Made in America

We totally expected to come over here and be able to buy all sorts of cheap stuff.  After all, Singapore should have way more ties to China, right?  Not to mention that we are so close to all those countries like Malaysia, Cambodia, and Vietnam where all those cute and affordable clothes we buy are made.  Not the case.  We've probably used more stuff that was made in the US since we got here.  Moreover, it is always advertised that it is a product from the states.  When we've bought stuff second hand people love to tell us that it's from the states.  No matter that it was first made in China and then sent to be sold by a US company then brought back over to Singapore.  Somehow being purchased in the states makes it more appealing to potential buyers.  Go figure.  What a strange world we live in.  Seriously, why are Sunkist oranges from Florida some of the cheapest and best ones at the grocery store?  I think they cost me less here than they did when we lived in NC.

Playground equipment

Some health product, which I think I lost 5 KG just by perusing or so the product claims

Not a snack we indulge in

Mexican dinner night has sure gone south!

I took all the pictures above with my camera phone.  I don't normally lug the camera around grocery shopping--not on Wednesdays anyway.  I really dig having a camera phone.  We've never had them before because we always opted for the super-basic free phone but here the free phone for our $25/month plan was a sweet walkman phone.  Funny story about this wheat. It's really hard to find wheat flour here (maybe the US Gov should stop paying those farmers in Idaho to not grow it so I can bake more affordably here in Singapore) and I just came across this today while at the grocery store and muttered to myself,  "hum, that's a really good price". The only other wheat flour I've found is from England and is a couple dollars more for a smaller bag.  Anyway, I put the bag on Samara's lap (she was riding in the stroller) and heard her say quietly as she looked it over, "hum, that's a really good price".  I'm glad it wasn't the opposite scenario...I'd hate to hear her cuss. 

This is some random pet store at the bottom of an apartment building near us.  We took the picture for Jonathan.  We know how badly he wants their cat to eat only organic vegan products.

This is Samara newly acquired Pottery Barn came from the US doll house.  I scored it on Craigslist yesterday for $25!  I also got a huge bag of educational & musical toys and games for $50.  It seriously made my whole month.  You can't get a deal on ANYTHING here except cheap stuff in Chinatown and Hawker-stall food.  This is especially true when buying stuff second hand.  She has wanted a doll house ever since she played with her cousin Sariah's. We got her a little super el cheapo one for $7 for her b-day that broke the first day she opened it.  I think it was a model recalled from all-a-dollar in the states.  Anyway, you go to people's garage sales and THEY totally nickel and dime YOU and try to sell you everything you aren't looking at.  Honestly, it's despicable.  I went to one in a wealthy area near the American school and this family who lived in a house that easily costs $10K/month was totally over charging all the domestic helpers in the neighborhood who came to look.  Mind you these ladies make $400/month.  People will always advertise something as new because it's not it awful condition and want like 80% of the normal price for it.  One woman wouldn't sell her $75 blender for less than $80 because she was really attached to it.  What?? It's not the garage sales we are used to that's for sure.   But this...this was my best Craigslist find yet.  

Happy Easter

We hope you all had a wonderful Easter! I love Easter. I think it's my favorite holiday after Christmas. What a miracle Christ's Resurrection is. I love what it means for all of us. The Easter I spent on my mission was very memorable for me and since my dad's passing Easter holds all the more meaning. Conference was delayed a week here so we didn't have church and enjoyed a nice day at home, listening to conference on the internet and being visited by the Easter Bunny.

We watched the Charlie Brown Easter movie and colored eggs while Ben was at the Priesthood Session. Samara loved it. She's obsessed with eggs because that's what daddy puts in pancakes and wants to buy them every time we go to the store. So she was thrilled we got to make a special trip to the store just to buy eggs.

Yes, we're 'those parents' and picked up her eggs for her because they were still wet and we didn't want her to stain her dress. We had to use food coloring and vinegar so the color was strong. And don't artificial colors cause autism or something like that?

Candies, of course! No refined sugar or artificial colors added.

Kim, do you recognize the sandals?

