New Year's Eve 2013



NYE (twilight) dinner @ NHCC 2013.

It's 10:25 p.m. on the last day of 2013.  Lauren and Elizabeth have been peacefully sleeping for the past 1.5 hours (and so has Tae for that matter!).  I am at home, in the guest bedroom watching Dick Clark's New Year's Rock and Eve with Ryan Seacrest.

2013.  One of the key reasons I started this blog was to capture life's moments as they come, so I won't reflect on the full year.  Instead, I will live in the moment today and look forward to the wonderful experiences ahead in 2014 like our annual February ski trip in VT, the 6-pack 40th birthday trip to Costa Rica, Montauk 2014 and another surprise trip to Walt Disney World (not planned as of this moment, likely in October). 

Of course with these fun times will come the opportunities and challenges of work to fund these memories!  After life was sucked out of me prepping and executing my first top-to-top meeting with a key client, I am about to enter another tough period with the 2nd Client Council meeting on Jan 22nd and a bunch of travel coming up in Q1.  I just keep reminding myself to do my best and take it one day at a time.  I also tell myself that with every risk taken, discomfort, challenge, uncertainty and mistake come growth and learning.

Today, right now, I just want to focus on my family.  My mother left for Korea on December 26th to spend time with her dad, who at 88 is not doing very well.  He is hardly eating and constantly lying down.  If this is the end of his journey on earth, I wish him strength in his faith and complete peace.  I look forward to reuniting with all my family members one day. 

As for my babies, after a fun 3 nights at Mountain Creek, we returned home yesterday and enjoyed a fun New Year's Eve dinner at North Hills CC.  2014 will bring Tae and my 40th birthdays, Lauren's 7th year of life and Ebi's 5th.  Life really does move at warp speed.  Same as always, I will continue to try to live my best life and make a difference with the gift of life I have been given.  Happy New Year!

Christmas 2013 in pictures:

The girls w/ my mom @ Hofstra University for The Nutcracker.

iPad Mini from Santa for Lauren!

Kindle Fire HDX from Santa for Elizabeth!

Santa's note to Lauren.

Santa's note to Elizabeth.

Presents, presents...

...and more presents.

Tae loved his new Bose headphones in a limited edition cognac color.

New Year's Eve 2013 in pictures: 

 

Ebi laughing at her own jokes.

 

1st Grade Nutcracker

What a special day.

One of the many wonderful traditions at Buckley Country Day School is the 1st Grade Nutcracker performance.  Since early November, this year's 1st Graders have been rehearsing for today's big day.  They practiced in small character groups (snowflakes, flutes, flowers, etc.) and also together as a larger group.  As parents, we started to feel the urgency in recent weeks as we were instructed to bring the children to school before the official start time of 8:25 a.m.  Yesterday was a nice preview into the festivities to come with the Rehearsal Brunch, which I was fortunate to be a part of as a volunteer.

Lauren enjoying her Nutcracker Rehearsal brunch.  (12/19/2013)

So festive!

Even though this is our fourth year at Buckley, this was the first time watching the Nutcracker.  Last year, we left for Disney World.  The previous year...I'm sure there was something else we had to tend to and it simply wasn't a priority.  We always heard how beautiful and exceptional the Nutcracker was, but never witnessed it...until today.

We arrived at school this morning probably earlier than we have arrived before - EVER - at 8:07 a.m.  The 1st Graders were allowed a dress-down day for today in order to make costume-change easier.  My best attempt at putting Lauren's hair in a bun was for nothing as it unraveled when she saw Tyler and Madison in the courtyard and raced them inside.  I gave her the biggest hug and kiss, sent her off and walked Elizabeth to her class.  I then headed back home, waited for my mother and brother to arrive and went back to school about an hour later.  Olivia's mom, Kristine, texted me a picture of Lauren in costume and it was such a shock to see my tomboy Lauren in a leotard, ballet shoes and make up. 

