Jason Walker - My New Fav Singer

101 small pleasures you can enjoy every day

Yes, so I "stole" this list off Yahoo's front page... however, it was way too good to not share. I agree with just about every single thing on this list. These are some things that put smiles on my face. God is number one on the list though... He never fails to put a smile on my face. 

1. coloring (yes, grown-ups can do it, too)
2. crisp cotton sheets
3. soft skin
4. old family recipes
5. the first daffodils of spring
6. sleeping in
7. an exercise endorphin high
8. window boxes
9. a perfect cup of coffee
10. a genuine compliment (giving or receiving)
11. the way babies smell
12. a handwritten letter
13. waking up in a good mood...for no real reason
14. singing in the shower
15. finding a couple forgotten dollars in your pocket
16. doing something nice for your neighbor
17. a home cooked meal
18. laughing
19. movie theater popcorn
20. playing hookey
21. a bubble bath
22. swimming
23. an afternoon nap
24. street musicians
25. your favorite song
26. saying thank you
27. helping someone in need
28. old fashioned photo booths
29. fresh whipped cream
30. inspiring blogs
31. a glass of wine
32. rainy afternoons
33. the funny things kids say
34. a novel you can get lost in
35. finding the perfect piece of clothing...on sale
36. clean laundry
37. the wind in your hair
38. treating the person behind you at the drive-thru
39. sharing an umbrella
40. the smell of lavender
41. a long walk that clears your head
42. a bear hug
43. The Beatles
44. smiling at a stranger
45. eating with chopsticks (Chinese food optional)
46. butterflies
47. staying in your pj's all day
48. singing along to the radio and knowing all the words
49. fresh herbs
50. ordering in pizza
51. happy endings...even if they're fictional
52. flying a kite
53. puppies
54. root beer floats
55. holding open the door...
56. ...or having someone hold the door for you
57. fountain soda
58. white, fluffy towels
59. sunshine
60. spending an afternoon at a museum
61. really great advice
62. green lights all the way home
63. the sound of rain hitting the windows
64. sitting in a booth
65. holding hands
66. a great hair day with no effort
67. building a fort with your kids
68. when someone falls asleep with their head on your shoulder
69. fireflies
70. the perfect taco
71. geraniums on a windowsill
72. slow dancing
73. the smell of fresh-baked bread
74. cheesy, uplifting musicals
75. great stories
76. the smell of gasoline
77. the cold side of the pillow
78. love letters
79. old friends...
80. ...new friends
81. a pull-through parking space
82. a baguette -- crisp on the outside, airy on the inside
83. when a dog licks your hand
84. sitting at the counter at an old-fashioned diner
85. using your favorite dishes
86. reading your child a bedtime story
87. Girl Scout Cookies
88. flossing
89. kissing someone you love
90. the smell of onions and garlic cooking
91. hot chocolate
92. jumping in puddles
93. old photographs
94. birds hopping on the sidewalk
95. Ella Fitzgerald
96. a spoonful of peanut butter straight from the jar
97. your softest t-shirt
98. a new magazine in the mail
99. fireplaces
100. having exact change
101. bacon and pancakes cooking on Saturday morning

American Honey

LOVE this song, and love this band :-)

Music Videos....yet again

"Revelation Song" - Kari Jobe

"Knock You Down" - Keri Hilson, Featuring Kanye West & Ne-Yo

Runaway Love And Theft

 

Music Vids.

Remedy Drive - All Along

M.I.A. - Paper Plans .... this song just makes me laugh. It brings back memories as well haha .... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqlY0VOFtyA


Tenth Avenue North - You hold My Heart

Random song of the day :D

Keith Green - "Make My Life A Prayer To You"

Piano List

Soooo my days right now mostly consist of playing the piano. Such a life I lead :-p It's going on about 9 years (lol I think...). I LOVE music, specifically piano, so spending hours a day practicing and playing around isnt always that bad ;-) And just cause I feel like letting you know what I'm playing, I am writing a list. I'll try to find youtube videos so you can hear what the pieces sound like...

Nocturne in B-flat * Maria Syzmanowska
(Not on youtube .... mostly cause it's not very well heard of, but it is awesome :-))

Sonata in c-minor, op. 13, "Pathetique" (Movement 1 and 2) * Ludwig van Beethoven
(The first part sounds boring, but once you get to 1:30 it's all down hill from there :-) Although he does repeat which makes it seem SOOO long ... but watch the whole thing - It's beautiful!)



Fantasie Impromptu, Op. 66 * Frederic Chopin


Sonata Quasi una Fantasia, Op. 27, No. 2, "Moonlight Sonta" * Ludwig van Beethoven



River Flows in You * Yiruma



Prelude I (1927) * George Gershwin



Hungarian Dance #5 * Brahms
(Duet with my teacher)



Nocturne, Op. 48, No. 2 ....



... and Op. 9, No. 2 * Frederic Chopin

lolol so there's a lot .... some I concentrate more on than the others, while some are for fun.

My year in pictures...

