AVE MARIA, FLORIDA

Julie Machado | Sep 26, 2013 | 0

What if you could create the ideal town, based on your Catholic beliefs? What if you could build a town centered upon prayer, open to life, in pursuit of integral truth and centered around family?

Well, apparently someone has beaten you to it. Welcome to Ave Maria, Florida. This small town in Southwest Florida used to be 1,000 acres of tomato plants. Since 2007, this swampland has been transformed into a college town with modern amenities and very distinct religious lifestyle. 76-year-old founder of Domino’s Pizza, Tom Monaghan, sold Domino’s pizza for an estimated $1 billion in 1998. With local developers, he has invested his money in this dream town. Although town and university operate independently, Catholic culture is apparent everywhere, even in Street names such as Assisi, Avila and Cana.

Keep reading at: 

http://catholicstand.com/ave-maria-florida/

Drake White - The Simple Life

Sorry for the long hiatus in my blogging activity! Married life has been really amazing, but my to-do list is endless and I feel like I am unable to get a single thing on it done. 

In search of the simple life...

I'm a fan of beer ice cold,

Of waving at my neighbor when I meet him on the road,

Of kissing my woman in the moonlight:

Yeah, I'm a fan of the simple life

Give me an old pair of boots, 

a small piece of land, 

a little old house where I can hang my hat:

I'll be a happy man, 'cause I'm a fan of the simple life. 

Wedding article

Don’t Plan a Perfect Wedding

0 Comments September 18, 2013 AD | Julie Rodrigues

Planning a wedding is a lot of pressure. Everyone you know is invited, it’s (hopefully) a once-in-a-lifetime event and it’s the most formal occasion of your life. That in itself can make any bride or groom a little antsy. Yet more than that,  in the modern world, it is a life goal that is right up there with finding the perfect, high-paying job. Just watch Say Yes to the Dress to see how much money is spent and how much of a big deal having the perfect, most beautiful wedding day is.

Keep reading this article at IgnitumToday:
http://www.ignitumtoday.com/2013/09/18/dont-plan-a-perfect-wedding/

Sleepover

I threw a "sleepover party" while my husband (?!) was away, an idea of mine for a while, and (surprisingly!), it wasn't as mindblowingly fun as I remember from my elementary school days. Imagine that! I was sleepy after dinner... I think we all were. Nonetheless, my lovely sis and friends were super nice and fun and went along with everything... even sleeping on the floor for not nearly enough hours! Am I a mean friend? 

Honeymoon activities (and final honeymoon installment)

This dog expressed my feelings perfectly: I was pooped. Our honeymoon included lots of hikes that always somehow included getting lost and taking double the expected time...

This hike started at a high point in Madeira (Monte) where we proceeded hike down to the town... 

With Charles I of Austria who was exiled to Madeira...

Wanting to read up on all of Porto Santo's history and explore everything possible to explore...

Another hike...

Lost...!

 Porto Santo church we went to often...

Horses! I almost fell off like five times... it was embarrassing.

Only on the very last day did the clouds clear up and was it good for laying out on the beach...