Friday Favorites: February 5, 2016 Edition

Happy Friday, everyone . . . enjoy!

Stacey's Favorites:

So one of my favorite laughter go-to's (and the one responsible for coining my favorite phrase, "Difficulty is inevitable; DRAMA is a choice!") is Anita Renfroe (seriously, I even bought the shirt). She is so unbelievably talented, funny, and so on point! For women and mothers everywhere--she's got you covered! The first time I got to see her live was at a Women of Joy conference in Myrtle Beach, SC. Of course, along with her comedy, she has numerous books and DVDs. One of her books is co-authored by her husband, who is a pastor (the fact that she was at one time a pastor's wife is quite humorous to even her!) He is now by her side as they travel the globe making women laugh in Jesus' name.

This book is one of their couples' devotionals. It stuck out to me when she spoke about the book to the crowd because she mentioned its very intimate possibilities. She told ladies who were interested in purchasing it that they would be checking for wedding rings at the book table--it was hysterical! Check it (and Anita) out at http://www.anitarenfroe.com.

I'm on a book kick this week I suppose (I love a theme . . . just can't help myself . . . ask my friends).  In thinking about Valentine's Day--my favorite holiday--I would be remiss if I didn't share this one! The Valentine Bears by Eve Bunting and illustrated by Jan Brett (if you're a children's book nerd like me, it really doesn't get much cooler than these two together!) is such a sweet story of a bear couple who share their first Valentine's Day. Of course, bears always sleep through during hibernation, so clocks are set to wake up for the special day. I love the underlying theme of pure love for one another by both husband and wife. My copy is a little more than worn as it was also my mother's favorite read-aloud to her kindergartners for so many years.  Just pure sweetness!

Andrea's Favorites:

Seven years ago today, I became a mother for the first time. As with many women, I anticipated a quick and easy delivery and a short hospital stay . . . I'm sure you can guess that THAT was not the case, so I was glad to have this packed in my hospital bag:

My sweet grandmother bought me an Aimee nursing gown and matching robe. Girls, you know those promises that you hear that you know are simply not true? ("See, you'll be able to wear this bridesmaid dress again!") Well, miracle of miracles, I can tell you that their claim that you can wear these gowns long-term is true. Now, I am not willing to tell you how much weight I gained during my little boy's incubation time, but I will tell you that my size fluctuated quite dramatically and quickly after delivery, and I still love and wear this gown and robe. These sets are soft, comfortable, flattering, and forgiving. The gown is perfect for nursing (no nursing bra needed--a nursing pad stays put fine), but even now that my nursing days are in the past, the gown is still pretty and modest. By the time I had my daughter, I had acquired three of these gowns and two robes. If you are planning to have a baby or if you're looking for a gift for an expectant mother, she'll love these pretty gowns.

So now that Mr. Groundhog is ready for spring, you might be too--and if so, you'll need a bottle of this at your kitchen sink:

I was at Bath and Body Works earlier this week with the intention of buying some hand soap and a candle . . . I walked out with a heavy bag and more than $40 poorer, but I could not resist this scent. Blushing Tulips and Peonies is a clean, fresh floral that shouts a big welcome to spring. It begs you to put on a yellow dress and go sip tea on your porch. (It has a lot to say.) Besides the foaming soap, they also have this scent in the hand sanitizer.

Finally, like Stacey, I love Valentine's Day. Not only does the day provide an occasion to romance your partner, buy treats for your friends, and break up the boring mid-winter, but it also provides a great opportunity to talk to your children about love and friendship. My daughter is in kindergarten and my son is in the first grade, and both have at least one classmate who isn't a favorite to play with; yet, both children know that it's important (well, okay, it's also mandatory) that they share a Valentine card with those children. We'll be working on those cards this weekend, and we'll talk about friendship as we decorate cards.

It won't be all about them, though . . . after more than 17 years with the same man, I still dearly love to flirt with him. Here's how I do it:

Love is in the air, everyone . . . celebrate!

--Stacey and Andrea