Mosaic Meme

1. What is your first name? Christie 2. What is your favorite food? Mexican @ El Fenix 3. What high school did you go to? Duncanville 4. What is your favorite color? Blue 5. Who is your celebrity crush? Emmitt Smith 6. Favorite drink? Mojito 7. Dream vacation? Rome/Vatican 8. Favorite dessert? Homemade German Chocolate Cake 9. What you want to be when you grow up? A witness of God's love & amazing power 10. What do you love most in life? My Lord from whom all blessings flow 11. One Word to describe you? Thinker 12. One hobby of yours? Reading

So...now it's your turn. I hope, like me, you learn how to do new things and enjoy your creation. Here's how: a. Type your answer to each of the questions above into Flickr Search. b. Using only the first page, pick an image. c. Copy and paste each of the URLs for the images into fd’s mosaic maker. d. Save image to hard drive and post to blogger. e. Copy HTML code for flickr photo credits and paste into blogger at the bottom of the post.


Thanks Jessica & +JMJ+ for taking the lead! It was fun!

1. http://www.flickr.com/photos/xgray/1162074890/">pink wall with railing, 2. http://www.flickr.com/photos/andrewtreynolds/379462596/">El Fenix 12x Zoom, 3. http://www.flickr.com/photos/dallas_nikon/2308222778/">Duncanville H S, 4. http://www.flickr.com/photos/petervanallen/486476524/">The Chesil Beach at Portland - Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site, 5. Untitled, 6. Mojito, 7. http://www.flickr.com/photos/bluejeans/351027670/">Statue of St. Peter, 8. http://www.flickr.com/photos/mav_port2port/2544207825/">a birthday cake, 9. Astonishing*, 10. http://www.flickr.com/photos/iko/106957481/">Plus haut, 11. http://www.flickr.com/photos/fotogrotto/64900293/">thinking up a storm, 12. http://www.flickr.com/photos/erikvanhannen/2143007559/">The Old Library

Monday Link Love

• BooMama is asking if you are a swimmer or a sideliner?
• Whittaker Woman has confessed she doesn't do 'moving water' very well these days.
• Big Mama has some fabulous skin care advice from her 90 yr old grandmother.

How's your summer going?

Frugal Friday Tip

I am a member of our local Freecycle group and last summer a lady posted that she had a box of old gourmet cooking magazines. I love to be in the kitchen so I knew I could put those to good use. I was dreaming of all the fabulous recipes I'd be trying out in my new kitchen. I knew that I would tear out the 'good ones' and create a notebook of my new found favorites. What I didn't expect I'd receive was this...

Kitchen decor! The Cook's Country magazines have beautiful full-color photo's on the front. I cut out 6 of my favorites (trying to vary the colors utilized) and took myself to the nearest Dollar Tree. I found this burgundy wood frames and they happened to have 6! Bingo!

Now I have unique & colorful wall decor in my kitchen for a whoppin' $6!!

Check out more Frugal Friday tips at Biblical Womanhood.

The Walls Are Closing In On Me

One year ago we made the decision to move from the city to the "country". We are 30 minutes away from the big city and 10 minutes from the closest grocery store in a small suburb near us. Because I do not work outside the home I occasionally feel a little claustrophobic...even in our nearly 2700 sq ft! Especially this summer. I go to church on Sundays and the rest of our activities are here in our little community. I venture out to pick up groceries or occasionally pick up fast food from our limited options. Last week while The Coach was gone to football camp I got it really bad. I needed to see traffic, some tall buildings, maybe a restaurant and possibly visit TCBY.

I love my man. He was tired when he came home on Thursday so I let him sleep for about 6 hours. (He had been gone 6 days and they were practicing 3x/day in 100-degree temps!) On Friday morning I let him sleep in. Friday afternoon we lounged around the house just enjoying the fact that he was back home with us. By 3 or 4pm I was getting a little antsy. The Coach loaded the children into the car and took us for a drive into the city. ahhhhhh, relaxation. I know it sounds sooo crazy, but seeing this made me so happy!

