|

|

Happy Valentine’s Day! #CoffeeTalk

Happy Valentine’s Day! Whether you think it’s a silly holiday or not, there’s no denying its presence. Every store I enter is bedazzled in red and pink, and Valentine’s-themed candy and flowers are everywhere I go. Even the nail salon had a chocolate scent wafting through the corridors earlier this week when I went to get my nails done.

We don’t go all out for Valentine’s Day, but when I got home from Bible Study yesterday morning, there was a bouquet of roses and my favorite chocolate waiting for me on the kitchen counter. I must be getting old and jaded because I didn’t even bother to get a picture, although I did post a quick one to Snapchat.

Last night, my husband and I went out to dinner, and I didn’t get a picture then either! I know, I’m pitiful. I did get a picture of MY outfit, however! At least I have priorities.

In fact, speaking of pictures, when I was looking at my Instagram stream this morning, trying to find a few pictures to add to this post, I realized that other than my daily outfits, I only have this one snow picture from Tuesday night.

snow

I blame the weather. It’s so cold, I am just trying to survive. I’m not taking much joy in the day to day happenings at the moment. It’s not that I’m in a funk, necessarily. I just feel like I’m sort of hibernating, just waiting for spring to arrive to start living again.

It is just sooooooo coooooold.

Even right now, I’m sitting here shivering in my office, my fingers like ice, trying to tap out a few final words before I go upstairs and get ready for church. I guess I need to invest in some fingerless gloves.

At least the sun is shining. That’s about the only positive thing I can think of to say. Well, that, and everyone in my household is healthy, present, and accounted for. For that I am grateful.

Today is the last official day of my capsule wardrobe. I’ll be posting a recap tomorrow and sharing my final thoughts. Not much will change, though. It is still dead of winter, so I’ll be wearing my capsule for a while longer.

I’m excited about our 27 Days of Spring Fashion, starting in March, but I’m also worried that it will be depressing to put spring outfits together for a photo shoot and then set them aside and put bulky winter clothes back on to wear all day. I’m hoping we luck out and get a mild spring this year, but this is Pennsylvania, and sometimes it is chilly until May.

I swear, I sat down at the computer this morning and promised myself I wouldn’t ramble on about the weather, and here I am!

Granted, if this is all I have to worry about today, I guess I’m in pretty good shape.

My younger daughter keeps asking what we’re going for Valentine’s Day. I told her she passed out Valentines to her classmates at school on Thursday, so she’s done with her Valentine’s Day festivities. She didn’t seem quite satisfied by that, so maybe we’ll bake cookies or something this afternoon. I used to have heart-shaped cookie cutters. I wonder what happened to those. Some years I make a fancy dinner for the family and set the table with china and silver. I need to get back into that habit. It was fun, and it’s nice to incorporate the kids.

Is anyone watching the last season of Downton Abbey? We still have last week’s show on our DVR, so I’m looking forward to a double feature tonight.

Anyway, I better get on with it, or I’ll make us all late for church. Have a beautiful day!

Join The Conversation

35 Responses

  1. Happy Valentine’s to All! Hard not to talk about the weather when we are all freezing here in the East. Specifically here in Northeast PA it was -12 at 7 this morning. brrrr. So tempting to stay home from church, but considering that our Lord died for us, I’ll let that thought go.
    Love your Coffee Talk and sharing some of what goes in your life. That season is over for us, but we are enjoying a new one of grandkids! Our newest little one arrived 3 weeks ago, what a cute little guy! Today is a great day to eat some chocolate guilt free and have some extra dessert!

  2. Hello, I am reading this while eating breakfast and getting ready for church next. I totally know what you’re saying! I live in the western part of PA and am hibernating as well. Looking forward to spring but the reality is we’ll have chilly days until nearly May, like you said! Ugh. Overall I remind myself to be thankful too for the good things! Have a good day, bundle up :o)
    Jen

    1. I wore my coat all through church. The room where we meet doesn’t have heat – it’s a school gym. Gah it was awful. But I’m home and it is warm (I jacked up the heat! Don’t tell my husband. Ha!) so all is well. Yes, it takes a while to get warm but summers are usually nice. I would hate to live somewhere so hot I couldn’t sit outside. 🙂 Have a great day!

  3. Jo Lynn, love your posts. They are so real. And, sad but true, when it is this cold, the topic always seems to come back to the weather. Ha! Enjoy your day!

  4. Happy Valentine’s day.
    Spring has already sprung down here in South Texas.
    You should come on down and warm up.
    The high will be 78° today.
    I realized last night as I was wondering what I’d wear to church, I DON’T OWN ANYTHING RED OR PINK. But I do own tons of jewelry, so I’ll accessories with a pop of color.
    Thank you for your posts, I look for to it every morning as I drink my cup of coffee.
    Blessings from the GR8 STATE OF TEXAS.
    ????????????

    1. 78 sounds GLORIOUS. I have always thought I’d like Texas. 🙂 Jewelry is a great way to pull red or pink into your outfit. I have a red sweater and a red top, but I ended up wearing a grey dress and a red scarf instead. 🙂

  5. Just curious about why it is so cold in your house . Don’t you have a heater? Lol I know you do so does it not heat when gets a certain temp? Can’t you get better heater ? I hate to sound so ignorant but in south Alabama being cold inside just doesn’t happen.

