Recap of Love Month

There was much to love about February around our parts this year.  

We started the month with a huge snow storm that was a lot of fun and then all of my aunts and uncles on my mom's side came into town to celebrate my uncle's retirement.  We had a great time!  

One day was a nice quiet day at home of schooling and hanging out and during nap/"quiet alone time" in the afternoon I was on the couch with my Bible and journal and looked up and noticed the sun coming in warming our wood floors in the dining room and it made me so happy.  

My collection of Anthropologie latte bowls from my single days (collection started at my first Anthropologie visit in NYC back in 2001 when we literally stumbled into one just trying to get out of the rain and then looked around in wonder marveling at the place we had just discovered!) is meeting a slow death due to breakage around these parts but I'm enjoying the ones that are left.  

I love cooking with this little helper.  She LOVES to cook.  Lately her passions have been splashing around in baths, cooking and being read to on the couch.  She could spend all her days doing those three.  

When Adrian and I were engaged we used to go to a Joe's Pizza that is sadly now closed.  They had lasagna pizza and it was soo good!  One night for our "couch night date" at home I tried my hand at creating a lasagna pizza that was delicious!  

At the beginning of the month I got to watch the If:Gathering online as well as attending an If:Local Gathering with some women in Monument.  I had never met any of them but they were so welcoming and nice.  If you have never participated in an If:Gathering, I highly recommend it!  

That same weekend Adrian got to go on a hut trip with a bunch of guys from church. They did back country skiing and all kinds of stuff.  

This little girl loves life.  

and she LOVES her big cousin Caleb.  Whenever we are with them he will buckle her into the car when we leave which is super special to her.  

I am loving this baby doll stage.  

Fantastic words on love 

These two LOVE each other.  On "Nana School" days, Cora and I go to the mall to meet Nana and Nana and I walk to get exercise in the mornings first thing while Cora rides in her stroller before playing in the play area.  On this day we also met back up at the mall for lunch before I took Cora home.  :) 

sweet signs of Valentines around our house

celebrating Valentine's Day with our worship minister and his family with homemade chocolate pudding 

words that especially hit me during rehearsal for our "coffeehouse worship" night

I love these two taking in art at the Fine Arts Center with friends on free day this month

more great words on love discovered while using my Write the Word journal from my friend Emily 

I went to get blood work done early one morning this month before my yearly physical.  Adrian was at home with the kids but was working so we needed them to be self-sufficient for a little while till I got back.  It is fun to have a reader now so that I could leave David a note with instructions for when they woke up.  

Having bigger kids is fun!  

We had a family movie night and watched Cinderella recently.  My kids LOVED it!  

After hearing about it at Sally Clarkson's Mom Heart Conference, I checked Roxaboxen out of the library and read it to my kids.  They loved it and ever since David has been spending quite a bit of time playing outside (thanks to the warmer weather we've been having too!).  On this day I looked out and saw this and it made my heart happy.  

I also LOVE seeing these two outside together!  

Some February decor 

and a happy heart I noticed in my charger cable

Also, on the week of Valentine's Day, Nana got to go and read to David's class.  Fun times and memories.  

How was your February?  

Kelly

Friends

"Kindred spirits are not so scarce as I used to think.  It's splendid to find out there are so many of them in the world."  

~ Anne of Green Gables

And I am so very thankful!

Kelly

a plan and a purpose

photo: face timing with Daddy while we were on a visit to Houston last year

"If God has a plan and a purpose for your life he has a plan and a purpose for your years and if He has a plan and a purpose for your years then He has a plan and a purpose for your days and if He has a plan and a purpose for your days, He has a plan and a purpose for TODAY."  

from Kat Lee's workshop at the Mom Heart Conference this past weekend

I got to attend the Mom Heart Conference this past weekend with an incredible group of women who I am blessed to be able to call friends.  There was SO much good stuff and this was one quote that I wanted to share.  

