Wedding Day Stories! Link Party! =D

Thanks for coming to Bleu Cloud's very first LINK PARTY!

Please join us and enjoy of some amazing wedding stories!

Like ours...

It was an exciting day... but JAM PACKED with things to get done

(bridesshouldNOThavetogothroughthis=)

I woke up at our home-to-be, where I was staying with my mom and sister. Breakfast, chit chat, coffee... Everything was going nice and smooth... for like 2 minutes

For some reason (we can't recall why on earth) we needed our IDs.

My ID (for some reason we can't recall either) was in my best friend's purse... at her house.

So Andrew started his day like this:

He ran (literally RAN, like with legs): from my brother's to my friend's house.

Found out she was at the hair salon, getting her hair done. Ran to the salon. Got her apartment keys (that purse was at her apartment). Ran to the apartment. Got the ID. Ran back to the hair salon. Gave the key back. Ran to my brothers. Took a bus to the hotel where my in-laws where waiting for him. He literally ran 2 1/2 miles in one hour.

Meanwhile, I'm getting ready to go to the salon. I wanted to be there by 3 pm. As I'm getting ready to leave, we find out the car that was going to drive me around BROKE DOWN. So I had to use a cab for everything and somehow figure out a ride to the wedding ceremony!!! Anyways, I head to the salon. Of course, in the middle of the capital of my country (a antique New York style city) I COULDN'T find a stinking CAB!! SERIOUSLY! Finally, found one, but I had to go to the hair salon by myself, cause my mom and sister needed to figure out other details. So here I am, carrying my purse, carry-on, wedding dress and laptop bag. Even though I knew where I wanted to go, I didn't get my hair and make up trial before (Couldn't afford it). So I kinda just showed up and said: Hey guys, I'm getting married tonight... so do your thing! hahaha (I didn't say it that way, but I'm sure that's what they felt! haha). It turned out GREAT!

 I left the salon (I literally had people stopping a cab and helping me carry all my stuff on top of the veil on my head that was flying everywhere due to the wind). Met mom at the hotel. She ran to a store to get something I needed, they took her credit card and WOULD NOT give it back to her. She came back in tears. 

Meanwhile, my friend Chris and I are trying to finish putting together the wedding invitations to give out to people as souvenirs!! ( the printing company sent me the printed invites the day before the wedding).

We figure out a ride. Get to church. I'm outside waiting to come in. I heard there was a sound system issue they were trying to figure out. So I just waited outside. And waited. And waited. My pastor was waiting for me to come in, apparently he heard I was crying like a baby out there. I was taking pictures =). We waited like that for 20 mins. 

Ceremony started an hour later (9 pm). We went to get pictures taken at the Port before the reception. 

Reception (supposed to start at 10pm) started at midnight, when we arrived. Party went until 5 am. 

Next day: getting ready for our honeymoon trip. Andrew got sick. I lost our honeymoon tickets. I turned green and became bridezilla. I came back to normal. 

We took off to the mountains, and had a 90-year-old kinda honeymoon. Went for coffee ALL THE TIME, played a lot of chess, went to the movies. Walked around holding hands. Finally (after 13 months of being apart, him in the States, me in Argentina) , we were TOGETHER... and that's all that mattered.

xoxoxo

I have some NEWS for YOU!

source

Well, to be quite honest, I have 3 baskets of laundry waiting to be ironed and folded, a dishwasher full of clean stuff to be emptied, two kiddies that need baths, a kiddie pool that must be cleaned, and the list goes on and on...

So, I'll quickly share 2 things with you, and then I will bravely attack the mount of laundry and the pile of dishes that are awaiting me! =D

#1

Tomorrow ( July 30th) is this baby blog's very first LINK PARTY!

Theme: Wedding Day Stories!

Get ready to tell us all about that UNIQUE day in your life!

 Funny stories, bizarre moments, wedding vows or just pictures, feel FREE to share it the way you want!

I can't wait!!

#2

I'm currently offering BUTTON SWAPS! If you're interested, please click here to find out more about how this works! Us newbie blogs need to support each other and help each other grow!

Alrightie, having said that, I hope you have an amazing Friday, and would LOVE to see you tomorrow @ the LINK UP PARTAY!! =D

xoxoxo 

EASY RECIPES: Open-face Chicken Caprese sandwiches

Hey friends! How are you doing today??
I'm back today to share the recipe I promised in my previous post.

Yesterday, I posted a real quick and easy recipe for Homemade Mac and Cheese.

