Free flip flops at target.

Rumor has it, the Target weekly advertisement has flip flops on sale for $2 next week (May 19th - 25th, 2013), AND if you combine that sale with this (below) current coupon (print it now, before they take it down)...

... you can get the flip flops for FREE!

Being that I am in Singapore, I have not seen next week's (this Sunday's) Target advertisement yet, and Target online only has last week's ad available (as of 11 a.m. Saturday - MN time). So, make sure you check tomorrow's (Sunday) weekly advertisement to make sure this freebie is... actually a freebie. Either way, $2 flip flops... that's a pretty good deal!

Bubble legendary on sentosa.

A show called Bubble Legendary is coming to the Resorts World Sentosa - Festive Grande Theatre, June 6th through the 9th, and we can't wait to take Linna! At 21 months old, she is obsessed with EVERYTHING bubbles, so I'm sure this show will be a bubble fantasy for her. The show is created by Fan Yang, who is the world's greatest bubble artist and holder of 18 Guinness World Records, and from the video the show looks incredible. The show has promotional packages available for families and Master Card holders. With only seven shows, it looks like they are selling out quickly, so get in on one of the deals while you can. We'll be there opening night!

Bubble Legendary

Resorts World Sentosa - Festive Grande Theatre

June 6th - 9th

Showtimes at 11:30 a.m., 3:30 p.m., and 7:30 p.m.

Ticket prices vary

ABCs and "twinkle twinkle".

For about a month now, Linna has been randomly walking around the house singing parts of songs. Usually it's her ABCs and "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star", but she will sing songs from Barney and other songs she just makes up (maybe she's singing an actual song... who knows). However, whenever I put the camera in her face do document her beautiful singing skills, she is totally over it. Today, I wised up, and told her she could have my earrings if she sang the songs. Worked like a charm!

(Twinkle Twinkle Little Star)

(The Alphabet)

The city (by littlez).

Playing with blocks the size of her at The City (by Littlez) in Singapore.

There are loads of different indoor play-areas all over Singapore, where parents can take their little ones to burn off some energy. But recently, I heard about a newer place near Clarke Quay called The City (by Littlez), which is more of an indoor learning-playground than an actual indoor playground. So last Friday, before we meet AJ for dinner at Clarke Quay, Linna and I decided to go check it out.

The City is located in Liang Court on the third floor. There are signs on the floor once you exit the elevator/lift to to show you where to go to get to The City, but I must admit that I had trouble finding the button to the third floor in the elevator, as the button layout is a bit odd (you'll see what I mean when you go for a visit). Once we got there though, Linna's eyes beamed with excitement as she scoped out all the toys, bright colors, and other children playing around. We could see so many different areas for the children to play in, including a supermarket, doctor's office, fire station, beauty salon, and a cafe. There were about a half-dozen kids running around in little dress-up clothes, while moms, grandparents, and helpers just relaxed and observed. This looked like my kind of place!

Nurse Linna, looking like she's had a rough day at work.

My little chef in the Cafe.

Grocery Shopping at the Supermarket.

The children are able to dress up in various costumes, depending on what type of role or job they want to experience. There were little police officers, nurses, and super heroes running around during our visit, that it actually reminded me of a Halloween Trick-or-Treat back home in Minnesota! The City is designed for children age 2-8, but I can tell you that even at 20-months-old, my daughter enjoyed every minute. Although she was a little intimidated by the bigger kids at first, Linna found some fun places to explore, and spent about half her time in the Supermarket, and the other half in the Nursery. She also checked out the Cafe area, where she was able to make pretend pizzas, and the The Heroes area where she could build with giant blocks. She enjoyed the Classroom as well, where they had little toys animals to play with.

Reading a magazine while the children whiz by!

The City is such a great alternative to the indoor play-gyms in Singapore, as the children get to use their creativity and imagination while exploring different professions. The best part is that the little ones can play with as many toys as they want, and mom and dad don't have to pick up afterwards. Yippy! There's a good-size area for adults to sit, relax, and read a magazine or enjoy coffee, while the children interact with each other. The admission cost is S$18 for children under the age of two, and S$22 for children over the age of two. In March of this year, The City implemented a new weekend admission fee of S$22 for children of all ages. Infants (under age one) and adults are always free, and the admission fee covers two hours of play. They also have some a Membership and Value Package available.

A couple things to remember...

1. BRING SOCKS - Everyone in the play area must wear socks, and if you forget, they make you buy them for $5 a pair. I forgot to read the website before we visited, so I had to purchase socks for Linna and I:(

2. BRING A SWEATER - They keep it very cool in The City, so for the adults not running around, it does get a bit chilly (I was cold and I'm from chilly Minnesota).

I know Linna enjoyed herself because even after two full hours there, she screamed when I told her we had to leave. We will definitely be back to The City, especially on a rainy day and while Linna isn't currently going to school/nursery/daycare. It's a great social atmosphere. Clarke Quay is a great location for The City, but I hope to see other branches open in different parts of Singapore!