    1. LOL! Funny, I guess it does sound odd. We have heat, but it is costly to run, so my husband and I are always battling over where to set the thermostat. 🙂 Also, we have an electric fireplace that heats the family room and kitchen, but my office is in the front of the house, so when the fireplace is on, the bedrooms upstairs and my office stay cold. It’s annoying. I really think I am going to buy an electric space heater for my office. It would make a big difference in here. I love everything else about the room. It has a lot of natural light in the afternoon, and I love having my own space. BUT IT IS COLD. 🙂

      1. I live in Florida. OK, so it doesn’t get as cold as PA but we do have our moments. We have several space heaters here. We have certain rooms that seem way colder than others. They are not expensive. I love to have it in the bathroom when I get up in the morning. I close the doors and by the time I am done with my morning chores (horse stalls) the bathroom is wonderfully warm for a shower. My husband’s office gets really cold too and he loves having it in there when he’s doing paperwork. Have a great week! Oh, and they don’t take up much room.

  6. Love downton abbey sad that this the finally season. Thanks for the tips for what to buy at the winter clearance. As for the weather its suppose to warm up mid week in philly metro area. I will be happy to not have wear my uggs. Spring is coming !!
    Have a great week !

  7. It’s hard not to ramble on about the weather when it’s so strikingly cold outside and we are all just struggling to stay warm. Definitely not a day for taking outdoor fashion photos though. xo Be well, stay safe, and don’t leave the house unless absolutely necessary… xo Happy Valentines Day!

  8. Happy Valentines Day y’all! The reading in my Daily Guideposts today talked about how much our Heavenly Father loves each and every one of us. That is something to celebrate. Regarding the weather, I have always lived in GA. I have experienced the brittle cold and snow when visiting family in IL & MO. Since doing that, I no longer complain about the cold in Georgia! I now actually love the cold seasons much more than the sticky, hot, & humid months. Jo-Lynne, I don’t think you’d survive in our house at night because we turn our heat off and usually have one window open. And I have two fans blowing on me. Maybe you can purchase an electric space heater to use in your office. That would take the chill off! Whatever you and the family do today, have a blessed day! ???? ????

    1. An electric space heater is on my agenda for this afternoon. My office is placed in the house so that it doesn’t get very warm, especially if the fireplace is on. I think a heater would make me so much happier.

  9. Well ladies, after reading all your comments I hope you stay warm!! Sorry I can’t relate, but here in Phoenix we are having mid 80’s temps. I often wondered what it would be like to live where it snows. Growing up in Southern California and then moving here to Phoenix, I guess I’ll never know. I have to say that the snow photos look so pretty and magical to me. Stay warm and Happy Valentines Day!

    1. And I often wonder what it would be like to live in a state without seasons. 🙂 I do think it would be fun for a time, but I would miss snow. 🙂 Happy Valentine’s to you too!

  10. Dear Jo~ Lynne,

    Random comments and observations:

    1. I love snow and I’m so jealous! I’ll trade you our wet, mild winter for your beautiful winter wonderland any day. 😉
    2. Please buy yourself a space heater for your office! It works wonders on cold tootsies and hands.
    3. Make a rice krispie shaped heart, tinted pink, and with red hot candies. Fun and festive!
    4. SNOW ANGELS!!!!

    1. 1. A wet winter sounds horrid. I’d rather have snow than rain. If it’s going to be cold and grey, than give me snow, thankyouverymuch. 🙂 So really, PA is a good fit for me. I just wish winter ended mid-February. 🙂
      2. I need to do that right away. I mean, I am going to Amazon.com right now. 🙂
      3. I love this idea. Wish I had the ingredients. The kids would love it.
      4. Not enough snow. It mostly melted, and now it’s just COLD.

      But spring WILL come. I am sure of it. 🙂 And praise God for a heat and a roof and plenty of food and wine. 🙂

  11. I did enjoy your ramblings about the weather here in NE Pa. I don’t think I live all that far from you. I’m not quite sure if those that live in warm states can truly understand what it feels like to have long winters . I’m sure those that live in colder states think the Pa weather is mild by comparison. I lived in southern Florida for a few years and would
    Love to move someplace warm again. We have a heat pump for heating our house and it just can’t keep up.
    I feel like it’s always running and we are all still
    Cold!
    I do enjoy reading your blog and your making it easy for us to find great styling tips and sales! Have a Happy Valentines Day!

