Creamy Lemon Squares…

…a recipe from Kraft Foods. Usually I don't care too much for Kraft recipes, but this picture looked so good I wanted to try it. It turned out great, and everyone liked them! Especially if you don't like how intense regular Lemon Squares are (some people do, some people don't). . .this is a more mellow, cream cheese lemon flavor. And I like the crust too. It calls for low-fat items, but I'm sure you can make it will full-fat too. Yum.

CREAMY LEMON SQUARES
20 reduced-fat vanilla wafers, finely crushed
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) cold margarine
1 pkg. (8 oz.) reduced fat cream cheese, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 Tbsp. flour
3 Tbsp. grated lemon peel, divided
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. powdered sugar

PREHEAT oven to 350ºF. Line 8-inch square baking pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides of pan; set aside. Combine wafer crumbs, 1/2 cup flour and the brown sugar in medium bowl. Cut in margarine with pastry blender or two knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs; press firmly onto bottom of prepared pan. Bake 15 min.
MEANWHILE, beat Neufchatel cheese and granulated sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add eggs and 2 Tbsp. flour; mix well. Blend in 1 Tbsp. lemon peel, lemon juice and baking powder; pour over crust.
BAKE 25 to 28 min. or until center is set. Cool completely. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and remaining 2 Tbsp. grated lemon peel just before cutting into squares to serve. Store leftover squares in refrigerator.

P.S. I doubled the recipe and baked it in a 9x13 Pyrex pan, so the crust and filling were a bit thicker; thus, more baking time required, but it turned out great. Small squares are fine, because they are rich!

More graduation pictures…

…of Melinda and Tema on their big day. Aki's first cousin Alisi also graduated with them (she's the one with the head lei on—don't you love her sign lei?)

More wedding pictures…

…for anyone who is interested. Click here to see a little slideshow of some of Brigham & Shayla's wedding photos (I just wish I could make them pause a bit longer before changing). Oh well.

I'm taking book recommendations…

…and am actually going to read for pleasure now (something I haven't let myself do in a really long time!). Now that I'm not working full-time, I can finally get to those books I've wanted to read but have never had the time. I don't really have hobbies or anything like that (translation: I'm not crafty or creatively talented in the hobby-ish way), but reading is something I truly enjoy. While on my mini vacation—see below post—I read The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd and loved it!

Any of you who read, please suggest some titles of books you've enjoyed and think I might like. What do I like? I don't go for the real heavy/dark literature, but I do like realistic and genuine. Nor do I go for the extremely light/cheesy/contrived stuff, although I do like an uplifting story. So, if you know of any good books that have a good balance, send their titles my way!

A sampling of my too-many favorite passages from The Secret Life of Bees:

She said a scholarship was my only hope for a future and lent me her private books for the summer. Whenever I opened one, T. Ray said, "Who do you think you are, Julius Shakespeare?" The man sincerely thought that was Shakespeare's first name, and if you think I should have corrected him, you are ignorant about the art of survival. He also referred to me as Miss Brown-Nose-in-a-Book and occasionally as Miss Emily-Big-Head-Diction. He meant Dickinson, but again, there are things you let go by. (16)

Leaning back on my elbows, I slid down till the water sealed over my head. I held my breath and listened to the scratch of the river against my ears, sinking as far as I could into that shimmering, dark world. But I was thinking about a suitcase on the floor, about a face I could never quite see, about the sweet smell of cold cream. (56)

Up until then I'd thought that white people and colored people getting along was the big aim, but after that I decided everybody being colorless together was a better plan. I though of that policeman…saying I'd lowered myself to be in this house of colored women, and for the very life of me I could not understand how it had turned out this way, how colored women had become the lowest ones on the totem pole. You only had to look at them to see how special they were, like hidden royalty among us. (209)

"You are one-third friend, one-third brother, one-third bee partner, and one-third boyfriend," I told him. He explained to me I had one too many thirds in the equation, which, of course, I knew, as I am bad in math but not that bad. We stared at each other as I tried to figure out which third would get deleted. (216)

