Family Friday

Just some pictures and trivialities to highlight our week. :)

Paul and I played war (the card game)...we never finished--it was a LONG game--and with wars like this, you can see why!  It made me chuckle a lot.  :)

We made sushi for dinner one night.  Cerene had never had it before and now wishes she had known about its awesomeness, and Caida had LOVED it at break-the-fast and wanted to make some with me.  It was a BLAST!  It's fun to have dinners like that and fondue and make-your-own-pizzas that everyone can get in on...especially for Caida's sake!

As for me, other than doing visiting teaching I got hooked on pinterest this week.  A lot of the time spent has been setting things up, but I have to say, it's turned out to be a HUGE blessing.  I got onto it for craft stuff, but I have found SO MANY TEACHERS with great ideas for math, literacy, and science lessons--not to mention ideas for classroom organization, management, and decor--that I feel like it's just a huge collaboration of teachers.  I have been so inspired.  (The crafts are fun, too...and I'm going to be doing some hand sewing soon, turning old shirts and too-short-for-me-skirts into tee-shirt-dresses for Caida. Thank you, Pinterest. :)  I've also had literally 4 job openings brought to my attention this week, all (sort of) in my field, so guess what I'll be doing later today?  Yup--applications and cover letters! Even if I don't get any of them, I can always be a sub.  In fact, I'd almost prefer that at this moment because of the flexibility and the ideas I'd get, but you can't argue with the regularity of $10+/hour and benefits.  Starting next week I'm a free agent again and I can work!

Speaking of teaching, Paul started teaching his own class this week!  He's officially a trainer, training others instead of just training to be a trainer!  Woohoo!  He really loves it, even if it is hard.  And he has a new appreciation for lesson planning.  I told him at least he doesn't have to worry about classroom management *too* much AND he only has to come up with like 5 or 6 weeks of lesson plans, then he gets to repeat that over and over again.  :)  Anyway, his students really love him lots already.  He's gotten amazing feedback and positive reviews.  So proud of him!  It makes all the long hours away from each other worth it, knowing that he's doing what he does WELL and building references for when he becomes a teacher someday!

Caida has had as rough a week as ever, but she's still learning.  Some days she at least had a positive attitude at school...and others, it's like she didn't even try.  She's a sweetheart still, though!  And adventurous.  And silly.  She popped right up and scared me like a monster this morning when I went to wake her up, which surprised me since she's almost always impossible to get up and moving in the mornings!  But then I learned the secret--it's Friday...she gets to go to Grandma Linda's tonight!  That always puts her in a good mood.  :)  Cerene has been having some pain in her lower back and has been busy, busy, busy, what with being a working mom and all now!  But she's pretty much gotten used to being on the phones at work and is looking forward to improving her stats for next week.  And having a paycheck that she gets to spend how she wants to is always a perk!  Meanwhile, she mostly just spends her afternoons/evenings with Caida and James, especially meeting with teachers and such after school hours and helping Caida with spelling and homework.

Oh yeah, and Obi chewed off Voodoo's collar when we weren't looking...so we bought them BOTH new, matching pink and flowery collars.  I just love how cute they are, and now no one will wonder what gender Voodoo is! :) I wish dogs weren't so difficult to photograph, or I could show you a picture.

That's pretty much it in a nutshell!  Looking forward to Conference and all the autumny goodness coming up!

Thankful Thursday

Today I am mostly just thankful for beauty and whimsy and daydreams.  :)

So much beauty.  Heavenly Father is a true *artist.*

Why I Believe Wednesday: Paul

Forgive me.  I'm going to get personal and mushy. 

I love my husband.  Tons.  And bunches. 

I won't say much more than that.  But I love having someone who believes the same things I do, someone to learn and grow with. 

