"Most" Posts of 2013

Sarah over at Amongst Lovely Things (please go check out her blog she has the darnest kids   (including baby twins) and is a great photographer) is hosting a link up of the "most" posts in 2013.  I personally really enjoy end of the year post that link back to posts throughout the year and we all know I am a sucker for link-ups.  Hope you enjoy looking back with me at the "most" posts of 2013. 

Post with the most clicks

I am not really sure why but my post with the most clicks is my "God in Austria: Introduction" post.  It makes me realize that I want  to write more posts about my trips and life in Austria. 

  
Post with the most comments

Its a tie for most comments.  The Not Alone Series Introduction and the What I Wore Sunday (Vol. 13).  Why that particular WIWS I will never know.  

Post with the best picture

Really you are going to ask me this? This was so hard to pick between and I was able to narrow it down to two.  The first is the picture that I say in the post is my favorite of my roommate in this What I Wore Sunday post.  Isn't she just beautiful?! And then the second one I would have to say is from the post about one of my best friend's wedding which I was a bridesmaid for.  The picture we sent to her now husband before the ceremony has to be a favorite. 

Post that was hardest to write

Ok this one is really hard because if it is hard to write I tend to just not write it.  I am very adamant that this blog is not a journal and thus my heart and intense intimate thoughts aren't smeared all over the blogsphere.  Despite that I would say there are alot of my Not Alone Series posts that were challenging to write so that I didn't smear my heart all over the internet but I still wanted to to encourage woman and let them know they are not alone.  Some posts were easier than others but some of them were darn hard. 

Post that was your personal favorite (not your readers' favorite- your favorite)

Another double.  How can you pick just one.  The first one is less about the post and more about the crazy excitement that I know existed while writing it.  That would be my post right before we left for the airport to travel to Haiti.  Ignore the crappy picture and know that there was so much excitement getting ready to begin another adventure to Haiti.  God is so good to me. 

And the second one is just an honest Not Alone Series Post about settling or the lack there of.  Go over and tell me if you agree that it ranks up in the favorites. 

I hope you enjoyed looking back at 2013 with me.  I will also be doing a little update to my 13 books in 2013 and I look forward to another year of writing and reading here in the blog world.  

WIWS (Vol. 30)

I think my WIWS posts might become farther and farther inbetween.  Not that I don't love to participate and see what everyone else has on but I just don't want to show you crappy Iphone photos taken in less than great lighting. Welcome to dorm living.  But this week I will show you what I wore Sunday. 

I have worn this skirt before here and I said that I didn't know what to pair it with and you guys gave me so many helpful hints. So what do you think about this?

The details:

Top: Chambry from Old Navy (I swear it is less wrinkly in person than it is perceived in the picture.)

Skirt:  TJ Maxx/Marshalls

Shoes:  The $19.99 nude heels from Payless

So I often use one of my household sister's curling wand but she had a moment this week, just like the youtube video, and a piece of her hair burned off.  Apparently the whole wing smelled.  So instead I used a combination of someone else's larger wand and my roommates curling iron.  Needless to say I ordered a wand for myself from Target this morning.  

So you want to know the really exciting news?  I am going to have my Make-Up Link-Up up tomorrow Monday September 30 and will keep it up until October 9th so that you have two weeks to post about your make up routine.  If you want to post but can't during that time let me know and I will be more than happy to keep it up longer.  I hope as many people join as possible so that we can all get make-up tips.  Promote it in your Five Favorites, on your gram and with your 7 Quick Takes!!

WIWS (Vol. 18)

U

This weekend was the craziest of crazy weekends.  They keep opening weekend at Franciscan jam packed with activities.  Friday was Household Life Mass, Saturday morning Household Olympics, Saturday night FOP and my household, Regina Angelorum, sponosered a End of Summer Greenout Beach Bash.  

It was my first time competing in the Olympics and it was great to be outside all day sweating like crazy putting all your heart into crab soccer, 9 legged races and milking fake cows.  It  made it all the sweeter that one of our four teams won first place for women's.

Our dance was a ragging success.  

Now onto Sunday.  Mass in the morning off campus, met my family at Ikea for a visit and came back to campus for a BBQ and Rugby Rukus.  I know you all came here for the blow by blow of my weekend but I thought hey why not also throw my mirror selfies into the mix for fun.  

What did I wear Sunday?

Dress: crazy clearance at Kohl's

Belt: Goodwil

Shoes: Payless

Sweater:  Cardigan already removed before the picture was taken but in case you were worried pink from The Limited. 

And did you notice? I went crazy and curled my hair.  It was the first time I did it with a wand and I really liked the way it turned out.  You will defiantly be seeing that again.  

