2 Week Staycation

The nature of my hub's job requires him to take a 2 week vacation. So he gets to be home with the family for 2 weeks straight! I know, awesome, right?

He said he wanted to make sure we had good family time but also got a lot of our "errands" done. He made a consolidated list of everything & it's my job to plan & schedule our days so we can do as much as we can, without killing ourselves.

So here's what we have, in no particular order:

1. Mall with my MIL

2. Children's Museum of Manhattan

3. Apple/pumpking picking with my MIL & hub's brother's family

4. Bear Mountain with my MIL & maybe hub's bro's family (G loves this place.)

5. Get magic straight perm for my new post 2 kid afro

6. Ptouch label bins on shelves in garage

7. Buy cordless dustbuster (I have no idea how I survived this long without one.)
8. Buy night light? (M's been scared of the dark lately since his bedtime is dark now, with longer nights.)
9. Get smartphones (Wahoo! It would add SERIOUS efficiency to my days.)
10. Make some concerted effort to take family pictures, esp. of E since her 1st birthday is coming up.
11. Add pics to family album
12. Get flu shots
13. Reformat & reinstall my computer. It's been on the fritz.
14. Hang magnet boards by M's desk
15. Hang M's nameplate letters (Long overdue since we moved him and rearranged his room so many times.)
16. Lunch with friend for her birthday
17. Plan a party for another friend
18. Bake some sweets for a sick friend
19. Finalize all ideas for E's 1st birthday party
20. Finish guest list & send invitations for E's party
21. Make dohl go-eems for E's party
22. Pick up kiddie placemats from BuyBuyBaby
23. Update recipe book
24. Dry cleaning
25. Clean house - major items such as kitchen & bathrooms
26. Organize kids clothes
27. Old Navy returns/exchanges
28. Walmart
29. Hmart with my MIL
30. Costco with my MIL
31. Make kimchee with my MIL
32. Cook at least 2 new meals for the family. You know, not the usual.
33. Cook at least 5 new foods for E
34. Bake something for my MIL
35. Make dinner for my MIL at least 5 times. So far I'm thinking dwenjang jigae & fish, dakdoritang, linguine with white clam sauce...need more ideas. Can't go too crazy. Don't have time and she's got a typical Korean palette. Anyone??
36. Try on (buy?) a pair of Gap's skinny cords. I hear they're SUPER flattering. Check 'em out!

I definitely won't look like that in them, but I wouldn't mind if I could look half as good...after I get them hemed a good few inches. ha~!

Anyways, I'm aiming to have at least 30 of these done! Am I being naive??
I love lists. They make me happy. They make everything doable, or at least reduces the stress factor. :)

How many do you think I'll be able to get done in the 2 weeks?

Maxx Oppa

I tried feeding both kids lunch together at the table. It's still not working cause E just wants whatever M is having and won't eat what I have for her. I had to step away to the kitchen for a minute and their "convo" went something like this...

E (crying): mamamama (E's way of saying umma.)
M (sweetly & quietly) : Ellie, no cry. Oppa here. No worry.
E (crying): mamamamama....
M: No cry. It okay. Umma comim' back.

I love them.

*umma = mommy
 oppa = older brother

6th Love Language...Food

My mom is out of town. (She lives with us.) At the same time, my mother in law is IN town. Double whammy. Don't get me wrong, I think I have one of the best MIL's but there will be extra things to do and think about for the next month or so..on top of lugging around 2 kids everywhere I go.

It's only been a week but the weekend of all things, was rough.
My Sunday looked like this:
9:30a - church (JCF)
12:00p - tlc (our church's "small group")
4:30p - niece's 100 day birthday party
8:00p - church meeting at my place

Then Monday morning, I had Ellie's 9 month appointment. (Yeah I know, I'm late a month.) Then in the afternoon, I took the kids to my SIL's where my MIL is staying. I want her to see the kids as often as possible while she's here.

Even with a nap, thanks to the kids napping at the same time, I was half dead by the time the hubs got home. I have a decent tolerance for physical tiredness but I literally was so tired that I was slumped over on my desk and didn't have time to make dinner for G. I felt so bad.

When he got home, he made himself dinner. I was too tired to eat. (Yes, it's true. I turn down food.) I just wanted him to tell me I was a good wife & mom and appreciate me and be on his best behavior to be super nice to me for the rest of the night. I managed to drag myself upstairs to take a shower and throw my PJs on. I came back downstairs and about 5 minutes after G finished eating, I got hungry. Go figure.

THEN....he had the BESTest BESTest idea anyone could've had at that moment. He went upstairs and grabbed the kiddie monitor and brought it down to my sister's place on our ground floor. It was only going to take 15 minutes but JUST in case. I was in my PJ's so he told me to throw on a jacket cause we were going to get ourselves some Spicy Chicken Nuggets from Wendys! OMG, the joy that filled my heart. You laugh. I'm serious.

It somehow turned into a mini little adventure because I was wearing Korean pajamas.

Here's an example of what Korean pajamas might look like. (And no, that is not me.)

They look kind of like little girl pajamas. Mine's not too off from the one above. (I'm REALLY hoping that only women read my blog.) And if you know me, it's REALLY not like me to wear something like this but my aunt in Korea got me and my hubs a matching pair and practically speaking, they're the lightest and coolest pajamas with sleeves. I rarely shopped for clothes. Now, never...esp. extras like pajamas.

So anyways, imagine that with a Northface fleece on top...stylin', I know. The hubs opened the garage door before I could get into the car so I freaked out a little. But yay for drive thrus! We got our nuggets as well as a small chili & bacon cheeseburger. I couldn't help myself.

It was like the rough couple days never happened. What is it about bad food really late at night?
Good hubs. Fun impromptu late night trip. Good food. I love food.

Yes, the nuggets are pretty good! Good job Dave, defs a keeper. You should check 'em out the next time you're stuck in your car with sleeping kids.

PS. For those of you who don't know your "love language/s", you can take a quiz here.
PPS. G never wore his pajamas. Imagine?!!??

Maxx the Comedian

This an old post I never finished but I want to post so one day Maxx can read all my memories of him.
From Sept 2010, when he was 2.5 yrs old.

...then"number 1 emo" (aunt), aka my sister, walked in on a conversation I was having with Maxx where he was finding new names for people. The conversation proceeded as follows...

#1 emo: What about uncle bbo-bbo? (kiss)
M: Noooo (shaking his head)

#1 emo: Then what about uncle jee-jee? (korean kids term for dirty)
M (nodding & laughing): Uncle jee-jee

#1 emo: What about uncle
M: Noooo (shaking his head)

#1 emo: What about uncle bboong? (kids term for fart )
M (laughing crazily): Uncle BBOONG! Uncle BBOONG!

My son's comedic platform is inappropriate conversation.
And if you know my hubby even just a little bit...genetics is a crazy thing.
God is hilarious.

Happy Music

I'm not big on knowing much about music but here's something I found that'll start your weekend with a smile. So fun, cute and just plain happy!

This one's dedicated to my single girlfriends.



I love how they contrast. She's so "whatever" and the guy is so into it. Funny and cute.