Today's Coffee: Trader Joe's Sumatra

Well, I did it. 

I deactivated my facebook account yesterday morning. Uhm, it took multiple steps and pages. Also, my internet cut out just as I clicked the confirm button. Did facebook know I was leaving? (That's a joke)

Today I want to write about 2 things:

1. A recital coming up in March

-and-

2. Corned Beef and Cabbage

Here's the first. 

The poster is pretty self explanatory, but I'll talk about it for a moment anyways. 

Covenant Presbyterian Church has many stained glass windows. T has decided to perform a series of recitals where he plays pieces that meditate on each window. This first recital will cover the Biblical covenants and the Trinity rose window. You can read about each individual  window here:

 Covenant Presbyterian Church - Sanctuary 

I would encourage anyone in the area to come and listen to some wonderful music (some of which has never been recorded before - to our knowledge - ). The recital is at 5:00pm and not later because we didn't want it to be dark and therefore not be able to see the windows themselves. These particular windows are on the left side of the sanctuary, so you may want to sit on the right side. 

And #2: Corned Beef and Cabbage

This is one of my favorite meals. Thank you Dad for making this for us when we were kids. 

Here is my 'recipe'

Chop up onions and carrots and potatoes.
I don't know how many you want, I want the whole bottom lined.
Add 4 cups of water.  

Lay your beef on top.
Pour a bottle of beer over it.
I used Guinness because it was in our fridge. I don't know if I would use anything too hoppy. 

Remember that little packet of flavor-goodness that came packed in the with corned beef?  I hope you found it and didn't drop it in with the beef...
Anyways, sprinkle that on top.
Set on Low for 8 hours.
The smell... is amazing. All day your house will smell amazing. 

After about 8 hours, knife the cabbage into thick wedges. I have to cut a little smaller to get it all to fit.
Then, let it cook on Low for 1.5 hours.
Then, serve with malt vinegar.
I have no after pics... we ate it too quickly!

How do you make your corned beef and cabbage? I'm always looking for new ways to make it even better. 

Now for the obligatory pics of a cutie pie:

This was W's outfit yesterday. Hard to believe he's going to be 2 on Monday!

This morning he discovered he could stretch his t-shirt over his knees and look silly. 

In Christ,

Julie

Today's Coffee: Breakfast Blend

We are in the process of moving in to our new home here in Nashville. Thomas is going to work every day and I'm staying home with Wilson. I feel like I may need to change the blog name to Adventures of a Stay At Home Mom or something like that. But, alas, I seriously love coffee and since that is my exciting moment in the mornings I think I'll keep the one I have now.

We successfully moved from New Haven, CT to Nashville, TN over the weekend. We started by filling up a 16 ft. Penske moving truck on Thursday evening and finished on Friday morning. 

Ready to go!

Meanwhile, I'm still teaching at the Morse Summer Music Academy:

 

We performed this on Thursday: Kashmir - Led Zeppelin

It was a lot of fun. So, anyways - I finish teaching on Friday at 1:00 and we then fight the eternal fight with Comcast to try to return a modem that they neglected to pick up. I filed a formal complaint with the company. But, we start driving and we arrive in Harrisonburg, VA at 2:00 am. We leave Saturday morning at 8:00 am and arrive in Nashville around 5:00 pm. BUT our landlord neglected to leave our keys out as was the plan. Mark and I tried to break in :/ but after about an hour it was all figured out. Had to pull another person from the realtor's office from their church service because ours was actually out of town?!? Oh well. 

So, we've been unpacking and such ever since then. 

Wilson was given an exersaucer and he loves it. 

Uhm... precious!

So, now we are looking into all the things we can do in Nashville. I totally think we are going to hit up the story time at the library. (That's how rock star we are) So, I hope you are doing well. Hope to hear from you about everything!

In Christ,

Julie

Love you buddy!

Today's Coffee: Tall, Dark and Handsome Roast

"Your way O God is holy. What god is great like our God? You are the God who works wonders, you have made known your might among the peoples." Psalm 77:13-14

This has been our memory verse recently. These are truths that Thomas and I try to dwell on and ponder as we live our lives up here. There have been times that we have not trusted or had the faith that we should have had and this verse in particular is a great reminder of WHO our God actually is. While many believe that we might serve a God who is only seemingly angry and vengeful I remind myself that our God is HOLY. He is just and true and sovereign. He uses situations that seem awful to bring others to Him. Yes, we live in a broken world  - stained because of the sin  - but there is hope and salvation. Why? Because our God is great - like none other - offering redemption. He works wonders - saving people - and making His might known by not answering to man but by being holy and just and loving. These are the truths that I hold on to as He has given us a new home here on earth that is 1000 miles away from where we are now and still 500 miles away from our families. So, we trust in the Lord for all we need. 

We also are very blessed - I mean really, not much that we should complain about. And of course - Wilson! - is just so adorable.

Wilson has started sitting up. Even though this picture looks all cattywhompus - that's Wilson sitting up out of his bouncer trying to get to something else on the bed. :)

 

Here he is sitting up on the bed (if only for a moment) by himself!

He is standing up on the kitchen counter here and I'm only holding his hands. He's a strong boy for only 5 months old! But that face! Just look at that face! What a sweetie pie!

Just adorable!

And random: these are some headbands that I have made for our dear friend Miriam who turns 1 today! I've started crafting more and more and since these were made from old t-shirts it only cost me $1 (for cheap headbands from dollar store) and a little bit of hot glue for the flowers. This is something I've been enjoying a lot lately. I'm hoping this week to really put my sewing machine to the test as I make this really cute shirt with ribbon sleeves. I'll put pics up (depending on how it goes). 

So, here we all are - 20 days until we begin the move to Nashville. It will be so nice to be a little closer to family and I cannot wait to begin that chapter of our lives together! These 'cross-country' moves bring Thomas and I so much closer together - although I will admit I'm not looking forward to having AT LEAST 16.5 hours in a car with baby Wilson - as a 6 month old. He's a great traveler though - already been on 8 planes and traveled thousands of miles as Thomas and I interviewed for jobs in TN and SC. But the long car rides... sigh. 

Til next time! In Christ,

Julie