Travels with Toddler

Gifts from Home.

2012-03-26T07:41:00.001-07:00

I'll admit that in the winter months I go sometimes without shaving my legs for a couple of days, or even longer if the hubby is away on a trip, but I didn't realize how bad it had gotten till I was talking with my daughter about a recent trip my husband made back to our old house in America. We were wondering what he would bring back for us. I pondered what toys of hers he would bring, maybe some books then she said "Maybe he'll bring your 'shaber' so you can 'shabe' your legs..."

Duly noted.

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A pound of dirt

2012-03-19T04:48:00.001-07:00

There is an old saying that if you eat a pound of dirt as a child, you'll never be sick as an adult. The dirt however around our community, I am sure, is not the kind of dirt referred to in the saying. The signs stating "Rat poison used in this area!" and "Caution! Herbicide applied" not to mention all the dog walking taking place in the area have helped lead me to this conclusion. So to satisfy our littlest Rew's need and passion for digging in the dirt, spurred on by the nagging guilt I feel about moving her to Hong Kong where she doesn't have the privilege of a yard, I built Maddy her very own dirt box.

I knew it would result in a mess, but I figured hey we have hard floors and a kid has a certain right to getting dirty, thus far denied my little one.

I almost immediately regretted it... at least this dirt I know is free of herbicides, pesticides, rat poison and dog feces!

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Making Bad Good.

2012-03-18T06:40:00.001-07:00

The other day while watching the movie 'Tangled', a movie we have watched a hundred times or so, Emma told me "I don't want to watch this one. I want to watch the one where you make the bad lady good." I had to tell her that I can't make the bad lady good, which spurred on a whole conversation about why some people are bad. In the end all I could tell her is "I don't know why some people are bad sweetheart. They just are."

As a parent we are blessed with teaching our children about all the wonders of life. About the beauty in the simple things of each passing day, but we are also burdened with teaching them about the bad. About the parts of life that we wish to protect them from. We sugar coat, baby proof and pad so much of there life when they are little and for awhile they live in this soft, sweet, little world that we've created for them. All the while we fear more and more for their safety and innocence. It is an ironic pairing, the world in their eyes is gentle and kind, and from the moment of their birth it becomes a terrifying and dangerous place in ours.

I know that it is better that she learn from me that there are bad things out there, rather than learn them the hard way, but my blunt explanation felt incomplete. To be honest it saddened me, because I want so desperately to be able to make the world good for my girls. I want to save them from selfish people, like Mother Gothel, that would simply use them for their own benefit, but the truth is I know I can't. I know that some day someone is going to hurt my girls in a way that I can't protect them from or fix. Weither it be bullying at school or a broken heart, someday it will happen to them as it has happened to all the rest of us. My only hope is that I can make them strong enough to withstand it and come out stronger and wiser on the other side.

Emma needs for there to be good in even the worst of characters. In her heart she so deeply needs for there to be good in Mother Gothel's character that somewhere in the end of the movie she has dubbed in, in her mind, that Gothel says "I'm sorry." I have listened closely to the end of 'Tangled' to hear where she thinks she's heard it and though I can't hear it she is convinced it is there and who am I to correct her? Maybe there is an "I'm sorry." in there. Maybe deep down there is good in everyone... even if it's only at the very end.

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"When I was in Heaven..."

2012-02-23T23:37:00.001-08:00

Cute things in don't want to forget:

Lately Emma has taken to saying "I tried that when I was in heaven" or "They taught me that when I was in heaven" anytime there is a new food/experience that she doesn't want to try.

Madison LOVES to go! She is always climbing up in the stroller, or putting her shoes on, or putting on her bike helmet cause she wants to go.

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Cebu, Philippines

2012-02-23T21:56:00.001-08:00

We only had a few days to get out of the cold, grey winter in Hong Kong so we jetted off to Cebu, Philippines.

