Showing posts with label 6 years. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 6 years. Show all posts

Tuesday, January 5, 2016

[Travel Tuesday] Clubmed Phuket December 2015: Day 3


I We survived the first day of school on Monday, it was a first of many things for us.
New school, new environment, new learning journey, and first time Adam will be away from home for the whole day.
We enrolled him into a Student care, as I seriously doubt my helper will be able to cope with her chores plus supervise Adam in his school work.
She's a domestic worker, not a teacher, so I shouldn't even be thinking of this as an option too.

With Adam in Student Care, it will also mean no more couple dates out after work for us, we have to cheong back to the East to fetch the kids! (Not looking forward to that.)

Anyway, it is off to school Day 2 and parents are not allowed to hover around from Day 2 onwards so here is my last instalment of our December Phuket trip.

Arranged a dinner date with my cousins and uncle on one of the nights while we were all still in Phuket.
It's a small world after all :P


Horror faces on my boys #whytheysolikethat

My Ashton doesn't like water but every time go pool also must full body kit including goggles. As if his head ever goes under water LOL.

We didn't stay in Clubmed on the last day.
We checked out and booked a day tour around the area, which includes Go-Karting.
We took the double-seaters so the kids could play too.

phuket tiger zoo
We also went to the Tiger Zoo.
It was expensive, and not really worth it if you ask me.
The tigers were all kept in enclosures alike cages, unlike the Tiger Temple ones, and we had to queue very long just to go into the enclosure for a mere 10 minutes.



The tigers did nothing but lounge around looking pretty.

And soon the little ones got bored, including the furry one as you can see below:

A sleepyhead who was oblivious to everything going on. It just slept and slept!

phuket tiger zoo
We even suspected it was sedated on purpose! though the zoo claimed otherwise. Hmmmmm,

It was a teeny tiny zoo, with only a handful of tigers which visitors can take photos with.
But still, there were other cages with "off limits" tigers like the Siberian tigers.
I kinda felt duped because I had expected a free-range safari-like experience akin to the famous Tiger Temple.

Anyway, I think it is better to take your tourism dollar elsewhere.

We then went to take the buggy rides from the foot of a hill all the way up to the Big Buddha temple.

My virgin experience operating this machine and it was fun!

Andy took Adam while I took Ashton.



When we finally rode back down, the kids wanted to buy a basket of bananas to feed this young elephant.




The elephant roped the Birthday Boy in for a kiss!

Happy Birthday Hon!
Thank you for always being there for the boys and me.
We have been through so many years of ups and downs, challenges and celebrations, failures and victories, and I am looking forward to spending the rest of my life with you.
We make a great team if I may say so myself :)

clubmed phuket travelogue singapore
Merry Christmas from the Tan-meisters!

Bye bye Clubmed and Phuket! The kids enjoyed their vacation :)

Phuket trip Day 1 and Day 2 are also up :)

Wednesday, December 23, 2015

A meaningful Christmas - volunteering with Lions Befrienders.

As I grow older, my Christmas wishlist gets shorter because the things I want cannot be bought - like friendship, kinship, and true happiness.

Today was a meaningful day where I spent the afternoon with some friends and children distributing food ration to the elderly living alone.
Some are blind, some are wheelchair-bound, some can only speak dialect, most are alone and live in suboptimal conditions.

As it was our first time doing charity work with my children, I was so apprehensive of their reactions.
But my worries were unfounded because as it turned out, all the kids present today were helpful and enthusiastic and did not mind the squalid living conditions they were faced with.
They fought over who to carry what, and raced to be first to knock on the doors.

About Lions Befrienders:
Lions Befrienders is a voluntary welfare organization founded in 1995 by the Lions Club of Singapore and a Lions District Project.
LB's mission is to provide friendship and care to the lonely poor elderly.

lions befrienders singapore mom bloggers Mumzilla veron zhen bumblebeemum
At Qian Wen's (Raising our successful children) place during our Christmas dinner last weekend, packing the ration for 60 families! All in a small bedroom, and we managed to do it efficiently too :D
Thanks Qian Wen for coordinating everything with such fluidity!

lions befrienders singapore mom bloggers mumzilla veron zhen bumblebeemum
On the actual distribution day: 7 families with our respective children contributed to make it happen.
Meet-up point was at Redhill Close, near to the Redhill market and Redhill MRT Station.

Normally ask them help me carry groceries also grumble but today they were all so enthusiastic.
What a surprise for me!




lions befrienders singapore mom bloggers veron zhen mumzilla
Mission accomplished! It was a roaring success!
Thank you Juline from Lions Befrienders for helping us out and making the process a smooth and hiccup-free one for first-timer us.

