Blessed Lunar New Year 2023

Another new year, but this time we are celebrating with not just three, but four! Now that Emmanuel is almost hitting the big one, it's amazing how time flies, but that's a story for another time. Here's wishing all a blessed lunar new year. May this year be good, no, even better than the ones that have passed. May you be blessed in so many ways that you can't imagine, in your family, relationships, finances, studies, and most importantly, health. This year will be a year of breakthroughs, just be expectant of it, 2023 here we go!

What to do in Western Australia - TOP and BEST 15 Attractions!

Before every single trip, I love to put to-go pins on my Google Maps. Not sure if it's my personality, but I always know where am I heading to and not get lost. And this is especially important as we are bringing a screaming toddler along. Trust me, you don't want to be stuck with one inside the car for long.

I mean, if you're looking at this post means you should be heading to Australia in the near future. Look forward to it as there are so many fun things to do in Western Australia alone. This simple guide is for those who are travelling in and, mostly out of Perth. Make the most out of your trip, rent a car to explore what Western Australia got to offer!

Here are the top and best attractions of what Western Australia has to offer. For easy viewing, we have sort this list into: South of-, North of- and Central Perth. 

South of Perth

1. Stay at a farm (Margaret River)

Recommended duration: 2-3 nights stay

Rating: ★★★★★

This made it as one of our favourite to-dos in the region of Margaret River. There are a couple of options for a farmstay, their animals differs, and some of them provide animal feedings. Your child will be so hyped just feeding the farm animals. Just a tip: Book early! These places are always fully packed.

2. Bunbury Farmer's Market (Bunbury)

Recommended duration: 1-2 hours

Rating: ★★★★★

If you're cooking your food (which I did), this place is an ABSOLUTE HAVEN. The amount of fresh produce, vegetables, fruits, all sorts of meat is crazy. And the best thing? It's not pricey at all. Just for reference, this whole bunch of carrots (approximately 10) only costs AUD$2.50! It's so fresh you can even take a bite like this!

3. Walk the Busselton Jetty (Busselton)

Recommended duration: 1-2 hours

Rating: ★★★★★

Hiking? How 'bout conquering the longest second boardwalk in the world? Coming in at 1.8km, it takes about 25 minutes to walk this - one way! If you're bringing kids or feeling extra touristy, there's the jetty ride operating every day. Just check the timing beforehand.

8D7N Perth Family Road Trip Itinerary - The only guide you need for Western Australia

Ever since the border measures have been relaxed, many of our friends start to fly overseas. As frequent travelers ourselves before the whole covid situation, our butt starts to itch. We were thinking where could we go with our soon-to-be 4 year old daughter. And to be honest, Sydney was our first choice. We even started to plan the places we wanted to go. But then the air tickets become really crazy at over $1,000 per pax. So we decided to ditch that and see what other budget-friendly options were there in Australia. Perth. $700-800 on Singapore Airlines sound great. 

And thus, marks the start of our Great Western Australia Journey.

Lady M had been to Perth several years back, but missed on travelling out of Perth. So we decided to rent a car for a little road trip in Western Australia on September 2022. If you still don't know, we absolutely love road trips (still missing New Zealand and Iceland)! And this time, we will be bringing our third-wheel  daughter along. 

Trip Summary

We are going to start our trip at Perth itself, going to Rottnest Island to have our quokka selfie checked. After we collect our car, we will be travelling up north to Geraldton and Hutt Lagoon (or better known as Pink Lake), stopping at Lancelin for a sandboarding session. After which, we will be going south to Cervantes, passed by Perth, Bunbury, Busselton, and finally Margaret River, where we will have our long awaited farmstay. We will head back to Perth before flying home the following day.

Origin Superior Coolmax Latex Pillow Review: My wife slept within 1 minute of using the pillow.

And.. I'm not even joking.

If there's one thing that my wife absolutely loves, it is definitely sleeping. Now that we have two young children, sleep has become a much needed luxury. An uninterrupted 8-hour sleep now seemed far-fetch. So if we can't sleep as much, the next best thing would be to improve its quality.

Everybody knows we spend a huge amount of time, one-third in fact, laying in bed. So if there's something that you want to skimp, it's definitely not on your sleeping necessities. Save on other furniture, but invest in your mattress, pillow and blanket! After all, a good set could make your sleep better AND last you through many years too!

Thank God that new technologies are coming up every now and then to improve our sleep, and one such invention, is latex pillow. Now, there are probably a heck lot of brands, but Origin Superior Coolmax Latex Pillow brings it to another level.

Should I get a confinement nanny? PROS & CONS!

One of the most frequently asked question is... should I get a confinement nanny? What's their responsibility ah? Wah, very expensive leh. Must get one ah?

I know, I know, I've been through twice already. So let laojiao enlighten you regarding your burning questions.

First things first.

What is a confinement nanny? 

A confinement nanny is someone who helps the new mother and the newborn, usually for the first 28 days starting from the day of discharge. This allows mummy to recharge and recuperate after performing the most noble job of mankind - childbirth. 

What's her responsibility?

Her role mainly revolves around the following:

- Take care of mummy, prep herbal bath, etc.

- Take care of newborn, bathing, feeding, etc. (even at night)

- Cook confinement meals for mummy (usually they will cook for hubby at no additional charge)

- Basic household chores (laundry for mummy and newborn, sweeping, mopping floor)

- Breastfeeding advices (most, if not all, do not provide any form of breast massage, or massage of any kind)

As confinement nannies differ from agency to agency, private or agency, it is recommended to understand the exact job-scope before hiring one. Mummy will be extremely tired during the confinement month. Coupled with a possibility of post-natal depression, it is best to get everything sorted beforehand in case of a fallout.

Here are some things you might want to clarify:

- Previous experience, how many years? How many babies has she cared for?

- Is she cooking the confinement meals? How many times per day? Does she mind cooking for another pax? (On some days, we requested her to cook for our elder daughter too.)

- Is she getting the groceries?

- Where is she sleeping? Any requirements?

- Miscellaneous fees and cancellation charges.

What's their price?

Emmanuel's 100th Day Staycation at JW Mariott South Beach

When we were planning for little Emmanuel's 100th day celebration, we had a few options. Book an event space and cater food. Probably too costly and too much prep work. Celebrate at home and have a nice balloon deco. The deco cost over $500?? No thanks. So we chose, a staycation and invite our family over for an intimate party. We wanted a suite room so there's moving space and not everyone hovering beside the bed and JW Mariott was perfect.

JW Mariott is located beside two MRT stations, 2-min walk from Esplanade and 5-min from City Hall, which means that it is a stone throw away from some major shopping centres, such as Marina Square, Suntec, Funan, and other attractions.

You might know JW Mariott as the fancy wedding venue with thousands of crystals hanged from their ceilings. To be honest, we may have considered there for our wedding if not for the hefty price tag. Nevertheless, this day we are here for a staycay. And never did I thought.. with two children!

Our room: Premier Suite

As expected, this suite is really spacious at over 100sqm (that's almost the size of a 5-room HDB!). It features a great living room area to host our guests, a guest toilet, a bedroom, and a ginormous ensuite bathroom. If we were to pay $500 for balloon deco, I rather spend $700 for this room. Just saying.

The whole design is contemporary, filled with monochrome rugs and paintings, completed with leather-toned furniture.