Two perks for Wednesday's hump.

Today, I got to work again at Hancock Fabrics, my part-time job in town. I enjoy working there because the people are nice and the store is full of color, crafts, and even beads.

The other huge plus for today?

I went in a grocery store where my old Spanish teacher, Señor Wright, still works as a grocer. He was at the check-out line talking with an assistant manager in Spanish. I greeted him en español, and then the store manager turned to me. He looked at me with surprise. It was the same look I got on the mission which I loved; "you speak my language? A gringa?" We talked for a little bit, and then he asked me where I learned my Spanish. I said that I learned it thanks to Señor Wright, and especially because I served as a missionary in Colorado.

Then he said the best thing I have been told; "How is it that you speak with a Mexican accent?"

For Real? I speak well enough to have a localized accent? Yes!

Viva Mexico!

The Hill Cumorah Pageant 2011

With this, I think I have finally caught up on the goings on of this summer. One of the most significant things we did as a family was the Hill Cumorah Pageant in Palmyra, NY. We spent 17 days camping, acting, getting into costumes, meeting people, sharing our beliefs and inviting them to learn more--and most importantly, feeling the Spirit. I will never forget how I felt as I participated in the scene of Christ's Descending to the Americas.

Mom, Trina and I were all Wicked Noah Citizens

Heather was a spoil of war slave, Melinda was Mary in Nephi's Vision

Some of the girls in my cast team

My whole cast team, minus the DeLaMare's.

By the way, the DeLaMare's own a candy factory in Utah. Look at some of this work!

Niagara Falls.

While at the Hill Cumorah Pageant, we had time the second week to take a day trip. My first time at Niagara Falls was everything I hoped for and more. What an amazing place
!

quilting? close to it.

I needed a temple bag, and I had purchased some fabric (jelly rolls, or whatever you call it: scraps of fabric)

And so it began. Do not look closely at the stitches... but I do love the colors.

Tada! Many pockets on the inside, including a hook for two hangers. Mom let me use a vinyl cutting board to make the bottom of the bag structurally secure.

Cookie Crazy!

I went over to Jenny's in NJ, and we made some of the hugest cookies I have ever made in my life, short of a bar cookie. It's the LeVain Cookie, and I am so impressed by this bakery; on its website, it even thanks the fans and quotes "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery."

Here's Sarah's head next to some we recreated at home:

Copycat recipe for chocolate chip cookies (We added about 3/4 cup cocoa and 1/2 cup sugar to the recipe to make it double chocolate.

Summer Projects, continued

I've been doing some embroidery. If I have already posted these, I apologize, but here they are: my tortilla towels.

Summer Discovery

I was once in Fairfax for a dr. appointment, and I saw a sign that said, "Fluffy Thoughts, this way." Curious, I stopped in.

$1 each day old cupcakes? Done and done. We liked the Smore's and the Peanut Butter Mouse best.

Another Summer Adventure

I got to visit Jenny, Nathan and their cute family in New Jersey. I am enamored.

Hair-be-gone!

Another summer pastime: Cutting Trina's hair.

Before:

and after:

August 2011 update: Even more after:

A new hobby!

Some people have said, "So, what have you been up to?" I am never quite sure how to answer that question. Um...getting healthy? Tons of family vacations? Organizing things?

Well, amongst those busy and fun things, I've also picked up a few new hobbies. Added to jewelry-making, baking, reading, writing real letters, etc, I can now add: embroidery. Lest I sound like a grandma, let me tell you: my greatest aspiration is to be a grandma. And to sing like a black woman. And to be Hispanic. But those things aside, I have found this particular pastime to be very stress-relieving. I highly recommend it.

I picked up an iron-on pattern and am making myself some towels to hold my tortillas in.

Here's another view of a towel that's already finished:

And of course, some frogs to throw in as well. They were too cute to pass up.

Hello Again! Salsa para Huevos Rancheros.

I am sorry to have been so blog-less recently. I will thus post a few things that have been happening recently.

First, the recipe for Salsa de Huevos Rancheros

1 large onion, chopped finely

2-4 jalapeño chiles, diced

2 cloves garlic

(Sautee these in a bit of oil until softened. Then add:)

2 large tomatoes, chopped (or a can of diced tomatoes)

1 can tomato paste

1/2-1 cup water

bullion powder

Boil ingredients until they become thick and saucy. Serve with Huevos Rancheros.

Huevos Rancheros:

stack of six-inch corn tortillas

eggs

Heat some oil. Dip the tortillas in the oil to soften them. (Alternatively, you can also fry them a little, but only until just golden.) Place tortilla on a plate.

