Thursday 13

I've never not had music in my life.  It's always been the way to put emotion into words when there were none.  Music can bring you down.  Music can buoy your spirits.  It saves, it savages.  It's pretty powerful stuff.  Music moves.  Words are powerful.  Words set to music... it's some good stuff people!

My playlists are plentiful but there are 13 songs I love right now.

1) Justin Timberlake, Can't Stop The Feeling
It's catchy, it's feel-good.  I love him.  I love to dance.  I love to sing.  It's just super great! I can't stop the feeling I get when this song comes on.  If you see me and it's on, I'll be dancing in my car.  Believe me when I say that I don't give a shit what you think about that.  You need to loosen up and live a little.  


2) Hinder, All American Nightmare
While I'm not a fan of the video because I think the featured bad girl overdoes absolutely everything to the point of it just being ridiculous, I adore this song.  Plus, it makes me want to drive fast.  Really fast.  Plus, it's traditional bad ass party rock and roll. April likey.


3) Rob Thomas, Hold On Forever
I love Rob Thomas.  I love his style. I love his voice. I love his talent.  I love him in Matchbox 20.  This song, too, speaks to me... It's one of those great matches where the videographer successfully captured the essence of the song in his vision for the video in a way where others can relate.  


4) Florida Georgia Line with Nelly, Cruise
This is complete corn-ball "country."  (Notice how I put country in quotes? That's because this IS NOT country but it's called country.  Trust me, I know the difference.)  However, it IS FUN and that's why it's on my list!  Plus, I love Nelly so it's just a fun song to blare on the radio and drive to.  (Oh, and don't forget the dancing!  You must dance in the car when you spill Nelly lines!)


5) Shinedown, Sound of Madness
Another rock and roll staple in my scream-it-at-the-top-of-your-lungs-play-it-as-loud-as-you-can repository.  The video fucking rocks, too!  Shinedown are badass.


6) Hunter Hayes, I Want Crazy
Hunter looks like he's all of about 16 years old (maybe) but this is just the absolute sweetest song ever.  And, face it, who doesn't want that kind of love?  I want crazy!


7) Sugarland, Stuck On You
Jennifer Nettles is completely adorable in this video.  It cracks me up.  Again, it's more "pop" than country although it's played on country stations... it's still fun!  I like fun.  Fun is good.  


8) Three Doors Down, Here Without You
This is just a beautiful song that speaks to my heart.  I'll leave it at that.


9) The Calling, Wherever You Will Go
This song was definitely one that got me through losing someone very close to me. I still can't read the lyrics without my eyes flooding.  Some holes I suppose are never supposed to be filled; some breaks in your heart may never mend.  


10) A Thousand Years, Christina Perri
I never saw the movie Twilight.  In fact, I never ever read the books even.  However, when I heard this song and was telling a friend about it she had said OH MUH GARSH -- it's from the Twilight series!  I wasn't sure if I should still like it then.  Ha!  However, it's beautiful. It's timeless.  Her voice is amazing.  You can't not like this song.  


11) Elvis Presley, Jailhouse Rock
Dude, it's Elvis.... I could have filled this entire LIST with Elvis songs that I love.  But I didn't.  However, since he's THE KING, he definitely has a place in my 13!


12) Frankie Ballard, Sunshine & Whiskey
I love this song.  I'm not a fan of sunshine...but he makes it sound so good that you have to like it.  ;) You don't wanna get a DWK... 


13) Bon Jovi & Jennifer Nettles, Who Says You Can't Go Home
This is another fun sing-a-long songs. Truth be told, I had never seen the videos before today but I love it!  I especially love how he incorporated the Habitat for Humanity crew. Too fun. Always been a fan of Bon Jovi... cause, you know.. he wants me to lay my hands on him as he lays me down in a bed of roses.  ;)

Thursday 13

(There was some weird hiccup I experienced when typing this so you will see the word "source" throughout this and NOT attached to photos... no clue how to delete it...and a couple of the photos were actually removed because they kept ... moving?!?  Oh well, I carry on!)

I love lists.  I love making lists.  I love checking things off lists and I love being able to consider them COMPLETED (though that's a rarity).  Enter Thursday 13.  A blank page for anyone to write about thirteen of anything.  Today, I'll disclose 13 places I want to take my children.

