Fabulous Fonua Family

Willow Jean Fonua

2011-07-27T22:37:00.004-05:00

The Hamilton Family has 12 little ones which we are crazy obsessed with, and now the Fonua Family has it's first!
Presenting Willow Jean Fonua
April 25th 2010

First Time Grandma

The New Family

Excited Uncle Young

Willow came to see me for her newborn photos (and for every photo ever forever!)

She did a really great job and she is so adorable.

Congratulations to Deacon and Leah!
We just love her and are so happy she is in our family. She is so much more expressive and laughing now- more pictures to come always.

Tim, Beth, Mark, Rockwell, Asha, Minxy, Lola, Gabi, Elena, Maya, Axl, Cooper.....and Willow! Thirteen bratkins and counting

Two Years and Counting

2011-07-24T22:26:00.004-05:00

young and I recently celebrated our two year anniversary!
We were married on May 16th 2009 and it has been a great two years, with fun times, rough times, happy times, and sad times. i could not be happier nor could i have a better husband.
We went to Des Moines for the weekend, nothing big, just a little get away with each other.
We went shopping, watched movies and ate a lot!

iowa (period)

Adam Emenecker Challenge!

Here's hoping there and many, many more celebrations to come...

Happy Birthday Young Fonua!

2011-07-06T11:44:00.003-05:00

Young's 27th birthday was in April! We went golfing and played in Amana, went to lunch, shopping, and dinner with friends and family!

I loved playing all day with my husband and spoiling him! He loved food, golfing and presents!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY YOUNG FONUA!- from a few months ago

Hamilton Family Ski Trip 2011

2011-05-07T21:54:00.000-05:00

Catchin Up- Christmas 2010

2011-04-27T18:26:00.004-05:00

Christmas Time for the Fonua's was amazing, we made gingerbread houses, cookies, watched the classic movies and all the great things that come with Christmas.

Adam and Amanda were staying with us so we had a full house, then Young's family came for a dinner.

I made a yummy Christmas dinner!

Flash! portraits Christmas party, where I was given the hardest worker and who moved all my stuff awards.

Then we went home to Kentucky for Christmas. Christmas eve was the usual Christmas crackers and chaos, including playing the pipes like old times.

We finally made my brothers join in their own tradition of the Christmas sweater!

The usual matching shirts photo-ops

nine of my parents twelve grandkids they are sooo cute i wanna squeeze them I am obsessed.

Christmas was wonderful we got to see some old friends, playing with the kiddos, watch movies, go to bounce U, eat lots of yummy food, and enjoy the holiday.

Creepy and Crafty

2010-11-02T15:24:00.003-05:00

Halloween is so fun!
Full of scary movies, pumpkin carving, haunted houses, parties, costumes, and candy!
So we carved pumpkins

our witch on a warty pumpkin

Then I got crafty again.
I have all black furniture and picture frames and a camel couch so I needed to tie them together.
I saw a tiny monogram pillow at Hobby Lobby that I liked because I love monogram stuff but again it was tiny and had beads all over it so thus not snuggly for the couch.

So I made this:

A good addition to the house and I used my new sewing machine
all for under $7

Crafty Catherine

2010-09-30T19:35:00.003-05:00

I have always had a desire to be crafty and artistic and also had way to much jewelry. So to make use of my first issue and solve the second I decided to make some cool jewelry hangers.

The before picture!
I took some old frames from work, bought some cool fabric, ribbon and cork...

Then TA DAH!
These are the three hangers ready to be put on the wall and filled with my jewelry.

on the way with a few modifications

I was pretty proud of myself for making something cute and crafty and relieved that my jewelry is more organized. Basically this is bragging...

National Cheeseburger Day and Coach Fonua

2010-09-22T17:16:00.003-05:00

What have the Fonua's been up to?

Saturday was National Cheeseburger Day so we enjoyed that with some classic comedy movies.
This weekend we watched; Weekend at Bernie's, High Anxiety, and Top Secret!

Young joined an intramural football team which he also coaches, it has been fun to go to the games.

