Review of Marina Bay Sands Hotel - is it really worth it?

One does not travel to Singapore and not visit the famous Marina Bay Sands Hotel. Hopefully one gets to stay there to experience the hotel, in particular, the infinity pool as this is the only way you will get to swim in it, or even get close to the pool unless you're a staying guest. This actually works in favour of guests as there are so many people visiting the famous hotel. There are bars and a few restaurants at the top, as well as an observatory deck all open to the general public.

Review of Aqua Pacific Monarch

During our first week in Hawaii we stayed at Waikiki, on the island of Oahu. Originally we had booked an apartment that could accommodate my whole family, but six days before we were about to leave I get an email from the owner saying she had double booked us for a few days and couldn't check in until 3 nights later. The only compensation she was offering was to remove the cleaning fee and of course not charge us for the days we weren't going to be staying. This completely annoyed me, and I refuse to give her our business any longer and asked for a refund of what we had paid to date. So that left us scrambling for some place to stay that could accommodate our large party. Eventually we decided on Aqua Pacific Monarch based on hotel's location, consistent positive reviews and was within everyone's budget. However we were separated into tree different rooms, but I think that was actually a good thing.

Unfortunately I didn't take any photos of the room we stay in before we messed it up. I was a zombie by the time we checked in and I like to take photos of the accommodation we stay at when I first walk/check in. If I'm doing a review I like to give readers a view of what I see when I first see a room. But there are photos of the rooms available on their website and on Trip Advisor and that's where I got the photos you can see below. 

Ok so the pro's and con's of Aqua Pacific Monarch.

Positives:

• Rooms had a kitchenette which comprised of a electric stove, microwave, fridge and basic utensils for when you can make your own meals. 
• Spacious room for the boys to play around in, and plenty of storage space for our things. 
• The hotel is two short blocks away from the beach. The hotel is close to the nicer side of Waikiki beach where there's more sand real estate, and there was barricades to filter waves, so  it was a very child friendly spot to swim. 
• Some great food joints within hotel's door step, (I strongly recommend that Korean BBQ place across the road) as well as various convenient stores for essentials. 
• Staff were always friendly.
• Guest collect beach towels and beach chairs for free from the front desk. 
• We all stayed in studio style room apartment where there was a kitchenette and living room space. The price was reasonable, we paid roughly $130 AUS a night per room. 

Negatives:

• Although you can tell the room has elements of modern fixtures it's still quite outdated. The hotel is probably really old so it could do with a complete renovation - but that's just my opinion.
• Weak air conditioning. None of the rooms have ducted or built in air conditioners, so there was a unit in one corner of the room that supplied all the cool air. If you're not in the room during the day it's fine, but we kept our thick curtains closed at all times to keep the heat out and cool air in. 
• Small bathroom with poor ventilation so would steam up quickly when taking hot showers.
• Poor lighting in the room.
• In our room house keeping was terrible. They would either not come so we'd have to call them to come in and do it, or arrive at 9am when we're still in the room. This happened everyday during our stay. 
• Although hotel was close to the beach it was a little bit of a hike to the retailers and popular food joints. I don't mind walking however with young children four blocks to get anywhere can be challenging if a child is not in the mood for walking. 
• There was a free shuttle bus that takes guests to Ala Moana Mall but it was always full from collecting other guests from other hotels. Plus it only came around every 30 minutes. It was easier and quicker to catch a bus from across the road, buses that included Ala Moana Mall in it's route came every 5 minutes.

Would I stay at Aqua Pacific Monarch again? No. There's are so many more other accommodation options available in Hawaii. Given we were forced to find an alternative so soon to our departure date, this was what we could find that met everyone's requirements.  

Have you stayed at a hotel around Waikiki before? Where did you stay? Would you stay there again why or what not?

Linking up with Jess

5 Things I learned from The Digital Picnic Workshop

I recently attended a social media workshop ran by The Digital Picnic. TDP is ran by two amazing woman, Cat & Cherie, who are experts in the field of marketing and social media. 

TDP only started towards the end of last year and initially only ran in Melbourne, as the two owners live there. I personally wanted to attend just so I could meet Cherie. I have been following Cherie and her former blogs, A Baby Called Max and Raising Master Max pretty much since I had Eli. 

I loved reading her posts because they were so honest and her words were like as if you were having a conversation. It just seemed whatever she we going through at the time, I was experiencing something very similar, and I agreed with a lot of what she had to say on topics or experiences. Our first borns  are a few months apart, and so are our second borns, so again I could relate and empathise with her even more. Connecting virtually with someone through personal stories was something I found fascinating, something I enjoyed, and so I wanted to give back too. 

I started this blog to capture snippets of my life. At the time it focused a lot on my day to day parenting experiences. Which I'm glad I did, because when the boys have grown and raising babies are never going to happen again, I have some place to look back and read about that time in my life. I shared what it's like raising two boys with severe food allergies and other medical experiences. I discussed a little about things that interests me like finance and CrossFit, and now I share planning celebrations cause I like that stuff too.

As soon as I walked into the room I bee lined up to Cherie, put my arms out and gave her a big hug. I was just over the moon to finally meet her in person. I could put a voice to the words I've read over the years, and listening to her talk throughout the day, she talks just the way she writes - gentle, intelligent with humour mixed in. I also got to meet the lovely Cat, who has so much knowledge and able to share it in a way that was easy to understand. I found myself just nodding, with "Ah huh" moments to everything she was saying.

