Moomy & the Ice Bucket Challenge (Part 2)

*sighs* I seriously couldn't work out the kinks ... maybe there's a limit as to how many videos one can upload in a single post ...

Or Blogger just cannot handle all 4 O'Bayleys in one single page hehehehe

Either way, here's a funny one of our eldest boy, Tommy V, doing his part to help spread the word on ALS.

One last video to upload ... watch this space, OK? #IceBucketChallenge #StrikeOutALS


Update as of 1636hrs, 20th Aug 2014:
Hmmmph! Funny thing was, the above little window is playing all the 4 videos we took for the Ice Bucket Challenge. All you need to do is click on the rewind or forward button to scroll through the playlist.

*rolls eyes* Technology! But it works, so hey, all's good! Enjoy the videos and don't forget to do your part too, alright? :D

Toodles for now!! :D:D:D

Moomy & the Ice Bucket Challenge (Part 1)

Guess what we did this week, guys?

We completed the #IceBucketChallenge!! 

It all started with my darling hubby’s nephew Noah, posting a video on his FB page. The challenge was pretty simple but the underlying message was to raise awareness on this fatal disease called ALS across all social media.

ALS is short for Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. And if that long-winded word doesn’t get your tongue twisted, here’s the more commonly known name ALS is known by: Lou Gehrig’s disease.

The late Lou Gehrig, who played 

or New York Yankees for 17 seasons.

This disease attacks your nerve cells (also called neurons), which are located in the brain, brain stem and spinal cord. These neurons help us control the voluntary muscles such as those in our face, arms and legs.

How, you ask? Well, neurons in the brains (the upper motor neurons) send out messages to neurons in the spinal cord (the lower motor neurons) and from there to particular muscles.

In ALS, what happens is that the body’s upper and lower neutrons start to die; meaning the nerve cells stop sending messages to muscles. When that happens, the affected individual will have difficulty to move their arms, walk and do simple things like write. 

Eventually, this disease causes total paralysis and death in the affected individual within 2 to 5 years of diagnosis. *shakes head* 

There hasn’t been a cure for ALS yet, although FDA (Food & Drug Administration) has approved a drug called Riluzole, which helps to slow the progress of ALS.

All in all, ALS is a horrible disease and we wanted to help spread the awareness by taking part in the Ice Bucket Challenge.

It’s a simple challenge of turning over a bucket of iced water over oneself and in turn, nominating others to do the same. Those who opt to stay dry may make a donation to The ALS Association.

So back to our cheeky nephew, Noah … well, he nominated his Uncle Tommy (a.k.a. my darling hubby) and Aunty Bud (ME!!) to do the Challenge!

Here are a couple of the videos we made:

This was my darling hubby's IBC! 

And he nominated a couple of his good friends

from SG, Mike Bromley and Isham Nonis!

Ooo and me, the wifey! :D

He's only 2 years old but he wants to
do his part for ALS too!

For some reason, I am having trouble uploading the other 2 videos of myself and our eldest boy carrying out the challenge. But it'll be online ... one way or another *winks*

I'll be right back ... in the meantime, please help the cause and join the phenomenon of the Ice Bucket Challenge for ALS!

#IceBucketChallenge #StrikeOutALS

Moomy the Bookworm ;-D

Lately, I have been staying up late well past my bedtime reading on my Kindle. I never thought I would say this out loud, much less write about it online but I have grown to really love my e-book reader! 

This was me, enjoying another chapter from the 

Sisterhood series while guzzling down a refreshing blended mocha 

from the local java shop this past Sunday :D

(Thank you, my darling hubby for the wonderful gift! Thank you, my dear BFF for introducing me to this wonderful device! Thank you, my dear MiL for letting me fiddle around with yours!)

With an e-reader, I do not have to worry about shelf-space for them books, nor worry if I had broken the spine. Worse, if I had misplaced my bookmark and had to resort to folding down a page corner! No matter how tiny that corner may be …

When we were packing for Our Big Move to the States,

these were just some of the books that I had to reluctantly sell away ...

And those that we kept, are still 

packed away in these boxes.

I thought it was perfect that I could read even if the bedroom was pitch-black (goodbye, nightlights!). And if I worry that the screen was emitting too much light and might wake my darling hubby or the lil ones, I could just tone down the brightness or switch the page color mode from white to black. Or even sepia!

That is my page in sepia!! And you could tinkle around

with the settings for different font, margins, etc! Fun!

Amazing, isn’t it? And would you believe it, I am still under-utilising my Kindle Fire!