It's been super funny though being that all of his teammates are grad students, residents, and the sort, the average age of their team is about 28. The fans on their sidelines are wives, many with babies. So it is quite different from the other teams who are 19 and have pretty girls flirting with them on the sidelines.
As I was spouting my ridiculous cheers I jokingly yelled "kill them Young" and a boy on the other team told me "lady we are half your age, you don't have to be so mean" to which I replied "how old do you think I am?" and he asked "how old do you think I am?"
Well I am pretty sure he is not 12 and I am about 98% sure I am not 40....

Cute little Austin practicing...

Look at my cute coach (it's a nice view from the sidelines...)

National Popcorn Day!

2010-09-21T11:20:00.003-05:00

To celebrate National Popcorn Day we made three different kinds of popcorn and it was delicious!

White Cheddar, Curry, and Plain popcorn

Then we headed to the Hellogoodbye concert, it was a little awkward being that everyone else there was 12! However it was pretty fun (and free.)

So needless to say life for the Fonua's is pretty good.

Defiant Debutante

2010-09-01T23:06:00.003-05:00

I feel that I have always been torn between different women

Part of me is a classy, waspish, woman a well-mannered, etiquette-teaching classy girl. A woman who wears pearls and dresses for dinner.
However, another part of me has always been a little crazy, a little bit of a rebel, skipping class, and breaking curfew in the mosh-pit, opinionated, and loud.
Another part of me is a little girl, loving purple, eating junk food and candy, staying up too late, dancing in my underwear.
This week I melted all these aspects together .... maybe... well I at least had some fun.
I have had natural hair for a while now and I wanted to spice things up, so I got some more layers and.... a little PURPLE dye! I think it is fun and maybe a slightly classierish, slightly more grown-up way to have crazy purple hair.
Or maybe I am a little weird, but oh well I LOVE IT!

New Fonua Fortress

2010-08-31T16:14:00.003-05:00

Recently the Fonua's moved, here are tons of photos of our new place!
I love the new place because the kitchen can actually fit us both, the living room is slightly bigger, it is slightly closer to the grocery store, and best of all it's CHEAPER!!

It's pretty great, come and play!

The Kitchen

Dining room area

living room area

more living room and picture wall

guest room/ office/ craft room (hobby room)

bathroom (it's so tiny it was hard to take a photo)

bedroom

sweet giant built in shelf

It's still needs a little work, a few more decorations, PHOTOGRAPHS, maybe some curtains, and some cool lanterns hanging from the ceiling, but so far, so good.

It's not the most gorgeous place in the world but it's affordable, comfortable, spacious, and WE LOVE IT!

Catherine's Blogging Day!

2010-08-27T19:09:00.003-05:00

I love life!!

In order to celebrate each day more fully we have decided to celebrate random holidays.
There are TONS TONS TONS of fun silly holidays all of the time. We started to look at calendars and find fun days we want to participate in and then have fun!
On National Video Game Day we had a Rock Band PartyOn National Thrift Store Day we went Thrift Store hoppingFrom now on we shall be playing A LOT on these days and then blogging them on here for everyone to enjoy! Feel free to join in!

Here are some photos from last week when it was National Cupcake Day, Young made chocolate chip cookie cupcakes and they were delicious and boy do we love cupcakes!

Baking like the Bon-Bon

2010-08-22T16:42:00.004-05:00

My mother has had the same sourdough bread starter for something like 30 years. Every Sunday morning we wake up to the smell of homemade bread baking, which has always been an amazing treat and a lovely memory, (except on fast Sunday when it is torture.)
On my last trip home I took some starter from my Mama so that I can start (no pun intended) to make yummy bread for my family and start those memories and traditions.
On my first try it didn't work out perfectly but I think it was pretty good considering I am no chef. Young said it was not quite as good as my mom's but hey she has had decades of practice.
Here's to many more experiments and yummy food to some...

