five favorites // Matt Maher

Music moves me and keeps my heart moving in a special way throughout our days. Just the way silence has its place so does sound and for that I'm so grateful for beautiful musicians who share their gifts with the world.

My boys have a number of these songs almost fully memorized because sometimes when things get crazy turning on beauty just needs to happen to keep you present, sane, and from losing your cookies.

I've been a fan of Matt Maher since forever. When his very first CD came out I was in college. The songs were so beautiful and so Catholic, it had my heart saying, This!!!, over and over again because his songs were where the passion of my faith and truth met in musical goodness. Through this ministry my family is continually blessed at the sound of all of his beautiful works! I'm so thankful the Holy Spirit has been working in him the way it has over the years; and further, I'm thankful to Matt Maher and his family for saying their Fiat to their vocation and ministry.

Enjoy these favorites of mine while chewing on this beautiful quote from St. Thomas Aquinas!

“Music is the exaltation of the mind derived from things eternal, bursting forth in sound.”-St. Thomas Aquinas

1. Set Me As A Seal. This song is new to me and so very beautiful. I cried the first time I heard it. It's based off of Song of Songs and took my young heart back to days spent in adoration reflecting on these very verses in His True Presence. Now that I'm a married woman, this song brought me to tears for all new reasons. 

2. Lord, I Need You. A song many have heard since World Youth Day happened in Brazil. I saw the version that was recorded by Catholic TV and cried tears that were a sure sign my senses had just been overwhelmed by Beauty. It's a good one that we listen to daily in our home. A prayer that gives me perspective and makes my heart pause and turn to Him.

3. Because He Lives. Oh! This song just shares the Joy and Jubiliation of all that is good in our faith. It makes you want to sing and dance and rejoice. It's so good!

4. All The People Said Amen. I love this song because of the communal aspect. We are all the people! We are here together, meant to journey alongside one another, to our final home. Encouraging, loving, and embracing all He has for us, together. The message, the beat, the images, the fun, the gratitude, the beat, the words, the dancing, the prayer, the smiles....love. it!

5. Hold Us Together. I like this next song for similar reasons I enjoy song number four on this list. Togetherness. Community. We are one body in song.

BONUS: Love Has Come. This bonus song is the one that hooked me back in college. I heard this song and there was just so. much. YES! I listened to it a thousand times then and would gladly listen to it a thousand times more. 

Sit back and enjoy some of this goodness! I'm so thankful for music and all the ways it shares truth and beauty for myself and our little family.

Head over to Rachel's for more five favorites!

the present moment // magical monday

Drinking: Magical Coffee. It truly is magical and if you have yet to make it. Anything with brown sugar, cinnamon, coffee, and ease should be on your regular rotation! Get on it!

Sitting: In my dining room at our table. Enjoying some quiet while the boys nap. They'll be up shortly.

Working on: Lots of little and big things. We found a leak that needs tending to (womp womp), little DIY projects I want to get started for the boys, sewing all the things (Family, if you have any questions as to what to get me every, think fabric store gift cards, please. Wink, wink.), feeling better, keeping the rest of my family from catching what I caught, laundry (ohhhh, the laundry!), and being present.

In the Kitchen: We'll be having baked chicken, sweet potatoes (can't decide if I'll do stovetop or baked), and broccoli for dinner tonight.

Enjoying: The slightly slower pace that comes with sickness and new months.

Looking forward to: My husband's birthday and my parents coming to town.

Loving: Sewing. Who would have thought I would enjoy it so much? Now to just get better at it so I can make all the little things my heart desires!

Also loving the beautiful weather we had this weekend. It was gorgeous! And even though I was sick, the little bits of fresh air I went out to enjoy were heavenly.

Thinking about: family, how to be better, how to better meet the needs of my children, all we have to look forward to throughout the rest of this year, gratitude for family and friends, how quickly these sweet boys God shared with us are growing, if and when God will share another sweet little life with us, staying healthy, gratitude for how far I've come since my back injury, how I so much want to become more organized and diligent in my daily to-dos, how much I love my husband, and my boys, and where we are.

Remembering: This fun memory these sweet boys had with their paternal grandparents.

Which Reminds Me: I haven't shared maternal grandparent time from Christmas or a few other pics from Easter on this little online space of mine. Noted!

Reading: Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery, Redeemed by Grace by Ramona Trevino, and still reading The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien.

