OK - We just wanted to add some additional pictures of this fall and now winter. You can see Lukas gettting his hair cut. He loves getting the massage - the service is great! We had a fantastic day in Seoul about 3 weeks ago - we made it to 2 palaces, a lantern festival, out to eat and a little shopping - the kids slept well on the train home as did their mom and dad!

Deoksugung palace in Seoul - Changing of the guard.

The fruit and food stands out in the streets are plentiful - These apples were AMAZING

A top the fortress wall (700 years+) high above Daejeon

Andrew gets double the workout as 1/2 of our family members refuse to walk...

Look at Anja's determination - She is one TOUGH cookie - No one will mess with her!

Hi Everyone - Sorry it has taken us so long to update. At one point this summer, we thought that keeping a blog would be easy and we would have more time in Korea...We have been proven wrong once again.

We are doing fine. Can't believe it is December 5th. We just came back from a church potluck which was scrumptious. We have been busy, busy, busy. We are trying to keep up with school. Andrew's grades are due this week and mine after break. We have final exams week after next. It will all get done, but at times we don't know how. Ailsa has been doing gymnastics 3 days a week. Lukas is going through wrestling withdrawal, but has plenty of studying to do. Anja's social calendar is booked with weekend birthday parties and sleepovers. She is also perfecting her kicks in Tae Kwon Do. Lonne is busy climbing trees, running, birthday partying - yelling....among other activities. Andrew and I try to run after and keep things as quiet as possible. We have also been trying to dedicate some time on the weekends to trek around this HUGE city we live in. The mountains are gorgeous- so we have been doing some exploring/hiking - enjoying the physical exercise and great views -the weather here is quite mild - no snow and on average around 50 degrees F. It is nice!

Christmas is right around the corner so we are preparing the kids for school Christmas concerts and church programs which may include reading bible verses in front of church - Anja is reading the Holy Bible every night in preparation. As Ailsa was questioning her process, Anja responded... "Well what if we have to say 'Ecclesiastes' 'or something like that??? I don't want to mess up in front of the WHOLE church!" It was pretty cute.

My sister and family are coming in a week so we are busy decorating (Korean style...) and are excited. We will travel around Deajeon and also to Seoul. On Christmas morn we are heading off for an adventure in Thailand -(with my sister and niece and nephew...unfortunately, my brother-in-law has to head home Christmas day.) We will spend 8 days in Bangkok, Phuket and an island off of Phuket -we are very excited and very fortunate. Anyway - until then it is survival.

We miss all of you over the holidays. Friends and Family are so important. We are excited about the opportuntities to do some orphanage visits here and help some less fortunate individuls have a warm Christmas. We are thinking of you all - snuggle up and enjoy the season. Pray for Peace here in Korea and all over! We haven't felt the politics here in Daejeon, but we know that the Korean people are really feeling stressed and are hurting. Everyones' hopes for a unified country seem farther away these days - we are praying that a sense of calmness and peace is established and there can be discussions on bringing the countries together.

We will try to update as we can - Know that you are in our thoughts and prayers this holiday season! Take Care - LALALA

Go Ail!

Check out that speed and the socks - he is as goofy as ever!

TCIS UNITED - This was before they actually played ha/ha///


All the teams from TCIS -

(organized by Andrew! -A true photo op.)

And last - The Chicken truck - I know it seems a bit random -but after a long week - the chicken guy sets up camp outside of our apartment and we feast....It's all good!

Our corner Kagae (sp???) or the corner store :)

Our apartment building - We live on the 3rd floor.

Japan Pics - Kobe is a busy port city - check out those fishing poles!

Kobe beef - This is for you Jimmy and Marja - YUM! (Andrew didn't even use steak sauce - go figure!)

Here we are on the city bus (our preferred mode of transportation) - going grocery shopping...
TCIS gym - Home of the Dragons!

This picture was taken During Open House - We can safely report after today's conference that Lukas has had a smooth transition and is doing great in school...

Lukas and his teacher Mr. Lober - Look at those smiles!

