Texas Country Weekend

I just found this post in my queue. I wrote it out, then planned on adding pics, so I never posted it. The pics are on FB, and I think everyone who reads my blog is also my friend on facebook, so I thought I'd go ahead and just post it. :) Even though it's a bit old, enjoy the weekend recap...

This weekend we went to visit Zac's best friend JT, whom I also happen to consider a great friend. He comes to see us all the time, and we'd never been out to see him, so it was time to pack up and go! J lives in Graham, but a few hours after we arrived on Friday, we left for Wichita Falls. We went to Target and Academy, so J could get some things (and what do you know...I ended up buying stuff at both stores too! ha!), then we met a college friend for dinner. Guy is married to a Kara, who is so sweet and pretty. I really enjoyed meeting her, and their precious 4-month old son, Easton. After dinner, we wasted some time at a bookstore (infested with teen couples who could not keep their hands off of each other...ew), then went to The Iron Horse Pub, to see JT's little brother and his band Brazos Stone. Zac has seen them perform, but I'd only seen Brady (J's brother, the lead singer) and Bridget, the fiddle player, do an acoustic set for a radio station here in the metroplex. Zac had told me that Brady had a lot of showmanship, and he was so right! I would not normally consider myself a fan of Texas Country, but I absolutely loved the show! They have a big following out west, and up north, but are breaking into the metroplex scene too (they had a show in Fort Worth on Sunday), so hopefully we will get to see Brazos Stone again soon!
Saturday morning we woke up and decided not to go to the lake. JT was cut by the blade on the boat motor the Saturday before. It cut his shin to the bone, and he had to get 8 stitches. Anyways,when we arrived Friday, I could tell it was infected. So Saturday morning we took him to the Graham hospital to get it taken care of. They put him on two different antibiotics, and suggested not swimming in the lake. No biggie. Zac and I hadn't seen J's mom in a long time, so we decided to head to Throckmorton, J's hometown. After visiting with the family for awhile, we went to his aunt's home to swim in her nice pool. Molly especially loved it! That night we drove back to Graham and ate out for dinner. We were pretty tired that evening, so we just stayed home and watched the movie Salt. It's fun to have old friends where you are able to have a quiet night in, and not worry about dressing up and hitting the town. It was a wonderful weekend! Thanks for your hospitality J! We are BOTH lucky to have such a great friend in you! :)

And just for fun, when we got home, I calculated all the driving we did over the weekend, and according to google maps, it was 432 miles, and 8.5 hours.

Grammy predictions...

Y'all know I love to watch award shows, and how much I love music, so imagine how AWESOME the Grammys are to me! I posted my predictions last year too, which can be seen here.

To view the complete list of this years Grammy nominees, click here. 

Record of the year...Empire State of Mind by Jay-Z and Alicia Keys
Album of the year...Fame Monster by Lady Gaga
Song of the year...Need You Now by Lady Antebellum OR Love The Way You Lie by Rihanna and Eminem
Best new artist...Drake deserves this, but I wouldn't be disappointed if Mumford & Sons won, and wouldn't be surprised if Justin Bieber (or Beaver, as my students say) won.
Best Female Vocal Pop...this is SO hard for me because I love every woman and song nominated. I guess if I MUST pick one, it would be Bad Romance by Gaga.
Best Male Pop...Haven't Met You Yet by Michael Buble, OR Just The Way You Are by Bruno Mars. Although my fave of these songs is Whataya Want From Me by Adam Lambert
Best Pop by Duo/Group...Hey Soul Sister by Train or The Only Exception by Paramore
Best Pop Collabo...California Gurls by Katy Perry and Snoop?

Okay, those are the categories I care about the most. Who are you rooting for? Who do you think will win? Which performances are you looking forward to! Leave comments!!!

one of those days...

I know I already posted this song once, and on facebook, but I LOVE IT, and there's a chance you might have missed it. Don't miss it. It's irresistible. Okay, quit reading and click play. Also, I posted the lyrics below, because I love them as much as the melody and instrumentation. You're Welcome!!!



