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The hubby’s birthday is just around the corner. And I am again thinking and searching for what to give to him. Gladly, I found this online store ‘Gifts Less Ordinary‘ that sells personalized gift items for any occasion.

Giving our loved ones personalized gifts is more meaningful. It shows we give enough thought of what to give them. It also proves and gives more value to this cliche: ‘It is the thought that counts!’

Personalized Gift Ideas for Dad

Some of the cute gift ideas for dads that I found on the website are the coffee press, perfect for his morning coffee. Also, the wine rack looks cute and would look good in our kitchen. Then there are the collar stiffeners where I can put our kids’ names. How cute is that!

Personalized Gift Ideas for Moms

Gifts Less Ordinary also have wonderful and meaningful gifts for moms out there. The glass teapot is perfect for your tea break and would add more relaxing vibe to your afternoon break. The Tree of Life necklace is very classy and perfect for pregnant moms as the Tree of Life symbolizes the new life within her. Then, of course, the Photo Envelope necklace is the perfect way to bring your best photos wherever you go.

  Gifts Less Ordinary offers free delivery to Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and the U.S. It is an online store started by a mompreneur inspired by a personalized gift she received for her third child. They recently launched their Corporate Gifts collection, perfect for your company’s special events. Go and check them out!

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post brought to you by Gifts Less Ordinary. The opinions are completely my own based on my experience.

Personalized Gift Ideas for Moms and Dads The hubby's birthday is just around the corner. And I am again thinking and searching for what to give to him.

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Pregnant for the first time in Australia... now what?

Pregnant for the first time in Australia… now what?

I got pregnant with my firstborn during working in Singapore. So far, the prenatal checkups were similar to how it’s normally done in my home country, Philippines: You choose an OB, the hospital where to give birth, have monthly checkups and ultrasound, and then if you want, you can tell your doctor your preferred method of birth. In Australia, however, things are different. We are new to…

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First year in Melbourne

First year in Melbourne

A year ago, we arrived in Melbourne. It was the first day of a new journey, ending the long days of preparation, applications, apprehensions,  and daydreaming. We were excited and tired from a 22-hour stopover flight. It truly felt like we were starting fresh. Well fast forward, what do we have a year later? We have a roof over heads, food on our table, good health, and each other. I am pregnant…

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Carlton Garden and Fitzroy Garden

Fitzroy Gardens Carlton Gardens

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Melbourne SEA Life Aquarium

Melbourne Sea Life Aquarium Address:  corner of Flinders Street and King Street, Melbourne. It is situated on the Yarra River, opposite Crown Entertainment Complex Opening hours: 9:30am – 6:00pm (last entry 5:00pm) everyday Website: https://www.melbourneaquarium.com.au/ Getting there: Train: a five-minute walk from Flinders or Southern Cross train stations Tram: The SEA LIFE Melbourne tram stop…

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Mornington Peninsula is around 75 km away from Melbourne CBD and at least 70-minute drive. It is most famous in Melbourne (or in the Victoria state) as having the most beautiful beaches perfect for summertime. Sure enough, there were big crowds everywhere when we went as it was summer and the holiday season!

Sunny Ridge Strawberry Farm

Address: 244 Shands Rd, Main Ridge VIC 3928

Open 9 am – 5 pm every day except Christmas, Boxing Day, and New Year’s Day

Phone: [phone]

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/sunnyridgestrawberryfarm/

Website: http://www.sunnyridge.com.au/

On our day trip, we first went to the Sunny Ridge Strawberry Farm. The entry fee is $10 adults, and kids 0-4yo are free. You are given a container for the strawberries you picked from the farm.

At first, we thought the earlier visitors had picked all the ripe strawberries. It turned out that there were more though only covered with the large leaves. So while I was busy chasing and following the toddler around, the hubby was taking pictures and my mom was diligently picking the strawberries. A for the team effort. Hahaha!

The Lil One really liked the strawberries and has consumed probably at least twenty. No kidding! It was surprisingly sweet and delicious, unlike those sour ones you buy from the stores or groceries. I guess it is because of its being freshly picked! It’s my first time to enjoy the true sweetness of strawberries.

Mom I’m busy. You smile for the camera. ok?

  Sorrento front beach

Right after the farm, we headed to the beach. But hey which beach?!? We were already in Mornington and we still haven’t decided which beach to visit. There’s just so many options. From what we have gathered, Mt. Martha and Pt. Leo are great spots. Sorrento is in their ‘CBD’.

