12/29/07

Three years. So much has happened in three years and I couldn’t think of a better person to have by my side for it all. I’m a lucky, lucky girl. <3

Merry Christmas!

Hope you all have had a very wonderful holiday filled with family, friends, and good food and that Santa brought you everything you wanted. This tree (same tree just night and day) is from Silver Dollar City in Branson, Missouri. We saw it last month on our vacation – it is gorgeous and at night it has a light show timed to music.

Merry Christmas!

Songs of the Week (12/20/10 – 12/24/10)

Since Friday is Christmas Eve I thought I’d post this early this week. I also decided that since this weekend will include a lot of Christmas celebrations for people that I would show what holiday tunes I’ve had on my iPod – just in case anyone is wanting some last minute ideas for songs to play. So, here is my list of songs that power me through all the wrapping and baking. Merry Christmas!

Songs of the Week – Christmas version

✓ Sleigh Ride 2:41 Spice Girls Sounds Of The Season '98 Holiday
✓ Christmas Time 4:13 Backstreet Boys Sounds Of The Season '98 Holiday
✓ Song For A Winter's Night 3:48 Sarah McLachlan Sounds Of The Season '98 Holiday
✓ Santa Baby 3:58 Everclear Sounds Of The Season '98 Holiday
✓ Christmastime In Tinseltown (Again) 4:30 Big Bad Voodoo Daddy Sounds Of The Season '98 Holiday
✓ What Christmas Means To Me 3:39 Hanson Sounds Of The Season '98 Holiday
✓ The First Noel 3:38 Brian McKnight Sounds Of The Season '98 Holiday
✓ Good King Wenceslas 3:19 Loreena McKennitt Sounds Of The Season '98 Holiday
✓ Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer 2:30 Meredith Brooks Sounds Of The Season '98 Holiday
✓ The Happiest Christmas 3:08 Michael W. Smith Sounds Of The Season '98 Holiday
✓ Carol Of The Bells 3:25 Deana Carter Sounds Of The Season '98 Holiday
✓ Winter Song 4:27 Sara Bareilles & Ingrid Michaelson The Hotel Café Presents Winter Songs Holiday
✓ Baby, It's Cold Outside (Glee Cast Version) 2:46 Glee Cast Glee: The Music - The Christmas Album Christmas
✓ O Holy Night (Glee Cast Version) 5:02 Glee Cast Glee: The Music - The Christmas Album Christmas
✓ I'll Be Home for Christmas 3:28 Kristin Chenoweth A Lovely Way to Spend Christmas Holiday
✓ O Holy Night 4:40 Jackie Evancho O Holy Night - EP Holiday
✓ Christmas Time 4:02 Christina Aguilera My Kind Of Christmas Dance & House
✓ This Year 4:14 Christina Aguilera My Kind Of Christmas Dance & House
✓ Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas 4:03 Christina Aguilera My Kind Of Christmas Dance & House
✓ Angels We Have Heard On High 4:11 Christina Aguilera My Kind Of Christmas Dance & House
✓ Merry Christmas, Baby 5:44 Christina Aguilera My Kind Of Christmas Dance & House
✓ Oh Holy Night 4:50 Christina Aguilera My Kind Of Christmas Dance & House
✓ These Are The Special Times 4:31 Christina Aguilera My Kind Of Christmas Dance & House
✓ This Christmas 4:02 Christina Aguilera My Kind Of Christmas Dance & House
