Happy FIRST Birthday, Brody boy!

On Saturday, March 26th, we had a little...okay a BIG birthday celebration for our little stud. By the time all was said and done, there were at least 70 friends and family members who passed through our door that day to wish our little man a Happy Birthday. There were LOTS of balloons and food and a big KEG.

A high school friend of ours, Sarah (VanDeventer) Crimmins made both cakes...they not only look amazing, but tasted great too. We got lots of compliments on how yummy the cake tasted!

Our amazing neighbors & friends, Mandy & Jeremy made this cute keg topper with pictures of Brody having some tasty beer, with cute George graphics...laminated and all! Thank you!!

proud Halmoni

The Korean table spread

Great Aunt and Uncle

Mandy & Jeremy

Halmoni & Pop

Aunt Jen & Uncle Keith

Big Halmoni & Andy

Brian & Megan

Melissa & Tiffany

For those who can read Korean, yes the rice cake does say "Happy 100th Day", but it was supposed to say "Happy First Birthday". The rice cake place obviously goofed. Poo!

There is a lot of tradition behind the table setting for a Korean baby's first birthday. Below will give some information about the meaning behind what you see on the table. I'm sure all first birthdays have some variation to this:

Birthday Table
The parents prepare a special Tol table to celebrate the child's birthday. The main food includes ddeok (rice cakes) and fruits. Over 12 different kinds of ddeok are prepared, including paekseolgi (white steamed rice cakes), susu-kyongdan (rice cakes coated with rough red bean powder), chapsal-ddeok or chal-ddeok, mujigae-ddeok (rainbow colored steamed rice cake), songp'yeon (half moon shaped rice cakes), injulmi (coated glutinous rice cakes), and gyep'i-ddeok (puffed air rice cakes). Among these, paekseolgi and susu-kyongdan are always included. Fruits can vary according to the season of the birthday. Different colors of seasonal fruits can be prepared and displayed in a row. Also, a bowl of rice, sea mustard soup, and many other various foods can be displayed. Along with food, other items are needed for holding the Toljabee event. Items such as large bundle of thread, a brush, a Korean calligraphy set, pencil, book, money (10,000 won bills), bow and arrow (needle, scissors, and ruler for girls) are arranged on the table to predict the child's future.

Table Setting The birthday child will be placed at the table so that the other guests can face him or her. Parents often sit the child on the bolou (Korean traditional mattress) and several bangsuk (Korean cushions). Since the child is small, this allows for getting better pictures. For the background, a Korean traditional screen is used at the hotel or other banquet hall.

Toljabee Event In this event, the birthday child goes around the table and picks up items that attract him or her. The child's future is predicted according to the what he or she grabs. After placing the child in front of the table, the child's father becomes the guide for the child to go around the table and grab whatever he or she wants. The first and second items the child grabs are considered the most important. Usually Korean parents place the items that they want the child to choose near to the edge of the table. The child's future is predicted according to the items.

As you can see from the picture above, Brody chose the...
pencil, meaning the child will become a successful scholar (MEDICAL SCHOOL, here we come!)











love the progression here: At first, he was really timid, like "really, I can dig into this cake?!?!" and then once he began to realize he could, he was like "YES!" and really got into it!

Pinata time!!

Present time!!

Clean-up time!!
Mommy decided to drop and break a glass punch bowl all over the floor (full of a sugary, sweet rice drink) and cut herself in 5 places on her hands and arms. Thankfully, Daddy, Jeremy, Brian, Kenny, and Derek were still here, so they were able to help clean Mommy up and the floor. What's drunk cleaning without a little fun??