WIWS (Vol. 28)

I just published a post containing 23 things about my 23rd birthday.  If you read that you will know that I have a summer cold that is hitting me hard so this post will not be wordy, thinking up words is a lot of work for this stuffed up head of mine.

Please breeze past the fully body shots because those are less than steller but I already changed into comfy lounge around clothes and am not about to take more.

I used the new Arbonne mascara "It's a Long Story" for the first time and I am super excited.  Finally a mascara that is more natural AND stays on for longer than a half hour!!

New earrings I bought at an adorable shop in Portsmouth, NH this past weekend.

Shoes and detail on the dress.

If you follow me on the gram than you already know this but I ran my first 5k yesterday so I feel pretty darn awesome!

The low down

Dress: Merona brand bought at Goodwill for about $9.99

Cardigan:  Old

Sandals: Target

Cami:  Hanes. Actually more like the shelf part of a cami with built in bra because they end at the bust line.    I really really like these. 

Earrings: Cute store in Portsmouth, NH

Body: "I run this body."

WIWS (Vol.27)

"It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood, it's a beautiful day in the neighborhood...."

How great it is to see the sun shining after the kindof crummy day yesterday.  Out of all the days to be crummy it had to be yesterday, the day my roommate from Maggie's Place was having a backyard wedding.  I want to do a whole post about that and my time at Maggie's Place because I realized I have never really talked about it here on the bloggity.  For now I leave you with two pictures but I do hope that you will come back for more.

Onto Sunday.  Today we are going to Mass at our "other parish" aka the parish my mom works at and the one we used to belong to before we switched to our now parish for the last Mass for the assistant pastor there.

The Outfit:

Skirt:  Target

Wrinkled Shirt:  T.J. Maxx/Marshalls

Sandals: Target

Earrings:  Picked them up this weeek from Old Navy, on sale for $2.99!

Bracelet:  Bridesmaid gift from MaryClaire, she choose the beads for them and had someone make them, a treasure!!

Coffee Cup:  precious gift from a beautiful friend

And there is just something so great about sheets drying on the line that I just had to include it!

WIWS (Vol. 26)

Yesterday was the big day-one of my best friends got married.  The wedding was incredible-weaved with faith and shining in beauty.  A full post, hopefully including pictures will come soon but first I wanted to show you the day after.

I call this the "I was all dolled up and smiled a lot yesterday look"

The details:

Dress: New from Old Navy

Cardigan:  Target

Shoes:  Trusty Rainbows

Unseen Hair:  Leftover from yesterday but due to the hair spray and bobby pins doesn't look too shabby

Expression:  I really am happy but wanted to change up the expression and the dead pan is always a good go to.

Now I won't really just bore you with this unimpressive outfit.  I gift to you a picture of a grammed picture of the bride and I.

WIWS (Vol. 25)

No small talk here today, right onto the outfit.  

The Details:

Dress:  Macy's, last year, with associates discount

Sweater: Cardigan

Belt:  Some thrift store

Bracelet:  From Servants of Mary shrine in Windsor, OH.  It used to have a cross charm too but now just a wing.  

Rainbows and mop on top of my head: result of dancing at a wedding til late into the night last night.  

Ok maybe a little bit of small talk.  I didn't have to work today so I got to go to Mass at my parish and cuddle with my Goddaughter, love it!!

If you want to see more dresses check out my post about dresses I am wearing to weddings and their activities this summer.  I wore that green #5 dress last night.  

WIWS (Vol. 24)

Back again for another week of What I Wore Sunday with the lovely FLAP ladies!

So I actually attended my obligatory Sunday Mass yesterday as I spoke at a parish (that is actual at two different Churches due to clustering and priest needs) to promote the Fest but I forgot to get an outfit post--just imagine dazzling smile, grey jersey skirt, great legs, teal lace top tied together with a perfectly placed brown belt...or something like that.  However, I did want to tell a quick little glory story.

After lazing around most of the day Saturday I wasn't exactly excited to get dressed up and speak after these two Masses especially since I knew these parishes had more of an elderly population but of course I did it anyway.   It was a beautiful drive out there because the parishes are about a half hour deeper into the country and in the middle of gorgeous Amish country.  But the real glory comes after the second Mass of the night.  I was chatting with people as they left Church and handing out flyers.  At the tail end was a couple with a wife who had oxygen, a walker and I overheard has been battling cancer for over a decade.  The husband told me I was a great speaker and I gave my standard, "Thank you, I took two years of competitive speech in high school so that helps."  He asked me where I went to high school and low and behold he taught there for a few years and some of his fellow teachers then are still their now.  The conversation continued and we talked about Franciscan University, Catholic education, Our Lady and her consistent message, and found out that they know my brother because they are on the board at the shrine where my brother did is Eagle Scout project.    It is a small world after all.  I pulled out of that parking lot feeling refreshed and glorifying God.  I know it is my duty to show the world that their still are young people alive and passionate about their faith and give hope to the Church.  Last night, I was alive and passionate and was completely blessed by this couple.  So if you can today, pray for Mike and Susan.