Without overthinking, we chose Sorrento beach! It is also reportedly one of the cleanest beaches in town and Melbourne in general. There are a few tables where you can put your food and eat some munch. Or you simply lay down your towel on the sand and have a sunbath.

The Lil One enjoyed making her first sand castle!

Mount Martha Beach

Next stop was Mount Martha beach, a 30-minute drive from Sorrento beach. When we arrived at Mount Martha, we were already half exhausted and the Lil One was sleeping like a baby. Literally!

The beach view though was amazing! We should have stopped at Mount Martha and had our late lunch in this gorgeous beach instead of the Sorrento. And they have those colorful bathing house boxes! The sunset was making it more perfect. BUT the waters are not safe for swimming, I mean it’s not shallow waters. It’s like a cliff where the waters quickly become deep even without going far from the shoreline. The shoreline is 2km long though so maybe somewhere out there, it’s safer.

The sand in Sorrento front beach was whiter and finer, but Mount Martha’s were sparkling! It was more coarse yet not harsh on the skin, it was therapeutic to walk barefooted. My mom said the sand is like brown sugar in color and texture, and yes it truly is!

Then we head home. And the Lil One woke up just when we were driving back home, and won’t stop talking and laughing. Maybe got drunk from too many strawberries? Hahah! It was a day well spent with family.

Mornington Peninsula day trip Mornington Peninsula is around 75 km away from Melbourne CBD and at least 70-minute drive. It is most famous in Melbourne (or in the Victoria state) as having the most beautiful beaches perfect for summertime.

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Review: BellaBox December 2018

I’ve learned about BellaBaby box from UrbanMa.  The contents of the box are worth-having and very useful for mommies and babies. It would you quite some bucks though, $24.95. Digging further, I found BellaBox and I got more interested in their December box. I searched for a coupon and voila! Instead of paying $17.95, I got it only for $10 for being a first-time subscriber. Unboxing BellaBox I got…

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Why we love being Mothers

Why we love being Mothers

Being a mother is one of life’s little gems! It is truly one of the hardest things you will do but is so rewarding. Everyone’s journey is different. For some it is a rocky road from start to finish, for some, it is a smooth sea sailed and for others, it has a few bumps along the way, but stays pretty much on course. Wherever the journey takes you, it is important to take time to reflect and enjoy…

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Infant carrier vs. Stroller: which one is worth buying?

Infant carrier vs. Stroller: which one is worth buying?

When I was pregnant with my firstborn, I was overwhelmed with the baby products available on the market. And being a first-time mom at that, finding the best products (and worth-buying) was like finding needles in a haystack. Well, two years after, I know better. And what I can say now is that our Combi Urban Walker stroller win as my best baby product, well aside from our electric sterilizer. It…

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What's our house with a toddler really like?

What’s our house with a toddler really like?

Your house will never EVER be perfectly neat and clean There. I said it. I got it out of my chest. That’s the first in my list. That’s not because you do not clean. In fact, your day is entirely spent on picking up toys, wiping food from everywhere, and the list goes on. So, I have decided that I will clean ONLY at the end of the day, OR ELSE, the whole day will be spent entirely on picking up…

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What is the rental application process in Melbourne?

What is the rental application process in Melbourne?

Getting a rental property in Melbourne is totally different from what we were used to in the Philippines or in Singapore as well. In Australia, the rental application process is heavily regulated and very structured. For first-time renters or newcomers like us, it came as a surprise that the search can be competitive too; we have to make formal applications along with other interested tenants. It…

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60 Fun Things to do in Bohol

60 Fun Things to do in Bohol

Bohol is my hometown. And I miss every bits and piece of it every day. We are currently living hundreds of miles away from Bohol, but the splash and waves of the island’s white beaches always echo in my ears. It brings me a certain peace and serenity whenever I think about my homeland. Aside from being every Boholano’s homeland, it is becoming to be every tourist’s favorite destination as well.…

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A Singaporean Florist That Changed It All

A Singaporean Florist That Changed It All

When I say that a florist changed it all, I refer to the way we think of flower gifting, the way we purchase flowers, and the standards that we have regarding the quality and design of flowers. A Better Florist is a local Singaporean florist with chic flower shops all around Singapore. They have over dozens of locations and the best flower delivery in Singapore by far. When I first tried their…

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It’s springtime! And one of the best festivals in Melbourne during springtime is the Tesselaar Tulip Festival.