Trip to Kentucky

2010-08-15T17:57:00.014-05:00

Right before our trip we moved to a new apartment right down the street, this is our classy first dinner in the new house.Our new apartment is great (and much cheaper) i will post photos soon.

so after a hectic few days we headed to Kentucky

We were excited to get away for a few days and see the family!
I posted a few fun photos here from the trip so enjoy;

-We had dinner and went to Inception with Ty Ty and Jo Jo for Tyler's birthday, which was fun!Happy Birthday STINKY!
- Sunday was full of family and friends celebrating the baby blessings of ALL three new babies.
Cindy, JoAnna, and Brooke all had babies that I had never seen, so I was excited to squeeze them.
So pretty much the entire Nicholasville Ward was filled with Hamilton's (and Coopers)
It was fun to see everyone...
The whole afternoon was spent celebrating and playing, I loved it and it felt like home! I have tons, tons, tons more photos, including the photography of Eliza, Drew, and Minxy if anyone is interested...

-Monday was spent playing with Alli, we went to lunch and got pedicures, it was fun.
Then we took the kids to Chuck E Cheese, which was hectic and crazy, FYI I love SKI BALL-Tuesday we just relaxed and played with some people we love and had dinner with Jessica
-Wednesday we headed to the Cabin and then on to Huntington West Virginia to eat at the glorious establishment that is GD Ritzy's ( a classic burger joint we used to go to in Lexington)-Thursday through Sunday were spent at the Hamilton Family Reunion. Three hundred Hamilton's; lots of junk food, tons of games, hiking, playing in the creek, four-wheeling, loving the kids, talking for hours, corn hole, and NO Air Conditioning.
It was an amazing time, we had a great turn-out and an even better time! It was a joy to relax and catch up with loved-ones.
Young was a hit at the reunion and survived the family...
-Back to Lexington for a few days of rest and play. more games and food, just how I like it.
We had a dinner for Gabi's birthday and played games!
I LOVE MY FAMILY!

Now back to reality and our cute new place...

save that money!

2010-06-15T17:10:00.003-05:00

I have officially become a coupon clipper!! Thanks to the inspiration from Natalie, Amanda, and being poor. It is really fun and fulfilling though, I search ads and clip coupons, also I search sites, like red plum, coupons.com, and others, I even look at lots of blogs, you can see the ones I follow in the frugal Fonuas list. Then I write out a game plan describing what stores I am headed to for what items!!

In other news; in the past month we have had three new nieces! Cooper Jay Hamilton, Lola Glow Hamilton, and Maya Naomi Diaz. I cannot wait to see and squeeze my little babies.

It is raining like crazy here in Iowa lately so be very jealous. I have never lived in a place where during rain storms there is so much standing water on the roads, it is a pain in the butt.

what a year!

2010-05-31T17:01:00.008-05:00

It's official we have been married for a year!!
May 16th 2009 until now and going strong.

I must say it has been wonderful. A lot to get used to; dirty sock everywhere, and someone snoring in your bed, but it has been amazing!

In the past year we have; been really poor, hunted for jobs, found an amazing job, gotten promoted (I am officially lead photographer at FLASH!!), moved and decorated our home, learned to cook (a little), watched tons of office, flight of the conchords, and seinfeld, went on a honeymoon, drove to Kentucky a few times, Minneapolis twice, St. Louis, Utah, South Dakota, New Orleans, Chicago, Nauvoo, and then some, went on a cruise, gained weight and dieted, froze in the Iowa winter, dealt with birth and death, had great visitors, spent ALOT of time together, and pretty much loved life!

Life is going well. Young is going to summer school and has officially decided to go to Dental school when all is said and done. So cross your fingers and say your prayers that we will get to KY for that! He loves to play x-box online with his brother-in-laws, has gotten wonderful grades, does most of the cooking, plays golf, and is an amazing husband.
I work all the time, in my spare time, I try to take more photos, am learning how to paint and make jewlery, try to clean and decorate or home, and miss my bratkins in Kentucky.

It's a charmed life! Sometimes it gets tough trying to balance life here and keep in contact with friends and family in Kentucky and Utah. I miss my loves. It seems to me that I have three different people in one- there is high school Kentucky Catherine with those friends and memories, college Catherine with even more memories and specific friends, and all grown up Catherine with a husband and no Iowa friends. So it gets hard to actually talk to those people I still care about and need from all the years, but now that I think about you and care.

My goal as always is to actually update this blog often so everyone can enjoy the life we enjoy!
So keep watching and loving!