We stayed at the Shangri-La resort. I have never stayed at a resort before and this was an entirely new way to vacation for me. It reminded me of a land-locked cruise. It is a very removed way to experience a new place. As we rode in the shuttle from the airport to the resort, I was struck by a scene of extreme poverty. Shanty Homes and buildings streamed by and children played along side dogs and roosters in the dirt roads. It was in stark contrast to the gated grounds and manicured lawns of the resort. As we pulled into the resort and were stopped at the gate, the hotel shuttle was inspected by (what we later learned) was a bomb sniffing dog. So be fore-warned that travel here is not without it's risks.

Though resort travel is not my first choice it is a very pleasant way to vacation with little ones. The girls had a great time swimming in the pools and playing on the beaches.

Our first night we enjoyed a beach side BBQ and were entertained by hula clad dancers.

The resort also hosted number of kid friendly events and Emma and I enjoyed making hand-made pizzas.

Tuckered out from working hard in the kitchen.

Laxin.

"A Movie Star"

Coloring pool side.

Fabulous breakfast!

Ready to go swimming!

Last night on the island dinner.

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I Essure you I won't do that again!

2012-02-22T23:07:00.001-08:00

I've been in pain... A LOT of pain! At first I thought it was due to lifting boxes last June during our move to Hong Kong, but the pain continued and I began to fear of things such as cancer...

After a year of suffering and seeking help from a variety of doctors, a C/T scan revealed that one of the Essure birth control devices that I'd had implanted a year earlier had become dislodged and was no longer where it should be. After consulting with a specialist here in Hong Kong and my doctor back in the US who did the initial procedure, it was agreed that the coils should be surgically removed and I felt the sooner the better. There was some concern, and a bit of unknown, on what all the surgery would involve. It could be anything from a simple procedure, to a hysterectomy, to ending up with a colostomy bag. To say the least, I was preoccupied with worry and fear approaching surgery day.

One of the scariest things I have ever encountered was the inside of the operating theater of Matilda Hospital. With it's dingy tiled floors, cracked plaster walls and heavy Romanesque archways the hospital was like something from a WWI British movie. Oddly, I found that the age of the building was not comforting to me.

Nor was the seeming lack of professionalism and bed-side manner from the nursing staff. Already afraid of the surgery I found that the bumbling nurses only shook my confidence further. As I watched the nurses fumble around with a "deer-in-the-headlights" look in their eyes, I had a sudden surge of respect for the nurses trained and staffed in the US. Though the doctors were reassuring and knowledgable, the nursing staff pales in comparison to the nursing expertise and professionalism I am accustomed to back home.

I watched as the anesthesiologist asked for an IV drip pole and the nurses gazed around the room and at each other baffled and confused. When one finally responded to his demands she banged it hard against the plexiglas guard hanging around the operating table and all I could think to myself was "Please don't kill me!"

As I lay on the operating table a tear rolled down my cheek, a nurse reached over and wiped it off saying "we'll take care of you" and I thought to myself "but who will take care of my girls?" The greatest thing I feared was not for me, but for my daughters. To quote John Rambo "I am expendable" (and yes I just quoted Rambo), but I know that my role as Mother... as Mommy is irreplaceable and no one knows that better than myself!

Emma and Madison checking out the fish tank at the hospital.

Dinners on me. The girls enjoying some hospital pizza.

Thankfully the surgery went simply and worse case scenarios were avoided. Whether or not the coils have been the source of all my pain only time will tell. As for now I am recovering at home and happy to have that experience behind me.

*To all my friends and family who are in the nursing profession,my hat is off to you all and I'd like to take this opportunity to thank you for your commitment, compassion and professionalism.

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Osaka & Koyasan, Japan

2012-02-17T17:21:00.001-08:00

In an effort to find some fall color, and escape the very un-autumn like temperatures of Hong Kong, we took the girls to Osaka & (following Osaka) Koyasan, Japan in November.

It was love at first sight!

