There's a little something each month to post about and this month is no exception.

Solnal (Lunar New Year)

Solnal is the Lunar New Year.  It's a big holidy here in Korea.  There are a number of traditions that include rituals to honor ancestors (such as offerings at graves and home) as well time for family to get together.

Above is the table setup as an offering to ancestors.  In particular, this one was for Grandpa Kim's mother and father (in background picture).  Some ritual bowing and offerings of soju are included here.

The girls, Soyun and Jiyun, dressed in hanbok for part of the day.  Don't they just look like dolls?  They enjoyed posing for pictures.

Dan and Moon bowing for Grandma and Grandpa Kim.  This is part of the tradition for the holiday.  The kids all bowed and Soyun and Jiyun also bowed for Moon and Dan.

Jeju (or Cheju)

Jeju (also written as Cheju in some places) is an island to the south of Korea.  It is about a 45-minute plane ride and has a very different landscape and climate.  This is a volcanic island with a sub-tropical environment.  The palm trees, volcanoes, and favorite destination for Korean honeymooners has earned it the name of Korea's Hawaii here in Korea.  I'd say that's a huge misnomer, but it is still a nice locale and a quick vacation spot.

Sammy is getting pretty used to flying by now.  He settles in with a pillow behind his back and today's newspaper.

Dan and Sammy in front of the plentiful palms on the island

Dan and Sammy on the coast.  They are standing on lava flows that had hit the water and cooled in these really amazing hexegonal patterns.

Moon and Sammy hiking on Mt. Halla.  This is the largest volcano (the main one, I guess) on the island.  We didn't get up to the top today due to ice on the trail.  As we got up higher, there was more and more snow.  Of course, I have to admit that carrying Sammy the 6 hours that it would have taken to get to the top was not what I really wanted to do that day (both mom and dad had colds).

Sammy and Moon stop by an orange grove (after buying a couple boxes to send home).  Both Sammy and Moon were fascinated by the oranges.

Later, Sammy was able to get closer to some oranges at the Orange Museum.  He loved to get his hand on this one.  He tried to eat a couple others.

Sammy, Moon, and Dan are posing on the coast.  The rocks and shore are really amazing.  The wind nearly took us in on this day.

Dan, Sammy, and Moon posing in front of a waterfall.  This was a little disappointing due to the lack of water this time of year.  I have a feeling that it would be a lot better after the thaw of the snowcap.

Milestones and Cute Stuff

Sammy is walking.  He took his first steps at the beginning of the month.  By the end of the month he was walking across the apartment.  Corners are still a bit of a problem though.

Sammy goes to a babies class once a week.  This was one of the first classes featuring bubbles during this activity.  He simply loved them and spent the whole time chasing them down.

What's he saying?

I think that future posts are going to have to have a new section on what Sammy's saying.  So far this hasn't been too much, but he's getting started.

This month is............

Gal, gal, gal (the 'a' is pronounced like the 'o' in "cot" or "bot")

We have no clue what this means and it doesn't seem to be directed at any one thing.

He's continuing to say things that sound like mama and papa (in Korean), but I still haven't heard that utterance that tells me that he is making a linkage between the person and the word.