We were invited to the Embassy Christmas Party at the Ambassador's Residence, The Habib House. We decided to make the trek to Seoul to join the Embassy in celebrating the holidays. We headed up Friday to enjoy some extra time in Seoul. We met with our friends the Baileys Friday night in Itaewon and checked out the new Hard Rock Cafe that opened there. Good food, fun atmosphere, pretty impressive all around. Even more impressive was Hannah who fell asleep on the way to dinner and slept through the entire meal. We also enjoyed the new Coldstone that opened there. Yup, Itaweon was decidedly cooler than when we lived there. A new Crocs store, too.
Saturday we had breakfast at the hotel and walked around a bit enjoying the Christmas decorations all over the lobby. It was oddly reminiscent being back. We showed Emily the playground we always played at; shopped at the familiar PX. It was strange, in so many ways it felt like we had never left. I guess Seoul will always feel a bit like home to us. So many fun memories of when we were really just starting out as a family.
We finally headed over to the Ambassador's Residence after lunch. You could call this next phase of the weekend "Hurricane Hannah hits the Habib House." Not only is it great alliteration, it is so perfectly descriptive of the next hour and a half of my life. Hannah was in true Hannah form. And the Ambassador's house is pristine. And nice. And expensive. What a combo! I felt on edge the entire time we were there just waiting for Hannah to break something. Thankfully no damage to report! Just one tired Mama. . . . If only I could bottle her energy.
Ambassador Stephens and our family.
When we arrived there were two dogs playing in the courtyard. Our girls were captivated.
Visiting Santa. Hannah could hardly stand in line to wait, she was so excited.
"I love you, Santa!" she exclaimed.
Pizza for a tired baby.
Yup, may the madness begin. She was the dancing queen. The entire time. The sweater came off, the tights came off, so did the shoes. Let's just say she felt right at home. . . .
Spoils from Santa. She didn't eat the gingerbread man. But she played, danced, and chatted with it.
The point at which I really knew we needed to go. In the entry way, wrestling with random boy.
2 comments:
No way! Itaewon has a Hard Rock Cafe and a Cold Stone now? Wow! That may have helped me like Itaewon more. We got so burned out on Outback Steak House by the time we moved. Even now, 2 years later, we're still burned out and can't eat there. Ditto Burger King.
The new stuff in Itaewon sounds great, but does it still smell funky? Not a lot can be done to redeem the place when there's a sewer lift station at its entrance! :) I do miss the shops there, though. That was some fun browsing.
Ha ha ha. You make me laugh.
And want to kill myself because I'm stuck on this island with no Coldstones and ball pits. :)
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