WIWS # 2

This weekend Chris' parents and brothers came down to help us build our deck.  Somehow, I don't know how, they managed to finish.  It's beautiful.  I still can't believe it's done.  There's still a few things left, but all in all it's functional!

A few things I learned this weekend

1. I do not know how mother's of teen boys feed them.  My MIL had 4 men to feed.  I only had to feed these four men for 2  days.  I have never bought so many cold cuts in my life.  I have also never seen 3 large pizzas disappear quite so quickly.  Or cases of beer for that matter.  If God blesses us with sons, I pray He also blesses me with the wisdom of how to made our food stretch as far as possible.

2. When boys (ok, anyone) works up a sweat, and then sit around in a room for any given period of time, that room will then smell like dirty socks.  I need to Febreze my basement like whoa.

3. Men care much less about things like "tracking dirt into the house."  I also need to vacuum our floors like whoa.

And last, but not least.

4. My family is amazing.  My in-laws gave up an entire weekend of their time to come and help us.  They certainly did not need to do this, and I am eternally grateful.  There is nothing like family. And as I've said before, I married into a pretty fantastic family.

The hubby, his brothers and dad.  Cheersin' to a job well done

And, since this is WIWS...

Our lil family on our new deck!

Shirt: Thrifted

Jeans: Anne Taylor - thrifted

Shoes - these are Old Navy flops...I actually wore flats to church though

I absolutely loved the homily at mass today.  Our priest opened with a discussion about the difference between the terms "Freedom of Religion" and "Freedom of Worship."  Freedom of Worship is what we do every Sunday within the walls of our churches.  Freedom of Religion is how we live our faith.  We should not be confined to an hour every Sunday and then the rest of the week, we put aside our beliefs.  At the end of mass we were sent forth to proclaim the gospel with our lives.  I have always loved that.  We need to be Catholic 24/7/365.  He spoke so well, and I can hardly do his homily justice.  But, it spoke to me.  I, along with many other's, love the quote "Preach the gospel at all times and when necessary, use words."  I pray that my life preaches the gospel so that those who I meet know I am a Catholic by how I live my life.

Happy Sunday everyone!  Go check out the ladies of FLAP for more!

7 Quick Takes Vol 5

I'm going to do my best to actually keep these "quick."  Head over to Conversion Diary for more quick takes!


1. God is so good.  This week I noticed an opening for a counseling position at a Catholic high school that I had emailed earlier this year to send my resume.  AND THEN yesterday I got a call from one of the Christian counseling centers I had sent my resume to months ago and they want me to come in for an interview!  Not only is this place a faith based counseling center but it is also like a 5 minute drive from our house.  My interview is July 8th and I'm still waiting to hear back from the school so any and all prayers much appreciated!

2. Tomorrow we start the great deck building!  Chris' parents and brothers are coming down tonight and will be getting to work on everything tomorrow.  I am so pumped.  Pictures will follow.  I cannot wait to grill.  mmmm

3. I have officially jumped on the green smoothie bandwagon (I hate it when I actually like the "trends" of the day) They're healthy, delicious, and fairly simple to make.  I've made one for Chris and I every day so far.  Woo fruits and veggies

4. My poor mother has thrown out her back and has been in such pain she's hardly been able to move.  I keep telling her to see a doctor but she has no interest.  I went to visit her earlier this week and while there I ransacked her library.  I now finally have my own copy of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Rediscovering Catholicism (I've heard this is really good, can any back that statement up?), and quite a few encyclicals including Deus Caritas Est, Humanae Vitae, and Familiaris Consortio.  I also found a couple short books introducing Padre Pio and St. Faustina.  I am familiar with them, but Chris less so.

5. I have another good recipe for you to check out.  It's a Turkey Enchilada Casserole.  We love this recipe.  I made it a lot in the first few months of our marriage but then I think we got tired of it.  Made it again last night, and oh man is it good.

6. One of my best friends from high school just told me that she is engaged!!  I am so happy for her and can't wait to celebrate with her and her fiance.  It's always so nice when someone you care about tells you they're getting married, or having a baby, or something nice just happens for them!

7.  I am still pretty new to blogging but I am so amazed and in awe of the blogs I have begun following.  There are some amazingly fantastic and inspiring people out there.  People who will reach out to help other even when they are miles away.  Like what Cari is doing for Dwija and her family.  My prayers go out to Dwija and her baby, and God bless the blogging world and their generosity.

