Beautiful Places: San Miguel de Allende, Mexico

San Miguel is a beautiful colonial city in central Mexico.  

It's one of my favorite places.  I've heard it called the 

Beverly Hill of Mexico!

Views while driving into the city.

This little boy was playing with his toy snake while his parents ate in this restaurant.

mushroom and cheese soup 

Catedral de San Miguel de Allende

Welcome Home Soldier

My honey came home!  It was one of the most anticipated days of my adult life and I am still so incredibly happy that he is home safe.

I made him this sign for at the airport.  I had to wait to fill in the number of days until I knew his homecoming date.

This project was made with Cricut 50 States, Craftroom Basics and Stand and Salute Cartridges on poster board with Dollar Tree contact paper and camo duck tape sheets.

A Message to My Soldier

My fiance is currently deployed in Afghanistan and I sent him a special sign using a State of Michigan map and my Cricut.  He loved it!

The Holy Spirit Popping In

After I shared my photos from Medjugorje with my group of pilgrims, one of them sent me an email saying she spotted the Holy Spirit.  How awesome!

When I took this picture of the statue outside St. James Church, I was mostly paying attention to the lighting and exposure.  Unfortunately, I over looked the birds and especially the bird in the upper right corner.  I couldn't tell you if they were flying around or just appeared in the picture.

I am not sure about this picture because I don't like to doubt God's presence in my life and I also don't like to reach for signs that he is near.  I know he's present and near.  Anyway, I do really like this picture.  

Blessed are those who have not seen but still have believed.

I went to Medjugorje!  I was finally able to go and it was more amazing than I could have imagined.  If you haven't heard of Medjugorje, this website has a good history of the place.  I am so grateful for the experience and I truly feel as though I was called there.

{view from my balcony}

The entire time it seemed like people were experiencing miracles within their faith.  I heard the visionaries Vicka and Marija speak about their experiences and the messages from the Blessed Mother.  It was so inspiring and uplifting.

While I was there, I bought 11 religious medals to be blessed.  I intended to keep one and give away the other 10.  Each day in church, the priest blessed the religious items brought to mass.  Additionally, my group packed our rosaries, medals and other items each in our own plastic bag and then all together into a suitcase. The suitcase was then brought to the visionary Vicka's home to be present during her apparition.  During the apparition, the Blessed Mother blessed the people and religious items present.

My group got our bags back the next night after dinner.  I took mine up to my room and unpacked it, mostly to make sure everything was accounted for.  Incredibly, one of my medals was now gold!  When I bought them and when I packed them into the bag, they were all a silver color.  I was amazed and humbled that the Blessed Mother gave me a sign of her presence.

I took the medals into the next room, I held them up to the light, I took them out of their package.  I had to be sure I wasn't seeing things.  I couldn't sleep, I had to keep checking to make sure she didn't change it back as quickly as she turned it gold!  I had to take a picture of it to be sure I had proof that it was once gold if it did suddenly change.

Here they are.  The gold medal on the far left was once exactly the same as the rectangular medal two to the right of it.  I did a little searching online about other people who have had similar experiences and I was saddened to see many people express skepticism and disbelief.  None of these medals had been worn and they were all together inside a plastic bag.  I believe that this was a sign from Mary that she is with me and hears me and it has been 2 weeks and she hasn't changed it back yet! Phew! 

Beautiful Places: Medjugorje

Medjugorje is a town located in Western Bosnia.  Since 1981, the Virgin Mary has been appearing to a group of six people on a daily basis.

This location has been a pilgrimage location for people around the world who are hoping to enhance their faith and become closer to God.  Around 1997, my parents were fortunate enough to get to visit this place. While they were there, they took many photos documenting their trip.

Here is a photo of my parents.

In 1997, pretty much the only photography option was 35mm film and you couldn't view your photos until after you dropped them off at the 1 hour photo developer.  When my mom went to pick up her vacation photos, the developer asked if she could have a copy of one.  My mom, confused, asked if she knew someone in her family or knew someone in one of the photos.  The girl said no, but noticed something in one of the photos and wanted to give a copy to her mother.