Today, Sunday, I spoke again at each of these Churches for their Sunday morning Mass.  Now today I did remember the outfit picture.  Seems kinda weird though to flash up a picture of myself after that glory story but I guess it is What I Wore Sunday.

The Details:

Skirt: Target

Top:  Dress Barn but I got it out of the free mission bin at the end of this past school year, score!

Shoes:  My favorites this summer from Payless

Scapular:  Been around the world a bit and soon to fall apart.

And I can't write another post without mentioning Xan and his hope to get a million fans.  I have mentioned Xan and his family here before.  Until they recently moved from Steubenville to the Ronald McDonald house in Pittsburgh, many girls in my household would give so much of their time and energy to this family.  I know I have been personally blessed by this family chatting with Jen, helping give Xan a bath, helping out with their laundry and playing with the boys.  Xan has a degenerative neurological disease that most likely involves a grim outcome.  His story has caught like wildfire over the past few days and his Xan Fan facebook likes have gone from a measly 500 to an extraordinary 109,000!!  Be a part of it and head on over to Facebook and become a Xan Fan yourself.  Here is the video that sparked the fire, I would have tissues available just to warn you. 

Now I am un-embarrassingly giving a plea because I am desperate!  So you can't follow my blog on bloglovin' because of some sort of RSS issue.  I have contacted blog lovin' and you can't contact blogger or feedburner.  I feel like I have tried everything my little nursing brain can and get so so so so frustrated at this point everytime I try.  I am begging you if you, your husband, little brother, boyfriend, if anyone can help me out, I need it, bad.  Please save me from going bald by pulling out all my hair.  

WIWS (Vol. 23)

So happy to be back again with the FLAP ladies for What I Wore Sunday.

For the rest of the summer, posts will be later in the day or not at all due to my commitment of speaking at a different parish each weekend in the Diocese of Cleveland promoting the FEST-a totally free Catholic music festival.

Today I was close to home at the parish my mom works at and I received my baptism and First Holy Communion.  It is a hot day so I didn't want any extra layers or sweaters to slow me down.

I love this skirt but cannot figure out a good way to wear it in the warmer months.  I have visions of sweaters and boots for the fall but for the summer I am out on what I should wear on top. Any suggestions?

The details:

Skirt: T.J. Maxx

Top:  Brown, cotton, blaba blahba

Shoes:  Payless, 19.99, all the rage

Bracelet:  made by yours truly in fashion class in high school, yeap I was that cool

I have put up some book reviews this week and most exciting is that I am getting a new blog design (sound the applause) that should be appearing soon, so get excited with me. (Any suggestions for the design are appreciated in addition to the skirt-top fiasco suggestions.)

WIWS (Vol. 22)

So who else is singing in their head TayTay's "22" or is it just me?

This weekend has been full, but good full.  Friday I worked during the day and in the evening we had a grad party for a family friend.  Saturday morning I, at the last minute, had to go pick up my grandma and bring her back for my brother's Court of Honor.  That's right my brother now officially has his Eagle pin, even though he finished his project over a year ago and has been an Eagle officially since August.  I had forgotten how good the service is and almost cried when he gave my mom and dad their "Eagle Mom" and "Eagle Dad" pin to recognize that he couldn't have done it without them.  We were able to catch a Saturday evening Mass and then I had to come home to bake and get ready for a wedding shower that was today for one of my best friends whose wedding I am in.  I am just full of busy goodness.

Well now that I have told you enough about a weekend that you might not care too much about....onto the outfits.

Saturday, when I actually went to Mass.

This is me with my grandma and mom, you can't see my outfit but I had on a jean jacket, teal shirt and this awesome skirt (despite being maternity) from Target. I would have loved to get a good outfit picture because it is a courageous area (see below picture) but I thought that might be just a little more awkward than usual.  But the big question, are those earrings too big?

Yes, that is a 75 foot Our Lady of Guadalupe Statue. 

My brother receiving his Eagle pin from my mom and dad. 

So it is What I Wore Sunday, I am doing an upcoming posts on the dresses I bought for the myrid of events I have going on this summer but I will give you a little teaser.  These are all the bridesmaid's and junior bridesmaid's except for one.  I am the one in the blue polka dot dress. 

Come back this week for another post in the "Not Alone Series", a post about the dresses I have bought for wedding season and of course other link-ups.