Monday, October 28, 2013

AirDrop !





I adore the new iOS 7.
It has AirDrop.

Emma loves to watch our home videos on her iPad mini. As well as home videos sent by my sisters who live far away.
I usually document events of the day (like zoo trip, whatever) on my iPhone. We don't want her to accidentally delete the videos as she replay it again and again!

With iOS 7 when we get home nowadays I can easily just swipe up the menu from the bottom screen of her iPad. Tap the AirDrop to Contacts Only.
Do the same from my iPhone.
Then open my Camera Roll and select whatever videos or photos I want to share.
A confirmation box will open on her iPad. Tap OK.

In just a few seconds (yes, literally seconds), the videos and photos will be transfered via bluetooth.

Simply amazing.

Before this, we had to use an app called WiFi Transfer. But it took longer. And we had to buy that app.
AirDrop is free.

Thanks so much for making our daily lives much easier, Apple!

Thursday, October 10, 2013

The Flying Concept




Emma tied this balloon to a basket filled with her kitchen toys.

Then threw it up in the air, the Pooh way. I saw the whole thing.
It came down promptly with a crash.
Nathan and I started scolding her for throwing toys.
When I realised that she was as shocked as us.
She actually expected it to fly!

And why wouldn't she? Pooh flew easily, hanging on a balloon.
Curious George flew under a bunch of balloons.

Of course I immediately clarified to her that people don't fly. Not with balloons, umbrellas, or otherwise!

Then a hug.
Thankful that her first try was not jumping off a ledge with a balloon.

Saturday, July 28, 2012

Thermomix Play Dough


I have been holding back on gushing about my thermomix on this blog. Time constraint! Plus I seriously doubt my ability to do justice to this wonderful machine. Simply wonderful.


When we acquired it in January, my husband suddenly was cooking mantou, brownies, profiteroles, and quiche. All by himself. He had never, ever, cooked before!


I cooked mushroom soup, green bean soup, etc. And now I use it everyday for cooking rice, making juices and lemonade. Even boiling pasta and eggs. So it does not have to be a major cooking event. Easy to clean because the TM bowl does not stick.


Recently I gathered up courage to making play dough. (Because I need it for sunday school tomorrow!) And it has not disappoint. So easy to make, so perfect in texture. And did I mention it's so easy to make?


Here's the recipe:


250g water
100g cooking salt
1 tbsp cream of tartar
280g plain flour
2 tbsp cooking oil (can be olive oil, too)
Food coloring

Orange flavoring or Peppermint oil or other essential oil for fragrance

Put water, salt, cream of tartare, and food colouring into TM bowl.
Cook for 5 minutes at 60 deg on speed 3.
Add the flour and mix for 40 seconds (without temperature).

Add the oil, then 1-2 minutes on knead/interval speed (wheat button).
It will look like breadcrumbs. Pour it into a big bowl and knead it in the bowl to keep it together.
Store in airtight containers!