100 Song Challenge: A song that makes you want to dance!

I have my big sister to thank for this one. She made me a mix CD years ago before Travis and I started dating and this song was on it. Seriously, what can make you want to dance more than a song about NOT wanting to dance? Scissor Sisters- Don't Feel Like Dancing.

Wonder whatever happened to these guys?!

100 Song Challenge: A song that means a lot to you.

I have always said I was born in the wrong decade. I should have been born in the 1950's because a lot of the music I love came out of the 60's. This is such a classic and definitely in my top 5 favorite songs of all time. Released in 1964, Simon and Garfunkle- The Sound of Silence.

100 Song Challenge: A song that makes me laugh.

My 4th song of the challenge is a song that makes me laugh... I am going to have to go with "A**hole" by Denis Leary. If you are offended by swearing, just give this one a pass. But if you want to shut your brain off for a few mins and have a listen, you might enjoy it. I grew up with my parents listening to Denis all the time, this particular song came out in 1993 so I'm sure that is when I first heard it... when I was 3... haha.

100 Song Challenge: A song that makes me cry.

Ok seriously. This song is not only beautiful but it is the song at the end of Lord of the Rings- Return of the King. If you know me, you know how dear to my heart LOTR is. I pretty much cry every time at the end of Return of the King when it's all over and they sail away to the undying lands. I've been to a few funerals that they've played this song as well...

I love this song. It's preformed by Annie Lennox and won Best Original Song at the 76th Academy Awards.

Soulmates. Or not.

I'm just going to go ahead and jump right into this "rant". I'm absolutely positive that I am in the minority when I say this, but I don't believe in SOULMATES. 

In fact, I think it's kind of silly to believe out of 7 billion people that are on this earth, there is only ONE out there for you. Seriously... SEVEN. BILLION.  And you're only compatible with one? Psh. I'm just gonna throw in the bullshit flag right now. Everyone has at LEAST a dozen other options out there. This may seem unromantic or even pessimistic, but this outlook has made my relationship so much more meaningful, and really a lot easier. 

I had this conversation with Travis probably a few years ago and since then we have been better than ever. I don't think we were brought together by some magical force or that it was "fate" that we are together and we haven't stayed together because we think we are "soulmates" and we HAVE TO WORK IT OUT BECAUSE IT IS OUR DESTINY TO BE TOGETHER AND THERE IS NO ONE ELSE IN THE WORLD THAT WILL EVER BE AS COMPATIBLE WITH EITHER OF US AS WE ARE WITH EACH OTHER RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW! We have been through Hell and back together, and we stay together because we love each other and we are happy. We agreed that we would never feel pressured to stay together if we weren't.

We stay together because we genuinely want to be, and that's it. We have had our fare share of ups and downs, but there is no force responsible for keeping us together other than our own free will. We choose each other, over and over again everyday. As time goes, people continue to grow and change. Sometimes people grow apart and that is ok. That is life. Relationships are hard work but it shouldn't be blood, sweat and tears everyday. 

So this is my message to you, be with someone because you want to be and as long as you both want to be. I don't care if you've known each other since kindergarten, were high school sweethearts or you're on your 4th marriage... no matter how great your love story is, don't try to fix something that can't be fixed. Don't get to the point you end up hating each other because you believe that is the person you are "supposed" to be with and it's not ok to give up on your "soulmate".


And remember, there are 7 billion other fish in the sea.



[don't be trippin' over a guppy.]

100 Song Challenge: A song that makes me sad.

This song is definitely sad, beautiful, but very sad. From the album A Night At The Opera, Love Of My Life was written by Freddie Mercury about Mary Austin, a woman whom he had a romantic relationship with for many years. After Freddie died in 1991, Brian May usually dedicates this song to him when played live. Beautiful song, beautiful lyrics... sigh. It will forever be one of my favorites.

Let us all have a moment of silence.

[be prepared to see a lot of Queen during this challenge.]

100 Song Challenge: A song that makes you happy.

I was channel surfing and saw something that made me absolutely disgusted. Top 20 music videos on Fuse... I had to shut off the TV and hold my son while I wept. I could not believe the nonsense that I had heard/seen. My parents did a pretty good job of teaching my sisters and I about the importance of music and to love and respect the classics (well, my older sister Barbara and I. The twins seem to be a little lost). I decided to do this a 100 Song Challenge because music is something I've always been so passionate about and it will give me a fun excuse to blog more regularly!

Ok so we all know my guilty pleasure is music from the 90's (and if you don't, you soon will). Long live 1992 with this bouncy classic, No Rain by Blind Melon. Music video shows the band members jamming out in a serene looking field (who all bear an uncanny resemblance to white Jesus) and are probably under the influence of hallucinogenic drugs... complete with awkward bumblebee tap dancer that finally finds where she belongs. I guess this song makes me happy because I always felt like an outcast growing up, even within my own family. If you don't crack a smile or tap your toe, something might be wrong with you.

Enjoy!

First Family Pictures

Earlier this month we went up to Silver Lake to have my sister take a few family pictures for us. Our only other picture of all of us together is from our stay in the hospital and our little man is growing up so fast, we had to document!

Here is a few of my favs! Hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

Last, but definitely not least, my favorite!

Even though we could not get Jameson to smile no matter what we did (gee, I wonder where he gets his stubbornness from!) I still love the way they turned out. I kind of wish I would have done a more natural lip. My lip stain was a little blotchy, but oh well! :]

Newborn Pictures

During our hospital stay, 5 days which seemed to last FOREVER, we were lucky enough to get newborn photos done by my sister and by Bella Baby Photography.

My sister took these the day after he was born.

Bella Baby took these the day we went home.

I will treasure these forever! What a sweet baby. I look back at these and I can't believe he was that tiny! Sigh... :)

Hey look everyone, I've been pregnant.

Ok, as happy and blessed as I felt to be pregnant... I'm kind of a party pooper about some of the things people like to do these days. The two main ones I'm not a huge fan of are, gender reveal parties and maternity photos. I don't hate them, I just think sometimes they can come off as pinterest inspired cries for attention. But to each their own! :)

Anyway, my sister offered to do maternity photos for me because she rocks. I couldn't turn down the offer and we just went with it! However, I wish I wouldn't have waited until 39 weeks to do them. 37 or even 38 weeks would have been better, but that was totally my bad as a procrastinator haha.

My sister took photos of my niece, Emma, that day as well at Memory Grove and it was a jolly good time! Minus the heat and being super pregs. Ultimately, I enjoy looking back on my maternity pics and I'm glad they aren't overly cheesy. Hopefully Jameson will appreciate them too, someday.

Here are a few of my absolute favorites, enjoy!

Jameson meets his family.

After they stapled me shut, they wheeled us back to the delivery room where our families were waiting. My sister had planned on taking pics for my birth story but then I needed a c section so that went out the window! I was really happy that she got some great fist meeting pics of everyone with the baby. 

It was really an exhausting day but we were so happy with the end result! I would do it all, a million times over again. 

(Even the stupid Foley Bulb.)