You think you want to know something, and then once you do, all you can think about is erasing it from your mind. From now on when people asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I planned to say, Amnesiac. (249) Knowing can be a curse on a person's life. I'd traded in a pack of lies for the truth, and I didn't know which one was heavier. Which one took the most strength to carry around? It was a ridiculous question, though, because once you know the truth, you can't ever go back and pick up your suitcase of lies. Heavier or not, the truth is yours now. (255)

Yes, my husband went to Hawaii…

…without me! It's funny how anyone I told that Aki went to Hawaii could not believe he went by himself, like it was the crime of the century. Of course, I would have loved to go, but the bank account can only buy so much airfare right now. Someday, someday, I will get to Hawaii!

Just this morning Aki returned home after going to see his 2 younger sisters graduate from BYU-Hawaii (go Seasiders!). I missed him a ton, and so did the kids! He tells me he had a wonderful time visiting family and friends, eating seafood and lots of fruit, speaking Tongan, and enjoying the easy pace of life there. I'm glad he got to take a break and relax—he so deserves it.

We are so proud of Tema and Melinda's accomplishment, and know they'll have very successful futures. After visiting us and other family in Utah, Tema will return home to Tonga and hopefully work for the Church school there; Melinda is considering more schooling, perhaps in the States. Congratulations to you girls! We can't wait to see you!

Since I wasn't going to Hawaii…

…I went on a mini vacation to see family. We drove down to southern Utah (Teasdale, to be exact--see above) to stay with my brother Brady and his family--they've got an old pioneer home there that they use in the summers. It was a fun trip, especially for the kids, who loved to do nothing but play with their cousins outside. I enjoyed the spectacular views of the red rock cliffs and the bright skies; I could spend every summer evening just sitting on their front porch watching the sky change. Beautiful!

Anyway, a few things the kids and I will remember about our time there:

• AME: feeding Ivan (a mule/donkey out back)
• MAKAI: the tire swing - Mom, can we have one of those?
• LINDY: visiting with Kate and Brady and enjoying my awesome nieces and nephews
• ALL OF US: playing in the waterfall! (see picture below of waterfall at Capitol Reef Nat'l Park)
• LINDY: driving home and having the car's AC break. . . it was one long, HOT trip. (We all were red-cheeked and wet with sweat by the time we got home, only to walk in to our house and have the thermostat tell us it was 92º in there! Ay, ay, ay.)

Thanks to Brady, Kate, Finn, Hector, Georgia, and Pearl for a relaxing weekend. It was great! We hope to see you again soon.

Happy Father's Day to all our dads!

FE'OFA'AKI K. FUNAKI ("Daddy")

"I love Daddy because he's handsome and nice, and I like to work in the garden with him." –Makai

"Aki is a good daddy, not a bad daddy. I like to eat dinner with him." –Ame

• • • • • • • • • •

TEVITA H. FUNAKI ("Grandpa Vita")

One thing I love and admire about my dad is that he follows what he says and always keeps his word—he has a great sense of integrity. I know that he loves the Lord because he is obedient; he loves his family and others and shows it by action, not just words. But he is pretty slow. :) Love you, Dad. Ofa ke ke ma'u ha mo'ui fuoloa. –Aki si'i

• • • • • • • • • •

BARRY R. UDALL ("Grandpa Barry")

I love my dad, oh yes I do. Why? More than a few reasons, but I list a few:

1. He's honest and ethical…I can trust him.
2. He's hard-working, resourceful, and thorough.
3. He loves children (especially those with fat cheeks) and gives lots of hugs and kisses.
4. He knows and fulfills his role to protect, provide, and preside.
5. He absolutely loves and enjoys food.
6. I can always count on him.
   

