Let's Catch Up: March Recap
Wow, I can’t believe we’re already a quarter of the way through the year! March was a bit slow at first, but the last three weeks flew by. I imagine April is going to fly by just as fast.
Do you love my blog cover photo? London and I walked past this caricature shop in Jeju and had to stop for one. If you’re in the Aewol area, make sure to find Acorn Caricature. It was 14,000₩ for the two of us (and Spots the Giraffe) and took less than 10 minutes.
LIFE UPDATES
London in front of the AirBnB for USA GSO camp in Jeju-do!
London had her very first overnight Girl Scout camp! I wasn’t too familiar with Girl Scout camps before but there are so many happening around Asia this year. This camp took place in Jeju, during spring break, so it was the perfect opportunity for a mini adventure close to home.
There were 10 USA Girl Scouts from Korea, Japan, China, and Mongolia, and London made some great new friends. I’m so proud of her for stepping out of her comfort zone and having such a fun time. I love that she’s making international friends that she wants to keep in touch with! (Honestly, she’s living my dream!)
Millie at Waterworld in Jeju
Speaking of Jeju, Millie is turning 5 in April, and she’s been asking for a birthday trip for months. When we saw that London’s Girl Scout camp aligned with a 4-day holiday for Brandon, we decided to turn it into Millie’s birthday celebration. We had one day alone with just Millie, where we did everything she wanted and just had a blast together. Millie’s requests for the weekend were to see the sea and go to the CU. LOL The next day we picked London up and the whole family joined in on the fun. It was the perfect mix of family time and special moments for Millie’s big day.
I’ll admit, Jeju was never a place we’d prioritize for travel, but after spending a few days there, I see why so many people love it. Jeju turned out to be an amazing spot for a quick getaway. If you’re a military family stationed in Korea, I’d recommend Jeju for a 4-day or with a pass, but I don’t think I’d use leave days to visit. It's just an hour’s flight from Cheongju, making it super convenient for a long weekend. Even better, I snagged incredibly affordable flights! I paid just 95,000₩ ($60) round trip for me and London, and 73,000₩ ($50) for Brandon and Millie. If you're flexible with your dates, you can find similar deals on Skyscanner or Google Flights. Hopefully I’ll have a few Jeju blogs up this month, so make sure to check back!
THINGS I LOVED
Four of my favorite things about March
I had one whole day to myself in Jeju, so I signed up for a free walking tour of the Jejuolle Trail—similar to the Dulle Trail system in Korea. I had such a great experience on a week-long KTO expedition last September, so I thought this would be the perfect way to explore the island. I walked Courses 6 and 7 and ended up logging over 30,000 steps! If you’re going to be in Jeju on a weekend, I highly recommend signing up for this free walking tour —it’s a great way to immerse yourself in the island’s natural beauty. I have a blog post coming soon, too!
I’ve been putting myself out there and doing new things this year. One of those things has been attending a weekly culture and food class. One week my friend Laura made this kimchi dip that was TO DIE FOR. Like buffalo chicken dip that you’d have on a football Sunday, but with kimchi. This one looks almost identical to her recipe! Trust me, you’ll love it!
On that foodie note, I watched With Love, Meghan on Netflix and I thought it was a really cute show! I did think some of the relationships felt a little forced and awkward, but I thought she had some great tips (flower sprinkles, yes please) and it made me really miss having a garden. It was such a nice reprieve from my usual Housewives shows where people are always angry and yelling. If there is a season two, I’ll watch it.
The day before London and I left for Jeju I went to restock her instax film and spontaneously bought myself the Fujifilm Instax Mini EVO Instant Camera. OOPS! It’s a hybrid instant camera that prints photos on the spot, but it also stores them digitally and can send them to your phone via Bluetooth. It has a vintage look, is lightweight, and charges with a USB-C cable. I love it! If you’re looking for a camera for kids, this is a great option. Way better than the Instax Mini 12, in my opinion. Plus, since it stores the pictures, you don’t have to stock up on tons of film cartridges. It’s not cheap but it is under $200.
MARCH BUMMERS
I went back to IKEA to stock up on their gooey chocolate cake - and they were all sold out. Not even a spot on the shelf for it. I asked one of the employees for it and she just said “no sell.” Booooooo.
Okay the biggest bummer this month is hands down 1923. Brandon and I watch it before bed every Sunday night and it’s probably the worst decision I could make for the week because it leaves me feeling frustrated and anxious. I hate how slow it started, I hate everything happening to Alexandra this season and I hate that the seasons are so short. (However, last week’s episode where SPOILER ALERT the Father and the Marshal are killed - AMEN! HALLELUJAH! IT’S ABOUT TIME!) Brandon comes back from TDY this Sunday and I can’t wait for him to be home so we can watch the two hour finale…. I’ll probably need a few days to decompress afterwards.
One of my favorite photo spots on Course 7 of the Jejuolle trail
Can you believe we’re a quarter through with 2025?! What’s one thing you’ve loved this year? Let me know in the comments below!