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

Turkey Quinoa Stew

Before I got married I hardly ever cooked.  And by hardly ever, I mean never.  After we got married and I had all of this free time on my hands, I decided to try my hand at it.  Lo and Behold, I have grown to love cooking, and so far, I haven't killed us!

This dish is a staple in the O'Hara household.  It's quick, easy, pretty healthy (I think) and has a kick to it, which Chris and I love.

I found the recipe here if you want to see the original.

The Ingredients:

1 lb of ground turkey

1 zucchini, diced

1 small onion, diced

1 pepper (green, yellow, red), diced

1 can Pinto Beans

1 Cup of Quinoa

Taco Seasoning (we like the "hot and spicy" one but you could always do "reduced sodium" or something else)

1 can diced tomatoes and green chilies (I like Ro-Tel)

14 oz can of chicken broth
1 Tbsp Lime juice

1/2 tsp minced garlic or 1 clove (this was not in the original recipe but in this household we cook pretty much everything with garlic)

1. Spray a pan with non stick cooking spray and brown the ground turkey, onion and garlic together

2. Add the zucchini, pepper and taco seasoning.  Stir so that the taco seasoning covers the veggies.

3. Add the quinoa, broth, beans, and tomatoes and turn the heat up to "high."  Bring the stew to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until the quinoa is cooked (which you can tell because the grain gets a sort of "ring" around it)

4. Add about a tablespoon of lime juice, serve, top with some cheese and enjoy!

Prayer Request!

So, as you may, or may not have gathered, I've been having some difficulties with my job.

I am not going to get into it here, but I just have been feeling a pull towards something that fits more with a. my degree and b. my belief system.

I just saw that a Catholic high school near me is hiring in the counseling department and I have just sent in my resume to them.  It has been my dream to work in a Catholic school and I would love to get this job.

Any prayers you could send my way would be so incredibly appreciated!


On a less serious note...I tried making a green smoothie for the first time today!  And I looooved it, even Chris drank it which was surprising! Ha!  We're not very good at eating our fruits and veggies so this seems like a great way to get them in

I made this with almond milk, frozen mango and pineapple, a banana, and spinach!  I was skeptical, I had no idea how you wouldn't be able to taste the spinach...but sure enough, you don't taste it at all! Delish!

Any other green smoothie recipes? 

Soak Up Some Sun

*Cue Sheryl Crow*

This weekend we spent some quality time with some good friends at the Jersey Shore.  Chris' best man's parents (I'll give you a second to sort that one out in your head) got it? ok.  They have a shore house in Jersey and probably one of their favorite things is having the "kids" down for a visit.  Joe and his fantastic wife have in the past invited a larger group of couples to come down and enjoy the house, this year however, was a much smaller group, just three couples plus Joe's parent's.  We had so much fun and I actually got a bit of a tan.  We went for boat rides (it was Buster's first time on a boat!), we played a lot of corn hole, we enjoyed some delicious drinks, we marveled at Joe and Kathleen's fantastic cooking (seriously they are the best cooks and are a couple of the best hosts I've ever met!), we played games, and were amazed of the little lady doin acrobatics in-utero - she will be Chris' and my goddaughter so I may already be a little partial to her adorableness.  It was a fabulous weekend with some even more fabulous friends :-)

Pups ready for the boat!  And yes, those are life vests

In my most recent 7 Quick Takes I talked about runnin' out to get a new one-piece bathing suit.  I had success @ Target (that store will seriously be my wallets downfall) in the clearance section!  Score!

One piece.  Fun print.  Covers my butt.  Still looks modern and feminine while allowing me to remain a liiitle more modest that I would in a bikini.  Paired with a simple black cotton skirt (also on clearance) and I was set for the weekend!  

Now, I wish I could say that I never fell on the bikini bandwagon, but I did.  This is probably one of the first one-piece bathing suits I've owned in a very long while.  But if I'm being honest with myself, I have never felt comfortable in a bikini for a multitude of reasons.  I simply bought and wore them because that's "what girls wear" at the beach/pool etc.  Why else would everyone and their mother call this season "bikini season."  That dreaded season that girls prepare for months in advance with diets, exercise, hours of staring at yourself in the mirror wondering why you don't look like a Victoria's Secret model. (Because, *spoiler alert* I am not a VS model!)  I don't like that feeling of thinking you're body isn't up to par.  I am made in His image and likeness, so why did those two little pieces of clothing make me forget that?!

