(2006/01) Jan 2006 MTBs


mamachan
If u want to ride on their free local shipping, you'll have to ship via vpost. International shipping is not free. For jshoppers, they provide free international shipping. In any case, if we can get more orders I don't mind organising the ON spree as I wish to get the microfiber tights for A for her ballet. We need to have orders of $75 and above to qualify for free US shipping. As for old navy card, anyone has? Additional 20% off but I think it applies to the ON credit card. Not too sure abt that cuz I don't have ON card.
 
MamaPanda
I'll look through my what I want and PM you by tonight to see if we can make up for USD$75? I'm trying to figure out how the Vpost thing works...I've hear how the expert spreeists discuss using Vpost and overall it doesn't seem to be a pleasant experience? Still abit uncertain whether to try out for myself.
 
mamachan,
think shipping by Vpost is much cheaper. I haven't tried Vpost cos I just too lazy to change. I've been shipping my ON stuff via borderlinx. The last shipment I received for two packages cost me S$100 for shipping alone. Total value of both packages is about US$320.
 
Tracie/MamaPanda
OIC...okiez...I understand that VPost has got 2 addresses...it seems like quite a number of people like to opt for Portland, Oregon rather than the California address? I will browse at home tonight and see if I should still go ahead.
 
vpost
Although occasionally they do tend to mess up, overall, they are still ok for me. I used to ship via CGW cuz they were cheaper but CGW's service has gone down the drain since I last used them. Anyway, I use vpost now cuz vpost has reduced their prices to more competitive rates already.
 
Tracie
S$100 for shipping is indeed very expensive. My usual shipping costs varies from $40-$70 SGD, depennding on weight & size of the packages. For ON shouldn't be heavy cuz its mostly clothings. The fish oils and vitamin packages are way heavier, this cost more.

As for shipping address, I'll see where the packages are sent out from and choose accordingly. However, in view of the big fires in california now, I'd go for Oregon.
 
hi mummies...tmr will mark 1 week of my maid-less days. so far still ok but have to wake up early to sun clothes and wash bottles, boil water, etc. i am engaging part time cleaner to come once a week to clean the hse. not sure when we will change our minds...so far still alright. see how long we can last. hb i guess is the most impacted cos he used to come hm and watch tv, surf net. now he has to help watch and play with the kids. in a way, it helps in bonding with them and not leaving to the maid to play with them. less than 1 week and he is already complaining as if he did a lot. hahaa...the funny part is the kids dun miss my maid at all. when we asked them where is KaKa? they said...she go home. haa...

re:shipping fees
i agree i think borderlinx shipping fees is quite ex. i did the burt bees spree and it seems my frd got it cheaper by tagging on other regular spree experts. haiz...i should have just save the trouble and join them.
 
Mashy,
i tried to fatten him up but he simply got no appetite. So every meal is just 3 spoonful of rice.
How to get ride of the wind in his tummy? He is so bloated now. The medicine given by the hos is not helping him to reduce the wind.
 
SSF,
Actually with your kids at this age, you can do well with just a part-time cleaner. Yes, you will have to wash the bottles and look after the kids, but as you say, it's good bonding time. My clothes are sunned indoor in my hall near the full-length window where there's slight afternoon sun coming. I wash on Saturday and leave them there till Friday. They'll be dry by then. I'm sure you can last long without maid
happy.gif
 
tracie - yes we are dropping off the idea of engaging a maid. we have decided to put my 2 sons to Carpe Diem (walking distance from my hm) starting next year. I went there yest and the area was non aircon which i like. ciriculum wise is also good. so tis sat morn, we made an appt to view the place and would probably sign them on. the part time cleaner that came yest was very good. so we will stick to her to come every week.i hope this arrangements work. my mum said she will care for them till end of yr. funny part abt my mum, she is so against putting them in childcare and when i told her i want to put them in, she cried a bucket of tears. hahaa...she keep insisting that she can she can...but i am worried for her health too. i rather she spent her own leisure time with her frds. anyway she saw the brochures tis morn and was quite pleased with the area and food. so she said OK, next yr la. haha...life without maid is really taxing abit for me...but nothing pays the privacy we are getting. my hb for one is happily occupying her room for his work area.
 
SSF
Carpe Diem has got good curriculum. Ya mummies very weird. The last time when my mum walk out on me and not care giving for Charmaine, ha ha she oso cried buckets that I am sending her to Childcare. For me it is no choice mah, since she not taking care naturally I have to send woh.

