Baby Showers!!

November feels like a blur, and that is my reason for not posting much this month. I am attempting to post at least 2 times per week and I failed this month. I will try to get back to regularly posting.

November was the month of my two baby showers. One was in Flower Mound at my sister's house, and the other was in Corpus at one of our family friend's house. Both were absolutely lovely and we are overwhelmed at people's generosity. Before you see the pictures I want to note that I am wearing the exact same outfit in both pictures. If you have ever shopped for decent looking maternity clothes, you know that they are expensive!!! Therefore, in order to justify paying for something I really liked I wore it to both showers.

Flower Mound shower with the hostesses

The gorgeous table!

Sign in table

My special helper-Addie 

A few of my beautiful friends that attended

Opening presents

The Flower Mound shower was my "big" shower. My mom and my two mother in laws came in from out of town to celebrate with us. It meant so much to have all of Drew's grandmother's there (Cita-my mom, KK-Kent's mom, and Gigi-Kent's step mom). My hostesses are some of the most beautiful people I know.  They have all touched my life in various ways, and them helping with the shower meant so much. Briefly, a word about each of them starting from left to right in the picture below:

Marianne Lagerstrom: We met the Lags when the hosted a Sacred Marriage book study at their house. We instantly fell in love with them, and soon began going on double dates and fun couple outings. The Lags marriage has survived the storm, and they have a testimony of God's redeeming power. The Lagerstroms have a love for the arts and good food, so most of our time with them usually surrounds one of those things with amazing deep conversation.

Lauren Williams: Lauren and I have been friends since 2004. We lived together spring 2004-spring 2007, so we know each other well. I love this girl more than words can express. She possesses a wisdom that could only come from the Lord. Lauren has a wonderful sense of humor with great timing...she is one of those people that is subtly witty. I love Lauren, she is truly a great friend.

Lindsey Brittain: Lindsey and I went to Liberia, Africa together in the summer of 2005. We became fast friends on that trip, and have remained great friends ever since. Lindsey is truly one of the most dependable and loving people I know. She will do anything for a friend and longs to serve others well. Lindsey also truly loves people. She calls out sin in my life even when it means an uncomfortable conversation. Lindsey is a true, true friend to me.

Megan Seidel: It's hard to know where to begin talking about my sister. This woman loves me and knows me, and I am so thankful that she is apart of my family. Megan prays with a heart that longs to know the Lord more. She is a wonderful mother and she puts up with my many questions about pregnancy, birth, and parenthood. I am beyond thankful for my sister, and I hope that we grow old together.

Glo Gaddis: Glo and I met in a bible study in the fall of 2005. She exuded wisdom and love for the Lord, and I instantly wanted to know her more. She began mentoring me shortly there after, and we have remained close through the last 5 years. Glo prays for Kent, Drew, and I probably more than anyone else. She has been there for me when I needed a place to live, a person to confess to, a stand in mom when mine is far away, and an example of a godly woman. I hope to love my husband and children as well as Glo loves hers. 

Now for the Corpus Christi shower. I didn't have anyone take any pictures of this shower, so there are only a few.

The CC hostesses

 The Corpus shower was hosted mainly by my mom's friends. These women have seen me literally grow up in front of their eyes. I love the thought of how cyclical life is...having children in a community of people, watching those children get married, and then supporting them as they have children of their own. These women are gems and I love each of them so much. Melanie (the cute blonde next to me) and I have been friends since elementary school. We spent many, many nights together calling into radio stations to request songs, sneaking into our older sister's things, laughing until we cried, and eating corn nuts and drinking cokes (sounds gross, but it was the best combination at Mel's house!). It's so weird to me that we have literally been friends for over 20 years! I hope that we remain friends for 20 more!

Two of my fav friends from High School-Melanie and Lanna

Drew is loved from places all over Texas, and that makes my heart full and joyful. Thank you to everyone that supports and cares for our family. We'd probably be in a ditch without each of you. I pray our son is blessed with rich community as we have been. 

Monday: I know this much is true

I missed last week's favorite things post, so I thought I would throw one in on a Monday and maybe do another one later in the week. Today's I know this much is true is all about my five favorite television shows (not including those that are now off the air like LOST). These are in no particular order:

1. Friday Night Lights: I am a recent convert to Friday Night Lights thanks to the persuasion of Lindsey Brittain and Netflix. I love this show for so many reasons, primarily because of the way they really develop each character to draw you into the story (ok, the drama). The football obsessed town reminds me of my home town and love of football in some ways (Go Calallen Wildcats!), when it was most important to date a football player, be seen at the games, and cry at the end of a loss with everyone else (seriously, why do all the cheerleaders and other girls cry after games...they probably didn't even know what was happening most of the time). Anyway, if you haven't watched FNL, definitely catch up in time for season 5.

2. Project Runway: I go in and out of watching this show, but I tuned in for this past season because I went to high school with one of the girls on the show, Valerie Mayen. Valerie didn't win, but she was in the top 6 and is an awesome designer. Check out her shop here. I remember Valerie as early as elementary school being an amazing artist and extremely creative. The Lord has definitely allowed her to refine those talents and be successful by doing what she loves! Anyway, this past season is over and I didn't agree with who the judges chose as the winner. Maybe I will tune in again next season.