Pale Force

2010-02-16T14:46:00.003-06:00

So I had a big girl job interview today! It was at a dermatologist slash treatment spa that is actually really coool, and one of the benefits are getting use of the spa treatments. During the interview I was informed that employees can not tan and must use sunscreen. After which the interviewer stated taht I CLEARLY follow these regulations. Apparently I quite obviously and perma-pale.

I also have gotten alot of responses back from my yahoo group post to the ward about photography sessions so woo hoo!

Also my husband shall be back in two days!!

Love my life!

2010-02-15T21:42:00.004-06:00

Well friends, family, random strangers who are reading my blog it is time for more of the unconnected stream of consciousness that is a blog post by yours truly.

It is the day after valentine's and I am sitting at home by myself on my couch as my husband is in Utah and I do not have anyone else I really spend time with here in the frozen tundra I call home currently. I have been married for approximately nine months and it has been an amazing different time.
In that time I have-
-become a sappy love song
-gained ten pounds
-been very lazy
-given up some of my compulsions
-learning to cook
-hunted and hunted for stable, well paying employment
-discovered new passions
-tolerated new peopl
-traveled the country and then some (Minneapolis, South Dakota, Utah, Kentucky, all over Iowa, Chicago, Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, New Orleans...)
-become a professionally certified photographer
-missed my family like crazy
-found pieces of myself
-etc.

I have spent so much time in my life doing things I was expected to, being lazy, and/or letting my passions slide by, I have decided to do this no more. Althought many people think I am a unique free thinker I have many times done the expected but I have decided to only do what I want from now on. I have decided that with the free time I have I need to take more time to be myself, to follow my passions, and to do producative, worthwhile things I enjoy. I want to do things that matter, which is not watching simpsons all night (although that is awesome!)

I have been working in a job I love for months now however in opposition to the above paragraph I feel the need to get a job that pays better and gives this lemon car some health benefits, so I must hold on to myself while I sell out. Also job hunting sucks!

Life has been a roller coaster lately, I have experienced so so many amazing things in the past few months. I have also been simply happy being married and spending time with young. However there has been so many hard things and things that stress me. It makes me appreciate my life even more and I have gained alot of perspective.

I may bot be the most successful post-grad ever but I am happy. In the future I will be a full time mom, I will have my own catering/party planning company, I will have my own home organization business, and continue my photography. Then I will have the business cards and things to shove.

I am slowly working on finally after years and years of desire and nudges getting my own photography business going, website coming soon cafrin.com. Anyone in Iowa City area look me up!! and soon to come in Lexington. As I will be there as soon as possible hopefully.

In the mode of finding more time for myself and my passions, and missing my family I fullt intend to blog much more often so look out for those!!

Until then know that I am happy, sappy, and poor. I love my family and I will grow into this skin someday.

It's a full time job being me...

2009-09-01T15:07:00.002-05:00

I has been a long long time since I have blogged and I have been critizied on my laziness. However in my defense we were stealing internet from the neighbors and they moved so now I am sol.

Life is going well, I love my job and my manager praises me on how good my photos are and what a great employee I am, which is great. However I still get paid peanuts and not the apocalyptic kind and I work no hours, therefore I am extremely stretched for cash and the bills don't like it. So the job hunt rolls on and on and on. Who knew it would be this hard... advice DO NOT try to get a job in Iowa City, apparently it is tough for everyone.

People ask me if I ever get bored not having a full time job since December... NOPE. I always stay busy and love the freedom.

I just had a birthday which despite being poor and away from family was amazing, good thing I have a great husband!!

Since moving to Iowa some things have changed; I have developed a bad addiction to fountain dr. peppers, I have eased up on some of my strange compulsions, I actually made friends with girls I don't live with or are related to, i have gained weight, I love jeopardy, i cook alot, and i started to make jewelry.

I have also become more dedicated and concrete in my future goals, I just need some income to achieve them. I love being a housewife, strange to say but I find it fulfilling to cook and clean, pack lunches, and do laundry...and other things...

I miss hanging out with friends every night like is used to in Provo, but its a good thing I have a permanent one in my house. I have made a goal to fulfill myself with other things and pick up more hobbies, and when I have enough money to buy a new camera, start my own photography business, so get ready...

Lately I have been having multiple really strange dreams each night, it is actually quite entertaining, even if my coworkers think I am crazy, that is fun too.

