Happy Thanksgiving EVERYONE!!!!

I hope everyone had a blessed and amazing holiday. There’s so much to be thankful for. I just wanted to drop in and say hi. I apologize for not writing in awhile. With thanksgiving and all, it has been a very hectic week. I will be posting some material VERY SOON.

Didn’t wanna leave you empty-handed now…Here are a group of buddies and Texas A&M students who have come up with some amazing trick shots. Check em out.

Dude Perfect

I know it may look fake, but trust me. I saw numerous reports and these guys are FOR REAL. The shot at the Texas A&M stadium was shot 70 TIMES. Crazy huh? Enjoy.

View Full Album

Well, it’s finally over lol. We had a really good time, though. Last night we went to Wal-Mart to get the rest of the food and stuff and didn’t get back until almost 3 in the morning. We finished cleaning and I was out by 4. I don’t know what time Kevin finally made it to bed but I know we woke up late.

We got up at 10:00. My parents came over with the kids (they stayed the night with them last night) and they all watched the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade. After multiple runs to the store and my parents house (happens every year, we always forget something) I finally started cooking. I actually didn’t brine the turkey until late last night- so, like last year, I cooked it in the brine. I don’t know what you all might think of that but let me tell you- that turkey was the best turkey I have had in my LIFE. So, I was responsible for the seasoning and my dad and Kevin were responsible for preventing it from catching on fire lmao.

I started cooking at like 11:30. We added more to the menu, thanks to my greedy sister lmao. So in addition to the menu from yesterday’s post, we had squash casserole and broccoli casserole as well. Around here, everything has to be in the form of a casserole. It’s just the rules. We strictly prohibit anything that requires no effort- besides cranberry sauce and stovetop, of course.

I can’t even believe it was possible for everything to turn out better than last year- but it did. As soon as I finished eating I PASSED OUT. I was out for like 5 hours! They all went out back and since we are so hood around here, they lit a fire in our $20 bbq grill and drank out back. We just really had a good time, as always.

So, tomorrow (technically today since it’s 3 a.m) we are going to be decorating the tree, listening to Christmas carols and eating leftovers. Then we are all going downtown to see the Christmas tree and get all festive and shit lol. I swear I love this time of the year.

Sonny With A Chance’s Tiffany Thornton and best friend Alisha Bowker celebrate Thanksgiving (and Alisha’s birthday) in New York City for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Taking special part in this year’s festivities, Tiffany performed with Kermit the Frog as the last song on the holiday special, and their duet, “I Believe In Santa Claus” will be available for download December 4th via iTunes.

It has occurred to me what Thanksgiving really needs to be the perfect holiday. While the holiday is a fantastic time for being thankful, the one thing I would be very thankful for is a morning after pill. Not just any morning after pill, but one that automatically makes you lose all the pounds you pack on during the holiday feasting. A bonus feature would be giving you the ability to clean the kitchen in two seconds flat after all that cooking. That would be my morning after Thanksgiving pill. While I did not go over board with the feast I prepared for my family and neighbors, I feel like I will have to do a week of hard running to keep my petite frame in check. We had a 10 pound goose, deviled eggs with tomatoes, cornbread stuffing with apples and pecans, goose gravy, white wine, and apple crumble that my neighbors were so nice to bring. The four kids ate, watched Peter Pan a million times, and went upstairs to have a plastic ball war (with all the plastic balls we have we should make a giant ball pit in the yard). Markus (my husband) and Markus (Angie’s husband) talked about airports while Angie and I talked about cooking and Christmas decorations. Luckily my dishwasher was empty so all plates and such got washed immediately and all I had to do was put away leftovers.

At the end of the night I decided I was very thankful that Angie loaned me her meat thermometer and brought dessert. Markus was thankful that I actually decided I like goose, because it is hard on him that I hate duck. Mary was thankful that Alex did not destroy the house and she did not have to chase him screaming “No!” Alex was thankful that Mary was not screaming and that he had more people to climb on. He also appreciated having a plate containing only meat and no veggies to contaminate it. Little sweet Analena was thankful that Mary had horses to play with, while Cedrick was just thankful that we had Peter Pan in German so he could understand it. It was my first Thanksgiving with my husband and children, and also my first Thanksgiving since I moved to Germany. Despite the four hours constantly on my feet cooking in a very hot kitchen I really enjoyed it. It was an experience that I hope to repeat next year.

