Brinner or Brupper... whatever you call it, we had breakfast for dinner/supper & Our musical selection this evening is Joy Williams

Okay, so I unintentionally lied about making a new recipe on Monday or being back on schedule. I didn't try anything new and I didn't blog and even worse I didn't do my Bible Study that day. For dinner on Monday I made breakfast, we had egg biscuits. My daughter had egg and cheese. I had sausage and a touch of jelly on my biscuits and had my eggs on the side. We're the only ones that ate dinner that night.

MUSIC

I said yesterday I would further discuss the individual artists from the duo The Civil Wars so I will start today with Joy Williams only because I had heard of her prior to the two of them combining their musical talents. In fact, one of my all time favorite Christian songs is sung by Joy, Hungry (Falling On My Knees). She also has a few ep's that are full of fun music. I will include several of her songs because she has had a varied career. Speaking a Dead Language is from her ep Songs from That and it is another song that I seriously LOVE! The final few are from her most recent album, VENUS. Welcome Home is my very favorite and for personal reasons it makes me cry every time I hear it. Woman (Oh Mama) is one she actually has a video for and it was the first song she released from this album. It is unlike her other songs so I included it because it's unique and it's probably the one most people know about. And finally, the final one I will share is What a Good Woman Does because while it is one of my favorites, it is also a slap in the face to John Paul White, her ex band mate. It is part great song and part hateful whiny woman. In fact, I said it seemed like a slap in the face to JPW on her facebook page and she blocked me from being able to comment on her page, which also seems like an immature thing to do. All together I think she is one of my favorite voices to listen to and I love her music but she is very much a woman that likes to showcase her emotions publicly and has a hard time getting over stuff. As a musician I love her but as a person I am not so sure. I will say this, when I met The Civil Wars in Nashville she was the one that seemed more like a people person and John Paul seemed quiet and shy. Either way, her music should be listened to and enjoyed immensely.  

Driving & The Civil Wars

I didn't cook a new recipe today because I was traveling a little but things should be back to normal tomorrow. Also, instead of doing another day from my Bible Study "Perfect Love" program, I am just listening to some Joyce Meyers before heading to bed. By the way, my eye still feels a little weird today but it isn't red, watering or hurting so I think I am fine.

It was a beautiful evening for a drive. ------------>

MUSIC

The Civil Wars

Yesterday I talked about band names that I love so today I thought I would share another duo with a unique name, The Civil Wars. The name seems so simple but complex and I seriously LOVE this duo. This duo is more well known than the previous one but unlike Neulore, this band has disbanded and even though they have not released details from the break up you can tell from the aftermath that it was very unpleasant. They technically released 3 albums I believe but the first one was a free online release of a live concert, Live at Eddie's Attic. The next two were Barton Hollow and The Civil Wars. The Live album and Barton Hollow do have some of the same songs on them. They did perform for other albums though. The duo consists of Joy Williams from California and John Paul White from Alabama. I have a little extra fondness for JPW because he is from Muscle Shoals but currently resides in Florence and I spent a lot of my childhood in that area because my grandmother lived there. Both musicians had a music career prior to becoming a duo. Joy was a Christian artist and JPW had released one album. I will discuss both of them in the next few days. They both seem to be continuing their solo careers after disbanding the band. Joy has released a solo album and JPW has been busy doing other things in the music industry but recently a concert was posted online of an albums worth of new music, so I have my fingers crossed about that. I was lucky enough to see The Civil Wars perform in Nashville, TN before they were more known and let me tell you, they were amazing. I loved the intimacy of the small setting over a huge venue.

John Paul White, me & Joy Williams

Me in Nashville w/ The Civil Wars

  

Meatloaf, Worthy & Neulore

Today didn't start so great. O'Malley, my kitten scratched my eye. I am still thinking about going to the eye doctor. I didn't think much of it when it happened. I thought it would water for a minute and be fine but it's been over an hour and it still hurts and it is still watering.

RECIPE

I am using the same magazine from yesterday. Today I am making Sirloin and Parmesan Meatloaf. I will serve it with mashed potatoes and peas.


I omitted the onions.
I used panko breadcrumbs.
I used a glass pan.
Those are the only things I changed.

The votes:

My 12 year old daughter gets a pass due to her being a vegetarian.

My 14 year old son said that it doesn't taste as good as my typical meatloaf recipe but it still tastes okay. 3 stars

My husband said he likes my regular meatloaf better. 3 stars

I think it is dry and heavy on the breadcrumbs. The recipe I typically use calls for bread slices torn into little pieces and I prefer that because you don't taste the bread unlike when meatloaf uses breadcrumbs... I can always taste the breadcrumbs. 3 stars

 BIBLE STUDY

I am using the same website from yesterday and I am on the same program by Lisa Harper. Yesterdays session included verses I ended up using in a discussion I had with my husband last night. 2 Samuel 6:12-16; 20-23, Luke 7:36-50 and Psalm 63. It was a great study. 

Today's session is entitled Worthy of His Love and it is still focused mainly on Song of Songs, Solomon & Shulamith but we're not studying about romantic love. 

 

 In Luke, the prodigal son is something most everyone has heard about. I love that the father runs to meet the son. As children of God, we will always be welcomed with open arms. 

Another amazing Biblical story is in Mark 5:25-34 about the bleeding/sick woman that had so much faith she knew she would be healed just from touching the cloak on Jesus. Would we have that much faith? He called her daughter. I love that. 



