Ben & Megan Quigley

Geumsansa Temple.

2011-11-03T11:21:00.001+09:00

We had the unique opportunity to go on a "Good Neighbor" tour in the Jeonju area in central Korea. Our first stop was the Geumsansa ("Gold Mountain") Buddhist Temple.

The walk to the temple was beautiful!

The Geumsansa Temple complex is home to ten of South Korea's designated "National Treasures." The complex was first established 599 and has been rebuilt several times over the centuries because of invasions and fires. This is the main building - Mireukjeon. It is the oldest remaining three-story structure in Korea, dating from the 1635 reconstruction. It holds the tallest indoor Buddha (Maitreya - 11.82 meters), along with two Bodhisattvas (Pophwarim and Taemyosang - 8 meters each). It was being renovated when we visited.

Photography was only allowed from a side window, so this is the best shot we could get.

In the Daejeokgwangjeon Hall (more commonly called the Great Hall), we were lucky enough to observe the traditional prayer ritual. Worshipers (and monks, in this case) move from standing to kneeling to bowing completely to the floor (palms up), then getting back to standing again. This is done 108 times while chanting a prayer for each prostration.

The five Buddhas and six Bodhisattvas of the Great Hall.

In another building, paper lotus flowers filled the ceiling space. Each flower had a paper hanging down with someone's name on it. The monks pray for these names every day.

The Chijang Bodhisattva and Myongbu siwang (Ten Lords of the Other World).

The Sakyamuni Buddha.

It was an amazing experience!

Pumpkin Carving.

2011-10-27T10:53:00.000+09:00

This year we carved pumpkins with the missionaries and our neighbor-friend. It was so fun, we may need to make it a tradition.

Our kooky elders: Tagai, Lee, Koo, and Ward.

Happy Halloween!

Captain Select!

2011-10-21T10:39:00.002+09:00

It's official! Ben made it through a fairly choosy Captain's board and was selected to pin Captain in May. I'm so excited and proud of him! His squadron had a little party to celebrate.

Ben and Captain Jennings.

Mmm... Ice cream cake. Yum!

It says: "Congratulations Capt (s) Quigley. We still don't like you!"

They've got a running joke - Ben jokingly tells everyone that he doesn't like them. So they're reciprocating, I guess. :)

BBQ and Blues.

2011-10-07T09:39:00.000+09:00

The base does an annual BBQ ribs competition with live music and lots of fun booths. Ben and a couple guys from work put together a booth and competed in the ribs competition. Their booth was roadkill inspired.

"The Eagle" stopped by.

Silly Chief.

The guys babying their ribs. Mmm... those ribs were so tasty!

Ben's Sustainment Services background came in handy when arranging the judges' plate.

They didn't win for their BBQ, but their booth got 3rd place for decoration!

Fall.

2011-09-30T11:07:00.001+09:00

I love fall in Korea!

The rice fields turn the prettiest color of gold and the hills are vibrant. We took a little hike before the leaves had changed, but it was still gorgeous!

The rice fields by our house are so pretty!

Even the Lillie-dog is enjoying fall. She thinks this little pumpkin is like a ball or something. She carries it around the house!

We love fall!

Suwon Fortress.

2011-09-12T09:59:00.062+09:00

For months, we have wanted to visit the Hwaseong ("brilliant") Fortress in Suwon, and we finally took the opportunity. Completed in 1796, the fortress is really a 3.5 mile long wall that encloses the central part of Suwon city, the provincial capital. There are four main "gates" or guard structures, as is standard in much of Korea. Seoul city has four gates as well and the Suwon gates are structured after Seoul's. If you're feeling ambitious (as we were), you can walk the entire wall circle. It is very hilly, making it a fairly challenging excursion.

Looking out over the more modern part of Suwon.

Ben was fascinated with the holes in the wall.

I like the contrasting new(er) city behind the old wall.

Pointing out the structure.

The East Gate (I think).

We stumbled across a "Hat Museum." It was closed, but you can bet we'll be back to visit another day!

The south floodgate.

Hwaseong Fortress was built by King Jeongjo to house and honor the remains of his father, Prince Sado. The prince was murdered by being locked alive inside a rice chest by his own father, King Yeongjo, because he didn't commit suicide as he was commanded. So, when we saw this rice chest, we had to see if Ben would fit. Turns out, he fits! The Korean family watching us was laughing and making gestures like Ben was a giant. It was hilarious!

Hwaseong Fortress is a must-see when visiting Korea. I'm so glad we finally made it!

Doggie Day at the Pool.

2011-09-10T09:27:00.001+09:00

To close out the summer pool season, the base's outdoor pool has the annual tradition of inviting all the dogs to have a pool party. With over 20 dogs in attendance, it was a blast! Lillie was one of the few brave dogs who played fetch in the pool the whole time (there were no stairs, so the dogs had a hard time getting out of the pool. Most of the dogs were too scared to get in more than once).

Jump, Lillie!

Yeah! So much fun!

Boat-Shelf and Ducket.

2011-08-04T12:30:00.004+09:00

The base had an antiques auction a few months ago, and we were lucky enough to get a couple great items.

(Yes, I'm just now getting around to posting about it.)

This shelf is probably the coolest thing I had ever seen. It used to be a canoe and was transformed into this:

This is our pet 'ducket' - you know, it's a duck bucket - ducket! Actually, I think it's a goose, but lets not spoil it. Ben fell in love with it at a preview weeks before the auction and was determined to win it. So he did!

The glass balls are Japanese sea floats. Fishers use them as floats on their nets. A friend of ours here gave them to us - this is only half of them. Of all our collections, this is probably my favorite (or tied at least with the book collection).

Ox Tail Soup.

2011-08-03T10:04:00.001+09:00

Yep. You read that right. Apparently, ox tail soup is fairly popular here. So obviously Ben had to try it.

And he made me try it. Not a fan.

All gone!

Fireworks and a Heart Attack.

2011-07-05T10:03:00.000+09:00

To celebrate my favorite country's Independence Day, we went to Liberty Fest at the base. They had live music, tasty food, and best of all, fireworks!

And, just to throw this in somewhere, the missionaries gave us a heart attack:

Ha! Love those guys!

six.

2011-06-26T09:50:00.000+09:00

For our anniversary this year, Ben surprised me with dinner at a Korean restaurant that specializes in duck. We ordered a whole duck, which was stuffed with beans, rice, nuts, and fruit. It was so SO tasty! Along with the traditional side dishes of radish kimchi, garlic, onion, lettuce, soup, salad, etc., we also ordered steamed mandu, a type of dumpling filled with meat and various vegetables. Their mandu were as big as my fist! Yum! It was an amazing dinner to celebrate six amazing years together.

And we even sort of mastered metal chopsticks!

A few more pics from Okinawa.

