GIRLS NIGHT!!!

One of the best things I have done since I have been back in Canada is spend a day with my girls at the spa. This is what I truly miss when I'm in Korea. We have been friends with each other since highschool (and some elementary) so we are able to look back and laugh at how silly we were as teenagers...........now we're all grown up (well most of us)

We packed our suits and drove out of town to a nice little city known for it's mineral water. It's also where my friend Tanya lives so we were able have a slumber party after our relaxing day at the spa

The three gals

Here's our pruney hands too prove it

The best part of this spa is that there's a large pool that leads outside. It was so cold outside that all you could see was mist. We had a blast trying to snap pictures when the gust of wind pushed the mist out of the way for a brief second. We must have taken 100 pictures just trying to get one that turned out. We froze our hands in the process..................good times

Kim and myself posing

Tanya in the middle and Crystal on the right


we have found the light

but it allowed us to take some picture despite the fog

Not too sure when I will ever take a picture without these Korean fingers, but it's just such a habit

Then some lady dared us to go roll around in the snow and of course I'm always up for dares. I don't think she was actually serious but I did it anyway. Can you see the snow in the background? We weren't able to get a picture while I was in the snow b/c of the fog but believe me my body was numb after that

Kim tried it next

We decided we had enough once our hair started to turn gray. It was so crusty I thought it might have fallen out

An AWESOME day at the spa

Eskimo ladies

After we pruned our bodies we headed for dinner. It was so funny how this picture was actually taken. This man asked us to take a picture of his family so of course we did and then asked if he would return the favour and take a picture of us at the table. He did, but then he insisted that we all sit on the bench and then he said it would be best if we moved our jackets out of the way. On top of that he pulled the table away from us like 4 feet across the dining room b/c he said he didn't want that to spoil the picture. Well we certainly were the center of attention and all eyes were on us. We couldn't stop laughing at how much of a big deal he made of taking a great picture. Most definitely the highlight of the night

Then we had some munchies and watched PRETTY WOMAN

And then after all of that..........................we crashed!!!!! An AMAZING day with awazing friends

A day of FUN (well just 30 minutes)

24 hours later

......and it's not getting any better!!!!

SNOW!!!!

.......and lots of it

My backyard covered in a blanket of glistening snow

SIZE DOESN'T REALLY MATTER

Even if you have a 46" TV you still sit close..........

Here's my bro playing his PLAYSTATION 3 on the BIG SCREEN

Lending a hand.......

.......or a pain in the butt!!!!

Not too sure which one suits me but I have been following my mom to work quite a bit. Doing odd jobs here and there. I've even started to do some volunteer work with children; just helping out a lady with a reading and crafts program when I can.

I think it's time to go back to Korea. I don't know what to do with all this spare time on my hands.



But there is one good lesson learned: I DON'T DO WELL AT DESK JOBS!!!!!!

FOOD

My favorite topic..........

My homemade orange almond salad

Turkey dinner with loads of gravy

Spaghetti and tossed salad

Just a peak at some of the yummy things I've eaten lately..............

Canada vs. Korea

My girlfriend AnneMarie sent me this poem about Saskatchewan weather and it made me laugh. Maybe you have to be from Saskatchewan to understand how HILARIOUS this really is.

SASKATCHEWAN POEM

It's winter in Saskatchewan

And the gentle breezes blow

Seventy miles an hour

At twenty-five below

Oh, how I love Saskatchewan

When the snow's up to your butt

You take a breath of winter

And your nose gets frozen shut

Yes, the weather here is wonderful

So I guess I'll hang around

I could never leave Saskatchewan

'Cause I'm frozen to the ground!!

Anyways so it got me thinking today when I was out in the cold about what I like about Korea and Canada and then of course what I don't like.

And since I have come back home (Canada) here is what I have realized:

Let's start with the good: I love how people give you SPACE; they push their carts, smile when you make eye contact and apologize when they get in your bubble, it's nice!!!! I take a bubble bath EVERYDAY while I read my free book from the library. Everyone understands me, well most of the time. I can hop in my car and get anywhere in 15 minutes (unless it's blistering outside). I don't feel FAT, I'm comfortable in my skin. And there are shoes and clothes that fit me. I think it's great that I don't have to wait for a parking space.

Okay bad: It's freezing cold here and there is nothing I can do to warm up. My tip at dinner is more than I would pay for a decent meal in Korea. I can't find any food that makes my lips or mouth tingle, nothing is spicy enough!!!! It's really too convenient to hop in the car and buy a slurpee and chocolate bar.......ummmm!!!! TAX BLOWS!!!!!!!!!!! I can't be with Sung Hyun.

So there you have it, the good and bad. I enjoy Canada and sometimes I can be pretty negative about Korea. So I have decided that if I'm going to have a good year in Korea then I have to focus on the positive -- the good things that make me happy, not the bad things that make me miss Canada.

OUTBACK (and kisses)

Ohhhh how I miss OUTBACK STEAKHOUSE in Korea. Those french fries drenched in cheese and real bacon and the spicy ranch dip that goes with it is ohhhhh soooooo divine (drool).

Oh what else, anyone ever tried the Alice Springs Chicken?

Well I have been craving it so much that I just decided to give it a try. I got the recipe online and cooked it up one night (sorry no pics). It too was ohhhhhh soooooo divine. I would recommend anyone to try it -- but only if you want to cheat on your diet because it's not a good idea to count the calories on this one

Here we are at Outback after our several plates of yummmminess!!!! Bellies stuffed and free kisses from Sung Hyun (maybe the only time he has kissed me in public)

Christmas is over........*sniff sniff*

Time again to take down that big tree so it can sit in the basement for another 11 months. BOOHOO!!!!

My mom's wonderful photo taking abilities........ I've got my eyes closed and the tree is only in half the shot.........good job mom

Family Time

Well my mom planned a big family gathering the weekend I was supossed to arrive. Even though I have been in Canada for over 3 weeks now we still had the gathering. So the whole BURTON family (dad's side) ventured to my parent's house for a night of fun.

The ladies -- Aunt on the left, me, mom on the right

The boys -- (top left-right) brother, cousin, cousin (bottom left-right) dad, uncle, uncle -- don't they look alike

EVERYONE!!!

After dinner I whipped out the movie I rented from the library and we all sat down for some giggles. National Lampoons Christmas Vacation is always a big hit.

Then we played a game of CHICKEN.

A perfect night!!!!!

A day of play (Korea)