Here is the photo she wanted.

This is a photo of my grandmother, a friend and my dad.  

The girl who developed the photos didn't know my family, didn't know the location where these photos were taken, and didn't know the story and history of Medjugorje, but she believed that she saw the Blessed Virgin Mary in this photo.  Do you see her?

Had the developer not pointed this out, we may have over looked this apparition.  Other than within my family, this photo has never been shared publicly,  I have circled where we believe we see the face of the mother of Jesus watching over us.

Of course, people may be skeptical and doubt, but I believe that is the nature of faith.  It is uncertain and the importance and the power comes from the belief.  

Summer Chicago Girls Trip

Just had a blast in Chicago on a day trip with my girls!  It was a speedy day of sight-seeing and shopping.  We were lucky we got to see some awesome key spots in the city as well as pick up some great deals.

In my opinion, the best way to get to Chicago is on the South Shore Line Train from Michigan City Indiana.  Parking there is free and you can BYOB and sip on cocktails while you make your way to downtown. (A few rules, no glass containers and it can't be a major party weekend like NYE.  Check their website before you go!)

We're off! 

1st stop Millennium Park



Navy Pier

Lunch at Dick's Last Resort and dessert at Hersey's

Sunset in Chicago, the view from the John Hancock Ladies Room!

Such a perfect and exhausting day. :)

Furniture Makeover: Margarita Bar

After moving out of my parents house, I 'inherited' some lovely items from family and friends.  Basically got stuck with a bunch of old stuff that they wanted to throw away.  Among those items was this amazing TV stand. 

This beaut is equipped with 360 degree wheels so you can push your TV anywhere in your house with ease.  It also must have had doors on the front at one point. 

At first, I did use this as a TV stand, then it got moved to the basement to be used as a storage shelf.  Recently, I decided to resurrect this hideous piece and turn it into a hip Margarita Bar!

I first slathered on 2 coats of Martha Stewart Precious Metals paint in Copper Kettle.

The wooden box in the upper right corner is my grandmother's silver!

The Cactus Margarita glasses were $1 each from the Dollar Tree.  I got such a great deal, I bought 12!

The tequila set, drink stirs, and bottle opener all came straight from Mexico.  I collected each one from a different place and a different trip.

Beautiful Places: Charles Mears State Park, Pentwater, Michigan

All of the Michigan warm weather is getting me psyched for summer!  I can't wait to hang out on the beach at Lake Michigan and camp with friends in Pentwater.  Here's our pics from the beautiful Charles Mears State Park.

Beautiful Places: Guanajuato, Guanajuato Mexico

A few months ago, I spent a great weekend with friends in Guanajuato, Mexico.  It's a quiet colonial town in central Mexico, a little West of Queretaro.  It was the perfect place to relax and escape from the city!

Night view of Theatro Juarez

Theatro Juarez

Theatro Juarez

At the top of the hill you can see Juan José de los Reyes Martínez Amaro - better known as El Pípila.

Plaza de la Paz and the Basílica Colegiata de Nuestra Señora de Guanajuato

A view of the city from the hotel, El Meson de los Poetas.

On the balcony of El Meson de los Poetas.

Beautiful Places: Mackinac Island, Michigan

I stayed at the Island House with my girlfriends for a fun bachelorette weekend.  It happened to be the same weekend as the Republican Leadership Convention which made things interesting!  We had a blast - riding bikes, picnicking, rocking out with our boom box, and drinking wine. 

It also went over surprisingly well when my friends started calling former U.S. Republican Representative, Peter Hoekstra, "SAILOR."  Mackinac Island can be a little stuffy in general, but we had a wonderful girls weekend.  It was everything we hoped it would be!

The amazing view from the Island House.

Photo op with a group of Boy Scouts!

Headed into town

Breaking to plan our route

I think we're LOST!?

Riding through the trails on Mackinac Island

Lunch time!

Can't beat these views!