mama lounge

Get Your Ice On

2012-01-11T14:09:00.000-08:00

For parents with children or not, I recommend having a night out at the Little Ice Rink in Alameda. Recently, our family had an outing on a Friday afternoon with Kai, his cousins and grandparents. Oh how I wish I could have joined them on the ice! It is a happy place with children testing out their skills and bright orange plastic seals that act as skating aides for first timers. My little one was adamant about not sitting on the seal at first and he wanted to be a big boy and stand. Well there was fall within a few minutes and lots of tears. But he tried again and had a ball for the hour and half session. My in-laws and I sat on the bleachers sipping hot chocolate and eating cookies from the food stand. It’s amazing how children will skate with clumsy feet, fall and then get right back up with big smiles on their faces. Even if you don’t love going on the ice, it’s a pleasant way to people watch and spend a winter night. Friday nights offer a disco night for those parents who want a date night! Hours and location here.

It's been a long time and happy holidays!

2011-12-22T15:17:00.000-08:00

Dear Readers,

I know it’s been a very long time since my last post. There are good reasons. After taking a short sabbatical, I jumped back into full time work and became pregnant. I know in the past, I was on the fence about having a second kid but I'll go into more detail in my next post. Good news is that I’m eight weeks away from having a baby girl and publishing my first novella. It’s hard to balance finishing up a book, work, a toddler, and pregnancy…so that’s why I’ve haven’t had much time and energy to update Mama Lounge.

I am making a commitment to breathe life into Mama Lounge again as the new year unfolds. Besides I’ll need space to share what it’s like to have a boy and girl plus share all the new things I discovered this past year. Thanks for being patient! Happy holidays to you.

-Ly

Help save Oakland libraries

2011-05-28T13:17:00.001-07:00

As I'm writing this, my husband is at the Oakland Main library scanning archival images for an upcoming exhibit on Jose Rizal .

There is a proposal to close 13 out of
17 Oakland libraries along with adult literacy services.

Libraries are cornerstones of communities. There is no other place where people can access books, movies, periodicals, and computers for free. When people are unemployed and without the Internet, the library is a job seeker resource. When a new immigrant with little income needs to find a book in their native language, the library has it.

Imagine what's going to happen to all the people who depend on library services in their neighborhood. Where will they go?
Visit Save Oakland library to learn more.

mama-lounge on the go

Ten Day Countdown and I'm Back to Work

2011-05-06T11:17:00.000-07:00

kai took this incredibooth photo on an outing

OMG, I can't believe that I'm going back to work in ten days! For five months, I've had the honor of staying home with Kai and writing short stories. One season later I find myself in that bittersweet state again. Thrilled to have an exciting new opportunity but definitely sad that I can't sit in my PJ's for half the day and write fiction. As a mom, I've cherished my time with Kai to help him transition to preschool, make a big leap in potty training, and perfecting oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. As a wife, I've enjoyed keeping the house neat, traveling, and gardening. I will have to now relearn balancing work, family, and play.

Mama lounge will keep going but I'm going to add a new feature. Since I will begin working in the mHealth field, I will feature new technology and services that can benefit families. Thanks again for supporting me throughout my life transitions. This space means a lot to me.

Spring at Lake Temescal

2011-05-02T11:58:00.001-07:00

Ducks frolicking in the meadow.

It was quite the morning with a fussy toddler not wanting to finish breakfast. We still managed to get out the door and make our way to Lake Temescal, my favorite park in Oakland. Despite Kai throwing up his yogurt in the car and having to clean up the mess with wipes, we went to the lake anyways. It was lovely in the sixty degree weather. We found our patch of peace after weaving through the groups of jogging moms and strollers. If you haven't visited this spring, I highly recommend it.

The colors at the lake are breathtaking.

my phone camera did good

mama-lounge on the go

Dandelion Wishes

2011-04-14T13:11:00.000-07:00

Dandelion seed heads are a symbol of childhood. I have memories of closing my eyes and blowing the seeds into the breeze each summer. Recently, Kai has been making wishes with them too.

