Vacation photo dump ;)

Hello friends,


Once again, it's been quite awhile since my last blog post and life has been going great! (I just realized that I NEVER addressed what we were dealing with, with Manuel. In case anyone was wondering, just a quick update (sorry for never addressing it, life has been crazy and blogging has taken a backseat)...things are going AWESOME! We were fearful of some possible ADD/ADHD, anxiety, some sort of issues along those lines, but all seems to be going well. We'll monitor it next year when he starts first grade, and hopefully it was just a stage. If not though, the school is well aware of everything and we'll work together to do what's best for Manuel! Thank God all seems well for now! :)) Now, on to the fun stuff...Our summer is in full swing and we just got back from our annual trip to the ocean. It was nothing short of amazing! Here are some of my favorite pics of our trip...

Our annual Old Time Photo (the girls were supposed to be smiling and the boys serious, but Mia wanted NOTHING to do with smiling for the photog! ;))

Headed to the ocean! :) (yes, Manuel is in a booster seat, you just can't see it :))

Our BEAUTIFUL condo (a friend from church owns this, and it is absolutely gorgeous!) 

The family room

Our view of the bay

Ready for the beach! :) 

Crabbing :) 

One of the couples from our small group at church were on vacation too, so we hung out with them for a bit. This is one of their SEVEN children! :) 

Mia strutting down the boardwalk...our first few nights were chilly, but absolutely gorgeous! 

Fathers Day morning

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE!!!!

Boat ride to Assateague Island where we got to get out and explore :) 

He lost one of his top front teeth right before we left and the other one he lost while we were on vacation :)

Dinner at an Irish restaurant right on the boardwalk...best salmon sandwich EVER! :)

Flying kites after annual dusk family pics on the beach :) 

Ranch dressing face! ;)

It went from chilly to 100+ degrees!! :) So Manuel and I went for a bike ride! :) It was SO hot, but so fun! Until...

The chain on his bike came off and I couldn't fix it! :) These are our exaggerated sad faces because now we had to walk back to the place! :) 

My friend Lauren and her family were down at the beach too, so we met up for dinner and rides...SO fun! :) 

It was an absolutely amazing trip, with so many great memories made! I just can't say enough about how awesome it was! :)

Have a great week friends!

What is my "calling?"

As I had mentioned in my last post, Saturday was my birthday. The day came and went as birthdays do as you get older, not much fanfare, but just enough love and attention to make a girl feel special! :) Now, if you've ever lived through a birthday while being on Facebook, that just adds some extra "special" to your day, as your birthday wishes roll in via comments, messages, etc. I know it might sound silly, but how can 100+ birthday wishes not make a person feel special!?!? It does for me, that's for sure! :) But there was one comment that stuck out to me more than any of the others, because it made me tear up and think, "Wow, someone really thinks that about me?"

This comment came from a "friend" named Erin. I put the word friend in quotes, because she isn't a bestie, she isn't family, and I'd venture to say it's been 5+ years since I've seen her, but we hung out in the same crowd years back, I keep up on her family via Facebook, and apparently she does the same to me! :)

After leaving me the standard, "Happy Birthday" comment, she then replied to her comment with this...

"Every time you post something it always makes me smile...you are such a positive and spiritual person...gives me hope that there are good people!!! Hope you enjoy this beautiful day:)"

Wow! What a kind, sweet thing to say to me! I tend to be a pretty positive person, it's just my nature. Of course we ALL have bad days, we all have struggles and NO ONES life is perfect...we lose our patience with our children, we bicker with our spouses, we say mean things to the person who cut us off in traffic, we might tell a little white lie (although I am the WORST liar ever!!!!! Not that that's a bad thing! ;)) Like the song, by Natalie Grant, says,

Tell the world you've got it all together

And never let him see what's underneath
We cover it up with a crooked smile
But it only lasts for a little while


There's no such thing as perfect people
There's no such thing as a perfect life
So come as you are, broken and scarred
Lift up your heart and be amazed
And be changed by a perfect God

So although my life isn't perfect, I tend to keep my Facebook statuses, light and positive (usually! ;)) and I often wonder (because I'm super self conscious), "Do people think my statuses are phony?" "Do people think I'm annoying?" etc. and then to hear someone say something kind like that cast all those shadows of doubt aside and made me realize, even if I inspire just one person, then who cares what the naysayers think? I was named "Most Inspiring of 2011" at my work so that has to mean something? ;)

Which brings me to the point of my title (yes, I do have a point! ;)) While sitting in church each Sunday, I often think to myself (especially if the sermon is speaking about "calling") what is my purpose in this world (other than being a good wife, mother, sister, daughter, etc.) What is my TRUE purpose? If you are a Christian, most likely you've heard the word "calling" before and what it pertains to. I want(ed) to find my calling, and sometimes my friends, I often wonder is my "calling" simply what I've been living....just to be a positive, happy, "inspiration" (for lack of a better term) in peoples lives. When I tell people I'm praying for them, I pray. When someone is on my heart, I pray for them EVERY SINGLE DAY! There are many blogger friends/families that I have met, who have touched my heart, and I pray for their well being each day.  Maybe it's just THAT simple...be me, be positive, be loving, be prayerful, be kind. So maybe it's not my "calling" but maybe it's just a way of life we should all try to live! :)

*After typing this post, I thought, "Do I sound pretentious?" There I go thinking again friends! :) Just know that this post was written with nothing but the best of intentions and I pray that it doesn't come off arrogant or self righteous! :)

31 years...

So yesterday I turned the big 3-1! :) It was a BEAUTIFUL day in Maryland...gorgeous breeze, low humidity, sun shining and all around lovlieness! :) It was one year ago today that one of my very best friends had her son, Connor, so I spent my 31st birthday with my hubby and kiddos at Connor's 1st birthday. It was a very sweet day. We go on vacation for 8 days on June 16th, so that is basically mine and Manny's birthday presents to each other (his birthday is June 26th). Vacations are EXPENSIVE, so I had no problem foregoing a "real" gift for vacay! :)

Here are some pics of the weekend...

 My beautiful girl and her beautiful curls! :)

 Hubby and the kiddos playing "baggo", "cornhole" whatever you call it in your neck of the woods! ;)

 Lauren and I (one of my best friends from high school)

 My two kiddos and Lauren's girls

 Manuel, Mia and Gwen (Lauren's oldest)

Mia, Gwen and I

 Kel (the birthday boys Mommy), Laur and I (all friends since high school-LOVE these girls! :))

After we got home from Connor's party, Manny surprised me with crabs for my birthday! :)