Beijing, China

In March, the kids went on spring break.  It was the perfect time to travel, and it coincided with one of Aaron's business trips in Taiwan.   It's always good and bad when we can join him on a business trip.  Good because we save on a hotel room; bad because I am alone in a foreign country with four kids all day and often into the evening.

The first part of our trip we were together.  Thank goodness!  Traveling in China is tricky.  Unless you stay for less than 72 hours, you are required to purchase a visa.  Visas for six folks are pricey.  We decided to make it a whirlwind trip, visiting Beijing and the Great Wall in 72 hours.  Not as easy as it sounds.

We flew into Beijing, and settled into our hotel room.

This is how we roll.

It was great...only it didn't have any cartoon channels or pool.  Yikes!  So, we wrestled, built forts, played, and read.  It was actually great!

We decided to take a stroll.  We were constantly surround by groups of people.  They simply stopped and stared.  Then they counted and recounted the kids.  Shaking their heads they shouted, "Suh!"  At least that's what it sounded like to me.  Apparently that means four.  Four kids?!  In a country where folks are restricted to birthing one child, four made us an official circus.  Lots of pictures.  People posing by the kids, forming peace signs with their hands.  Maddie striking poses.  Good times.

Caleb slept; Jack hid.

We visited the hutongs (narrow streets or alleyways formed by lines of traditional courtyard residences).  We shopped in a small art gallery for wall hangings.  Thankfully, there was a street magician outside amusing the kids while Aaron and I took turns looking inside the shop.  

We walked on and entered the Forbidden City, the largest ancient palatial structure in the world.  Layer upon layer of walls with massive doors enclosed throne rooms and grand halls.  Every ceiling was intricately decorated and bursting with vibrant color.  The buildings had the massive curved roofs I had always associated with ancient China.  It felt like stepping back in time.     

The next day we woke and boarded a van to the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall.  

Any description I attempt to write will surely be inadequate.  My mind could barely comprehend the height and length and breadth of the wall.  It stretched on and on, weaving back and forth across the ridges of the mountains like a great stone snake.  I could only imagine the amount of planning and manpower and organization it took to complete such a wonder.  We rode a gondola to the top of a peak…

walked along the Wall…

then hiked down, down, down.  By the time we reached the bottom we were carrying the little ones and all of our legs were wobbly. 

The next day we explored more of Beijing, hiking around the grounds of the beautiful Summer Palace (which is actually a group of lakes, gardens, and palaces).  Cherry tree were in full bloom, their delicate pink blossoms swaying in the breeze.  The sun shone off the lake as boats carved in the shape of dragons carried passengers from the shore to an enormous palace.  

We left the grounds and headed toward Tiananmen Square.  I had really hoped to enter the Square, but with the clock ticking on our 72-hour visas, we snapped some photos and headed back toward the hotel and then on to the airport.  We sure know how to pack it in!  Next stop: Taipei!

Penang, Malaysia

In December 2014, Aaron's office had an off-site family gathering.  When I heard it described that way, I assumed we'd be going to a restaurant or something together.  Nope.  They really meant off-site.  As in off the island of Singapore.  We flew to the island of Penang (another Malaysian island).  The first night we were there, we had a fantastic Chinese dinner over the water.  Tons of kids hanging over the bridge that connected the restaurant to land, watching eels slide through the water.  It was fun, but I think we surprised everyone with how early we left and headed for the hotel.  (Early night vs. full on melt-downs from tired kids?  We opted for the boring couple that leaves early and saves their sanity.)

The next day was full of fun!  We had a scavenger hunt around Fort Cornwallis, visited an interactive art museum where you literally stepped into the artwork to became part of the pieces, and took a rickshaw ride around town.  That night there was a costume dinner with activities and crafts for the kids.  Santa even came for a visit and passed out candy to the kids.  There was a huge balloon release, and though it didn't feel like Christmas, it certainly was festive as we watched the balloons float up through massive palm trees and over the water.

Our scavenger hunt team

Rickshaw selfies!

Rickshaw views

The real entertainment of the evening was the lip-sync-off (inspired by Jimmy Fallon) performed by Aaron (in drag, no less) and all of the other new employees.  It was hilarious.  As I looked around the room at the the dropped jaws, I couldn't help but think Asia isn't ready for the Rausch's!

Kota Kinabalu, Borneo, Malaysia

Our next trip occurred a bit later in November.  Aaron had a business trip on the Malaysian island of Borneo in the city of Kota Kinabalu,  He went first, then Grammy and I packed up the kids and followed.  We stayed in a beautiful hotel with lots of different pools with waterfalls.  On the weekend, we drove (thank you, dear Lord, for Google Maps) to the Lok Kawi Wildlife Park where we saw tons of exotic animals.

The view from the room.

My favorite people.

The kids love the pool!

Maddie was an excellent tour guide.

Caleb was really excited about the animals.

We also took a boat to a small, uninhabited island about 1/2 mile offshore.  It was awesome!  Parker, Maddie, and Jack snorkeled for the first time.  Caleb and I parasailed together.  (I didn't feel like the most responsible mom as my feet left the deck and I looked above me to the cables held together by duct tape.)  Parker hiked a steep trail and bravely ziplined with his daddy over the open water.  Everyone had a ball!

Legoland - Johor, Malaysia

In early November 2014, we ventured out of Singapore and took our first family trip to another Asian country.  We packed our passports and piled in our minivan (actually it's just a station wagon, but for some reason, it's called a minivan here).  Heading north, we crossed the bridge from Singapore to Malaysia and had a fun-filled day with Grammy in Legoland Maylasia.

On our way!

With 7 passports in hand, Aaron thought he was James Bond.  

Bumper boats.  The boys cheated.

