Exploring Our Children’s Potentials

Our Everyday Things is one of the top ten finalists in Singapore Blog Awards 2010, under ‘Best Photography Blog’ category. You can still vote for me once a day until Wednesday, June 30th. Do visit http://sgblogawards.omy.sg/category, login or create a free account, go to the Best Photography Blog category, look for the only Mommy Blogger with two kiddos there, and click ‘VOTE’! Thanks everyone!]
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[Upon reaching Tanjung Uma. a humbling experience and sight]

I have shared quite a few posts on our recent trip to Batam, Indonesia.

And most recently, I shared some black and white photos of Tanjung Uma, the oldest fisherman village in Batam.

I’d like to share with you a few more photos today, coloured ones this time round, so that you too can take a glimpse of what we saw and experienced when the four of us ‘sailed’ towards the fishermen’s homes on a small wooden boat.

I’ll write more details of how it all went in my next Tanjung Uma post.

Soon.

[Upon reaching the homes of the locals]

Here’re my most memorable and meaningful moments during our recent visit to Batam.

It was when we checked out Tanjung Uma, the first and oldest traditional fisherman village in Batam.

I’ll share more photos and stories soon.

For now, let me share with you some photos, in black and white.

We took heaps of photos during our recent trip to Batam.

And here are more of them.

These shots were taken using my Canon Powershot S90, and it was when the four of us unintentionally walked past this traditional market selling live chicken and ducks!

The beauty of exploring Batam on foot.

It sure was an interesting experience for the kids.

For the first time, they saw live chicken and ducks in their … errr, far from clean cages and living conditions. They watched the chicken seller chatted with us while holding a few live chicken by the legs in her hand.

This definitely is a sight and experience they won’t find in Singapore.

Which again, what made our recent trip to Batam more memorable.

In a good way.

Last weekend, the kids and I went to a media event held at the Asian Food Channel, Orchard Central.

And it was all about Kiwifruit goodness, thanks to Zespri.

[Dr Leslie Tay was there to share with us how to make yummy stuff with kiwifruit]

[Yummy dessert: a mixture of Oolong jelly, wolfberry and green kiwifruit]

[Click HERE to find out how to prepare this Kiwifruit Toast that the kids and I made!]

[Anya and Vai insisted on staying back to continue with their colouring work when all fellow bloggers and their kids had gone home!]

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Anyway.

It was an insightful event.

And other than getting to meet my fellow blogger friends there, I personally learned lots of new facts about kiwifruit and its goodness too. Like, how a kiwifruit has more Vitamin C than an orange!

Now. To find out more, here are some useful links I’d like to share with you:

– Why kiwifruit is good and healthy for you

– Yummy and nutritious kiwifruit recipes for kids

– Starters and Snacks: Recipes

– Ten reasons why we should consider Kiwifruit

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Have a great weekend, everyone!

[Thanks to Ashley and Edelman for this shot, taken just before we left the event]

[Vai resting at a corner where ‘motorbike drivers’, common public transportation in Batam, usually hang out]

During our recent visit to Batam, we brought the kids to explore the area, on foot.

We walked a lot, and saw the shops and street stalls from a closer view (ie. areas that we would otherwise ‘miss’ if we took a taxi).

We went on Batam’s ‘Angkot’ too (read: it’s a van with a certain route and you can simply hop on, pay and tell the driver when you’d like to get off)

[It’s way cheaper than taking a taxi, and it’s convenient too]

To us, what’s more important is the priceless experience for the kids, who are so used to Singapore’s clean and organised transport system.

It’s our way of letting these little ones experience a different kind of lifestyle.

A lifestyle that is different from the comfort and convenience Singapore offers everyday.

A simpler way of life, I must say.

If you’re in Singapore, going over to Batam, Indonesia, for a quick break (and yummy food!) is SO easy, and relatively affordable.

After we decided to stay at the Pacific Palace Hotel during our quick trip to Batam last week, we found out that the nearest Ferry Terminal (to the hotel) is called ‘Harbour Bay Ferry Terminal’.

And the only way to get there from HarbourFront Centre, Singapore, is via Wavemaster Ferries.

[Click HERE to see the list of Ferries available from HarbourFront Centre]

As for the ticket price, a round ticket (Singapore-Batam-Singapore) costs $48 per person.

There’s a ferry going over to Batam’s Harbour Bay every hour, so as long as you’re at the Terminal at least one hour before the stated departure time to purchase your ticket, I think you’ll be fine.

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A few quick tips and more info:

– Book your hotel in advance, and see if the hotel can pick you up from Harbour Bay Terminal. Taking a taxi from the Terminal to the Hotel will cost so much more!

– Pacific Palace Hotel charges Rp. 25,000 to pick guests up from the terminal, and taxis at Harbour Bay charge Rp.40,000 to drive us to the hotel. And mind you, the Pacific Palace Hotel is VERY closely located to Harbour Bay Terminal, so it really shouldn’t cost that much at all.

[Note: We thought the hotel facility was good, the breakfast buffet range was nice, the staff was relatively friendly, the massage at its spa centre was relaxing, the price promotion at the time was good, BUT the overall service by the staff was below standard. We had a few disappointing experiences there]

– Hotel Novotel Batam (opposite Pacific Palace Hotel) picks hotel guests up from Harbour Bay Terminal at NO extra cost.

– As far as I understand (please do correct me if I’m wrong), converting your Singapore Dollars to Indonesian Rupiahs should be done before you travel to Indonesia as the exchange rate will be better here than there!

Anyway.

I’ll share MORE photos of our trip to Batam over the next few days!

I have moms telling me how they often run out of ideas when it comes to introducing fun yet educational activities to their kids.

While I myself share activity ideas and arts&craft ideas here on my blog, today I’d like to point you over to another resourceful site.

It’s called Myplayschool.net

It’s a recently launched website filled with insightful early childhood education materials (that you yourself can make and do at home), and it’s run by two dedicated moms, Pauline and Rachel, who’re very passionate about home-based learning for children.

[Read about them and why they went with the idea to launch the site and generously share their resources with us all HERE]

Anyway.

Check out the site and find out more!

[Btw, thanks ladies for featuring me too!]

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If you have other resourceful and educational links for kids, you’re most welcome to share them here!

In the past two months or so, I’ve somehow been having this itch to make things.

I see a simple summer dress, or a cute little pouch, and I thought to myself … oh, I’d love to try and make THAT.

Now the thing is, I’ve NEVER been one who likes to sew, and so I don’t have all the necessary sewing kits, other than a set of needles and some grey, black and white thread.

Really. That’s it.

Anyway.

Since my last attempt to make Dinosaur PJ pants for both kids, I’ve tried to hand-sew scrunchies for Anya (right photo) and a little pouch for my handphone. Hehe.

[At times like this, it’d be nice to have a sewing machine, huh?]

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And recently, I made this simple sling bag for Vai.

A little something for him to bring along his little toy cars.

What I did:

– Used a cloth pouch we have (but never been used)
– Made the sling using beige-coloured cloth I bought from a neighbourhood market
– Sewed the sling to the sides of the pouch (see top photo), leaving enough room for another string (so Vai can pull and tie the top of the pouch together)

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And here’s one tip I learned:
Fold and iron the fabric first before you start sewing. It makes the job easier.

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So there it is.

One simple project for our happy little guy.