I guess I just finally realized that wearing a bikini makes me uncomfortable, bottom line.  I am that girl who wears a shirt and worries that there's too much cleavage showing, even when there clearly is not. My body is for my husband's eyes only. What made me think I would like a bikini??  Carolyn over at 4Life4Life talked about the dread of taking off the cover-up...and boy did she hit the nail on the head!  I would pretty much stay in my cover up for as long as I could because I felt waay too exposed when I took it off.  Even in a one-piece I still feel a little exposed but much more comfortable than my bikini days.  Although, I must say, you can still run into a less than modest one piece.  I tried on a couple and they had some plunging V-necks that made me feel like the girls were about to pop out and say hello, which is less than modest!

Now a days though (and maybe in the past this was true as well and I was just a stubborn teen) you can find so many more cute, trendy, fashoinable one-pieces and tankinis that it is much easier to wear them.  It sort of made me laugh when I walked out in my one-piece this weekend...I kept thinking to myself, gosh I must look like a prude, what's everyone going to think...and then my friend complimented my suit.  Why would anyone care what bathing suit I choose to wear, its a matter of preference.  I'm not a prude, I am simply choosing a style of suit that fits me better and makes me feel more modest, while remaining "in style," fashionable and still able to get a rockin' tan! Not to mentioned I am not lamenting over the fact that my body doesn't look "just right."  What do people always say?  When you feel comfortable in what you are wearing, you feel more confident, and in turn, attractive.  Amen sistah, Amen.  And for me, wearing a bikini has never led to that feeling of comfortable confidence.

My issue now, however, is what to do with the bikini's I no longer want?  I would love to be able to somehow sell them (thrift store maybe?) and then take that money and buy more one-pieces and tankinis...any suggestions?

And what are your thoughts on swimwear/suggestions for looking cute and modest on the beach?

Bloglovin'

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7 QT vol 4

Head over to Jen @ Conversion Diary for more 7 Quick Takes!

1. Chris has been on his 2 week MVP (Mandatory Vacation Period) since last Thursday when we left for the Hamptons.  I, in a fortunate turn of events, have not had to go to work either.  So we unexpectedly have had all of this time together that I am absolutely loving!

2. Thanks to Stephanie over at Captive the Heart I started reading Fill These Hearts: God, Sex, and the Universal Longing.  I've always loved Christopher West so I jumped at the chance to read this, and let me just say, I am soaking it up.  I'm not even half way thru but I am trying to savor it, piece by piece.  Maybe I'll write  a "book review" of sorts when I've finished.  But so far I am loving the images he uses of the "starvation diet" the "fast food diet" and "the banquet."  It was interesting to identify for myself where I fell growing up (the starvation diet) and how I found myself moving towards the "fast food diet" at times in my life.  I can't wait to keep reading.

3. I finished the beach bag I had shared with you a few weeks ago...you may be saying, "Hey, Tiffany, that looks different than what you posted before."  How very observant of you!  It is indeed different because I messed up the other one...so I had to get some new yarn (the name of the color was "Ocean" so I thought it was appropriate)  Anyway, I love how it turned out and can't wait to use it!  If you're interested in the pattern I used, you can find it here.  The only changes I would add are that I used 3 balls of yarn and 3 of the thread.  This may be because I chained more in the beginning than it called for.  Also, when you start the next rounds of crocodile stitch, make sure you slip stitch over to where the "scale" will be between the "scales" of the previous row...that's where I messed up before.

4. Speaking of crochet, my newest "thing" is crochet dishcloths...I've done a few different patterns.  One is a bumpy dishcloth - found here (only change here is I just repeated row 2 for the whole dishcloth - for whatever reason when I followed the pattern the "bumps" didn't show up)

The other pattern was for a shell stitch dishcloth.  I followed a pattern in a book I have so if you'd like me to write it out, just leave a comment or shoot me a message

The third pattern is a tunisian crochet dishcloth...it's a form of crochet that uses a longer hook (called an afghan hook) and you can do a mock "knit" look with it.  Which is what the dishcloth is.

I'm not really sure what to call the final "style" of dishcloth but I found this super easy pattern here.  It works up quickly and while I haven't used this one yet, I can tell it will be a great dishcloth.

No more grimy sponges for the O'Hara household!

5. Chris and I are lucky enough that we get the change to get away again this weekend!  His best man's parent's have a house on the Jersey shore in Little Egg Harbor.  Their entire first floor was completely damaged by the hurricane and they just recently got everything fixed up.  Another relaxing weekend on the water up for us!  So excited.