✓ The Christmas Song 4:25 Christina Aguilera My Kind Of Christmas Dance & House
✓ Xtina's Xmas 1:32 Christina Aguilera My Kind Of Christmas Dance & House
✓ The Christmas Song (Holiday Remix) 4:01 Christina Aguilera My Kind Of Christmas Dance & House
✓ Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow 2:02 Jessica Simpson Rejoyce: The Christmas Album Dance & House
✓ The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire) 4:04 Jessica Simpson Rejoyce: The Christmas Album Dance & House
✓ O Holy Night 4:11 Jessica Simpson Rejoyce: The Christmas Album Dance & House
✓ I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus 3:09 Jessica Simpson Rejoyce: The Christmas Album Dance & House
✓ What Child Is This 3:57 Jessica Simpson Rejoyce: The Christmas Album Dance & House
✓ What Christmas Means To Me 3:02 Jessica Simpson Rejoyce: The Christmas Album Dance & House
✓ Breath Of Heaven (Mary's Song) 5:40 Jessica Simpson Rejoyce: The Christmas Album Dance & House
✓ It's Christmas Time Again 3:11 Jessica Simpson Rejoyce: The Christmas Album Dance & House
✓ Hark! The Herald Angels Sing 3:12 Jessica Simpson Rejoyce: The Christmas Album Dance & House
✓ The Little Drummer Boy 3:42 Jessica Simpson Feat. Ashlee Simpson Rejoyce: The Christmas Album Dance & House
✓ Baby, It's Cold Outside 2:50 Jessica Simpson Feat. Nick Lachey Rejoyce: The Christmas Album Dance & House
✓ Silent Night 3:42 Mariah Carey Merry Christmas R&B
✓ All I Want For Christmas Is You 4:01 Mariah Carey Merry Christmas R&B
✓ O Holy Night 4:27 Mariah Carey Merry Christmas R&B
✓ Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) 2:36 Mariah Carey Merry Christmas R&B
✓ Miss You Most (At Christmas Time) 4:33 Mariah Carey Merry Christmas R&B
✓ Joy To The World 4:20 Mariah Carey Merry Christmas R&B
✓ Jesus Born On This Day 3:43 Mariah Carey Merry Christmas R&B
✓ Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town 3:24 Mariah Carey Merry Christmas R&B
✓ Hark! The Herald Angels Sing/Gloria (In Excelsis Deo) 3:01 Mariah Carey Merry Christmas R&B
✓ Jesus Oh What A Wonderful Child 4:27 Mariah Carey Merry Christmas R&B
✓ Carol of the Bells 3:15 Jessica Simpson Happy Christmas Holiday 1
✓ My Only Wish 3:56 Jessica Simpson My Only Wish - Single Pop
✓ Merry Christmas Baby 3:13 Hanson Snowed In Pop
✓ What Christmas Means To Me 3:43 Hanson Snowed In Pop
✓ Little Saint Nick 3:34 Hanson Snowed In Pop
✓ At Christmas 5:18 Hanson Snowed In Pop
✓ Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) 3:20 Hanson Snowed In Pop
✓ Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree 2:39 Hanson Snowed In Pop
✓ Christmas Time 4:00 Hanson Snowed In Pop
✓ Everybody Knows The Claus 4:48 Hanson Snowed In Pop
✓ Run Rudolph Run 3:12 Hanson Snowed In Pop
✓ Silent Night Medley: O Holy Night/Silent Night/O Come All Ye Faithful 5:27 Hanson Snowed In Pop
✓ White Christmas 1:50 Hanson Snowed In Pop
✓ Donde Esta Santa Claus? 2:21 Guster Donde Esta Santa Claus? - Single Alternative

