winter songs

oh, here it is again...time for christmas carols. i'm starting early this year - it just seems right when turkey day is so close to december. what are your traditions? wait until christmas eve to get your tree? up right after thanksgiving? have you started your christmas shopping yet? do you do gifts in your family? what's the best thing about christmas for you?

this'll tell me if any of you read this, huh?! answer my questions - inquiring minds wanna know! now, on to the carols - i have many, many here, but i'm always looking for more, or different variations - the more radical the better. so, do tell.

and, merry christmas. happy holidays. all the good fuzzy feelings for this season of love and light to you and your family. hugs and smoochies.

november noise

november. noooooovember. y'all, I like the sunshine. like a lot. i'm NOT ready for grey days, rain, and daylight savings time. i wanted to stay forever in tahiti, but mr man made me come home, and now, it's November.

it's about to be crazy town around here! Christmas cards, new years cards, etc. and, I started a new adventure earlier this year - you may have seen the link on the right, my three readers, but i'm doing some world changing with noonday collection, so, yes, crazy town.

next month, it's the carols of Christmas on repeat after thanksgiving. but, for january, tell me what you're listening to. are you even listening to this - do tell, this mind wants to know.

october in tune

dude...seriously...october? how? i succumbed to fall this weekend, and got some pumpkins, but will not go lightly away from summer. i truly need a home where there are eternal summers. me and vitamin d are BFFs, and this greyness the PNW brings takes me down many a day. wah wah wah, right?!

ok, so i had to go diggin' for tunes again this month. none of my regular shows are on, so i can't pull them from those, altho parenthood just came back and i'll shamelessly yank from those episodes soon.

so, i know you love to hear my good ol' day stories, my three readers, so here's one about a song on here. i was listening to my belinda carlisle pandora station the other day and it must've been love came on, and i was instantly transported back to 1989. my friend and i got all dolled up with garish makeup to try to convince the box office dude that we were in fact over 17, so we could see the rated r (ooooh) pretty woman. we got in, but we weren't fooling anyone. so, here it sits, for old times sake.

what are you listening to? are you so excited i included tay tay on here, so you could shake it off?

the sounds of september

well, thank goodness i got caught up on suits recently, so i'd have some songs to put on the playlist! i don't do much listening to the radio, so it's movies, tv shows, and random pandora stations that help me find my tunes.

but, can we talk about the fact that it's september??!! what tha?! june came and flew, july came and flew, and august zoooomed on by, and here we are - football (oh, joy), cooler, shorter days, leaves falling, and pumpkins everywhere. i sometimes wish i lived somewhere with an eternal summer. but, mr man couldn't be happier. football widows unite.

ok, what are you listenin' to? any movies i need to see that have amazing soundtracks? do tell - i wanna be like the cool kids!

on the air of august

a little late to the party here, but it was quite the time finding songs for the list this month. i dug in the archives, called on all my peeps for suggestions, and still just added the last song today.

lots going on here. wouldn't you love to hear about it?! sheesh - i'm trying. really trying. but the clock never stops ticking, and the world never stops turning. so, maybe someday i'll catch you up!

in the meantime - i'm struggling with the songs, so keep me in the know of what's tickling your ears lately. i'm so behind on my shows, I can't even pull from there! so, help a sister out - k? love you, mean it, bye!

july's jingles

oh, hey there, my three readers. thank you for your lovely comments on june's playlist! and, here we are for another round of only posting the playlist on the blog. writing takes time, y'all. and, as soon as i sit down to pen what is sure to be riveting stuff...squirrel! i have so much to share, say, tell you, but i don't know that it belongs here in the design space. i want to shift this space a bit. get more real. but i don't yet know what that looks like. if you've got idears, let 'er rip!

the ol' shazam paid off this month with 15 songs for me to share with you! no idea where I heard most of them, but whatevs yo! i heard the norah jones version of i think it's going to rain today on the sarah pandora station the other day, and i was thrust back into a 1988 movie theater trying to see thru the gallons of tears i was crying during beaches. the soundtrack was my first CD, and i listened to that thing ad nauseum. hearing it reminded me just how much i love me some bette midler, and that i can quote beaches like nobody's biz.

so you've heard the paramore song, have you? well, i've somehow avoided it's radio overplay. a friend brought it up when we were talking about how it kinda blows to get older and have to weed thru crap like miscarriages and jobs. one listen and it was love.