They top 5 things I learnt from the social media workshop are:

1. Renaming images for search engine optimisation (SEO)

I purposely share a lot of images on this blog, trying to include an image for every post I publish. However I never rename my images, keeping the file name the same as whatever name the camera has allocated it. To optimise my images I should rename them using SEO friendly keywords. For example IMG0003.jpg is not as useful as fresh-apples.jpg 

It make sense. I mean go to Google now and search for anything you want. Your results will display web results, but there is an image option right under the search box, and usually images are within the first couple of results anyways.  

2. Understanding the affect of Facebook likes vs engagement

This was an interesting topic. I remember seeing a meme my sister put up, it was something along the lines of "All I see on my news feed is people getting married and having babies, I'm just planning my next holiday." There's a reason why we see those popular announcements of friends and friends of friends, because the more it is liked the more it is shared. 

You have say 200 friends on Facies but its seems only 20 of them are actively over using it? Or why is it that your feed is full of things the same "over active" Facebook friends are liking? Again its because of how you may have interacted with that friend (via like, comment or share) on Facies that has allowed them to be coming up on your feed more frequently than others.

There's so much more to learn about the affects of likes and engagement, it's a separate workshop in its own. 

3. What tools & apps to use

Yes there are so many tools and apps out there today. Sure many are free and some do different things better than others, so one app a person uses may not be useful for another person. I am the type of person who tries or uses a product based on other people's recommendations. So if the owners of a small, but thriving social media business is recommending particular apps to use that have made their lives easier, I'm downloading those apps. 

4. Understanding analytics & measurement

At the start I would post things at an adhoc basis, and maybe in the past 8 months I got a bit more strategic about what and when I post things online. During the workshop we spent some time understanding the importance of reviewing your site, or social media engagement patterns. I also finally got to understand what some of the Google and Facies categories or headings mean, and what behaviours are desirable. 

5. Making a good impression

This is probably marketing or social media 101, but never neglect the importance of a clear and direct bio across all your social media platforms. It's the first page they hit and potentially the only one they'll look at, so ensure you impress your customer, reader, clients. Make sure it sells, they know what products you offer or what you're about - don't leave them guessing. 

The Digital Picnic runs workshops through out the year and if you want to learn more about social media as well as strategies to thrive in those areas, I can't recommend the workshop enough. They also offer other workshops targeting email content and photography too. 

This is not a sponsored post, I just love sharing my experiences. If you found this post interesting too, feel free to share. 

Have you attended a social media workshop before? What was the one key message / knowledge you took away from it? 

Linking up with Jess

13 Ways You Can Tell You're At A Hipster Cafe

I was at a Christmas party a few weeks back and an older woman was telling me about a cafe she was recommending that she went to. Although she couldn't recall the name of it, she attempted to describe the ambiance of this place. I remember she said "it's one of those cafes where uni kids with beards hang out" ... I knew the type of cafe she was talking about, those "hipster cafes". 

Hipster Cafe's are "hashtag trending" as more of  these types of places to eat pop up in various suburbs in Sydney. 

I tried to look for a definition, or even an urban dictionary definition of what hipster cafe was and found nothing. So I thought I'd put together a list of 'How to tell you're at a Hipster Cafe' ...

1. Tap water is served in yellow plastic cups

The Tuckshop at Glenhaven (image credit)

2. The barista or at least one staff member has a beard or tattoo.

The Tuckshop at Glenhaven (image credit)

3. It can be hard to distinguish who are staff and who are patrons of the cafe as they don't wear uniforms ... well if you don't consider skinny jeans as uniforms.

4. They claim to serve their own brewed coffee beans

Paramount Coffee Project at Surry Hills (image credit)

5. Something salted carmel is always on the menu

The Choc Pot at Burwood (image credit)

6. Everyone around you is Instagramming their food

(image credit)

7. Seating is mostly communal

The Grounds at Alexandria (image credit)

9. Cafe furniture and fittings must be mismatched and blend a number of different decor styles

Rupert & Ruby Darlinghurst (image credit)

10. Menu isn't extensive but every item is tasty, made fresh and instagram worthily presented

Autolyse Sydney (image credit)

11. The cafe is usually busy with patrons. One who choose to go to one of the popular hipster cafes can assume there will be waiting time for a table.

The Baron at Castle Hill (image credit)

12. Cafe offers an array of sweets, in particular cronuts and or macrons

Brewtown Newtown (image credit)

13. Cold drinks must be served in mason jars

Vogue Cafe (image credit)

What other attributes have you noticed about "hipster cafes"? Do you have a favourite you would recommend?

Yo Gabba Gabba Giveaway

This is a sponsored post. Full disclosure can be read here.

Our family loves Yo Gabba Gabba! I think the boys are drawn to the catchy songs and cheerful characters; Dj Lance Rock, Brobee the little green one, Foofa the pink flowerbubble, Muno the red Cyclops, Toodee the blue cat-dragon and Plex the yellow robot. I'm impressed by the topics they cover and the number of really famous people who make guest appearances on the episodes.

The award winning, live action television series and stage show Yo Gabba Gabba! is back with an exciting new instalment. Having created a trip stack fan based with their unconventional formula and retro style, Yo Gabba Gabba! has become one of the most popular children's entertainment programs today, engaging everyone from preschoolers to parents and indiemusic lovers alike.