Wishing: I hadn't gotten sick because then I could have met up with Joanna from Cafe Du Martin over the weekend for a little mommy/friend/blogging-fun time and because the boys and I could be having all the playdates and fun we normally have during our regular week. But instead, sickness it was, and quarantine has been the name of the game.

Playing: Bigfoot has been all about being outside from sun up to sun down if it were up to him, enjoying all things sports-related. Linus will follow suit to play a little sports and then proceed to examine and explore the world of bugs. When I can convince them inside is fun too, they both enjoy snuggling up to read, playing with playdoh, and Linus will draw for hours if I let him, while Bigfoot will make some sort of catapult out of all the random things he can find. Then there are all these new little imaginary games they've been engaging in with each other that are just plain adorable.

Smelling: Absolutely nada! No thank you, yucky cold that has me all stuffy and coughy.

Hoping:  To make more time to share. I have a few little posts to share this week and the next and want to work on a few more thoughtful ones. For now, I'm just praying for the time and the grace.

Thankful for: A roof over our heads, a job that my husband enjoys, a vocation that I prayed for, grace, and for my hope in the Lord. When I start feeling like I'm losing my footing or can't make sense of something, I remind myself to have hope. He who is greater than all my worries or anxieties or struggles loves myself and my family more than I'll ever understand here on earth. There truly is such peace in that truth. A truth I am trying to rest in daily.

Relishing: That I got to squeeze this little Monday post in during naptime!

embrace the ordinary // sixteen & seventeen

Sixteen/52 - Throwback to Easter

Linus. 2. Was the most gentle when it came to cascarones, is obviously left-handed, has the softest hair on his sweet little head.

Bigfoot. Almost 4. Was pretty rough with the cascarones and absolutely loved cracking them on everyone's heads (most especially Dada's and Papa's), would rather live outside during daylight hours, is pretty stellar when it comes to all things sports.

Seventeen/52 - Weekend Getaway

Bigfoot. Almost 4. Has taken to wearing baseball hats, is a social butterfly who loves seeing his friends every chance he gets, when asking what's for dinner and I told him PB and Honey with veggie sticks (I'm sick :P) he asked, "What vegetable, mama? I want a vegetable, mama. mm..Broccoli?"

Linus. 2. Loves horses and carried this little horse around the entire weekend, loves looking for snails and always comes back with a handful of the tiniest little snails on any given play day, likes to sing and bob his head while doing it.

These brothers. Little by little the taunting from the older or younger is lessening, more and more they are chatting and cracking themselves up, and daily are teaching me about what it means to love.

Linking up with Gina for Embrace the Ordinary and Aimee for Finding Beauty because, right now, this is all I have to embrace in the form of a post - my little ordinary and my bits of beautiful. I've had so many posts swirling in my head and heart but haven't found the time nor brain power to type them out. I'm praying for His Time and for now, praying I get over this sickness that hit me on Friday. Also praying that no one else gets this because it comes with a pretty yucky cough. We all know how tough a junky cough can be with the little people and with the daddy's too ;) so if you would join me in this prayer I'd be so grateful!

embrace the ordinary // time

Time has been passing, our boys have been growing, our family has been living, and I have been learning. But, I haven't been blogging. In fact, I haven't even been sharing Project 52 photos even though I have been taking them. Our computer has taken a turn into major slacker mode and if there's one thing that deters me from computer usage is a slow as molasses computer. Even still, we've been making memories, spending time with grandparents and family, and just got back from a mini trip with friends.

Life lessons have been sprinkled throughout it all. I've been slowly but surely gathering myself time and time again. Lesson after lesson, failure after failure and success after success.

As I'm sitting here and as I was sitting last night all I could think about is that He has come, He has conquered, and He will come again. I'm trying to let this sink in. I'm trying to focus on hope. Hope is real. Hope for tomorrows made new is real. Hope for beginning again is what I'm trying to embrace. To let be my reality.

Because I do stumble as much as I do good. I am a mother and I am a wife. I am a daughter, a sister, and a friend. I have these sweet little souls that I want to teach, guide, and encourage. I want them to know all these truths that I'm trying to live. I want them to see how it plays out. I want them to see that the evil one never wins. No matter how much we struggle or fight. Christ has won and always will hold us safe in His Loving Heart.