speaking of sarah Pandora stations - some girlfriends and I went to see her at chateau st michelle last weekend, and it was amazing. as always. if you've never seen her, make it a point. she rocks it! you'll be pleasantly surprised. but maybe don't go to chateau st michelle. i've heard they frown on cutting lines, sneaking your own booze in, and dancing in the aisles. but, i've just heard that.

on to the music!

junebug, i love you

since yesterday was my birfday, i thought i'd whip up a playlist of some of my fave songs. i can't help it that most of my favorites haven't changed since about 1997, but whatev.

some of these songs are off favorite cds, and I would have put the whole cd on the playlist, but i spared you. if you care to listen to the whole cd of my faves, they are: dave's crash, big head todd 's sister sweetly, heart's bad animals (this tape was on repeat in the tape deck from sophomore thru senior year), sarah's fumbling towards ecstacy, toad's dulcinea, and keane's under the iron sea.

so, if you were to create a list of 20 of your faves, what would make the cut? i love these kinds of questions, so answer up, you, my three readers.

maylist playlist

well, thank the good lord for baby sisters! i had about 2 songs for the playlist, and she sent me over her shazam list, and... shazam (i'm so sorry) a list was born. p.h.e.w! so, i'm gonna be hearing most these songs for the first time, just like you!

you'll notice i felt the need to put some george michael circa '90 on here. a gal pal turned the big fore-ohhh this weekend, and that song was on the playlist there, and it brought back major memories. i knew every word, and might've obnoxiously sung the whole thing at the top of my lungs. and, all I could think about was linda evangelista singing inside her sweater and the infamous vest going up in flames. did you go there with me?

ok, seriously, my three readers, i WANT to know what you're listening to. give it up! i'll be your best friend. k? thanks, bye!

auditory april

i've always tried to pull one over on loved ones for april fool's day, but always fall short. i think it's a silly day, especially given that i can tend toward the gullible. what isn't a joke is this playlist. *snort* - see what i did there?!

here's my monthly list of songs found while catching up on dvr'd  suits, parenthood and person of interest, on shopping excursions, and via noisetrade emails. have you checked out that site? it's pretty spectacular. and, i added an old fave from big head todd because they just played and i missed them. their swing toward blues has not been my favorite digression. bring back the old vibe...please! the arctic monkeys song was slated for the march playlist, but i couldn't decide if i liked it enough, but if it ain't dang catchy! and, no mocking the brave song - i'm really diggin' the message, so skip it if you need to! wink

now then - truly, what are you listening to? i reeeeeaallllly wanna know. i don't just type that every month. c'mon - help a sister out! smooches and hugs and all that jazz.

forward...march

sorry so late with the march playlist - I took a much needed tropical vaycay. and, let me tell you - vitamin d does a body good! so refreshed!

and, here are the tunes for march - all procured from the various tv shows i'm trying to catch up on. plus a few oldies (but super goodies) thrown in for good measure. the yoga teach threw jeff buckley on her playlist recently, and man, was it hard to stay in downward dog, when all i wanted was a microphone. oh, the angst of 1994.

ok - as always - what are you listening to?? anything i have to hear? how are you feeling about daylight savings? i went outside last night at 6 and did a happy dance that it was still light out! wahoo! (which, incidentally, is a fish i tasted for the first time on my trip)

xoxoxo

in the key of f...ebruary

by popular demand, my three readers - the playlist lives on!

you know how January is supposed to be a month of introspection, goals, and getting life back in order after the holidays? well, that sorta happened in the workshop, but sorta also didn't. things be crazy up in here, and that is the most awesome thing ever. truly. truly. truly.

my sissies and i started this thing in september. we send a picture every day of something new - each month is a new theme. january's theme was us showing our attempt at a goal we set for the year (eat more veggies, be more positive, exercise, etc.) and, man, was it so powerful to see those goals being achieved! i had a major goal deadline of january 31st, and i couldn't be happier that i achieved it! i'll tell ya about it soon. promise.

now - to the music. the farmer gives us mixtapes cds in our stockings most years, and he has quite the ear for music, so a few of those new-to-me tunes are on here. others i found on blogs, TV shows, various dressing rooms. you know what's next - tell me what you're grooving to - anything i have to listen to?

tunes for the new year

a new year...again. and, one of my resolutions/goals is to be more positive. so, how 'bout this: i'm so excited for the new year and have faith it'll be a good one! do you do resolutions? are they already broken? i'm trying berry, berry hard this year to stick to mine.

also, will you let me know if you dig this - i enjoy doing the playlists, but if no one is listening to them, it doesn't make sense to keep doing them. if you feel strongly either way, shoot me a comment, email, text, the like.