Needless to say, it was not as stressful as I envisioned it to be. The kids behaved rather well, the food was great, and we all went to bed with full stomachs and no allergic reactions in sight. That is something to be really thankful for which brings me to my next point. When cooking for others, Thanksgiving or not, it is always best to call the person and ask if they or anyone in their family has any food allergies. This will save you a trip to the hospital and a lot of guilt over poisoning the guests. I hope that you all had a fantastic Thanksgiving and that you all have a safe Black Friday. Please try to avoid being trampled in the stores today. One final note, Happy Birthday Grace! My little sister’s birthday is today and while I can’t be with her to celebrate I shall drink some rum (her favorite) tonight in celebration. I hope that you and Win have fun today going out and that no one steps on either of you if she ends up taking you to Wal-Mart. Happy Birthday and I miss and love you very much Grace!

A little belated, but I hope you had a beautiful holiday. It was my first vegetarian Thanksgiving. I did not miss turkey for even one iota of a second.

SOME OF THE PEOPLE I’M THANKFUL FOR

What are you thankful for this year?

Peace,

Sources: that obscure object

Title from “Two Step” by Dave Matthews Band

]]> http://ivettedeleon.wordpress.com/2009/11/27/gracias/ Fri, 27 Nov 2009 08:02:48 +0000 ivettedeleon http://ivettedeleon.wordpress.com/2009/11/27/gracias/

Gracias Dios mio por darme esta vida tan hermosa que tengo. Gracias por la maravilla de familia que tengo. Gracias por toda la gente tan hermosa que he conocido, y gracias por todas las bendiciones!

Today has been wonderful, there was plenty of food and it was all delicious and we enjoyed one of the funniest movies ever… The Party with Peter Sellers.

Enjoy the trailer!

Now where are the yams?

That’s right – give thanks you are not this poor child.

The Americans always take their holidays to the extreme, but this is just ridiculous.

I was born and raised in Oklahoma.  I actually spent the first few years of my life in smaller towns.  Then the family moved to a bigger city.  That pretty much fit me.  I have never really been a small town person, although they are great fun.  This year as we have made it back to Oklahoma for Thanksgiving, we are once again somewhat splitting time between the families but more so splitting time between the city and town.  The first couple days are here in the small town of Purcell.

Yesterday we spent Thanksgiving in the town of Lexington (another small town) with my wife’s family.  They are great!  I don’t have a clue what most of their names are (not because I haven’t learned them but because there are so many of them that I have now seen twice) but they are great people.  It’s always a little awkward being the new guy in a large group of family that all knows each other and knows all about you (or at least some), but once the ice was broken plenty of conversation erupts.  The kids are running around playing and everyone is enjoying themselves.  Then it is time for Thanksgiving lunch.  Once everyone has filed through the dining room where all the main foods are the room is silent.  All you hear is the occasional squeaking of the chair as people get up for seconds and then make their way to the other room where all the desserts are!

We had a great lunch topped off with some awesome desserts with the family.  And what rural Oklahoma holiday would be complete without westerns staring John “The Duke” Wayne and shooting some rifles and an AK?  Not this one!  And not one that I wanna be at!  After a nice afternoon drive to a closed Old Navy (don’t I love them?) and then an open Old Navy, we headed home for naptime and football.  Gotta love Thanksgiving.  I hope you all got to spend the day with some people you love.  Happy Thanksgiving from rural America!

It’s that time of year again when people forgo their usual sarcasms and recognize the good things in life. I know there is a lot to be sarcastic about these days and, if you watch entertainment news or The Soup, you know what I’m talking about. But there are many things to be thankful for such as good music. So, here are ten things that I’m thankful for (all music related of course): 

10. Drum Off 09: I’m thankful that there are corporations such as Guitar Center that still the value quality music, hosting events like this featuring the best drummers like Danny Carey from Tool and Brian Dailor from Mastodon.

9. Webcasts: I’m thankful for webcasts that bring festivals like Coachella and KROQ’s Almost Acoustic Christmas to my computer every year when I can’t be there in person.

