This weekend we set up the awesome traveler jogger stroller/car seat with dual drink cup holders that my dad and Ann gave us....no it does not make cappuccinos. Here Jay practices his parenting skills by buckling in his Super Fly Monkey......Does anyone else know about these crazy toys? They have rubber bands hooked into their shins and forearms and can be launched across the room while they make an awful high pitched noise...not my favorite toy, but I am sure Jay and Max will have fun with it.

It snowed the morning of MLK day in Seoul so we took a little drive to see some sights. There's a little hill I sometimes climb with my bike and we went up there to see Bukhan Mountain. The sun was a little bright.

In 1976, a commando group of about 25 North Koreans snuck up close to the Blue House, the presidential mansion, and almost assassinated the South Korean president. The ROK soldiers killed most of them in a series of gun battles but captured a few. For some reason there's been a few stories about this old event in the newspapers recently.

Bukhan mountain, with a little suburb of Seoul, without the squint, without North Korean commandos. At least none we saw.

Yesterday I went to a 70's luncheon put on by the American Forces Spouses' Club. Jay took a picture of me afterwards in the ER. The fabulous dress actually belonged to my grandmother and I remember her wearing it when I was a kid. I am so glad she held on it.

This past weekend we went to dinner at a place called the Korea House. They serve delicious traditional Korean feasts with many little dishes to try. We went with our Japanese friends Yoko and Hiro who will be moving back to Tokyo next week. Bye Yoko and Hiro it has been fun hanging out with you guys. Hopefully someday we will visit you in Tokyo!!!

Today was the snowiest day in Seoul since we moved here a year and a half ago. Don't get me wrong Seoul is very cold during the winter, often below freezing all day long, but not a lot of snow.

These pictures are both from the laundry porch of our apt. The buildings in the foreground are traditional Korean houses, there are not a lot of them left, most have been demolished to make room for all the high rise apartments that are inhabited by Seoul's 15 million or so residents.

Happy Birthday to me!!! For my 31st birthday Jay took me to a restaurant on the top floor of the Jogno building (floor 33), from the outside it kind of looks like a spaceship. The food was delicious and the views were excellent.

And for those of you watching my ever expanding waistline.....here I am at 29 weeks on my 31st b-day in our living room. The rug I am standing on Jay got in Iraq, although it is a Turkish rug, the couch some of you may recognize as a hand-me down from my Dad and Ann, and the prints on the wall are the Chinese artist Zhang Xiaogang. Yes, Korean style.....no shoes in the house.

The Loot. Thank you everyone for all of our fabulous gifts at the Baby BBQ. Here Jay shows off his new bike case which luckily was sent to us in LA and we filled with babies clothes for our trip back to Seoul. The customs people at Incheon airport thought it was pretty funny when they put it through the X-ray and saw onesies and mobiles and no bicycle. The ladies all smiled at Jay.

And a family photo from Christmas at my Dad and Ann's house. It was great to see all of my siblings and parents over the holidays.

Finally got some snapshots from sis to show the Christmas pandemonium at the Original Bakers. Al got cut off on the side but David made it in. He's cuter anyway. Sorry Al. I think there were something like 70 of us at Christmas Eve dinner.

I was amazed my Mom successfully ruled the Chargers game would be turned off. We had a pretty good Christmas Eve anyway.

It is Baker tradition to open one present from a sibling on Christmas Eve, which we instituted with the next generation. They're the ones crawling around all over everyone else. Back in the day, way back to Magnolia Avenue in 1982 or something, Matt and I couldn't stand waiting even a single day more for a present. We successfully lobbied mom and dad to let us open one present, please just one! , on Christmas Eve, so we can play with it when we wake up at 0200! , and they bought it. Thus, the tradition was born of skillful diplomacy.

Me and Matt. You can tell who lives in Cali and who wears coats whenever he goes outside in real winter.