From Dandelion Watch

If you ever wondered about this plant which most people dismiss as a weed, here are some interesting facts. The name comes from the French term dent de lion which means tooth of a lion. The jagged leaves are popular in salad and are high in calcium, iron and Vitamins A and C.

The white airy seed heads are a part of the life cycle of the common yellow dandelion. According to Wildman, "Each seed has a tiny parachute, to spread far and wide in the wind."

Before you decide to mow all the yellow flowers off your lawn, check out Universal Preschool and their list of fun ideas to make use of these whimsical flowers. Better yet at your next dinner party, make a dandelion salad.

Zurich Airport Playroom and Nursery...Wow!

2011-03-24T11:23:00.000-07:00

On a recent trip to Spain, we had a quick layover in Zurich. I know the Swiss are known to be clean and neat, but it seems that they also know how to accommodate the little ones. At the airport there are two playrooms that are amazing. If every airport could offer something similar, I think families with small children would fly more often. This playroom provided a much needed break after a eleven hour plane ride. It's also super clean and staffed by friendly ladies who will remind you to catch your flight.

there are multiple rooms to relax in

foosball for the grown ups

multiple diaper changing stations...spotless

food station

nap room

Prayers to Japan

2011-03-15T09:40:00.000-07:00

AP Photo

There was a picture today in the San Francisco Chronicle of a Japanese baby girl who was being checked for radiation levels. It made my cry knowing this little girl had endured tripled trauma in a matter of days.

This reality is certainly not far fetched for any of us, especially living in the earthquake state of California. Last night, we talked about our emergency plan with my parents. I hope that everyone will pause and make sure there are multiple emergency kits in your home and car. If you have a child at daycare or preschool, be sure that your child has a kit there as well. I highlighted tips on family emergency planning in this previous article.

My heart goes out to the victims of the recent earthquake and tsunami disaster.

Yum..what's for breakfast?

2011-03-01T11:38:00.000-08:00

A friend recently posted on FB that she was in a breakfast rut with her three year old son. It made me think about the question I ask Kai each morning, "What do you want for breakfast?" This morning Kai replied with "sticky rice". It's true Kai craves sticky rice about once a week. I know several friends who have picky eaters and are always searching for ways to mix up the food offerings at home. For the next week, I'll post ideas for different meals. Today, let's start with that most important meal of the day breakfast.

I think that there is a lot of pressure on moms to magically cook something different every day. It's easy to fall back on Trader Joe's staples but that gets boring. Here's our breakfast rotation:

1) Sticky Rice (ie. glutinous rice) which can be made instantly from this box with no preservatives or MSG or bought from your local dim sum shop. There are both sweet and savory versions.

2) Banana Flaxseed Pancakes . Kai always helps me make these and he eats about three mini pancakes. These are great because you can make a big stack and save it for the next day.

3) Vanilla yogurt with bee pollen, blueberries, and mango.

4) Wheat toast with butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Simple and delicious.

5) Cascadian Farms Cinnamon Crunch. This is a store bought cereal that Kai picked out. It was a nice break from Trader Joe's cereals and it's organic.

6) Leftover Homemade Pho Ga. Vietnamese Chicken Noodle soup that either my mom or I made the night before. This is great especially during the cold season.

7) Soft Scrambled Egg with Tomato and Garlic over Brown Rice with a hint of oyster sauce (this can be bought in any Asian market)

Breakfast is different in every culture. For some people eating cereal every day is fine, but there are a lot of families like ours that needs just a little more to get us going.

once in awhile, we grab a blueberry bagel and enjoy it outside

Tet

2011-02-03T11:28:00.001-08:00

Last night we offered traditional foods to the kitchen goddess. I made a black mushroom chicken soup with bean thread noodles, veggie eggrolls, fried tilapia, and banana tapioca pudding. We said our prayers and made wishes for the year of the rabbit.