About 10 minutes past 10 a.m., the auditorium darkened and this year's Nutcracker performance started.  For someone who hasn't taken a dance class, Lauren was quite extraordinary.  The twirls, the jumps, the curtsies.  Lauren and her classmates were amazing.  They were so into it and everyone had so much fun up there.  After some equally awesome performances by the upper-school choir, 2nd graders and faculty, the 1st Graders were brought back on stage so pictures could be taken.  Two random administrators came up to me on two separate instances and referenced Lauren's smile, and how she was having so much fun on stage.  Needless to say, I was a proud mama.  Today was noon dismissal and my mom, brother, Tae and I all went down to the classrooms to pick up Elizabeth and Lauren.  When I went to Lauren's classroom to gather her things before the long break, Ms. Shackel came up to me, leaned in and told me that Lauren was THE MOST into it and the one who gave her/his best effort.  "She's MVP," she continued.

That is so consistent with what I have heard from all teachers during her past 4.5 school years.  Lauren always tries her best in everything she does - monkey bars, writing stories, swimming during camp, Korean school performances...the list goes on and one.  She has this innate drive and ambition that is pretty cool, especially for someone like me who has that drive, but knows not to expect the same in their children.  I hope she never loses this tenacity and natural will to do her best.  

I am extremely proud of you my Lauren. 

The girls' (and my) support team.

Ebi sitting w/ her Pre-K class waiting to see Lauren up on the Big stage.

The Snowflakes!

So awesome!  Especially considering Lauren has never taken a dance class.

Go Snowflakes!

Lauren's friend Mia Andel as the beautiful Sugar Plum Fairy.

And here come the Flutes!

Even in this blurry picture, Lauren's smile is crystal clear.

Congratulations Lauren and your fellow 1st Graders.

Instilling Korean culture where I can

This past Saturday, Dec 14, 2013 was the last day of Korean School (fall semester) and as the case every semester, the children put on a cultural performance.  I don't speak Korean unless I have to and the girls laugh at me when I read them Korean story books.  Yet I am very proud of my Korean heritage and am grateful there are institutions like Korean school where Lauren and Elizabeth get exposure to their culture. 

My Elizabeth was part of a traditional dance.  At the very last second, her male partner got stage fright, started to cry and left my Ebi hanging!  (This is terrible but I just have to write what I feel about him...what a wouss!!!)  In true tough-Elizabeth fashion, she remained on stage and completed her routine as best as possible (though you couldn't tell from this clip!)  I am so proud of her!

Elizabeth performing at Korean school.

My Lauren performed a traditional fan dance.  It was so beautiful.  My mom rushed from her house when I told her the performance would be earlier than she thought.  She not only made it on time, but came early enough to tie Lauren's hom-bok to her standards.  Here is a clip of Lauren's performance.

Grandma to the rescue - always.

Lauren before her performance.

Another semester come and gone.



Playing catch up - Part 2

There's more!

November 2013:
Open House at Elizabeth's ballet school American Theater Dance.

Happy 65th birthday mom!  We are so lucky to have you in our lives and we love you very much.  Here's to many more happy and healthy years ahead!

 

 

Weekend in NYC right after Thanksgiving.  This has got to be one of the best ideas I have ever come up with.  We were tourists from Manhasset!  We stayed at the Sheraton hotel on 53rd and 7th and had an extraordinary weekend!  The Gazillion Bubble Show, Christmas Spectacular, dinner and dessert in K-Town, Children's Museum...  Got to do this again next year.

 

Playing catch up

There is one topic I really want to write about, but decided to do some due diligence about getting my life up to speed and current.  Here are some thoughts and pictures to capture the past ~60 or so days.

September 2013:
With the start of the new school year, we decided fairly last minute to take the girls to Hershey Park for the weekend.  It is one of my favorite amusement parks and a roller-coaster lover's dream!  We will definitely be back next year around the same time.  No crowds, endless fun!

Welcome to Hershey Park!

Officially measured: Reese's height category.

Breakfast in bed.

Can't believe they are old enough to be responsible for their own suitcases.

 

October 2013:

My 39th birthday!  I cannot even begin to articulate how grateful I am about the life I have created w/ Tae as my life partner for myself and my family.  These girls...

Happy 39th birthday to me!

Halloween Festivities!

 

Party at Amazon NYC office!  It was such a thrill for me to bring the girls to work!  Now they better understand where I go every day and they think "going to work" is pretty cool. 

Welcome to Amazon NYC!  Who knows?  Maybe they will work here one of these days.


Halloween 2013 - Elizabeth with her Pre-K friends.

Annual Trick-or-Treating at The Chatham.

Happy 12th Anniversary Seedy!