Don't ask me how I'm doing
If you don't wanna know
I stayed out too late
Woke up late
Oh, you know how it goes
Give off the vibe that everything's fine
As long as, as long as
You don't look in my eyes

It's all going just so perfectly wrong

Hey hey hey what can I say?
It's just one of those, one of those days
Hey hey hey what can I say?
It's just one of those, one of those days
Ah ah ahhh

Don't mind this kind of life
Of hurry up and wait
Too many things to do to lose
It gets a little insane
So much crazy in twenty-four hours
Too many bills, too little frills
And none of the flowers

What I wouldn't give for a minute to myself

Hey hey hey what can I say?
It's just one of those, one of those days
Hey hey hey what can I say?
It's just one of those, one of those days
Ah ah ahhh
Ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah
Ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah

Hey hey hey what can I say?
It's just one of those, one of those days
(repeat 3x)

It's just been one of those days
It's all going just so perfectly wrong

Taking me back to Spain...

Today I woke up homesick for Spain. I know, I know...it was never my "home." But I woke up wanting to step out into the fresh crisp air, to walk down the narrow streets, to hear Spanish floating into my ears like beautiful music. So I looked through some of our pics, but I still wasn't satisfied. So I started looking up some of the sights/sounds that I knew would bring back Spain...the music we loved while we were there. Anytime we were out shopping, or eating at restaurants, we'd hear fun music we'd never heard before. Zac had the TV on anytime we were in the hotel room, and the channel we watched all week was music videos. Here are a few of our favorite songs/videos from Spain, that take us right back to the outdoor restaurants, city buses, to our hotels, and the cute shops we visited. I feel a little better already! Enjoy...

This video is so fun and quirky. Zac said at the end of the week he wished we'd taken a video of each other "running" at every place we visited, so we could make a compilation. That would have been cool! We'll just have to settle for watching this music video instead. It's called "Espiritu Santo" which also means holy spirit, so there are a million songs with that title. In fact, we've been searching for it since we got home so that we could buy it, and could not find it until today! :)


This song is not in Spanish, but it was sooo popular and played everywhere. Zac became obsessed with it, and called it the "accordion song." It's quite catchy. I do think the video might have been filmed in Spain though. Looks a lot like it!


Spain's popular music includes hits by Spaniards, but also a lot from America and England. THIS song also reminds me of our week in Spain.

When I Look at You

I had an amazing weekend. I have pics to come, but haven't loaded them onto the computer yet. (Very unlike me, I know!) I went to Austin for a track meet, but got to hang out with the family too. Mom and I got to have some girl time (a little shopping and a chick flick) but spent most of our time together at Texas Relays. It was so fun to have her there with me! Saturday evening we went to Burnet for Easter. We had a nice picnic that night and did the chuch/egg hunt/big Easter meal on Sunday. It was awesome. I love family time...it's so revitalizing! I promise I'll post pics soon.
Work update...TAKS-Alt is so consuming right now, but luckily we should be done at the end of the week. Hallelujah! If you don't know what taks-alt is, I'll explain another time...when I can do so without cursing. haha. On a fun note, we have our first track meet this Thursday! Our kids have been working hard and I can't wait to see them compete! If you ever want an instant warm-and-fuzzy feeling, just go to a Special Olympics event! They are THE BEST, and always remind me how lucky I am and how much I adore these kids.
Eight more weeks of school...but I'm not counting down or anything, haha! We will be in Spain two months from Thursday...THAT is a cool thought! :) I've already started thinking about what I want to pack!
Job fair this Friday. I am taking the 4-8 English certification test next Thursday, the 15th. I am very open to what we do next year (move or stay, although I would prefer to move and be in Austin), but I'm starting to get a little impatient, and I JUST WANT TO KNOW where I'll be living and working next year. I've been real laid back about it all (what does worrying do?) but I'm starting to wish I just knew...either way, I just want everything to be done, so I can prepare myself for whatever it is in our future. Sigh...patience patience Julia!

Okay, last but not least..."The Last Song" was amazing. I don't care if you think Miley is annoying, this movie was great. Liam Hainsworth might be my new crush...he's adorable! It's a Nicholas Sparks story, so of course it was quite powerful. This song has been in my head since the movie and I think it's awesome...

You are the thunder, and I am the lightning...