8. The Beastie Boys, Vandals, and The Aquabats: I’m thankful that there are really talented musicians who resist the urge to take themselves seriously.

7. Natasha Khan from Bat for Lashes: I’m thankful this rising star thinks the Karate Kid and Stevie Nicks are important cultural icons.

6. Insanely unique musicians: I’m thankful for musicians such as Maynard James Keenan, Tori Amos, Bjork and Mike Patton, who all take music to places no one ever imagined or expected.

5. NIN farewell tour: I’m thankful that I finally got to see NIN live before Trent Reznor retired it.

4. Deftones’ resilliance: I’m thankful that Chi Cheng is still holding on and maybe someday we’ll get to see him play again.

3. The Cure still rocks: I’m thankful this band is still touring and making great music. Without The Cure, Deftones and Muse would never sound the way they do.

2. Rage Against the Machine reunion: I’m thankful that I got to see this band reunite at Coachella in 2007 with 80,000 other RATM fans.

1. Bad Religion continues to comment on American society: I’m thankful Greg Graffin is saying all the things that need to be said and is also a UCLA professor, who is actually doing his part to help mold American youth into critically thinking members of society. 

And now a Band of the Week I am very thankful for…Placebo!

I’ve been listening to this band for a while now and I am surprised that they are not as big in the states as they are everywhere else. Since the first time that I heard their cover of Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill,” I was hooked. I enthusiastically suggest anything from their 2006 album Meds, but you must hear “Lazarus” and “Drag.” They recently released a new album Battle for the Sun and I am loving “The Never-Ending Why.” I saw them live at Coachella and I highly recommend catching them live. However, this band will be on a World tour until March. Hopefully, these Brits will visit the states soon.

Until next time, protege moi. -K

Disney stars including: Demi Lovato, Doug Brochu, Allisyn Ashley Arm and Moises Arias all gave their thanks by giving back to local community members this Thanksgiving. With smiles and green aprons, the actors donated their time and services to serve Thanksgiving meals to the less fortunate around Los Angeles. It’s always refreshing to see compassion and good works displayed. What great young people.

The day began as any other… calm, and beautiful.  I open my eyes and turn to see my son’s angelic face… fast asleep and absolutely kissable.  But, today was different… without our usual morning rush I was able to cherish the very thing I yearn for every single day.  I just want to be able to take the day slow and be able to wake my son calmly and joyfully, giving him a million kisses on his cheek and brow and even tickling him occasionally. Only to have him wake up chuckling and with the biggest smile on his face…it is truly a symphony to my ears and art in motion to my eyes!  This was the beginning of my Thanksgiving day, and the fist thing I gave thanks to God For.  

It was around after nine in the morning when I got into the kitchen, I began to prepare all the ingredients and items I needed to make my very secret family recipe for empanadas!  It is a recipe that was passed on to me by my Godmother (who I thought of very often while adding the ingredients, kneading the dough, prepping the filling… pretty much every minute I spent making the dish)

My lovely sister, her other half and my son hung out with me in the kitchen. Sis made breakfast and I was working on my family recipe, to be later enjoyed by all at the dinner table.  I have to say that this was the second thing I was thankful for, I thank God for my having such wonderful family and for the joy we shared in this very morning.  And also, that even if my family has gotten smaller it is as my father said at our dinner table, “There are few of us left, but we are good people.” 

Then as I had agreed with my son’s father to share the day with our son, he came by to pick up Yous for some quality time.  However the prelude to that moment was quite difficult, since the original plan to take my son to his favorite restaurant was foiled due to the restaurant closing for the holiday (duh!)

Much anger, and senseless tears were shed by my son this afternoon, but as always I get through to him.  And was able to take control of the situation before it took further control of his emotions, my patience and even more importantly… the demise of perfectly good “happy time”  {[Tangent](“Happy Time”- which I explained to my son last night at the supermarket, when he had a similar style tantrum. The kind that takes over all of his little body and turns him into a very difficult person to reason with.)  I find that drawing out his feelings on paper is soothing and a great way to get a better understanding of what he sees.  As opposed to my original tactic of going from very calm and soft spoken to insanely nervous and eventually losing my cool with him. } So I was able to cool Yous down and teach him to be thankful for the time he is able to spend with his daddy, and to appreciate that time with him as well as with me.  Basically, it doesn’t matter where he went with his dad, but that he was with him during this important day.  Yous went peacefully with his father and I went on with my day… until about a quarter to six when our family began to arrive.  I had yet to get myself ready for dinner. But was happy to see that everyone was arriving and that they helped out picking up the little mess that was left in the kitchen to make room for the food we were about to devour!