Celebrating the Year of the Rabbit at Home

2011-02-01T13:36:00.000-08:00

Antique Shelf with Cherry Blossoms from Our Yard

Tet is the most spiritual and celebrated holiday in my family. This Rabbit year is especially dear to my heart because both my husband and I are rabbits. We are beginning to decorate with lots of red and gold to bring good fortune into our home. This week I will share photos of our traditions and home life for this occasion.

Yellow chrysanthemums under artwork by Megan Wilson

Lucky Bamboo with Li Xi

We Heart Sloths

2011-01-28T10:25:00.000-08:00

Our love for sloths has grown. The furry creature found in the Rainforest has fascinated my husband for a long time. Recently we picked up a copy of Eric Carle's book, "Slowly, Slowly, Slowly," said the Sloth that revealed interesting facts about them. Sloths sleep more than cats do, up to nineteen hours a day and they spend most of their lives hanging upside down. They're considered the slowest moving mammal and enjoy a peaceful life feeding off leaves and fruit. In Carle's book, the sloth reminds us that moving at a slower pace is actually a more peaceful way to live. In every photo I've seen of sloths, they're smiling. It's sad to think that both the two and three-toed sloths of South America are endangered as the rainforests continue to be destroyed.

Courtesy of Trek Earth

Teary Eyed at His First Day of Preschool

2011-01-11T09:51:00.000-08:00

I'm talking about me being teary eyed. I've seen parents cry at weddings and graduations, but it must happen throughout their child's life. J and I dropped Kai off at his first day of preschool and watched as the teacher said "Let's say hi to our new friend, Kai." While he tried to follow the group stretches, my eyes swelled up. Maybe it's a symbol of time...he's growing up and I'm getting older. The love parents have for their child is immense and there's else like it. Now I can understand why my mom still cries when I hit a new chapter in my life. Your kid is always "your baby". Sniff, sniff.

Time Flies...Kai at One Week

Upcoming Giveaway-- Win a Hide and Seek Placemat

2011-01-07T13:05:00.000-08:00

Dinner time is a big deal around our house. Hubby, Kai, and I like to take our time with dinner and make it a ritual. In the new year, we are looking to upgrade to more modern dining room furniture and make our dinners even more creative. Our wish list includes a dinner bell,cool placemats, and reupholstered chairs.

In the upcoming giveaway next Wednesday, January 12, you'll have the chance to score the Twist Hide and Seek Placemat from CSN Stores. Hint: Begin thinking about your favorite winter time recipe. More details to come next week.

Hide and Seek Placemat

Our Favorite Author and Artist: Gyo Fujikawa

2011-01-06T12:22:00.000-08:00

the only photo I could find

Last year, we picked up a copy of Sleepy Time by Gyo Fujikawa at the Alameda Friends of the Library book sale. Kai and I loved her illustrations right away because they were whimsical and featured Asian babies. Since then we've also read the Original Mother Goose and A to Z Picture Book. Turns out we are the not the only big fans of Fujikawa's work. She was loved by children throughout the 60's and 70's and admired by many designers today. Fujikawa was born in Berkeley and lived until she was ninety. In her New York Times obituary, she was described as "a prolific author and illustrator of children's books, including some of the first to feature children of many races."

Our current collection

New Chapter: Part Time Housewife and Writing Again

2011-01-04T09:17:00.000-08:00

I've been tied up transitioning into my new life for the past couple of weeks. With the support of my husband and money saved, I'm taking a three month break from work. Well I did officially leave my job with hopes to pursue something more challenging and fulfilling in the times ahead. Timing was good to continue work on a book and also to help Kai transition to preschool. He's two and a half and so curious about the world. I didn't want to spend another 8 hour day at my desk wishing I was spending more time with him. He starts preschool next week and I'm looking forward to picking him and hearing about what's he learned.