Now she oso comment that hey it is better like Aden more independent as compared to Charmaine who is more xiao jie.
 
CL- yeah i saw they have shakespear play etc. quite fun. the person who came up with the ciriculum of muiltiple intelligent(MI) is from harvard univ. the ciriculum is really better than those that i went who just have english lang, chinese lang. period. their intake also seems low compared to some that i know is 16 to 2 teachers. anyway, will ask more qns tis sat.

ya i understand...very wierd these mummies. my mum must be suddenly feeling the lost to care for her grandchildren. but i said anytime u miss them can "discharge" them earlier lor and care for them. cos anyway noon time is always nap and playtime only. somehow she dun seem to get that she will have more time for herself. haha... and yes i agree that they will be more independent unlike my 2 princes who i have to chase around the hse to feed them and also wear shoes for them.
 
hihi need some help from mummies familiar with japan! which disney hotel is good and reasonably priced? early nov a good time to go? what are the places to visit with kids in tokyo?? TIA!
 
aileen - ya bringing them to tokyo disneyland? hee..i am bringing my tots to shenzhen and hk in oct.

when i was in tokyo in 2006, we went to the following places with C.

1. Ghibli Museum, Mitaka - http://www.ghibli-museum.jp/en/

Basically it's like an animae museum. ur sons may like exploring the area. there is a big cat of the animae in a playarea where they can run around. too bad c was so small last time. only 9 mths old. haha..

2. Miraikan - http://www.miraikan.jst.go.jp/en/
This is like our science centre with i think 3 storey high.

The famous Fuji TV building (http://www.travel-destination-pictures.com/fuji-tv-building-tokyo-japan-1436-pictures.htm) and the famous Toyota showroom is also located nearby in Odaiba. There is a ferris wheel nearby Toyota which you can hop into. That was C's first ferris wheel ride. Your hb may like the showroom, very interesting!
 
thanks SSF and CL. i shall put them down in my list. thanks! what about universal studios? not suitable for kids? what about accomodation? if we are going to disneyland and other places do we just stay in disey's hotel or change hotel?
 
aileen - i didn't went disneyland last time as C was so small and me and hb had already been to the Florida version. hee...nothing beats that honestly :p

we stayed at century hyatt throughout the entire stay. very near shinjuku area and train. can walk 5 mins or take their free shuttle bus. cost is about $275 per night. pricey but it was really good. below the hotel there is the food chain for pork cutlet...oohhh speaking of which makes me drool. reasonably priced at around 15 bucks per set. free flow of rice and soup.Slurrrrp!
 
Aileen
Universal studios is in osaka, another city. I oso never stay at disneyland hotel in Tokyo always travel by train down. And trust me from Shinjuku or tokyo station it is very easy to get there.

Nov is cold. Charmaine's first trip was Nov when I was 32 weeks pregnant with Aden. But my gal refused to take jacket , she wear 2 very thick clothings with leggings and jeans plus boots and run around like nobody business. That time she was 3 years 3 months
 
Chicken Little,
Oooh....my boys (hb inclded) gonna drool over Thomas Land. Wahahaha!

Anyone knows where to buy those Jap pinkish fish cake? The NTUC Xtra near my plc has sold out & they dun intend to replenish stock so soon. I've been searching high & low but can't find any le.
sad.gif
 
Wenyl
ha ha ya man. I go get more information and aim for next year. Will share with you. Because now H1N1 I realli dare not travel during cold weather.

Just to preampt mummies next wave of H1N1 will probably come from colder countries as the weather changes. But exactly where and when dunno

Fishcake
I usually buy at Cold storage - even got Hello kitty one. Alternatively Mediya, isetan should have woh.
 
SSF
Glad to know that things are falling into place for you even going maidless! I think it's a matter of adjusting but am sure you and hb and mom can manage! Moreover J is quite big already also, so left his milk bottles to be washed?
 
Wenyl

Mediya n isetan. Can even get hello kitty ones.


Aileen
envy. 1 yr go so many hols!
http://www.jnto.org.sg/trip4child.html

1) tokyo metropolitan children's hall
Free. Went there just before C turned 2. Fun for kids. Got playgrounds, toy cars to ride in. music room where they can play all the instruments, sing japanese kid's songs, do art & craft wif recycled materisls. U can some pics we took when we were there. It near Shibuya station.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/alwinwoo/2070291459/


http://www.fukushihoken.metro.tokyo.jp/jidou/shisetsu/riyou.html

2)National Children's Castle
also near Shibuya, there's even a hotel there.

http://www.kodomono-shiro.or.jp/english/access/index.html

3)ghibli
gotta buy tix in advance at the convenience stores.

