Found a Peanut!

As we left from the final performance of the play we "found a peanut" on the floor of the landing in one stairwell.  I couldn't help myself. . .I started singing and made my dad join in with me.  Just one of those crazy moments that had to happen.  My dad taught us that song years ago so getting to break into song on a random night when we literally "found a peanut" was just priceless.

Now for those of you who don't know the song. . .go right here. But I warn you, it will be stuck in your head for the rest of the day!

Go get'em girl!

Today is a completely self indulgent post for my girl.  She has a big day today and I just want to wish her all the best of luck!

Go speechify and bring home a ribbon!

And because this was one of Daddy's songs of encouragement years ago. . .

You Ain't Seen Nothin Yet

Sometimes a song just makes your heart stop

At least it does for me. As soon as I hear the first note of some songs it's like my heart stops and I am paralyzed, in a completely good way, waiting for the song to take off. 

Christina Perri's song A Thousand Years is one of those songs.  From the very first note I am transfixed.  I know I cannot turn the song down or off until it is over.  The words are powerful but it's more than that. It is the overall emotion of the song.  Even when I just hum the song I feel the emotion.

Listen to it for yourself. . .see if you you feel the depth of emotion.  I am drawn to it because of the piano.  But I wonder, does this one make you stop and listen?

A Thousand Years

Getting to know you!

Ahhhh, play week!  It's wonderful and awful all at the same time!  It's the end of long nights of rehearsal.  But it's also sad because it's over.

But today we just celebrate the fun of the weekend with one of my favorites from the musical.  :-)

Getting to know you!

I Love How You Love Me. . .

I've always heard this one as a slow love song.  But last night while I was working I came across this version in a playlist of songs from the 1960s. . .and true to my natural form, I listened to it over and over and over.

Thus, it must be worth sharing.  It's a bit raucous at times.  It deviates from the lyrics I find online for the song.  And yet it's just such a happy upbeat song I just can't get enough of it!

I Love How You Love Me

The Eleventh Hour of the Eleventh Day of the Eleventh Month. . .We Pause

Every year my school holds a Veterans Day Assembly.  We invite veterans from our community--from our faculty and our school family--to join us for a reception and assembly in their honor. 

Our choir sings.  Our band plays.  We have a speaker who comments on what it means to serve and why does he/she serve.  We do a slide show to recognize those who have served in the armed forces.  We have one trumpeter out in a hallway perform taps.

It is beautiful.  It is moving.  It is a chance to stop and think about what others have done and continue to do in the name of peace and safety for not just our nation, but for the world overall.

I leave you with the Battle Hymn of the Republic, one of the pieces our choir always performs.  This year their performance was spectacular--our guest speaker, a Major General, jumped to stand and applaud them for their performance.  I wish I had a video of it but I haven't seen one yet.  Instead, I offer the performance of the US Army chorus

The Battle Hm of the Republic

Spice cake and music

On this day eleven years ago, my Nana died.  She was something else. 

She was a cleaning freak.  A child of the Depression, she was frugal like you have never seen--washed and reused aluminum foil, ziploc bags and even bread bags.

She was an excellent cook--could turn simple ground beef into an absolute comfort food meal with gravy and mashed potatoes.  But what I remember the most is the spice cake she made one night when we stayed over.  The aroma of that cake throughout the house. . .just not something I could easily forget.  It was delightful.

She was also a fantastic musician.  She began playing string bass as a small child in their family band.  There she was, a small lil girl carrying a big string bass from their house over to her uncle's house.  Hilarious.  As she got older she learned to play piano and then organ.  I was always fascinated by her organ.  Most people just don't have an organ in the house, do they?

Nana played a lot of great songs.  One that stands out is "Hold That Tiger."  Nana didn't have a band to play back up for her but this reminds me of the fun she had playing it.

Tiger Rag aka Hold That Tiger

How High the Moon

Oh heck I love this song to pieces.  Crazy love it.  Reminds me of music we used to listen to stuff like this at my grandparents house when I was a very little girl.

Les Paul & Mary Ford "How High the Moon"

When You're Smiling

My theme for today. . .because when you're smiling, the whole world smiles with you.

Eddie Peabody When You're Smiling

More ramblings. . .food and music

Well they are two of my favorite things so food and music fit as perfect ramblings here.

I didn't feel too fabulous over the weekend.  Usually Sunday is my big day to prep for the week.  But I wasn't able to do it.

So when I got home from work yesterday and had the whole house to myself I got busy.

Because we've had some upset tummies I made another round of chicken noodle soup and chicken salad.

Then I put some meat on for strombolis.

And then because I clearly am not right I made fresh bread for the strombolis.

But that wasn't enough.  I also made a meatloaf.

All in the space of about 90 minutes. 

How crazy is that?  But we're eatin' quite good through Thursday (pizza night!) at our house.

While I worked I listened to Pandora.  I have a lot of stations on Pandora--so many in fact I should probably settle in to delete some.

Last night's station of choice was Billy Currington.  Some really good stuff there.  So for fun, here are two of my many favorites from Billy. 

People Are Crazy


And then quite possibly one of the happiest sounding break up songs ever. . . .Love Done Gone

Have a great Tuesday!  I sure hope to get back on track soon.  I really appreciate you all still stopping by to check in on things here!

Ramblings. . .

The big weekend trip was excellent.  We had a great group of students who knew to follow the rules and watch out for each other.

About the only thing I would have changed was to find a way to get more sleep. 

That lack of sleep has lingered throughout this week, hence my lack of blog posts.

But things to share from this past week. . . .

My kids are amazing.  One got to go along for the school trip and we had a very nice time.  The other two stayed with my parents and they had a great time.  I couldn't wait to see them when I got home (and my bed. . .man I was tired)

Even after more than 25 years, Journey rocks.  Still totally in love with their music.  I am pretty sure Faithfully is my favorite song ever from them.

Halloween was almost nothing this year.  We were supposed to have storms so my county postponed trick or treating to Friday night.  In addition, only one little girl in my household planned to dress up for Halloween anyway.  I guess we are ending an era.  Surprisingly sad about that one.  But they are growing up.

Matt Kearney is one of those artists who I think is under appreciated, although I realize his music is unique.  I had reason to listen to some of his music this week too.  I have a hard time picking a favorite from him.  I'm going to go with Renaissance since it's the first one that really hit me hard.

Oh wait. . .this one is good too: 

Big weekend. . .after school we have play practice, basketball practice, basketball scrimmage and Mass.  Tomorrow we clean house--sooooooo desperately needs a thorough cleaning.  And then Sunday we have family stopping in for a visit. 

Good times. 

Good stuff.