Osaka was such a contrast from Hong Kong. It seemed instantly peaceful, clean and orderly in comparison to the seeming chaos and grime of where we'd started. The first thing that struck us as we rode the train from the airport to our hotel in Osaka was the almost eerie silence that surrounded us. As the train pulled up to each station and the doors opened we stared in aww at each other as the quite of the cabin was echoed by the vacuum of silence outside. I watched as rows of houses streamed by and was refreshed by a city structure more like what I was accustomed to in a western society, all-be-it with the pleasant element of Japanese design. Even at night the city of Osaka seemed so calm as the young people of Japan meandered out for the evening, in comparison to the hustle and bustle of Hong Kong in the evening jam.

We only had a few days in Japan, to make the most of it we spent two days in Osaka and in our limited time choose to visit the Osaka Castle. It was a beautiful setting. The Osaka Castle was rebuilt in 1997 and presents a stunning facade over looking a tranquil mote. I was however disappointed to see that the inside is a generic cynder-block presentation rather than a recreation of the original castle rooms.

We also happened upon a chrysanthemum festival on the castle grounds and I bravely tried octopus balls for the first time (side note* allow octopus balls to cool before popping a whole one in your mouth. In my opinion, it will greatly enhance your first experience with this tasty treat).

After two days in Osaka (one of which was a recovery day for our littlest Rew who had come down with a tummy bug) we moved on to Koyasan.

The cool air and peaceful nature of the japanese country side was breath taking. Parts of the trip reminded me of the north Georgia mountains in the fall and it was easy for me to see where the inspiration for traditional japanese paintings comes from. It was as if I were traveling through the misty, pine-covered peaks of some Japanese masterpiece.

Koyasan is a tourist hotspot and many Japanese make the pilgrimage there to have the pleasure of staying and meditating at one of the hundred or so Buddhist temples situated in it's rolling hills. We stayed at the Fukuchi-in temple.

Despite being an extremely over-priced tourist attraction we had a really great time staying at the temple. As westerners it was a very unique way to experience traditional Japanese culture and food.

Emma enjoyed the entire experience. She doned the Japanese komono. She served us tea. She LOVED the Japanese onsen (which thankfully we had to ourselves). She shuffled along in her temple slippers.

Both girls loved rolling around on the rattan mats and sleeping on futons on the floor. Snuggled together in one big family huddle and soothed to sleep by the gentle roar of the gas heater, we all slept zinfully. In fact, up until Koyasan Madison had never slept so good.

The next day we hiked along the misty paths of Okunoin. It is hard to put into words the eerie beauty of this misty stroll through an ancient cemetary with it's layers of tombs. It was, simply put, one of the most beautiful places I've ever been.

I can't wait to discover more of this amazing country!

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Location:Osaka & Koyasan, Japan

The Air we Breath!

2012-02-15T03:34:00.001-08:00

This is an example of the air quality here in Hong Kong.

These are two HEPA filters. The one on the left is brand new out of the box. The one on the right is from the air purifier that we have in the girls room that has been running for nearly 5 months.

To say I am concerned is an understatement!

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Rumbly, Tumbly.

2012-02-09T04:46:00.001-08:00

Ahh... the sweet, sweet sound of a dryer lazily tumbling clothes in the confines of it's innards. I didn't realize how much I missed it!

This could go on my '10 things you probably don't have' list. We finally purchased a forced air dryer (a rarity in Hong Kong). As you can see it sits in our living room and we vent it out the window. Despite the awkwardness, it will be SO nice to have clothes air dried in 30 minutes... instead of 3+ days!

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Why Facebook is NOT the Devil.

2012-01-13T01:17:00.001-08:00

We've all heard the bad about Facebook.

We've heard how it leads to divorce, how it invades our privacy, how Big Brother is watching, how people use it to stalk, bully and spy. But to every yin there is a yang and I would like to point out the good in Facebook.

Facebook has brought together people. It has brought together friends and families. It has closed the years and breached the miles. It has brought together the friends, classmates, coworkers and family members that were otherwise lost in the passing of time. It has brought together friends that haven't spoken in 40 years and healed friendships long ago broken. It brings to us those people that we would've otherwise never seen or heard from again.