3. Biggest Loser: Some people hate this show, but I love everything about it. I love to see the transformation of people once they have lost a lot of weight. I love the way Bob and Jillian work out the contestants and get into their heads about why they're so fat. I usually cry at a few episodes every season, as well as fast forward through some of the drama/game playing. I love Tuesday nights..first amazing Bible Study at The Village and then coming home to watch Biggest Loser!

4. How I Met Your Mother: Kent introduced me to this show on our honeymoon. It's funny and enjoyable, and typically end up laughing out loud.

5. America's Next Top Model: I think I am the only person alive that still watches this show, but I love how they take these normal girls and turn them into models and I love the photo shoots. I know the eliminations are overly dramatic and I know that the girls are even more dramatic. But, if you DVR it you can fast forward through the silly parts and just watch the creative ones.

Ok, that's all for now. I need to go get ready for tomorrow...lunches need to be packed, coffee made, and a shower taken!

More Jonathan Adler lamp love!!

Check out the two giraffe sconces on either side of this abacus. Now, if you read my previous post, you know how much these little Jonathan Adler fun, stylish, unique, lovely lamps run...now multiply that by two! Whoa, somebody has more mula than me to spend on their nursery. A girl can dream! Meanwhile, just enjoy the eye candy and take whatever decorating likes get you going from the photo below. For me, it's everything...the unusual decision to use an abacus as a feature on your wall, the two giraffe sconces, the bright yellow dresser as a changing table, and using yellow and gray as the main colors. So fun...I need more babies to have more rooms to decorate...oh, and I guess more money too. See the whole nursery here (I am not a fan of the pictures they chose for above the crib, but love the morrocon pouf they used instead of an ottomon!).

Found on Odeeoh

Meal Plan Sunday

In February of 2008, my husband and I were engaged and began working out together and eating healthy. We called this our LGN (look good naked) plan before we were to be married in July 2008. We were diligent and disciplined, and as July came around...we looked really good. So much to the point that my wedding dress was too big (yay going down a size), and Kent's suit jacket was too small through the shoulders (yay muscles!).  Since we have been married, I maintained my regular 3-4 day per week workout and ate moderately healthy. I have done enough to maintain my usual weight and size. Kent is blessed with amazing metabolism, and doesn't really have to watch what he eats or doesn't need exercise to look good. 

Then, enter pregnancy season. I, by no means have let myself go, but now I only workout lightly 1-2 days per week and allow myself more treats than normal knowing that I only have a few months to enjoy food I don't typically eat before having to return to my typical diet to get the pregnancy weight off. 

Even more importantly than how we look, we know the importance of treating our bodies well and eating healthy. Kent has recently been convicted on the importance of eating healthy and maintaining an active lifestyle especially as he enters parenthood. He is beginning P90X in a few days, but meanwhile we are implementing more healthy foods into our diet (while not going crazy and only eating lettuce). So, here is our meal plan for this week

Lunch: 

M: Grilled chicken salad (I make it w/ a ton of veggies: red pepper, edamame, avocado, lettuce, tomato, green onion, etc.)

T: Chicken and broccoli 

W: Turkey Wrap with avocado. lettuce and sprouts, barbeque pop chips, fruit

TH: Leftover flank steak/snow peas

F: Salmon with salad

Dinner:

M: Kent work dinner, Kristen: Quinoa with black beans and tomatoes

T: Pasta in olive oil with lots of veggies

W: Beef with Snow Peas

Th: Salmon,  asparagus, brown rice

Our breakfasts will include oatmeal, eggs, fruit. Snacks are going to include protein bars, yogurt, fruit, and nuts (within moderation). I still will have my occasional pregnancy treats (sweet stuff, Fuzzy's tacos, etc) for the next few months, and then once little Drew is here I will kiss most sugar and other treats goodbye as I work off the excess weight. Haven't decided what my workouts will look like come February or March, for the first few weeks it will be whatever I can handle between lack of sleep and learning to be a mom. :) Our motivation is no longer LGN, but maybe NHL (normal healthy living). 

Between Notes Teaser

My husband is brilliant in a million of different ways. He sees things differently than I do, absorbs a ton of information on a daily basis about a variety of topics, and he can communicate ideas through words effectively and intelligently. He is also creative, and he has a desire to see stories come to life on film. Last spring, him and several others made a story about music and relationships come to life. In August, I and about 300 others were able to watch this story in a theater. It was magical. Not just because the story was good, but because I knew the hours and hours that these men put into creating this film, and now there were people were seeing the fruit of their labor. Currently the film is being submitted to several different independent film festivals, but below is a link for a quick teaser to make you salivate and want to see more of this film. My prayer for Kent and the others is that Between Notes is only the beginning, and that many other films will be brought to life. I will keep you posted on when the awesome soundtrack is available, as well as when the incredible film is released to the public.

Between Notes Teaser: http://on.fb.me/a7tmbE