Splash Pad

Last weekend for Family Fun Day (known to some people as Saturday) we went to the giant aviary a few minutes from our house, the Jurong Bird Park. Not only does it boast one of the world's largest collection of tropical birds, but more importantly it has an amazing and huge splash pad. So naturally we are the proud owners of an annual family pass, which is often put to use on Family Fun Day.

Jonathan was in heaven. It was, after all, a combination of four of his favorite things: water, swings, older kids, and undivided attention from doting adults.

Such a sweet, happy boy.

Did I mention he loves swings? He does.

The higher he goes, the better.

And since Jon was in heaven, we were too. 

It's days like these that I genuinely cannot imagine how my life could be better or sweeter. Happy Family Fun Day!

A Mystery Solved

Most nights this mysterious (and very loud) sound just outside our apartment accompanies whatever we do...

When we first moved here, we thought it was a cow or some other livestock. But no one really keeps livestock in urban Singapore.

So then we decided it was someone's air conditioner that was in desperate need of repair and servicing. But it came from a different direction every night.

Maybe it was a strange Southeast Asian instrument we had never heard of, and someone was walking the grounds playing it?

Finally the mystery was solved when on his way home from work Fabio asked a Singaporean man walking in front of him what that crazy sound was...

Are you ready? Are you curious?

It's a toad.

Little Islands

There's no question our favorite thing about Singapore is the friends we have made, and continue to make, here. A close second is the adventures we go on with the fun people we keep finding! This month we took a couple of day trips to little islands off the coast of Singapore.

First, Jonathan and I took a cruise on a gaudy ship with a huge group of friends to Kusu Island, just off the coast of Singapore.

The weather was perfect and it was fun to see the city from a distance.

Our buddies, Sage and Jessica

The island had a little temple, a beautiful beach (swimsuits next time), and a lot of turtles--all in one fun morning! You can see Singapore's skyline in the distance. 

I think J's favorite part was chilling with the ladies, though. Don't you think so?

Poor Jonathan. All is baby friends are girls. Or, maybe lucky Jonathan...

Then last Monday we took a precarious but functional little ferry with some friends to another island off Singapore's coast, Pulau Ubin, to rent bikes and explore the island.

We felt very welcomed

We strapped Jonathan into a safe-ish-looking baby seat on the front of Fabio's bike and cruised around jungle trails all morning. Jonathan was in heaven with the wind in his hair flying through the jungle.

Really. He's strapped in. I promise.

After a long day of biking, hiking, and wild boar watching Jonathan was exhausted and started to fall asleep, so we put him in the carrier for the trip back.

It was another fun day with great company. We just love our people here!

Jon and Sage. Such a ladies man.

Our adopted Gaertner, Lindsay. 

We're secretly happy when her husband travels 

because that means we get her all to ourselves!

Basically, we really like it here.

Majulah Singapura!