So I think I will start to share them here, for you all to laugh as well.

Oh yes young.... He is great, he is doing well in school, straight As!! He takes such good care of me. He is very excited for football season starting so if you need him you can find him on our couch in front of the big 10 network.

Pretty much that is the random ramblings of my life.

The hunt continues....

2009-06-29T18:15:00.001-05:00

Today was a low day in the hunt for employment as I began to get very discouraged. It seems as if I am becoming a pro at rejection, constantly receiving we hired someone else letters will do that...

I have become increasingly aware of the stupidity of formal education. It has become so socially expected to go to college that everyone does and many people go into huge debt and hate every minute of it. Only to find out that since everyone else went to college as well that degree earns them no recognition over the next "well educated" applicant.

The fact that I only have a bachelor degree and no experience has made it impossible to find a job. I have sent out at least 80 resumes. Since being here in Iowa City I have completed a long division/multiplication test at a job interview, been called back to be extra special rejected, and best of all been interviewed by three adults I had to pretend at one point were three years old. Oh the joy of job hunting. I recently applied to be a bus driver in a town i barely know so that's great....

The point is I am running out of money and trying to make friends in a new place and I wanted to rant so you the blogging community got to deal with it... thanks.

Hopefully I will find a job soon and have good news to post or else you might get to come visit the Fonua cardboard box....

Besides this life is grand and Young is being very supportive. Also I will be in Kentucky for a little over a week starting August 7th for all of those interested get excited!!

Fonua Fortress

2009-06-18T18:06:00.005-05:00

It has taken a bit of time to perfect our apartment but it is getting close. I think I have done the best I can at this moment without money or design talent. My friends and family have been asking for photos and now that we have painted to hideous rooms and gotten most of our furniture it is ready to show I guess.

Before we painted the bedrooms...

The front door

kitchen

dining room

living room

I am proud of my photo wall

guest room/study room

our sweet bedroom

potty

I think it's pretty great and we are getting settled! Thanks to everyone for contributing gifts and money!! The nightstands came for Brooke's IKEA gift card, the WII a gift from Young's Uncle Gary, the furniture bought with wedding money, the TV and dresser from Mama Fonua... The list goes on we have great people in our lives.

The place is open for guests...

It's a charmed life... charmed married life

2009-06-17T20:52:00.000-05:00

I am new to this blog thing However now that I live in Iowa with a husband and a sweet place I thought I would give it a try so people can see my fabulous life. I must warn any readers that when I type it becomes a random train of my thoughts, it could be weird.

Yesterday I celebrated my one month anniversary!! I know it seems crazy that I am married. I am so lucky! I married a man who was one of my closest friends for two years before dating. He is the nicest man I have ever know. He can carry me everywhere, he makes me laugh when I am sad, he supports my ideas, and loves my quirks. He is hardworking and driven, but so much fun. I adore him. He had to chase me for months before I could commit but then our dating life was perfect. He proposed to me in Kentucky and we were married four months later.

One month ago was the best day of my life. I planned a wedding without a mom and from 2,000 miles away. It was absolutely the PERFECT wedding. The decor was gorgeous, the food was great, and so many great people came. After that we went to Virginia for a honeymoon. What a great time, a week to do nothing but play! Then we headed back to Iowa. In the month preceding the wedding We drove over 5,000 miles and completely packed my car at least 3 times. It was a month of planning, packing, driving and moving. Leading up to a week of wedding fun then a new life.

We have moved back to Iowa. Young is from Iowa and so we moved here for him to finish school. So yes I live in Iowa now. Iowa City to be exact, it is a fun town, there are tons of record stores, boutiques, and live music. I am getting used to it. It is a little weird moving to a place where I knew no one. However it is way closer to my family than I was and I have Young so it is great!!

We moved into a great place, it is in the perfect location. It is a cute two bedroom, one bath apartment. I have been trying to decorate it with the little skills and money I have. So feel free to come play!!

I am looking for a job here with no luck... yet. This seems like a dream before reality because we have tons of time to play together. It feels so far like we are just playing house, but I must say it is way better than living with roommates. It is great to have an entire place to do anything I want!!

This is my life... so far....