If we ourselves are honest, we share with others our most internal thoughts. Our most precious moments and memories. The things we are proud of and admire. We express our undying love. We celebrate our birthdays, anniversaries and achievements.

It reminds us of where we came from. Who we are and those that have helped shape us.

It allows us to watch our friends lives unfold before us. To share with them the highs and the lows. We're there to offer our congratulations and our support when they fall in and out of love, marry and divorce, welcome to the world their own little miracles and the sorrowful loss of loved ones. We cheer them on through the struggles of parenthood and relate as they express their unexplainable love for their children. If we're lucky enough we share with them every milestone. Every proud and tender moment. We get to know our friends sense of humor, the things they love and the things they hate. We learn what makes them laugh. What makes them cry. What makes them angry. We learn their causes, their politics and their opinions. We see their lives as they want us to see them. Which some may argue is a bad thing, but I choose to see it as life through their eyes. We know each other better for it.

It has given solace to the lonely. A voice for the meek. It has shown those who may feel like they are suffering alone in this life a way to reach out to others.

It unites and that cannot be all bad.

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How a Chinese massage saved my life.

2012-01-12T02:57:00.001-08:00

Several months ago, my very thoughtful husband (after hearing me complain and complain about lower back pain) hired a local, highly recommended masseuse to come by the house and massage away all my aches and pains for 2 heavenly, though sometimes painful, hours!

This was my first introduction to a "Chinese massage" as she called it and during my massage she told me I was very "wet" inside, a traditional chinese medicine term referring to the balance of the elements within the body. I know nothing about it but if you're interested here is a link. Afterwards I felt like a limp noodle and the next day it was as though every inch of me had been bruised, but I noticed a few days later that my chronic low back pain, though not gone, was livable.

She was my miracle worker and is a wonderfully friendly lady, but I hadn't realized her true strength until I was sitting on the couch with Emma one day telling her that our Masseuse was going to come over and give Mommy a massage later. When Emma asked me "Are you going to live?" I put my arm around her and hugged her to me and said "Of course sweetie. Why are you worrying about that?" and Emma so sweetly said "Cause your back was killing you, but our Masseuse fixed you." I almost cried over her innocence and my lack of sense. I explained to her how sometimes people say something is "killing them" when it hurts real bad, but that it's not actually killing them. I reassured her I was ok and she nodded her head with understanding.

I learned to watch how I say things and that Emma has an amazingly perceptive little mind. We have since had our Masseuse back a few times... She even brought my kids Christmas presents. It's like she's becoming part of the family... after all, I owe my life to her.

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The Double life in Hong Kong.

2012-01-12T01:31:00.001-08:00

The mere existence of a double stroller seems to offend some people in Hong Kong!

I can't tell you the number of times someone has rolled their eyes at me as they walk past, or the little kids that snicker saying under their breath "look how big it is!" It's as if they think I'm taking up more than my fair share of the public space. The truth is, though my double stroller seats two little bottoms comfortably, it takes up no more room than some of the single-seater contraptions I see others pushing around! It still fits through most doors and maneuvers on a dime. Perhaps it's not the stroller after all... Maybe it's my audacity to care for and handle two kids at once single handedly without the aid of a helper...

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The World is out to get you.

2011-10-20T21:15:00.001-07:00

The world is out to get you... or at least your parenting technique!

I remember taking Emma to the St. Louis Art Museum one super hot midwest day, when she was a little over a year old. We spent the better part of the day walking around it's cool, air conditioned halls pointing and giggling at the puppies, horsies, babies, flowers and anything else my little Emma could recognize in these priceless works of art by greats like Monet, Rembrandt and Van Gogh.

Towards the end of our visit a middle-aged man came up to us and asked in a rather snide tone "Do you really think she understands what she's looking at?" to which I quipped back "I think she understands that that's a dog and that's a baby!" and I turned around and sauntered away. Yes, I sauntered because I was very satisfied that I had put that old fart in his place.