On the creative side, I can pick up a project that has been near and dear to my heart for a few years. Today is the first official day of my time off and I wanted to share it with the world. To help me get back into the writing groove, I picked up Writing Alone and With Others by Pat Schneider. It was an accidental find at the library but it has been exactly what I needed to pick up my pen again. For days I was struck by fear that I made a mistake until I read this passage:

Writing is talking. It is hunkering down around the cave fire at night and telling about the day. And however it is disguised, fear is close to the center of the stories we will want to tell...At times, fear keeps us from writing at all, or keeps us from writing as truly, clearly, and brilliantly as we might. Fear has good reason; understanding it can make all the difference. - Pat Schneider

I'll get back to the work world soon enough and will work until my mid sixties. I'm allowing myself this gift of time to enjoy two of my favorite things: family and writing.

my inspiration

Here I go plunging back into my writing...wish me luck. Happy new year!

Support a Micro Business and Order a Goodie Box

2010-12-16T10:42:00.000-08:00

There are just a few days left to give a GoodieBox to friends both far and near.

Each GoodieBox is hand-packed with 8 delicious snacks like Barbara’s Cheese Puffs, Endangered Species Chocolate and Reed’s Ginger Chews. And you can include a little message that will be handwritten on a notecard! It’s perfectly fun, affordable and tasty gift-giving!

yum..all this for $19.95 delivered to your friends.

Order a Goodie Box now.

Cool Ad

2010-12-11T14:09:00.001-08:00

Even though I have other issues with Bart, I give it up for the visual artist who created this:

mama-lounge on the go

OMG—Vancouver BC Aquatic Centers Rock

2010-11-22T14:30:00.001-08:00

I know the Bay Area has public pools that are fairly cheap to visit but most of them are pretty old and very small. In the Bay, you pay about $3.00 to swim in a 25 meter pool with about five or six lanes. It’s pretty bare bones. The locker rooms are from the seventies usually with old cracking tiles and showerheads that might or might not offer hot water. The hours are also very limited. I’m not complaining, just comparing.

This past weekend, my friends took me swimming at their neighborhood aquatic center--Hillcrest Park. Seriously, our public pools are put to some serious shame. You wonder why urban kids in the US don’t know how to swim? Well if we offered them affordable and state of the art aquatic centers, we might be able to inspire them to learn. No brainer right?

For $6.00 or less, BC folks have access to an indoor and outdoor Olympic size pools, a family pool, a diving pool, family hot pool, and more. For my fellow mothers, there is even a family locker room and pack n play to hold your baby while you change.

It’s an understatement to say that I was very impressed. Maybe in a few generations, our public money will be spent on creating community centers such as this.

Alameda Gem: Poppy Red

2010-11-12T08:00:00.000-08:00

karim @ poppy red

I have a weak spot for delicate and pretty flowers. Months ago as I walked down Park St., I discovered a flower stand that looked like something from a Parisian street. Violet and ruby colored flowers were tucked in vintage bottles with handwritten price tags. That was the first time I met Karim who was reading a book and trying to keep warm while selling her items outside

Lauren’s Closet, a neighborhood clothing store. Back then, Karim had no more than a dozen arrangements that sold for less than ten dollars. It's obvious that Karim is not a florist, but an artist.

Over the months, I couldn’t help but gift friends and family with Karim's creations. Each person is always delighted to receive a bundle of flowers that were arranged with lots of love and care. With the holidays coming up, I wouldn’t look anywhere else for your floral needs. Even sweeter, you can choose a poem and card with any purchase at Poppy Red.

daily arrangements

Accidental Keepsake

2010-10-27T08:00:00.000-07:00

It started with a delicate leaf that I found while at Soapstone in Oregon. I placed it in a paper towel and stuck in the book I was reading at the time—Precious. The day before our departure, we had to take all of our trash and recycling to CARTM , a community recycling and reuse center. At the CARTM reuse shop, a photo album caught my eye. The pages are aged at least two decades and the binding is fragile but well worth a $1.50. It’s hard to believe now that I almost hesitated to buy this piece. My good friend validated the book’s beauty and encouraged me to make the purchase.

the cover caught my eye

Months later, the pressed leaf fell out of the book. I was trying to figure out whether to frame it or make a bookmark. Then I looked at my bookshelf and saw the vintage album tucked away. I placed the leaf on the first page and it fit perfectly. In a moment, this little album became so important to me. As weeks go on, I’ve placed found objects in each page.

my beloved fern from soapstone

Here’s what I have so far:


objects Kai found

a free poem & train ticket

Revolution Foods Revamps School Lunches

2010-10-21T13:22:00.000-07:00

While we were traveling in

Viet Nam

, one of the treats we packed along for Kai was Jammy Sammy by Revolution Foods. I found out recently that this woman owned company is paving the path to bring healthy food to the school system.