Ok, so since we were so busy devouring our food… we didn’t take pictures until after dinner. Ha!   It’s funny because, the table came out really pretty and the spread of food was so amazing.  We had turkey with mom’s fantastic stuffing, white rice, black beans, sweet potatoes, tamales, 3 bean salad with a choice of dressings, EMPANADAS, I forgot to mention I also made the cranberry sauce from scratch (compliments of a delish recipe by Emril I picked up a few years back.. always a hit!), Mom’s yummy gravy.  To polish everything off sis made the best piña coladas and we had cake and coffee a little later for dessert.

So all in all it was a fantastic Thanksgiving this year, even if it was the fist year without my son’s father in the picture, and even more close to my heart was the absence of my Godmother. Who I miss very much and I knew that both her and my Godfather were there tonight, warming the evening for us all during our time together.  

As for my son, lessons were learned and different moments were lived in his life so very early on… but I know that I’m doing my best as his mommy.  I love my family so much and I know that if I stay strong and have faith that God will help me steer the course. We shall have a great future, and that would complete the things that i’m thankful for this year!

This post is brought to you by Donut, the Distraction Hamster.

Thanksgiving in the U.S came and went. I had a nice afternoon with my family and a lunch which has undoubtedly provided enough leftovers for weeks to come. This year I am very thankful for Helmets and other assorted protective wear, I feel like it’s under rated. People appreciate Doctors and Nurses, but it’s high time to champion the armor that can possibly save you a trip to either of them! Looking slightly silly (read, BADASS) is a small price to pay for having an intact skull.

What am I talking about….Happy Rest of ‘09 Everyone!

As far as The Girl and Gorilla is going , I’m smack dab in the middle somewhere. I know where I’m going, it’s just a thick jungle of work, and I need to sharpen my Machete.

My Machete is made up of:

The Notebook!

Where I keep notes, revisions, ideas and general nonsense. Also pictured is my deo-stick, so classy and appropriate. Comics have been known to be serious business and cause massive sweat attacks.

The Portable Work Station!

Handy for drawing anywhere! In the classroom (ssh) On a Bus (I’m antisocial) At the Part-Time job ( I got 5 pages penciled while waiting for my shift to start,woohoo!) It fits pencil, eraser and at least 200 sheets of paper and the bright neon pink colour makes it easy to spot in my dreary coloured room. Lost proof!

The Storage Facility!

It’s a shoe box. But not just ANY shoe box. It’s Stella McCartney Shoe Box, so that means it’s Classy.

I keep all my finished pages in here. The Leopard keeps them safe.

You do not want to F*** with this box.

[Caution! Long, rambly entry! But plz read it anyway?]

This year has been a year full of challenges that would’ve made me or broke me in previous years. It’s such a testimony to God’s goodness and faithfulness in sanctifying me in just the short four years that I’ve been saved for.

As Thanksgiving is comin’ around the corner, LBC had its annual Thanksgiving dinner. The food was wonderful and the company was better, but the best part of it all was the sharing time. Now, I’m usually not very good at sitting through these because I have the tendency to be very inward and not care if it isn’t related to me somehow (and I’ve completely aware of the fact that it’s a lack of love for people… workin’ on it). But tonight was just so sweet. I’m not even trying to muster up the feeling that it was encouraging… it really was. I couldn’t help but to smile with every single person who shared.

So here’s a list of things that I’ve thankful for. Post your own. I demand it. Haha.

