Sensory Sunday - 5/26/13

Well, the night is almost done, and I just wanted to share some little tidbits from the week with you guys!  SO, here goes!

What I'm Eating:

These!  My dad was nice enough to drop these off for us to try, and I'm pretty excited about them.  I actually haven't tried the Pineapple and Mango jam yet, but I did put some of that Maple Pecan Honey Butter on some biscuits stuffed with bacon for breakfast, and it was exactly as amazing as I had hoped!  Thanks, dad, for jazzing up my morning meals!

What I'm Looking At:

Another view of my kitchen windowsill, this time graced with the view of the roses from my rosebush in the backyard that decided to bloom.  God really makes some of the best decorations, doesn't he?

What I'm Watching:

The Hobbit

My hubby is the best.  Seriously, The. Best. He decided to get me an *ahem* Unexpected surprise the other day that appealed directly to my inner nerd.  I finally got around to watching it this afternoon, and it did not disappoint!  Hooray for presents!!

What I'm Reading:

Have I ever mentioned that literally everyone in my family, on both sides, is incredibly talented?  I'm related to photographers, musicians, accountants (it's a real skill, trust me!), and almost gourmet chefs, and I'm really blessed to have all of them in my life!  These comics are courtesy of my bro-in-law, and you can see even more of his work on the Facebook page for Wiley Comics.

That does it for this week's Sensory Sunday.  Have a good night and I'll see ya'll tomorrow!

Sensory Sunday - 5/5/13

Guess what?  It's Sunday!  I'll keep it short today, since we're about to head to a birthday party tonight, but here's some stuff I've run across this week:

What I'm Listening To:

Lindsey Sterling.  Seriously, she's awesome.  How does someone manage to have so much fun playing an instrument?



What I'm Watching:

Okay, I haven't actually seen this yet, but I'm pretty excited to go see it.  And I'm not really a Matthew McConaughey fan (What? Grace, that's practically female heresy!!!), but this movie looks great.  I'm looking forward to shelling out some dollaroos to see it.



That's about all for this week's Sensory Sunday, I'll see you guys back here soon!

Sensory Sunday - 4/28/13

Hey guys!  Welcome back to another installment of Sensory Sunday!  I'd hoped to get in an installment of Fair Trade Friday this weekend, but I ended up catching a nasty stomach bug on Thursday night, and have just recovered, so you'll have next weekend to look forward to hearing about even more awesome companies.  In the meantime, here's what's on my brain this week:

What I'm Listening To:

I have to thank one of my old co-workers for passing the word along on this band, An Horse.  Apparently he's seen them live before here in town, and was very impressed by how talented they are, and passed along a video of them via Facebook.  I haven't stopped listening to them since!  I'm hoping they'll roll through town again soon, I'd love to see them live as well.




What I'm Eating:

Did you guys notice the little green banner on the left side of the blog?  It's for a really cool little meal plan service called eMeals.  I'm really not a foodie, and putting together a meal plan and shopping list makes me want to pull my hair out on a weekly basis, but eMeals does it for you!  I chose the Clean Eating meal plan for our family, but there's a ton to choose from, including Classic, Slow Cooker recipes, and Simple Gourmet, with options for either two servings or family-sized meals.  There's even plans for Breakfast and Lunch, with recipes like Pepperoni and Provolone Sandwiches with Red Pepper Mayo, or Curried Quinoa Salad with Grapes and Radishes.

One of my favorite recipes I tried recently is this one:

Herb Roasted Pork Tenderloin with a White Bean Arugula Salad


Pork Tenderloin:

2 - 1 lb pork tenderloins
¼ c lemon juice
3 t Dijon mustard
2 T olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
6 sprigs rosemary, chopped
1 bunch thyme, leaves removed, chopped
2 t kosher salt
1 t pepper

Rinse and pat dry tenderloins. Combine lemon juice, mustard, olive oil, garlic, rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper. Marinate pork tenderloin for 6 - 12 hours. Heat oven to 350° F. Remove tenderloins from marinade. Discard marinade. Heat ovenproof skillet over medium high heat. Brown tenderloins on each side for 3 - 5 minutes. Place skillet in oven and continue to bake for 50 minutes.    

Arugula Salad:

2 c dry white beans, soaked overnight and rinsed
¼ c chopped red onion
4 c arugula
Juice of 1 lemon
3 T olive oil
2 t salt
1 t pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
   
Cook beans covered with fresh water for 1 hour, or until tender. Rinse and drain beans. Combine white beans, red onion and arugula. Whisk lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic. Toss salad lightly with dressing.

(Full disclosure, if you click through the link on the side of the blog and sign up for one of eMeals plans, I do receive a small commission, but I wouldn't recommend this service unless I loved it, don't worry!)

