7 Click, click, Click Its

Linking with Jen at Conversion Diaries for some happy clicking!
1. If you haven't noticed, which I am most certain that you haven't, I am a bloggin' away over here. Three posts in 2 days, you would think I sit around eating bonbons all day! But I just couldn't let you miss out on some of my recent favorite blog posts. 

2. Before I get to some Click Its I wanted to share a super duper big ol' hurdle that we have crossed in the area of Gracie girls hair. So, for awhile now I have been complaining on good ol' instagram (love me some Instagram, slightly addicted) how Grace does not let me do her hair let alone brush it without a huge cry fest. Well, the other night I had an idea. I braided my hair in two pigtails and asked Grace if she would let me do her hair just like me. She was thrilled and totally went with it! Now for the last 4 days in a row she has let me braid her hair each and every morning. All I can say my friends is that miracles do indeed happen!

3. Okay, now for some clicking... One of my bestest friends, who I mentioned here, is now a guest blogger at this super cool blog called Tales of a Mountain Momma. I mean it when I say that you don't want to miss Ann's post! Ann is so the real deal as a Mom. She has 3 beautiful kiddos ages three and under and always keeps them busy and active. Her ideas in this post are simple, fun, and guaranteed to get your kids outside. Go forth and read and rest assure that I will be updating you whenever she posts.   4. Okay, so you have heard me talk about her before, but I just can't help myself. Grace at Camp Patton has the cutest announcement in the form of a video. If you want to smile big and I mean real big watch it!
5. Okay, so if you follow da blog world at all you are probably super familiar with the blog In Honor of Design. But for those that have never visited her site, it is an AB-solute MUST. I have to warn you though that at first you might be super jealous (or at least I was), because she is like way beautiful, has amazing fashion style and each picture on her blog is better than the next. But the more you read, the more you get to know how authentic and real Anna is. Her posts never disappoint and always uplift, go visit. 
6. This week I loved this post from String of Pearls. For all of us moms with young kids, it is a good reminder to really remember that truly "these are the days".
7. One of the first blogs that I ever started to read is call Bean In Love. Sheena is the best DIY blogger. I mean if I ever did anything crafty, I would want to do everything that she does. Her posts are always interesting. I mean take a look at this one and how she dressed her twin girls for Halloween. Since I barely ever (and I should probably say never) do any DIY projects when I read her blog it kinda gives me the feeling that I have, weird, but true. 
Happy Clicking!

All for Jesus

What  a weekend! First of all, Matt and I made history by not spatting even once during our hot and cramped travels to NYC! But even more importantly, Brother Pierre Toussaint (who I talked about here) gave his whole life over to the service of God by professing final vows of poverty, chastity, obedience with the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal (CFR's).

Even though I was up, down and all around the back of the church because our sweet baby Hope refused to take a nap during the 3 hour mass, I was still truly moved by the presence and gentle power of the Holy Spirit.

Through my smile I am saying: "Please go to sleep, pleeeease go to sleep."

This was our campsite in the back of the Church.

One of the most powerful parts for me during the mass was when the brothers laid prostrate in adoration before God while a beautiful song calling on the intercession of the saints was sung. If you have never seen this before it may seem a little weird in the picture below, but there really is something so raw and just plain awesome when witnessing someone lay there giving everything so humbly to Christ.

There were 5 CFR Brothers who made final vows. A good friend from College, Mikey Lefever now known as Brother Angelo, was in that group of Friars. I could kick myself for not getting a pic with him, but none the less I felt blessed to be able to see him make vows. 

7 years ago at our wedding (when I was young and tan), I remember peeking out from the back of the church to take a look at the 400+ friends gathered to celebrate with us.  In the midst of all those people it was Brother PT (who was then known as Alain) who caught my attention. He was kneeling in the back of the Church praying and in that moment his pure heart and love for God really touched me. And today again, as he was surrendering his whole life to God and to the service of others my heart swelled with joy and pride at the person he is and that I can call him friend. 

Matt snapped this pic of Hope right after the Brothers profession or vows. She was ha-ha-happy. 

Witnessing the brothers vows reminded me of Matt and my vows to each other. Even though we may be living out a totally different vocation, really they are one in the same. We vowed to love and cherish each other and to welcome children lovingly into this world. This was our final vows to each other and to God until death do us part, or as Matt says until we kill each other (haha!). So please pray for us as we try to live our vows out as radically as the inspiring CFR brothers from this weekend!

***Now to inundate you with some of my favorite pictures from this weekend. Here.We.Go.

This weekend we were able to see one of our best friends Dominique (Brother PT's sister) and her daughter (my God daughter) Therese. Therese pretty much stole the show with her cuteness, I mean look at that face!

Therese and Hope made first steps in becoming best friends. 

We were also able to see some of our other best friends Ann and John and their cute little boy Maxson. Talk about exactly what the doctor ordered. Before the final vows we met up for some spicy guacamole and drinks. Within seconds of seeing each other the 6 months that we had been apart seemed to vanish, leaving us right back to where we left off. I guess that is what makes "good friends" good friends. 

This pic was taken after 3 intense hours of baby duty during Mass. Ann's little boy Maxson is 19 months, so you can only imagine how much fun that was for her and John!

Isn't he glowing?

Believe me when I say, there is nothing better than when the friars start playing music. 

goodbyes

Goodbyes are so hard and we had a doozy the other day. My dear, dear, best friend here in Naples moved with her sweet family to Jacksonville and boy was it hard to say Goodbye. Ann and her kiddos have been our companions up to 4 times a week for the last 2 years (give or take :), and now they are over 6 hours away. This is going to take some getting use to for me and especially little Gracie Girl, who talks about Avila an average of 20 times a day.

Avila and Grace showing off their painted nails.

Since being married, I have realized that making friends, close friends at that, can be a hard task. You would think 2 hours at the park, no prob -- we will have time to at least exchanged our life stories. But moms, and this one in particular, spend 1 hour and 56 1/2 minutes of that time juggling snacks and drinks, changing diapers, fixing boo-boos, getting more snacks, nursing, pushing one child on the swing, while yelling over to the others to stop fighting, and then mores snacks (just hoping to eliminate any form of melt down). So... my conversations are sometimes limited to 10 words and 3 sentences interspersed throughout and often times yelled over crying kids.  It takes time, many play dates, dinners at the house, date night with couples, etc to build friendship when your married with kids.

Could a sweet face like this ever be caught whining?

Or this?

Man, those college days of roomies, talking through the night, partaking in adult beverages, all while not being interrupted by crying, whining, or weird smelling odors--- I definitely took those days for granted, but how did I know what was to come... and really I wouldn't change it for the world (wink, wink).

I have been blessed, abundantly blessed, with my HS friends, college friends, and now Mommy friends who have taken the time to get to know me and my kiddos... but Ann, my friend who "just get's it" and gets me and my family, we will miss sharing daily life with you!! Tonight I am cheers-ing you with my glass of San's Sabastian and can't wait until we see you in Orlando :).