Moon Choi is thankful for…

1. Salvation. I had the privilege of leading the new visitor’s orientation today (it was kinda weird) but as I got to the back of the pamphlet and began to share the gospel, it felt so sweet as I was able to share it with someone. Every time I share the gospel, I can’t help but think, “Moon, is this something that you really believe with all your heart?” and as I think, “Yes, this is the only thing I have hope in,” I feel joy seriously rising in my chest and I can’t help but be floored by the thought that God made him who knew no sin to be sin on my behalf… that he would crush his own son, just so that he can credit belief as righteousness. The gospel only gets sweeter and sweeter as I get older.
2. Lighthouse. I’m not gonna lie… didn’t really dig LBC when I first got there. Haha. I only stuck around ’cause I began to realize that it had the kind of teaching that I was hungering for my whole life and because I was too lazy to church hop. Haha. But praise God! I got saved and baptized at LBC. Met my closest friends there and met ladies who are, in a sense, my spiritual mothers. I see so much joy and love in the church and it challenges me to strive toward loving others all the more.
3. My roommates. I shared this at the Thanksgiving dinner today, but I think that my mind was all over the place when I was sharing. Haha. I love my apartment. It’s warm, no cold air leaks in from the outside, and apart from the pest problem that we’re having in the kitchen, it’s clean and cozy. I love my apartmentmates even more. We could still be living at 2107 at janky La Regencia and it wouldn’t matter. Living with Grace, Wury, and Jen has been an absolute privilege. We all have very different personalities (though Grace and Wury tend to be more expressive while Jen and I are more reserved), it doesn’t matter because our common foundation is in Christ and we’re all running in the same race, toward the same goal. I’m so thankful to be able to come home to an empty apartment and feel lonely (because it means that I miss my roommates…).
4. Trials. Ok, so who wants life to be easy? I sure do. But no growth comes from that. I’m thankful that the Lord tests us and puts us through trials that stretch us, challenge our faith, and make us all the more desperate for him. To be able to say through tears, “It is well with my soul”– only with the full assurance of salvation and hope that one has in Christ can that happen.
5. Bible. This has been an anchor for me since I got saved… I’ve found so much refuge, so much comfort in God’s Word. I’m thankful that it reminds me of who God is and that he is greatly to be praised– regardless of my circumstances! It’s a double-edged sword, but it’s also a love letter from our Abba.
6. Family. God has blessed me with a very loving, understanding family. My parents aren’t your stereotypical Korean parents. My dad was a philosophy major in college. What the heck, right? And he even told me not to go to med school. As puzzling as it is, my parents have always loved me, even as a brooding adolescent, and have put up with  me when I got really emotional over nothing. They continue to provide for me in every way possible, even if it takes a toll on them. Plus, they’re funny. Hahaha.
7. Writing. Or, I should say, language. The ability to communicate thoughts and emotions… it’s amazing. A big reason why I wanted to learn Japanese was so that I could write stories in Japanese. Each language has its own beauty and it’s amazing that God created it to be that way. When I was in high school and, pretty much, had no close friends, my diary was always there. It’s a very poor substitute, I understand, but at a time when no one else was there for me, words and creativity were always there. I love words like I love people, almost.
8. Education. I’m thankful that I’m able to major in microbiology and minor in literature/writing. It’s such a privilege to attend UCSD and to receive an awesome education. And what a wonderful place to meet new people, Christian and non-Christian alike! I’m thankful that God gave me the opportunity to be on such a campus and to receive an education, and that I live in a country where it’s so readily accessible.

Okiedoke. It’s nearing midnight and I have a deadline to meet. But hope that Thanksgiving has been filled with much joy, family, food, and thankfulness! Bye byeeee.

The turkey appetizer that I talked about making for Thanksgiving turned out really cute!

And then, this is what happens when you don’t monitor the appetizer-eating… 2 children under the age of 7 do not get the humor, but so far everyone else has:

I’m thankful for you.

I haven’t been posting much because I’ve been super busy. I have an extended family. I forget that sometimes. This has been a good reminder.

And it’s a good thing. Day made.

Avery, age 6: “This is a picture of my friends John and Heidi. They just got married but they didn’t ask me to be the flower girl.”

Pause.

“I could be YOUR flower girl.” Hopeful face.

Jen: “A, on the increasingly unlikely chance I get married while you are still young, I promise you can be my flower girl.”

A: Beaming smile. Back to coloring.

Katie, age 9: “Jen, I think the people who let their dogs poop in your front yard should go to jail.”

Jen: Silent agreement.

Avery: “I’m sad Louie the cat died.”

Jen: “Yes, that made me sad, too.”

