Summer, 夏天, Xia Tian

This is my favorite season. . .I love the longer days and warmer weather, it always allow me to do so much more with the kids than any other season. This year, we decided to forgo the traditional summer camp, instead, I’ve decided to have a semi schedule of pool time, reading time, and field trips. I am hopeful this will allow the kids to have fun and allow us to spent some quality times together. Afterall, Summer is all about fun!

Kite – 風箏 – fēng zhēng

Chinese always have a passion for kites, the first kite was developed in China about 2300 years ago.  It was quite fascinating to me.  Read more about it at History of Chinese Kites.  We also found this really cute kite shop called China Town Kite Shop in San Francisco.  Check out this beautiful goldfish kite they have!

I found it! I first came across this Knorr Tom Yum soup base in one of the many Chinese supermarkets in the Richmond district of San Francisco. It really was by chance, and I thought it was so inexpensive that it was worth trying. Once home, I made my very first Tom Yum, following directions on the tiny little box, adding shrimp, firm tofu, and bean sprouts, fresh lime juice, and cilantro, it was the yummiest Tom Yum I’ve ever had. I quickly returned to that store and bought a whole box. That was 8 years ago. I have been looking for them ever since. ..even on my recent trip back to San Francisco, I was able to find that exact same store, but no Knorr Tom Yum soup base. I was so disappointed. So, when I came upon this item on this new site, I was so excited that I ordered immediately. Now I can’t wait for my shipment and make my favorite Tom Yum again! You can buy yours at Very Asia.

Lucky Wong NYC – oh how I love their clothes. Check out those Kimonos, they are super cute and I would like one for myself.  My boys will totally dig this t-shirt too.

On my way home from picking up my almost 4 year old son, we saw one of his teachers at the bus stop waiting for the bus. Like many curious little ones, he asked why his teacher has to wait for the bus at the bus stop and didn’t drive a car home.  Being Chinese and practical, I figure it was a good opportunity to educate my little one that not everyone can afford a car, that is why going to school and studying hard (yes, I know, I’m being like my own parents and very Chinese) is a foundation for a comfortable living/life style, etc etc. His comment was “I don’t need to make money to buy a car, Ye Ye (grandpa in Chinese) will give me his mini super coupe when I’m old enough to drive. So much for a life lesson! I guess you can’t fault me for at least trying! 

For those of you trying hard to speak Chinese to your kids, don’t get discouraged! My older one was pretty good with his Chinese because we had Grandma’s help. During my maternity leave with my second one, I was trying to practice Chinese with him. When I showed him a picture of an elephant and asked him what it is in Chinese, his answer was Elephante!!!! Thanks to the awesome Spanish lesson he had in school! What can I say? Keep trying, it will stick one day.

My husband thinks I am nuts, which may not be entirely untrue. However, when I asked my 4 year old what he wanted for lunch one day, and his answer was Japanese noodle (what we called instant noodle at home), I almost passed out. But I just love them. They are my ultimate comfort food. In Hong Kong, people would eat them for breakfast too. To prove that I am not the only crazy person, I found a website that reviews ALL the instant noodle. Check it out. My vote is still what I grew up with though. Anyway, check it out at Instant Noodles Review.

父親節Fù qin jié – Father’s Day.

To our father, and our children’s father.

This is not the most healthy recipe, but my kids just love them. I used to eat something like this in Hong Kong as a kid, it’s a famous cheap, easy dish.

• 2 cups of cooked rice (could be your leftovers)
• 3 hot dogs of your choice, sliced.
• 4 eggs beat
• Frozen peas (could be corn, carrots, or a mixture of your likes) Rinsed to rid of ice.
• ½ onion diced
• 3 table spoons Vegetable oil

1. Get the wok heat up, and add the vegetable oil.
2. When the oil is hot, put the eggs in, just like making scramble eggs. Don’t worry about the amount of oil, the rice will absorb.
3. Take the eggs out.
4. Brown the onion, but don’t burn.
5. Put in hot dogs and let seared.
6. Put in frozen vegetable.
7. Add cooked rice. Make sure you keep moving the rice around, and make sure you keep breaking the rice apart especially when it is the leftovers. Add soy sauce liberally to your taste. Cook until all rice is not stuck together anymore, about 3-5 minutes.
8. Add eggs back in and mix in with rest of food.