We found mini-eggs here. They were $3.90 for 100 g--so that's like 25 eggs. They were also from New Zealand and the shell was different. It was shinny and crispier and just didn't compliment the chocolate as well. Someone pleeeeeeaaaase tell me they haven't changed the shell in the states too?????? We only bought two bags. They don't put stuff on sale after the holiday ends so no stocking up either but that's probably for the best. One year after Easter was over we stocked up. We bought 11 of the huge family size bags (this was mind you after eating a lot before Easter) to freeze them and have a bag a month. We'll instead of a bag a month we ate all the bags in ONE month. That's what I'd have for dinner most nights after getting home from teaching skiing. We just couldn't stop. Conversely, we developed all sorts of weird health problems. Among other things, I got terrible eczema on my eye lids so I could barely open them. My brother told me it was a good thing I was already married. My niece asked why that happened. I, wanting to teach her a valuable lesson, told her it was because I had eaten way too much sugar. To which she replied, we'll why didn't you just brush your teeth afterwards? If only over consumption of sugar could be solved by brushing your teeth. We swore off sugar and couldn't eat it for several months afterwards. I don't recommend a mini-egg diet even though they are the best candy ever.

Botanical Gardens

Beautiful, Fabulous, Free, and oh sooooooo Humid!!!

Taking pictures of some woman sunbathing?

I'm just trying to catch up on posts.  Someday, I'll be creative and make the blog pretty.

Got Tickets???

Ever since we got into our place, we've been singing, "I think I'm gonna like it here!". The pictures really don't do it justice.   We are really getting used to condo living.

The Lap Pool

The gym and main pool

The Wading Pool at the end of the Main Pool

The Jacuzzi tubs with Daddo(his new name) and Georgie (think of the movie,  It's a wonderful life 'Georgie, I'll love you 'til the day I die') That's how Samara pronounces his name.

Path to the Fun Pool

The small but fast and furious slide

Tennis courts, 'jogging path', exercise stations, reflexology rocks, and metro tracks

Come visit! We are all booked for August when our nieces come. We'd love to see you!

For Emily, the biggest and cutest Pirates fan!

A few weeks ago, we were at Sentosa and saw a real pirate. We, of course, had to take a picture for our little Emily, who is ECU's biggest fan. Samara was just starting to talk before we moved from Greenville and 'Emmie' was one of her favorite words. Everything we did or talked about included, 'Mama, Dada, Baby, and Emmie'. She knew she got to see her at church and one Sunday Ben got home from church but we had stayed home because she was sick. She said something like 'see Emmie church' and Ben said, (not knowing she'd really understand), 'Daddy went to church and saw her but you're sick so you didn't get to go today'. Samara then let out the biggest and saddest wail. We sure miss you Emmie!



GO Pirates!!!!!!!!! We miss all our friends and family in NC and hope you are all doing well. Eat some yummy strawberries for us!

Let there be cheese on earth and peace in the nursery class!

Things are turning up Bikman here in Singapore. We finally made it to a great baking store where you can buy affordable cheese! You have to buy it in bulk but end up getting four times the cheese for only twice the price. Long live pizza night! We were out of cheese all week but were waiting to meet up with a friend who was going there Friday so she could show us where the store was. I had told Samara that and so all week, she'd ask if we could 'go at the grocery store to buy more cheese'. We thankfully were able to avoid a total meltdown when she dropped the cheese by cheering for the cheese's excellent acrobatics.





Samara loves nursery and talks about nursery class all week. She, however, has had no interest in going by herself. Two weeks ago Samara went to nursery for the first time by herself for the last hour. The youth were in charge because it was a fifth Sunday and I think it helped that there were extra people to play with. She was so proud of herself and so were we (although Ben secretly wept inside because he likes to be there to beat up any other toddlers who mess with her). We talked about how she'd go to nursery by herself again the next week and we'd go to mommy and daddy's class. She happily let me drop her off and was fine for about 20 minutes but then started to get antsy. We heard her hollering from our sunday school class so we went out into the hallway and one of the nursery workers came out and told us that she'd been fine and then started getting a little upset and wanted us. When they didn't get us, Samara sternly said 'let me out now!' The sweet lady who came to find us added, 'she sure knows her tones too'.

Jumping

Samara has wanted to jump for months now. After spending a long napless afternoon in her room, she 'woke up' and had mastered jumping. Whenever I go in to check on Samara to see if there is a reason why she hasn't fallen asleep, i.e., poop, she tells me, 'Mom, I waked up' and starts laughing as if she's tricked me and I'm going to believe her. Then I tell her she needs to fall asleep before she can wake up and to have a good nap. She then says, 'I know you can do it (referring to falling asleep)'. She usually falls asleep on top of her Hugo dog--it looks so uncomfortable.