Wall-E

It's been ages since I went to a movie with hubby.  Or rather, we had stopped going to movies since the arrival of our two boys. 

I remembered catching a movie before we 'entered the woods', leaving the boys with my mother, as we figured that there would not be any more movies for us till five years later .... 

Hey, but we were wrong!

We watched half a movie (Horton-hears-a-Who) in a big field, before the screen was blown down.

And we watched a second movie at a cinema with the kids, two weeks after our experience with movie-in-the-field. It was the first time the kids watched a movie in a cinema!  They liked the movie Horton, so we were hoping that they would like Wall-E too!

It was the first show in the morning. 

Not knowing if it would be crowded, we reached there forty-five minutes before the start of the movie ... the cinema was closed!

There was only six people in the cinema. I loved it! 

The little men enjoyed the movie, so did the old man =)

Horton Hears a Who

We received a brochure that read : 

"Films in the Field".

"Free Movie - Horton Hears A Who"

" Bring Blankets. Free Parking in Lots. Face-painting. Balloons."

" Fun for the whole family"

Wow! Movies! 

When was the last time I watched a movie at the cinema? 

Hey, I can't remember!

Face-painting? FUN!

Bring Blankets?? We don't have blankets for sitting in the fields.

I am not going to spend money buying one. 

We will bring boxes! 

Discarded boxes from our purchases. 

Cut it open and lay it flat on the ground. 

With our packed dinner from Sushi Box, we set off to the field.

Blankets and chairs were seen everywhere. Pillows even!

We were the only ones sitting on opened boxes.

It didn't matter, as the kids happily drew on the boxes while waiting for the movie to start.

It was a long wait. It was already 730pm and the sky was still bright.

We watched as little children, old men and women danced happily to the music of the 70s to the 90s. 

Finally, the movie started at 845pm.

It got colder as the strong wind blew.

The wind got stronger as each minute passed. Jackets were needed.

We were the insulating layer for the kids, as we watched the movie with our arms around them. 

Fourty-five minutes into the show, the screen collapsed! Slowly though.

We left as the strong wind was giving us the chills.

It was a good experience, even though we didn't finish the movie. 

The kids were happy, but tired, as it was way past their bedtime.

We look forward to another movie in the field! 

Searching for the ...

The Enchanted Wood, our bedtime story for the kids since we entered the woods.

Darling sons' favourite character is none other than the noisy Saucepan Man.

He's funny. He's silly. He's annoying.

The room will be filled with laughter whenever the chapter on him is read.  

And we get two little saucepans in the room as we continue our reading.

"Do you think there's a faraway tree in the woods?" I asked my boys.

"But it's just a story." Came the reply from the younger one.

"Let's go look for one tomorrow!"
"You may just get to meet the silly old Saucepan Man!" I told the boys.

"Erhh..." Came the boys' reply.

So the next morning, we set off hunting for the Faraway Tree.

With so many trees around, which is the correct tree?

So we walked and we walked ....

We spent the whole morning walking ...

We passed by the playground.

We passed by nice houses with nice gardens.

And at the end of our search, we found this..

The two little saucepans loved the last line on the sign!

For the next few days, the "pots and kettles" on the two little saucepans rattle. They faithfully follow us to the toilet, and wait outside.

A warm welcome awaits us as we step out of the toilet.

"HOPE EVERYTHING COMES OUT OK!"

"ERHH...."

I Love Cinnamon!

I went to bed dreaming, about cinnamon bread .... the big fat yummy loaf of cinnamon bread that took my breath away the minute I set my eyes on it at the Farmers' Market. It will be another week before I can sink my teeth into that yummy cinnamon loaf again.

But I can't wait anymore!

Since my fingers are itching to bake something ... ok, Cinnamon Muffins!

I was very happy to find the recipe from BakingBites.

As I did not have all ingredients, I changed the recipe a little.

The aroma of cinnamon filled the entire apartment.

The muffins were moist, and the topping gave it a sweetness mixed with a tinge of cinnamon.

Lovely!

I'm in love ... with cinnamon.

Cinnamon Chocolate Chips Muffins

(makes 12 muffins)

Ingredients

2 cups Self-Raising Flour

1 tsp Ground Cinnamon

1/2 cup Sugar (Reduce if banana is very sweet)

1/2 cup Brown Sugar

1/2 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

3/4 cup Milk (or Buttermilk)

3 tbsp Olive Oil (or Vegetable Oil)

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

1 Large Egg

1 Medium Ripe Banana (Mashed)

Topping

1/4 cup Brown Sugar

1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon

Method

1. Preheat oven to 400F.
   
2. In a medium bowl - whisk together the flour, chocolate chips and cinnamon.
3. In a large bowl - whisk together the sugars and egg till smooth. Add the mashed banana.
4. Beat in the olive oil and vanilla extract.
5. Working in 2 or 3 additions, alternate adding flour and milk to the sugar mixture, stirring till just combined. Do not overmix.
6. In a small bowl - stir together ingredients for the topping.
7. Fill each muffin cup to 3/4 full. Sprinkle with the topping ingredients.
8. Bake for 15 - 18 mins.

Baked Potato Wedges

In a dark corner of the cupboard sat a bag of russet potatoes.

"Let us out! It's cold and dark here!"

"Ok, your wish is granted!"

So into the hot oven they went.

Here's presenting to you ... Baked crispy potato wedges!

4 Medium-sized russet potatoes

1 tbsp Olive oil

1 tsp Italian Mixed Herbs

1/4 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

Cut the potatoes into wedges.

Mix seasoning and oil with the wedges.

Bake at 425F for about 30 mins.

How about those mouldy potatoes?

I turn them into 'potato stamps'!

Do you see the heart shape, mushroom, star and fish?

Dip the 'potato stamps' into some poster colour and stamp on any paper. Recycle, reuse and reduce =)

The kids had fun stamping, while I, had fun baking and curving the shapes on the stamps for them.

The Tree

Every morning, as I look out of the living room window, I see this old tree. 

It stands tall, with its arms fully stretched.

As the wind blows, it sways and whispers "Hug me..".

Fireflies dance around the tree at night. 

Little speckles of fire seen.

Summer in the woods.

I am falling in love with this place ... and this tree....