Cook your egg to taste. Authentically, you would crack it into a pan with plenty of oil and "flick" the oil over the egg to help cook it. Fry your egg for 30 seconds to 1 minute, then remove egg and place on the tortilla.

Ladle plenty of sauce onto your plate. Enjoy!

(You may top with cheese; preferably mozzarella, or crumbled Queso Fresco).

Project Preach My Gospel

This week for Family Home Evening, we set about assembling some study kits so that our family could become more involved in using Preach My Gospel , so that we might be able to follow prophetic counsel , prepare our family for the Hill Cumorah Pageant, and...maybe just because as a missionary, I came to love and cherish this inspired resource for all Latter-day Saints. I truly feel that one of the things I learned most poignantly on the mission was how to become a better member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Okay. As for the Project, this is geared towards involving all the members of our family at home. That means age ranges from ten to...how old are you, Dad? Fifty-something. Teenagers in the mix, and a good family with a desire to get into this book.

So, we made study kits with stickers (for labeling and using as a study key), highlighters, a mechanical pencil, a four-color pen , and sticky tabs.

Here's an example of a key that could be made with the stickers.

Then, we went on into creating our journals. With the help of some spiral-bound notebooks, glue sticks, pictures from the Ensign (thanks for helping me cut those out, Heather!), and some packing tape to "laminate" it, each person made his or her own Study Journal. (The Tabs you see are just some post-it removable label tabs. Quite useful! My favorite part of this was seeing everyone get so involved in the project, and you can really see their personalities come through, as Melinda pointed out.

Melinda

Trina

Joel

Sarah

Dan (poor guy...at the mercy of us all. It's definitely a collage)

Dad

Detail of Dad's Cover

Mom

Detail of Mom's Cover

Heather

Mine

Detail of my cover

Our Study Journals are made, our kits are assembled, we've made some Journal Prompts on mailing labels that can be stuck at the top of each page (has the date, a PMG page reference, and a question or prompt), and once our copies of PMG arrive from the distribution center, we're going to be good to go! I am excited about this project. I love this book. I love my family. Putting the two together seems so natural and right.

Happy reading.

Of Peppers and Pimpernels

This weekend was wonderful; full of good food and fine art.

Below you will find a detail of the closing week of Pickwick's

The Scarlet Pimpernel

as well as a recipe for salsa verde

Joel, audience member. "I like the view better from the back."

Hey! These girls look familiar! I think they're here to see the prince.

Trina: Pickwick's official program passer-outer.

I got called on last minute to do some stage make-up for one of the stars.

Melinda: light queen. She even made it possible for the

show to go on when, overnight, all the programmed cues were erased.

Hard at work, following scripts and getting ready for some lightening.

Look at that hand in the corner, ready to strike.

Sarah, in the eerie blue light and black clothes of the stage crew.

She represents Heather and herself on this one. I probably wasn't

supposed to be backstage taking this picture at all.

Who's that fine violinist? Single-handedly representing the

string section? Marie, that's who.

Dad as a fop, and Mom getting ready for Madame la Guillotine

Mom and Dad, getting ready for the play, listening to the

cast notes right before the matinee.

A shot from the ball scene where you can see how, literally,

Marie played in every single number and transition.

Look at the high violin bow!

Dad and Mom dancing at the ball (sorry it's so blurry).

Mom got voted prettiest in a wig.

A bit of reminiscing for me: 1 year ago....

And now, for the recipe! Salsa Verde.

Please note that there is a great deal

of difference between American Salsa

and Mexican salsa. American salsa really

is more of a Pico de Gallo. Salsa is just that; a sauce.

You'll need a list of vegetables, a blender, and a bit of salt. And something delicious to put it on.

Ingredients: 1 large onion, peeled and roughly cubed

5-7 tomatillos (green tomatoes in a husk; peeled, washed, cubed)

1-3 Jalepeno Peppers, stems removed, chopped in thirds

2 cloves of garlic, peeled and cut in half

hot water

2-4 tsp salt

* Cube all vegetables and put in a pan; boil until soft. Drain water (setting aside about a cup) and place all vegetables in a blender. Add water to cover vegetables 1/3 of the way in the blender (about a cup, really no more than 12 oz). Blend until mixture is smooth (no chunks). Add salt to taste, but at least 2 tsp is recommended. Store in the refrigerator.

We served this with toquitos, I ate it with guerritos and later quesadillas, and it can be used for green enchiladas or as a base for the filling of tomales with chicken. Very delicious.

el tomatillo

las verduras necesarias
la obra rica: salsa verde