JANUARY

FEBRUARY
MARCHAPRIL
MAYJUNE
JULY

AUGUST

2008 in Review -

This past year held a lot of life-growing opportunities and trials for me, along with some amazing memories that I will hold on to for a very long time. There were plenty of times where I felt helpless and alone but God let me know very quickly that was not the case. There were also many times where I messed up BIG TIME and like I could never fix what I did, but yet again God informed me that that was not the case either. I am constantly amazed at how incredible and loving and beautiful Christ is. He never ceases to surprise me with something :-)
Okay so here's a quick list of what went on this past year....
December 27th, 2007 - Let for Europe with MK for a 6/7 week trip to Europe; and as I have said before, it was a dream come true!!!
January 2008 - I LOVE Macs and Brioche and snow. I stayed with a dear family in Germany, but visited Luxembourg (several times), France and Switzerland. I didn't think about the rest of the world (family, boys :P, life, issues, problems, ALL of it) for most of the time ( ...until I received a strange email from a guy friend. GR. But he wasn't thought of most of the time). But it was such a breath of fresh air to get away from EVERYTHING. I was able to see all kinds of neat things in Europe. I think my favorite things were the Swiss Alps and, of course, the Eiffel Tower, and people who had a sense of style! lol...seriously. I came back feeling "trendy" ;-) Oh and for the first time I rode trains. I like them a lot - accept for the weird European guys that have to stare at you. ugh. It was a FANTASTIC time....especially with the world's best roommate and ping-pong buddy, MK =)
February - Alright moving on, I got back from my European expedition on the 7th. GAH I didn't not want to be home. Seriously. lol I remember MK and I trying to come up with a plan for us to stay a couple more weeks. Then when that one didn't work, we had fun trying to come up with another to not have to go home. Lol sad they didn't work ;-) Oh my, the funny times with me being jet-lagged. Getting up at 4 in the morning, then getting SOO sleepy at 6/7 in the evenings. Chris proposed to my 2nd older sister the beginning (i believe) of this month...yes while I was gone. They had a very fast relationship. Whatever works I suppose. During this month I continued trying to find out what God was wanting me to do...It's such a pain. I am hating the question "what are you doing after you graduate" cause I DONT KNOW!!! And while I desired to go to a certain school, later on I find out, this was not God's plan.
March - What a month....on some topics it was awful, others it was AMAZING. My oldest sister informed me that I was going to be an aunt in November - !!! I was very excited! I was very busy this month getting ready to graduate HS, my senior piano recital, piano guild, and piano festival...A LOT OF PRACTICING! I had to develop some endurance during the next coming months. I like the Enchanted movie too...lol. I've been VERY swamped with school work, especially math. Trying to keep up French!... Camping, "the office" marathons, and playing in the rain.
April - GAHHHH. This was a month full of mistakes and learning experiences. I didn't enjoy this month very much lol, except for getting to go on a 4-day trip to the Okefenokee Swamp with dad and all the boys... we paddled 33 miles. My arms were killing me the following week. But yet another trip I enjoyed greatly. Had to get Senior Portraits done. I don't like them very much but OH WELL. "Build a bridge and get over it." Took a "Spring Break" trip down to FL to see J and A, lol poor A was so sick (morning sickness). It was fun, but very rainy :P
May - GRADUATION!!! Yay!! I was so ready to be done with School, as I am sure all seniors are during the last semester. But I still am not sure as to what I will be doing in the fall. Guild and my Senior Piano Recital all went very well! =) This is what I played for my Recital:
*Toccatina, Kabalevsky
*Prelude in B minor, Chopin - second favorite
*Sonata, Scarlatti
*Sonata, Beethoven
*Hymn arrangement
*Dawn, from Pride and Prejudice movie ('05) - this one was my favorite
And I was the 2008 homeschool Prom Queen :)
June - 2nd older sister and Chris got married on the 7th ... I am so happy for them! I've had a lot of "1st timers" recently...lol and I've felt like an idiot too. haha. wow. I've been doing a lot of Gourmet cooking the last few weeks...It's a lot of fun and I enjoy it.
July - My bday =) spent up in the Appalachian mountains in WVA...AMAZING and very beautiful! I know that God does not want me at TFC this fall...that was hard to face. But I know that it's for his plan. And July 4th was spent over here with everyone... good times :)
August - My amazing friends surprised me with a bday party .... !! It was VERY sweet of them! They did a very good job keeping it a secret! Mom and Dad gave me my bday/graduation ring - Blue Sapphire with White Sapphires around it. I love it and it's beautiful!! The couple MK and I stayed with in Switzerland came for a 2 week visit - I loved getting to see them! I started working on Pathetique mov. no 1, Beethoven. I Love it! I've already played the 2nd mov but wanted to get the first one. It's very different, and very difficult, but it's also beautiful.
September - J and A's Wedding anniversary (2 years) was the same day. I will be staying home for the fall :-( I am trying to learn how to be content with where God has me. I am struggling a great deal with being submissive. gah it's rough to learn. ADD Now weekend at CBC - Olive and I were leaders of the CBC girl middle school group. I greatly enjoyed getting to share with those girls and to let Christ have his way in all of their lives...and he most certaintly did! Oh yes, and 2-week beach trip =)
October - Yay for fall weather! Although, it's been a little hot so far. But the trees are turning colors and showing God's amazing handiwork - My favorite time of the year!
November - Gabe DM was born the 7th =) I am an aunt...J and A are doing wonderful! They are going to be awesome parents!! 1st time voter! Although, I am not a fan of either candidates for the presidency  This country is not going to do so well.
December - I enjoy being an Aunt!! Christmas and New Years was quiet and different, but good. 
January - So far the New Year as been very good and prolific. I am more content, but I am also looking into different opportunities that the Lord has opened doors too. I am so excited to see what is in store for this year and what will go on, although I know there will still be plenty of trials and things that will come up, but I continue looking to Christ as number one and not let things, or people, get in my way. Joshua 22:5.
SOOOOO, after that very long post, that was some of my year in a nutshell. So much more went on that I would like to go into and share but not right now. I'll do a better job this year about blogging more often!!! Goodbye and God Bless!!!

Carrie Underwood - "Ever Ever After"

Good song - I love it!! =) and Enchanted was very cute too.

Random Post

**Songs in the Closet - The most beautiful love song you can sing to the Lord is the one that nobody hears.**