Embrace the Ordinary

Hoping to find my way back to this little space of mine this week and beyond. For any and all who stuck around, thank you!!!! Our little family scrapbook that has me continually seeking beauty during good times and bad has been missed by me! So I'm excited. <3 p="">

made with love // horse-stick reveal

Waiting faces. One hopeful and the other all kinds of skeptical.

 Mr. Hopeful becomes Mr. Doubtful and Mr. Doubtful becomes Mr. Hopeful.

 The Reveal.

 Stick-horses for the Win!

 They had no clue...

 So we literally showed them a how-to cartoon for riding stick horses. ...Only my boys...

 Which doesn't change the fact that they loved them.

 Once they got the hang of it, galloping has become part of our daily fun.

 With the occassional, Look, mama! Jesus!

 Up close. Bigfoot got robots.

 Linus got elephants.

I think they're going to have a lot of fun with these two sticks-horses! I kind of heart them and am sooooo thankful for my friend who so generously shared her time and talent with me!

Head over to her place by clicking on the image below or HERE to get the tutorial if that's your thing!

All I know is if I can do it, you definitely can!

finding beauty // insta-beauty

1 - We had all the fun this past Easter weekend. Hives aside, the boys were both able to fully enjoy having their grandparents around. What was a ton of fun was having some bike time out on the court. Bigfoot was even able to start peddling on his own a few times and had all the looks of pride one could imagine. Tons of laughter, memories, and conquering happened. And that sunburst just makes me happy.

2 - Linus loves to draw. A lot. He loves all things white paper, crayons, markers, color pencils, coloring books, etc etc etc He would sit for over an hour each time if he had a canvas to work with. It's kind of awesome and definitely unique to him. 

Correct me if I'm wrong but, just turned two year olds shouldn't necessarily be drawing "dragons" nor a "sheep eat grass", right? Surely there's some giftedness to this? Or maybe I'm just a super impressed young mama. Either way, I present to you a a dragon (top Left) and a sheep eating grass (bottom Right).

3 - My oldest has been wanting a new little baby in the house probably since he's held any other little baby that our friends will let him hold or dote on. He loves all the little ones and reallllly wants us to have more. My heart and desire is for that too, but God's timing little one, God's timing.

We are in a season of waiting on Him, but for now, Bigfoot expressed that the picture below is his present desired family.

Dada, Mama, me, Linus, my new baby sister, another baby, another baby, and anooother baby! Look mama, this is us!

4 - We had a tough sick season that spilled into Lent, relentlessly, but we had a beautiful Easter weekend and are enjoying Eastertide. I wrote a little about it here.

5 - Love that our little seeds are sprouting! I've never planted anything from seed (Other than when we were in Elementary) and I'm a pro at killing all things green. Unintentionally, of course. But here we are! Our little sproutlings. So excited! We planted morning glorys (pictured below), baby's breath (my faves), marigolds, a mailbox mix, and need to plant some rosemary. I'm excitteeed!

6 - I have been enjoying learning to sew so much! It's so neat how the machine just works. It just does. It joins fabric and creates. I'm a fan of threading (because my machine makes it incredibly easy) and finally have my first finished product that isn't laughable! All thanks to my amazing friend who is all sorts of crazy-talented! Go check her out here. She shares a ton of DIYs, her beautiful leather hand-crafted items, and some of her husband's insanely talented artistry. 

7 - Oh my goodness! I seriously can hardly contain myself! She made these adorable stick horses for her kids and swore that I'd be able to do it too. I went over and tadaaaaa! She was right!

Aren't they adorable?!! We'll be giving them to the boys as soon as daddy gets home from work. I can't wait. You can bet I'll be clicking away capturing all that magic! But till then, if you're at all interested in my friend's tutorial showing how she joined two patterns to craft these adorable stick horses go HERE! They were completely crafted from scrap fabric and easy enough for a newbie like me!

Yay! Thanks for hanging around for these insta-quick-takes of fun and moments of beauty from life-lately. I'm hoping to get my Project 52 photos up today or tomorrow, but for now, hope you enjoyed catching up on the little things.

SQT/Finding Beauty

the present moment // catching up

Fourteen/52

Brothers. Love each other, taunt each other, and seek each other out.

Bigfoot. 3. Adores being outside, playing every sport under the sun, and is still my little snuggler.

Linus. 2. Is talking so much more, has become our little in-home parrot, and loves doing things on his own.

Fifteen/52

Bigfoot. 3...almost 4! Sometimes wishes he could still be a baby, really wants his mama to have a baby, and is learning and exploring the world around him with the most curious eyes.