2011-06-15T21:12:00.002+09:00

I just found a few more pictures from our trip to Okinawa. These first two are called Turtleback Tombs. They house generations of Ryukyuan family members. They're everywhere, tucked in between buildings and on the sides of hills.

Habu Saki, aka snake in a jar.

Good times.

Ben Folds in Seoul!

2011-06-10T20:46:00.001+09:00

Ben Folds came to Korea for the first time ever on June 9th. We were so lucky to see his first performance here! We found a place to park (tricky for sure!) and walked along the Han River to the venue.

Before the show, we grabbed some tasty vendor food...

(Me with a double-fried Korean corndog. Nom Nom.)

... and met a couple members of the band.

The very polite crowd before the show.

The main event. No opener and he played for two and a half hours! It was great!

Finally met Tambourine Man after the show. Yes!

Mr. Folds seemed to really enjoy playing here. I hope he comes again before we leave! And for those keeping count of the Ben Folds stalkery - this is my fifth time seeing him and Ben's fourth.

Korean Performers.

2011-05-29T20:26:00.002+09:00

The base had a picnic with lots of fun entertainment. There was live music, cardboard boat races, snow cones, and these awesome traditional Korean performers. Their hats have tassels or long ribbons attached, which they spin and twirl while dancing.

This was the first time we'd seen this type of pyramid display. One guy supports three men and a child while dancing. Unbelievable!

We're so lucky to see these types of performances!

Guam.

2011-05-22T10:22:00.001+09:00

Our final stop was Guam. The flight landed in the early morning, affording us this beautiful welcome sunrise.

We checked in at this amazing resort - it even had water slides! I love water slides!

It even had fire dancer shows, which we watched from our room.

We explored a lot of the island during the mornings, then played at the resort during the afternoons. It was perfect!

Ben making fun of "planking".

We found some amazing tide pools with all sorts of crazy creatures and beautiful views.

One of the gorgeous sunsets. I'd go back in a heartbeat!

And... more pictures!

Okinawa.

2011-05-16T13:42:00.003+09:00

We caught a flight from Tokyo to Okinawa and landed in the late afternoon. After exploring Kadena (and the largest BX in the Pacific (three stories!), we headed out the main gate to explore some of the local stores and restaurants. We found an amazing soba house with the best noodles I've ever had. Ben was in heaven. He ate with a smile on his face. I wish I'd have gotten a picture of it!

The next day, we found our way to Nakagusuku Castle to explore. It was really rainy, but everything was so green and it smelled really good!

Not really sure what I'm doing here...

I snapped some quick shots on the cab ride back to the base.

We were there for about a day and a half before we decided to keep hopping. We weren't able to rent a car (licencing issues) and cabs were pretty expensive. Plus the weather was pretty crummy and a flight came up to Guam, so...

ps. more pictures.

Tokyo.

2011-05-14T21:39:00.002+09:00

We finally got the chance to take our big vacation! The plan was to fly "Space A(vailable)" on military flights until we ran out of time, then buy a ticket home. We had ten days to see where we could go. Adventurous, yes? So we started by hopping a flight to Tokyo. The first thing we did after arriving was wander around looking for a tasty ramen/soba restaurant. On the way, we found this AMAZING park. Ben has been raving about Japan's super-sweet parks since we met, but this one exceeded my expectations.

You know those metal roller conveyor belts? The giant slides were made of those metal rollers!

If we didn't have the awesome camera, we would've been a blur cause we were going so FAST!

See. Even with the pro camera, Ben is still a little blurry!

Then Ben made me take a picture at "MegMilk" and we made jokes about it for the rest of the trip.

The next day, we took four trains and a bus to Mt. Fuji.

Apparently, you can only climb the whole thing in July and August. So we just hiked around in the short time we had. The top of Mt. Fuji.

The panoramic views were unbelievable!

These overpriced touristy shops were fun.

Hiking around.

On the way back to the hotel. It was an amazing, once-in-a-lifetime experience.

The next day, we caught another flight...

DMZ.

2011-04-15T16:24:00.001+09:00

So, Megan decided that I would have to describe the DMZ trip so here goes...

Self explanatory- a sign

These are peace prayers at the Bridge of Freedom. It is a train station where people come South when North Korea decides to release someone.

The new bridge so when Kim Jong Il decides to open up we are ready to ship in help and reunite families.

Toys the Russians loaned the Koreans

Something the Japanese left behind and the Koreans got a hold of.

Another Sign...

Monument to reunite Korea

The View to North Korea- you can only take pictures from behind the yellow line because they don't want pictures of the American positions in the DMZ out there for North Korea to scrutinize.

The best view we could get of North Korea.

the last train station in South Korea- hopefully one day the North will open up and it will see action

Conference Row in the Joint Security Area- these are the buildings where the generals meet to discuss North and South relations. The blue buildings straddle the North/South and you can go inside and walk over the line into North Korea. Kinda scary.

The North Korean guard watching our every move.

When we have tours here the guards look North to deter North Korean shenanigans... When North Koreans tour the same area their guards face North as well- to keep people from running South. A Russian guy did once, shooting ensued, people died. They don't want to make the same mistake.

Inside the blue building straddling the line.

Those padlocks on the door are to keep the North Koreans from opening the door and abducting the ROK soldier- they did that once. Now two guys go in and lock the door before the tours. This guy is there for our protection and to keep idiots from creating an international incident by opening the door for kicks and giggles. "He WILL stop you" we were briefed. Even he was keeping his distance from the door.

The ROK soldiers stand half behind the wall so there is only half of their body exposed to the North Koreans. Smaller target.

North Korea behind us. This is an outpost.

This guard shack used to be blocked by a tree. A crew went out to trim it- North Koreans axed two of our guys to death... Notice the lack of a giant poplar tree. Operation Paul Bunyan. Look it up because it is hilarious.

The site of the murder. Kinda scary. A little better that we had an escort.
It's right by the Bridge of No Return where our POWs got to walk home.

So this was our awesome DMZ trip. It reminds you how touchy the situation here in Korea is. Finals this week for school and then maybe some more recent posts.

Camping above the 38th.

2011-04-14T15:42:00.001+09:00

Ben had a four-day weekend, so we decided to make the most of it. We drove to Mount Sorak on Korea's eastern coast. We got really excited when we saw this:

The border between North and South Korea was roughly drawn across the 38th parallel. We had fun telling friends that we camped on the beach above the 38th parallel. Really, the border looks like this:

Originally, we planned to hike and camp at the national park, but they didn't allow dogs in the park or campgrounds, so we headed for the beach to explore.

I guess North Korean spies try to sneak into South Korea by swimming or boating onto the coasts. We were so close to the border of North Korea that the beach we stayed on was patrolled regularly by South Korean soldiers. Comforting.

The next morning, we hiked to Naksan Buddhist Temple. There were some amazing views of the coast.

Look! Real Korean monks!

And at the top, the largest Buddhist statue in the orient. She is the goddess of mercy and stands almost 50 feet high!