6. Our poor pup is back on antibiotics and steroid and has another ear infection.  Poor thing, he seems so miserable it breaks my heart.  But the doctor has hope that hopefully this last round will be the end of it.

7. Next weekend we build our deck!  I am so excited, all I can do is picture coffee out on the deck...although as of now I have no idea where we will sit on it...ha!

I'm off to find a new bathing suit...I don't know how I was ever comfortable in a bikini (oh wait, I never was) but right now I am in search of something more modest and appropriate.  I am loving all the cute one pieces and tankinis they've come out with...although I'm hating the price tags attached.

Anniversary ABCs part 2

Annd lets begin with Part 2

Programs: Chris and I made our programs ourselves and had them printed from Kinkos.  And let me just say...we don't give graphic designers enough credit lol It was quite labor intensive and time consuming but I loved how they turned out!

Question Popping: You can read more about our story leading up to the question popping here

Rings: Chris and I had talked about rings and I had always talked about how I wanted something "antiquey" (not a real word, I know).  I cared more about the details on the ring than the diamond (not entirely true, but somewhat).  Chris' best man had recently got engaged and recommended a store and Chris coyly suggested we take a trip to the store.  He had secretly gone earlier to pick out rings he thought I might like and asked the owner to make sure they were out when we can.  I feel in love with one that he had picked out...although I didn't know it at the time.  And it had a matching wedding band so that was awesome.  Chris wanted something simple and strong so he chose a simple band of titanium.

Shoes: I love the look of high heels...however I was not born with much grace lol Therefore high heels + me often = me falling flat on my butt. So, knowing this about myself I knew I did not want very high heels and wanted something comfortable to wear all day.  I loved my shoes, they were the perfect height and super comfortable all night.

Tuxes: Chris and his groomsmen wore traditional black tuxes.  His groomsmen had gray ties while Chris wore an off white tie.  

Unique: Every wedding is unique in and of itself, isn't it?  But lets see...there were a few things that I would consider unique since we did them ourselves

     1. I wrapped votive candles in lace to be scattered around each table (do you sense the "lace" theme of our weddings? lol)

     2. I also made our place cards...this was a Pinterest find that I LOVED and  it fit into the "theme" perfectly.  I really loved how they turned out.

     3. Chris came up with the idea for our table numbers and guest book.  We bought 13 bottles of wine, printed out labels with numbers and then bought pens that would write on glass.  So each bottle was the table number and the guest book.  And, for each anniversary, we plan to drink that wine. 

     4. Something Chris used to talk about in passing was how he always wanted a bagpiper at his wedding.  I wanted to surprise him (and show him I do listen!) so we hired a bagpiper to play as people entered and left the church.  He was fantastic.

Vows: Chris and I spoke traditional wedding vows.  I remember being so nervous to be up in front of everyone talking but I just told myself to focus on what I was vowing to my husband, promising in front of God and our friends and family.  When the time came, it felt as though it were just Chris and I and the words we spoke were incredibly powerful.

I, Tiffany, take you, Christopher, to be my husband.

I, Christopher, take you, Tiffany, to be my wife.

I promise to be true to you,

in good times and in bad,

in sickness and in health.

I will love you and honor you all the days of my life.

Wedding Woes:  The only wedding woe there was, was in the morning when the florist delivered our bouquets.  My mother handles stress less than well and came to me in a panic.  The bouquets were nothing like what we had talked about and were literally doused with glitter.  My mom freaked and the woman re-did them as fast as she could.  Oh, the other wedding woe was that my father's tux was missing.  For some reason it had not been delivered when it should have and my dad had to drive to another neighboring town to retrieve it.  But honestly...thanks to my sister mostly and my bridesmaids I let these things brush off and trusted that it would all be taken care of.

eXit:  Honestly...I can't say that we did this...We stayed in the hotel that night and did not really have a grand exit or anything.  But I was ok with that.  Everyone was having a good time and once the party ended for the reception I know the rest of our guests went on to the hotel bar to continue the party while Chris and I slipped away to our suite lol

Zzz...The End:

His face cracks me up here

We love to sing and dance, can you tell?

And they lived happily ever after

Well, this was fun.  And such a great way to remember our special day one year ago.  We were, and continue to be, incredibly blessed

Anniversary ABCs

Well, I am no longer a newlywed.  I kinda love that lol  Our trip was fantastic, super relaxing, and exactly what we needed.

