February favorites 3 and 4

"Late February, and the air's so balmy snowdrops and crocuses might be fooled into early blooming. Then, the inevitable blizzard will come, blighting our harbingers of spring, and the numbed yards will go back undercover.  In Florida, it's strawberry season— shortcake, waffles, berries and cream will be penciled on the coffee shop menus."

-   Gail Mazur, The Idea of Florida During a Winter Thaw

Despite of truth found in this quote I love February and all the joy that it brings to my heart every year! here are two more of my favorite things that happened this month!

Josh's Birthday Meal and Birthday Cake

We had apple stuffed pork tenderloin with red cabbage and roasted red potatoes! for dessert we had an awesomely moist chocolate cake!What a blessing to have such a wonderful husband! I hope I can bless him just as much as he blesses me! 

Love you babe!

I can't believe that this is the last day of my beloved month-on to the next! 

I am excited to discover all the wonderful things that March has in store one of them being a visit from my dear little sister!

 “I have loved you with an everlasting love;
   I have drawn you with unfailing kindness. Jeremiah 31:3

One of my all time favorite verses-brings me peace and great joy when I meditate in it. We are blessed to have a wonderfully gracious and loving God! 

All my love to you all!

March Bible Study-The book of Romans

So excited to Start a New Bible Study with my friends Christina from get Joy and Jenilee from My Awake JourneyI thoroughly enjoyed blogging through the Bible Study on Galatians, Philippians, Ephesians and Colossians that we did in November!
Come Join us! The Lord has great things to show us this month I believe it!Romans has 16 chapters and the plan is to spend two days on each chapter!

Knees and Toes...

Sammy does have yummy toes!

^"13-16 Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out;
      you formed me in my mother's womb.
   I thank you, High God—you're breathtaking!
      Body and soul, I am marvelously made!
      I worship in adoration—what a creation!
   You know me inside and out,
      you know every bone in my body;
   You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit,
      how I was sculpted from nothing into something.
   Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth;
      all the stages of my life were spread out before you,"

Psalm 139 (The Message)

This weeks Photo Challenge: Head Shoulders Knees and Toes...Go here to check out more pics!

'The Big I Love You Give Away!'

Check out this give away at http://www.cherrykingdom.blogspot.com/
I am still paying off student loans and I believe anything we can do to help the next generation to go to school and not attain more debt is worth mentioning!

Our students are in crisis due to the debt that they can not afford to pay back!
http://www.joannejacobs.com/2010/05/the-student-debt-crisis/

Here is a very real and simple way you can help and you could win something in the process!
Let's help Liv out!

Thanks for being so kind love you guys!

Suze Student Loans

Phone Photo Challenge

Daddy + Sammy= Love
"...as a father the son he delights in"
proverbs 3:12

Our Valentine's day- Feb Fave 2

A collage of our fun day! Josh surprised me with a a beautiful edible bouquet
and with out meaning to Sam and Josh were dressed alike!
 I made heart shaped sugar cookie pops and cookies also chocolate dipped strawberries! 

Song of Solomon 2 (The Message)

^3-4 As an apricot tree stands out in the forest, 

   my lover stands above the young men in town.

All I want is to sit in his shade, 

   to taste and savor his delicious love.

He took me home with him for a festive meal, 

   but his eyes feasted on me! 

 ^5-6 Oh! Give me something refreshing to eat—and quickly! 

   Apricots, raisins—anything. I'm about to faint with love!

His left hand cradles my head, 

   and his right arm encircles my waist! 

This is the effect my husband has on me! He did amazingly this Valentine's day!

 what a Joy to share it with Samuel Benjamin for the first time! For his treat he got Avocado and he loved it! Then he reached for the heart cookie pops! LOL

With all this Love in our home I know only one place it can come from-

From the Lord's never ending fountain of love. 

Did you give the Lord a Valentine as well this day?  if you did not think of it- then it is never too late-he awaits for you with open arms:

Song of Solomon 2 (The Message)

^10-14 Get up, my dear friend,
   fair and beautiful lover—come to me!
Look around you: Winter is over; 
   the winter rains are over, gone!
Spring flowers are in blossom all over. 
   The whole world's a choir—and singing!
Spring warblers are filling the forest 
   with sweet arpeggios.
Lilacs are exuberantly purple and perfumed, 
   and cherry trees fragrant with blossoms.
Oh, get up, dear friend,
   my fair and beautiful lover—come to me!
Come, my shy and modest dove—
   leave your seclusion, come out in the open.
Let me see your face,
   let me hear your voice.
For your voice is soothing
   and your face is ravishing.