Universal Sony Pictures Home Entertainment is releasing Yo Gabba Gabba! Season 4, Volume 2 on DVD from December 4, 2014, just in time for Christmas. In this volume join the Gabba friends' adventure as they ride to the land of the dinosaurs, help a miniature king restore order to his kingdom and learn new games and crafts at Day Camp. Jason Batemen also guest stars as a bad spy who steals all the balloons from the Gabbaland balloon art party and Josh Holloway teaches the Gabba friends about growing vegetables. 

I'm running a giveaway where you could win a copy of the new Yo Gabba Gabba! DVD. Perfect Christmas present idea for your little person or a fan you may know of. And I'm giving away five copies so there's even more chances to win!

To be in the running all you have to do is Like my new Facebook page Gen-Y Mum Blog, or entering www.facebook.com/genymum into your internet web browser, or clicking on the link here. Then find the link to this post on my Facebook page and comment with which is you or your child's favourite Yo Gabba Gabba! character. 

Good luck!

Giveaway Terms & Conditions:

• Unfortunately, giveaway is open only to Australian residents.
• The five (5) winners drawn are final.  
• Giveaway is open from now and closes 8/12/2014 at 9:00am.
• Winner will be drawn at 10am and announced on my Facebook page and Instagram so follow me on @genymum to see if you've won.
• A successful and completed entry must Like Gen-Y Mum Blog page and answer question "Who is your favourite Yo Gabba Gabba! character on facebook page.

It's My Birthday!!

Another year another Cam (birth) day!! 

It was my birthday today. The past few years I've kinda made a little effort to celebrate my birthday. Why? Because I've realised it's the one day where it can be all about me ... cause every other day it's not. I'd like to stress that fact out, especially if you're one who doesn't normally celebrate their birthday's ... do make a song and dance about it. It's the one day you could get away with being a little "all about me!!". 

Every other day is all about everything else going on in your life, whether it's work, the kids, the business - but your birthday is the one day you can be selfish and be good to yourself. 

Celebrate you. 

Do something, eat whatever you want without guilt, spend it with who you want to see, relax, party, be disconnected if you want ...  just enjoy and celebrate your birth day.

Last year on my birthday I posted 32 things about me so I'm going to repeat it with 33 new things about me.

1. As a kid my aspirations were to be a singer.
2. So when I was older I did take some singing lessons for a very short period of time ... and realised I wasn't very good at it. 
3. I prefer the beach and summer over winter season.
4. I have a big smile and tiny teeth. 
5. I took tennis lessons for a short period of time.
6. I love online shopping, what woman doesn't these days? I even do the groceries online sometimes. 
7. I like to cook and not too shabby in the kitchen, however I'm no baker.
8. In recent year I've noticed I skim read a lot and have a short attention span. 
9. My favourite number is 13. 
10. I love chocolate. 
11. Hamburgers are my thing. I'm always on the hunt for look for quality hamburgers in Sydney and or when traveling. 
12. I was born in the Philippines. My family and I migrated here when I was four years of age. 
13. I naturally have wavy hair but, since we always want the opposite of what we have I usually straighten it. My wavy hair is the reason why I can curl or put my hair in waves and it maintains it shape for hours. 
14. I'm a bit funny about my feet. I'm a bit conscious about them. 
15. I'm currently the president of our strata committee.
16. I'm naturally quiet. 
17. I'm opinionated about discussion topics, but can't decide on where to eat out for Sunday lunch. 
18. My dream holiday would be to go to the Maldives.  
19. I tend to see the positive in most situations and be optimistic. 
20. Besides my two pregnancies, in the past I have put on a lot of weight, and lost it three other times in my life. First two times I would admit it was through basically starving myself and not eating, which probably explains why I put the weight back on. Hence why I value fitness and exercise a lot because I know my body needs to work to keep the kilos at bay, I was not gifted with slim genes.
21. I have two sisters. 
22. I have two sons.
23. I've always wanted to learn how to surf and hopefully actually do it day.
24. Favourite city I've visited so far would be New York but I'd love to travel throughout Italy for an extended period of time one day. 
25. I haven't seen an episode of Breaking Bad, The Walking Dead or Game of Thrones. Ok I lied I have seen an episode of Breaking Bad and GoT but it didn't interest me at all. 
26. I can be impulsive. If I want something I'll go get it and I make decisions quickly. 
27. I do actually want to see other parts of Australia one day, in particular Perth and Tasmania. They seem like really beautiful places in the world. 
28. I use to work in IT (information technology) mostly in the finance and insurance sector. 
29. English is not my strong suit so my spelling, grammer and pronunciation can be pretty poor. Which is ironic cause I have a blog. 
30. Although I'm left handed I'm a little ambidextrous. I shoot the basketball, play bowling, bat and throw with my right. 
31. If you couldn't already tell my new hobby (obsession) is CrossFit. 
32. I hate horror and thriller movies. 
33. My favourite colour is purple.

For my birthday my sweet husband had a full day planned, he even sent me an itinerary a few hours prior. But yesterday afternoon we noticed Eli's right eye was producing some lovely white green puss. We assumed he had caught conjunctivitis and was confirmed when we went to the doctors first thing this morning. So our plans had to be scaled down to avoid spreading the germs to others and being on antibiotics, he's probably more sensitive to light. 

