The Curtiss Family is Stepping it Up!

Yep, that's right. We now have a cell phone, a car, and an oven. I know, the shock probably almost killed you. Such luxuries!

We went almost three months without these items. Doesn't sound like long but each allows us to accomplish things in life that we were missing out on!

 The Car: important for trips to the grocery. Allows us to skip the bus, subway, and cab required to purchase food to keep our family alive. We can now make a "quick" trip to the store without carving out three-four hours for the task. Life changing! Plus, we have taken the car to cool parks and hiking destinations that would have required crazy bus trips. And we are driving to the coast next weekend.

 One challenge though is remembering where you parked. This is the lot under Kim's Club and 2001 Outlet. It goes to B9. That's 9 stories underground. I find it helpful to use the camera on my phone to take a picture of the nearest post so I can find the car after I shop. Yeah phone!

 The car runs on liquid petroleum gas. Just like Oregon, you don't pump your own. And, when you fill up you often get a package of wet wipes, tissues, or a bottle of water. Such service.



















The OVEN: I think it speaks for itself. We were beginning to run out of stove top ideas. This is the first batch of cookies in the new oven. Our oven is a bit of a powerhouse. It is not only a convection oven, but a microwave, broiler, grill, crisps, and proofs. Plus, it can do many combinations of the above simultaneously. Before you get too jealous, it is pretty small. Notice there are only four cookies on each sheet. Those are regular sized cookies! So we are trying to find appropriate cookware for the oven. Sounds easy, but in Korea there is very little baking going on. I can buy a Pyrex baking dish from a special shop for foreigners or online but an 8"x8" dish will cost between $30-$50! So far I am improvising! But, we are enjoying baked goods. In fact, banana-chocolate chip bread just came out!