Song of the Week (12/13/10 – 12/17/10)

There was a lot going on at work this week so I didn’t have the iPod on as much as usual. When I did have “my ears” (as it is said at work – as in “do you have your ears in?”) I just had it on shuffle mostly, so some different songs popped up that hadn’t gotten a lot of play. Which is how I fell in love with this week’s song, which I randomly downloaded after listening to the clip because I liked the title (and yes, I judge books by their covers also, lol).

Song of the Week: Crazy Beautiful by Hanson (from the album Underneath). Yep, another Hanson song already. I really am liking their stuff. I’m bummed that I didn’t listen to them for a while, their stuff is very well written, the melodies are great, and I love all of there voices. This song has great melody lines throughout. I love the changes in it. And there’s actually an acoustic version too that they did in concert that is incredible (here it is on YouTube). I just think this is a groovy little song and definitely worth the 99 cents.

Album cover. Source

Christmas song of the week – Donde Esta Santa Claus? by Guster. First of all, I LOVE Guster (if you don’t know who they are – look here). Guster is such a great band (and they put on an awesome live show) and this is such a fun little song. Definitely look it up on iTunes, you’ll find yourself singing (and shouting) along with it in no time.

Source

Immigrant Stories Challenge 2011

So I’ve been toying with the idea of joining a book challenge for next year to try to get my number of books read for the year back up. I did really well last year but feel like I barely read anything this year. And now that I have a Nook (yay!) I feel like this should be easier. But I just had to find the right one.

Books in the City’s Immigrant Stories Challenge 2011 sounds like it is going to be a good one. It helps that the requirements are really low but my main reason for joining is that there are some awesome books I’ve been wanting to read on the suggestion list. So I think I’m going to go with the This Land Is My Land? option which is 4 to 6 books. I can always go up a level if I want.

So, I’m not for sure yet what I’m going to read for this but I’m hopeful that the books I pick will be really good. And I promise to tell you all about them. Now – I have 2 weeks to pick my first book.

Song of the Week (12/6/10 – 12/10/10)

Welcome to Week 2 of Song of the Week (I did something 2 weeks in a row, go me!). Anyway, a few songs found themselves on repeat this week. The two from last week were still feeling the love, but there was some new blood too.

This week’s song continues the Glee theme. It’s actually from last week’s episode where the went to sectionals. I love Santana, totally adore her – she’s so delightful and evil. And has a killer voice. But if I could have anyone’s talent I would want to dance like Brittney. I love to dance but I’m not very good – but would love to be able to dance like in Valerie. Seriously, loved the music and loved the dancing. So, with all of that, Valerie is this week’s top song.

source

Christmas song of the Week – I haven’t been listening to Christmas music as much this year as I usually do. But one song I have been listening to is Jessica Simpson’s version of Carol of the Bells. She does a good job on it and I think it’s pretty enjoyable.

Song of the Week (11/29/10 – 12/3/10)

So I had this idea last night for a new series of blog posts (yes, I realize my track record with posts like this, so let’s just see how this goes, lol). Anyway – I listen to my iPod almost the entire day at work. I am surrounded by people at my new desk and it can be very loud. So I crank up my music to tune them out – otherwise I end up listening to the conversations around me and get really distracted.

So with listening to music the entire work day - plus at the gym, while in the kitchen, etc – that’s a lot of music. And I tend to have a bit of an obsessive personality – meaning when something strikes my fancy I hit it hard. As in, when I’m really into a song or artist I tend to listen to it a lot.

So I figured this post would be a good idea – I can share what I’m digging at the moment and hopefully you guys can share what you’re listening to – I love to get new ideas. I like pretty much everything musically, so be prepared for some random items. Like the 2 songs I’ve been feeling this week :)

Songs of the Week:

Song number one I’m sure a lot of you know: I’m Singing In The Rain/Umbrella mash up on Glee. That’s right, the episode featuring Gwyneth Paltrow. My Glee love has faded a little bit this season but I really like this song and it has seen a lot of love on the ole iPod.

Song number two: And I Waited by Hanson. Wait! Don’t leave and/or die laughing at me! Let me explain. Ok so the other day I was adding some Christmas songs on iTunes and I went to see what was on the old Hanson Christmas cd. Well I saw that they had a new album and, since I was bored, decided to listen to the clips of the cd. To my surprise, I really liked what I heard! So I downloaded one song, listened to it a lot, and then went back and got the whole thing. I listened to it at work Monday and instantly fell in love with And I Waited. I love the beat, I love the words, I love the rhythm, I love the vocals (I think I saw somewhere that it is the youngest brother (Zac) singing).

And I ended up doing a little Google work and discovered that I’ve missed a lot with Hanson. They no longer look like this:

They now look like this:

Um, what? When did that happen. (Also, they all have really hot wives. It’s kind of weird).

So, while I know I just lost some musical street cred (heck, I lost some with myself, lol). I’m really digging the music and will definitely continue to rock out with it. So, judge if you will but if you’re brave enough you should go check them out on iTunes. (And on a serious note, check out all their philanthropic efforts – very impressive.)

So readers, what songs have had you rocking out this week?