We originally had plans to have breakfast at Brewtown, lunch at the new burger joint in town called Burger Project. Then head over to Wet'n'Wild in the afternoon to cool down, (it was forecasted to be in the high thirties that day) and then a movie that evening after we dropped the boys off with my inlaws. 

Instead we did make it to Brewtown for brunch, went to a major shopping mall and I did some credit card damage, and by passing discovered a another burger joint called Good Time Burger and was surprisingly really good.

Brewtown goodness

Wood smoked salmon, curried Israeli coucous, poached egg, coriander and lime

Grilled black sausage, eggplant puree, fennel and blood orange salad with goats cheese

Chocolate filled cronut

Naked wagyu burger 

Juicy Lucy burger

Chunky chips

Hyams Beach

Last weekend we went away to Callala, a peaceful beach side suburb south of Sydney. We went away with a few friends. Some who did and some who did not have kids. I was surprised we were able to find a home that could accomodate so many guest under the one roof but we did. The property was right by the beach so we could walk out of the back yard and straight onto the beach foreshore. 

On Sunday we headed to Hyams Beach. Personally I've never been to this beach, so I was really keen to see it since where we were staying was so close and I've heard a lot about this particular beach. It has a reputation to have the whitest sand in the world that squeak, and water that has beautiful shades of green and turquoise. 

It was another forty minutes drive from where we stayed, but it was so worth it. Everything you hear about this place is true ... it really is beautiful. You kind of forget you're still in Sydney taking in the view, it feels more exotic. 

The day we were there was perfect too. The sun was out, it was warm but not burning, the water was cool at first, but after a few minutes of adjusting the temperature was perfect. After you get out of the water you dry so quickly too, maybe its from all the reflection from the sand? And the sand ... it's so fine and so soft on your skin, not that usual grainy texture you find at most beaches. 

I love going to the beach and I really like this beach. We need to head out there more often. If live in Sydney and you haven't seen this beach yet, you must. It is after all, titled with having the world's whitest sand, according to The Guinness World Records. That probably explains why there were tour buses of tourists that arrive throughout the day. 

Now I want to go back this weekend ....

Have a good weekend!

Only a few more days left before my giveaway closes. To win a $40 Menu Log voucher to use at any restaurants on their site, all you need to do is subscribe to my blog by clicking here. Please read full terms of this giveaway here. Good luck!!

Menu Log Review + Giveaway

I don't know about your house hold but we often buy take away. I was recently asked to try out Menu Log. What's great about their service is you go online, see what restaurants are available in your area, order, pay and have your food delivered right to your door - all from the comfort of your computer (or laptop, or smart phone).

The order process is so easy ...

1. Go to www.menulog.com.au they even have an app you can download so you can access your local restaurants even easier.

2. Type in your suburb or the suburb you want to do a search on to see what restaurants are available in that area.

3. Once you've specified the suburb to search a list of all restaurants in the area will pop up. You can narrow the results even more by filtering by a few specific cuisines, minimum order requirements, rating or specials being offered by the various restaurants.

4. Once you've decided which restaurant you want to order from, you simply select the restaurant from the list, and their menu will appear for you to select dishes.

5. Food is grouped into similar dishes so its very easy to navigate through the menu. Once you have decided on a dish you want you just add it to your order by selecting the + button.

6. Once your finish selecting your dishes you simply press the Place Order button. The page will update asking for delivery and contact information.

7. Lastly you're asked your credit card information for payment and once processed your order is sent to the restaurant.

8. You should receive an email from Menu Log stating your order has now been forwarded to the restaurant you selected.

I ordered from Go Sing cause we were feeling like Chinese that evening. I don't know about you but we always order the same dishes from Chinese restaurants - combination chow mein, honey chicken, special fried rice and crispy chicken. We've never ordered from this place before but decided to based on its high rating and number of reviews. We were very satisfied with our decision as every dish was actually really delicious and tasty. We'll definitely be ordering from Go Sing again.

I'm running a giveaway. A $40 voucher to spend on any restaurant listed on Menu Log. So if you'd like a night off from cooking or maybe want to gift a family or friend a free meal why not enter?

To win simply subscribe to my blog by clicking here. 
Please note to complete subscription (and entry) you need to activate your subscription by waiting to receive a confirmation email and clicking on the link attached, thank you.

Other Giveaway terms and conditions:

• Winner will be randomly selected on Monday, 10th November at 9am AEST and will be announced on my instagram account @genymum so follow me on instagram too so you can find out if you won.
• Unfortunately the giveaway is only available to Australian residents.
• Voucher can be used on any restaurant listed on Menu Log.
• Voucher can only be used if order is home delivered. 
• Voucher must be used within a month post 11/11/2014

Good luck and don't forget to subscribe to win!!

This was a sponsored post by Menu Log

My Child Magazine

Having a child and being a parent is one of those things in life that changes you and your life forever so the fear, excitement and unknown can be overwhelming.  I wanted to know what was happening to my body at various stages of my pregnancy, understand the labour process and educate myself on trying to understand my newborn once he arrives. I wanted to research and take in as much information as I could from various sources.

I asked my friends about their experiences, I googled and purchased books on certain topics. Another great source of information was parenting magazines. Although I've I've passed the newborn, new parenting phase, I still gravitate to these magazines. They're always filled with a range of information, products and resources. 

But what I love most about parenting magazines were the feature articles. I enjoy an article that challenges my thinking and or opens my eyes to other forms of parenting and nurturing or educates me on something I didn't know before.