There is a huge storm going on outside at this moment. I can see lightening and hear thunder, which reminded me of a song I am in LOVE with. If I had a tween, I would definitely encourage her to be a fan of this sweet wholesome girl Selena Gomez (who happens to be from Grand Prairie, home of my bestie Ramsi). Well, I am a big fan of hers. I mean, look how adorable she is:


How you choose to express yourself
It's all your own, and I can tell
It comes naturally. It comes naturally

You follow what you feel inside
It's intuitive, you don't have to try
It comes naturally, mmmm it comes naturally

And it takes my breath away

You are the thunder and I am the lightning
And I love the way you know who you are
And to me it's exciting
When you know it's meant to be
Everything comes naturally, it comes naturally
When you're with me, baby

Everything comes naturally, it comes naturally
Bay bay baby

You have a way of moving me
A force of nature, your energy
It comes naturally (You know it does)
It comes naturally (mmm yeah)

And it takes my breath away (Everytime)
What you do, so naturally

You are the thunder and I am the lightning
And I love the way you know who you are
And to me it's exciting
When you know it's meant to be
Everything comes naturally, it comes naturally
When you're with me, baby

Everything comes naturally, it comes naturally
Bay-bay-bay-baby

When we collide, sparks fly
When you look in my eyes,
it takes my breath away

You are the thunder and I am the lightning
And I love the way you know who you are
And to me it's exciting
When you know it's meant to be
Everything comes naturally, it comes naturally
When you're with me, baby

Everything comes naturally, it comes naturally
Bay bay baby

PS-Selena Gomez also has a movie coming out this summer and it's based on the Ramona Quimby books written by my favorite childhood author, Beverly Cleary! Check out the trailer for Ramona and Beezus!!!

Selena singing Selena!?

Disney starlet Selena Gomez performed at the San Antonio Rodeo this weekend and (how appropriate!) performed a song by the original Selena (Quintanilla), Bidi Bidi Bom Bom. One of my fave Selena songs!!! Enjoy...

Grammy Picks

Y'all! It's the Grammy tonight! HOLLA!!!!!!!!! I love music and award shows, so hip hip hooray for my evening! I am getting so excited that I feel like I need to go put on a party dress! I can't wait to watch the performances, and I love getting all giddy and my chest gets shaky when people go up to accept awards. If they cry (and I like them) it's a safe bet I'll cry. My entire childhood I wanted to be a pop star, and on nights like this, I get to live my life through them. Haha, so cheesy, but I used to always wonder what I'd wear and say if ever I was to go to the Grammys! Silly, I know, but that's me.
For the complete list of Grammy Nominees, click here. My picks are listed below, but I'm not really sure if this is who I WANT to win, or who I think WILL win. Oh well, here they are, but only the categories I care about, hehe...

Record of The Year
Pokerface by Lady Gaga

Album of The Year
The Fame by Lady Gaga
or Fearless by Taylor Swift

Song of The Year
You Belong With Me by Taylor Swift

Best Female Pop Vocal
Halo by Beyonce

Best Male Pop Vocal
This Time by John Legend

Best Pop Vocal by Group/Duo
I Gotta Feeling by The Black Eyed Peas
(although I'd rather The Fray win!)

Best Pop Callabo
Taylor Swift and Colbie Calliat "Breathe"
OMG, I love this song so much!!

Best Pop Vocal Album
I want Funhouse by Pink, but I bet it's The E.N.D. by Black Eyed Peas

Best Dance Recording
Pokerface DUH!!!

Best Electronic/Dance Album
Lady Gaga

Best Female R&B Vocal
Single Ladies by Beyonce

Best Group/Duo R&B Performance
Jamie Foxx and T-Pain "Blame It"

Best Contemporary Record
I Am...Sasha Fierce by Beyonce

Best Rap Solo
D.O.A. (Death of Autotune) by Jay-Z, but I love Drake too.

Best Rap by Dup/Group
Amazing by Kanye and Jeezy

Best Rap/Sung Callabo
Run This Town or Knock You Down, I love them both too much!

Best Rap Song
Run This Town by Jay-Z, Rihanna, and Kanye West

I don't do much country, but I want Taylor Swift to win every time she's nominated, and if she doesn't win, then I hope it's Carrie Underwood. Basically I like the pretty blondes. :)

Jai Ho already won for best song composed for a movie/tv, and I am happy with that. I love that song.

On the same page...

Zac and I have different taste in music for the most part. We overlap in several areas (Lil Wayne, John Mayer, Jack Johnson, Jay-Z, etc), but my obsession with pop and dance music is where he draws the line. Anyways, lately there has been SO MANY songs that we both love love love, and it's so fun! Here are a few songs/videos that Zac and I are obsessed with right now...

I wish Zac had hair exactly like Adam in this video. There are several different styles, and I love every one of them. Zac even admitted that this guy has amazing hair, but he said he "wouldn't be taken seriously as a teacher or principal with hair like that." haha

Carolina Liar-Show Me What I'm Looking For (Boo...it wouldn't let me embed it, but it's an AWESOME song, you should totally click on it and check it out!!)

