Blessed Tiny Steps

Just to share another quick and easy air fryer recipe - because who doesn’t love a shortcut to deliciousness? and yes, health too? This time we have chicken mid-joints :) I used to rely on the oven, but now the air fryer steals the show -- cooking faster and leaving those pesky fats behind for a healthier, crispier bite. Win-win!  How's that for you? In Philips Air Fryer Basket                                                           Chicken mid-joints with perfect crispy crunch. Ingredients : 1) Chicken mid-joints (1kg) - thawed 2) Sesame oil (1 tablespoon) 3) Oyster sauce and a pinch of salt 4) Montreal Steak spice/seasoning Steps : 1) Thaw the mid-joints. Once thawed, pat them dry. 2) Place all mid-joints in a dish (preferrable one with lid).  3) Drizzle in all other ingredients. 4) Mix (you may use d...

Morning. Arms outstretched—his silent invitation for a hug. Afternoon. Back from school, same gesture. This time, arms flung wider, like he’s trying to hug the entire universe, and paired with a sheepish grin that says, Well? What are you waiting for? Late afternoon. I'm still deep in keyboard wizardry, spinning deadlines out of caffeine and desperation. He saunters in -- No words. Arms spread out like a human starfish, shuffling left, right, and sideways like a determined penguin on a mission, silently demanding a pause in my productivity.  All occasions , I welcome with open heart and open arms. Rain or shine, chaos or calm, my arms are a 24/7 hug station. No occasion too big, no moment too small -- come what may, life. Night. My turn now. Come here, hug hug buddy. Hug before you disappear into your fortress of solitude. ~ ~ ~ That’s my boy. Words aren’t really his thing -- at least not the spoken or dramatic facial expressions.  But give him a pen, and suddenly, he’s a...

I've never been much good at visual art—painting, in particular—like, ever. It’s just not my cup of tea. Or so I told myself. Ironically, if childhood interests are any indication of our true callings, I’m more of a musical soul, proven by the stash of singing competition prizes I collected back in my primary and secondary school days. But those glory days were, well, donkey years ago. Recently, though, as I wandered through the land of "What should I do next?" after an intentional career slowdown/hiatus, a few close friends started raving about their painting journeys. And wouldn’t you know it—a little spark of curiosity ignited in me. Alright then, I thought, maybe I’ll give it a whirl. You never know until you try, right? So, like any good beginner in the 21st century, I dove headfirst into research mode. Countless YouTube tutorials? Check. Blogs with impossibly beautiful masterpieces? Check. An existential crisis over choosing a medium? Double check. Watercolor? Oil? ...

Subject under investigation: One (1) bag of Mofusand stickers. " Mummy, I can't find my Mofusand stickers. " A familiar plea. I pause, thinking. " Did you bring them to school? Are they tucked underneath the mountain of books on your bed? " Moments later. " Mummy, I found them! They have all along been in my school bag!"  "Thank you Mummy! " Fast forward.  " Mummy, do you know where my wallet is? " Without missing a beat, I point toward the TV console.  "Right there." And just like that, my detective skills earn me a megawatt smile and another enthusiastic ~ "Thank you, Mummy!" 🥰 This scene has played out not once, not twice, but countless times—last week, yesterday, and even this morning. Truth be told, it's been a recurring theme over the years. Through it all, I’m learning (okay, still trying to learn) to see the beauty in these little moments of everyday life. For her, it’s a journey of growing up—lear...

3-Ingredient Banana Oatmeal Cake: Fresh out of the air fryer. Pardon the knife marks on the cake—it was just too aromatic to resist! I couldn’t wait and completely forgot to take a picture first. 😆 How the batter looked like after mixing all ingredients. What you will need : 1) 3 Bananas 2) Half a cup of Oatmeal (instant or quick-cook) 3) 2 Eggs Optional : 1) One quarter cup of fresh milk (any brand will do, I prefer Marigold HL) 2) 2 tablespoons of unsalted peanut butter Steps : 1) In a mixing bowl, mash two bananas. 2) Mix in all other ingredients. Mix well, using a spoon or fork is good enough. 3) Place an air fryer paper liner in the air fryer basket. Pour in the batter. Top it up with sliced banana. 4) Air fry for 20 mins at 180 deg Celcius. 5) Voila! Bon Appetit!

Decided to write about our memorable trip to New Zealand in June 2024. It has been on my mind for quite some time, and I've finally carved out some time to make it happen ~ it is now or never!😄 Let's dive in! The June school holiday is upon us again! And here comes the much-anticipated family trip to New Zealand! This is our second family trip to NZ (following our first to the North Island in the previous year ~ June 2023), and this time we are exploring the South Island! We flew by Air New Zealand (code-sharing with Singapore Airlines) by redeeming in part unutilized credits due to a cancelled trip affected by Covid back in 2019. The airfare costs around S$7800 for the four of us (2 Adults, 1 teenager, and 1 child). Flight information at Changi Airport on departure We decided to do the SIN-CHC-QTN-SIN route as after much contemplations and research (including reading blogs and consulting destination exports on Tripadvisor.com), ending the trip in Queenstown is a better choice...