I've recently discovered My Child Magazine (although they have been around since 2006) and I love trolling through every page. My Child Magazine was created by Lise Taylor who, like all new mums wanted to be around for the first few years of her son's life. So utilising her 20 years of magazine editorial experience created My Child Magazine. Previously the magazine was printed quarterly but just this month moved to a monthly digital format.

What I love about this magazine is firstly, it's FREE ... I don't even need to explain why that's a bonus. Secondly, its in a digital format and those who know me personally know how pro-digital anti-paper I am; and I could go on and on about the benefits of having paper based information digitally. I even have this brilliant electronic receipt idea that I think AusPost is starting to roll out ... I knew I should've patent my idea .. but anyway I digress ...

I could go on about the quality of the articles published, products advertised and range of content this magazine covers but I'm going to be a bit of a geek and talk about the technology aspects that impressed me about this magazine. My background is IT (information technology), in particular systems and impacts to end users; and this magazine has really took that into consideration.

Every advertisement or product or company that is mentioned on this magazine has a (hyper) link already set up so that once you click on it you are taken to that company's website. No more writing the link down or trying to search for the company yourself on google, My Child Magazine has included the link for you.

The front cover and contents page has hyper links too so you can jump straight to the articles or sections you want to read now instead of clicking through every page or trying to find it via thumbnails. 

If you want to see how awesome this magazine is check out the June issue here. I highly recommend joining their subscription so you know when their latest issue is out, issued their newsletter as well as be informed about competitions and special offers. 

Finally a parenting magazine that's available online and for free!! 

Sponsored post by My Child Magazine

The Apple Traitor

I recently got a new phone. Why? Because my previous phone is older than Eli and it was beginning to die, literally ... as the battery wasn't even charging properly anymore.

My first smart phone was an Apple and I think this is the case for a lot of people because Apple's persuasive marketing convinced me I want one. I remember thinking "I don't need a smart phone. As long as I can make and receive calls and text messages, that's all I need from a mobile phone." How things have changed .... 

Today, our expectations of what our mobile devices should do have changed. Making a call is still a requirement but so is being able to get on the internet, take high quality photos, watch movies, integrate with our other devices, be a GPS navigator - just to name a few features we demand of our phones today.

Apple revolutionised the smart phone game but over the years other competitors started to emerge in the market but, I continued to be loyal to Apple by always opting for an iPhone  ... until now. Admittedly I only made the switch away from Apple because they may or may not introduce a new phone. And it won't be released until towards the end of the year but I can't hold out for that long.

So I recently purchased a Samsung Galaxy 5. Why buy out right instead of join a plan? I did the maths and for me, I mostly use data. I'm usually at home utilising our home internet data via Wifi so I don't require a large data plan. Actually, Ian and I have been on prepaid for the past three years. When we reviewed our usage we realised plans were a waste of money for us.

A few people have asked me how the Galaxy fairs against the iPhone, Android vs IOS (Apple) so I thought I'd do a little comparison. If you're looking for a review on techie specs and gadget features I suggest googling and finding other sites and blogs who do this in more detail. This review is more on the main functionality differences I instantly noticed as a general user between the two phones.

• Larger Surface Area. Yes Samsung phones are bigger than the iPhones but you get over the "bigness" in a day. As humans we adjust and accustom to change and within hours you forget that you even complained about how large it is. Admittedly now when I pick up an iPhone I think they're really cute cause they're so tiny. Only other time I noticed the Galaxy's size is when I put it in my back pocket and sit down. I feel like I'm sitting on a flat screen tv and I'm going to break it. 
• Loss of some Apps. Some apps do not have an Andriod version, which is kinda annoying. I don't really download apps so the limited apps I do want to use I was hoping to continue to have access to. There are some equivalent Andriod apps available which people have recommended eg. Phonto to replace Over. But there are a few that are waiting for an Andriod version to be built eg. Picture Postie. 
• iMessage. Obviously moving to Samsung I've lost the option to send iMessages to fellow iPhone users. For those who don't know what iMessage is, its a free service from Apple that allows users of iOS-powered devices to send text messages over Wi-Fi instead of text message using a telco provider. The iMessage works for iPhone and iPod devices. For iPhone users you will know whether a message has come across as an iMessage by its distinguishable blue bubble instead of telco standard message which appears in a green bubble. Now ever message I send is costing me money unless I use other Wi-Fi message sending services such as Whatsapp. 
• Extra Steps. With the Galaxy I noticed some of the features or tools an everyday user would use requires an extra step to complete compared the iPhones. For example to call someone from your contacts list you press the Phone icon, identify the contact you want to call, press their profile and then you have to press the call button before the phone commences the call. Compared to the iPhone to complete the same task you would press the phone icon, identify the contact you want to call, select their profile and the phone will commence the call. Same with editing a photo the Galaxy requires the user to take extra steps to complete the task. 
• Predictive Text. The Galaxy has this option called predictive text which is similar to iPhone's autocorrect. Predictive text is a technology used in text messaging that suggests words to a user based on the letters being entered and the overall phrase being written, making messaging easier and more efficient. I actually prefer this technology over the autocorrect for two main reasons. As you are keying your word predictive text suggests and displays three potential words it assumes you are trying to write. When I see the word I am trying to write I select it to be added to the text message, removing the need to write the complete word minimising finger strokes. iPhones assumes a word you are trying to use and replaces it which can be annoying if you've written the word only to be autocorrected and replaced. Hence why there are so many autocorrect fails and memes online. Last reason why I prefer predictive text is it predicts the actual next word (not sure how it does this) and suggests them to you. About 70% of the time the word they suggest is spot on again, minimising finger strokes which is a win in my books. 
• Options and features for all creatures. There are so many setting feature options it can be overwhelming. I played around for a few hours and made changes but then had to reboot my phone a week later losing all the changes I made and restoring phone to its original settings. So now I'm using all the default settings, colours, size text, background image and message tones cause personalising this phone will require half a day and ain't nobody got time for that. You can even download free or buy skins for your Galaxy.
• Android has replicated a lot of the same functionality as Apple but there are a few that requires retraining your self. For example copying a text or image. With an Android a menu bar appears at the top of the screen when you highlight something with the intention to copy it. The only thing I can fault with the menu bar is it consists of icons and no description of what each does. So I had to play around and use each icon to figure out what each one did.

