2011: playlist

1. Doveman "The Best Thing" - Just discovered Doveman this year. Not in love, but I like this song.
2. Lecrae "God is Enough" - This makes me laugh, but this was my most played workout jam. Well, if we're being honest, this song would usually come on somewhere between Kanye and Li'l Wayne, but... my dad reads this blog.
3. Aqualung "Garden of Love" - Rediscovered Aqualung on my iPod and listened to this a ton this summer.
4. Adele "Someone Like You" - Except I like the cover better. I know this is one of the most overplayed songs of the year, but I'm a sucker for piano driven songs.
5. Mumford & Sons "Sigh No More" - "oh man is a giddy thing". The first time I watched this video, I did a double-take because I thought the guy in the trucker hat was a kid I knew in college. It's not.
6. Radiohead "Codex" - Mopey & beautiful. Quintessential Radiohead.
7. Coldplay "Charlie Brown" - Sometimes I love Chris Martin and sometimes I want to just... shake him. Regardless, can't stop loving Coldplay.
8. Foster the People "Pumped Up Kicks" - Kind of disturbing lyrics ("better run faster than my bullet"), but such a fun beat.
9. Mandi Mapes "This Love" - sweet, fun song about adoption! Ever since I heard this song, I knew I wanted to make an adoption video to it, and this link is to someone who did just that! Love it.

And last but certainly not least,
10. Gungor "Beautiful Things" - Gorgeous melody, beautiful harmony, great lyrics... I'm obsessed.

sharing loveliness

Ever have one of those days where you're in the car, windows down, great music playing and you just want to drive until the car runs out of gas? That's how I felt this afternoon when my thermostat read 68 degrees, the sun was shining and the Avett Brothers were sweetly strumming & serenading through my speakers.

So I thought I'd share some other lovely things to encourage some good vibrations across the Internet.

1 - Um, yeah. Of course it involves chocolate.

You know you want some S'more Cookie Bars.

2 - Seeing Colden in 4 days!!

3 - Zooey.

(Thanks to Em for the suggestion!)

4 - New drink at Starbucks: Dark Cherry Mocha. WOW. I also highly recommend as a frappucino...

5 - Walks. This is the best time of year for walks. Finally releasing the tension of cabin fever, embracing the warmer temperatures, taking advantage of the longer hours of sunlight... pure bliss.

(Also, weird posture while trying to get the shot...)

6 - Hot dogs. Bear with me. Hot dogs = baseball = spring. Usually we wait until Opening Day to indulge, but yesterday the Tigers played a spring training game and it was so sunny we couldn't wait.

7 - Buds.

8 - Green grass. GREEN GRASS.

9 - Colorful mailboxes.

10 - Baby elephants.

Come on, you know you were hoping it'd make the top 10.

(Image stolen from somewhere in Google...)

What's lovely in your life these days?

**Edit: I had to change my blog header. The other one was just too gray.

i like:

1. stealing Victoria's ideas

2. 1/2 days of school

3. sunny Fridays

4. being on the verge of spring!

5. going for "wogs" (walk/jog).

6. hearing birds.

7. speaking of birds, this adorable little set that my dad bought for me when he visited:

8. date nights

9. having gift cards from Christmas that we still haven't used so we CAN go on date nights!

10. this clip of our boys basketball team winning semi-finals in double OT. Down by 1 with 7 seconds left, buzzer sounds right as one of our seniors makes a 3-pt shot.

top 10 reasons i have the best husband ever

Top 10 Reasons I have the Best Husband... Ever

1. When we’re driving home from date night through a blizzard and we hit a huge pot hole and get a flat tire, he gets understandably ticked, then calms down right away and changes the tire. Did I mention this was in the middle of a blizzard??

2. He starts my car and wipes off the snow every morning. Every morning.

3. He rubs my arm every night. Every night.

4. He makes the bed after I leave for work in the morning.

5. He puts my lunch together every morning… and slips a note inside too.

6. He lets me call him funny little nicknames and talk in weird voices.

7. He supports my ornament making & crafty endeavors.

8. He always smells amazing.

9. He’s so stinking smart.

10. He’s the funniest person in the world.

~

If ever two were one, then surely we.
If ever man were loved by wife, then thee;
If ever wife was happy in a man,
Compare with me ye women if you can.
I prize thy love more than whole mines of gold,
Or all the riches that the East doth hold.
My love is such that rivers cannot quench,
Nor ought but love from thee give recompense.
Thy love is such I can no way repay;
The heavens reward thee manifold, I pray.
Then while we live, in love let’s so persevere,
That when we live no more we may live ever.

-anne bradstreet

a numbered list of awesome

Top 10 Awesome Things About Today:

10. I took my computer to school & got some much needed lesson planning done during my lunch & prep period... and also during 7th hour, when I had 0 students, and 8th hour, when I had 2 students.

9. I added a cool link to my photoblog! (Much thanks to Sara Luke for her help!)

8. The Office is on tonight! Even if it is a stupid re-run. Stupid writer's strike...

7. Okay, so I actually finished the book 2 days ago, but I forgot to write about it. BUT, I finished my book for the month of January! Abolition of Man, by C. S. Lewis. Very dense & intense, but if it wasn't, it wouldn't be Clive.

6. I mailed the Valentine's Day ornaments to Victoria! (errr... 2 days late)

5. Adorable bud vase that I got at Walmart for 97 cents! (Don't hate me, Jeanette... I know it's one of your pet peeves, and I get annoyed with Walmart too... but sometimes you just can't top their deals!)

4. I made it to school and back in the Honda & I'm still alive. I made it to Walmart and back in Bessie & I'm still alive.*

3. I made it to Walmart on Ford Rd., did my shopping, and got back home in just under an hour! Probably no one reading this blog understands the traffic in Canton (even though I love you, IKEA, you have made driving on Ford Rd. miserable!), but this is a huge accomplishment. I wasn't even rushing while shopping, either!

2. Funniest thing that happened today: I splurged & bought myself a Twix bar tonight, and as I was getting out of the car, I was holding the remaining bar inside the wrapper in my hand, and somehow, as I was maneuvering my purse & trying to open the door & take off my seat belt, I felt the bar falling out of the wrapper. I thought all was lost - half of my money gone to waste... my sweet chocolate sullied by the wet, nasty driveway. Not so fast! Instead of hearing the bar thud by my feet, I heard an odd little clunk - as it fell right into the side pocket of the door!! STILL GOOD! Awesome! I really think it's a gift being impressed & amazed at the tiniest things...

1. Megan is coming TOMORROW!!!


*Status of our vehicles:
1. '97 Honda Accord: Over 200,000 miles. Breaks are going... needs new "rotors" - whatever that means. There is a strange clunking noise whenever you let off the gas, and when you apply the brakes, the vehicle shakes. Heat occasionally squeals, but usually only after you've been driving for 40ish minutes. Front right blinker is out. Cruise control periodically stops working.
2. '94 Chevy Lumina: Over 150,000 miles. Tires are... bald. A/C does not work - in fact, the belt grates and creates smoke if you try. Shocks (I think?) are in need of repair/replacement. Every once in awhile when you hit a bump, or go over railroad tracks (good thing there aren't any in Plymouth...), it sounds like someone is taking a hammer to the bottom of the car. Sporadically stalls out after coming to a complete stop and attempting to accelerate (stop signs, traffic lights, etc).

It really makes driving fun! What can I say - we live dangerously.

Will take best offer on either vehicle...