Birdman, Drake and Lil Wayne- Money to Blow
There is a funny story about this song, and I will never hear the song without thinking of this moment I'm about to share with you. Last Friday morning, Zac and I got paid. Usually payday is not a big deal, but with Christmas, having to get new tires, and Zac paying $500 for a mandatory training he had to attend, we were very excited about payday this month. Anyways, when I woke up on Friday, I checked our account online and was relieved to see we'd been paid. Zac and I were both getting ready in the bathroom (which usually puts me in a bad mood when we both have to get ready at the same time in the same space...we have very different ways we like to act/ be treated in the morning, I'll admit, with me being the jerk) and he put this song on the laptop. The next thing I know we were both singing the words, and I was dancing. It was a light/fun/carefree moment, and the song was just the icing on top. Haha, we're not really "on a 24 hour champagne diet" like the song says, but it was still fun to sing along.


I also personally love and highly recommend you check out:
Train "Hey Soul Sister"
Lady Gaga "Speechless"
Rihanna "Hard"

Don't stop, make it pop, DJ blow my speakers up...

I love this song. Tons. As in, it might be my favorite song since Party In The USA!! And that is saying alot, because I still loooove that song! :)

PS-I couldn't figure out how to get the video to fit on the screen, so the right side of the video is cut off on my blog. Sorry. If it bothers you enough (I doubt anyone even watches it, haha!) then just click on the video to see it full screen on it's own page.)

Also, I know I've said it before, but it only gets truer (is that a word?) as time goes on...I LOVE Lady Gaga. Seriously! Love her. I can't even explain it. I know there are tons of people who think she is weird or offensive or just don't get her, but I get her and love her and want to be best friends with her. Really.

Here are a few other new songs I like a lot...
Alicia Keys featuring Beyonce, Put It In A Love Song
Timbaland featuring Katy Perry, If We Ever Meet Again LOVE this...it kinda reminds me of Kelly Clarkson for some reason??
Birdman featuring Drake and Lil Wayne, Money To Blow

Live like we're dying...

I like this song a lot. Fun sound and nice message too. Enjoy...

Sometimes we fall down and cant get back up
Were hiding behind skin that's too tough
How come we don't say I love you enough
Till its to late, its not too late
Our hearts are hungry for a food that wont come
We could make a feast from these crumbs
And were all staring down the barrel of a gun
So if your life flashed before you
What would you wish you would've done
Yeah gotta start
Lookin' at the hand of the time we've been given here
This is all we got and we gotta start pickin' it
Every second counts on a clock that's tickin'
Gotta live like were dying
We only got
86 400 seconds in a day to
Turn it all around or throw it all away
We gotta tell em that we love em
While we got the chance to say
Gotta live like were dying
And if your plane fell out of the skies
Who would you call with your last goodbyes
Should be so careful who we live out our lives
So when we long for absolution
There'll no one on the line
Yeah gotta start
Lookin at the hand of the time weve been given here
This is all we got and we gotta start pickin it
Every second counts on a clock thats tickin
Gotta live like were dying
We only got
86 400 seconds in a day to
Turn it all around or throw it all away
We gotta tell em that we love em
While we got the chance to say
Gotta live like were dying
Like were dying oh - like were dying [x2]
We only got
86 400 seconds in a day to
Turn it all around or throw it all away
We gotta tell em that we love em
While we got the chance to say
Gotta live - like were dying
We never know a good thing till its gone
You never see a crash until its head on
All those people right when were dead wrong
You never know a good thing till its gone
Yeah gotta start
Lookin at the hand of the time weve been given here
This is all we got and we gotta start livin it
Every second counts on a clock thats tickin
Gotta live like were dying
We only got
86 400 seconds in a day to
Turn it all around or throw it all away
We gotta tell em that we love em
While we got the chance to say
Gotta live like were dying
Like were dying oh - like were dying [x2]
We only got
86 400 seconds in a day to
Turn it all around or throw it all away
We gotta tell em that we love em
While we got the chance to say
Gotta live like were dying
Live like were dying

And I was like, why are you so obsessed with me?