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I was recently gifted Frommer's 500 Places to Take Your Kids Before They Grow Up.  Buy it here.  It really got me thinking.  We stay SO busy that it's really such a great idea to -- instead of taking the rare down time we do have to just CHILL -- use that time to make some memories and be present in the moment.  Since we are really only given a few years when our children WANT to have us around, why not use those years to BE present, to BE aware, to BE intentional with what we do while they're here.
This book covers the globe and while there are LOTS of places I would adore to share with my children abroad:

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Big Ben in London -- Peter Pan anyone?

Pompeii in Italy

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The Great Wall of China

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The Vatican to see Michelangelo's work

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The Acropolis in Athens

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The Colosseum 

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The Pantheon

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The Leaning Tower of Pisa

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The Mayan temples in Mexico

The beaches of Normandy.  Here's a FANTASTIC article you should read.

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Machu Picchu in Peru.  

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Oxford University in England

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Jerusalem's Temple Mount

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The Cliffs of Moher

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The Kremlin

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Or, and most importantly, 42 Wallaby Way, Sydney (lol, I was just seeing if you were paying attention)!

However, I'm sticking to the continental US (for now.)

1) New York City -- I've been to New York City.  Josh has been to New York City (last year with his 8th grade class) but I want to show them NYC my way.  From the Empire State Building to the Museum of Natural History, from Little Italy to China Town and not forgetting the Staten Island ferry and the Statue of Liberty herself...  the Bronx Zoo, Rockefeller Center, the Brooklyn Bridge, Greenwich Village, Central Park, Coney Island, Times Square, Grand Central Station and maybe even Yankee Stadium... maybe (smirk!)

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2) The Grand Canyon -- I realize it's just a big hole in the ground but... it's a really BIG hole in the ground.  So, being really big means I think we need to see it.  If for no other reason than to have a road trip!

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3) Colorado Springs, CO -- Who couldn't be happy with THIS view in their life every day?  There are many experiences I want to share here.  The US Air Force Academy, Manitou Springs Cliff Dwellings, The Garden of the Gods, Royal Gorge Bridge, Old Colorado City just to name a few.  

4) Plymouth Rock -- I think it's a great starting point for the discovery of the rich (and brutal) beginnings of history of our country.

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5) Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia -- I went here in 7th grade and it's just such a fun experience.  Rich in living history.  They literally bring history to life!

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6) Washington DC and the surrounding areas.  There is SO much to do and experience here, it's almost a tragedy not to share this with your children.

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7) Valley Forge because I have a little history geek that I know would love more insight into some of the battlefronts of our nation.

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8) Pearl Harbor as this would definitely be Drew's dream come true.  He LOVES studying WW2.

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9) The Aurora Borealis in Alaska... I've wanted to take a salmon fishing expedition, photograph the grizzlies and see the Northern Lights since I was a child.  

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10) Washington state -- kayaking and whale watching along with some beautiful scenic drives... because, who WOULDN'T want to be here?  It's GORGEOUS!

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11) Disney World -- because, you know, I can NEVER get enough of Disney!  I'll go there as many times as you let me!

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12) Louisiana -- swamp tours, haunted tours, historical tours, Natchez Riverboat tours, cooking schools.... cajun food but I'll steer clear of the sex shops... because yeah.... no thanks.  

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13) Alcatraz... because this scene always makes me laugh.  



So, there's my Thursday 13.  Where would you like to go?