It never ceases to amaze me, where other people feel they need to insert themselves in regards to your parenting technique. Occasionally, people will have some good advice, but more often than not it seems they only want to add a negative criticism to the pot. Here in Hong Kong the common criticism pertains to how to properly dress a baby for the Hong Kong weather. The elderly Grandmother's here think that a babies arms and legs should be covered in no less than two layers of clothing even when the temperatures are in the 90's. My guess is that this is a throw-back custom that was adopted to protect baby from disease carrying insects. They mean well and it is easy for me to take there well intentioned comments in stride, however as a seasoned parent I know it is only a matter of time before I get another one of those comments that you can't help but roll your eyes to.

So my advice to other Mommies and Daddies, learn when to smile and say thank you and when to roll your eyes and saunter away! And never, NEVER let some old fart deter you from teaching your babies how to love the world in your own way!

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I Love... Myself?

2011-10-12T06:22:00.001-07:00

The other day while going for a walk with the girl's, Emma and I were having our normal exchange of...

"Mom?"

"Yes sweetie."

"I love you."

"I love you too sweetie."

"Mom?"

"Yes sweetie."

"I love Madison."

"Madison loves you too sweetie."

"Mom?"

"Yes Em."

"I love myself."

and suddenly... I felt guilty, or ashamed even. Not because my daughter loved herself, but because the pattern of our exchange dictated that my response should be something along the lines of "I love myself too sweetie." and that felt uncomfortable and wrong to me.

But why?

We're not supposed to love ourselves... Are we? For a moment I looked at my sweet little girl who had just so innocently and joyfully exclaimed to the world that she loved herself and I saw that she felt good about it... satisfied even, and it occurred to me why shouldn't we love ourselves?

Somewhere along the way we are taught that it is wrong to love ourselves. Self-centered. Egocentric. Conceited. But is that right? Is that really what loving one's-self means and if so what does that say about my little girl, who is the furthest from any of those things as a three year old can be? No, she had proclaimed her love for herself for a different reason. Her love stemmed from a feeling of love and happiness that encompasses her, that permeates her life, that makes her feel so good... that she loves herself.

So why should saying "I love myself too" make me feel almost dirty? After all how can we love someone else if we don't first have some level of love for ourself. A person who loves themselves must be loved. Right? More poignantly, that person must be made to feel loved by those closest to them and they must be pretty happy with the way things are going in their life to exclaim "I LOVE MYSELF!"

So my little Enlightened one taught me that day, in her gentle little way, that I too "LOVE MYSELF!"

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What a Wonderful World.

2011-10-12T04:20:00.001-07:00

A conversation between Emma and myself...

Emma "I didn't know if today was going to be a good day."

Me "Was it?"

Emma "Yes, because I saw a bird and the sky and the ocean and the trees and..."

She reminds me what a wonderful world we live in in more ways than I can say.

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A Car-seat's Many Uses.

2011-10-04T17:29:00.001-07:00

Before moving to Hong Kong we knew we wouldn't have a car, at least not at first, but we still brought Madison's infant car-seat. Turns out even without a car a car-seat is still very useful! The obvious being in taxi's and rental cars, the not so obvious...

Make shift high chair when the restaurant doesn't have one.

Baby lounger/ rocker.

And of course a secure place to put baby so Mommy can take a shower.

For Emma we also have the 'Ride Safer' Travel vest for taxi trips...

Which also doubles as a fashion statement.

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It's an Acquired Taste.

2011-10-01T05:57:00.001-07:00

Why do we travel?

When you're single and young, you travel to see the world, taste the foods, drink the wines, dance in the clubs and meet new and fascinating people. As we get older the reasons for traveling only change slightly, minus the dancing in the clubs. As parents you travel to see the world through your children. Your priorities change. You no longer look for the nearest bar or night club, but instead are in search of grocery stores and playgrounds.