Mostly I love our conversations. Last night we got to have like a 6-hour conversation, with topics ranging from teaching to gospel truths to tv shows and everything in between.  I love moments like that.  And it was confirmed to me several times throughout the evening that even though we are both so very imperfect and sometimes have no idea what we're doing, in our marriage or in life, I am lucky to have him by my side as my best friend and true companion while we figure it out.  And talking with him reinforced everything I'd been thinking about lately, with regards to the teachings of the gospel and what we want our home and our family to become.  I think we really do complement each other very well--we're not all that alike, but we still get each other (most of the time) and share in one another's interests and joys.  He's a great supporter without pushing too hard.  I try to do likewise.  He reminds me of the Plan and of the end goal.  Having a covenant marriage really does push us both to be better so we can get there.  I love the person Paul is and the person I know he will become.  And I don't deserve.  But God blessed me, anyway.  And I know sometimes I take him for granted.  But God blesses us BOTH, anyway, and sometimes I remember why marriage is so important--the very essence and purpose of the gospel. 

That is why I believe.  :)

10 Things Tuesday: Shells!

I thought I'd continue this "natural materials" theme for a while.  :)  We have a basket of shells in our bathroom--some storebought and some we collected from the beach this summer--but it's getting old (and conflicts with our other decor, anyway) and I need to get rid of it.  What can I do with all these shells?  Well, here are ten ideas to at least get me started!  :)

10. Frame some!  These are fun, quick art/decor projects!

9. Candles!  You can make your own candles by pouring in some melted wax and adding a wick.  So pretty!

 8.  These are incredible--if you are really the artistic type, make some animals, like these awesome elephants found HERE!

7. Embellishments!  You can embellish just about anything--from throw pillows to flower pots to lampshades--with your small leftover shells.

 6. Make jewelry!  Drill small holes in your shells and turn them into pendants, earrings, bracelet charms, and more.

 5.  This fun matching game from Family Fun is just about genius!  You just stick stickers on the bottom--two of each sticker, of course--and turn them over.  Voila!  Instant, fun, cheap game!

4.  Also from FamilyFun, you can turn the insides of those open shells into mini canvases for a fun art project for all ages!

3. Make an ornament!  I'm sure everyone has one of these already.  :)  But they're still fun to do!

2.  Check out this fancy shell bouquet from Martha Stewart!

1. Make a pretty soap dish or toothbrush holder with those bigger shells!

Well, I'd stay and chat, but I'm going to go get crafting on one of these right now!  :)  Hope one of these things inspired you...happy crafting!

I gave in!

I finally gave in and got a pinterest account.  It's right up my alley, the only reason I didn't do it sooner was because I knew how much time I would waste on it!  But I decided it was worth it, especially since my bookmarks don't save half the time on my janky computer, the holidays are coming up, I want to start a monthly craft club, and I'm running out of ideas.  Plus, it's kinda fun to see your own stuff out there, pinned and repinned for all the world to see!  :)

So, yeah.  I'm on pinterest.  Celeste Fernandez/omaroma.  Sometimes I'll shamelessly pin my own creations, not because I want you to repin but because it helps keep me organized and find things when I want to.  Usually I'll just pin things from people far more talented and inspired than I am.  Now if you follow me you can get inspired by all the people that inspire me, too!

Also, I'm serious about the monthly craft club.  It came to me during the General Relief Society meeting (there was a purpose, my mind wasn't just wandering!) and I feel like it was an inspired thought.  I want to teach people how to make cute things that have three major qualities I look for in a craft:
(1) Cheap ('cause I'm poor...I'm talking like $5 per project cheap!),
(2) Quick and easy ('cause I'm impatient and still a beginner by many crafting standards), and
(3) Possessing form AND function ('cause I don't have space for a zillion "pretty" things that have no real purpose).

SO.  If you're anywhere near me and interested in joining this monthly craft club night, I'm still getting ideas and organized and such so it'll be another month or two before it falls into place, but let me know!  And if you're NOT near me, but still interested, I've got a board on pinterest called "Craft Night Ideas" that will inspire you...and, of course, I'll post tutorials here on the good ol' blog of what we actually do once all is said and done so you can follow along at home, if you feel so inclined.

Here's to a new chapter in my personal crafting adventure!  And here's to YOURS!