We drove around our old neighborhood, rolled through a carwash and stopped to get me a Coca-Cola from my favorite...Burger Street. Let me say that I have specific criteria for fountain sodas. They must be in a styrofoam cup (for the insulation) and they must have "good ice". The Coach cannot understand this ice issue, but...Sonic ice pellets - good ice; McDonald's chunk ice - not so much. Burger Street - FABULOUS ice...it's the flaky kind!! Ohhhh, he must love me.

Then we went to see this...

Could She be more beautiful?? The Cathedral Shrine of The Virgin of Guadalupe is the Mother Church of our Diocese and has been standing since 1902! Can you see me beam with pride...what a piece of architecture! ;-)

We attended the Chrism Mass here in 2004 and the Rite of Election during our RCIA process.

We ended our city-adventure by eating an early dinner at El Fenix...my absolute favorite restaurant!!

So that concludes my "day out". Do you ever feel the walls closing in on you?

Today's Post Is Brought To You By The Letter "F"...

...Friends, Family, Fun...

My sister and a friend came over on Wednesday (I'm a little late in posting since The Coach has come home! :) !! ) and the kids - all 6 of them - had a ball. There was swimming, tons of food, a house full of laughter and silliness...well, judge for yourself!

My niece...Shaylee

Caela & her friend Mia

Lunch...Cheeseburger Rolls & Homemade Fries

My sis & her make-up (she HAD to fix her face after swimming) with Caela

The whole motley crew...Jaedon & Andrew (l-r), Genna (pink), Mia, Caela (w/bow) and Shaylee

Playing with the dogs

Shaylee playing with Aunt Christie's camera...look, it does black & white...

Aunt Shell's new do (in sepia no less) :)

Genna

I hope your Family is enjoying a Fabulous summer!!

My favorite word...GIVE-AWAY!

Sew Gracious is hosting a give-away and boy, does she have some great stuff! Check out this beauty...
Really, you should RUN over to her place...contest ends at midnight tonight!!

Girls Night

The Coach has been at football camp this week so the kids and I have taken the opportunity to do some deep cleaning! It has been a lot of hard work...sorting through clothes that no longer fit Caela, sorting through Jaedon's tiny pieces of lego's, transformers & imaginex, and even vacuuming the stairs! My reward for it all....Girls Night! I sent an email to a bunch of ladies from church and invited them over for a movie. I made popcorn & cookies and we all wore our pj's! So fun!

Do you ever have 'girls night'? What's on the schedule?

A Mother's Prayer for her Children

Mary, Mother of Consolation, be with me now as I pray for my children. You, who bore the most perfect Child, know a mother’s concern for her children. You are the finest example of motherhood. Open your heart to my prayer.

There are times, Blessed Mary, when I feel so confused. My love for my children always directs me to do those things each day which will be good for them.

I always try to act in a way which will help them to be better Christians. It is often difficult for me to know what is right. Mary, please guide me through my doubts. Help me to know what is right. Help me to direct and raise my children, not for my own satisfaction, but for the glory of God.

Oh Queen of Heaven, my children are so frail in this world. Help me to guide them to know and love Our Heavenly Father. It is through His will that I have these children. They are truly His gift.

At this time, Blessed Mother of Consolation, I place my children under your care and protection. I know you will help them just as you have helped me. Keep us in your love, always.

Amen.

Tonight I was changing the music on my playlist and Caela came in and started dancing. What ensued was an impromtu dance/photo session. We laughed and danced until bedtime! Enjoy!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Some New Jesus Music

I like music. Had I actually finished college (that's another post) I probably would have a degree in some kind of music. I like lots of different genre's to the exclusion of most rap & country. I don't detest either one, just not my fav's.

So, today when I was surfing the web (because I have nothing better to do, right?) I came across Gretchen Harris. She is a contemporary Catholic musician and some of of her titles include, Prayer of St. Francis, You are Near and others. She has rosary CD and one titled "Sing of Mary".

Perhaps you've already been introduced but this was our first meeting. I like her! She has a very sweet voice...listening to her is peaceful. You might like her too. Seriously.