I remember being a 5^th grader at Lafayette School in San Francisco and participating in the hot lunch program. The women in lab coats and hairnets served tator tots and chocolate milk that I loved, but the chicken patties and hamburger meat were always questionable. In high school, we had something called “The Beanery” where frozen burritos, giant chocolate chip cookies, bagels, and hostess cupcakes sold for under a buck.

Not only is Revolution Foods introducing yogurt, organic fruit, whole wheat breads, and salads to students and faculty at schools in the bay area, they conduct cooking demos and provide lessons on healthy eating. Imagine seeing kids in a school court yard eating yogurt and berries instead of hostess cupcakes for breakfast. Maybe school fights and bad test scores would be a thing of the past. Even though I survived school food full of strange ingredients, I’m glad that the future is bright for Kai’s food experience.

One Child Family or More?

2010-10-18T07:00:00.000-07:00

Maybe it's because I'm turning 35 and my son is at the prime age of 2 where we decide whether to have another one. I cannot tell you how much I struggle with this question. I've always known I wanted to be a mom but to how many is unknown. I grew up as an only child and understand the challenges that come with that. It's tough because I know that what I feel now is not what I may feel ten years from now. I feel that the pressure is on. Finances, the loss of me time, and the impact on marriage are key. On the days I side with keeping it to one child, I feel like I'm being selfish. On the days, I consider having two, I don't feel confident. But I'm also the same person that is deeply touched by a sibling's speech at their brother or sister's wedding. With me as an only child and J as sibling to three brothers, the conversation can be quite complex.

As I contemplate each day, I'm discovering interesting perspectives that resonate with me.

Forum on Berkeley Parent's Network: One Child

Why Siblings are Important

Is One Child Enough

If you'd like to share your view on siblings or how you made the decision, please do.

Travel with a Toddler: SF to Viet Nam

2010-10-13T09:00:00.000-07:00

Some people think that I'm brave and a little crazy to take Kai abroad.

It’s not cheap and some the of lessons learned are hard. Last month we spent 12 days in Hoi An, Viet Nam. A small town in the central part of Viet Nam that is extremely hot and humid. In this developing town, air conditioning can only be found in hotel rooms and open space for kids is hard to find.

I took Kai to Viet Nam to meet his great grandfather before he passes on to his next life. On the day that we arrived to Hoi An after 20+ hours of travel, Kai started to bawl and repeated “I want to go home”. For a two year old, he was expressing some serious homesickness. Two days after our arrival, Kai developed bronchitis. I was dizzy with guilt and worry while my son was struggling to breathe. Was I crazy to take my young son to a developing nation? J reminded me that Kai is resilient and that no one can prepare for such things. He was right and Kai improved his health enough to enjoy bike and boat rides along the river.

It turned out Kai was scared of my grandfather’s white hair and wrinkled skin. Kai covered his eyes during the first visit and repeated “scary, scary”. My grandfather laughed and played along. He peeked at Kai from afar and enjoyed watching Kai feed the goldfish.

Some people say there’s no point in traveling far with a young child because they don’t remember anything. I say that children live in the moment and create memories for those around them during trips abroad. In this case, some of the moments were hard for Kai but these same moments were the happiest for his great grandfather.

Kai took the photo of his great grandfather

Many Thanks...Mama Lounge Gets Recognition

2010-10-11T14:52:00.000-07:00

Thanks to the Intentional Conscious Parenting community for passing on the lovely blog award. What an honor to put on a list with other creative and holistic writers and artists. I write from the heart and love that my work is being read by people of all walks of life. Thanks to you.