These pics were taken during Open House back in Sept - You can see Ail and Anja with their classroom teachers. We just went to conferences for the 3 oldest today - We can safely say they are all progressing and doing great~!

One of Andrew's classes - out in the portable....

Looking down from Mr. Gilbert's classroom

Anja and her new friends!

Hello Everyone. First, we want to apologize that we haven't blogged in awhile. We have been busy with daily life - posting grades, conferences, PD and our first visitors from the states!

Two weeks ago, Andrew went to Kobe Japan for professional development on the Middle Years Programme in IB. He had a great time and tasted Kobe beef (my family will be drooling!)...He attended the conference during the day and explored by night. He wasn't feeling very good (coughing/conjestion) prior to going and his condition only got worse when he was there as he pushed himself to explore. Today he actually went to the "Happy Clinic" (no lie - although Andrew said they weren't very happy there....hmmm...) He got some antibiotics and is on the mend - FINALLY>

While he was off in Japan for 5 days, Mary Kleis and her friend Jennifer came for the weekend on their way to China. It was wonderful to spend some time with Mayr (college roommate and very good friend) and it was an opportunity for her to see our life here in Korea. I hope she and Jennifer had a great time. We even experienced our first Jin Ju Ban (sp???) Korean bathhouse together - this was an extreme cultural experience - complete with multiple soaking baths at different temperatures, various saunas and ice houses as well as a Dr. Fish pool. Yes, we soaked our feet in a pool with tons of little fish who swam up and ate the dead skin off our feet - it was a hair-raising experience and I screamed most of the time - Mayr and Jennifer were much braver than I - A 'must do' if you come to Korea!

Last weekend, I went to Seoul for the weekend for a KOTESOL conference (Korean TESOL). This was exciting. It was much better attended than in MinneTESOL - I haven't been to the National Conference, but I imagine it was something like that. This was for the PanAsian countries - very cool! We went to lots of sessions, learned about some Korean traditional games- which my co-worker and friend Michelle and I played and won! - And also did some shopping. Seoul has some really GREAT SHOPPING - VERY CUTE clothes - it was fun!

While I was at KOTESOL, Andrew went with the kids to a soccer Jamboree in Suwon. This is a city about 1.5 hours away from Daejeon. They had a great day - They played teams from all over Korea -as far as the results for their team: TCIS UNITED - Well...they weren't as good as they hoped (they won one)- let's just say the Koreans are GOOD little players! Ail played goalie and of course Lukas blamed her for the loss - this wasn't the real truth - Andrew said she has talent in this area -but it didn't help when the other team had over 20 shots on goal per game - Can we say Defense!

This week Andrew and I prepared for conferences. These took place yesterday starting at 12 - 8:30 (we taught for first 1/2 the day) and then again today from 11 - 3. We both felt they went well. At the high school level, they set up the tables in the gym as private/individual teacher stations with linons (white and black) with glass bulbs on each table - name plate in plastic - etc.... It was very professional and well attended. I think I have 30 total students (my classes are quite small)...and I had 20 parents attend - this was a good turn out! All my students are in 10th grade - usually the numbers dwindle as the kids get older. Andrew had an even better turn out - but middle school didn't have quite the presentation as the high school. Most of the TCIS students come to this school for their high school years (due to the tuition costs). The parents were very professional - extremely respectful - greatful...They want their kids to get an A - and want to see how they can help make that happen. It was a great cultural experience.

We now have a long weekend. We are really happy about this little break. We have PD on Monday and Tuesday again focusing on the Middle Years Programme -This time, our focus is on assessment. It is a good overview for all us newbees to the IB system or framework.

Anyway - the weather here has been gorgious! Sunny almost every day and in the 60's. We all are very greatful for this warm weather coming off of the monsoon season. We can't believe it is almost Halloween time - one of our favorite. We will miss hosting our annual Chili feed and constume party. We will be thinking of all you! We haven't decided what we will do here - I think it is much mellower here - we may go to Seoul as there are quite a few festivities there - we will keep you all posted. I hope all is well - missing you! LALAL A