It was an amazing two days - I would love to go back in the fall to see the autumn leaves.

Local Hiking.

2011-04-11T22:47:00.001+09:00

Ben, Lillie and I found a sweet hiking trail about 10 minutes from our house. It winds along the ridge and offers the most spectacular views!

Toward the beginning of the trail. The mounds in the foreground are graves. They're everywhere here.

We took a wrong turn at first and ended up on a paintball course. Luckily nobody was playing. :)

Which way would you go?

Isn't it gorgeous?

Enjoying the view.

Ben in a foxhole. This was one of the bigger foxholes we saw.

A nice meditation spot. Aahhhh...

The first horses we've seen here in Korea. They (and their riders) did NOT like the Lillie-dog and took off.

I can't wait to see what it looks like once the leaves and flowers come back.

Surgery.

2011-04-10T10:06:00.000+09:00

Lillie had to have a minor surgery on Wednesday to remove a growth on her ear.

It is healing nicely.

Poor Lillie!

Daily Adventures.

2011-04-07T16:38:00.001+09:00

In my daily activities, I sometimes come across some interesting things.

Our very favorite American-Chinese restaurant. Cause sometimes you just crave sweet & sour chicken!

Koreans are generally very stylish. Women wear short skirts, tights/leggings, and HIGH heels everywhere. Men wear slacks and, occasionally skinny jeans. Or these. I call this Manpri McSaggyButt. Looks especially nice with the white boating shoes.

The C.S.I bus.

Last week, a friend and I explored the Myeongdong area of Seoul. We shopped at Forever 21 and H&M, then had lunch at California Pizza Kitchen. Yum! This was the view from CPK. I love Seoul!

Everyday is an adventure!

Other Ben.

2011-03-22T09:02:00.000+09:00

My other favorite Ben...

Can you guess what time it is?

2011-03-20T22:01:00.000+09:00

Just for funsies.

Yeah, that's me.

I'm so tough.

Crafts, shopping, & yummy ice cream.

2011-03-14T22:11:00.001+09:00

I've been feeling a little crafty lately. It started with a 'craft day' with friends a few weeks ago. My neighbor friend made these curtains for us. I stitched the pillows, along with several piano runners. I like the way it turned out.

On a semi-related note, shopping here is a whole new experience. There are small shops and giant malls, and not much in between. The malls are organized by department/floor. So the basement is grocery, 1st floor: kid's clothes, 2nd: home decor, etc. And there's usually a food court floor, sometimes including McDonald's or Baskin Robbins. All the malls I've visited so far have at least 6 floors.

This past Thursday, I got to visit Dongdaemun in Seoul for the first time. Dongdaemun is named for the "Great East Gate." The actual gate is across the street from all the shopping. More info here.

Dongdaemun shopping district is Korea's largest wholesale and retail shopping district, consisting of 26 shopping malls! I was there for about 3 hours, and was only able to explore about half of one floor of one building. Most of the floors were fabrics - everything from drapes to silks to flannel. You can just buy fabric, or choose what you want and they will make it for you. It's fantastic!

Despite all the fabric, I spent my morning on the accessories floor. They had all types of jewelery, in individual pieces so you could create your own, or pre-made. Since I'm kinda picky about the jewelery I like, I decided to buy the pieces and make my own. I got the stuff for about $20, and made five necklaces this morning. And I still have a lot of extras left over, for the next time I get the crafty bug.

Another piece of Korea trivia I just learned. Koreans celebrate Valentine's Day on Feb 14, just like we do in America. But according to Korean tradition, Feb 14th is when women give gifts to men. So, on March 14th, the men are expected to return the favor. So, essentially, there are two "lovers days!" Because it's still Valentine's season, Baskin Robbins still has their Valentine's flavors. I am addicted to Love Potion #31 - swirls of vanilla and raspberry ice cream, with raspberry-filled chocolate hearts throughout. Yum!

What we've been up to.

2011-03-04T09:52:00.000+09:00

With all the homework and classes and exercises and piano lessons, we haven't had many great adventures lately. So here's what we've been up to.

Ben stomped me at Risk. See all the black pieces?

We celebrated Valentine's Day last weekend. I woke up to this beautiful piece of art. Isn't he sweet?

And the Lillie-dog just stares at us like this:

"You guys are boring."

Maybe I should explain...

2011-02-22T10:22:00.000+09:00

Last week, friend Michele and I went to eMart (a walmart-ish store here) to browse around and pick up a few things. I found this sweet scooter helmet and put it on. Michele added the goggles, and here's the result.

The side view.

I guess thats not much of an explanation. I got nothing.

So High-Tech.

2011-02-19T20:29:00.002+09:00

Our apartment here is what I call "high-tech Korean". For example, our doorbell has a video monitor, our front door lock is an electronic touch keypad, and the hot water heater isn't a tank - water is heated as it runs through the pipes of the water heater (you never run out of hot water!) so you have to turn it on before taking a shower or doing dishes. One of my favorite high tech parts of this apartment is the floor heating. To heat the house, water pipes run under the floors and heat the room from the floor up. Very nice when sitting on the floor (which I do a lot when studying). We never really knew how the pipes worked, until the other day when Mr.Ben cleaned the floors while the heat was on.

Happy Birthdays!

2011-02-17T18:42:00.000+09:00

Our 27th birthday weekend kicked off Saturday evening when we got the chance to attend our neighbor's daughter's 1st birthday party.

Sunday was my birthday, but of course we couldn't wait to open our gifts so we opened them Saturday night. Among a(nother) pocket knife for Mr.Ben, and a much need waffle iron...

...Ben surprised me with this:

Our old camera went kapoot a few months ago and the iPhone just wasn't cutting it anymore. I've been drooling over this camera forever. I'm no photographer, but I've wanted something a little better than a point-and-shoot, while still very user friendly. Bingo!

Isn't my hubby sweet?

My birthday was on Sunday, so here I am before leaving for church.

Ben had to work Sunday night, so I got to surprise him with a little birthday decor for his big day.

Between a lot of working and midterms, we didn't quite have the standard favorite-day-of-the-year festivities. And Ben came down with the most wretched flu on his birthday morning, leaving him like this most of the day.

Poor Mr.Ben. Glad he's feeling better now, three days and a trip to the ER later.

Busy.

2011-02-06T23:17:00.000+09:00

Oh boy, have we been busy these last few weeks! Lets see if I can even remember...

Mr.Ben started work on his masters degree about a month ago. Between his crazy work schedule and trying to keep up with his classwork, he definitely qualifies as a busy guy.

I also started back to school this semester, working hard to finish my bachelors. I'm taking 22 credits this semester. I hope to finish before we leave Korea next year, only 10 years after I started my bachelors. Stay in school, kids.

Around the same time we started school, I started teaching piano lessons here. I am so fortunate to have 6 beautiful, talented girls (ages 8-16) starting lessons last month. I love seeing their progress!

