Chinese Autumn Feast

Today is the Chinese Lunar calendar celebration of the Autumn feast. It's a celebration of family unity. Different Asian culture celebrate this day in their own respect. Most Chinese look forward to this day because it's also "moon" cake day. Not the best stuff on earth, but pretty darn good cake. Moon cake comes in many favors, but I enjoy the simple one, egg in the middle with lotus surround (Yummy!). Anyways, this day is also call Aug. 15, a month behind the western culture. As far as my understanding goes for this day, it also reminds the Asian culture of the blessings of a great harvest.

My parents celebrate this day with cakes, home style bakery and fruits. They also light incense to thank their god for this blessed day. Different Asian culture celebrate this day in their unique ways, but generally the same type of procedures; cakes, bakery, moon cake, fruits and candies.

This is one of the many culture celebration which I think is literally unique to our background. I am Cantonese, therefore my parents keeps it simple. My wife is TaiSanese (probably spell this wrong) and they celebrate this day very differently. Regardless, there is no other Asian celebration that I know of is as defined this day. Even Chinese new year is not as unique Autumn feast; Chinese is almost universal meaning it's the same everywhere, just a bit more fireworks than NY.

Wow..Kids grow up fast!

I have hear this comment many, many times and by many people. "Cherish them now because they grow up fast" This is one of those comments which I don't think much of it when my wife and I had our first baby. We always thought time stand still for us. Seems like no ending to diaper changing, bottle feedings and waking up in the middle of the night. Very long, long exhaustive time. Then we had #2 and #3 and we still feel like time stand still for us. From time to time, we ask each other when will the kids grow up and out the door.

Recently, my wife and I sat down and try to pick out pictures to decorate our house. It really hit us hard how fast our kids are growing up. We saw their baby pictures and 1 year old pictures; we are wondering where did the time go. They are so adorable (not that they are not now). Don't take wrong, my kids are not that old, 5, 4, and 2 years old. It seems like yesterday when I held my daughter and sign her to sleep. Wow..they sure grow fast. Another wise saying I heard in the past, "time does not wait for anyone, you can only waste time".