Mmm...Monday! Zucchini Fruit Snacks!

Yes, you read that right!  I discovered a new foodie fad in the bloggosphere in which people are making their own fruit snacks using zucchini and koolaid mix!  I just HAD to try it for myself, especially since my dehydrator hasn't gotten a lot of use lately.  The verdict: they're a hit!  So sweet, and cheaper per ounce than any storebought fruit snacks, but they still have that "fake fruit" taste kids love.  (I prefer real dried fruit myself, but Caida loved these...once she got over the fact that they aren't as pretty as the storebought kind. :)
Here's how:

INGREDIENTS:
4 c. peeled, seeded, chopped zucchini (you can really make as much as you want...most people online found 2 zucchinis give you about 1/2 gallon of fruit snacks.  They must have their own gardens with ginormous zucchini, because I bought the puny storebought kind and 3 of those barely made a SNACK-SIZED BAGGIE [still yummy]. So experiment.  Just be sure no matter how much you make that your pieces are about an inch long and about 1/2" thick.)
2 koolaid packets
1 1/2 c. sugar (you can play with this, too)
3 c. water

DIRECTIONS:
1. Boil water, sugar, and koolaid/drink mix over high heat.
2. Add zucchini as soon as the sugar has dissolved and bring to a full boil.  Reduce heat, let simmer (covered) for about 30 minutes.
3. Drain/strain for about 10 minutes, allowing to cool.  (You can preserve the liquid if you want to make more...I was trying different flavors out, so I didn't do this, but you can.)
4. Disperse on racks in dehydrator (or you can put them on a plastic-wrap-lined cookie sheet in the oven on super-low heat [140-170]).  Drying times will vary--mine took about 13 hours.  Dehydrate until they are not shiny/sticky to the touch anymore, but still pliable.  Store in an airtight container.

5. Eat them all up and make some more!

Apparently, you can make these "sour" by cutting the sugar down to 1 c. and changing it from 2 packets to 10...I haven't tried that yet, but maybe I will sometime soon.  :) 

So, in my opinion, while these are delish, with puny and expensive storebought zucchini it's not totally worth it.  Especially if you have a fruit snack with real fruit in it already on your to-buy list every time you go to Aldi.  :)  BUT, if we had a garden and we grew monster zucchini like my mom used to for mere pennies per squash, it would TOTALLY be worth it, both monetarily and healthwise. So maybe we'll make these once in a while, but I'm not switching over my whole life to them just yet.  What do you think? 

Sunday Thoughts: Forget-me-nots

Okay, there's always a great spirit at Relief Society general meetings.  I always enjoy the talks and the music and the bond of a worldwide sisterhood.  But can I just say that last night was the best one yet?  We sang, between that and my stake meeting earlier, ALL FIVE of my five favorite large-group hymns: "How Firm a Foundation," "Redeemer of Israel," "Hope of Israel," "Hark, All Ye Nations," and "Now Let Us Rejoice".  Those aren't my favorite HYMNS ever, but they're my five favorite to sing with a large mass of people, because they are all like warrior songs to me.  :)  And we sang ALL FIVE!

The other talks were amazing, of course, but can I put out there that President Uchtdorf's talk last night was completely written for me?  HOLY COW.  I know I'm not the only one that feels that way, but I am still right.  :)  He spoke of forget-me-nots, and how they reflect the colors of heaven.  And how when he sees the tiny, humble little flower so often overshadowed by all the rest, he is reminded and hopes to remind us of five very important things that we should never, ever forget:

1. Be patient and compassionate with yourselves.
2. Some sacrifices are better than others--some are foolish and some are wise.
3. Don't wait for a "golden ticket" to be happy--be happy NOW.
4. Remember the "why" of the gospel, not just the "what" or "how."
5. You are not forgotten.