MUSIC

Since I shared my love of Adam Agin yesterday I think it would be appropriate to share music from his band Neulore today. When I saw him in concert he was singing as a solo artist but he did tell me about his band and that is how I found it. They are stationed out of Nashville, Tennessee. They being Adam Agin and guitarist William T. Cook. The duo formed in 2009. They have two cd's out, Apples & Eve and Animal Evolve. The second album was released in 2014. They also released a song in 2015 called Voices. If you go to their website and read their story they don't seem to mention Apples & Eve and proclaim Animal Evolve as their first chapter. I am unsure why but it might have something to do with the second album having an actual label attached to it. They are a folk duo but the album has tribal drums and electric guitars so even people who wouldn't consider themselves a fan of folk music should give them a try. The duos name came from the German prefix "neu" meaning new and the latter half of the word "folklore." I am always amazed when I hear new band names that I actually like. I am not creative so hearing a unique name and where it came from is fascinating. I will share videos from both of their albums because I am a huge fan of both. The problem is not picking a song worthy of sharing, the problem is narrowing it down to just one song per album.     

 

 

French Stew, Perfect Love & Adam Agin

RECIPE

I am currently trying recipes from my October 2015 Cooking Light magazine. I always change recipes, usually just a little bit and the recipe I am using today is no exception. I am cooking Chicken Jardiniere, a classic French stew. I will include the magazines picture and recipe but also post how I changed the recipe and a photo of my dish.  

The magazines picture.



Sorry about the grease splash marks.

I used olive oil because that is what I had in my cabinet.

I could not find pancetta at my store and when that happens with a recipe I use something similar. I already had bacon so that is what I am using today.

Instead of leg quarters I just bought 5 chicken thighs.

I did not buy dry white wine and instead used vegetable broth.

I decided to just use baby carrots instead of cutting my own. Laziness....

I couldn't find cremini mushrooms so I bought baby bellas. I took the stem off but left them large because my children hate mushrooms and I wanted them to be easily picked out.

I left out pearl onions because I never cook with onions.

I used dry thyme instead of fresh.

I omitted the parsley.  

So, I usually change a little of the recipe but today I changed a lot.

This is a small plate and not a typical size dinner plate.

The votes are in:
My 14 year old son gave it 3 stars. He said it was good. He hates carrots and didn't like that I included them.
My 12 year old daughter is a vegetarian so I had to cook a separate pan of just the veggies and seasonings. She added sour cream to her dish and said it was 4 stars.
My husband gave it 5 stars. He said it was all scrumptous. The only thing he added was sour cream and he thought the chicken was perfect.
I think the vegetables needed a touch more salt. The chicken was perfect though, super tender, moist and delicious. I'd give this 4 stars for sure. I really liked it. I love one pot meals.

BIBLE STUDY

I am currently using the website of www.RightNow.org to do my Bible studying. I found RightNow Media through a church I used to go to. I am starting Perfect Love with Lisa Harper today.  

Perfection is not a prerequisite for a relationship with Jesus.

God loves us even though we don't have it all together.

My motto for the week from Bible Study.

MUSIC



Me w/ Adam Agin - Sept. 2012

I don't typically listen to radio music, popular stuff, the well known, over played songs that seem heartless and sometimes talentless too. I love music though. I discovered Adam Agin in 2012. I went to a concert that benefitted orphans and he performed. I had never heard of him before so that night I looked him up and I love his stuff. I think at least one of his songs has appeared on a tv series. I would recommend his cd, Rainy Days & Sleepless Nights. The entire album is wonderful. Below is a song from that album.



New Year - New Life ----- Big Goals, Big Rewards & Big Dreams



2014 was the worst year of my life. It was followed by another of my worst years ever. I refuse to let my sadness over the past 2 years make 2016 a horrible year also. This will be the year I get my act together. The year I FINALLY lose some weight. The year I FINALLY stay organized and on task. The year I FINALLY take my kids on a big vacation. The year I FINALLY become the person I want to be... a better mom, a better wife, a better Christian, a better sister, a better friend, a better daughter, a better me. The me God intended when He made me. He didn't make me so I could be a lazy depressed woman with no joy. I can't promise a year of successes but I promise a year of actually trying.

Psalm 139:13-14 (NIV) For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV) For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Plans for this blog:

I hope to use this blog to post recipes I am trying, exercises we are doing, places we are going, possibly my Bible Study info because I hope to become more regular with that as well and music because I love music. If someone stumbles across this blog and reads it that is awesome but to be honest typing this is probably more for my benefit, keeping me on track, etc. If you are here and you are reading this then please know, I hope this year is spectacular for you as well. Here's to all of us!!!!

Plans to reach my goals:

I'd like to be at my goal weight by this time next year. That means I need to lose 100 lbs. OUCH! I am rewarding myself with a vacation at the halfway mark, well in July. Here's how I plan on doing it though: The big goal is to lose 10 lbs a month but as long as I am losing 2 lbs a week I will consider that a success and reward myself. There are 6 months until I would like to go on vacation so here is the plan.

Feb 1 - Goal reached = Book a hotel in Florida for a week.

March 1 - Goal reached = Put money back for my family to go to Disney World for 1 day.

April 1 - Goal reached = Buy tickets for 2 days at Disney World.    

May 1 - Goal reached = Put money back to go parasailing while on vacation.

June 1 - Goal reached = Buy tickets for one other event depending on which part of Florida we go to. ex. Clearwater Aquarium, Kennedy Space Center, SeaWorld, etc. OR put money back to do something fun like renting jet skis.

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My way into the future huge goal/reward is after I reach my goal weight, for every month that I continue to be at that weight I will put aside $100 from every paycheck until I've saved to go to Italy. It is my dream vacation. I want to go to Venice. Of course that will take a long time because it would be a trip for 3 or 4 and I'd like to stay 2 weeks if possible and travel around to see other places: Florence, Lake Como, Pompeii, etc.

DREAM BIG