–Lindy

"I cannot think of any need in childhood as strong as the need for a father's protection." –Sigmund Freud

I don't know, but I've been told…

…Sister Funaki is getting old! (At least that's how I felt at Girls Camp this past week—my body had had it when I woke up in the morning—and I looked it too.) I'm not really made for the sleeping outside thing, I've realized—I really like my bed. We had a great time, though, and I'm so glad I went. I think it did a lot for the girls. We had a small group, but had a very relaxing and enjoyable time. I will post pictures another day.

"So long, farewell…

…auf Wiedersehen, goodbye" (I didn't know that's actually what the Von Trapp children were singing in The Sound of Music until a couple years ago--I still think it's one of the greatest movies ever, and I'll always think that Captain Von Trapp is a hottie).

Anyway, yesterday I bid adieu to my employer of the last four years, The University of Utah Biology Department; more specifically, Dr. Jim Ehleringer (click here to learn more about him). I'm finished for good--I'm talking turned in my parking permit and key, deleted my computer files, took down pictures, and cleaned out my desk.

Aki is so glad our family no longer has to be affiliated with the UofU (he's a diehard BYU fan). The department gave me a farewell party and presented me with a bag of goodies and small gifts. Among those were a UofU mug and a nice UofU pendant. Aki said I could either return them to the bookstore or put them in the trash, but they were not entering our house (and he took the UofU t-shirts that had been given to our kids to D.I.). He means business!The great news is not only did I say good-bye to that job yesterday, I also said goodbye to the life of working full-time period! OH HAPPY DAY--I am free at last! (Well, to the extent that you can be "free" while caring for two toddlers). Today was my first official day as a "stay-at-home" mom. Wow. I took a nap with my kids for the first time in… … …who knows how long. We went for a walk, played outside, played inside, went to the library, and did chores. It was a good day. I also watched the neighbor boys for a little while, including month-old Brody. I love this little guy.

And now I'm off to Girls Camp in the morning. The kids are going to Cord & Heidi's and to Grandma Risa's while I'm gone. They are very excited, especially to see Uncle Keegan and go in his car (they like to go in anyone else's car). I will miss them, and will miss my Aki! And my bed (and shower, etc.) Watch out, secret sister, here I come!

You've had a birthday…

…shout "Hooray!"

We want to sing to you today.

One year older and wiser, too,

Happy birthday… to you!

(to hear this little song--in a round, even--click here)

Birthdays I am celebrating this month:

June 5 - sister Camie, age 32

June 11 - grandma Gwen Udall, age 89

June 25 - nephew Jackson, age 8

and as long as I'm celebrating, I'd like to congratulate three of my brothers on their wedding anniversaries (unfortunately, I don't have recent pictures of them together with their wives--but I do, conveniently, have these side shots):

June 5 - Cord & Heidi, 14 years

June 19 - Boomer & Tennille, 10 years

June 28 - Travis & Amy, 19 years


I love you all, and am VERY glad I have you in my life!
....

Happy first day of June…

…and Happy Summer! Did you know that in many countries, June 1 signifies the official beginning of summer? Sounds good to me! Isn't it a great feeling to know we have the whole summer ahead of us, instead of that feeling in September when we know the cold and snow will be here all too soon (except for you people living in the Arizona valley of the sun, of course)?

Speaking of June, I flipped the page on my calendar today (Georgia O'Keeffe flowers - Christmas gift from Aki) to show this beautiful image, and the colors seemed fitting. Perhaps because it made me think of Flaming June by Frederic Leighton (see painting below). We studied it in Academic Decathlon, and it is an absolutely gorgeous painting! I had the opportunity to see it in real life, not in its permanent gallery in Spain—actually, it's in Puerto Rico, good ol' Mindy pointed out—, but in a traveling Victorian exhibit that came to the National Gallery in D.C. That was 10 years ago…wow. I know this is Mindy's favorite painting, so here's a shout out to Mindy. As a sidenote, another celebration of 10 years is the 1997 opening of the Georgia O'Keeffe museum in Santa Fe, New Mexico. I've never been, but hope to someday!