Celebrating the Year of the Rabbit at Home

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

Mama Lounge Wishes You a Happy New Year

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Toy Review & Giveaway: Edushape Blocks

If you'd like your own set of Edushape blocks, a free set goes to a lucky winner. Leave a comment or send it to writetoly@gmail.com by Christmas and tell us about the most memorable holiday gift you received as a child. If your story pulls on our heartstrings, we'll send you a new set.

This review is made possible by Toys and Games Online.

When Kai saw the bag filled with colorful blocks, he ditched the ornament he was playing with. Kai took each foam block out one by one and spread them across the floor. He wasn't quite sure what to do at first. I showed him him to layer each one on top of the other and he caught on quickly. Here are a couple of things we built together:








Each of these structures, he knocked down and may have been disappointed that there was no crashing sound like with wooden blocks.

Initial Playing Time: 8:45 AM-8:53AM

Before his afternoon nap, he picked up one of the larger red pieces with a groove in the middle. It became his telephone in which he conducted in baby language for another ten minutes. Ahh...double usage.

As far as the playing time, there are very few toys that hold his interest beyond ten minutes. These blocks seem to be a solid and safe addition. I do think as Kai becomes older, he may become more creative with them.

Overall rating: b+

If you'd like your own set of Edushape blocks, a free set goes to a lucky winner. Leave a comment or send it to writetoly@gmail.com by Christmas and tell us about the most memorable holiday gift you received as a child. If your story pulls on our heartstrings, we'll send you a new set.

To discover more toys, checkout online toys.

Holiday Cheer & Lights: Thompson Ave., Alameda

Kai was fascinated when we drove along this illuminated street. His mouth was wide open in total awe and kept saying "wow".

Cheers to the Thompson Ave.. residents for creating this world of imagination for everyone to enjoy.

Upcoming Toy Giveaway and Review

The big holiday is three weeks away, and you’re probably wondering what to buy your kids. If you’re turned off by malls like me, why not check out online toys? Not only do you save on gas and avoid confrontations in the packed parking lots, there is a larger selection online.

The week of December 15th, Kai and I will be reviewing the Edushape/Educolor Toy Block Set from Toys and Games Online. For our readers, you’ll also have a chance to win the Toy Block set too. In the meantime, browse around and let us know if there are other fun learning toys you recommend. Cheers!

Best Holiday Stockings

Silly, not pantyhose. I’m talking about the kind you stuff with little old school presents like Slinkys and chocolate Santas. When Chococat lived with us, I even had a stocking for him filled with mini cans of wet food and cat nip. If you’re like me and aren’t satisfied with just the ordinary stockings found at the drug store, check these out:

Indie Stockings

Wooly Wooly at Etsy offers an eco friendly stocking:




Ririkrak at Estsy also has darling eco spun felt stockings:


For dog fans, this stocking was handmade in Nepal: Global Exchange:




Big Box Stockings

Target offers cute monogrammed stockings for $9.00:



Ikea stockings are chic and cheap at $2.99:



Mine are personally from Ikea 06 because they were cute and cheap. I have to glitz them out over the weekend and I’ll take a photo once they’re done 

DIY Birthday Ideas

When Kai cries, we sing happy birthday. it's the latest trend since he turned one a few days ago. I'm glad that he associates the song with happy times.

here are some pics of our DIY segments of the bday:





fish cake



fish decor--the handcrafted stuff seemed to have much more life than the store bought decor. We picked up tissue paper and origami paper for cheap at Creative Reuse.

It's Tet Today! Celebrating the Ox

My mom will be busy this morning preparing traditional foods to offer to our ancestors on our biggest holiday. I love tet because it doesn't have that commercial feel like western holidays. No, it's not only Chinese New Year. Lunar new year is the correct term because the Vietnamese and Koreans party too.

Hopefully I cleaned our house enough to welcome new energy and good fortune. Today we'll pray and eat in remembrance of our ancestors and appreciation of our own lives.

Married folks--don't forget to give out "lai see" (red envelopes) to the kids you know. The more generous you are....the more good fortune for your own family.

The year of the ox should bring stability to the home front...maybe even an upswing for real estate? I'm looking forward to that.

Noteworthy: Thermocamera

Sometimes it's hard to motivate and drive to San Jose but we discovered a spot worth driving to. Our weekend excursion included visiting the San Jose Tech Museum. It's brainy and stimulating. Kids will love the wet lab and moonwalk but everyone will enjoy taking supercool pics at the Thermocamera.

If you go from now until the end of December, you can visit Christmas in the Park right across the street from the museum. Photo-Ops galore. There are hundreds of holiday trees decorated by local schools and non-profits plus food vendors selling mexican hot chocolate and fresh tamales.

Enjoy the Holiday Y'all

I know many of my people aren't down with the historical meaning of Thanksgiving. But at the end of the day, it's a holiday where our families get together to cook and eat. I'm off to our dinner. Lucky me my brother in law is a chef so he can really throw down in the kitchen. I was in charge of making a salad, cranberry sauce, and yams which I made all from scratch...none of that canned stuff. Pretty good for a lady with a baby right?

Anyways, just wanted to give thanks to my readers who motivate me to update my blog twice a week. I appreciate friends who send me sweet emails about the entry that really resonated with them. To my readers who I don't know in person but come from all over the country and a few international ones too. Mama Lounge is a good place to be knowing that you're all right here too.

XOXO