We did a lot of grocery store and playground locating on our trip to Italy and Switzerland last month. In each town we went to we would walk to the nearest grocer and stock up on diapers, baby food, apples, snacks and water. I was very surprised to see some of the options available to babies in Italy. Along with the usual fare such as veggies, fruits, lamb and beef they also offer meats such as...

Rabbit

And horse!

The flounder, sea bass and white fish seemed boring after this.

The hunt for playgrounds became mandatory and if you can measure a countries love for their children by their playgrounds the Swiss REALLY love their kids.

Luzern, Switzerland by far had the best playground, complete with a water table, sandbox with sand toys and, on one day, free activities such as side walk chalk, bubbles and a crafts table for the kids all provided for by the city.

Of course, the Italians were not to be out-done and at the playground in the city of Como the children were equipped with a very nice wooden playground, set on an AstroTurf field and kept cool by automatic misters that came on every 30 minutes or so... very posh.

If you had asked where a playground was when I travelled as a single person I would have blinked at you dumbfounded. Now we are able to spot them through brick walls and I have to say... I like it. It has added depth to our travels. It has added a pause in the day where we stop and watch the locals lovingly play with their children. Where we take in our surroundings and where we realize the best part of our journey we carry with us.

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Getting sick while abroad.

2011-10-01T04:59:00.001-07:00

The only thing worse than getting sick, is getting sick while on vacation. The only thing worse than getting sick on vacation, is when EVERYONE gets sick on vacation!

It started with a runny snoot that Emma alerted me to by screaming "I GOT A BOOGER!!" The next day I "had a booger" and by the third day baby Madison "had a booger" that she took care of by wiping on the front of my shirt from her cozy perch in the papoose. I'm pretty sure by day four Daddy "had a booger" too, but he being much tougher than the rest of us played it off till about day 5 or 6. So what did we do? Well we hunkered down for three days in the little town of Tremezzo on the shore of lake Como and nursed ourselves better with baby Tylenol and CBeebies cartoons dubbed in Italian.

Getting better in Tremezzo.

My tips for dealing with the common cold while traveling:
-Stay hydrated.
-Rest if you can.
-If the hotel has soft toilet paper, snag a roll. It is invaluable for wiping runny noses!
-Acetaminophen, the ingredient in Tylenol, is also called Paracetamolo in some countries.
-Buy travel health insurance, just in case things turn serious.

Some "Mommy essentials" I ALWAYS pack:
-Hand sanitizer
-Under-the-arm electronic thermometer
-Baby Tylenol
-Tums
-Pepto-Bismol tablets (for kids and adults)
-Nasal Aspirator (the good one they give you at the hospital. Ironically the one time I didn't remember mine I could've used it.)
- and a general first aid kit with antibiotic ointment, bandaids, burn gel, etc.

The key of course is to take care of yourself, rest and hope you get better before the end of your vacation so you can go back to enjoying yourself.

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Not till you eat your tofu!

2011-09-06T04:47:00.001-07:00

I am proud to say that my kid not only eats her vegetables, but she likes them. You know you've done well, when your three year old sits down to the vegetarian lunch served up by the Po Lin Monastery kitchen and doesn't bat one beautiful little eyelash at the bowl of rice, vegetables and TOFU set in front of her, but instead devours it happily. Her only complaint was that she couldn't try the corn and pea covered tofu because it was to spicy. This was actually Emma's second time eating the vegetarian lunch at the Po Lin Monastery, but the first time she'll probably remember.

The Po Lin Monastery is nestled in beauty. Lush green mountain peaks disappear and reveal themselves again behind a shroud of ever passing cloud. As the Big Buddha watches over the tranquil setting perched on his cloud covered peak. The beauty of the Po Lin Monastery is only marred by the introduction of the tourist trap "town" Ngong Ping built in recent years to help separate monastery visitors from the burden of the all mighty dollar. Regardless, being easy to get to and welcoming to foreigners, it is a nice way to be introduced to the Buddhist faith. There are several options for dining once you arrive at the Monastery including a Starbucks (eyes rolling), but I highly recommend the family style vegetarian lunch served by the monastery between 11:30am-5:00pm.

