Home School Pics

Soap Confection

This is a project that Mariah and I had planned to do for Christmas gifts...but we ran out of time! So we finally got a chance to get together this week and make these little pretties. They are felted soaps, which is supposed to make the soap useable right to the last drop, and also act as an exfoliant when you soap up...so a doubly good thing. Plus they look nice, and are kind of hippie dippy. 

I love anything felted. 

We had such wrinkled fingers when done this batch, that we had to put off the 2nd batch of soap bars...but we'll get them done, right Mariah? They're easy and fun...we used home made soap from an Etsy seller http://www.etsy.com/shop/lilysgoatsoap...

... and the wool from another Etsy seller http://www.etsy.com/shop/wildhare

We learned how to felt soap on YouTube, so if your interested, there are numerous videos there to view. Tips we learned? Better to layer quite thin layers of felt, that have been kind of spread out a bit, and use very hot water (as hot as you can stand)...also a ribbed surface, like a sushi mat, or plastic ribbed tray, will save time by 'roughing' up the felt a little for you. Afterwards we hung out with Jared, ate pizza and watched Pride & Prejudice...a fun evening. I love that movie, and never tire of it. Next on the craft agenda is some sewing projects with Jen for Isabelle! 

Indexing

I've been indexing for the church these last few weeks, and I love it! It's interesting, and I can serve every single day if I want to, and I want to! It's easy to get started - go to familysearch.com (not new.familysearch.com), and click on the indexing button...you will download the program and work from that downloaded program when you want to index. Each time you begin, you start by opening that program which you have downloaded, and then downloading a 'batch'. Easy Peasey.

I wish I had started a year ago when I first saw the article in the Ensign - but still, better late then never. I am just in time for the release of the 1940 Census which is coming very soon - I will be working on that along with tons of other indexers, young and old - anyone can index!

Yo-Yo

Was it only a couple of days ago that I was Basking in the Glow? Today I've been a grumpy pants... well, the day started off wonderfully, with a sweet call from birthday girl, Scarlet. It went downhill thereafter with  discussions about messes (am I really here to pick up garbage), budgets, and excessive TV. All these topics apparently fall under 'never to be resolved' and shouldn't be tackled all on the same day. ever. Oh, and someone from the lane across the median threw a huge chunk of steel at my car and gave it a good crease. That didn't help - I actually cried. Why is everyone messy, and no one listens?

It's no accident that Ephesians 4:29-32 came up as the Scripture of the Day today. I love that I can learn something every. single. day.

Tomorrow is another day, in fact the Sabbath day, and I'm looking forward to that time to renew. I'm also thankful for a companion to attend church with, and for my many blessings...I have to unwind:)

An eon

It seems like an eon since I last saw Sarra, Tim and kids...it's actually only been since Feb. 5th, Jane's baptism, but a lot has happened since and it seems  a long time. Not just to me, to Mano too. We've been hinting madly, but if something doesn't materialize soon, we'll be making the trek ourselves...we don't mind one bit. Because I want this home to feel familiar to them at all times, if we make a change - I have to 'show' them...even the kids... I'm not sure I can explain it well, but I want them to always know 'home' at Grammies...so for example this last week Mano surprised me by rearranging our whole entire room (Love it!) I didn't like that the kids may be picturing it wrong, so we 'facebooked' and straightened that out. I've hung some pictures, replaced the dishwasher, rearranged the guest bedroom (new mattress/headboard for those who have complained about the old one - ) all of which have been duly noted by the Eatons. Home is still home...all will be familiar when they do get here - which I hope is soon! I think Timmy is still reeling a little bit from last summer when Sarra was pregnant and wanted to be cooked for by her mom and dad - the best summer of our lives - but it made a bit of a ping pong ball out of poor Tim. Sorry Tim, and please come visit soon!

Jane's Embroidery

A lovely gift from my then 7 year old grand daughter (she's 8 now!), Jane, for this last Christmas. It took me awhile to decide how I would display it - as a pillow, or in a frame of some kind. I washed it, stretched it out on an ironing board and pinned it so I could kind of steam/iron it dry. Then stretched and pinned it to foam board, and framed it with this beautiful oval frame. I LOVE it and it will hang in my home from now on, til the end of (my) time...at which time it will got back to Jane for her future home. It's so, so beautiful! It really has meant a lot to me because I know how long it took her to embroider! She's an accomplished girl, and an angel:)

Home School Pics - Japan

Your are welcome to view these pictures - they are posted for Home School. We are studying Japan for the month:) This trip was taken in 2010, when Manochehr's company gave us a week all expense trip to Japan for his 10 years of service to the company. What an amazing experience - we never thought we would be traveling to Japan bur we enjoyed it very much; the culture, the views, the trains, the architecture and nature...everything!