Here are a few commonly asked questions I've gotten since getting the Galaxy5 I thought I'd also cover:

Q. Is it a better phone?

A. Like I mentioned my previous phone was already really old. It wasn't charging, there was a lag doing the simplest tasks, camera quality wasn't the best and I've dropped it a few times, so a newer phone from my previous one was always going to be better. Is it better than an iPhone? Technically yes, from a specification perspective but I think its personal opinion. 

Q. Do I think the Galaxy is better than iPhone?

*sigh* ..... *thinking long and hard* ..... *thinking about the functionality differences but also what I use my phone for* .... *thinking about whether what I do is easier now or before* ...... *thinking whether that out weighs my complaints about the phone* ....

Yes.

Q. Is it true its easier to use than an iPhone?

I think the answer to this is based on the end user and their capabilities to adapt and learn something new. I think if you currently use a touch screen smart phone it won't be hard for you to learn how to use another touch screen smart phone. I do feel the Android operating system mimics how you navigate on a computer and use programs which, probably explains why people think its easier to use than an iPhone.

Q. Is it (Samsung Galaxy5) compatible with other Apple devices?
Yes of course. It's in Samsung's best interest to ensure integration between the two brands. This is something I hear a lot "But everything else I have is Apple and I don't want to change." Samsung also utilises USB ports so you can recharge or transfer data across from you phone to your laptop / ipad. If anything I think it's easier because you don't need software to transfer your data across.

Q. Would you get an iPhone again or are you an Android convert?

Yes I would. If I was in the same scenario again in a few years time and the newest phone on the market was an iPhone I would get it. As I previously mentioned my smart phone needs aren't too technical and specific, so as long as I can make calls, text and take photo's that's probably the scope of my requirements. 

This was not a sponsored post just my personal view of the Samsung Galaxy 5 and because I keep getting asked about the difference and my opinion of it.

Scratch Me Not & Bamboo Sleeping Bag Review

The family was at a 1st birthday a few weeks ago and of course at these events you not only catch up with friends but with other families you don't often see. 

I've mentioned previously Kai's been diagnosed with eczema and at this party I was sharing my pain with another mother whose son also had eczema at a young age. We exchanged stories of how heart breaking the condition can be especially when they're having severe episodes and methods we have tried to control it. She recommended a product to me that he son was actually using at that moment. It was the Scratch Me Not mittens. She said she found it useful as the mittens are made of soft fabric which lessens the irritation on the skin.

Keen to try anything outside of steroid ointments and drugs I thought I'd give this product a go. I found a supplier who stocked the product and also another product I wanted to try, the Bamboo Baby Sleeping Bag. Once I received the products I used them on Kai straight away. 

The Scratch Me Not mittens are like a bolero, so it only covers the child's shoulders and arms. It can be worn over or even under child's clothing. At the sleeves there is extra fabric which can be flipped over to cover the child's hands preventing them from scratching or you can keep it as is so the child can still use their hands. 

The Bamboo Baby Bag is a zip up sleeping bag with arm sleeves to keep your child from scratching at night. The sleeves are adjustable so you can make them longer as your child grows. The bag can be used up to age two or whenever your child physically out grows the bag. 

After three weeks of using these products I can definitely see some improvements on Kai's skin. The benefits I've realised include:

• His eczema was mostly around his neck and face and because he's not rubbing these areas with his hands or synthetic fabric its not as red and irritated anymore. I realised using socks to cover his hands with probably flaring his skin up more as they are made of quite rough fabric where as the mitten are made of silk.  
• The products are of high quality breathable fabric, I'd even say resilient. Only because with a 6 month old these products were subjected to saliva, vomit, greasy ointments and regular rotation in the washing machine, and they still cleaned well and maintained their shape. And because they are of high quality material it's gentle on sensitive skin. 
• The sleeping bag is great for nights because I can put Kai into it and not worry about putting another blanket over him wondering if he's warm enough at night. On the warmer nights I'd put him in a singlet, a nappy and the bag over him. As parents of eczema kids know it better to keep them slightly under dress so they don't over heat and sweat.
• The sleeping bag has a double zipper feature so I could change Kai's nappy without having to remove the bag off his body. This was especially great as he would try and scratch his body when ever his hands had the opportunity. 
• I use the the mittens during the day and the bag at night and he seems to be sleeping much better because he's not rubbing his skin with rough fabrics or scratching his skin.