and, happy new year! sending you warm fuzzies that it'll be the best.year.ever. xo

christmastime in the city

is it a rule in your casa that the christmas décor MUST go up the day after thanksgiving, and not come down until after new years (or mid-February, sometimes?!)? well, the workshop is taking a brief (very brief) break this morning to throw up the décor (i wish i could keep up year-round), and the elves and i needed some music to get us goin'.

i know you, my three readers, wait all year for this day! yippee. but, in full disclosure mode - i caved and started listening to some carols on tuesday night while I was making mashed taters for turkey day.

now, i'm ALWAYS looking for new holiday music. i tend to stick to my tried and trues, so if you know of new stuff that the cool kids are putting out, do tell. my list needs more than 67 songs, dont'cha think?!

a nostalgic nineties november

so, baby sister texts me the other day and says 'you should do a nostalgic November playlist, and put oldies on it like humpty dance and i'm too sexy.' well, good idea, but oldies?? oldies?? ok, technically, it is true that i graduated 20 years ago (say what now?!), which means the 90s were 20 years ago, but man, i'm not sure i've ever felt so old. although i was proud that she actually knew those songs.

not a difficult task at all to pack my faves from the 90s(ish) on here. i coulda kept going, but i cut myself off at 30.

did i get all the best? leave off any of your faves? mmmm, walks down memory lane are fun!

also, happy early birthday to mr man. not sure what i'd do without that guy. wanna read about past fiestas? you're welcome.
36 things i'm thankful for about him
we rock the party
husband of the year

octaves of october

october first? is that calendar right? sheesh, 3 more months of the year, and that's it. and, i really feel like i blinked and september was over. you too? we're also getting some unfortunate weather that has forced me to embrace boots and rain coats. a leeetle early, i might add. well, i guess it was bound to happen eventually, right?!

ok - on to the music. what's tickling your ears lately? heard any oh-so-awesome music that you can't get outta your head? do tell! do tell!

september sing along

and, just like that...it's september! the return of football, pumpkin everything, crisp days, falling leaves, the change of seasons. here in the good ol' pac nw, september is really part of our summer. we don't usually experience the amazement that has been this summer - with june all wonderful and nice. so, i'm not ready just yet for knee high boots and fluffy coats. i'm still good with my sandals and tube tops.

on to the music. still using other people's blogs and tv shows as my main source of music knowledge. sometimes baby sister sends me a pic of her shazam. as always, what are you listenin' to? anything noteworthy. i was gonna put katy perry's roar on here, if i hadn't heard it 4 times on the car radio in less than an hour yesterday!

a decade of memories

today is our 10 year anniversary. yep, mr man and i - married 10 years! in some ways it feels like it's been forever, and in other ways - say what now? 10 years?

and, what wonderful years full of ups and downs they've been. 2012 and parts of 2013 have kicked my ass. and mr man? always - ALWAYS - there to reach down and pick me up. full on carry me along if he has to. if i ever doubted his love was unconditional, i need only to look back and see that he's been my rock solid kick stand, never once complaining, and always with a smile on his face.

we meant what we said - in sickness and in health, in good times and bad. how 'bout we take a walk down memory lane, hmmm?

in 2004, we celebrated our first anniversary in vegas with friends. the girls spent all day at the pool, while the boys slept in to recover from staying up all night gambling. everyone says the first year is the hardest, but i loved our first year. after so many years of 'playing house', we were finally an old married couple!

2005 was a big year. i turned 30, and we celebrated with a dreamy trip to mexico. we bought our first house, celebrating our 2nd anniversary eating off paper plates in the new dining room, and dealt with all the fun that brings with it! our friends started having babies, making us the cool auntie and uncle we always wanted to be. and sadly, will's grandma died, and my parents got divorced after 30 years together. big year, indeed!

in 2006, we celebrated our anniversary with our first trip to portland. the seahawks made the super bowl. and, will turned 30. i wanted it to be one to remember, so we packed up and headed to notre dame for the first of many, many 'football trips'. i might've created a monster, y'all.

2007 took us on a tour of the south for the football trip. we finished up at LSU, where baby sister was starting her freshman year. mr man had to get this beauty for every halloween/new year/costume party. hell, he's been known to sport it on a random tuesday. we spent a whirlwind weekend updating our guest room so our numerous visitors felt right at home and wouldn't want to leave. it didn't work.

in 2008, we took our first wine tasting trip, and decided to make it annual after the first sip. we celebrated our 5th anniversary in san fran. i experienced the joy (not) of being laid off, but luckily got another job quickly. middle sissy got married, and we spent the holidays in NYC and on a cruise to the bahamas.