There hasn't been much time for exploring, unfortunately. But we did take a quick drive south last weekend to pick up some classwork for my math class. This is the view through Pyeongtaek, taken from the car.

The funny thing about being busy - we may be getting a lot done, but we're enjoying our quiet moments together even more.

ps. I've been playing with a new photo editing iPhone app - Instagram. For a super quick enhancement, I kinda like it!

english.

2011-01-13T10:41:00.000+09:00

I feel like I should explain. It's cold here. Really cold. This morning it was 3 Fahrenheit. THREE. To heat the house, there are pipes that run hot water under the floors. So the building management is asking that we keep the floor heating on and let the faucets drip so the pipes don't freeze. Oh, and the -12 is Celsius. They put this sign up over a week ago and I guess it's still necessary. Brrr...

winter fail.

2011-01-11T09:33:00.000+09:00

Clearing Snow Off The Roof Fail - Watch more Funny Videos

Happy winter!

thankful thursday.

2010-12-30T08:58:00.000+09:00

1. Watching the Insight Bowl live yesterday. Even better, watching Iowa beat Missouri! Such a good game. Go Hawkeyes!

2. Amazon.com. I just bought so many piano books (half for students, half for me - hee hee)! I love that I can find obscure books for sometimes pretty cheap and that they ship things here. And, along with this, I'm so grateful to have a piano here.

3. Starting school again. I probably won't be grateful for school once it has started, but I'm glad to have the opportunity to finish my degree while we're here. It's way past time to get it done.

More Pictures from Korea House.

2010-12-29T13:05:00.000+09:00

I mentioned here that while at the Korea House a couple weeks ago, I got the chance to join the traditional dancers on stage. One of the guys in our group took some contraband photos and shared them with us.

We watched about an hour of performances before this, so when they pulled me from the audience, I didn't hesitate at all! It was so much fun!

Fog.

2010-12-28T22:18:00.000+09:00

We recently had 3-4 days of heavy fog, so dense that driving was nearly impossible. I took Lillie to play ball one very foggy morning.

Shopping in Suwon.

2010-12-27T07:56:00.001+09:00

Ben had a couple days off for the Christmas holiday, so on Thursday we took the opportunity to explore some of Suwon, a city about 40 minutes north (by train). We walked the streets and saw some interesting things.

There is a giant mall above the train station. This is the view from the walkway while crossing the street. Yes, we have driven here too.

And while walking around the streets just outside the station, we found this:

... for sale at a butcher. When I took this picture, the two guys in the shop started laughing. I thought they were laughing at me for taking the picture, but they just wanted to show me the cow head at the other end of the counter. Yikes. Shopping here isn't for the squeemish. But at least my curiosity entertains the locals.

Korean Choir.

2010-12-26T09:33:00.000+09:00

Wow. I am sure behind a the blogging! Our new friend, Mr. Lee, invited us to see his choir perform at the beginning of December and I'm just now sharing. Shame. I was having the hardest time chosing between all the videos I took, but uploading multiple videos to one post was too frustrating so I chose my favorite. Ever heard ABBA in Korean? So worth it.

Mamma Mia!

They are really pretty amazing. Wish I had the patience to upload some of their more serious numbers. Very talented. I look forward to their next performance in the spring. Mr. Lee also invited us to the symphony in Suwon last week, which was just amazing. I hope we get the chance to see many more performances while we're here.

english.

2010-12-22T09:14:00.000+09:00

At a coffee shop with friends.

Korea House.

2010-12-19T09:26:00.002+09:00

A couple weeks ago, we got the chance to visit the Korea House in Seoul. They created the Korea House to show visitors to Korea traditional dances and food. We went with a tour group from the base. We started with dinner - they had samples of so many kinds of Korean food including several types of rice, octopus tentacles, crab, and different desserts. The food was so good, though I wasn't as adventurous as Ben - he even tried the octopus! After dinner, we were treated to about an hour of traditional dances and drum performances. During the last number, they pulled four people from the audience to dance with them and guess who got to go up - ME!!! It was so much fun! Pictures weren't allowed, but I'll never forget it!

Korea House

Some of the performers came out afterward for pictures. Their costumes were so pretty.

It was a nice look at the traditional Korean culture - something we'd recommend to any visitor to Seoul. Hopefully we get to go again when family comes to visit.

Namhae - Turtle Boat.

2010-11-30T11:28:00.000+09:00

First, the view from our room.

On our way off the island, we stopped at the turtle boat replica. The Koreans built these boats starting in the early 1400s to fight the Japanese. Turtle boats have several cannons inside and a spikey roof to prevent the enemy from boarding.

A closer shot of the spikey roof.

Inside the boat, Ben got to play around with a sword...

Then I dressed for battle.

The bridge to Namhae. We got out just before the storm hit.

We followed friends home, which shortened the trip to about four hours (including a little traffic). For such a short vacation, we got a lot of sightseeing in and had so much fun!

snow.

2010-11-29T10:08:00.000+09:00

We got our first snow of the year last night! It was so pretty, coming down in big, wet flakes. This morning, this is the view:

Namhae - Bori Temple.

2010-11-29T10:01:00.000+09:00

After the ferry, we had lunch at Sangju Beach. It was a beautiful day - sunny and warmish.

Next we visited the Bori Temple. It sits at the top of a mountain. We drove a good portion of the way up and then hiked the rest. The views were absolutely unbelieveable!

The view of Sangju Beach from the mountain top.

It really was a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Namhae - Fish and Ferries.

2010-11-28T10:24:00.000+09:00

This weekend, we were able to take a Thanksgiving vacation with some friends. We went south to the bottom of the peninsula to an island called Namhae (nahm-hey). Even though we were only there Thursday-Saturday, we got to see and do so much!

We were planning on meeting everyone (about 10 families) at the resort in Namhae. So we left at 11:30am and set off on the 4-hour drive. Eight hours later, we arrived. Without GPS, our maps didn't exactly get us there directly. But we made it and were able to relax Thursday night.

First thing Saturday morning, we set off as a group for a fishing dock. They were unloading sardines from a fishing boat and crating them, along with cuttlefish and some long, skinny silver fish.

Ben posed with a giant anchor.

Then played Capt Morgan on the giant 'jacks'.

Us on the fishing dock.

Then we took a ferry ride to explore the 80+ islands that make up Namhae. Only 3 of them are inhabited - the rest are too small.

And this was just the beginning!

market.

2010-11-28T09:08:00.000+09:00

When wandering around here, it's pretty easy to stumble across restaurants displaying their fresh seafood - so fresh it's still alive! Saw these last weekend:

These wormy things totally gross me out!

Hungry?

New Piano!

2010-11-23T10:19:00.000+09:00

We recently got a hot tip on a local piano store, so last weekend we went hunting. After investigating two buildings with pictures of pianos on them (the first was a closed piano store and the second was a music studio), we found a tiny little shop with a bunch of Korean uprights. The owner is a master tuner and spoke surprisingly good English. He gave us free delivery and even agreed to tune it for free for the next two years! Isn't it gorgeous?!?

