Way Back In December

Wow, how late am I?
Somehow it's already February(?!?!) and I have not yet posted photos from Christmas... Forgive me.  Here are some snapshots from the last month of the year.

.: Hannukah :.

.: Cutting down our Christmas trees :.


.: Christmas decor :.




.: Cocktails :.

.: A ten year anniversary :.

.: Date night at the art museum :.


.: Mom's birthday :.

.: Grandma turns 90 :.

.: Christmas Eve cookie decorating :.
 

.: Christmas Eve :.
{aka that night I got too close to a candle and singed some hair}

.: Christmas Day :.
{Christmas sweaters circa Christmas 2011 and yes, both mine and Ryan's are the same size}

.: Gift exchange with my girlfriends :.

{we share one of our "favorite thing" with everyone, Oprah style}

 

.: Day after Christmas with Ryan's fam :.

.: NYE dinner :.


December was a festive and relaxing way to end the year.  
2014 is off to a good start so far, with many unknowns and various changes on the horizon.  We will do what we always do, and make it a great year.
Hope your new year is off to a great start!

A Belated Christmas Vacation

I'm still in denial that the holidays are coming to an end.  It honestly didn't really feel like Christmas this year until the actual weekend was upon us.  Ryan and I were back at work on Monday, proving that the holiday is definitely over.  Hannukah has also come and gone. 

It doesn't make it any easier that it's FREEZING here and all I want to do is stay in bed and continue the Christmas movies marathon I started last weekend. What's wrong with watching "Home Alone" on December 27th? 

It was definitely easier getting through the post-holiday week knowing it was only three days long.  We have today and Friday off! 
Our vacation couldn't have come at a better time. 
Well, besides last weekend...but that's ok.

Ryan and I are heading to Seoul for a few days with our extra time off.  I'm looking forward to taking the slow train up north (not too far), going for some winter walks, shopping at Myeondong, drinking a margarita (or three...) and just getting away for a little while.

  We'll be back in Busan Saturday night to ring in 2012.  It's a tradition here to watch the sun rise early on New Year's Day, which we'd love to do.  However since moving back to Korea my new bedtime is 9:45 pm.  Dawn is pushing it.  Maybe Ryan and I will just stay home in our PJs and drink champagne instead. 
 Wow I sound old...

Happy early New Year's weekend!

Have a Happy, Happy, Happy, Happy Hannukah

Hannukah began on Tuesday.  
Thanks to my parents we were able to bring the holiday to Korea again with a new menorah and the appropriate dreidel decorations.  

On Wednesday night we attended a Hannukah party, completely homemade with rugelach and challah (made in a toaster oven!) matzo ball soup, potato latkes, chicken and wine.  Our addition to dinner was applesauce for the latkes, made ahead by Ryan.

 

 

 

Our after dinner dreidel game got a little intense.

 

Fun was had by all.

In the words of Adam Sandler: "Happy a Happy, Happy, Happy, Happy, Hannukah!"

Hannukah's End

Last Wednesday marked the end of Hannukah.  Together Ryan and I made homemade potato latkes and applesauce for the occasion.

Precautions were taken during cooking, especially while grating the onions.  I haven't laughed that hard in awhile.

Despite the heavy aroma of potatoes and onions, along with some oil spatters, everything turned out to be delicious. 

In addition to our applesauce, the latkes were topped with the forbidden sour cream we try to avoid buying from Costco.  It’s the holidays, right?

After dinner we played dreidel, complete with the traditional (at least in our family) M&Ms as gambling chips.   

The glow of our small menorah and other holiday candles made us feel happy and at home.

See you next year Hannukah.

Hannukah Begins

This year, sundown on December 1^st marked the beginning of Hannukah.

Each year my parents and I (often joined by my sister and her family, and in later years Ryan) celebrate the holiday by lighting multiple menorahs, whipping up delicious tempura or eating take out potato latkes, and playing endless dreidel games with M&Ms at stake. 

If the Hannukah party coincidentally falls close to Christmas, we stroll up and down nearby Peacock Lane, taking in the festive and colorful holiday lights.  The last few years have been snowy, making the atmosphere even more wintery and fun.

Although we’re missing our annual Hannukah party this year, not only did my parents send us a dreidel and adorable menorah, they were sweet enough to wrap eight Hannukah presents for us, each labeled with the date on which we should open them.  Ironically they’re now clustered around our little Christmas tree, with a stocking hung nearby waiting to be opened on Christmas morning.  An advent calendar is hanging in the kitchen, helping us count down the days to December 25^th.  Our decorations symbolize my upbringing, a mix of both Hannukah and Christmas celebrations. 

Happy Hannukah!