February favorites 1

And walk in love, [esteeming and delighting in one another] as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us, a slain offering and sacrifice to God [for you, so that it became] a sweet fragrance. 

Ephesians 5: 2

What a wonderful month to remember the Love the Lord has towards us!
This Love should just pour out of us onto each other...is it?


Over the next few days that are left in February I will post some of my favorite happenings from this month accompanied by favorite love bible verses.


So for the first entry I will post our Valentine's day High  tea party although it happened in January with some of my favorite gals!
My friend Marie from i dreamt idwelt in marble halls invited us over for a Valentine's tea party!

 We each brought over a treat as well as tea to share!

 Over the last two years these lovely ladies have enjoyed spending time together
as you can see the spread was deliciously beautiful. 

 Marie's beautiful tea pots and tea sets made the occasion so cozy and sweet.

 I enjoyed making these sweet sugar cookies inspired by http://hanielas.blogspot.com/2010/03/sugar-cookies-on-stick.html

 This sweet valentine's love bird tag was Living Locurto's special Valentine's Day download! so precious...

All pictures are courtesy of the beautiful Marie she is doing amazing with developing her talent in photography!


We also got to know  Joana Marie's sweet friend and hope we can continue to get to know each other better!
We had a wonderful evening and enjoyed each other's company and love over tea! 
I have been blessed to have such beautiful and loving friends! Thank You Lord for you show me your love through them. Many blessings to you all sweet Ladies!

Sam's first trip to Texas

"Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins."

1 Peter 4:8 New International Version

Sam Sporting his sunglasses 

Sam and Abuelita

Tia Ligia finally holding Sam!

with prima Crystal!

He loves the camera!

With Grandpa Olivarez

Our first trip to Texas!

 What a wonderful time we had in Texas this past weekend! Quoting Ligia, "Together at last!" So fun introducing Samuel to my family and such a beautiful site to see them fall in love with him! He is so easy to fall in love with!


 So sweet to watch my little sister Ligia meet Sam for the first time! He loved to be in her arms because as soon as she picked him up every time he would fall asleep!

When he saw Abuelito y Abuelita Fuentes it was as if he recognized them from when they spent a month here after he was born-he especially recognized when Abuelito whistled!

I can't believe I missed the opportunity to take a picture of Sam with my grandmother it was a sweet memory that will be forever engraved in my heart! You could see the Love emanating from her heart and Sam loved to reach out for her face-she was in heaven!

Sam met Grandma and Grandpa Olivarez as well as their two toy poodles-he was absolutely enchanting!

I heart February

Welcome Feb! I  this month! This is my month-I claimed it many years ago! all my favorite things happen this month and I  to celebrate all of them!
My birthday is the 2nd, Josh's and my Dad's birthday is the 11th, Valentine's Day- the 14th of course!

This 1st of February marks the end of an Era and the beginning of New Epoch for me.
Today is the last day of my 20s...

Twenty things I  about my 20s:

1. When I turned 20 my best friend threw me a princess birthday party in college-I never had one so she fixed that! Thanks Chris Love you!
2. I traveled more times in my 20s than in my entire life
3. I lived in Austin for 7 years of that decade
4. I discovered salsa Dancing
5. I met the  of my life
6. I graduated with my Biology degree
7. I graduated with my Spanish degree
8. I graduated with my Nursing degree
9. I took my parents on a road trip to Florida
10. I discovered blogging
11. I made great friends who now live all over the world
12. I learned a new language
13. I discovered my love for tea and shortbread cookies!
14. I continue to improve my cooking skills
15. I began having black and white parties every year
16. I continued to seek first the kingdom of God and was blessed with the desires of my heart
17. I married the  of my life! Love You JOSH!
18. We moved into our new house- that Josh designed
19. I continue to improve my decorating skills
20. The Lord gave us a beautiful baby boy Samuel Benjamin

This month I am going to focus on writing about Love! I want all of my actions forever but especially this month to be driven by LOVE.

"You gave me life itself, and incredible love."

Job 10:8