Decking the Halls and Thanksgiving

 Here in the Cottrell house we put up the tree early.  This year it was before thanksgiving.

 Logan and Addy were a big help getting all the ornaments on this year.

 We had some issues with our lights, a couple of trips to the Christmas market and we had it looking pretty good.

 Logan and Addy spent some time coloring their ideal turkeys.

 Now for the food.  Addy helped peal carrots.

 Logan helped construct the fruitcabobs.

 The rolls were almost as good as Grandmas....  almost:)

 This year we ordered a turkey having wasted 2 birds in previous years due to an impossible oven.

 What a feast, wish I could have some more right now.

 Here is Logan and his seed collection.

Sadie loves to crawl under the tree and pull ornaments from the bottom.

King Munmu and Bomunho

 Our Volv near Donghae just outside of Kyongju.

 Kyongju has lot of cool things to see but one of our favorites is the remains of the temple of king Munmu.  He was a Shilla king who was obsessed with protecting his country from invaders.  He told his people that after he died he would become a sea dragon to protect the shore.  So his fortress had under ground water passageways to the sea so that he could come and go as he pleased in dragon form.  His remains are in a golden box out on a small group of rocks off the coast.

 Over time the fortress disappeared.  The two gigantic pagodas were moved to a different location and then brought back in pieces after the Korean war.  Now the rest of the grounds are being excavated for preservation.  I first came to this place in 1999 and it still remains one of my favorite spots in Korea.

 I love this picture of Addy running.  I hope I can talk her out of ever cutting her hair :).

 In the parking lot of the pagodas there is shop where the wife of a master potter sells some really cool pottery.  We pick up something every time we visit.  She threw in some cool necklaces for the kids.

 This is Korea!!!

 Our rock star children.

 Next... on to Bomun Lake in Kyongju.  We love to rent the little 4-wheelers there.

 Logan was big enough this year to ride his own.  He even gave Addy a ride.

Sadie loved cruising as well.

Road trip to Donghwasa

 Back in November we took our first big road trip to Donghwasa just outside of Daegu.  We missed the fall colors by a couple of weeks but Logan had no trouble finding some to play with on the ground.

 PB&J never gets old.  Saide sure loves to play with big brother and big sister.

 Still no teeth, but she sure loves to gum veggies and fruit.

 Addy playing around with Logan's hat.

 Our Volv near a bamboo forest.

 The temple grounds were beautiful.  Every time I go to a temple in the mountains it reminds me of some magical mixture of Lord of the Rings and Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon.

 I can only imagine how pretty this place must have been when the leaves were just changing.

 Most Korean Temples have a 'gate of four guardians'.  The four kings inside serve to frighten evil spirits into submission.  Love the faces!

 Addy riding Falcor.

 Logan and Addy riding Falcor.

 The lamps were being set up for Buddha's birthday.

 This particular temple is home to many stray cats.  We counted 15.  I imagine the monks keep them fed and are grateful for the natural rodent control.  This kind of reminded me of the stray cat park in Rome.

 There is our crouching tiger.

 Logan is so fascinated by the sound of the monks chanting and the smell of the incense.

 What a pretty family I have.

 Never seen a spider like this before.

 Donghwasa was named for the mythical phoenix.   It was originally built in 493 AD.  And is famous for its 33 meter 'unification' Buddha.

 My beautiful family on a beautiful stone bridge.

 I set the camera on a rock and ran up a hill and over a river to get this flick.  Sometimes rocks take the best pictures... we don't get our heads chopped off...

 My little princess in front of the unification Buddha.

I love this one of Amber and Sadie.  Some day this will all feel like a dream.