Linus. 2. Adores swinging, seeking and examining every bug under the sun, and being silly.

Brothers. Growing together, learning together, and teaching this mama about love and life every. single. day.

Cheers to playing catch-up on my little 52 Project. <3>

bissisterhood // He is Risen, Indeed!

Lent came and went this year and that's okay. It was all okay. In fact, is was better than okay. It was good. All of it was good. Even the not so good was good because we were together, trying, and putting one foot in front of the other.

What was so amazing is, even though I started feeling a little down towards the end, He met us where we were anyways. And it was good.

We were getting hit time after time with one virus or another, I had a feeling we were going to miss the Triduum Masses and my heart was sinking as each day passed us by.

The Wednesday before Holy Thursday arrived and my oldest was getting over the stomach bug while my youngest got hives after eating asparagus. Since that time, his hives have not gone away. They've come and gone for almost a full week now, which is just crazy-town. Needless to say, we did not go and spread our tummy bug germs. We also did not bring the itchy and irritable two year old to Easter Vigil. 

But. Yes, there is a but. We did make it to Easter Sunday Mass. We managed to all stay mostly healthy (the youngest was still sporting the magical hives that made it their business to disappear only to reappear in all the places). But, come Sunday, off to Mass we went and I was excited!

Only, we didn't get there in time to find a seat in the sanctuary. Again, my heart sank. I wanted all the beauty that was to be had in every corner of church through word, song, and view that day. I wanted it all. Then something in me resigned and encouraged our little family to make our way to the gym for the overflow Mass. In my head, all I heard was *womp womp* but in my heart there was a little voice saying Trust.

Oh friends, how Jesus met me in my prideful resignation! It was as if He was saying, Come little heart. Have you so little trust?

I walked into the mostly empty gym, where each basketball hoop was turned into a white pot filled with sweet white flowers. The alter was at the center towards the back dressed beautifully. The choir was set and ready to go and brought me to tears from all the beauty coming from their hearts. The pulpit was dressed and surrounded by more beautiful white lilies. The aisles, the colors, the resounding voices that made me feel like I was listening to all the angels in heaven, and just all the effort towards beauty and goodness were there. It was the most beautiful thing ever! It really was!

See, I walked in sure that I was going to see a random screen on display with a ton of chairs split by an aisle on a basketball court. What I came into was a small sanctuary ready to celebrate His Resurrection. And while Mass on a screen is still Mass and still wonderful, this preparation was a gift my heart didn't know it needed.

It reminded me of a priest when I was on a day retreat looking for a garden to sit, pray, and reflect in. I was determined on finding a beautiful garden. I knew they had many on the grounds. I asked a passing priest to point me in the right direction.

He smiled the biggest smile, looked straight into my soul and said, Look around us. There are flowers everywhere!

Yes, Lord. There are flowers everywhere. Today and on that Easter Sunday. Thank you for every last one of them.

Now, onto our day and all. the. memories!

Family photo after Mass. The bow ties weren't easy to get on, but stayed on with mostly no problemos after. Mama-win!

 My in-laws were in town and we had such a blessed time with them. It felt so good.

My brother and his girlfriend spent the morning to afternoon with us too. So nice when we all get to go to Mass together. I know the boys love having them around. 

Easter baskets from the grandparents!

It rained a lot on Sunday and was pretty muggy but we were able to still grill and have some fun outside.

Cascarones make me all kinds of happy. Christ is Risen!

Look at that little one preparing to get his daddy. Him and my father-in-law were the main targets. My mother-in-law and I were just fine with that.

The boys absolutely loved the cascarones!

My youngest was the sweetest when it came to cracking eggs on others. He would poke a whole and then just gently shake out the confetti.

My oldest was all about the cracking!

Grilling is our favorite. All the yum was had that day!

Roasted veggies, chips and guac, beverages...all the yum!

Then after our bellies were full, my amazing husband brought out the guitar and we continued our new little to-do of singing worship together. It was beautiful.

Every moment.

Even the silly ones.

Good Triduum, good weekend, good family time, and great Easter Sunday.

After Holy Spirit and His Goodness helped me out of myself, this whole season proved to be so very fruitful. I'm thankful, humbled, and so very grateful for His Perfect Love, for all He has done for us and continues to do for us, and for the seasons that come and go, giving us all the opportunities to grow in love and wisdom.