Anyhoo, I am currently obsessed with Fern Michaels’ Sisterhood series. I don’t think I have read any of her books before (I am a huge fan of James Patterson, Nora Roberts, Jude Deveraux, Jill Mansell, Jodi Picoult, to name a few) but boy, was I hooked to this particular series.

You can see from one of the pictures above,

I read quite a bit of trilogies. Especially that of Nora Roberts. 

I believe the last time I truly enjoyed reading

a series of books was JK Rowlings' Harry Potter.

And now … I have Fern Michaels' 

Sisterhood series (she will have 
numbers 23 & 24

out this year)! Sweet!! :D

So hooked that I think, based on my reading speed, I am managing 1 title over 1-2 days. I doubt the book is thick (I can’t figure out the thickness of the book because I am reading it as a soft-copy). But each title averaged about 20 chapters, give or take a couple.

The series is about 7 women who were brought together by tragedy but then learnt quickly that when they pooled their minds together, they could turn their bad luck around and right what was done wrong onto them.

The plot was pretty intriguing though I must admit there were times where I wished Ms. Michaels had elaborated on some bits in her books.

But I must say, as I went from the first title, Weekend Warriors to the sixth, Lethal Justice, I was hooked onto Charles and his Angels so bad that I just needed to know what will happen next ...

I’ve just finished reading Deadly Deals, the 16^th title in the Sisterhood series. I think by far, this is Ms. Michaels’ funniest book – the exchange of witty barbs between the men got me stifling my giggles at night. Not to mention their unfortunate predicaments too!

I cannot tell you more because it might just ruin it for you, my dear reader. Just in case you are intrigued by what I have written so far about The Vigilantes and their mission to seek revenge :D

OOO I must also say that as I continue to join them on their missions, I’m beginning to dream about which actor/actress will portray these characters best. Don’t you ever feel that way about the books that you read?

And with this series numbering more than 20 titles, I am beginning to see the characters a wee bit more clearly …

In my eyes, if these books were to be made into a TV series, I see Poppy Montgomery portraying Nikki Quinn. Ms. Montgomery played a FBI agent in that TV drama Without A Trace and most recently, a detective who can remember everything in Unforgettable.

 I bet Poppy could play the role

of smart lawyer-turned-vigilante very well ;-)

And Dame Helen Mirren would be perfect as the sprightly Countess Annie de Silva. If she could pull off portraying Queen E, she could defo play Annie! 

 I am looking forward to Dame Mirren's

latest movie, The Hundred-Foot Journey.

OOO and Sir Sean Connery would be perfect as the ex-British spy Charles Martin, don’t you think? C’mon, he’s got the accent (even though it’s a Scottish twang) and he is after all, James Bond!! Hehehehe :D

Hands down, he's the best 007 ever!

That’s all I have for now. I haven’t found faces for the other characters yet but it’ll come to me, I’m sure.

OOO I just read that Ms. Michaels is writing a spin-off series for the Men of the Sisterhood!! WOOHOO!! :D:D:D Mind you, I have to quickly close the page so that I won't accidentally read any spoilers …

Right! Its time to fix dinner so toodles for now, y'all!! :D

Moomy & The Love of Her Life!

11th August 2014

Today is a special day for my darling husband & me. We celebrate our 7th year as Mr & Mrs :D:D:D

My darling hubby & me :D

This Bollywood outfit was one of my fave :D:D:D

The headgear looked awesome and gave me 

quite the blinding headache afterwards 

hehehe getting dolled up was a painful affair, y'all :D

I still remember the night of our solemnization in SG.  I was nervous, but the good kind, y'know. I was sitting in my bridal room, stuck under all the brushes and fake eyelashes. So I had sent my sister and girly cousins to spy at the front door and send me word when they see my groom.

I was never one to really doll up … but boy, 

that wedding weekend was the week I was primped, 

dolled and styled like a princess! I kinda enjoyed it too hehehe 

I could not recall who it was who rushed in and told me but I remembered her words. She said breathlessly, "Kak Yu, Kak Yu, he's here!! Abang T is here!!" 

I had smiled in return and then asked "How does he look?"

My spy's reply: "Handsooooommmmmmmmeeeeee!!" Hehehehehe :D:D:D

My handsome groom :D

My cousin, Chu-ah, caught this intimate moment:

I remembered telling him softly "I'm your wife now, hunny!" 

It was quite overwhelming, that feeling … 

we were very happy then, and happier now :D

Hehehehehe :D:D:D

7 years on and 2 little boys later, we’ve been through some rough patches but ploughed through the storm. We have beautiful moments as a couple and even better ones as our little family grew.

Trying to take a picture together but

getting photo-bombed by the lil ones! ;-D

We learnt a lot about each other; how much we complement the other in terms of strengths and weaknesses. 