A: “You could get another black cat and name him Louie.”

J (doubtfully): “Yeah……but I travel a lot, so he would be lonely.”

A: “Maybe you need two black cats. But name them both Louie so you won’t get confused.”

Katie, informatively, to random man as we wait our turn at Supercuts the day before Thanksgiving: “My sister is getting her bangs trimmed. She’s younger than me but she still gives me wedgies.”

Random man, trying not to laugh: “That’s too bad.”

Jen, quietly so mom won’t hear: “Okay, Katie, let me tell you about swirlies……”

I can say, without a doubt, that this has been the worst Thanksgiving of my life.

Now don’t get me wrong. Turkey Day 2009 was hardly my first Thanksgiving that didn’t resemble a Norman Rockwell painting. When I was in high school, we spent one festival of gluttony in Mexico as my cousin was getting married; for the rehearsal dinner, we had turkey tacos. Another Thanksgiving was spent in Montreal where my mother witnessed for the first time the full visceral horror of my step-brother’s eating binges. Then once as a child, my elderly jewish grandparents didn’t feel like having turkey for dinner so we had duck instead.

But this time things were different. No family. No turkey. No abundance of dirt cheap champagne. I didn’t even get to spend time with any friends.

Ok, well that last part is only half true, in that I saw a “friend”. The reason for these obnoxious quotation marks is such: this is a person with whom I initially established simply friendly relations, then somehow over the course of the last few months – and to my dismay – I’ve become his best friend and lifeline to sanity.

Now that last bit may sound a bit narcissistic on my part, but there have been signs that my conclusion is sound. For one, he often says that I’m the only person who actually understands his ideas. He’s even called me his translator at times. Second, I was the first person he called a few weeks back after a particularly scary hospital visit. Third, having a certain amount of expertise in the area (extensive personal therapy, family suicide, etc.) I can safely say that he’s displaying all of the signs of a person haunted with suicidal thoughts.

Today, he visited me for a few hours. Since he was doing me a favor anyway (delivering a tiny amount of drugs to me), I made him some french toast.

By the way, I have finally perfected the recipe. For those who want to know, it involves eggs, milk, honey, vanilla extract, and cinnamon.

The point is, I had work to do, and so I couldn’t hang out with him all day. So I kept encouraging him to see if anyone else was available, and of course he had little success. Then, all of a sudden, he left, with tears beading in his eyes. What bugs me, though, is that the tears came from an easily avoidable place. The problem is thus: while he may see me as the only person who actually listens to him, he has yet to listen to me or any voice of reason.

Yet sadly enough, he is probably the closest thing I have to family out here. Yes, the best facsimile of home that I can create involves the regular babysitting of an emotional succubus.

Happy Thanksgiving indeed.

I’m thankful for the things that I have
I’m thankful for my family
I’m thankful for God giving me this life.
I’m thankful for what Jesus did to save us.
I’m thankful for a lot of things.
What are you thankful for?

Wow! This was the best Thanksgiving we have had in a long time. The kids and friends all enjoyed themselves and I did too! This was the first dinner that was almost completely bought from Piccadilly Restaurant. The whole turkey was not just pretty…lol… but was supper moist and flavorful, as were all the trimmings right down to the pecan pie…… hummm very good!  I have still been tired and hurting but without the worry of cooking, I was able to enjoy my time anyway. I had to stay in bed but everyone just set up around my bed and on my bed …lol… and had a great time. I think it worked so well because we were all so relaxed and not having to set a table and such. Everyone just went into the kitchen and got what they wanted and came back and we ate and talked….. used my laptop to get online and look up all kinds of funny things….. I’m so glad things went well. Not even much clean up needed. And did I say we had a good time? Oh yeah, I think I did ….a few times…..lol… But I am worn out….. seems even good times can run ya down…lol…. been so long since having a good time I guess I forgot…. or maybe it’s the fog moving in…… Hope everyone else has had a good day. Rest and be at peace within yourself until our paths cross again….. Lila

It’s not just Black Friday, it’s also Buy Nothing Day.

In Iran, Shirin Ebadi’s Nobel Prize has been confiscated.

Thanksgiving was not a good day to work in the Emergency Room.

What the hell am I doing walking in LA?

Hotness makes for weird politics.