The title is the first line spoken in the Mariah Carey song "Obsessed." I love that song. I guess you could say that I am truly "obsessed" with it! :) I wouldn't call myself a HUGE Mariah fan, and I don't think I would buy tickets to see her live or anything, but I was thinking about it today, and I have EVERY cd she has ever put out, and I have LOVED every one of them. So I guess that does make me a big fan of her music. Some of my childhood favorites of hers are Always Be My Baby , Hero, and then of course her collaboration with Boyz II Men, One Sweet Day. I always wanted to be a singer, so I used to stand in my room and belt out Mariah Carey and Toni Braxton. Turns out I don't have the same vocal skills they do, but I still love singing along with them! :)

Speaking of music, John Mayer has a new CD coming out. He has already released the first single. I'm not crazy about it, but it's okay. It talks about "getting stoned" though and that's just not my thing at all, so maybe I just don't relate to it. I do like that he mentions Austin though! :) Anyways, the reason I bring this up...sometimes I watch/listen to VH1 in the mornings when I am getting ready (I detest the morning DJs in Dallas, I miss Bobby Bones from Austin), and the video for "Who Says" came on today. I have always had a crush on John Mayer, but in this video he is extra amazing. He looks so handsome in it, so that makes me love the video (even though I don't really love the song). Taylor Swift also just re-released her CD with extra songs. Lady Gaga is releasing The Fame Monster in a few weeks and I can not wait! She just released the first single, Bad Romance and I LOVE IT!

Still on the subject of music, I AM GOING TO A CONCERT on Sunday! :) Yay! Stacy and I are going to see Hanson and Hello-Goodbye. This will be Stacy's sixth Hanson concert and I am so glad that she turned me on to them. They are also activists which makes them EVEN COOLER! They have evolved since the days of Mmm-Bop, and are an amazing band. If you are not familiar with their music, listen to the song I posted below.



Stacy and I also just joined Dallas County Young Democrats and we are going to their Speaker Series and Reception on November 13th. The founder of TOMS shoes, Blake Mycoskie, is going to be there, and I can not wait to hear what he has to say!

Today I had "CPI" training. This is non-violent crisis intervention training, where you learn how to safely and legally do restraints. They are always used as a last resort, but in my classroom I can see how it is important to know what to do in these situations. I felt like I was training to be a prison guard or something though, it is kinda scary to have to think about using these techniques on students, and I really hope I never have to. I am glad I will know how though, in case a situation does arise. The training flew by today (part of that is because it was only 8:30-2:30, with a morning break, an hour lunch, and an afternoon break, and because we were up practicing the holds and restraints), but I still would have rather been at school with the kids. I love my job. I can't believe how much I miss them when I am gone. I wish I could adopt all 12 of them. Okay, maybe not, but I wish they all lived on my street so I could go and play with them whenever I wanted. Okay, that doesn't sound right either. I'll just say that these kids have already made a HUGE impact on me, and I can't imagine not getting to keep up with them after this year. I wish I could be in touch with them forever. There, is that better? :)

Zac is sick. I think he has the flu. He already put in for a sub tomorrow (Thursday...his game day...this is a big deal) and he is going to try to get into a doctor first thing in the morning. His fever is 103 right now. Bless his heart. I am glad that he only has one more week of football...all that work takes a toll on him, not to mention the added stress that goes along with it! :(

Well, that is quite a lengthy blog. I guess I had lots to say. I still have even more to say, but I will save that for another day. I will leave you with a pic that made me smile. If you have seen The Hangover, it should make you smile too. This is my creative friend Kenji, at a Halloween party...

Why do I tire of counting sheep, when I'm far too tired to fall asleep?

As usual, I have gotten busy and although I have a hundred pics and stories to share, this is not the time. I have a big paper due tomorrow and I am working on it now. Actually "NOW" I am blogging, but I am taking a brief break from writing. I have this amazing song stuck in my head, and I just wanted to share it with whoever is lucky enough to read my blog. :) I am sure a lot of you have already heard it. I love it. I really think everyone would love this song...it's so happy sounding. Ladies and Gentlemen, please listen to Fireflies by Owl City.

You would not believe your eyes
If ten million fireflies
Lit up the world as I fell asleep

'Cause they'd fill the open air
And leave teardrops everywhere
You'd think me rude
But I would just stand and stare

I'd like to make myself believe
That planet Earth turns slowly
It's hard to say that I'd rather stay
Awake when I'm asleep
'Cause everything is never as it seems

'Cause I'd get a thousand hugs
From ten thousand lightning bugs
As they tried to teach me how to dance

A foxtrot above my head
A sock hop beneath my bed
A disco ball is just hanging by a thread

I'd like to make myself believe
That planet Earth turns slowly
It's hard to say that I'd rather stay
Awake when I'm asleep
'Cause everything is never as it seems
When I fall asleep

Leave my door open just a crack
(Please take me away from here)
'Cause I feel like such an insomniac
(Please take me away from here)
Why do I tire of counting sheep
(Please take me away from here)
When I'm far too tired to fall asleep

To ten million fireflies
I'm weird 'cause I hate goodbyes
I got misty eyes as they said farewell

But I'll know where several are
If my dreams get real bizarre
'Cause I saved a few and I keep them in a jar

I'd like to make myself believe
That planet Earth turns slowly
It's hard to say that I'd rather stay
Awake when I'm asleep
'Cause everything is never as it seems
Because my dreams are bursting at the seams

I'm feelin so energetic, don't think y'all will ever get it...