The Po Lin Monastery can be accessed one of three ways via cable car, bus or foot. Both the cable car and the bus conveniently leave from the Tung Chung MTR bus terminus. The Ngong Ping 360 cable car offers two options to carry you over the mountain, a traditional cable car that cost around $23.00 usd per adult and, for the more daring, an ALL glass cabin called the Crystal cabin which costs around $30.00 usd per adult and is complete with a glass floor so that you can appreciate just how high the cable car actually carries you! The kids will enjoy either as it is quite the ride either way. At less than $10 usd the bus is considerably less expensive than the cable car and is a nice scenic ride through winding mountain roads, where if you keep an eye out you might spot one of the few protected water buffalo that roam Lantau Island. It is Bus no. 23 and it takes about 45 minutes to reach the monastery (provided your bus doesn't breakdown like ours did). I have never hiked to the Monastery myself, but my husband has and I hear it is not for the out-of-shape and may be difficult with smaller children, but it does have clearly marked paths with steps and offers one the chance to see all sorts of native wildlife including spiders, snakes and a pack of wild dogs (not joking) that live near one of the cable cars platforms. Bring water!

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International Beanie Weenie's

2011-08-27T20:30:00.001-07:00

I just made "International Beanie Weenie's" by combining Smedley's Brand Baked Beans from Great Britain and Wolf Wiener Wurstchen from Germany here in my Hong Kong Kitchen...

I like to think of it as fusion food!

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New Book

2011-08-26T21:49:00.001-07:00

Emma got a new book today...

and so did Mommy...

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24 Hours

2011-08-17T06:19:00.001-07:00

For all those in America who claim it is the ready availability of fast food that is making them fat.

Not only does McDonald's deliver here, but they delivery 24 hours a day...

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Shhh... We're line cutters!

2011-08-13T23:31:00.001-07:00

That's right you heard me, We cut in line!

It's a little known fact, but parenthood can and does come with some... ok ONE travel benefit. No we can not fly in first class on Malaysian Air. Nor can we breeze through the airport without tripping over carseats, baby carriers, diaper changes and toys and gone are the days of having one carry-on and blissfully reading a book in flight, but we do get to cut in line and there's nothing, NOTHING anyone can do about it!

Well at least some of the time...

Occasionally, when traveling with young children you'll get the wave. The wave I'm speaking of is when the security guard, customs agent, or gate personnel lower the tension barrier as they see you coming and wave you through as though your some A-list celebrity. All the while the rest of you poor souls who are stuck in the security or customs line from hell, or are anxiously waiting to board the plane so you can sink into your seat with book in hand, are wondering who the heck are those people who just cut in front of us? It helps if one of your kids is crying, but it kind of spoils the celebrity fantasy playing out in your head.

Before you judge and say to yourselves "Just cause they have kids doesn't give them any right to cut in front of us. They should do the time just like the rest of us," understand that while you are reading your book, or watching an inflight movie, or if I may... even resting your eyes!! I will be wrangling toddlers in flight and changing poopy diapers in a way to small lavatory wishing to the powers that be for 5 minutes of naptime so I can blink my tired eyes and this is the one, ONE travel perk I get! So let me have it.

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An International Recipe Exchange.

2011-08-13T20:44:00.001-07:00

Now that I'm in Hong Kong everything qualifies as "International", but I'm also experiencing a culinary lull...

I need some inspiration in the kitchen and since I have friends all over the globe I thought I'd put this out there and see what I get. I'm looking for simple recipes I can prepare for my family.

So let's see what you've got. If it is a recipe that is geographically unique to where you live that would be even better... so long as the ingredients can be easily found internationally.

Thanks

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Squid for dessert

2011-08-04T05:03:00.001-07:00

You know you live in Asia when you entice your children to eat their dinner by promising them "squid" for dessert!

And if you were wondering... It works!

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