7 artists I've been loving lately

Lana Del Rey | Jasmine Thompson | Imagine Dragons | Lorde | Florence + the Machine | Ellie Goulding | a Great Big World

I've been listening to this Pandora playlist pretty much non-stop for the last couple of weeks. I listen to it mostly in the car and at the gym while I'm working out and I just can't get enough. None of it's new or groundbreaking, but I thought I'd share here in case you're looking for some music inspiration.

Do you ever get stuck in a music rut and feel like you can't find any good new music? I feel like that's exactly how I am. It's one of the reasons I love Pandora because it will come up with some new artist or song that I haven't heard that I can 'thumbs up' and return to later.

I love music so much and all different kinds, so sometimes it's hard to figure out exactly what kind of music I feel like listening to at any specific moment. Sometimes it's country, sometimes it's oldies, sometimes it's pop, it really just depends on my mood. I find that hands down I've enjoyed the artists I listed above while I'm working out, but when I'm home, that playlist actually can really annoy me. I'm so fickle, haha.

Anyway I'd love to hear what you're loving right now, I'm always looking for new-to-me music to add to my library!

Christmas Love #2: Christmas Music

:: if you didn't see my first Christmas Love post, you can find it here ::

I think it's pretty well known that Christmas music is a thriving industry.  It seems like every popular artist takes a stab at making their own Christmas album, which usually includes their favorite Christmas songs plus one of their non-Christmas chart-toppings songs remastered and remixed to somehow, by a long stretch of the imagination, be included on a Christmas album.  

Each year after Thanksgiving, the radio starts to play this Christmas music, and every single retail store has their own playlist that is on repeat every single day until Christmas.  They play those classic Christmas songs, you know, Mariah Carey's All I Want for Christmas is You and Bing Crosby's Silver Bells and Jackson 5's I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Clause.  And then there is Michael Buble.  I pretty much think that Michael Buble was put here on Earth to sing Christmas songs, don't you? (if you don't, please leave a comment telling me why - I can't even comprehend how someone could not like him!).  And while I love all of the classic Christmas music as much as the next person, this year I decided to make it my mission to find some new (to me at least) Christmas music by artists I love the rest of the year.

I am happy to announce that I have been very successful in my quest!  I even made a playlist of the songs I found on iTunes so that you can easily purchase and start enjoying them yourself if you feel so moved.  I chose 20 specific songs to include on this list, but for many of the artists, I loved the entire Christmas album from which I chose the songs.  There were so many good ones!  So without further ado, here it is, my new-to-me Christmas Playlist...I hope some of the songs are new to you too and that you enjoy at least one or two!

PS - If you have any special Christmas songs that you just love, please share them with me!  I always love finding more new Christmas music!

My Miraculous Morning

I woke up grumpy today, I'm not sure why.  I was just mad, right from the start.  Tutka usually makes me laugh with his antics; not today.  Today I wanted to make him magically disappear.  I put together a playlist this morning.  It was so perfect for how I was feeling:

It helped to cheer me up a little.  In fact I'm still listening to it - so many good songs!  Riggs also helped to make me feel better.  I honestly do not think there is anything better in the world than the feeling of your baby softly stroking your chest with their warm, chubby little hands as they nurse.  Or to look over and see the sweetest little baby bottom covered in organic cotton and wool.

We went on a walk because I couldn't stand to be in the house any longer.  I started to relax a little the moment I felt the sun shining down on me, but I was still pretty crabby.  I felt like I just needed to go on a walk by myself, walking as far and as slow as I wanted to, with my headphones in to keep people from talking to me.  I didn't want to be walking a puppy that needed a lot of attention and that got the attention of every. single. person. that. walked. by.  I thought I just needed to be alone, on my own, in my own world, in the outdoors.

I got about half a mile before I realized I was getting more and more mad about having to "deal" with walking Tutka the right way, so I turned around.  I was so frustrated!

On the way by, I had noticed a group of about 6 women with about 8 dogs running all around.  They were on this boardwalk over a creek that was sort of isolated and set apart form the rest of the trail.  They looked like they were having a great time talking while their dogs played together...I was jealous, but was feeling very antisocial and was worried about what they'd think about me butting into their happy little group.

They were still there when I was walking back by, and I was still jealous.  I just didn't know how they would react to me coming over with Tutka.  I thought about calling across to ask them, but then I noticed they weren't speaking english.  I tried to keep walking, but something inside just made me turn and walk down the boardwalk towards them.

Their dogs noticed me first, and a few of them ran up to inspect Tutka.  He was on his short leash, so I took him off of it to let him play.  Then I kept walking slowly towards the ladies until they finally noticed the puppy playing with their dogs, and then me, walking around very awkwardly close by them.  Despite my awkwardness, they were so friendly!  They called out to me, asking me about the Tutka and about Riggs, and I felt instant relief that I had decided to walk over to them.

I ended up spending an hour there, talking with them while Riggs slept and Tutka played and played.  It was such a good way to spend my morning.  They were the sweetest women ever and they all spoke dutch and got together often to walk their dogs and just hang out together.  I was sad when they all had to get on with their day, I think I could have spent all day there talking with them and watching Tutka play with their big dogs.  Thanks to them, I left the park feeling like a different person.