Have you ever found an artist that you LOVE, and you're like "how are they not HUGE?" "When are they going to blow up?" because you know they have massive potential and a mad amount of talent? Well, that is how I feel about BoA! If you don't like pop, you won't like her, but if you do like pop, or you are curious as to what I would buy stock in, if you could buy stock in performers, here she is!

Now, don't you want to "Report to the dance floor?!"

Blue Skies for Everyone!

Thanks, Bob Schneider! I LOVE YOU!!!
This is a really old song, but the trusty ol' iTunes shuffle played it for me today, and put me in the best mood. I think I listened to it nine times in a row. (yes, literally) It is cheery, even though it sounds like it would be kinda dark. Anyways, it has a nice message...one I could use when I am finishing up projects due tomorrow and studying for summer school finals, and I literally want to poke my eyes out! ;) Enjoy!

Spit on the ground, hold your breath
Try and scare yourself to death
Bury your bones under the dirt
Tear your heart out, rip your shirt
Stomp your feet in disgust
Curse the gray sky if you must
But you'll find when you are done
They'll be blue skies for everyone

Drink your wine, break your heart
Give up the race before you start
Drop your drawers, roll around
Burn your house right to the ground
Go to sleep, hit your head
Scream until your face is red
And you'll find when you are done
They'll be blue skies for everyone

Blue skies, setting suns
Cherry pies, bubblegum
Lullabies, to come undone
Blue skies for everyone

So get right down on your luck
Spin your wheels until you're stuck
Wring the blood out, let it dry
Stick a needle in your eye
Dry your tears and drop your drink
Let me tell you what I think
I think you'll find when you get done
They'll be blue skies for everyone

Bob Schneider is an Austin guy who pretty much RULES! His music is awesome! Zac and I danced to "The World Exploded Into Love" at our wedding reception, as our first dance. If you are not familiar with him, you should check him out! ;) Fun sidenote: he dated Sandra Bullock for a few years, and I saw her at one of his shows once! 2nd funny side note...I usually like preppy jock-type boys, but I think Bob's hot in a dirty-rocker-soulful kind of way. haha!
Okay, and come to think of it, I love the words to "The World Exploded Into Love" too much to not share with y'all! It's a sweet song, and extra special and meaningful to ME! :) It's "OUR SONG!"

There is a universe that can't be seen
It's just a feeling if you know what I mean
A delectable dimension, undetectable by sight
It'll fill up your heart in the dead of the night
Some say its an astral plane
Can't be described, can't be explained

The world exploded into love all around me
The world exploded into love all around me
And everytime I take a look around me
I have to smile

Oh is our life just an illusion
There is no need to figure it out
The separation exists not in your love filled heart
But only in your mind
The real story's all around you
Even now it surrounds you
Even now I feel the power

The world exploded into love all around me
The world exploded into love all around me
And everytime I take a look around me
I have to smile

90s on 9

My parents just returned from a week in Canada. While they were gone, we kept Rusty and also their car. I drove it all week and came to LOVE the satellite radio. Mostly, I loved one particular station..."90's on 9." Listening to all that fun 90's music brought back so many memories. I heard so many songs that I had not even thought of in forever! I am sure it will do the same for you...
Tub Thumping by Chumbawumba
Lump by Presidents of the United States of America
Breakfast at Tiffany's by Deep Blue Something
Wonderwall by Oasis
I Want It That Way by Backstreet Boys
Genie In A Bottle by Christina Aguilera
Waterfalls by TLC
Losing My Religion by R.E.M
This is How We Do It by Montel Jordan
Ironic by Alanis Morisette
Jump Around by House of Pain
Tearin' Up My Heart by 'Nsync
Plus, lots of fun songs by: Spice Girls, Third Eye Blind, En Vogue, The Fugees, Hootie and the Blowfish, Matchbox 20, Naughty by Nature, Ace of Base, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Sublime, Cake, Dave Matthews Band, and more...
We think that decade probably had more one hit wonders than any other time. Zac and I also started talking about all things 90's. Sports, News, and my favorite...FASHION! :) We started comparing our high school trends with what is in style now.
We wore Doc Marten's...they wear "boots with the fur." We wore polo shirts tucked into high-waisted jeans...they have low rise jeans. You get my point. But I want to know what YOU miss about the 90s. Or do you despise the 90s? Either way, leave me your thoughts! Also, are there any MAJOR songs I missed? What songs take you back to the 90's?