I've already cluttered it up with books and sheet music. I love, Love, LOVE it!

Itaewon.

2010-11-19T11:21:00.000+09:00

Last weekend, Mr.Ben and I went to the international shopping village of Seoul called Itaewon (Ee-tay-whan) for some Christmas shopping and general sightseeing. We also took our first trip on the Seoul train/subway - super easy and cheap! I didn't take very many pictures, but here are the few I got:

Shopping and restaurants.

today's views.

2010-11-12T21:14:00.000+09:00

Today I took advantage of the crisp fall weather and walked to do my errands. We had a little storm last night but today was clear and relatively warm. Here are a few of my views from the walk home.

Flower Market.

2010-11-12T10:03:00.000+09:00

Earlier this week, I got the chance to visit a giant flower market in Seoul with some friends from church. It was AMAZING! I wish I could have taken a picture of the smell - heavenly! There were so many different types of cut flowers, potted plants, and silk flowers. I loved the cut flowers and ended up getting several bundles that are now making my house smell wonderful.

The first thing I saw when we walked in:

We thought the cabbage flowers were so strange!

The bonsai section.

My take-home - lilies of course. The total cost of these 3 bundles and vase was less than $15!

Needless to say, I'll be at the flower market every chance I get! Thanks to Jihyun for organizing this trip and being our tour guide. Can't wait to go back!

sidecar bob.

2010-11-11T10:09:00.000+09:00

Mr. Ben and I saw this while out shopping yesterday. His exact words: 'Whoa! That's awesome!' Would you ride sidecar on this?

Also.

Goober. Peanut butter and grape jelly swirled together. I know this has been around forever, but I just bought my very first jar and I'm so hooked!

Yeah, this is the most random post.

today's view.

2010-11-03T17:22:00.000+09:00

After walking a few miles to and from lunch with friends, I took Lillie out for another 1.5 or so. Who needs a gym when you can walk to everything? This is the little farm road that we like to walk on. Yes, cars (and trucks and tractors) drive on this road. But it's not too busy.

A harvested field.

I think it is so gorgeous here!

Look at this sky!

Hope you're having a great day too!

Battle Rattle.

2010-11-02T19:54:00.002+09:00

Exercise. Exercise. Exercise. And this is what Ben looks like this week.

give thanks.

2010-11-02T19:07:00.000+09:00

I love Thanksgiving! It is the perfect time to really remember our blessings and be thankful for them. So, this month, I want to share the things I am most thankful for. To start:

Dreamy.

This guy works so hard. And even if he's only home (and awake) for an hour or two, he takes such good care of me. I'm so glad we get to be together during this year in Korea!

new.

2010-10-31T21:08:00.000+09:00

Oh boy! Has it really been almost two months since I last posted here? Shame. So much has happened that I'd like to share!

After the chaos of preparing to move from North Carolina to South Korea, we spent a couple weeks visiting family and friends in Utah. Fantastic! Then, I finally arrived. In a foreign country. And it's not Canada this time! (Does Canada count as a foreign country? They speak French sometimes...) Korea is amazing! Most of my exploring is being chronicled at MegsAndBens, but I'm sure the culture shock will be mentioned here plenty.

I've been in Korea for exactly three weeks. I'm starting to lose track of my time here; it already feels pretty comfortable. Once we get a GPS, I know I'll be spending way more time exploring on my own. Soon. We received our shipment a few days ago (still halfway unpacked) and we're starting to get into a routine of sorts. Unfortunately, that routine includes long hours at work for Mr.Ben. He is even working weekends. Boo. But I sorta expected it - they have a pretty high tempo here. So he's working right now (yes, Sunday evening) and I'm watching last season's Biggest Loser again (tv is pretty delayed here). And I'm thinking about what my life will be like here and what inspires that life. The list-lover that I am, I've come up with the following (for now):

1. NieNie. If you haven't heard of the amazing Stephanie Nielson and have a few minutes, I highly recommend checking out her blog. She was in a terrible, fiery plane crash two years ago and her daily resilience totally inspires me. She is so brave.

2. Exploration! We've always tried to make the most of a new home by exploring as much as we can. While venturing out in a new country may seem scary (language I don't understand, crazy drivers), I'm realizing that we only have a year here. There's no time to waste! There's so much to see and I'm hoping to start with a trip to Seoul's flower market this week.

3. Technology. I think it could be easy to feel isolated here, so far from everything and everyone familiar. But honestly, I haven't felt that at all. Mostly because of all the technology that keeps me connected with family and friends. Facebook, email, blogs and Skype are my link to the familiar world.

Hopefully it won't take another two months to post here! Mwah!

Home.

2010-10-20T15:31:00.000+09:00

There is a saying that says, "Home is where the military sends me". So true. And while we in the Air Force seem to spend more time at each station than some of the other services, in our 5+ years of marriage, this is our 3rd home. Not including the temporary duty stations along the way. Some people have a tough time with this; I love the opportunities for adventure!

Ben got to Korea a week before I did and boy, was he busy during that week! He was able to purchase a car and an apartment before I even got here, all while inprocessing - jet-lagged. He's pretty amazing. So he was very excited to show me the results of his hard work:

Our apartment is brand new, with all sorts of upgrades. And it's only a 20-minute walk (5-minute drive) from everything we use on base. We live in the beautiful Korean countryside.

Our neighborhood.

Aren't the fields so pretty?

Korean cows!

More 'wildlife'. The golden banana spiders are EVERYWHERE, but usually only in undisturbed areas, like bushes and trees. They're about the size of your palm, including legs. I had nightmares the first night!

Down the street from our place, there's a kids park called Joyland. Fun!

I absolutely LOVE our apartment. It came furnished - good because our shipment only allowed for the essentials. These pictures are from the day we moved in. I especially love the floors.

The master bedroom came with a bed and wardrobe (there are no closets). That isn't a box springs; that's the mattress. And a pretty nice one for Korean standards. I think they sleep on the floor, so a 'mattress' is a luxury. But it was beyond hard! We slept 2 nights on it before buying a Serta mattress from the BX.

Our place is a 3 bedroom/2 bath and both the bathrooms are wonderful! The master has this amazing shower.

The second bathroom has a big, deep tub. Heaven!

The only tough part of our new place is the electronics. Everything is pretty high-tech, to me at least, but the hard part is the Korean-only instructions and labels - very little English. This is our thermostat for the apartment heat and water heater. Luckily, we got a brief lesson from the realtor.

The washing machine became my project. After 4 or 5 days of searching the internet, I finally found the owners manual in English. Now we can do laundry with confidence!

There is so much to take in and I'm sure most of my posts will be culture-shock related. But we really love it here so far. The people are amazing and appreciate my few terrible Korean words. Everyday is an adventure!