4) Toyota showrooms etc
There's free car racing games there. The boys will love it. There's one at sunshine city.

5) there's an onsen theme park in odaiba, maybe they'll like it.

6) If you're going kyoto, there's a ninja theme park. Check it out fr the jnto link abv.

We also never stay at the disneyland. btw, all in japanese hor.
 
CL/ Aileen

Fujikyu 90mins bus ride leh... I also think my boy will go crazy if we go Thomas Land. hahaha. Last time i went there (before kids), i didn't even bother stepping into it. Just went to the rides. hahaa. They've special Thomas buses and trains too.
happy.gif
U can pre book the special Thomas bus to fujikyu. Just checked that out in their website a couple of days ago. Also thot of going Japan. hehe. But doubt can go liao. sigh.
 
wah! mummies....you are making me very gian for japan. haha..so many interesting places for the kiddies.

mamachan - ya J is bigger now which also means more fighting everyday. haha...have to be the middleman most of the times. actually i also thot only washing bottles only and w/o maid shld be ok. but never did i thot so many other small stuffs like boil water, washing clothes, sunning clothes, cleaning the sink, throwing rubbish(doesnt help tat we only have a central chute outside my hse), folding clothes, ironing esp C's uniform, making C breakfast b4 i leave for work. Gee so many small stuffs that I have to wake up like an hr early each morn. Worst i now bathe only at ard 9PM plus when i am done with all the small small stuffs. not that i am complaining though just that need time to adjust. I wonder how CL does it. haha...wonder woman!!!!
 
SSF
It is a matter of getting used. That is why ha ha I think my previous maid for 2 months more stress than me because I am up before her.
 
ya i agree...matter of adjusting. i hope i can adjust soon
happy.gif
it be easier once they started CC next yr. i am planning to chg my working hrs from 8am to 530PM next yr so that i can beat the traffic when i drives to and fro work. can still do some household chores before picking them at 7PM. Haiz...major change really but hopefully its changing for the better.
 
SSF
get those indoor electric dryers if you need the kids clothes to be washed. haha, not the dryer-dryer...but those clothes rack dryer type which blows out hot air.
Before I had my helper, when D was in IFC last time, I bought quite alot of clothes so that I only need to wash his clothes every 2 days. Adults' clothes can wash every 3 days and our living room will always have bamboo poles "drying" our clothes. Towels will leave it to weekends to wash and sun. Back then still have to wash/sterilize bottles/breast pump daily. The only time I wake up early was to cook his porridge for that day's dinner using the double-boil electric cooker.

Now if we were to go maidless, I think we'll also take sometime to adjust...but switching D to full-day won't be a problem. But so far my helper is so far so good...manageable, though occasionally her attitude acts up abit here and there. We always have to remind her to do her work well and mind her own business. She macham knows all the dirt of all the maids in my neighbourhood! Aiyoh... I told her that her own home problems cannot handle still go and kaypoh other people! Tsk tsk tsk!
 
SSF

I stopped ironing my boy's uniforms lor. haha. Guess what we do. After washing in the washing machine, I take it out, give it a few flicks, then hang to dry. Works well for me.

For the hse rubbish, we do it after dinner so that we only need to do it once a day. For boiling water, I use the electric kettle. Just need to fill up water and it will auto off after it's done. But u working lah, very tiring like this.
 
mamachan

my hb and i love japan. Not tired of going there even tho been there a few times already.
happy.gif
Wanna go hokkaido before H turns 2. Our church friend is there with OMF.
 
mashy
hahaha, I actually dun mind going back to USA fi there's a chance again...if hb gets to go there for work purpose next year, we will plan to extend our trip and travel to other areas as well and take their internal flights! Either that or we might visit other states in Australia as well other than Perth. LOL. I think my hb is a little tired of heading to Perth again.
 
Aileen,
Like wat CL said, its very easy to get to tokyo disneyland. Some hotels have buses that take you direct to disneyland in the morning and back. When i went with Meg and my nephews, we took the train there. Very easy getting there.

Eh, i dun recommend Sunshine Prince. It is convenient cos it has shopping centre but walking to main train station also takes about 15mins cos you gotta walk through the long shopping street. If it rains, very inconvenient getting to station! There's another station nearer to the hotel but a different line and still you will get wet if it rains. And the room...maybe I fussy, but i dun find it clean. I was staying in a business hotel, much smaller with no frills in Ginza (Mercure) but its so much nicer and cleaner.