MJ

I keep it real on my blog, so I'm going to be honest with y'all....I don't remember Michael Jackson being cool. I wish I did, because I would have been a huge fan, but I don't. My earliest memories of him are of hearing negative things, so I never gave him too much attention. I know other people my age have great memories of his music from childhood, but my dad was not a fan of MJ, therefore we didn't listen to his music or acknowledge him. It hasn't been until recently, in my older (and wiser) years that I have realized just how many songs I know and love are by Michael Jackson, and how much he changed and made POP MUSIC (hello...my favorite!) what it is today. He is every definition of the word legend, and deserves to be recognized. I know he might have been different, weird, peculiar, etc, but behind all of that was a musical mastermind. Thanks for all the great songs, MJ!!! Here are a few of my faves, and some notes about what they mean to me...

Dirty Diana -My girl Alexis sang this on the past season of American Idol, and I LOVED it!
Smooth Criminal -Annie are you okay? Haha, when Alien Ant Farm made this song, I didn't know it was a remake. How embarressing! :)
The Way You Make Me Feel -we danced to this in one of my ballet classes and it was such a blast!
Thriller -no explanation needed...I can't tell you how many times I danced to this song at a halloween pep rally! ;)
Billie Jean -I had a great night with Stacy last October, and these two ladies were dancing (amazingly) to this song...I still think of them when I hear this song. :)
Black or White -I do remember this one and "Not Alone" from my childhood, and I remember liking both of them. They must have been released later.
You Are Not Alone
Bad
PYT -I went to bed with this song stuck in my head last night. "I want to love you...PYT!"
Beat It
Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough

On our way to the lake on July 4th, I found a single glove in my car. In July! This is a tribute picture. RIP MJ!

Pa-pa-pa-Pokerface

Remember how I love when people cover songs I like? Remember how I told you I saw Lady Gaga in concert and LOVED it? I know she is weird and all, but I can't get enough of her. She thrives on being different and thinking outside the box. Anyways, I think Poker Face is one of the greatest pop songs of all time. It's classic! Well, recently I keep seeing it all over the place, being covered by different people and whatnot. The funny thing is...I enjoy it every time I hear it, every way! Here is Daughtry singing an acoustic version of it. (This version is the one that gave me the idea for this post...if you only listen to one of these alternative versions, check out this one!)


This is a huge orchestra playing it. I love it! LOVE IT! I am a nerd and I love orchestra music (on occasion) but orchestral arrangements of pop songs are EVEN BETTER! Ya know how they say pregnant women should listen to orchestra music for the baby's brain development? I won't have a problem doing that, but it will be even more fun with songs like this! :)

There is also this heavy rock version, which is also pretty fun. One guy did all the different parts, in his house, and it's pretty impressive. Gosh...what a great song! It translates SO well, in so many different styles! :) Weezer even covered it at one of their concerts! (go to 2:35) And don't forget when Justin Timberlake went on SNL and sang "My Mediocre Face-my mediocre face!"

Sigh...the possibilities are limitless, when you have a song that's made of GOLD! ;)

