TV Land

TV. I didn’t watch it much while I was in the states but it’s been quite the lifesaver over here. We have cable and although most of the channels are unintelligible to us there is a good selection of English ones. We get the Discovery channel (I’m a huge Bear Gryllis fan) but you do have to watch other things once in a while.

Last year Jason and I OD’d on America’s Next Top Model. Yes, it’s crazy the things you’ll watch when you need to hear English spoken. Jason does a great Tyra Banks impression. “I only have two photos in my hand….”. I’ve also shed many a tear while watching The Biggest Loser - which probably means I'm the biggest loser. But the majority of shows here are criminal type shows. I’ve now seen CSI, Law & Order, NCIS, Missing Persons, Medium, ect. A strange genre when you consider the low crime rate here.

Yes, we’re terrible. I’m thinking of this while spending an afternoon doing just that. Watching crap TV. The weather patterns that spawned the typoon that hit Taiwan with devastating effects has shown up in Seoul. Luckily we won’t be getting anything other than a few days of heavy rain. However since we’re not working for a few more weeks we’ve decided to hunker down for the duration and veg out. I watched Goonies this morning which I must say is still a good movie.

We spent the majority of our vacation in the states and it was fantastic. We visited family and friends in NY and WY. We did hit CO for a few days and stole a few hours in the Minneapolis airport with Jeff and Lara. I’m sad that we didn’t see all of our wonderful friends and family. Sara and Cara - I wish you could have made it. Minneapolis crew – we’ll be there next summer. And Mary…I’m sure Maine is beautiful but really...didn’t you miss me? ;)

It’d be hard to chronicle all the great times we had in the states this summer. Instead I’ll post some pictures. Hope you’re having a good one!

The Vanderbilt Masion...or as my Kiwi co-worker said, "the best cricket field ever."

There are quite a few gardens around the Vanderbilt grounds that we wandered around.

A beautiful path through the Vanderbilt woods.

For Jason's birthday this year we went to a bookstore. We're at that age when things get really exciting. :) Actually, I loved it!

It's the best bookstore I've ever been to.

I think this is the only picture I have of Jason's mom from the whole trip. :(

Jason's dad was the one who turned us onto the bookstore a few years ago. Thank you!

It's really expensive to buy English books in Korea so I stocked up. I bought thirty books and lugged them in my carry-on. As an aside...if you're looking for a good book check out Empire Falls.

Millie Beans is so damn cute!!

I think I took the most pictures of her by far.

My cousin Stephanie and her little boy Gavin.

Jaime and Jessica hanging out on my Dad's Birthday.

Violet drunk on my Dad's birthday cake.

Yes, it's baby season again. Kim and her little boy Myles.

Ava and Violet enjoying the slip and slide.

I love them!

Ava at the Frog Pond.

Abby showing them how it's done.

Water Babies

Jason and I went to Clark's Fork Canyon which is only a short drive from Cody.

While we were visiting there was a Grizzly attack in the area. I'm glad we didn't run into one that day.

Hot but not humid - thankfully.

Ben is a little jock. He loves sports especially baseball. He's really good at it too. Just look at his concentration.

Chad taking a rest.

Ben getting some coaching advice from Dad.

We went to Hugh Smith Park one afternoon for a BBQ. The kids had a lot of fun playing around.

Dad manning the grill.

Jason and I took a trip down to Colorado to visit our land. This is the fabulous tent we borrowed from my cousin Matt. Thanks again!

Our land

Our wash

Jason restaking our property boundries with the appropriate color.

Dorky shot of us on our land before we left for Wyoming.

I've driven by Hell's Half Acre all my life on the road from Denver to Cody but have never stopped. My curiosity finally got the best of me and we pulled over.

Aparently Hell's Half Acre is where they filmed Starship Troopers (a sci-fi movie from a few years ago).

Jason and I and the Wyoming crew took a camping trip up North Fork. This was my first camping trip in an RV since I was little.

Jason and Violet enjoying the sunshine and some ice cream.

Squirt guns were very popular with the kids until they got clogged with sand.

Ladies lounging

My sisters and I sporting our hoodies.

One of my favorite places in the world is the Beartooths. Jason and I took a drive through there on one of our last days in Wyoming.

Me modeling my new cool fleece that my mom gave me.

We were stopped by this lake while we waited for the pilot car to pass through some road contruction. I didn't mind at all.

The bear's tooth