It was such a lovely way to start the second-half of my day and I smiled the entire way home.  I'll leave you with a photo of some beautiful blooms I saw on the way home, and warm wishes that your day will be improved at least a little by their beauty:

what 2012 will sound like

I always get a little melancholy this time of year; the holidays are over and spring does not come for a very long time.  I always feel like only two things would make me truly happy:

1) a sunny place to lounge
like these pictures of Greece  

2) finding really good music to take on
long walks through the pouring rain 

Here are a few of the songs, some new favorites, some old, that I plan on listening to a lot in 2012:

1.  The Band Perry - If I Die Young:  I love this song, period.

2.  Beyonce - Countdown:  It's too catchy not to listen too.

3.  Bob Dylan - Make You Feel My Love:  for some reason I just noticed this song and I really like it.  It's on Riggs' playlist from me and Steve, who better to sing him a lullaby than Bob Dylan?

4.  Bob Dylan - Mr. Tambourine Man:  I always love this song.

5.  Bob Dylan - Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands:  My soul flutters when I hear this song, the entire thing; and it always tricks me into thinking its raining, no matter what the real weather is. 

6.  Bright Eyes - First Day of My Life: Riggs is the yellow bird that I've been waiting for.

7.  Cass McCombs - County Line:  Just close your eyes and listen to this one and then try and tell me you don't love it.  

8.  The Decemberists - Down by the Water:  I didn't want to like this, and I would stubbornly skip it on Pandora.  Then I found myself singing it all the time and now it's grown into full grown love.  

9.  Hank Williams Jr. - Family Tradition:  It always makes me smile and that's worth something, right?

10.  Johnny Cash - Hurt:  It hurts just the right way that I want to listen over and over. 

11.  Lady Gaga - You and I:  Couldn't have a playlist without some Gaga and this just happens to be it.

12.  Zac Brown Band - Colder Weather:  This gets on my playlists all the time, but I don't really know why. Maybe you could listen and tell me.

If you have any songs I just have to hear, don't be stingy, please share.

nursery decorations and John Denver

So I purchased a few things for the nursery today on Etsy and I had to share.  Hope you love them as much as I do!  I can't wait to post some pics of them actually framed (if applicable) and in his room :)

adorable woodland number cards to hang above the crib
by InkTreePress

here's a perfect example of how they will look - pretty darn cute!

(and if they fall off the wall they won't do permanent damage,  like

a heavy picture frame.  I just kept thinking, earthquake, earthquake! 

even though so many of the nursery designs with heavy stuff above

the crib are so cute)

here's one of three 8x10 prints I got for his walls
I love this one so much!
these are from Etsy:  ohhellodear's shop.

here is the second one:  "favorite story"

and here's the third one:  "hullo"

I'm in love and like I said can't wait to hang them.  Now I need to go find some pretty frames for them.  I think I'm either going to go antique store shopping or go to value village, get the frames and spray paint them the blues and yellows that I want. 

PS I just wanted to add a note remembering John Denver as it was 14 years ago today that he died at the age of 54 in a plane crash.  I love his music and wish I could have seen him in concert.  I've heard people make fun of him and his music more times than I care to remember, but I truly love the lyrics of his songs and his voice.  I've added one of my favorite photographs of him as well as one of his songs that's been stuck in my head lately and is one of many of my favorites.

So you speak to me of sadness and the coming of the winter

the fear that is within you now that seems to never end

and the dreams that have escaped you and the hopes that you've forgotten

you tell me that you need me now, you want to be my friend

and you wonder where we're going, where's the rhyme, where's the reason

and it's you who cannot accept, it is here we must begin

to seek the wisdom of the children

and the graceful way of flowers in the wind

for the children and the flowers are my sisters and my brothers

their laughter and their lovliness could clear a cloudy day

like the music of the mountains and the colors of the rainbow

they're a promise of the future, and a blessing for today

though the cities start to crumble and the mountains fall around us

the sun is slowly fading and it's colder than the sea

it is written from the desert to the mountains they shall lead us

by the hand and by the heart, they will comfort you and me

in their innocence and trusting, they will teach us to be free

for the children and the flowers are my sisters and my brothers

their laughter and their lovliness would clear a cloudy day

and the song that I am singing is a prayer for non believers

come and stand beside us, we can find a better way.

Rhymes and Reasons

John Denver, 1969

best playlist ever!

So right now I'm listening to a playlist I made last year titled simply, "Fall".  It is so good and has kept me in an especially good mood today while I have cleaned/played on the computer, so I thought I'd share!

1.  The Way I Am, Ingrid Michaelson
2.  Hey Soul Sister, Train
3.  Song for a Winters Night, Sarah McLachlan
4.  Down the Road, Kenny Chesney with Mac McAnally
5.  Song for a Winter's Night, Gordon Lightfoot
6.  Ice Cream, Sarah McLachlan
7.  Grandpa (Tell Me 'Bout the Good Old Days), The Judds
8.  Landslide, Dixie Chicks
9.  Rich Man's Spiritual, Gordon Lightfoot
10.  Turn Me On, Norah Jones
11.  Ain't No Sunshine, Bill Withers
12.  Shelter from the Storm, Bob Dylan
13.  Adia, Sarah McLachlan
14.  Hotel California, Eagles
15.  She, Elvis Costello
16.  Nothing Compares 2 U, Sinead O'Connor
17.  Lullabye, Billy Joel
18.  Kind and Generous, Natalie Merchant

I know it's not fall yet, but I'm ready for it, and it is kind of blustery, so that counts for something, right?!  This is always the time of year when I start to get REALLY excited about fall, then the snow, then the holidays, and I think this year is going to be worse than ever because of the excitement for baby getting here too!