My Sister's Keeper: The Complete Review

In the past week, I have read the book My Sister's Keeper, seen the movie, and purchased and (almost) memorized the soundtrack. Can you tell that I'm a fan? :) I will now review all three, but don't worry...I won't give anything away!
THE BOOK
It was amazing! I have never read a Jodi Picoult book, but I loved i,t and look forward to reading more. She has a very unique writing style, as each chapter is from a different character's point of view, and they all collaboratively tell the story. You can't really take sides this way, because you get to hear each character's ideas and reasoning and get inside their head. It is very unbiased. The chapters also jump around from past to present, which makes for a page turner. I read it in just a few days, and actually finished it on Friday night (technically early Saturday morning). I could not put it down and stayed up until 3am, reading it all the way until the last page. I woke up Saturday morning thinking about the book and dying to see the film (which had just come out the day before) so I convinced Zac, Ramsi and Bez to go with me at 11:30am. (I didn't wanna waste any time!)
THE MOVIE
Wow! I cried way harder at the movie than I did reading the book. (I have never cried harder in a movie. Ever! Not Seven Pounds, not PS-I Love You, not Marley in Me. Not ever! This was my record setter for amount cried in a movie!) In fact, everyone cried. Leaving the theater, you could tell who had seen MSK because they all had red swollen blotchy faces. I felt like I swallowed a metal plate at the beginning of the movie and could not get it out of my throat until hours after the movie. (I had a lump in my throat...a big one.) We made the mistake of forgetting Kleenex, so we had to use buttery, salty, leftover popcorn napkins, which needless to say didn't feel too good on the eyes. The movie was very different from the book, but I still LOVED it. Maybe even a bit more? I wondered if they were going to be able to jump around from character to character, but I think they did so pretty well. Yes, they left out several key parts of the book, but I wouldn't wanna change anything about the movie. It was SO POWERFUL! As sad as the movie was, I still HIGHLY recommend you see it. There are also light and funny parts, and the storyline is so touching. The music was AH-MAY-ZING, which leads me to my last review...
THE SOUNDTRACK
(Actually it's called "Music from the Motion Picture" because they are other artist's songs...not original tracks.) I don't know if you are familiar, but I would kinda compare this soundtrack to the Hope Floats soundtrack. Very soulful songs, beautiful, deep, and maybe a tiny bit dark. I obviously love it, because I bought it! I have listened to it quite a bit and I already know which song comes next, at the end of one song. The music definitely helped make the movie, and now when I listen to the songs, they remind me of the specific part in the movie that they were used. Just see it...you'll know what I mean. (You can click on the link "music from..." to hear the songs for free on Amazon. I bet you are familiar with at least a few of them! Wow!

So have any of you read the book? Seen the movie? Listened to any of the songs? Thoughts???

"get up and shake the glitter off your clothes now..."

You know how it is...every summer there are songs that define that specific time. For example, the summer of 2006 stands out to me because it is when we moved from small town Burnet to big city Austin. We were young and married but we had been living like old people, since we lived in a small town and there was nothing to do. When we moved to Austin, we felt so young and liberated. I remember waking up with excitement! The songs that were ALWAYS on my radio were Sexy Back and Promiscuous Girl. Those songs will forever remind me of that time in our life. I can't hear the song "Peaches" by The Presidents of the United States of America without thinking of being 16, on a carnival ride with my best-friend Carrie. The song was blaring on the speakers and I remember being dizzy and feeling the wind blowing through my hair and that music screaming in my ears. That is such a memorable moment BECAUSE of the song attached to it. I have a million songs and memories that are tied together. I could write an entire post about it. I'm sure you would get a few chuckles out of that one. EX: The summer Zac and I started dating, he used to sing this Usher song all the time and he would do this cute little dance. (see 3:52 if you wanna see the dance) When we went bowling a few weeks ago, the song came on and Zac and I immediately looked at each other and shared a moment and a laugh. I just realized how I went off...and I still have a million more examples to share. That really might have to be a future post. :) GAH! I love music! See how powerful it is?
Anyways...back to the reason for THIS post. These summer songs I am talking about aren't just popular songs, they aren't even necessarily my favorite songs out, but they are songs I like, that will forever remind me of this space in time in my life. So yeah, I like Boom Boom Pow, and it's on the radio all the time, but it's not a "summer song" by MY definitions. Basically, it isn't on My List of 2009 SUMMER JAMS. But here are the songs that are...
Some of the songs would not let me embed from YouTube, so you will just have to click on them to hear the song.
"Good Girls Go Bad" by Cobra Starship (featuring Leighton Meester)
"Boys Boys Boys" by Lady Gaga This one hasn't even been released to radio yet, but I listen to it on CD at least once a day! :)
"Waking Up in Vegas" by Katy Perry
"Ego" by Beyonce. HELLO...a week from today I am going to see her! OMG!
"I Gotta Feeling" by the Black Eyed Peas
"Calle Ocho" by Pitbull
"Ice Cream Paint Job" by Dorrough

So most of you have reported to me that you don't listen to the music I post on my blog (haha, your loss!!), but don't y'all have songs like this? I mean I know I am not the only person who has a soundtrack to my life. I know music is SUCH a big part of my life, but do you guys know what I mean? Do you have songs that remind you of a certain time in your life or even a specific event?