Only down side I would say is:

• I keep the mittens on him all day and as I mentioned they tend to get exposed to all elements a 6 month old would subject on a piece of clothing to. I've gotten food on the mittens, spit on the sleeping bag, its gotten greasy moisturiser all over it so be prepared to wash these items frequently or purchase another set for rotation. 
• Sleeping bags are big enough to accommodate up to a two year old which means they are quiet big for a 6 month old baby. There are pockets where you can adjust the arm length to make it shorter however I found excess material would still come out of the pockets.

Regardless, I can't rave enough about the improvement to my son's wellness since using these products. Of course you still need to be on top of your child's condition by applying appropriate creams, follow any advice your doctor has given you and constantly ensuring your child's skin is moisturised. However these products have helped me control my son's scratching and manage his eczema.

You can purchase these products and or read more about them on Bamboo Baby's web site. You can purchase these products on Bamboo Baby individually or they also have bundle packs. 

First day of using the mittens. Kai's very red and irritated face

 Kai sleeping with the Scratch Me Not mittens on

Peaceful in the Bamboo Baby Sleeping Bag

Sponsored post by Bamboo Buddy

10 Useful Gifts to Give First Time Mums

Is it just me or does it seem like everyone is having babies? I thought last year there were so many babies born, mine included, but this year is fairing up to be more baby booming than the last.

Babies usually also mean baby showers and I love celebrating the up coming arrival of a new bub. I don't know if it's all the oestrogen but there's just so much love in the room. The day is usually filled with quirky games, delicious bite size foods and adorable gifts for bub. 

When it comes to gift giving sometimes its hard to know what to get the mother to be. Having two bubs myself I've unravelled what one really needs in preparation for her new baby. Besides the obvious items such as a cot, stroller, car seat etc I've compiled a list of my top 10 useful things to give a first time mum.

1. Baby Wipes. Not only are they used to wipe dirty bottoms but be used to clean your hands before you touch your baby, rub off the vomit your baby just made on your shirt, wipe down a toy you dropped on the floor  ... the list goes on. A mother can never have enough of this muti purpose item. 

2. Nappies. A newborn goes through 6-8 nappies a day. Nappies will definitely be used and appreciated. A lot of people opt to getting newborn nappies, however some babies quickly out grow this size. If you know the gender of the expected baby you could gift the next size up nappies, so that mother to be is not bombarded with so many of the same size.

3. Wraps. After leaving the hospital with Eli the one thing I felt totally confused about was how to wrap him. Every midwife who came into my room at the hospital taught me a different way which totally confused me. Wraps like the Love to Swaddle or Ergo range helps keep baby snug and warm without the headache of trying to learn a wrapping technique. 

4. Breast Pads. Mothers tend to go through a lot of these soft cotton pads especially once their milk comes in. They can be very expensive so its a gift option that a new breastfeeding mom will definitely need.

5. Bottles and Teats. Baby bottles are always a great gift but the mother to be is going to need an array of teats to cater for milk flow. As a newborn your baby will need teats that only have one hole but as they get older and demand a stronger flow, teats with more holes need to be purchased to accommodate baby's needs.

6. Bottle Steriliser. New born babies need their bottles and any item that will make contact with their mouth or food source sterilised. Their tummies are very sensitive at first and does not have the maturity yet to fight the bugs associated with everyday germs. There are various types of microwaveable and electric steriliser options available. Either option does the same job effectively, it's just a matter of preference. However, I opted for a steriliser that does not take too long to sterilise.

7. Towels. Baby towels are an item most people totally forget about. Sure you could use the same towels you have at home but you have this new baby with soft delicate skin. You don't want to use the same towels you have at home that's been used and abused. What I love about baby towels is that there is usually a hoodie on one corner so you can cover the baby's head, which will keep them warm.

8. Breast Pump. I breastfed my babies and yes it's the best and easiest source of food for my babies. It meant however, my babies were like a ball and chain. Unable to be away too far or too long for feeds. Sure the first few weeks or months are doable, but life moves on and you will be freed from house arrest one day. Until your baby is on formula or solids you still need to provide sustenance to your baby while you escape for a few hours. A breast pump allows a mother to express milk for when she's away from her baby. I have used a hand pump before but I was exerting all this effort and time to produce so little milk. I then decided to invested in a decent electric pump and it has saved me my sanity. It does the job so much more efficiently than if you did it manually and I was getting more milk in a fraction of the time. 

9. Bottle Drying Rack. Once baby bottles have been washed and sterilised you need to let them dry somewhere. And like my household there isn't a lot of sink space for all our dishes and baby's bottles. A drying rack is really handy as it allows mothers to allocate a space for drying baby's bottles and teats.

10. Baby Carrier. Newborns love to be physically close to their mothers and or be held. However we all know we cant carry our precious babies all day everyday. Carriers or slings are available to allow mothers (and fathers) to still hold their baby handsfree. They're useful when your baby wants to be held but you need to get some house chores done or an alternative to lugging around a stroller when you're out.

So these are my top ten items I found useful when I first became a mother. Some items I identified as something I needed, but some I only discovered when I was in the thick of newborn parenting.

Are you also surrounded by friends who are expecting? Or have you recently become a mother? Well I'm pleased to share a promotion with my readers. Baby Village is a baby store and online retailer who stock a wide range of known brands and products for mum and bub. Baby Village is allowing me to give my readers and followers 15% off everything on their site but only until 24th of March 2014. Just enter the code: genymum in the promotional code box during the check out process to receive discount. Please read full terms and conditions below.

