Visiting Hal-ah-buh-ji and Hal-muh-ni (August 2010)

Elijah got to visit his hal-bi and hal-mi (that's what he calls the Lee grandparents because he can't fully pronounce the Korean words for grandmother and grandfather) in China on our way back to India. It was a nice break for us. Our schedule in the States was pretty busy so when we left, we were feeling pretty tired. Visiting "hal-bi" and "hal-mi" was just what we needed....we ate, slept, hung out, and just relaxed a lot. Mommy and Ah-pa were not very interested in being tourists there so we ended up spending a lot of time relaxing together and taking walks. We also got to visit the international school that "hal-bi" runs and we were impressed by what God has accomplished and is doing through their work.


On our way back to India, we had to catch our flight in Shanghai. So, we got to see our good friends the Wyman's there. It was a great treat to be able to see them before heading back.

Elijah's Dol!! (July 31, 2010)

We celebrated Elijah's dol (a traditional Korean celebration for the first birthday) with family and friends. When Elijah turned one year old, we were in Nepal and although we celebrated, we were alone. So, although six months late, we had a "Dol" celebration and it was a blast!

One of the activities of dol is called doljabee. Here's a description from a website describing doljabee:

"In this event, the birthday child goes around the table and picks up items that attract him or her. The child's future is predicted according to the what he or she grabs. After placing the child in front of the table, the child's father becomes the guide for the child to go around the table and grab whatever he or she wants. The first and second items the child grabs are considered the most important. Usually Korean parents place the items that they want the child to choose near to the edge of the table. The child's future is predicted according to the items:


-bow and arrow: the child will become a warrior (we replaced them with a carabiner for rock climbing--daddy's preference)
-needle and thread: the child will live long
-jujube: the child will have many descendants (we used grapes)
-book, pencil, or related items: the child will become a successful scholar
-rice or rice cake: the child will become rich (some resources say choosing a rice cake means the child is not smart)
-ruler, needle, scissors: the child will be talented with his/her hands
-knife: the child will be a good cook"

What did Elijah choose first? He chose a knife. He chose the pencil second. He has already shown his liking for playing kitchen and cooking. We think he's a pretty smart little guy. So, we will see if he becomes a scholar? ;) Third was the carabiner!

More Pictures from Dol Celebration...

Visiting Grandma and Papa at the Sea Ranch (Juy 15-18, 2010)

Cousin Spencer reading to Elijah on mommy's favorite seat in the house.... :)

Enjoying the beach at the Sea Ranch with grandma and cousins Cordell and Spencer

Playing in the sand is messy but fun!

Grandma knows how to make me laugh! Tickle, tickle, tickle!!

Taking a walk along the beach with Ah-pa....

Guess what we found? A small fort at the beach!

What are we making with sand, water, buckets, and shovels?

Look at what Elijah saw hanging around in grandma and papa's backyard? A deer family.....

The Hot Spot! A nice picnic spot

Taking a walk with mommy along the bluff....

Enjoying the beautiful northern California coast with grandma.... The Sea Ranch is beautiful.

E enjoying playing with Ah-pa's old toys from when he was a kid....

Testing out Uncle Tim's boat in the garage....we will have to take it out in the water some day...

We loved visiting grandma and papa and spending time with them. They are great grandparents and Elijah loves them very much. It was nice to be able to spend a few days with cousin Cordell and Spencer too. They loved paying attention to Elijah!

Visiting the Lech family (July 12-July 15, 2010)

After our trip to Yosemite, we went to Roseville to visit Uncle Aaron, Yeemo Eunjoo, Jeshua, Seth, and Mila. It is great fun having lots of cousins to play with. We spent a morning picking blackberries and playing at a creek. The blackberries were so yummy and Elijah couldn't help but to sign for "more." Fresh blackberries are really amazing! E also had a lot of fun just walking around in the creek and throwing rocks with Ah-pa.

Oh yes, and we can't forget E's first eye examination....Uncle Aaron is an optometrist so he took a good look at E's eyes. E was fascinated with the equipment. He wanted to try out the the equipment used on mommy's eyes, so he did! Uncle Aaron said he had never had such a good look into an eighteen month old's eyes.

Yosemite with the Liu's (July 8-11, 2010)

I am now trying to catch up on our last summer trip back to the States. Thank goodness for photos which help me remember what we did and when because there is no way I would be able to remember it all.

Yosemite is one place where Paul and I have visited the most as a couple and with friends. It holds a very special place in my heart. It is at a camping trip to Yosemite with a group of friends (before we started dating) that I realized that I really liked Paul. I love its beauty, majestic scenery, and grandeur. I have at points have said to Paul that when I die I want my ashes spread in Yosemite. It is a very special place for us with lots of great memories.

We have talked about doing a trip to Yosemite with Jeff, Sharon, Jordan, and Dylan a few years ago when we were out to the States but we never got around to doing it. So this time around, we made sure to get it in our calendar. It was even more special because Elijah also got to enjoy it. Of course, post-kids, we didn't hike up the Half Dome (we did it with J&S and we learned afterward that S was pregnant at the time!), but we did less strenuous hikes.




Elijah would probably say that his highlight of the trip was throwing rocks in the creek, playing with billiard balls on the pool table, driving through a tunnel, and eating a popsicle! Thanks for a fun and memorable time Uncle Jeff, Auntie Sharon, Jordan, and Dylan!