If you dun mind a simple hotel without the frills, my fren's aunt stayed in Shiodome Villa Fontaine, cheap and good. It's near the Singapore Embassy. They have other outlets too. But I think Shiodome one is the biggest in terms of size of room. Good price too. You can take the airport limousine bus to Four Seasons hotel and Villa Fontaine Shiodome is just next to it.

http://www.hvf.jp/eng/shiodome.php

I'm going tokyo again 15-18Nov for meeting. Can't wait to be back there
happy.gif


Oh ya, it can get quite cold. When we last went in mid-Nov, it was very cold. And worse, Meg refused to put on jacket and gloves and just kept clinging onto poor daddy! Bring raincoats. Esp when you go Disney. If not like us, have to buy there and its JPY1,600 per piece with no identity of disney! Disney can rent stroller so no need to bring.
 
wow seems like japan will be very cold in Nov. may want to think twice about going coz I don't think my kiddos can tahan cold. Anything less than 16deg would be too cold for them, I think.

Wow Tracie, so good! Can go tokyo for biz. Then can bring ur family along as well loh.
happy.gif
 
Hi mummies,

Talking about trips... just came back from HK / Macau. Was there from Tues to Sat. It ranks as one of the least enjoyable trips I have ever had. First off, I has a bad case of stomach flu (thanks to my HB) and was vomitting and having diarrhea since wee hours of Monday morning and had fever. Was contemplating cancelling the whole trip when Isaac vomitted as well. But on Tues morning, I was feeling ok, although a bit weak, and Isaac has also stopped vomitting. So we decided to go ahead.
First stop for us was HK Disneyland. The weather was HOT HOT HOT. We quite enjoyed it but would have loved it if the weather weren't so hot.
2nd stop for us is Macau and we stayed at Venetian. It is really one of the best hotels I have ever stayed. The rooms are really opulent. The streets of Macau are nice too, has its own flavour as compared to the messy and choatic street scenes of HK.
Last stop is HK. We stayed at Langham Place Hotel at Mongkok. HB and I didn't enjoy HK... find the streets too messy, too crowded and maybe cos we just recovered form stomach flu, even the HK food didn't entice us much. Worse still is when we were there, a no. 3 typhoon came and went and the resulting weather was rainy.
sad.gif

All of us lost weight... Isaac from not eating much cos he is still experiencing on and off stomach discomfort; HB from pulling the luggage around moving from place to place and minding Isaac, I myself lost 2+ kg from slinging Matthew the whole day and not eating much.

Now on hindsight, I think maybe we should have just cancelled the trip and go in November, at least the weather would be much nicer.
 
queen

that's why i dun like going hk in their summer. the weather is terrible. feels worse than singapore. i went once in june. no appetite to eat coz so hot n everything is so oily. their winters are so much nicer.
 
Aileen,
Already extended my stay in Tokyo to meet family there last year. Was trying to 'jio' my frens to join me this time round but sigh...they say its ex. Seriously...if its only us adults travelling without the kids, Tokyo is not THAT expensive lah.

queen,
Oohh...i've been contemplating Macau! Saw how different it looks as compared to HKG. The last time I went HKG was also during the humid period and it drizzled when we went Disney. In fact, it rained when we went Disney Tokyo too :S.. I wouldn't mind going HKG but without the kids. Too much walking and steps!
 
hm .... my kids LOVE (big L) HK. I always have this idea not to bring young kids abroad as they'll forget soon .... but not this place to my 2 kids ... perhaps they are bigger and influencing each other a lot on what they each like. We walked ALOT ... literally from day to night but we see alot and yes, it was hot. Something that I forgot but yes, very sweaty hot type. In fact, they LOVE HK more than Melbourne coz Melbourne was cold n they had to pile on layers of clothes before they go out. But I'm glad they get to explore a bit of the world now before #1 goes to school next yr ... there'll be other worries n priorities n schedules that travelling wouldn't be as easy, so ladies, plan your trips quick!

Queen, hope your family's better now. Travelling while sick is a big setback.

.ky.
 
tracie,
envy you going to Tokyo...
today my boss told me to go ahead to germany for training in Nov. at first i tot it was being postponed.
First agenda already taken 5 days...i think i will be stuck there at least for 2 weeks.
hb is not very keen to join me there.
 


BP
germany is nice too. just that hb not keen to join you then wont be able to bring kids.

But can take it as a break trip oso not bad
 
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