Contact: 6250 6507
Address: 177 River Valley Road (Liang Court) #03-04A Singapore

*** GIVEAWAY ***

For a chance to win a FREE two-hour play session at The City by Littlez, simply enter by commenting on this blog post (below) with your first and last name, and area of Singapore you currently reside in. Only one entry per person please, and one winner will be randomly selected on Monday, May 20th at 9 p.m. This contest is only open to those currently living in Singapore (sorry Minnesota friends), and all entries must be submitted by 9 p.m. on Monday, May 20th. Good luck everyone!

First trip to bintan island in indonesia.

Linna, AJ, and a python at the Elephant
Show. One of the scariest moments of my
life, and I was simply taking the photo!

I titled this blog post "First Trip to Bintan Island in Indonesia" because we WILL be going back. It's so incredible that while we're living in Singapore, we can take a 50-minute ferry ride, and arrive on a tropical island in another country. We are so lucky to be here!

Being an expat in Singapore, it's pretty much "required" that we take a trip to Bintan. Almost every expat has been there, almost everyone talks about it, and before we made the decision to go, we had heard mixed reviews. Some people told us not to waste our time going there because it wasn't "that great", and others told us to check it out. I am SO happy we decided to take the advice from the people with positive reviews, because our experience was wonderful.

AJ took Friday off from work during the first week of May, so the three of us could spend three days and two nights at Nirwana Resort Hotel on Bintan Island. We chose Nirwana because of all the activities they have on their property (which is huge by the way), restaurants, and because the pool looked very kid-friendly. The ferry ride to Bintan in itself was a pretty cool experience, because you get to check out the coastline of Singapore, as well as all the cargo ships up-close on the water. We took Bintan Resort Ferries (I believe that's the only option) for about $60/person round-trip (children under the age of 11 are about $50 each - yes, even infants are required to pay the full ticket fare). You can upgrade to Emerald Class for about $40 extra per person, but I really don't see the need to. Emerald Class ticket holders have access to the upper part of the boat where there is outdoor seating, free refreshments (I believe it's just hot and cold beverages), priority boarding/disembarkation, and seating assignments. We arrived 40 minutes prior to departure time because we were running behind schedule (Bintan Resort Ferries recommends that you arrive an hour prior to boarding), and we didn't have to wait in any lines, and we got on the boat with no hassle. Our seats were perfectly comfortable, refreshments were made available for very inexpensive prices, and we had a great view of the water. Also, I have friends who took Bintan Resort Ferries and didn't upgrade to Emerald Class, and they were still able to go out on the boat's deck (don't tell anyone I told you that - hehe). Although I haven't been in Emerald Class on Bintan Resort Ferries, I feel Economy Class was just fine. You're only on the boat for about an hour anyway.

Just part o the pool at our resort.

Papa and Linna in the pool over-looking the South China Sea.

"I love the way this water tastes!"

Mama Saigh and the bug playing in the sea.

When we arrived to Nirwana Resort Hotel after a quick 10-minute car ride from the ferry terminal, we were greeted with a delicious cold beverage, and the friendly staff showed us to our room. Our room was in the newly-renovated part of the hotel, so although there was still some construction going on around the resort, we could tell our room was brand new! We had a great view of the pool and sea too. The only thing I found a little frustrating was the fact that we used our stroller a lot so Linna could nap on-the-go, and there wasn't a way to get to the pool without using the stairs. However, most of the time there was a hotel staff-member there to help carry the stroller up and down the stairs. The hotel's staff also had a crib set up in our room for Linna, so we didn't have to bring one from home!

Checking out the resort property via a horse and buggy ride.

Crocs at the mini zoo.

The storms over Bintan Island were spectacular!

Linna meets an owl. She loved this!

We spent a majority of our time on Bintan in the pool and on the beach. This beach was incredible! Other than the gorgeous sunrises/sets we experienced at our resort in Phuket, Thailand, I feel this beach was even better than the beach in Phuket! The water at Nirwana's beach was so clear, and the sand was white and soft. There wasn't much of a tide, so it was very breezy and peaceful on the beach. Linna loved the taste of the salt water (crazy girl), and she had so much fun playing in the sand. I even took the opportunity one afternoon to have a massage by the beach for just $34! Unreal. Is this really my life right now?!

Pool bar at the resort. Yes, the smoothie fell into the pool:(

Mama Saigh and Linna at The Kelong Restaurant.

The Kelong Restaurant at Nirwana.

Glorious food at Kelong.

AJ joining the Elephant Show.