Today, I'll share Part 2: 

Open-face Chicken Caprese sandwiches.

Total time: 25 mins. Serves 4.
(From Real Simple recipes)

Ingredients

• 4 Boneless chicken breasts
• Salt and pepper
• Olive oil
• 8 slices country bread
• 3 Tomatoes, sliced
•  8 oz. sliced mozzarella
• Basil

Instructions

#1 Split 4 6-ounce boneless chicken breasts horizontally. Season with salt and pepper.

#2 In batches, cook in olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until cooked 

through, 2-3 mins per side

3# Top 8 slices country bread with, chicken,

sliced tomatoes...

and a slice of mozzarella.

#4 Broil until the cheese is melted, 3-5 mins

#5 Sprinkle with basil

#6 EAT!!!!

Thank you so much, Jen Stein, for joining in this cooking adventure!!!!! If you want to see more yumminess, check out her blog at www.shakeyourfoodie.blogspot.com

Also...

PS: Remember our coming LINK PARTY!

save the date!!

My baby blog will be hosting its first link party on Sat July 30th!

Theme: Wedding Day Stories!

It seems like the most bizarre, out of the blue things JUST happen on your wedding day.

At the moment, you bawl your eyes out over them, but later on, they become the funniest memories from that day.

If you have funny stories about your wedding,(or a special memory from that day, or even your wedding vows!) please link up! I LOVE to read and hear about them!

Love you, friends!

Have a beautiful Thursday!

xoxoxo


Linking to

EASY RECIPES: Homemade macaroni and cheese + open face chicken caprese sandwiches

Hey friends!!!!

My mom-in-law Jens and I are at it again!

Yes! This time we got together to make a super quick, super easy, super yummy meal:

Homemade Mac and Cheese

+

Open Face Chicken Caprese Sandwiches


Enjoy!!


 Homemade Mac and Cheese

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 cup elbows cooked as directed in package (al dente)
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 3/4 cup milk
• 8 oz. shredded sharp cheddar cheese

INSTRUCTIONS

#1 Melt and stir butter, add salt and pepper (you can add to taste =).

#2 Stir in flour, cooking over low heat until bubbly. Remove from stove. 

#3 Slowly stir in milk. Return to a boil.

#4 Add cheese. With wooden spoon, stir in cheese to melt.

#5 Add melted cheese to cooked macaroni.

#6 Transfer the mix to a 2 qt. baking dish lightly coated with cooking spray

#7 Bake at 375 degrees for 35-40 mins. (until browned at the edges)

#8 EAT!

I'm so excited I finally learned how to make homemade mac and cheese! (specially for my little  kiddo... and the big kiddo, too ;) Since it's not a popular meal in Argentina, I had no clue how to make it!

Woot woot!

Tomorrow, I'll post the recipe for the 

Open-face Chicken Caprese sandwiches

Don't miss it!

Also, remember:

save the date!!

My baby blog will be hosting its first link party on Sat July 30th!

Theme: Wedding Day Stories!

It seems like the most bizarre, out of the blue things JUST happen on your wedding day.

At the moment, you bawl your eyes out over them, but later on, they become the funniest memories from that day.

If you have funny stories about your wedding,(or a special memory from that day, or even your wedding vows!) please link up! I LOVE to read and hear about them!

More info to come, so stay tuned!


Have an awesome week!


xoxoxo

The memory maker is ON =)

Abi's first 4th of July 

Our first family photo shoot

Following daddy's steps

Chillin at the pool

Fun under the sun

Abi getting ready to leave the hospital and have her first encounter with the world

Artsy little hands

Josiah's first  date with mom and dad @ Tony's pizza (8 days old)

Hubbs , me and my newest addiction... 

Rachel Beckwith: a 9 year old that left an amazing legacy

When Andrew told me about Rachel's story, it rocked my world.

I'm a dreamer, I'm always thinking of new ideas, projects, how to get in new adventures.

However, I generally feel like I never have enough to get started (I know, stinking thinking, right?)

 Rachel was 9 years old...

it didn't take her a lot of thinking, planning, analyzing...

She just ACTED

Rachel donated her 9th birthday. Her wish was to raise $300 to fund clean drinking water projects in developing nations.

Last week, Rachel was critically injured in a multi-crash accident, and was taken off life support on Saturday.

Her goal was $300

This little angel raised $120,000 and counting...