2009 made us an actual auntie and uncle when sweet p came along. we took a trip to puerto rico, and the football trip became trips. i got to enjoy another layoff, but created rosita designs as a result. and, i joined some gals on the 3-day walk, which is easily the hardest thing i've ever done - for a wonderful cause!

we celebrated 10 years in seattle in 2010. i turned 35 and whooped it up with a rockin' 80s party and a girl's trip with the fam to hilton head. instead of 1 or 2 football trips, we amped it up to 3 or 4. and, tragically, we experienced the sadness that comes with miscarriage.

we gained a nephew and a godson when coogie was born in 2011. baby sister came to visit for a month and whipped me into organization shape. we had friends join us on our annual wine trip, and beg them to come every year now. will's 35th birthday meant a band in the basement. (wife of the year!) will's grandpa passed away, and we experienced the painful loss of baby #2.

2012 - the year of the sucker punch - had so many bright spots, too. we spent the entire year traveling - dallas, grand cayman, LA, boston, NYC for thanksgiving, college station. baby sister got married, and i decided i needed to try pink hair! the football obsession grew to epic proportions - mr man saw 17(!) games live. in a seat. like, not on tv. epic.

this year has had its ups and downs too. we've had visits from my entire family, and mr man's baby sister. we convinced our friends to join us on our wine trip again. but, sadly, we lost my sweet, sweet paw paw in may. it still doesn't seem real. and, football widowdom began last night, and the first trip is next weekend.

wow! what an amazing 10 years it's been. i love that man more today than yesterday, and more today than the day we were married. our wedding was so beautiful, full of love and joy, but our marriage blows the wedding away. i love you mr man. thank you for the last 10 (+6) years. i'm so excited to see what the next 10 years have in store for us.

i think ol' pablo said it best

   I do not love you as if you were salt-rose, or topaz,
   or the arrow of carnations the fire shoots off.
   I love you as certain dark things are to be loved,
   in secret, between the shadow and the soul.

   I love you as the plant that never blooms
   but carries in itself the light of hidden flowers;
   thanks to your love a certain solid fragrance,
   risen from the earth, lives darkly in my body.

   I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where.
   I love you straightforwardly, without complexities or pride;
   so I love you because I know no other way

   than this: where I does not exist, nor you,
   so close that your hand on my chest is my hand,
   so close that your eyes close as I fall asleep.

august acoustics

i swear it was just july 1st. swear it. i wanna put my foot down and stop the earth a'spinning. how's it august? how'm i this old? how do i stop the break neck pace?!

ah, there you are, digression, my bff. ahem. here are the tunes for august. a little of this, a little of that. i stumbled on a blog of playlists, and stole a bunch of those songs. some of them are pretty whiney, but i do love me a whiney band. seriously. ask my mama. she of her vampire weekend and dancy beats.

my best gal, carrie, got the newest jt the other day, so i barried it from her, and...smitten. hands down. i've never been that much of a jt fan, but lately? his jams are doing somethin' to me. blush. i maybe might be his latest girlie fan. i took a few songs from the 'what to expect...' soundtrack. if you haven't seen that movie, and you're a girl, and you've maybe had a plan of how your pregnancies or lack thereof were gonna go, you should watch it. some cringe-worthy scenes, but man, they hit the emotion on the head!

ok, whatchoo lisnin' to? do tell - do you love whiney as much as i do?

july jingles

and, here we are in july. and, june went by with nary a post. i'm sorry. I'M SORRY! you will be happy to know that i've taken pictures of all my designs, now it's just a matter of sizing them, making them look like an actual photographer took them, writing some content to go along with them, and posting them here. i have high hopes, people. hot apple pie in the sky hopes.

and, now i want apple pie. and, i don't eat gluten.

i digress - here are the tunes i've taken a liking to in the last 30 days. found any you liked?? do tell.

should we even call this a blog?

y'all...

seriously...

life...ugh.

it's been a rough few weeks, and the workshop's gotten dusty - i'm skatin' in on the last day of may with a playlist to cover june, too. i was shocked there were enough songs on my shazam list to give me a good start. i added in some oldies, as is typical around here. my g-pa, dear sweet pops, passed away a few weeks ago, so i had to toss a few of his favorites on it.

if you've got something i MUST hear, you know how i love a good recommendation! are you, my three readers, ready for summer? i broke out the addys today - sittin' in the sun, about to start happy hour here. cheers to june!