I noticed Patty over at Tales of Me and the Husband did something called Anniversary ABCs and it looks like a pretty fun way to take a trip down wedding day memory lane.  So, enjoy!

Attending: We had 130 people attend our wedding.  My mother's side of the family came all the way from Colombia South America and it meant the world to me that they made the trip.  It was stressful trying to "keep the numbers down" but ultimately we were surrounded bythe  family and friends who were a truly important part of our lives.

Bridesmaids: I had 7 bridesmaids.  My sister, Vanessa, was my matron of honor.  She helped me remain calm at the times when I could have freaked out and she helped remind me to keep my focus where it should be, on God.  4 of my bridesmaids (Leslie, Laura, Lindsay and Kelly) were friends from elementary/middle/high school.  Two of which I have known since I was 7.  My roommate from college (Lindsay) was also a bridesmaid and then my friend from graduate school (Danielle), a "kindred spirit."

From L to R: Laura, Lindsay, Leslie, Vanessa, Me, Kelly, Lindsay, Danielle

Cake: Our cake was made by a French bakery in Baltimore, Patisserie Poupon.  The owner and my mother have known each other for years.  They did my sister's wedding case as well.  And boy oh boy was this cake delicious.  It was layers of chocolate and hazelnut and then was decorate to look like lace.  The cake topper was loaned to us by Chris' father, and it is a Lladro that he got in Spain.  I loved it and it was so special to have something from his time in the Air Force.

Dress: I absolutely loved my dress.  It was everything I had imagine in my dress.  I knew I had wanted lace and I knew I wanted sleeves and something modest while still be stylish.  I remember watching "Say Yes to the Dress" and mocking the girls who would dry when trying on their dress...so naturally when I tried on my dress both my mother and I cried haha  When my bridesmaids later saw my dress they described it as "so me" which is exactly what you want in your dress.  We added a belt for a bit of sparkle.

Engagement: Chris proposed at the Grotto in Emmitsburg Maryland.  We had just gone to mass and were walking around and I was showing him my favorite spot.  It was all a dream come true.

Flowers: The flowers we chose were simple roses, white for me, pink for the girls with some dusty miller to tie in the gray.  The best part of the flowers were the arrangements in the church and the centerpieces.

Groomsmen: Chris' best man was his best friend Joe.  His brother's Bryan and Time were 2 other groomsmen and finally his friend from college Brian (we all called him Moy)

This picture cracks me up... imitating the photo

Honeymoon: I was still finishing my Master's degree after we got married so we decided to take our honeymoon in August, so it was a combination "Honeymoon, Graduation, and 25th Birthday"  We took a cruise to the Carribean...and it was amazing.  It was my first cruise and I can't wait to take another.

Invitations: Our invitations were beautiful, looked like lace, and to me, seemed in and of themselves a work of art.  

Justice of the Peace: Chris and I were married in a full Catholic mass by the priest from my childhood parish.  He gives the most amazing and inspiring homilies and we were truly blessed to have him witness our marriage.

Keepsakes: Our favors were porcelain flowers...this was sort of my mother's thing and was one of those "pick your battles" moments so I decided not to worry about this battle and let my mother do as she wished. They were beautiful flowers and we wrapped them in gray paper with a pink ribbon with our names and date of marriage.

Ladies Night: My bridesmaids surprised me with a night out in Georgetown.  We went to dinner in a cute little place and then went around to a few different bars in the area.  My favorite part was getting dressed up and spending some quality time with my girls.  

Music: The music during mass was traditional, and absolutely beautiful.  Our first dance was to the song Changed By You by Between the Trees and our DJ was fan. tastic.  He seriously kept everyone on the dancefloor all night and blended songs from all eras, and songs that we had on our must play list, perfectly.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3EBbKNp-OwE

Newlyweds: I guess we're not these any more...and I'm not really sure what to put here...but following suit, I'll post some pictures of us right after we were married

Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue:

Old: Chris' mother gave me a hankerchief that had been given to Chris on his baptism.  It was a bonnet for his baptism and came with a poem explaining that it should be used for his bride's "something old."  Talk about something incredibly special

New: my Dress

Borrowed: I borrowed a Vatican rosary from my mom and wrapped it around the stems of the flowers in my bouquet

Blue:  I had my bridesmaids sign the bottom of my shoes with a blue pen

Part 2 Tomorrow!