He never fails to surprise me; just this past weekend, he surprised me by suddenly saying “you look hot, honey”. If that doesn’t make my heart bounce all over the place, I don’t know what does. Hehehehe :D

One of my fave pics of that evening :D

My darling T,

Happy Anniversary, hunny! 

Writing this post brought to mind so many beautiful memories of us - that message you first sent to me, our endless emails back and forth, the adventures we had together as a dating couple and then as newlyweds, the places we've been to together … 

Of course, nothing beats the joy of becoming parents to our lil boys. And its getting crazier now as the boys are growing up …

So as we celebrate our 7th year together, I am thankful to The Almighty for bringing us together. 

And just as I had on the night we became husband & wife, I pray that our union lasts for all of eternity, in this world and the next. 

I love you, hunny, so very very much! :D:D:D Here's to many many more!!

All my love,

B xxx

Moomy's Backkkk!! *winks*

*dusted the cobwebs off her blog page*

Heh. Like that’s ever possible, huh?

Well, hello hello everybody!! Moomy’s back!! :D:D:D So how’s it going? How was your July? Can you believe it’s AUGUST already? OMG!! How time flies!!

I took a month off blogging because for some reason, the creative juices weren’t quite flowing. I couldn’t seem to put my thoughts into words on the puter. Plus, the summer heat got to me and all I wanted to do was sit and vegetate.

But I’m back now!! I’m absolutely bubbling with excitement because I’ve been busy baking and cooking and reading (OOO I must share with you the books that have been keeping me awake at night! That will come later, OK?) – so much to share, so little time!

So how about some sweet delights to kick off this beautiful month of August? :D It’s a special month for beloved friends and family back in SG and Malaysia – Selamat Hari Raya, everybody!! Eid Mubarak! :D When Eid comes around, it always mean open houses on weekends with delicious, home-cooked feasts and lots of wonderful cookies and cakes!

I defo did not want to miss out on the sweets so I started with something simple first. This is my take on the popular Honey Joy Cornflakes.

I must warn you though: these Honey Joys are bloody addictive. I have made 7 batches in the past 10 days *giggles* Uh huh. It IS very delish!! So ...

Over medium-high heat, I plonked these ingredients into my trusty frying pan: 4.5 tablespoons of unsalted butter, 1/3 cup sugar, 2 generous tablespoons of honey, 2 teaspoons of vanilla and a pinch of salt. Stir these with a wooden spoon until the butter has melted and the mixture turns frothy.

Cubes of butter + honey + vanilla = sweet tickles to your nose!

 Keep stirring - I enjoyed watching the butter melt into the golden syrup!

I tweaked the original recipe by adding vanilla 

and salt - how could you not add vanilla when 

you have a honey & butter mixture? :D 

And salt … it just makes the creamy factor POP! :D

Look at that frothy mixture!! Mind you, it's HOT!!

Once the sweet-smelling mixture has started to bubble up, take it off the heat and pour in 4 cups of corn flakes. Mix it well.

Now back in SG, I had cut glaced red and green cherries to top these honeyed cornflakes. I haven’t found any here at the local Freddy’s so I generously added chocolate sprinkles to the mixture. You can also add black/golden raisins or chopped dried cranberries … whatever tickles your fancy. Just mix it well.

For my 1st batch, I had sprinkled chocolate rice 

all over each individual Joy. I didn't like

the way it went everywhere but the cornflakes. 

So the 2nd time round, I worked 

the sprinkles into the cornflakes mixture.

That was much much better.

Line a mini muffin tray with mini baking cups and spoon your cornflakes mixture into the paper cases. Please be careful because you’re handling hot sugared mixture here – trust me, I have burned my digits several times.

The mixture will be hot and sticky and usually goes all 

over the place but be patient! Delicious sweets take time :D

I thought they looked like lil pots of trees hehehe

Imagine if I had found red and green glaced cherries … 

these would be perfect Christmassy sweets, don't you think?

Once your tray is ready, pop it into a pre-heated oven of 305 degF for about 10 mins. Once that is done, let your Honey Joys cool off for a bit before storing these lil darlings into an airtight container.

The cornflakes might seem soft once it has come out of the oven but when you let it sit on the counter for a bit, the honey + sugar mixture will tighten up set and that will give these Honey Joys the sweet crunchiness that is just so addictive!! 

Take a whiff of the smell in this container 

filled with Honey Joys: 

it is gob-smackingly mouth-watering, 

I kid you not!!

Just remember to keep these darlings in an airtight container OK? Preferably a clear container. Let's see how well you fight off that urge to munch on a couple of Honey Joys after breakfast/lunch/tea time/dinner. *grins*

Toodles for now! :D