More than 6000 people will have fresh drinking water 


An anonymous donor left this message in her account:


What we do for ourselves dies with us. What we do for others and the world, remains and is immortal.

Such a young girl... such an amazing legacy...

All of this, because she just ACTED

Check her charity: water link here

WHAT AN INSPIRATION... WHAT AN ANGEL

xoxoxo

FRIENDSHIP

Today is Friend's Day in Argentina

So, in honor to it, I'd like to write some thoughts on friendship

This is what I LOVE about friends:

#1 You can be YOURSELF, and know you're still loved for who you are

#2 You can call them late at night, and they will talk to you till 3 am, even when they have to work the next day! (true story)

#3 They know when you're down even when you say: IMFINE IMFINE IMFINE

#4 You don't gross each other out... =)

#5 Their mere presence makes you smile

#6 You compete to see who has more facial hair! (true story as well)

#7 Even when you're away for years, when you see each other again, you can pick up right where you left it

#8 You want to do childish things again!

#9 You can trust them your deepest secrets, knowing that there's no judgement 

#10 They know exactly what your favorite coffee is and they have it ready when you go visit!

#11 You don't need to impress them

#12 You believe in them, and they believe in you

#13 Seeing them accomplish their dreams is the best thing that can happen to you


#14 They're willing to eat the food you make--even if they got sick as a dog for 3 days from your last cooking "adventure" 
(Yes, true story again)

#15 You can cry on their shoulder, and they don't care if you left some snot on it...

Discovering who your real friends are is not an easy thing. Many times, you open your heart and become vulnerable to hurt...

But boy, when your true friends come along in life...

They are a continuous breath of fresh air

They're the cherry on top of your Chick Fil-A chocolate milkshake...

=)

I love when the Bible says:

A friend is loving at all times, and becomes a brother in times of trouble.

and

"... there's a friend who sticks closer than a brother"

HAPPY FRIENDS DAY!!

FELIZ DIA DEL AMIGO!!

I'm beyond thankful for my friends!

P.S.

Join the fun, leave a comment with memory of a friend, comment to a friend, or anything friendly you'd like to leave :)

xoxoxo

Loneliness can't stand a chance

my mom in her very first visit to the States (Nov 2010)

It was kinda a rough weekend

It's specially on Sundays when it hits me

As many of you know, I'm from Argentina

All my family and friends are there

Most of my life's memories are there

Childhood friends, high school friends, church friends

Everything

One of my favorite memories is our family get togethers on Sundays

My brother would be in charge of grilling some awesome meat 

while the rest of us would be playing cards, laughing and being funny

We've been here in the States for almost three years

I thought at some point it would get easier

But I came to the realization that it doesn't

I miss my momma, my sister and brothers

I miss my 7 nephews and nieces

Uncles, aunts, cousins that have been my best friends 

That's when loneliness tries to hit hard

(It's always funny to see how you can be surrounded by people and still feel lonely)

But all it takes is to look up

To remember those words that are sweeter than honey

that whisper in our ear

" I'll never leave you, nor forsake you...

 And remember that I am always with you until the end of time."

Loneliness can't stand the power of those words

It cant stand the power of Love

All of a sudden I realize

that I've never been alone

Because Your Presence has never left me

Even when I let go

You never let go of me

So today I can, once again say

I'm AT HOME

I'm where I'm meant to be

because Home is wherever You are

and You're right here with me

That's when I look around again, and this time I can see

the amazing people that surround me

This is when the well from within starts flowing with living waters of 

joy, peace, love

and I can rest

and I can smile real big

and I can trust

I can laugh

I can be thankful

and I can sing

Here's the Lyrics of one of my favorite songs by Kristene Mueller "Trust"... Enjoy!

It's the sweetest thing
To trust you
Just to know
You got everything under control

It's the sweetest thing
To trust you
Just to know
You got everything

And You are making me a mountain
Making me a mountain
That cannot be shaken

Well You are making me a mountain
Making me a mountain
That cannot be moved

High up on a rock
Looking out at the horizon
Watching as the storm rolls in
Wondering if my heart will survive it

As the waves crash all around me
And can't remember what it feels like to be free

I know You're making me a mountain
Making me a mountain
That cannot be shaken

Oh You are making me a mountain
Making me a mountain
That cannot be moved

You say, I've got you my baby
I've got you
It's quite the mess you're in
But it's nothing Love can't fix

So sit here upon my shoulders
And watch as it all unwinds

Have  a lovely Monday, my friends!!! =D

xoxoxo