Kelly

Jonathan

I am so happy to link up another post for Kelly's Korner's Single Link Up.  This is my cousin Jonathan.  I asked him if I could write a post about him.  

He is incredible!  He is 8 years younger than me so we grew up together but as I have gotten to know him as an adult I really just can't say enough good things about him.  He is an awesome guy.

Jonathan is committed.  He is not one to give up.  He is also adventurous and likes to travel.  He is easy to talk to and is intentional about spending time with his sisters, parents and nephews and also makes time with our extended family a priority.

Jonathan is a triathlete and a graphic designer.  He owns a photography business.  

He is always intentionally strengthening his relationship with the Lord and strives to live for Him in every aspect of his life.

He enjoys photography, traveling, running, softball, cycling, swimming, skiing and anything or any sport that gets him outdoors.

He spends a lot of his nights and free time with friends from church.

If you know of an eligible Christian woman who you think would like to meet Jonathan or if you are an eligible Christian woman and would like to meet Jonathan feel free to e-mail me (sundrenchedmoments @ gmail dot com) or e-mail him directly at jwaven@ yahoo dot com

(Also, to all of my other single friends out there, if you would like me to do a post for you too, please let me know!!)

Kelly

Jenni

I am participating in Kelly's Korner singles link up day today to introduce you to my friend Jenni. 

Did you know that in the time Kelly has been hosting this link up for singles to meet one another that ELEVEN couples have gotten married??!  

Pretty cool. 

This is my friend Jenni.  

She is a truly wonderful person.  She is one of the greatest friends.  She is very thoughtful of others, is a great cook, loves to travel, is into sports and likes Harleys.  :) 

She is a very giving person.  She is smart and capable and has a very good job.  She currently lives in Abilene, TX.  

Jenni is a Christian and her faith is very important to her.  
She has a sense of adventure and likes to have fun.  

Jenni is an incredible cook and makes wonderful desserts, comfort food and hosts an amazing Christmas open house each year with holiday goodies that keep everyone coming back for more. 

If you happen to know of an eligible Christian man who you think would like to meet Jenni or if you are an eligible Christian man and would like to meet Jenni feel free to e-mail me (sundrenchedmoments @ gmail dot com) or e-mail her directly at jennipearl76blog @ gmail dot com

Obviously more women read Kelly's Korner's blog than men so if you know of any great single men who are looking to find someone to marry, point them to Kelly's Korner blog today.  The more people who check out her post, the better the chances are.  

Jenni with her nieces.

Christmas Home Tour - family room

Our family room is downstairs in our home.  When we bought the house it looked like this:

All of the furniture, etc. is from the previous owners.  The furniture went but the paneling remained!  

Then we did this:

And by we I actually mean our neighbor who is a contractor while we were out of town for Thanksgiving that year!  Wild!!  

Then there was a lot of this:  

And this!  

The countertops finally came in stock at Ikea and the door was removed and now here are our little Christmas touches this year.  

December calendar for homeschool - circles from Dollar Tree that I wrote numbers on and several extra came in the package which made me feel good in case there were mess ups!  Then I just stuck them up with washi tape.  Underneath some were post it notes with special things happening that day.  Inspiration from this book.

The glittered popsicle stick snowflakes are a craft that the kids dreamed up and executed with my help.  We did that on December 1st which felt really fun.  Cora wanted hers hung with a PINK ribbon.  :) 

Some of our engagement pictures, the felt tree I made when David was little that the kids enjoy decorating, a cross bought in a shop in Fredericksburg, TX with my mom when I was single and we took girls' trips a lot and the Rudolph I made in 4th grade.  So glad my mom kept that.  It makes me smile.

a little snowy scene with a red truck and a red snowflake cap to a bottle that broke :( some sparkly fake snow and bottle brush trees of course  (Thanks for helping me with that collection, Erin!) 

And finally a little merriment on the guitar

Merry Christmas Eve tomorrow!  

Kelly