Breakfast at The Coffee Shop at Nirwana is complimentary and pretty darn good. It's the perfect spot to grab a bite to each when a random thunderstorm hits, and you have to get out of the pool. Watching the rain from this restaurant is very relaxing. The food wasn't anything over-the-top, but we really enjoyed the daily breakfast buffet, as they had many different selections. Linna couldn't get enough of the banana bread and fresh fruit! On Friday night, we had dinner at this amazing place called The Kelong Seafood Restaurant, which was literally built on stilts above the sea. Our resort provided a shuttle bus to the restaurant which was about a three-minute drive away, and when we arrived, we were in awe! The restaurant has al-fresco dining, which we took advantage of because of the great breeze of the sea. We couldn't stop taking photos of the gorgeous views, and we were amazed by the fantastic sunset. Although this restaurant is very family-friendly, it did make me a little nervous to let Linna run around, for fear that she would fall into the water. I'm sure this has never happened, but moms always fear the worst when it comes to their kids, right?! If it wasn't for Linna's bedtime inching closer and closer, we would have stayed at this restaurant and enjoyed drinks all night long. The food was great (I highly recommend the Lemon Chicken), and the drinks just topped off our incredible evening there. If you're on Bintan, you must check out this restaurant, simply for the views and ambiance.

Elephant's tail up close. So cool!

Linna enjoying her dishes at Kelong.

Beautiful water at Nirwana's beach.

To get a look around the resort, we took a horse-carriage ride for about a half-hour. We stopped at the mini zoo to check out the crocodiles, birds, snakes, and other animals, which Linna found to be pretty cool (Mama Saigh did too)! There is SO much to do at this resort, including bowling, rifle shooting, archery, dune buggies, windsurfing, snorkeling, jet skiing, etc. There is really something for everyone! One of our favorite activities was attending the Elephant Show, where Linna and AJ actually became part of the show. How lucky is Linna to be able to dance right alongside huge elephants, while on a tropical island in Indonesia?! We were really close to actually getting on an elephant for a ride, but Linna took one look at it and said "NO". We didn't want to force her to do something she didn't want to do... even though it would have been pretty cool. We'll just have to go back when she's a little older:)

I can't wait until we have friends/family visit us in Singapore, so we can make another visit to Bintan. I would highly recommend Nirwana Resort Hotel if you're looking for a family-friendly location. Other than the Resort Hotel, they also have Villas available for larger families/groups. We might check those out on our next trip to Bintan. Trust me, you'll never be bored there, and when you get home, you'll want to come right back. We miss it already!

The Saighs will see you again soon Bintan Island.

Learning shapes.

For about a month now (hit or miss), Linna has been able to distinguish the difference between a triangle, circle, and square. The other day, we decided to throw in an octagon, rectangle, and oval into the mix. AJ and I both thought the octagon might be a little "too advanced" for her, but our little sponge picked it up right away! I was shocked that she remembered that her Mama's sub-par initial drawing of an octagon on the chalk board, was actually an octagon... but she did. I must be an artistic genius. Linna's even pointing out different shapes on the bus, out to dinner, etc. Such a big girl!

Shopping lifesaver.

This photo is one-in-a-million. On a "normal" shopping trip,
there's blood, sweat, and tears. Oh joy!

I never realized how good I had it at home in Minnesota, when I could simply get in my car and drive to the supermarket. I would throw (not literally speaking) the baby in her car seat, head to Target, and buy everything I needed for the house, groceries, beauty products, and even some clothes, all in one trip. Filling my SUV to it's maximum capacity with brown and plastic bags, is something I never thought I'd miss. But I do. I really do.

Now days, my shopping trips consist of me, the baby, and a grocery bag on wheels. I have the daily challenge of trying to wrangle my busy toddler, while trying to get everything on my grocery list, while filling and pulling an eleven-gallon shopping bag on and off the city bus, all while trying not to look like a COMPLETE hot mess in the 95-degree/85-percent humidity weather in Singapore weather. And I do this 2-3 times a week.

I miss my air-conditioned Tahoe.

Yesterday, while our children were destroying/enjoying our Singapore apartment, my friend Steph completely changed my life by introducing me to Redmart. It's an online shopping site and delivery service for household products and groceries in Singapore. What's that you say?! I can pay the same amount that I would spend at Giant, and have EVERYTHING delivered to my home for FREE (orders over $75)?! And this includes beer/wine?!

Yes please.

I signed up for Redmart, took about a half-hour to do my entire weekly grocery shopping, all in the comfort of my air-conditioned living room. This service doesn't include things like fresh fruits and vegetables, poultry, cheese, etc., but I can get all of those things during a quick once-a-week grocery-shopping trip. Plus, I like to personally select the my fresh produce. It's things like a huge pack of paper towels, toilet paper, cleaning supplies, pre-packaged snacks, scotch tape, etc. that I don't want to make multiple trips to the store to get. I am currently waiting in my air-conditioned apartment, playing with my daughter (well I will be once I'm finished writing this blog post) instead of chasing her around a busy supermarket, while waiting for my Redmart delivery this morning. Hallelujah!

Thank you Steph for introducing me to a whole new world of housewife happiness. Maybe the next time you see me on the bus, I will actually be sweating less, have a smile on my face, and not look like I just walked out of a grueling workout at the gym. Baby steps.