My objective was to expose my children to people who were less fortunate than them, and make them realize comfort and fortune are not everyone's birth rights.
Only humanity and kindness are.
Today, my objective was not only met but surpassed by the actions and effort of all our children.

Well done, kids! I am proud of each and every one of you.
Indeed, not all gifts are found under the Christmas tree, and today I learned a new lesson - while we try to teach our children all about life, our children teach us what life is all about.

If you would like to join Lions Befrienders as a volunteer, please go to their website.

Wish you all a Merry, MERRY Christmas and Happy New Year.
May 2016 bring you joy, peace, health and happiness.


Wednesday, December 16, 2015

Gardens by the Bay Christmas Wonderland 2015.

December is usually a month of travel for us, being Andy's birthday month, school holidays and all.
When we are actually in town, it is filled with a frenzy of gift-shopping and party-going.
 
This year, I managed to squeeze in some free time to bring the boys to Gardens by the Bay for the second year running of Christmas Wonderland as we missed it last year.
To be honest, the carnival and light-up totally surpassed my expectations as we were treated to a feast for the senses.
 
My little elves decked in green, ready to soak in the festive cheer :)

This upside-down mirror trick-eye thing was quite a hit with the big kids.



Prices of rides and games.

The carnival games have really attractive prizes!
2-5 tokens ($4 - $10) each round.



christmas wonderland 2015 fairground gardens by the bay mumzilla
Adam is very pro at funfair games. He actually won 1 red Baymax plushie first, but Ashton started crying because he couldn't win, and korkor Adam helped Ashton win one too.
Proud of my big boy!

We didn't have such luck at the other games because they were tough >_<



christmas wonderland 2015 gardens by the bay, mumzilla blog carousel
$6 per ride (3 tokens), but accompanying parent for small children go on for free.



helter skelter christmas wonderland gardens by the bay
My boys recognized the Helter Skelter because it is in one of their Peppa Pig books. Ahhh the power of reading.
Standing at 14m in height, the Helter Skelter wins The Slide at T3 Changi Airport!
However, there is a height limit for this, so be sure to measure up!

$8 (4 tokens) per ride.

Ice-cream and cold drinks beckon.

$6 per train ride (3 tokens).

Candy floss, $2 per stick. My Double As were happy to end their evening with some sweet treats before their Daddy came to fetch us home for dinner.
 
Thanks to Gardens by the Bay and Blue Sky Events, there is not a need to travel into the blistering cold countries just to enjoy the yuletide season.
With its European style festive market and carnivals, and Italian Luminarie light sculptures, there is something for people of all ages.
 
Looks like we will be back next year!


About Gardens by the Bay Christmas Wonderland:
27 Nov 2015 - 03 Jan 2016
Time: 4pm - 11pm.

Snow blizzard timings:
Mon - Thur and Sundays: 8pm, 9pm, and 10pm.
Fri & Sat: 8pm, 9pm, 9:45pm.

Admission is FREE but do check out the various prices for rides and games.
 
 
 

Monday, December 7, 2015

{media invite} NEW T-Play indoor playground at Home Team NS.

{media invite}

We were really thrilled to be invited to the opening of Home Team NS' all new indoor playground -
T-Play, a transport-themed play zone!
 
T-Play is located at 2 Bukit Batok West Avenue 7 Singapore 659003,
Level 2 (above swimming pool).
 
Tplay T-play indoor playground Singapore got kids go where Mumzilla


There is a nursing room and toilets.

Tunnels, trampolines, slides and ball pits!







T-play Tplay Home TeamNS indoor playground singapore mom blogger review


T-play tplay indoor playground review hometeam NS home teamNS Singapore mom blogger
Even mummy is having a ball of a time!

 
 Thanks Benny from Home Team NS marketing for inviting us!
Our boys had so much fun and utilised their 2 hours.
Best thing is, just below T-play are a range of eateries to satiate our rumbling tummies :)

*** GOOD NEWS ***

From 5th to 13th December 2015, join Home Team NS for the sneak peak grand opening at their spanking new T-Play indoor playground (Home Team NS is next to Bukit Batok Driving Centre and ESSO kiosk) and enjoy the following:

- FREE Entry for Home Team NS/ Family Member.

- Free T-Play Membership when you sign up for Home Team NS Family membership (limited 1 Family Membership to 1 T-Play membership).

- 50% Dsicount for Walk-in guests and SAFRA members.

Opening hours:
Monday - Thursday (exclude PH): 1pm - 7pm
Friday: 1pm - 9pm
Saturday, Sunday and PH: 10am - 9pm
School holidays Mon - Fri: 10am - 7pm


** Don't forget to bring your socks and sweaters!
More information on the Home Team NS website.