Thursday 13

13 Projects I have going on at the very moment...

1. Project Life.  It's a documentary of the every day life... requiring a photo a day, and a weekly layout.
2. Purge.  I'm doing a purge of everything in my entire home drawer by drawer, room by room, closet by closet.  It feels fantastic to let GO of everything.
3. PMS - No, not premenstrual syndrome.  It's something else I hope to unveil sometime this summer.  It's a personal labor of love.
4. Pack meeting.  I'm running the Cub Scout Pack meeting next Tuesday.
5. Disney trip.  I'm planning our fall trip to Disney World.
6. One Little Word.  My word for the year is FOCUS.  I'm also documenting the journey of the word.
7. Children's book club.  I run a monthly children's book club for a mom's group that I'm a part of.
8. Birthday party -- Benji turns 3 in March.  You have to book early.  It's already in the works.
9. Household projects -- many of them.... cabinets, floors, painting, framing, etc.  This starts soon.
10. Paleo-ifying my diet.  Gluten is evil for my Crohn's and I have to learn to purge it from my diet.  Easier said than done.
11. Online classes -- I'm taking four.  Honing skills.
12. Photos printed -- my little man called me out on the fact that he doesnt' have photos up all over the house.  I've got frames hung... just need to print now.  Baby steps.
13. Will.  I'm redoing my will.  Anyone wants three kids if I kick the bucket, you let me know.  One is addicted to his iPhone, one addicted to XBOX and the other addicted to marshmallows (but he destroys all your shit so don't think it's the lesser of the evils).

:)

Thursday 13

I have a minivan.

I have a minivan with a DVD player.

I have a three year old.

I have a three year old who loves movies.

I have memorized almost every line of the following 13 movies.

Welcome... to my Thursday Thirteen.  (Say that like Fantasy Island (if you're old enough to even know what that even means!)

1. Toy Story
2. Toy Story 2
3. Finding Nemo
4. The Incredibles
5. Cars
6. Shrek
7. Shrek 2
8. Monsters, Inc.
9. Mary Poppins
10. Robin Hood
11. Jungle Book
12. Peter Pan
13. Shark Tale

Thursday 13

Fresh back from my trip to Las Vegas... 

... some images have been burned onto my corneas are still fresh in my head.  As such, I shall share the bountiful visual pleasantries with you.

1) a nearly naked overweight Caucasian male complete with a tenth-month-pregnant belly donning red foil heart shaped stickers over his nipples... and a cloth diaper... driving an electric scooter down Las Vegas Blvd.  

2) a aged gentleman dressed as Gene Simmons (think make-up KISS, not "Family Jewels" aged rock star)... driving an electric scooter... down Las Vegas Blvd.

3) Bumblebee (car from Transformers) wearing platform shoes... posing for pictures (and accepting tips for doing the same) on Las Vegas Blvd. 

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4) an Asian woman wearing patent leather Tiffany turquoise platform shoes, black tights and a nude strapless bra.  Even the bartender said, "She forgot her clothes...and that's NOT good."

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5) not one, not two, but three guys with colored mohawks.  And these aren't YOUNG guys... these are like... men in their late 40's early 50's.  There must have been a convention.

6) roots, roots, roots EVERYWHERE.  If you're gonna indulge in some place, get your roots done.  It looked tacky.

7) Women dressed to the NINES... seriously, over-the-top A-list high maintenance women... and their men?  They're wearing tennis shoes, shorts and Tommy Bahama shirts.  It's just a shame.  Either the women are paid for... or there are some SERIOUSLY lazy assed men around.  (I'm thinking the latter... because, you know... even being high maintenance they were't trophy girls.)

8) 5' tall Mr. T. impersonator.  Seriously... I pity the fool!

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9) 6'2" beautiful gladiator... complete with leather loin cloth and steel helmet... Fremont Street... he was seriously beautiful

10) GIGANTIC plates of over-indulgence at every buffet known to man... it was scary how much people can put away.  I don't care HOW much you pay for it.... gluttony at its finest.  I guess that's really what Vegas is all about... devouring every molecule of gluttony until it's oozing out your pores.

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11) TOO high platform shoes complete with too young girls that don't know how to walk in them.  I don't care how skinny you are... or how great you think Spanx make your ass look, when you can't pull off the walk, you look like an imbecile.  Lose the heels, or better yet, lose an inch or two on the heels.

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12) Lights.  Vegas has lights... EVERYWHERE... except for in the bathroom of the Venetian.  The water closet had the strangest light fixture that seemed to take about 15 minutes to rise to come to room temperature.  If you needed light, you best leave the door open or better yet -- leave the light on.  Hey, I'm not paying the light bill... I'm okay with leaving it on.  

13) Germans.  ;)

and one for the road...

14) I've never see the movie "The Hangover" but apparently every male that is a little overweight and doesn't want to shave, think it's funny to dress up like this guy and take pictures on the strip.   Boring...