Korea!

2010-10-19T23:38:00.000+09:00

We made it to Korea! Ben got here at the beginning of October, and I came a week later. The settling in is a slow process (and the jet lag doesn't help), but we're here and marveling at the sights. I took some random pictures the first couple days...

No, this isn't a driveway or one-way road. Two cars will actually fit at the same time.

The hotel had shower shoes for us. So here's Ben, modeling the mandals.

Water.

Lillie in Korea.

We drove to E-Mart (kind of like a department store). I took pictures all the way there, but Ben banished the camera at the store. Wish I would've got one of the parking attendant giving us a full from-the-waist bow. It was so cool! But anyway, here are the pictures from the drive. Oh, and we drive on the right here too.

The street signs are sometimes tricky.

So far, we love it here! More pictures to come...

More goodbyes...

2010-10-19T10:56:00.002+09:00

Before leaving Utah, I got to have lunch at Cafe Rio with my dear friend, Kelli. We've known each other since junior high in Idaho! We don't see each other very often (every few years), but everytime we get together, we talk like no time has passed. She is wonderful! And this was one of the few times I actually had my camera with me, so here you go!

Love you Kelli!

Dinner with sisters.

2010-10-18T02:27:00.000+09:00

We had a family party at Jen's with all the sisters plus kids. It was so great! We had tasty taco salad, made caramel apples, and took fun pictures.

Just us girls.

I love how Sydney is looking at me. She's so cute!

Brit & me.

Making caramel apples. Yum!

Unfortunately, Ben had already left for Korea, so he wasn't able to join us. We missed him and he missed out.

Even though I only get to see you guys every couple years, we always have so much fun! Thanks again!

Some goodbyes...

2010-10-17T02:06:00.001+09:00

Before we left NC, I had one last dinner with my HM2 girls to say goodbye.

Me and Erin.

Me and Marci.

Ben, Lillie, & I drove from North Carolina to Utah, with a few stops along the way. Unfortunately, we didn't get pictures in Mississippi or Texas (the camera kept getting lost in the moving shuffle), but hopefully our camera-conscious friends & family will share their pictures with us.

Me and the bike.

2010-10-15T23:45:00.000+09:00

A lot has happened these past few weeks, so the blog has been neglected. But I'm going to try to make up for all the neglect and post some of the things we've been up to. Starting with...

I drove a motorcycle! Seriously. And it was so much fun! Then we put it in storage for at least a year...

Pope Ball 2010

2010-09-11T00:04:00.000+09:00

Last night was the Air Force Ball for Pope. I love the ball - it's the best excuse to get all dressed up and have fun with friends!

So much fun! We'll miss all our Pope friends!

Lillie and the Kayak.

2010-09-04T23:04:00.000+09:00

We finally took the Lillie-dog kayaking on Thursday. It was a little choppy on the lake, so we were worried at first. But she LOVED it! There was only one time that she almost took a swim. Her eyes got all wild when she thought she was going in, but I pulled her back into the kayak and she didn't try it again. It was a fantastic time for the whole family!

september.

2010-09-02T21:39:00.000+09:00

I celebrated September's arrival with a trip to Onslow Beach with my friend, Anna. It was probably my last beach trip here in North Carolina - very bittersweet. We both meant to take pictures, but our cameras rode along in our beach bags with no participation. I still can't belive we forgot! But we had a fantastic time watching and listening to the giant pre-hurricane waves. They were amazing and super powerful!

September also marks a month of change for us. We have a lot to do in preparation for our big move to Korea. But things are coming together nicely and, after a relaxing day at the beach, I'm feeling very thankful. And it is Thursday...

1. Even though September seems to mark the end of summer, it is still in the mid-90s here! I love summer, so I'm very grateful for the extended warm weather of the south.

2. Labor Day weekend! Ben gets a 4-day weekend and we're planning to spend as much time as possible at the pool, soaking up the last of the summer sun!

3. Though my mind is always full of moving and travel details, I'm so thankful that things have been going smoothly and we have time to have some fun before we leave.

Since I've been so bad at pictures lately, here's a pretty one to get you through the long weekend.

another NC beach.

Anonymous.

2010-08-24T04:53:00.001+09:00

Hey anonymous! I don't care if you're too lazy to set up a FREE profile with Google before you post comments on my blog. But if you're going to make comments, at least sign your name! I get so excited to see that someone has left a comment, until I see that it was left by... anonymous! Own up, or skip the comment!

ps. I will delete your obnoxiously anonymous comments... be warned.

addiction.

2010-08-15T23:56:00.000+09:00

Yeah. I'll admit it. I'm totally addicted to Jersey Shore! It's so funny! Come on - when Snooki says "I feel like a pilgrim from the 20s!" How can you not laugh for days at that?

So take care of your GTL and keep watching the funniest show ever!

Mud Run!

2010-08-15T10:19:00.001+09:00

Over the last few months, Ben has been designing a mud run course at Pope. It's a 5k that includes sections of big mounds of dirt and pits of waist-deep water. We brought Lillie along, thinking that I would leave with her before the actual run. Things didn't exactly work out that way and we both stayed for the whole thing. After we'd watched the last people run through the final mud pit, Lillie took off and dove in! It was so deep she had to swim!

I think she had more fun than any of the runners!

So gross!

2010-08-13T22:20:00.000+09:00

In preparation for our trip to Korea, Ben had to get a whole bunch of immunizations. The anthrax, TB, and typhoid made him sick for days, but worse than that was smallpox. Warning: this post is not for weak stomachs. Be warned.

So Ben wanted to show off the nasty, festering sore that IS the smallpox vaccine. I can't bring myself to post a giant picture of it, so if you want to see it bigger, click on the picture.

Eeewww...

busy.

2010-08-03T01:43:00.000+09:00

Things have picked up around here... In the last two weeks:

We found out we're moving to Korea - and in just a couple months!
My life's dream of seeing a Beatle came true! Ben and I saw Paul McCartney in Charlotte on Wednesday and it was AMAZING! Best show I've ever seen - by far. Next time, I'll pay the extra money to be on the floor.

We were host parents for 4 girls during a youth conference in our church. Such a fun time!
I realized that we're actually MOVING TO KOREA! So much to do! Renting out our house and selling both cars (one down, one to go) and sorting through everything. It's about to get even crazier!

Youth Conference.

2010-08-03T01:33:00.000+09:00

Last Friday and Saturday, Ben and I were host parents for youth conference. Ben had to work Friday, so I enlisted the help of my friend Anna to help me shuttle the 4 girls around. We were partnered up with Sis and Bishop Mann, along with their 5 boys. Over the two days, we had two huge service projects, various games and activities at the stake center, and a slumber party. It was such a great time - a real spiritual pick-me-up. And it was so fun hanging out with carefree teenage girls! Here's our group after Saturday's project:

(That's a nest they're holding.)