What's On Mah Brain:

These lyrics (from Redeemed by Big Daddy Weave) -

Seems like all I can see was the struggle
Haunted by ghosts that lived in my past
Bound up in shackles of all my failures
Wondering how long is this gonna last
Then you look at this prisoner and say to me
"son stop fighting a fight that's already been won"

I am redeemed, you set me free
So I'll shake off these heavy chains
Wipe away every stain
Now I'm not who I used to be
I am redeemed... I'm redeemed

All my life I have been called unworthy
Named by the voice of my shame and regret
But when I hear you whisper "child lift up your head"
I remember oh God you're not done with me yet

I am redeemed, you set me free
So I'll shake off these heavy chains
Wipe away every stain
Now I'm not who I used to be

Because I don't have to be the old man inside of me
'cause his day is long dead and gone because
I've got a new name, a new life I'm not the same
and a hope that will carry me home

I am redeemed, you set me free
So I'll shake off these heavy chains and
Wipe away every stain
Now I'm not who I used to be

I am redeemed you set me free
So I'll shake off these heavy chains and
And wipe away every stain
Now I'm not who I used to be
Oh God I'm not who I used to be
Jesus I'm not who I used to be

'Cause I am redeemed
Thank God redeemed

I couldn't fall asleep for the longest time last night, mostly because my brain wouldn't turn off.  You know those times that every regret you have just show up in your mind all at once?  Yeah, it was one of those nights, and I'm just glad I heard this song today.  Sometimes I just need an obvious reminder of the amazing things God is capable of in my life (ahem, and yours of course!).

Enjoy the rest of your Sunday, I'll see you guys tomorrow!

Sensory Sunday - 4/14/13

Welp, it's another Sunday gone by, and that means it's time for another installment of Sensory Sunday!  I know you're excited.

What I'm Listening To:



Are these both songs from commercials?  Yes.  Yes they are.  Are they getting way too much radio play because of that?  Uh-huh, but I really can't stop listening to them!

What I'm Eating:

I made these for a store meeting at work this afternoon:

Recipe HERE

Don't worry, they are as awesome as they sound!  I love easy dessert recipes, preferably delicious ones that require very few ingredients (kinda like my Semi-Famous Apple Dumplings), and these fit all of the criteria!  They are just as ooey-gooey as the picture, and taste like little molten bites of yum.

What's On Mah Brain:

What do this Personality Test and this painting have in common?

"Orphans" by Thomas Benjamin Kennington

Well, I'll get to that, but let me begin by saying apparently I'm a rare breed.  Seriously!  Apparently "the INFJ [Introverted Intuitive Feeling Judging] type is believed to be very rare (less than 1 percent of the population) and it has an unusual set of traits.  Even though their presence can be described as very quiet, INFJ personalities usually have many strong opinions, especially when it comes to issues they consider very important in life." (from the website)

So, what do I feel is important?  Well, the verse James 1:27 comes to mind.  "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this, to look after the widow and orphan in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."  Sometimes I feel like I'm beating the "philanthropic fashion drum" (like that?  I just made it up) into the ground, but I just love being able to share and support companies with you that do exactly what James talks about!  It can vary from a purse whose sale helped feed a single mother's child, or a skirt from Goodwill that helped pay for someone's job training, but it all helps!

So, what's your personal soapbox or passion?  Comment and let me know!

Sensory Sunday

Hey guys!  Welcome to my newest feature, where I'm looking forward to sharing some of the things that I've been listening to, reading, eating, or watching (i.e. using my senses, so Sensory... get it?  Eh?)  There is so much to discover in this world God created, and I always look forward to sharing new things I've discovered with anyone I can!

What I'm listening to:

THIS SONG!!  I wish I had heard of Alabama Shakes a long time ago, and I'm totally soaking up everything I can by them.  Ugh, so good!



What I'm eating:

Sometimes I like cheap and easy food (sometimes.... ha, I'm funny....), like these little cookies from Wal-Mart.  Knock-off Samoas?  Seriously.

Caramel Coconut & Fudge Cookies 

What I'm Reading:

Sometimes I wish I were an intellectual, English major type.  You know, the one that quotes Thoreau, drinks nothing but tea, and wears a newsboy cap... But, I happen to have kiddos, and therefore don't get to read nearly as much as I'd like to.  I did pick up a copy of this book earlier today, and I'm looking forward to starting it tonight while Big A is at the grandparents'.... I may even have a cup o' tea....

William Faulkner - As I Lay Dying

What's on Mah Brain:

The sermon I had the privilege of hearing this morning, given by Matt Mooney of 99 Balloons.  There was so much good stuff in there, and you should listen to the whole thing if you get a chance!  Any little summary I try to give really wouldn't do it justice.

http://www.gracechurchnwa.org/gracecast/2013/4/7/i-will-jesus-the-leper-matthew-81-4-matt-mooney-april-7-2013.html

One thing Matt mentioned was about the balance between believing and doing, and how your own insecurities keep you from doing God's work, and instead cause people to begin pointing their fingers at each other's shortcomings.  It reminded me of my own little soapbox, promoting the idea that the fashion industry has the capability of dramatically impacting the lives of other people.  A lot of times, I waver back and forth on pushing that issue, since it's very easy to allow insecurity to stand in the way of passion.  But, I was reminded of this post from my old site:

http://lexi-and-button.blogspot.com/2012/01/shift-in-focus.html

That's why my Fair Trade Friday and Thrifted Pinterest posts are so important to me, and why I love passing stuff like that along to you guys!

So, what new Sensory experiences are you having?  Please comment and share, I love hearing about new things!!