Sponsored post by Baby Village.

Terms & Conditions:

• Not to be used in conjunction with any other offer. 
• Does not include delivery charges, gift vouchers or gift wrapping.
• Excludes the Olli Ella Moma Glider
• Only valid online. Not available instore
• Offer ends 24th March 2014

What's In A Label?

Eli is about to start child care soon which he'll be attending twice a week. It'll be good for both of us. Good for him as it allows him to play and socialise with other children, and good for me as it will allow for some alone time for Kai and I.

Being new to the whole child care process, I had a million and one questions on the centre's procedures and care approach, but was also lost about what I needed to do or bring in preparation for my child to go to child care.

One of the things I will need to do is bring along a few personal items for my son to make his time there comfortable. So obviously personal property requires tagging everything so it doesn't get lost amongst other similar objects. And for me that means sourcing some personalised labels to stick onto his property.

Fabrik Review & Giveaway

I was recently contacted to see if I was keen to review some kids clothing. I love fashion, in particular clothing so of course my answer would be a big YES!

I was introduced to a label called Fabrik. This Australian label not only creates beautiful women's and baby clothing but quilts, bed sheets, spreads and dolls. They also stock unique children's toys which are outsourced. Fabrik uses environmentally friendly fabrics and are handcrafted and produced ethically in Bali, using cottage industry where workers who are paid fairly and are trained to work from home. Meaning they can generate an income while being with their children, which I totally support!

The founder and designer, Sarah Hardie has an eye for all things beautiful and delicate and you can definitely notice this in it's range. Personally, I like Fabrik's blend of classic and contemporary, floral and batik, cotton and lace - all things pretty.

They have just released their new range online, which will have a collection of classic designs with a refined bohemian edge feel to it. While the baby and children's range boasts playful and pretty in practical cuts.

I'm also pleased to be giving away the Amelia Dress in Herringbone Print as shown below.

If you would like to go into the draw to win this beautiful dress all you need to do is:

1. Follow me on Instagram: @gen_y_mum

2. Follow @fabrikstore on Instagram

3. Repost the image for this giveaway, which is on my Instagram account (@gen_y_mum) and hash tag #fabrikgiveaway 

Entries close 17/11/2013 23:59 Standard Eastern Time

Winner will be drawn 18/12/2013 and announced via Instagram

Good Luck!!

Terms & Conditions:

Competition is only available to Australian residents, sorry

Dress size 0 would fit 6m-9m old girl

TBT - Ala Moana Hotel

On our last six nights in Hawaii, we stayed at Ala Moana Hotel. You can book this hotel directly through the hotel web site, various accommodation booking sites or privately through the apartment owners via an agent. We booked it through an agent so I was able to negotiate the room rate as well as avoid paying the daily hotel fee.

We booked apartment 807 which ended up being a corner 1 bedroom suite. It had a separate bedroom, living room, kitchenette and bathroom. 

Positives:

• The room was relatively spacious. There was ample areas for us to move around in.
• The kitchenette was equipped with basic utensils and cooking equipment. There was an electric oven, a microwave oven, a few pots and pans, kettle, toaster and two mini fridges for when you want to buy and cook your own meals.
• The hotel was right across the road from the Ala Moana Shopping Centre. There was even a ramp from the hotel to the shops for easier access for guests. 
• Room rates included use of the room internet/wifi although the hotel had free wifi for guests staying that we could also access.     
• Although we booked room through a private agent we could still utilise the hotel's facilities such as the gym and pool. 

Negatives:

• Because we booked the apartment through a private agent, house keeping did not service our room. This meant we had to maintain the apartment ourselves therefore we had to clean up after ourselves, replenish any basic stock and remove any rubbish ourselves. 
• The room had that used "wear and tear" look to it. Not sure if its because it's not cleaned regularly but the bathroom had mould and cracks as well as a damp smell. It could certainly do with an exhaust fan as well, so steam had somewhere to escape to.
• The bed was hard, pillows flat and we found a blond hair underneath the cover on our first day. So we changed the sheets ourselves just to be safe.
• The shower taps were not easy to use and the water pressure was not very strong. 
• The owners do not provide anything. You're lucky to get whatever you find there when you first arrive but going forward you replenish everything yourself at your own expense. We had to purchase our own dish washing detergent, plastic bags for the garbage bin and toilet paper. 
• The apartment did have a dishwasher but had a sign stuck on it stating it was not currently in use. 
• The apartment did not have very good noise protection, as we could hear everything from cars leaving the next door car park, kids laughing from the upstairs apartment and the general traffic from a nearby busy road.
• The hotel was further away from the busy Waikiki Beach strip. This was our first time in Hawaii so we would have preferred to be closer to the touristy part of Waikiki.    

Overall, it was a comfortable stay at Ala Moana Hotel. The apartment fulfilled our comfort needs from an accommodation perspective. I would recommend staying here if you want direct access to Ala Moana Shopping Centre. 

Would I stay here again? It depends on whom I'm travelling with and the purpose of the holiday. If it's with my family I'd rather stay closer to the beach but if I was travelling with friends this place would be a perfect option for something clean, spacious and reasonably priced. 

 Kitchenette and Dining area

 Bedroom

 The view from our bedroom balcony

Bathroom