And look how happy we are!

And our next adventure is...

2010-07-27T20:29:00.001+09:00

That's right! We're headed to Korea!

Fabulous 4th.

2010-07-12T08:45:00.000+09:00

This year for Independence Day, we went to the Ft Bragg celebration. First we saw Chevelle, then the Ft Bragg orchestra played the 1812 Overture to kick off the fireworks. We had a great time!

Curb Appeal.

2010-07-08T02:48:00.000+09:00

The landscaping in front of our house has been begging for help for a long time. Well, we finally did something about it this weekend.

We forgot to get a before picture, but I had this one from the spring. The purple flowers only lasted for a few weeks, and then looked like nasty weeds the rest of the year. And the landscaping timbers on the border were starting to rot. So we ripped almost everything out.

Here's the after shot. So much better!

Isn't it nice?

chi.

2010-06-29T22:02:00.000+09:00

Aww... I have the sweetest husband! Ben surprised me Friday with this:

as a 5th anniversary present.

Oh what a difference! Now I don't feel like I'm destroying my hair every time I straighten it. And thanks to everyone for helping me choose the perfect flat iron. Isn't it pretty?

Mott Lake.

2010-06-29T21:42:00.001+09:00

This lake is only 5 minutes from our house - isn't that convenient?

We decided against bringing the Lillie-dog this time...

Kayaks!

2010-06-29T07:25:00.000+09:00

Our 5th anniversary was last Friday and, as a gift to ourselves, we got kayaks! Of course, we had to take them out to the beach right away.

And Ben took pictures of us on the drive home. We got some SUN!

I think we're going to take them out on the lake tonight. I wonder if Lillie would ride in a kayak...

five years.

2010-06-25T23:03:00.000+09:00

A life lived in love will never be dull.

- Leo Buscaglia

Happy anniversary to my Ben. I have loved every moment of this adventure.

mccartney in charlotte.

2010-06-17T00:34:00.000+09:00

I've been such a HUGE fan of The Beatles for as long as I can remember. It has always been a dream of mine to see one in concert. So, when Paul McCartney announced a show in Charlotte, I jumped all over it!

So I bought my ticket and now I'm just counting the days. Can't wait for July 28th!

the fun theory.

2010-06-10T20:17:00.000+09:00

I would LOVE to play on these stairs:

Also, if they're trying to get people to use the stairs, couldn't they just turn off the escalator?

flat iron.

2010-06-10T00:23:00.000+09:00

I'm in need of a flat iron upgrade. I've been using cheep $20 flat irons forever and they always break within a year. So I might actually save money in the long run if I get something of higher quality. Plus, the cheapo flat irons don't do a very good job and take forever. But what should I get?

I've sort of narrowed it down between Chi...

...and T3.

I'm completely torn and I need some advice. I honestly know NOTHING about this. So what do you use?

chop, chop.

2010-06-05T05:49:00.000+09:00

Yep. I finally got my hair cut, after weeks of complaining. It was getting all shaggy at the bottom and was about impossible to style. Lauren at Split Ends Salon cleaned it up and threw in some bangs for good measure. I think it turned out great, but I'll have to style it on my own to see for sure.

Memorial weekend campout.

2010-06-02T20:28:00.001+09:00

We spent most of the Memorial Day weekend camping and playing at the beach with friends. We found a campground with space available a little way from the beach. So we camped in the woods at night and played on the beach during the days. And the weather was perfect!

Our obligatory self-photo.

The second day at the beach, we only brought one chair. So Ben dug out a recliner. He said it was very comfortable and cool.

Our friends' son, Douglas, ran and played with Lillie. Richie said this picture looks like a dog food commercial. They had lots of fun!

We actually didn't get a lot of pictures... I guess we were too busy having fun!

1st Lieutenant.

2010-06-01T23:23:00.001+09:00

On Thursday, Ben got promoted to first lieutenant. So we had a pretty casual ceremony and then some tasty food with friends and co-workers at the Pope Club.

Col. Dunn made some nice comments about Ben before swearing him in.

Then I pinned on his new rank.

The ceremony was quick and afterward we got to celebrate!

We're so proud of 1LT Quigley!

ps. Thanks to Mrs. Dunn and Sarah for taking such great pictures!

Endurance Relay.

2010-05-25T22:21:00.002+09:00

Okay. This is WAY overdue. The Pope Air Force Base Endurance Relay was almost a month ago and I'm just now sharing this. Airmen could choose to run 12 or 24 hours, individually or in a group. Ben and some of his fellow FSS lieutenants formed a team and the 9 of them took turns running in 15-minute intervals over 24 hours. They also dressed up as super-villians. Some were dressed as Catwoman or Professor Chaos. Ben dressed as a communist and made the front page of Ft Bragg's sports section:

He only wore the mask for the first few laps, but the hat stuck around the entire time.

hurt.

2010-05-21T02:05:00.000+09:00

I caught a Johnny Cash documentary on tv yesterday that mentioned his cover of Nine Inch Nails' Hurt. I've liked his version of that song for a long time, but had never seen the video. Its pretty good, so have a watch if you'd like.

Johnny Cash - New Music - More Music Videos

bellamy mansion.

2010-05-20T02:14:00.000+09:00

Last Friday, a friend and I had a girls' day in Wilmington, NC. We walked around historic downtown and did some shopping ($13 Gap jeans at Smithfield!), but the highlight was the Bellamy Mansion.

The front of the house is so close to the street that this was the best picture I could get.

The mansion was a little underdecorated, but this piano was my favorite by far.

These stairs went from porch to balcony on the back of the house.

Can you believe this magnolia? It is taller than the mansion!

The back of the mansion. Isn't it breathtaking?

If you're looking for a fabulous antebellum mansion, this is the one. The fee was relatively inexpensive and though we didn't get a guided tour, the entire house was open and almost empty - perfect for exploring! If you're ever in the area, you've gotta check it out!

2-week challenge - results.

2010-05-16T07:58:00.000+09:00

So the 2-week challenge officially ended yesterday and I'll admit, I lazed out toward the end of this week. But even though I lost ZERO weight (boo), my body did tone up a bit. So I'm calling it a success. I guess I'll keep it up... : )

thankful thursday.

2010-05-13T20:19:00.000+09:00

Oh boy! How did I forget about Thankful Thursdays? I think it was like November the last time I participated, so here goes...

1. Energy! I'm just feeling so much better overall! Hooray!
2. Summer. Its finally here! I love everything about summer, but especially the beach. I have big plans for every Saturday until winter - the beach!
3. Thursday 8-miles. My friend, Sarah, and I walk 8 miles every Thursday. Its so much fun talking and exercising together!

This is just one of the views on our weekly walk. Its so pretty here!

No, this picture was not altered to look artistic. My camera was in the pocket of my camelback and got all steamed up when I pulled it out to take the picture. Yeah, its pretty humid here. But it turned out kinda cool.