Jack driving perpendicular to the road.

As usual, Caleb slept through much of the excitement.

Just a little excited about the roller coaster ride.

The car Maddie made that won the race.

Thank you, Grammy, for the new Lego sets!

Star Wars Lego battles…Does it get any better than this?

Top 10 Things to Do on Mom's Night Out

As a new mom, I often had a hard time leaving my baby.  Below are some of the reasons why…

1. I was too tired to get ready.  I don't mean the kind of "boy I could sure use a few extra hours of sleep" tired.  I was the "my bones literally ache inside my body which is filthy because I can't remember the last time I took a decent shower" kind of tired.

2.  I was nursing and was needed every few hours.  It's hard to consider a night on the town when you're covered in spit-up, swollen, changing nursing pads every few hours, and wondering "why won't this evil child darling baby take a stinkin' bottle already?!"

3. I felt frumpy.  Nothing fit right.  Everything was too tight or in a pile of laundry somewhere needing washing or folding or both.  My roots had grown out, my nails were unpainted, and thanks to raging hormones, my skin was a hot mess.

4.  I was not entirely certain the baby would be safe alone.  Regardless of the caregivers available (husband, family, neighbors), when I was not home, I assumed the baby was essentially alone.  I didn't see anyone else racing up the stairs if the baby's breathing wasn't loud and clear through the monitor.  Anything could happen while our non-rolling newborn lay in his crib (devoid of all baby bumpers, soft toys, blankets, etc., because a baby could suffocate, you know?).

5.  I was nervous about normal, adult, social interaction.  Could I manage a conversation that didn't revolve around what baby ate or how often he pooed?  The only current events I'd concerned myself with were doctor visits, diaper supply levels, and traffic reports (for the love of Pete, when was daddy ever coming home?).

Still, somehow, in those early days, I managed to get out (thank you, Serina Armstrong, Heather McGilvray, and Carol Gilbert - to name a few of my early co-conspirators).  Even now, eight years later, I still cherish my mom's nights out and feel they are essential to my well-being and effective parenting [effective parenting - ha, ha!].  For any mommas with little ones who might possibly read this and question, if it's really worth all the effort…Let me assure you, it is!

Here are some ground rules:  (I'm all about the lists tonight.)

1.  Get.out.of.the.house.  Don't have mom's night out at someone's house.  Then she will have to clean it.  No fair.  Make a reservation somewhere.  Anywhere without a drive through will do (it's likely you've spent enough time in those places already).  Spearhead this sucker.  If you don't do it, it might not happen.  I don't care if you don't know how many are coming.  Just make a big reservation (you can always adjust numbers later).

2. Make sure it's late.  I'm not talking midnight, but it needs to be late enough for your husband to be home for awhile before you leave.  Remember, you need a real shower (one long enough to cut through the forest growing on your legs).

3.  Invite lots of new mommy friends.  Call up (don't text) the ones you met in the hospital new parents group or at the park or at swim lessons.  The ones you meet in the swim lessons particularly need to get out.  I know, because I was one.  A baby is not going to know how to swim or learn anything about water safety at 5 months old.  Those lessons are for the parents.  The ones who need to get out of the house.  Yes, baby likes to splash in the water, but he can do that in the tub at home.  For goodness' sake, invite those moms out already!  If you invite them and they don't come, don't feel rejected.  They are probably just exhausted.

4.  Get ready.  This is the fun part.  Lock the bathroom door and really get ready.  Like the kind you did when you were dating.  There is something about going out with a group of women (whom you know also spent time getting ready) that makes you want to take things up a notch.  You want to feel cute.  Try on a few outfits until you find one you actually like (or at least don't despise).  Blow dry your hair.  Apply your make-up in a real mirror (not the van's rear view mirror).  Put on some bright lipstick.  Remember, you were a woman before you were a mom.  She's in there somewhere!  Pull her out, just for tonight.

5.  Now hop in that minivan, crank up the music, and sing like no one is listening.  Because they're not!  You are alone.  In the van.  Alone!!!  No tiny little eardrums to worry about.  Savor this freedom before you cruise to your destination.

6.  Carpool.  I can't overemphasize the importance of this one - which means some moms won't get to do #5 - sorry.  It's really like going on a date.  I get absolutely giddy with excitement when I carpool on a girls' night out.  We laugh and sing and tell stories.  We feel like, well, girls.  Then, when the night is over, it's not really even over until the last person is dropped off.

7.   Ban gossip.  You can't ban talk about your children (I've tried; not possible).  But you can refuse to gossip about any adults.  You can simply do this yourself or you can introduce it as a group rule.  It might sound really weird, but when your new friends realize you won't say nasty things about others, they can trust that you won't say nasty things about them when they are not around.  It is so freeing and encouraging to be around a group of loving, supportive moms.

8.  Be yourself!  As a new mom, or as a mom of any newborn (whether it's her 1st or 4th), it is so easy to lose yourself in the daily tasks of completely caring for the life of another individual.  Try to remember who you were before baby.  Talk about what your hobbies used to be (even if you don't have time for them right now).  You are a great mom, but you are more than just mom.  Everyone wants to be known deep down.  Share a bit of yourself, and pay attention as others do the same.

9.  Take pictures.  Let's be brutally honest here.  You haven't looked this good in weeks, and you likely won't again for some time to come.  Also, it's probably going to be awhile before you get to go out again (see the first list).  Take some pictures already!  Post of Facebook, text your husband, tell the world!  When you're at home feeling lonely or frumpy or both, you can pull out your phone and scroll through them and smile.  

10.  Go home and check on your kids.  Kick off those heels, tiptoe upstairs, and check to make baby is still breathing.  Who knows?  If all is well, you may actually decide to do this again!