This year, the tulips bloomed late. Around mid-September, I followed the farm’s Instagram account to keep updated about the tulips’ progress. Crossing fingers, we hoped more would bloom on the public holiday as we planned to visit on that day. And thankfully, the warmth of the late spring season brought more colors and blooms indeed.

As expected, there were many people during our visit as it was a public holiday. But then again, this festival normally attracts many visitors. It was our first time to go the Tesselaar Tulip Festival. It truly is a fun activity for the family during spring time. Our Lil One enjoyed touching the ‘fow-wers’ and running around the fields. The farm’s theme of the day was ‘Food, Wine, and Jazz’ so there was some food and wine tasting, and there were bands playing the jazz music which the Lil One enjoyed dancing to!

There are many creative things you can do during your visit. Really!

Fun things you can do in the Tulip Festival:

Take a lot of pictures. Of course!

Bring your own food, picnic cloth, and have a picnic on the grasses. You can also bring your own foldable camp-style table and chairs. The farm provides tables and chairs too.

If you did not bring food, you can buy from the food stalls situated in the food courts. During our visit, the stalls included German Sausages, Pulled Pork, Indian street food, beer, wine, nuts, chocolates, and so much more. We bought the German sausages and it was truly delicious! It costs $10 each.

Take a ride on their tractor ride. It costs $10 (if I remember correctly, we didn’t take a ride though).

Buy something from their shops as a keepsake.

Give your kids a face paint for $10.

Enjoy looking at the sculptures. You can vote for your favorite too!

Buy your own tulips.

Go to their Wizard of Oz park.

Listen to the music bands!

Tips for families:

Do not forget to bring your camera. Of course!

Bring your prams. But in strolling around the fields, let them run and walk so they can enjoy the flowers closely. You can park your prams in the designated areas.

Buy your tickets online to avoid the queue.

Arrive as early as you can. In our case, we didn’t. Haha! We arrived at noon, so expectedly, it was a peak hour for buying food. As for taking pictures in the fields, every hour is peak hour!

Bring cash. They have an ATM though.

Bring extra clothes. You can get easily get dirt from the red clay as it can get muddy.

Visit the farm during the Children’s week if you can.

During weekends or the public holiday, you can enter and park your car other than their main entrance/ car park which can easily get full. Click here for the map.

Bring your sunscreen to protect yourself from the sun. Bring your umbrella to protect yourself from the rain!

You can bring your dogs!

Getting there and ticket prices:

Address: 357-359 Monbulk Road, Silvan

Opens 9am to 5pm every day between September 14th and October 10th 2017

Website: http://tulipfestival.com.au/

Ticket prices:

Adult: $28

Concession: $24

Children 16 and under are free

Groups of ten or more are $24 per person and must be purchased online.

Tesselaar Tulip Festival 2017 It's springtime! And one of the best festivals in Melbourne during springtime is the Tesselaar Tulip Festival.

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The Melbourne Winter Night Market is extended until the 4th of October. Glad we still made it even though it’s now spring 🙂 Going to the night market during the winter would have been very cold. Though it’s no longer winter, the night market is still packed with people eager for a delicious meal. Every food stall seems to have long queues. A few tables and chairs are provided for diners as well, some chose to eat standing or while strolling around.

Entrance

    Our curious case of the Winter Night Market The Melbourne Winter Night Market is extended until the 4th of October. Glad we still made it even though it's now spring 🙂 Going to the night market during the winter would have been very cold.

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One of the most recommended garden visits in Melbourne CBD is the Fitzroy Gardens. So off we went given a good weather and a sunny afternoon to satisfy our curiosities.

The whole garden is ideal for a relaxing walk. You can have picnics on the grasses as well. Within the area, there is a cafe too if you want to have coffee or meals.

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  Fitzroy Gardens

230-298 Wellington Parade, East Melbourne

To get there, you can alight from the Parliament train station, though you can take a good walk from Flinders station for about 10-20 minutes.

Our Curious Case of Fitzroy Gardens One of the most recommended garden visits in Melbourne CBD is the Fitzroy Gardens. So off we went given a good weather and a sunny afternoon to satisfy our curiosities.

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MommyCathy.com turns one

The Lil One has eaten breakfast. She has been bathed, lotioned, dressed, and combed. Activities that the Lil One will attend this and next week have been plotted and posted on the fridge door.  The bedroom is messy; the bed has not been made. Dishes and pots in the kitchen not yet washed. The floor has not yet been swept or mopped. Now, I can catch my breath. Haha! And I turn to my blog which…

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