Basking in the Glow

I have been filled with the bounty of the good life lately - basking in a good, happy life, filled with love, joy and gratitude. These days stand out more starkly to me now, because of the darker days that we have recently passed through - and I see that it is true that you can't know the good with out first knowing the 'bad'. Through the overcoming of recent trials together (all of us in our family pulled together) we have come out the other side, and the dark cloud has lifted to reveal a happiness that I might have actually missed otherwise - but that's not all...in the process faith has grown and flourished. It's been an eventful few months, and I can't wish that they had never occurred, for Heavenly Father loves us, and knows what we need. His love has been felt round us, and we know that we can face anything that we are asked to face for our good.

A Love Story- Go Mitt in Illinois!

Santorum Endorses Mitt Romney

You have to love this...

Homemade Pita

My daughter-in-law and I made these beauties - it was so satisfying to see them puff up in the oven. We want to get really good at bread/rolls/pita, so we're going to keep practicing! Tips for success (what we learned); 1. Jen did an excellent job of kneading, I think this was key - she kneaded the dough to perfection, and 2. put the rolled out dough on greased pans, where they will rise for 20 min. and place in a hot oven (500 degrees F) on the top rack...don't try to stack them in the oven. They only need about 4-5 min. to cook, and 3. the recipe didn't call for salt, but next time we'll add 1/2 t. The second words out of each of our mouths, after YUM! (even Dad's) was "these could use a little salt."!

Here's the recipe:

7g (1/4 oz.) yeast (we had no idea how much this was, so we used 1 tsp.)

1 tsp sugar

3 1/2 cups of plain flour

2 T olive oil

1. Lightly grease baking trays. Put the yeast an sugar in a small bowl with 1 1/2 cups of warm water -stir well. Leave in a warm place for 10 minutes to froth (if the yeast doesn't froth - no point going any further - you need new yeast).

2. Sift flour into a bowl (we didn't sift), add yeast mixture, and olive oil. Mix well, then turn out on a floured board and knead for 10 min. Should be soft, smooth and elastic - Jen did this to perfection!

3. Place dough in lightly greased bowl, cover with damp cloth, set in warm place to rise for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, divide dough into 12 equal pieces, and roll out into rounds 1/4" thick. Place these rounds on the greased baking trays you already prepared, and cover with the damp cloth to rise for another 20 minutes. The rounds can be lightly brushed with water, so they don't dry out.

4. After 20 min. they are ready to put into a hot (pre0heated) 500F oven, on the top rack, one tray at a time, for 4-5 min. The pitas should puff up like blow fish, and be light coloured still when you remove them from the oven. Serve warm:)

The Essential Baking Cookbook by Whitecap books, pg. 248

Gold Shopping

Iran is a fun place to go gold shopping, because they tend to have the gold shops all together, so there will be a whole 'mall' of gold. Handmade, traditional, modern, it's all there. We walked through these shops in Tajrish - a bazaar in the North of Tehran, and found a shop where we had some of my old gold and a 'mongo' gold ring that Eli had purchased from an East Indian shop, here in Edmonton, evaluated and then sold.  They test it on the spot for it's carat weight.

Manochehr asked me to pick something out, with the money from the sale, but for some reason I couldn't do it - I wasn't feeling 'spendy' which is a rare occurrence for me indeed! He found a replica of a water pitcher, it was old and needed polishing, apparently belonging to the shop keeper's mother; he picked that up for me (photo below). I haven't taken it off since other than to photograph it now!

The last photo is of a lovely parting gift that was given me by my sweet sister-in-law Sorour. She surprised me with this beautiful bracelet - which suits me very well, I love this kind of cord and design. I will keep it throughout my life, and pass it along as  keepsake from a beloved sister. 

Get READY for FOOD Pics!

One of the biggest treats about travel to Iran, besides the beautiful family, people, and landscape, is the food! Timmy, my son-in-law, once said that if he hadn't met Sarra, he wouldn't know about his favorite food! I concur! So my first posts after 16 days in Iran, are pictures of the food we enjoyed! We were treated like royalty with delicious meals at home and as guests to other family or in restaurants; all food experiences were glorious:)

Pomegranates - bought by the huge bag (this is 'small potatoes')

Khoreshte Bademjun  (Eggplant Stew)

Shole Zard (Rice Pudding)

Kebab Koobideh 

Fruit set out in front of each guest - it isn't hard to eat your daily requirement of fruit in Iran, because it will be set out for you every where you go to visit!

Khoreshte Gheimeh (Okra Stew)

Dol Adas (Rice with Lentils & Zereshk or Barberries) A favorite!

A 10 dish spread ALL prepared by Afsaneh - she rolled out the carpet for us - all the food was amazing!! I will post her photo later, but she is a very dear family member that we love to pieces!

Chicken Salad with Capers

Ashe Reshte (Noodle soup with Whey and Minted Sauteed Onions) YUM.

No one makes Dolmeh, like Maman Pari - she is being helped here by my sister-in-law Sima. They are the best in the world. Period. 

Another photo of the Dolmeh being put together...I've tried, it ain't easy:)