    1. Hey Shelley, yes, I am often VERY thankful that I don’t live farther north. I went to college in Massachusetts (summer felt like it NEVER arrived up there! Oh my word, cold in JUNE the one summer I stayed in the area for the summer) and family in Maine (I can’t EVEN…) and I know that the midwest can have brutal winters too. I grew up in southern Virginia, and I think that was about PERFECT. PA is a pretty nice happy medium. I enjoy the seasons, but I do wish the winters were shorter. Thanks for your kind words and your encouragement! 🙂

  12. Happy Valentines Day! On this heart day, I wanted to say that this blog had my heart. While my daughter was in CHOP dealing with brain cancer, I looked forward to seeing these posts and the outfits you were putting together. Loved having coffee with my social media friends and lightening things up. It even helped my pick my outfits for Emilys make a wish trip to Disney. Time has gone past and my daughter is doing wonderfully and living life to the fullest. I still read this everyday and think “what would jolynne wear” when I look in my closet. So today on Valentines Day I wanted to let you know you all have a piece of my heart❤️

    1. Oh, my goodness. Cathy, I’ve been with a child in CHOP, not with brain cancer, but I do know how long those hours are. I feel so incredibly honored and humbled to have helped you pass some of that time with some frivolous distraction which I am sure you needed. I’m so happy to hear that your daughter is doing well. Thank you for sharing this with me. xo

  13. What time do you get up on Sunday? I get up early all week and struggle getting out on Sunday for church. Especially when it’s in single digits. I laid out my clothes and everything last night before bed to make it easier. But couldn’t motivate myself this morning. I feel so bad about not going to church. Does anyone have any helpful suggestions?

    1. I was up at 5:30, as usual. I can’t sleep in. I don’t know why.

      We always go to church. It is just the way it is, and I grew up that way. My husband and I both did, and it has always been our habit as well. I think when you have that mindset, it helps. It’s sort of like going to work. It’s never up for debate. There are days I’d love to skip, but I don’t because our whole family goes and that is just what we do. Of course, if I’m sick, that’s another story.

      If my husband wasn’t as dedicated, or if I was on my own, I think it would be hard to be as consistent as I am. And again, I grew up this way, so it’s just what I do.

      But also, when I feel like skipping, I remind myself what Christ has done for us and that worship is part of obedience to Him, and one of the most significant ways I can express my love for Hm. And I try to remind myself what a privilege it is to be able to worship freely, when Christians in other parts of the world are hiding out, worshipping in secret, afraid of being caught and punished. It’s not about guilting myself into going, but rather reminding myself of my blessings and then I find that I often have a change of heart.

      Also, I teach Sunday School to the preschoolers every other week, so having that responsibility keeps me honest too. 🙂

      I hope none of that sounds preachy. It’s just what I have found helps me. 🙂 Because we all have seasons of life where we are tempted to stay home and neglect worship. And 9 degree mornings definitely don’t help! ha!

  14. Hi Jo-Lynne,

    Well, I did it-wore my ski clothes and pink north face ski jacket to church. No one said a thing of course. I am from Texas and moved to Ohio and I was warm and toasty, and it seemed most kept their coats on or shivered through the service. I’m now home and still have my ski clothes on. It is soooo cold here and I can only bare it with these clothes on. I have a beautiful capsule wardrobe I’ve been working on and love fashion, but it will have to wait for now, I would not feel comfortable in anything else today, but ski clothes. Call me crazy, but I’m comfortably warm. What’s a girl to do, but forsake fashion. Just make the ski clothes look cute and you’ll look smart????

  15. Well, I am in Savannah, GA. Cold for us today with a high of 46 which is quite unusual but tomorrow will be in the 60’s so can survive one day of cold. Just snuggled up to fire with a Hallmark movie I recorded. Husband cooking beef stew for dinner. All is good. Enjoy your roses and chocolate. That should ease the pain of the cold. 🙂

  16. Hi again Jo~Lynne,

    You inspire me to be more dedicated in attending church. The reasons why you go every Sunday really touched me. I always find excuses and I really want to change. Your message wasn’t preachy! It really hit home, and I thank you for sharing.

  17. We’re having a very mild winter in the Dallas, TX area. It’ll be in the mid to upper 70’s all this week. BUT, our summers are obnoxious! Weeks and weeks and weeks of high 90’s and into the 100’s. A few summers ago we had 70 days of temps over 100. Some as high as 116! Outdoor activities were being cancelled everywhere. We don’t go outside much after June and we’re slaves to our air conditioners until late October. I just hate the summers here.
    So I guess most of us have one extreme or the other. I’m originally from California where there are no extremes in weather. It’s usually 60-80 all the time! Sure do miss that.

    We have little space heaters all around our house and I love them. I hope you have one already on order and coming to the house with 2 day Prime. 🙂

    We, too, make church a priority and go every Sunday, but I can sure see why some might have a hard time going on the extremely cold days. I HATE being cold, just as much as I HATE being hot. But like you said, Jesus sure sacrificed a lot for us, it’s our privilege to worship Him in all temperatures and trials and tribulations!

    Love your blog! Keep up the good work.

  18. We didn’t even bother with Valentine’s Day this year. We headed out to Juniata College on Valentine’s Day, so there really was no time to spend on it. To be honest? Didn’t bother me because I keep telling myself that money not spent now will be available for our big road trip in August.

    I am so behind you on the done with the cold. This past weekend was SO frigid!

  19. Brrr. Just looking at your wintry snow photo sent a shiver up my spine…or maybe that’s our AC…it was 85 here today. Already using my spray tan to banish these snow white legs so I can break out the cropped jeans! Stay warm, sweets.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Search
Close this search box.