Those five things were all my biggest weaknesses.  Every single one, in its own way.  Except number 4 sometimes--I DO remember the "why"s of the gospel in living it mostly, but I did apply that to visiting teaching and scripture study and the like and then it was just as appropriate as the rest of them. I loved this talk right from number one, but by the time he got to number five, I was crying and feeling the Spirit (two separate feelings there) and just received a very powerful witness that President Uchtdorf really is an apostle and prophet of Jesus Christ.  (Good thing I watched it online at home and no one saw me blubbering and shaking my head in astonishment all the way through this talk!)  I knew what he was saying was true, even though I haven't felt that way in a really long time.  It made my heart ache to know of God's love so certainly as he does.  I just loved it, in ways I can't express, apparently, because when I tried to tell Paul, he was just like, "That's cool."

No, it's so much more than cool.

If you missed it, you missed out.  Watch it HERE.

And now forget-me-nots may just be my new favorite flower.  :)

Show Off Saturday: FEAST!

Hmm...what do I have to show for this week?  (That I haven't already shown, anyway.)  I mostly laid around, took long naps, watched TV, and was a total bum.  I've had some back pain that has made breathing hard, everyone has been out having a life, and Paul worked late several nights, so other than being on top of the dish-doing and dinner-making I didn't really do anything. 

I have to do different things to get Caida up in the mornings--like tickle her until she's laughing and out of bed, or blast music up loud and have a morning dance party, or, like yesterday, have races around the house--until her blood is pumping enough to actually wake up and dress herself.  Well, apparently my foot has zero traction against the carpet in our house, because as we were racing to the window I slipped and rammed my leg into the bookshelf containing all our DVDs.  So I guess I can show off this lovely bruise near my knee:

Yes, yes it does hurt.

Today, Paul and I went to the Feast of the Hunter's Moon!  I love that.  Even with the light rain and cooler temperatures, and even though we really only had enough money to get in, so we had to forego all the fun trinkets and amazing fire-cooked foods that we usually make a whole day out of procuring each year, it was a lot of fun just to GO.  I took a bajillion few pictures to document the experience:

These cows cracked us up!  They looked out onto the parking lot like, "Hey, what are YOU guys doing in our spot?"

The feast, from a distance.  Well, a SMALL part of it, anyway!

Just a quintessential Indiana barn, right next to Fort Ouiatenon.

SO MANY COSTUMES (next year we want to dress up, too)!

My favorite, all the kiddos!

THE PARADE!

THE JUGGLERS! (the Budabi brothers, a yearly favorite)

We ran into our family/friends at the juggler's show!

NOW he's impressed!

And a little worried about that fire!

Caida loves our friend Dan!

SO MANY THINGS TO DO AND TO BUY! (if only we weren't so poor)

A real-life cooper!

I want to make my own mini bird cages after seeing this one!

This guy was carving a chess set before our eyes!

With a little help from kids, who turned the giant wheel for him!

Some merchandise.

The awesome Dulcimer Gathering!

Old music toys.

Applehead dolls.

Tomahawk throwing.

THE FOOD!  We were too poor to buy much food this year--we just got jerky--but the food is usually THE REASON to go to the Feast.  Everything is cooked over open flames, which of course means it tastes 10 times better!

Little woolly sheep!  I also want to make some of these.

Cute butter churns.

Really, the Feast is a favorite annual tradition of ours, no matter what the expense.  It's even more fun when you go with kids--the magic shows, puppet shows, jugglers, parade, musical ensembles, candle making, log sawing, trading blanket, dress-up area, toy tent, and more are all a ton of fun.  See the end of this post for my scrapbook pages of last year's Feast, when I went with my sisters and friends and niece.  And if you're ever in town, Paul and I will gladly show you and your family the ropes! 

What we actually took home this year:

Paul got a rootbeer--one for him and one for a friend at work.

I got a $4 bar of pumpkin pie goats milk soap!  It smells SOOOOOOO good, and was the perfect thing for my fall cravings this weekend!

And then I went to the Relief Society stake meeting.  Beautiful.  But nothing to post about it, other than I'm glad I went and I love music. :)  Gonna go shopping before the broadcast.  And that is my day.  :)

Maybe this coming week I'll actually do something worth showing off.  'Til then, enjoy these blasts from the past!