Ben hearts Megs.

2010-05-10T22:52:00.002+09:00

Even though we're not parents yet, we still pamper each other on Mother's Day and Father's Day. So last night Ben made me a heart-shaped strawberry cheesecake with chocolate shavings on top. Yum!

It took some serious self-restraint to not eat the whole thing!

My tribute to Mothers is on my other blog, MegsStyle. If you've never seen Mr. T sing, you've gotta see this!

happy mutha's day.

2010-05-10T06:16:00.000+09:00

This says it all. Happy Mother's Day!

gardens.

2010-05-07T21:05:00.000+09:00

Maybe if you didn't have to maintain it, what would keep you from spending all your time in one of these beautiful gardens?

from here.

I'm thinking lemonade and a good book. Ahh...

2-week challenge.

2010-05-05T23:34:00.000+09:00

Over the last few years, I've packed on some lbs. And I've tried some intense 3-4 month periods of running every day and eating a healthy diet, with no results. I'm talking ZERO lbs lost. There's not much motivation to work out if it does no good, right? So I'd end up quitting, more discouraged than before. But now that I'm feeling so much better overall, I've been rethinking everything. I want to see what my body can do now! So last Friday I started a 2-week weight loss challenge. I'm running everyday and giving more thought to the food I eat. I'm only about 6 pounds from a normal BMI, so thats my ultimate goal. I'll let you know how it goes. Wish me luck!

Oh, and the Lillie-dog is a great running buddy!

i heart you.

2010-05-04T20:51:00.000+09:00

My new favorite blog - highly stalkable. Check it out if you'd like.

I *Heart* You.

Its author, Paige, talks about fashion, pop culture, and anything else that catches her eye. She's brilliantly to-the-point and totally loveable. I'm just sad I didn't find this fun blog sooner.

Have a great day!

monday again?!?

2010-05-03T20:49:00.000+09:00

We savor our weekends around here, spending lots of time outside during the day and crashing on the couch watching movies during the evenings. Weekends are our chance to recover from the week before and prepare for the week ahead. But no matter how much preparing goes on, I'm never ready for Monday...

On another note, I was recently diagnosed with Hypothyroidism. It basically means my thyroid is lazy and doesn't provide me with enough energy. So, after starting treatment (one tiny pill every day) about 2 weeks ago, I'm already feeling so much better! I didn't know I was tired all the time until now, when I'm not! I know this is a pretty common thing - lots of people have and are treated for Hypothyroidism. But its completely new to me and, I've gotta say, if I could choose a medical problem to have, this is probably the best one ever! I'm just so productive now!

Have you or someone you know been diagnosed with Hypothyroidism? How has it affected you? Here's to a very productive Monday!

Oh and here's a pretty picture from one of my favorite blogs to stalk: a life's design.

Throwback Thursday.

2010-04-23T08:36:00.002+09:00

Some of the jokers in Ben's squadron came up with Throwback Thursdays, which is just a chance to show off their old uniforms. They're only allowed to wear these oldies for a little while longer until they're officially phased out by the Air Force. Ben even threw on his issued BCGs (birth control glasses) from boot camp. Doesn't he look sharp? But don't worry - he didn't wear the glasses all day.

Also, this post marks a small milestone for the blog. This is our 100th post! Huh. Can't believe we've had 100 interesting-ish things to blog about... Here's to a few hundred more!

Hammock.

2010-04-13T21:54:00.000+09:00

Ben knows how much I love to hammock (thats all I do on campouts), so he made me a sweet spot to swing in our very own back yard.

Today I fell asleep in it and got sunburned. Happy hammocking!

Strutt Your Mutt.

2010-04-13T05:19:00.000+09:00

Saturday was the Strutt Your Mutt at Pope AFB. Actually, I think it was called Furry Friends Walk or Spring Fling. Whatever it was called, it sure was fun! It was basically a picnic at the park with your dogs (and one cat on a leash). There were fun games and a cake walk. But the best part was all the great socializing Lillie got to do. She smelled a lot of butts and made a lot of friends. So here's a cute family photo from the event:

Happy Summer!

freedom.

2010-04-13T05:11:00.000+09:00

With a title like that, you'd think this would be a patriotic post. And I have been feeling extra patriotic lately, but I'm appreciating a very specific sort of freedom: jobless freedom. I quit my job, if anyone is wondering, and I haven't looked back. My last day was Friday, so today was my first day of freedom. You'd think I would spend it catching up on laundry or taking a much-needed trip to the commissary, but instead, I planted this:

And this:

And then I fell asleep and got sunburned in this:

Maybe I'll be productive tomorrow...

South Mountains State Park.

2010-04-05T08:04:00.000+09:00

On this Easter weekend, Ben and I decided to explore some of the North Carolina mountains. After perusing the State Parks website, we settled on heading to South Mountains State Park, approx. an hour northwest of Charlotte. South Mountains boasted beautiful green mountains and breathtaking waterfalls. And they weren't lying!

We hiked in to our campsite, about 1.5 miles straight up. Or at least it seemed that way. We dropped our stuff and went straight for the High Shoals Falls.

Here we are on the way up to the falls.

From our campsite, we had to hike down a little to see the waterfall, which involved SO MANY STAIRS! My legs were like jello!

But we made it and were able to see it right up close. Beautiful!

A little farther down, the waterfalls continued down the rocky river.

We headed back to camp and got things set up. Here's Ben 'trying out' our new hammock. It is so big and comfortable that we ended up sleeping in it all night, listening to the river right behind us. And the bugs didn't even bother us!

This morning, Ben built a giant fire...

... until we packed up camp and walked back down the mountain.

I love living just a few hours from the beach to the east and the mountains to the west. It was a great weekend trip!

Bentonville.

2010-03-23T23:08:00.000+09:00

Last Saturday, we went to the Bentonville reenactment. This time, it was a Civil War battle.

This cute Confederate soldier was so nice to take a picture with me. But his English accent was a little confusing...

The North.

The South.

We had to stomp through the forest to find a decent place to watch, but we ended up with the best spot on the field! It was amazing! I guess they only do this reenactment every 5 years, so there were tons of people. And afterward, we had dinner and shopping with friends. It was a great weekend!

Guilford Courthouse.

2010-03-20T22:06:00.000+09:00

Lately Ben has been dragging me (and some friends) to a couple of local reenactments. On the 13th, we saw the Guilford Courthouse reenactment. The details are sketchy for me (I'm terrible at history, even after Ben explained it to me), but I know it was the Revolutionary War.

Look! The redcoats are coming!

I actually liked it. Who knew I was such a nerd? Wait, nobody answer that.

balancing act.

2010-03-18T23:35:00.000+09:00

Life is a balancing act lately. Between work, church, and my personal life, it has been tricky keeping a nice balance. Does anyone else ever feel like this? How does one regain the balance? I'd hate to go tumbling off the rooftop - looks like a long way down...